Pleasant Hill • Concord • Martinez • Lafayette • Walnut Creek • Pacheco
SEPTEMBER 2014 Reaching Over 40,000 Homes & Businesses
ourcommunityfocus.com
IN THIS ISSUE: • FESTIVAL SEASON IS HERE • JENNA BETTI TOURNAMENT • COMMUNITY SERVICE
2 014
2014
READERS’ LOCAL
FAVORITES
vote 9-15-14|ourcommunityfocus.com
supercoupon
40%Off
Any Leaf Rake
COUPON CODE: CMRAKE Limit 3
Convenient. Helpful. Locally Owned.
supercoupon
10
$
supercoupon
20Off
Perfect for Camping & Firepits
3 for
Discount off regular retail price. Limited to stock on hand. Offer only valid with original coupon. coupon. May not be combined with any other offer. Expires September 30, 2014.
%
Firewood Bundle
Huge Selection!
All Canning Supplies
Aged & ready to burn. 460012 Limit 3 COUPON CODE: CMFW
COUPON CODE: CMCAN
Limited to stock on hand. Offer only valid with original coupon. coupon. May not be combined with any other offer. Expires September 30, 2014.
Discount off regular retail price. Limited to stock on hand. Offer only valid with original coupon. coupon. May not be combined with any other offer. Expires September 30, 2014.
supercoupon
need glass?
BUY ONE
AT REGULAR PRICE
GET ONE
FREE
Contractor Trash Bags 42 gal., 20 ct. 6038574 COUPON CODE: CMBAGS Limit 2
We have single-pane window and picture frame glass, custom cut to your dimensions.
Reg. 14.99 Ea. Limited to stock on hand. Offer only valid with original coupon. coupon. May not be combined with any other offer. Expires September 30, 2014.
Bill’s Ace . . . when minutes count, and service matters!
Pleasant Hill
Martinez
Concord
4451 Clayton Road
3610 Pacheco Blvd.
1530 Contra Costa Blvd.
825-4100
228-6135
682-5000
half mile south of Sun Valley Mall
at Morello Rd.
near Treat Blvd.
Don, Norma, and Erik’s listings...
Call now to have your home featured here!
Ace Hardware is committed to truthful and accurate advertising. We do, however, reserve the right to correct printing errors.
Homemade Ravioli since 1925
MOLINO’S RAVIOLI FACTORY HOMEMADE MEALS - JUST HEAT & EAT
Come and Visit our Production Line and see Ravioli Made the Old-Fashioned Way
Ravioli Flavors
Beef • Chicken • Spicy Chicken • Cheese Cheese & Basil • Seafood • Butternut Squash Vegetarian • Portabella Mushroom • Sweet Potato Sauces • Cannelloni • Lasagna • Fresh Pasta Polenta Pie • Soup • Potato Gnocchi • Large & Small Ravioli • And Much More
2150 Pleasant Hill Rd. Pleasant Hill, CA 925-934-7075
Large or Small
Taylor Blvd.
15% OFF Special Events
Grayson Rd.
www.MolinosRavioli.net
29 32
LARGE FAMILY PARTY TRAYS
Plus FREE 1/2 loaf of garlic bread
17
Homemade Ravioli 50 * Dinner-To-Go A 22.50 Value!
Incl. your choice of small beef/cheese box of Ravioli, pint of sauce, and 1/2 loaf of garlic bread
Boyd Rd.
Molino’s Ravioli
50 *
95 *
LASAGNA Beef, Cheese or vegetable, OR Spaghetti & Meat Balls, serves 6-8.
Gregory Ln. Pleasant Hill Road
CATERING Available
Whole Roasted Garlic Crab
with Garlic Noodles & Mushrooms and Half loaf Garlic Bread!
2 OFF 00 *
PLUS FREE 1/2 LOAF GARLIC BREAD A 3.45 Value! With any purchase of $20 or More
* With coupon. One coupon per day. Not valid with any other offer. Does not incl. tax. Expires 9/30/14
2
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
EXPIRES 9/30/14
Ready Set Read! A Successful Reading Program BY JAKI JONES Cindy Rubin intends to build on the early success of the Reading Readiness program that launched in many Pleasant Hill elementary schools last fall. The program is part of the Pleasant Hill Education Initiative (PHEI) created in February 2013 by former mayor Michael Harris and is designed to enhance the quality of education for Pleasant Hill students. Reading Readiness targets students in grades K-2. Volunteers are matched with young readers and work one-on-one under a teacher’s guidance to improve reading skills. Rubin served as volunteer coordinator and collected the names of interested citizens who signed up through several outlets, including the Senior Center, the City of Pleasant Hill’s webpage, and Community Service Day last year. After teachers evaluated and targeted students who needed additional help with their reading skills, volunteer placements were made. Although the program was initiated last October, its novelty made some teachers tentative about jumping in. Rubin said, “We had a lot of enthusiasm about the program, but maybe not as many takers. It was new so people didn’t know what it was about. Where we saw the most success was at Gregory Gardens.” She credits much of the success of the program at Gregory, with its large population of English language learners, to the efforts of Diana Bartlett, who served as a volunteer liaison between Rubin and the school and obtained the type of support teachers wanted. Bartlett said, “From my perspective, the volunteer effort was very well run and well received at Gregory Gardens. I think having someone in the liaison role to assist with the details made it easier for the teachers, and I found the program to be a wonderful demonstration of community involvement and support -- a true success.” With a daughter in high school and son in college, volunteer Marianne Naccara was delighted to be at Gregory Gardens and in a classroom full of 6 and 7-year-olds. She said, “I just loved working with the little ones, with their front teeth missing. You could see their progress as the year went on.” Her weekly one-hour visits in teacher
Jill Stevens-Nappi’s first grade classroom included working one-on-one with 2-5 students, listening to them read books at their reading levels and providing encouragement. “I think the program was really valuable, as the school does not have many parent volunteers to help. I plan to go back to the same classroom this year and do my Wednesday mornings!” she added. Stevens-Nappi valued the additional help as well: “The children really enjoyed our ‘reading helpers,’ and many asked to read with them. I appreciated how the volunteers didn’t just listen to the children read, but they also discussed what was happening in the story and asked the children questions to build comprehension skills. I most definitely would like to have the reading volunteers in my room again this year. It was helpful to me, and the children benefited from the individual attention, reading support and lively book discussions. It is a wonderful program!” Sonia Vardas’ role in the program began as a committee member with the PHEI representing the Senior Center. Her involvement in Reading Readiness began by placing an article in the senior newsletter explaining the needs of the program and asking for volunteers to read to the students at the elementary schools. Interest was high, applications were collected, and Cindy Rubin placed them in designated schools. She also volunteered in the reading program at Strandwood. “It’s really been great for the seniors to be working with that age group, building up their confidence. A lot of the kids that age don’t have grandparents close by, so I think that they enjoyed reading with the seniors. It’s such a great experience; we try to make reading fun for them and these kids say the cutest things!” The Reading Readiness program is looking for volunteers! No previous experience is necessary to volunteer, just a commitment of one hour a week to make a difference. Volunteers need to be fingerprinted and TB tested. Please go to www. ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us, click on “Community” at the top, then “PH Education Initiative” to learn more. You can also contact Cindy Rubin, volunteer coordinator, at rubinfam4@comcast.net.
music
dance
theater
Cal Performances U
N
I
V
E
R
S
I
T
Y
O
F
C
A
L
I
F
O
R
N
I
A
,
B
E
R
K
E
L
E
2014/15
S E A S O N
Y
The Australian Ballet Graeme Murphy’s
Swan Lake Music: Tchaikovsky Berkeley Symphony Nicolette Fraillon, music director and chief conductor
“The Australian Ballet puts fire into the Lake.” —Le Figaro, Paris
Oct 16–19 ZELLERBACH HALL
Major support for this event provided by: Official Airline of the Australian Ballet: Qantas
calperformances.org 510.642.9988
Season Sponsor:
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
3
Julie Says
It Could be Worth a Fortune! The customary fortune cookies arrived on a little plate along with my bill for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant the other day. It might not be entirely rational, but I admit to having certain expectations of those little slips of paper tucked into their crispy shells.
I want the fortune in my cookie to be significant to my life in some way – none of that generic “You will have good luck soon.” The message should also be enough of an enigma to inspire at least a brief moment of reflection and interpretation. A touch of humor helps as well. Below are three fortunes I believe meet this set of criteria. (A “translation” follows each in italics for those of you
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
not trained in interpreting fortune cookie messages.) “A closed mouth gathers no feet.” Think before you speak. Try not to blurt out the first thing that pops into your mind. “He who throws dirt is losing ground.” Spreading gossip will not advance your position. “When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out – because that’s what’s inside.” Have realistic expectations. I would now like to propose a challenge. We have not had a contest in this column for a while, so here it is: Think about a favorite friend or family member. Make up a fortune you would like that person to receive. Conversely, think of someone who really gets on your nerves and write down a fortune you would enjoy see-
Best Ingredients for Pet Health!
ing them crack open. Do some of each if you would like. Email your entries to me by midnight on October 1, 2014. The most clever and/or heartfelt fortunes will be published in the November issue of this newspaper. Each fortune may be no longer than 15 words. A winner will be selected from among the entrants to receive a $50 gift certificate to an area establishment serving fortune cookies. (I am the sole judge and the judge’s decision is final.) Please don’t procrastinate! Here’s a message from Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu to get you started now: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Please send fortunes to me at julieakross@comcast.net by midnight October 1, 2014.
independant & locally owned
PUBLISHERS: Becky Coburn Jennifer Neys Elena Hutslar info@ourcommunityfocus.com
COPY EDITOR: Alison Clary SPORTS EDITOR: Chuck Nan martinezsportsed@aol.com
ADVERTISING: GRAPHIC DESIGN: Trish Heaney
Reba Bower 925-348-1724 Reba@ourcommunityfocus.com
CONTACT INFORMATION: Community Calendar calendar@ourcommunityfocus.com Content & General Inquiries: info@ourcommunityfocus.com SUBMISSION DEADLINES: All articles must be sumbmitted by the 15th of each month.
Katie Hall 925-787-5382 katie@ourcommunityfocus.com
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.
Joseph A. Thibedeau, DVM www.hillcrestvet.com 4
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Louisa M. Asseo, DVM 925-676-1909
6680 Alhambra Ave. Box #132 Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 335-NEWS (6397)
INSIDE
15
Travel Trends
20 22
to
Festivals Galore
30 36 38 Non-Profit News
Senior Activities
Make Some Plans
COVER: .............................................. Photo was taken at the Pleasant Hill Art, Jazz & Wine. PHOTO BY: ANN LUKE
..............................................
Let’s Get it On! A Helmet is a Necessity BY RUSS CARROLL When our kids are young, we teach them: look both ways before crossing the street, treat others how they would like to be treated, don’t touch a hot stove, and don’t run with scissors. When my kids were young, another rule was to wear a helmet when riding a bike, skateboard, Ripstik, or any other transportation contraption. However, as my kids got older and the stove, scissors, and crossing the street were no longer a concern, I stopped enforcing the helmet rule. After all, all the other kids were not wearing them. On March 20, I received a call from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. They said my son, Ryan, had fallen off his skateboard and suffered a head injury and that I should come down as soon as possible. I called his mom, Terri, and we packed a bag with items for a few days, thinking he had a bump on his head and we would have to drive him home on Sunday. Not so fast. We arrived at the hospital to find our son in a medically induced coma, where he remained for the next two weeks. Needless to say, the sight of our son in this condition sent us to our knees. As I sat at his bedside, I couldn’t help but think of Kate Hopkins, the young girl from Martinez who had died just a few days earlier from the same type of ac-
cident: falling off a skateboard with no helmet. My thoughts were, Please God, don’t let Ryan be next. While sitting bedside with our comatose son over the next few weeks, we did get out a bit for breaks in Santa Barbara. What Terri and I both noticed was that none of the kids on bicycles or skateboards were wearing helmets. Our thoughts turned to, “Why did we as parents ever stop enforcing this?” Then, once back in Pleasant Hill, we noticed the same thing. It is a law in California that individuals under 18 must wear a helmet when riding a bike or skate board. Why is this law not enforced? Why as parents do we not enforce it? I recently addressed the Pleasant Hill City Council on this issue. I was pleased with their supportive response. The Chief of Police for Pleasant Hill offered his contact information and commented that we should connect to initiate a dialogue. We have seat belt laws and parking laws and texting laws – all of which are enforced. I can assure you that the mortality rate for illegal parking is zero. Not the same for brain trauma as the result of a head injury. Let’s get helmets on all of our kids when they’re riding anything that moves. It’s not just the law; it may save you much grief and heartache.
Locally owned and operated since 1952! Not the biggest...but the BEST!
US! martinezautobodyshop.com
Amazing Race
Supporting Local Education The Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education (FPHE) invites you to join the 3rd annual Amazing Race of Pleasant Hill on October 12, noon to 4pm, beginning at Magoo’s Grill of Pleasant Hill. Based on the popular TV show, this fun event challenges participants of all ages with interesting clues and activities occurring at various locations throughout Pleasant Hill (activities will resemble those on the TV show, “Minute to Win It”). Test your skills in activities suitable for all ages. Registration is $50 per team. Teams consist of a group of four or less. Invite your family, friends, and business associates to form a group! Learn more and preregister at www.fphe.org. Teams are encouraged to show their spirit with matching outfits. At 4pm, all teams will meet at Pleasant Hill City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, to determine the winner. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as for
Most Spirit. Prior to the race, teams and observers are welcome to enjoy brunch at Magoo’s Grill, 1250 Contra Costa Blvd., from 10am-noon. Purchase tickets at www.fphe.org. The Amazing Race is co-sponsored by Magoo’s Grill and the City of Pleasant Hill. Proceeds benefit the 2015 FPHE school grant program. Since 2009, FPHE has raised over $186,000 for the eleven Pleasant Hill public schools. To donate, visit www.fphe.org or mail a check to FPHE, P.O. Box 23851, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. FPHE is a volunteer-led, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to working in partnership with the community to enhance the quality of education and provide enrichment opportunities for students in Pleasant Hill public schools. For more information, visit amazingrace@fphe.org or www. fphe.org.
Run for Education Get out for Martinez Schools
The Shell-Martinez many people choose - Run for Education Education Foundation to run the course, a maRun For Education will jority enjoy the stroll be held at 8:30am on through Martinez. The Sunday, October 5, in 10K course extends out downtown Martinez. Carquinez Scenic Road, As always, there will past the historical cemebe an opportunity to teries and along the river carbo-load before the for some sweeping visbig event on Saturday, tas. All ages participate October 4, at a Pasta in the run, and prizes are Feed sponsored by the awarded to overall winKiwanis and Martinez ners as well as various Rotary to raise additionage groups. Entrance al funds for Martinez schools. The Pasta fees and corporate sponsorships aggreFeed will be held at the Shell Clubhouse gate to make the Run For Education the at 1635 Pacheco Boulevard in Martinez largest annual fundraiser for the Martinez from 6 to 8pm. There will be games and Education Foundation (MEF), with Shell activities for kids from 6-7pm. Pasta Feed the primary sponsor. Over the last twenty tickets are only $15 and kids under 6 eat years, MEF has donated over two million free! All are welcome to come to the Pasta dollars to Martinez schools. For more Feed even if they can’t participate in the information, to register for the run, or to run. make a donation, please go to the MEF Originally a 5K event in 2012, a 10K website at www.martinezedfoundation. course was added to the run. Although com. ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
5
Inspection Traps 11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale East Bay – According to industry experts, there are over 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. A new report has been prepared which identifies the eleven most common of these problems, and what you should know about them before you list your home for sale. Whether you own an old home or a brand new one, there are a number of things that can fall short of requirements during a home inspection. If not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair. That’s why it’s critical that you read this report before you list your home. If you wait until the home inspector flags these issues for you, you will almost certainly experience
costly delays in the close of your home sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers away altogether. In most cases you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you’re looking for and knowing what you’re looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones. To help home sellers deal with this issue before their homes are listed, a free report entitled “11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection” has been prepared which explains the issues involved. To order this FREE Special Report call toll-free 1-800-597-9215 and enter 1238. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your FREE special report NOW to learn how to ensure a home inspection doesn’t cost you the sale of your home. This report is courtesy of East Bay Residential Realty, BRE 01245396. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2013
PAID ADVERTORIAL
CHANGE IS
GOOD!
We are Evolving to Better Serve your Real Estate Needs!
Hitchcock Realty’s Sales & Purchasing Division is now The Hitchcock Team at Alain Pinel Realtors!
Hitchcock Realty’s Property Management Division is now Hitchcock Properties, a full service property management firm!
Market Update
Slowing Market?
BY NATHAN HITCHCOCK As with last month’s numbers, the real estate market remains relatively flat in Contra Costa County. New listings, pending sales, closed sales, days on market until sale, and total inventory are all nearly identical to last month, as well as the numbers from this time last year. Interestingly, though, that’s not the “vibe” you get out in the marketplace. Many listing agents I met with over the past month had a slightly panicked look in their eyes when I asked about their firsthand market experience, typically responding, “Oh, it’s definitely slowing down. I’m hardly getting any showings on my listings, and my open houses have been pretty quiet.” So, why the discrepancy? Why do the numbers say the market is humming along fine, when the feeling is that of a slowdown? There are two important factors at play: perspective and pricing. Perspective In our local real estate market, spring is undoubtedly the hottest period of the season. It’s when we see the highest volume of buyer showings and offers on a per unit basis. Open houses can frequently be packed wall to wall with prospective buyers, and the number of offers can easily get into the double digits. Why? Because spring is not only the time of great buyer interest, it’s also the time when we have a lower inventory
of homes available for sale. Fast-forward to the summer months, and our inventory climbs markedly. From December to July this year, inventory increased 116%, and for that same period in 2013, inventory increased 171%. So perspective in regards to the market timing is important. Even though summer purchase volume actually increases, it feels so much lower than the crazy spring months because the pre-purchase viewing traffic is spread over many more homes. Pricing In hot spring markets like we’ve had over the past couple of years, we see sales prices increase rapidly in response to a seasonal supply and demand imbalance. Like clockwork though, when the summer inventory catches up, the price increases slow down noticeably, frequently pulling back every so slightly. So this time of year, it’s easy for sellers to get caught up in the momentum and overprice their homes. Coupled with the increased competition from other sellers, this minor pricing error can have a significant impact on showing volume. It’s quite possible that other factors are at play, but one of the first items to examine is how the home is priced relative to others in the neighborhood. Tune in next month for tips on how to determine if price is the culprit when a home doesn’t sell. Nathan Hitchcock is a Broker Associate with Alain Pinel Realtors and can be reached by phone at 925.397.4000, via email at nathan@hitchteam.com or online at www.hitchteam.com. CA BRE Lic # 01414254.
Honest & Reliable CALL US FOR ALL OF YOUR HEATING & COOLING NEEDS. • ALL MAKES & MODELS • ALWAYS PROMPT & RELIABLE
Please Contact Mike Hammer • Owner & Operator
HITCHCOCK PROPERTIES Contact The Hitchcock Team for your Sales & Purchasing needs at 925.397.4000 • Nathan@HitchTeam.com www.HitchTeam.com 6
Contact Hitchcock Properties for your Leasing & Property Managment needs at 925.825.1100 • Erin@HitchRealty.com www.HitchProperties.com
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
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
New Expanded
Entertainment & Activities
Musical Entertainment
KidZone Entertainment
Saturday
Samantha Samuels
11:00 am • Dalt Williams Quartet (Jazz) 12:45 pm • Jackson & the Immortals (Jazz) 2:30 pm • Mads Tolling Trio (Jazz Violin) 4:15 pm • The Big Jangle (Tom Petty Tribute)
Hosting and Performing Selections from her Popular KABARET FOR KIDS Variety Show
Saturday Evening Concert
Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy
The Peter Pan Foundation Musical Favorites
6:30 pm • East Bay Mudd (Soul, Funk and R&B)
New This Year
Craft Beer Garden!
Sunday
11:00 am • Duo Gadjo (Jazz, with a French twist) 1:00 pm • Jinx Jones and the Kingtones (Rockabilly, Rock & Roll) 3:00 pm • Groove Doctors (Rock & Roll, Party Dance Band)
Singers From Star Quest Pleasant Hill’s Premier Youth Talent Show
Diablo Taiko
Japanese Drumming Group
USKS Family Martial Arts
Astound’s Spongebob Photo Opportunities
Daniel DaVinci
“The Juggling Genius”
Contra Costa Chinese Enrichment Dance
Jack Alexander
16-year old Magician and Illusionist
Studio A Dancers of Pleasant Hill
Voted “Best of the East Bay” by Diablo Magazine
Poison Apple Productions Musical Favorites
Studio 925 Dance and Fitness
*TALENT AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
7
City of Pleasant Hill
Mayor’s Message Cook-Off! During the last few weeks leading up to the start of the school year, I, along with anyone I could engage, was talking about healthy school lunches and nutrition education. Why? Because the 6th Annual Contra Costa County Mayors’ Healthy Cook-off competition was held at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord on Thursday, July 31. All 19 Contra Costa County cities were invited to bring their mayor and a chef from their city to compete “Iron Chef” style to create a winning dish that promoted healthy eating. Ten cities, including Pleasant Hill, participated. The Mayors’ Healthy Cook-off brings our communities together to raise awareness for healthy living, which begins with health and nutrition education. Although I am more of a gourmand than a gourmet, I was excited to represent Pleasant Hill in the cook-off with Chef Oscar Patlan from El Aguila. Oscar and his wife, Giorgia, are the owners of the farm-to-table Mexican cuisine gem of a restaurant located at 1300 Contra Costa Boulevard. We nervously gathered at 4pm on July 31 at Todos Santos Plaza in 100+ degree weather with the other participating cities and were given a whole chicken, tofu, polenta, walnuts, cheese, and various produce items from local farmers. No spices were allowed—only salt, pepper and olive oil. Oscar took charge and soon had me wrapping chicken in parchment paper and foil, slicing cherry tomatoes and grapes, and pureeing with an immersion blender. This device brings the blender to the food, rather than the food to the blender, which, in my opinion, exponentially increases the risk of blender splatter—stand back! Oscar wisely kept me away from the mandolin and the larger knives. I was amazed at Oscar’s skill and artistry. We were ably assisted by Mt. Diablo High 8
School student sous chef in training Christian Torres and a number of Pleasant Hill volunteers that helped set up and decorate our booth and keep us hydrated. (The Walnut Creek chef passed out with heat stroke and was carried off in a stretcher by the fire department.) So what healthy menu did “we” create in just over an hour and plate for 15 judges? • Chilled lentil soup garnished with cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. Grilled spinach salad with peaches & grapes, drizzled with blackberry/basil dressing. • Tofu roll with yellow squash, grilled eggplant & cilantro, garnished with a daikon and red onion relish. (These items were plated together as a starter or vegetarian offering). • Polenta gratin with sautéed kale, mozzarella cheese, and walnuts. • Chicken mixiote with yellow squash, basil, fennel, olive oil, salt & pepper. (The chicken and vegetables were piled on top of the polenta and kale). Although we were exhausted from the pressure and heat, the hard work paid off! Pleasant Hill placed third in the county, and we now move on to compete with the top three mayor/ chef combos of Alameda County. I am told that competition will be scheduled sometime in October. Stay tuned for the October date, and be sure to come out and cheer on your home team! And put down the donut and have a piece of fruit.
Community Service Day— CSD X This year marks the 10th anniversary of Community Service Day, which takes place on Saturday, September 27. By the time you read this, I hope you have submitted a project or signed up to help. There are a number of school cleanup projects, a food drive, the bike build-a-thon, ‘Crafts
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Tim Flaherty, Mayor of Pleasant Hill
Chef Oscar Patlan, Mayor Flaherty at the Mayor’s Healthy Cook-Off.
for the Community’ sewing project at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, YMCA painting & landscaping, Pleasant Hill Instructional Garden, and more. You will find there are projects for everyone, of all abilities and ages—so you can pick a project for the whole family to work together side by side. Community Service Day kicks off at Pleasant Hill Park at 7:30am, with volunteers gathering for a free pancake breakfast courtesy of the Lions Club. The first 600 volunteers to register at the park that day also receive a free event T-Shirt and special commemorative gardening gloves, plus snacks and drinks to take with you to your project sites. In recognition of the ten years of volunteerism, the Civic Action Commission will collate photographs and video footage from the previous nine
Community Service Day events and host an exhibit at City Hall during the month of September and produce a special commemorative video to be aired on the City Channel. If you’ve been involved in any of the previous years, drop by City Hall in September and see how this annual service day started with a few hundred volunteers and grew into an award winning event that inspired several neighboring cities to follow suit. Be sure to check out the T-shirt signed by all the volunteers from our very first service day back in 2005. If you haven’t signed up yet for CSD X yet, go to www.pleasant-hill. net/volunteer where you will find all of the projects currently registered, and you can sign up for a specific project. If you want to register a project, go to www.pleasant-hill.net/csd and do so.
City of Pleasant Hill
City News Plastic Bag Ban Adopted On August 4, the city council adopted an ordinance to prohibit single-use plastic carryout bags in all retail stores. The ban will go into effect on February 2, 2015. Under the ordinance, all restaurants, grocery, pharmacy and other retail stores in Pleasant Hill will no longer provide single-use carryout plastic bags. Pleasant Hill is now the 114th city or county to adopt a plastic bag ban in California. Stores will be permitted to sell paper bags with handles for a minimum of 10 cents for each bag. Customers will have the option to bring their own reusable bags, pay for paper bags, or opt not to use a bag to carry goods from the store. Smaller protective plastic or paper bags without handles would still be allowed under the ordinance at no charge to the customer. Examples of these types of bags include: • Bags used to wrap fresh produce, baked goods, frozen foods or meat etc. • Bags used to protect spillage around containers of soups or other food items • Plastic film used to protect dry-cleaning • Paper bags used to protect merchandise such as bottled wine, candy, leftover food (‘doggy bags’), prescription drugs etc. • Paper bags used in fast food establishments Retailers will be encouraged to sell reusable shopping bags that meet certain standards in terms of durability and the type of material used to manufacture the bag. More details about these types of bags are available at www.pleasant-hill. net/plastic-bags. For more information about the plastic bag ordinance, go to www.pleasanthill.net/plastic-bags or contact Martin Nelis at mnelis@ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us or call (925) 671-5229.
Bring the Green Team to your school Last year, the Green Team was formed as part of the Pleasant Hill Education Initiative, a multi-year community wide volunteer effort to enhance the quality of education for Pleasant Hill students. The mission of the Green Team is to focus on interdisciplinary education about organic gardening, healthy food and nutrition, sustainability, and recycling. Teachers, parents, and interested community members are working together to implement projects including: • Getting a salad bar installed at Pleasant Hill Middle School. Volunteers are currently needed to supervise and educate students on healthy eating, and help implement a cafeteria composting program. • Removing a portion of lawn at Pleasant Hill Middle and replacing it with mulch and drought tolerant plants. • Hosting Eco-Sewing classes at the library. • Teaching students about gardening, litter, and recycled art at Fair Oaks Elementary after school program. • Applying for a USDA Farm to School grant in cooperation with the school district’s Food and Nutrition Services department. Sequoia Elementary School’s Green Team earned the Green Award at this year’s Community Awards Night in recognition of the work done by parent volunteers with students and staff to implement a lunchroom composting program, garden activities and more. The previous year, Sequoia Middle School’s long running Earth Club was a recipient of the same award, and the Green Team can be found supporting all of these activities. The Green Team would like to expand its reach into more Pleasant Hill schools. Help build a Green Team at YOUR School! Volunteers are needed for a va-
riety of activities to help green our schools - students, parents, teachers and community members. Help the team provide school communities with the tools they need to reduce their environmental impact and costs, improve health and wellness, and promote environmental stewardship through recycling programs and school gardens. For more information, contact Anne Baker at abaker@republicservices.com or 925-671-5806.
Public Meetings
Architectural Review Commission Sept. 4, 18 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 5pm. Contact: 671-5209 City Council Sept. 8, 15 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 7:30pm. Contact: 671-5229 Civic Action Commission Sept. 3 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-5229 Planning Commission Sept. 9, 23 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 7:30pm. Contact: 671-5209 Education Commission Sept. 24 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Community Room, 7pm For Confirmation Visit: www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us
Chamber Calendar
Our four 680 Business Clubs meet twice monthly. Please call the Chamber office ofr more information. Wednesdays - Off the Grid Food Trucks 5-9pm. Trelany Road, PH. Saturdays - Farmers’ Market 9am-1pm. Trelany Road, PH. 9/9 - Ribbon Cutting 5pm. Pleasant Hill Library, 1750 Oak Park Blvd., PH. 9/11 - Business Mixer 5-7pm. JFK University, 100 Ellinwood Way, PH. 9/18 - Wine at the Plaza Concert presents The Fundamentals, 6:30-8:30pm. Downtown PH. 9/29 - Green Business Committee meeting 4-5pm. Back Forty BBQ, 100 Coggins Drive, PH. 9/29 - Government Affairs Committee meeting 5:30-7pm. Back Forty BBQ, 100 Coggins Drive, PH. October 4 & 5; ART, JAZZ & WINE FEST! Mark Your Calendars and Invite Your Friends! Please verify schedule at www.pleasanthillchamber.com 925-687-0700
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 • september 2014
9
City of Martinez PHOTO BY STAHLBERG
Mayor’s Message Back in 2009, our economy was in the midst of the great recession. Unemployment rates were soaring, and businesses, large and small, were laying off employees. Some were even shutting their doors. Property values dropped by double digits, and banks were foreclosing on homes at an unprecedented rate. Due to falling tax income from property and sales taxes, both state and local governments found themselves in precarious budget situations. Most public entities were forced to make very painful cuts to their budgets in order to retain solvency. Employees were laid off, positions were eliminated, furlough days were declared, and planned improvements and maintenance projects were deferred to better financial times. This crisis extended past local
municipal governments and on to school districts, which experienced massive cuts to their income due to the huge deficits in the state budget. This forced school boards to take drastic measures and lay off teachers, close libraries, cancel special programs, and increase class sizes. During this time, the City of Martinez was forced to deal with declining property and sales taxes as well as increasing unemployment. However, because Martinez was not relying on taxes generated by large shopping malls, new car dealers, and massive building projects, the decline was not as severe as what our neighboring cities were grappling with. Martinez had a structural deficit of about $700,000 that had to be solved in order to keep our budget balanced. We did so through attrition, freezing open
A PROUD RECIPIENT OF DIABLO MAGAZINE’S FIVE STAR AWARD
Thank you clients for selecting me as one of the top 7% of Realtors in the East Bay!
SUMMER IS SIZZLING WITH BUYERS & SELLERS I’m Here to Help!
Save the Life of a Cat or Dog; a donation at your favorite Pet Rescue is made in Your Name with every transaction closed!
Suzanne Looker, sres. ‘Your Pet Friendly Realtor’
I’m here for you and your Pets!
925.917.9070 suzanne.looker@pacunion.com BRE#01440575
Best Mechanic
Rob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez
positions, and cutting back on nonessential services to our residents. Due to Martinez’ prudent and conservative approach to budgeting, we had built up a healthy “rainy day” fund of almost $5.5 million. This fund is not to be used for ongoing operations of the city, but it has been used very sparingly for special capital and economic development projects. During this time of economic downturn and budget deficits, this healthy “rainy day” fund was very comforting. In the first few months of 2009, Martinez Unified School District (MUSD) Superintendent Rami Muth approached me. Rami was dealing with all of the same economic challenges in the school district that we were experiencing in the city. She and her school board were exploring all avenues to keep teachers employed, class sizes at manageable levels, and a quality education for our children. At our meeting, Rami gave me the Readers Digest version of the MUSD challenging financial situation. Her biggest concern was the potential for laying off teachers and increasing class sizes in elementary school classes. She asked me to consider granting up to $500,000 of the city’s “rainy day” fund to the school district to save teaching jobs and keep class sizes low. My first thought was that it was not the responsibility of the city to provide for the education of our children. My second thought was that, regardless of the branch within, local government has certain legal rights and obligations, and it exists to serve the public and increase the quality of our lives. I agreed to visit John Swett Elementary School, talk to admin-
istrators and teachers, and visit several classes. The visit galvanized my support of the requested grant to the school district, and I placed it on the Martinez City Council agenda for consideration. Because of certain state laws dealing with the “gift of public funds” being illegal, the grant was converted to a “fee for service” agreement that would allow the city and city approved non-profit organizations to use school district facilities which would be charged back to the $500,000 “loan.” This came in very handy as the city was just embarking on the recently approved Measure H projects, which included rebuilding Rankin Pool, parks, tennis courts and ball fields, and those facilities would be closed during reconstruction. This allowed swim teams to practice at the high school, sports leagues to use school district fields, and many city recreation programs to use school district sites. Several groups also used the Performing Arts Building at Alhambra High School, including the Martinez Opera. Although it was not with unanimous support, the city council voted to move forward with a five-year agreement, which has just recently expired. The credit balance on the agreement is now at $170,000, and an extension of that agreement for another five years will be considered by the city council at the first meeting in September. This is just example of how the City of Martinez is working cooperatively with our schools for the betterment of our community. There are many other examples that include the Mt. Diablo Unified School District that I will touch on in another article.
VOTE!
Support your local businesses and,
2014 10
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
www.ourcommunityfocus.com
City of Martinez
City News Rankin Fall Swim Program The Martinez Community Swim Team (MCST) will be offering a swim program at the Rankin Aquatic Center this fall. The program is a cooperative effort between the Forest Hills Swim Team, MCST and Pleasant Hill Aquatics Swim Team. You must be a member of one of these swim teams to participate. The fall clinic will be held three days a week, from September 9 – October 30. Participants will work on streamlines, strokes, turns, swimming sets and workouts.
Plastic Bag Ban Outreach The police department distributed close to 200 of the high quality Enviro-Tote bags as part of its National Night Out campaign in Martinez neighborhoods on August 5. The city also received its order of “Bring Your Own Bag” reminder decal stickers intended for use on the inside of a driver’s car windshield. City staff partnered with Republic Services and distributed 500 bags and decal stickers at two outreach events: John Swett Elementary School Registration on August 20 and the Morello Park Elementary Welcome Back Ice Cream Social on August 28.
Ghisletta Remains Interim Chief of Police At the August 21 special city council meeting, the mayor and councilmembers approved the recommendation to appoint Captain Eric Ghisletta as interim chief of police through December 31, 2014. During this period of interim service, the chief will report to the city manager rather than the city council. According to the city council special meeting agenda, the appointment “will allow him as chief to pursue and implement more substantive change in the department. It also reinforces to the department and the community that he has the authority to make modifications that improve departmental operations and enhance our law enforcement capabilities. It still will allow the new city manager, when hired, to make a final recommendation as it pertains to this critical position.” With the retirement of former Chief Gary Peterson, Captain Eric Ghisletta has been functioning as the acting police chief since February 2014.
Festival Mergers Main Street Martinez announced the merger of two upcoming festivals: the Downtown Martinez Italian Street Painting Festival and San Francisco’s Polk Street Blues Festival. Steven Restivo Event Services, LLC, and Main Street Martinez Downtown Organization have partnered to bring both forms together to create the new Bay Area Blues Festival. The new festival will be held on Main Street between Alhambra and Court Streets and the surrounding area in Historic Downtown Martinez on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 & 28, from 10am to 6pm. The event will feature amazing blues music on two stages, arts and crafts exhibitors, gourmet food booths, local restaurants, community booths, hands-on kids’ activities and rides, a farmers’ market, bistro style seating areas, craft beer and fine wines, and, of course, a street painting artist that will create spectacular chalk art with a blues theme and the traditional Italian theme. There will also be an area within the chalk art section for kids to create their own designs and have some creative fun. The official website BayAreaBluesFestival.com will be promoting the 511.org, which identifies all public transportation options to the festival site. We will be providing a shuttle from the North Concord BART Station to and from the festival site.
9/11 Flag Raising Ceremony The Martinez Police Department Honor Guard will lead a flag raising ceremony at 8am on Thursday, September 11, at the 9/11 memorial site located at the Amtrak Intermodal Station to honor the police officers, firefighters and civilians who died in
the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The memorial site consists of steel girders removed from the World Trade Center. Mayor Schroder will be the keynote speaker. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Take Part in Alhambra’s Homecoming Alhambra High School (AHS) proudly presents Homecoming 2014, “Habitats Where in the World Would You Live”. AHS believes the parade should represent the many positive programs and schools within Martinez and encourages all who would like to participate, either with a float, car, or walking group, to submit an application, which can be found at http://ow.ly/zAyzj. Alhambra is hoping to have many “habitats” represented in the annual parade. Marianne Griffin, AHS Student Activities Director, is the contact person at the high school and can be reached best via email at mgriffin@martinez.k12.ca.us. The parade takes place on Friday, October 10, and will leave for Main Street from Alhambra High School at 3pm.
Public Meetings City Council Meeting Sept. 3, 17 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 7-11pm. Contact: 372-3500 Design Review Meeting Sept. 10, 24 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 3-5pm. Contact: 372-3500 Planning Commission Meeting Sept. 9, 23 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 7-11pm. Contact: 372-3500 Zoning Administrator Meeting Sept. 3, 17 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 3-5pm. Contact: 372-3500 For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org
Chamber Calendar
9/1 - Labor Day. The Chamber will be closed in observance of Labor Day. 9/12 - Martini Happy Hour 5-7pm. ARTU4iA, 725 Ward St., Ste. C, Martinez. Martinis and hors d’oeuvres served from 5-7pm, cash bar. 9/18 - Educational Series 11:30-1:30pm. “Turning LinkedIn into a Money-Making Machine!” Presented by Christine Hueber, Creekside Church Multi-Purpose Room, 444 Fig Tree Lane (Morello to Midhill). $10 for Martinez Chamber members, non-members $20. Lunch provided. Non-members that join the chamber within 30 days receive $10 credit toward membership. All no shows that have not paid will be charged $10. Space limited. RSVP required at least 2 days prior to the Chamber. 9/18 - Chamber Mixer 5:30-7:30pm. Co-hosted with Connolly & Taylor and RemodelMe, 4000 Alhambra Ave., Martinez. Great networking, food, fun and raffle prizes. Bring a raffle prize and have your business announced! 9/27 - Martinis on the Plaza Gala 6:30-10pm at Plaza Ygnacio Fountain at Martinez City Hall. Join the festivities with a live band, specialty martinis and fabulous food from regional restaurants under the enchantment of twinkling lights and a starry sky. For more information and tickets visit www.martinezmartini. com or contact the Martinez Chamber office. Please verify schedule at www.martinezchamber.com • 925-228-2345 Martinez Chamber Calendar Sponsored by: Since 1952 -Contra Costa’s Oldest Agency
COOPER
Locally Owned by Rick & Sara Calhoun
Bail Bonds• Notary 925.228.5464 921 Main Street • Martinez CA 94553 • Lic 1598927
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
11
City of Concord
Mayor’s Message There are times when a magic wand would be really useful in dealing with issues at the city council level. The reality: there is no magic wand. Problems we want to solve have complexities that seem to multiply and make every task daunting, even when we are persuaded that an existing policy is long overdue for modification. The best example of this occurred when we set out to change a policy created two decades ago by the then serving city council. The issue was how to change existing lifetime health benefits granted to city council members who completed five years or more of elective service. To provide you with a bit of perspective, in the 1980s, annual health care costs were about $1,100 per person. These costs escalated to about $9,810 a person in 2013. The problem was that under the existing policy these costs continued long after the individual council member had ceased serving in an active capacity. I believed this policy was inherently unfair to the citizens of Concord, and I created an Ad Hoc Committee to address my concerns and develop an alternative policy which would correct this inequitable situation and bring it into the realm of reality. I appointed council members Dan Helix and Laura Hoffmeister to this special committee to work with the staff and create a solution to the problem that the city council could adopt. The need for the aforementioned magic wand became immediately apparent. The committee was forced to recognize that there was a limited flexibility available to the city to achieve our desired outcome of eliminating retiree medical benefits. Even the secondary goal of eliminating retiree medical benefits for future elected officials was fraught with bureaucratic rules and regulations that were complicated and restrictive. The “fly in the ointment,” if you will, was related to the City of Concord’s 12
contract with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and regulations in the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA). The city is subject to maintaining compliance with the rules and regulation of CalPERS and PEMHCA, and to complicate matters even more, other applicable California laws, including the California Public Employees Retirement Law (PERL), govern these two programs. To say that the CalPERS Board, the final arbiter of all rules subject to their review, is not amenable to change is to state the obvious in the extreme. We were quickly advised that, pursuant to California Government Code Section 36516.5, we are specifically prohibited from making any changes to salary and benefits in their current term, so the effective date of ANY change in the elected officials’ benefits would need to be on a prospective basis, meaning the change would be effective following the next election in November, 2014, and this would apply only to all future elected officials in a “new Non-CalPERS group.” If you’re still with me, I salute you. The Ad Hoc Committee recommended to the city council that there should be no CalPERS pension benefits for newly elected officials, and that eligibility for medical benefits for newly elected officials should be severely limited, to wit: eligibility is limited to those members who have served 30 consecutive years as an elected official and would qualify only at the minimum age of 65. Your city council adopted these changes unanimously. But our job is not done. We still have follow-on resolutions that need to be adopted before these changes are official. One such resolution requires that we have a special meeting near the end of August, when we normally do not have any scheduled meetings. To repeat my comment at the opening of this article, nothing is easy. But
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Tim Grayson, Mayor of Concord
the message is important. We, as your city council, and I, as your mayor, remain committed to saving as much money as we can. Even a small amount saved is important. Pennies count, and every issue where we can save money is important. I would like to give you a short-hand version of all the complicated material presented in this article, so let me leave you with four points as a summary: 1. We inherited this problem from a council action in the 1980s.
2. With modification available to us, we reduced our unfunded liabilities by $12 million. 3. The perk considered onerous has ended. New council members will receive health care only while actually serving in office. 4. It was not legally possible for us to do any more than we did. Once you are in the CalPERS system, you are in for life. CalPERS will nullify any effort by our city to change this fact.
Public Meetings City Council Sept. 2, 9, 23 Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Drive, Council Chambers, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-3495 Housing and Economic Development Sept. 22 Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Drive, Garden Conference Room, 5:30pm. Contact: 671-3495. Design Review Sept. 11, 25 Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Drive, Council Chambers, 5:30pm. Contact: 671-3495. Planning Commission Sept. 3, 17 Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Drive, Council Chambers, 7pm. Contact: 671-3495. Zoning Administrator Sept. 10,24 Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Drive, Council Chambers, 9am. Contact 671-3495. For Confirmation Visit: www.ci.concord.ca.us
Chamber Calendar Every Thursday – Music and Market 6-8pm. Todos Santos Park. 9/6 – Ribbon Cutting & Open House 10am-2pm. Home Decor Learning Center, 2041 Commerce Ave, Concord. 9/6 – Member Orientation 12-1pm. Light lunch is served. Concord Chamber, 2280 Diamond Blvd., Ste. 200. 9/11 – Women’s Networking Luncheon 11:45am-1pm. Concord Chamber, 2280 Diamond Blvd., Ste. 200. Chamber members $10, non-members $25. 9/16 – Real World Business Law Breakfast Workshop with Mark Olson of The Olson Law Firm 8-9am. Concord Chamber, 2280 Diamond Blvd., Ste.200. Free for Chamber members, non-members $10. 9/18 – Business After Hours Mixer 5:30-7:30pm. Niello Infiniti, 001 Burnett Avenue Concord. Free for Chamber members, $20 for non-members. 9/20 – Back to School Wellness Expo & Craft Fair 10am-3pm. 4180 Treat Blvd Suite A-1, Concord. 9/24 – Ribbon Cutting 12pm. Regus Business Center, 1255 Treat Blvd., Ste. 300 Walnut Creek. Please verify schedule at www.concordchamber.com 925-685-1181
City of Concord
Ribbon Cutting
City News Measure Q Continuation on November Ballot
Dasbotics, Inc.
The city council has placed a Measure Q Continuation measure on the November 2014 ballot. If enacted, the Measure Q Continuation measure could generate funds to maintain city services that residents have identified as important, including 9-1-1 emergency response, neighborhood police patrols, gang prevention programs, street and pothole repair efforts, and youth and senior programs. Measure Q was adopted by Concord voters in 2010 to protect and maintain such vital services with funding that can’t be taken by Sacramento. Funding from Measure Q has helped the city stay solvent during one of the worst economic periods in history. However, Measure Q expires soon. To stay informed, go to the City of Concord website at www.ci.concord. ca.us and find the “Frequently Asked Questions” sheet related to the effort to maintain community services, as well as other information about this issue.
Concord Candidates Sign Fair Campaign Pledge All candidates for Concord City Council and Concord City Treasurer in the November 4, 2014, consolidated general municipal election have subscribed to the Fair Campaign Pledge included in the city’s election ordinance. The candidates for councilmember are: Pat Hogoboom, Laura Hoffmeister, Ron Leone, Nick Lynch, Tim Grayson, Brent Trublood, Adam Foster, Terry Kremin, and Harmesh Kumar. The candidates for treasurer are: Louis Mazzarella and Thomas J. Wentling. The purpose of the ordinance is to emphasize the need for fair campaigns; to make all candidates for city offices aware of the city’s commitment to fair campaigns; to specify the characteristics of a fair campaign; and to give every candidate for city office the opportunity to commit him or herself to fair campaign practices. For more information, contact Deputy City Clerk Joelle Fockler at (925) 671-3390.
Hire My Husband
2012 and 2013 Winner of the Angie's List Super Service Award.
• Interior Painting • Quality Home Repair Projects • Handyman Services Contractor Lic. # 943231
www.HireMyHusband.com
925-969-0133
Dasbotics, Inc. is proud to announce our grand opening. We invite you to come and take part in the fascinating world of 3D printing. Take a basic class and you will be printing your own designs in no time. Learn how to do 3D printing without the expense of purchasing your own machine. In addition to basic and more advanced classes, we offer machine rental time on both small and large-scale machines. We also offer low priced 3D printers produced by a local company called Printrbot. Accessories are sold on our premises so you can avoid shipping costs and wait time. 3D printing is finally available to the masses for a low cost at Dasbotics. Whether you like to design or download and print objects or you’re interested in creating your own business using 3D printing, Dasbotics is a great place to start. Let our expert staff help you learn this cutting edge technology. For further information please contact: Cindy Ryan 925-788-2449. Dasbotics, Inc. is located at 4180 Treat Blvd. Suite G4, Concord. Information: 925-332-5073 and www.dasbotics.com. Find more photos of Dasbotics on our website at www.ourcommunityfocus.com.
Carpet • Vinyl • Hardwood Tile • Window Coverings For Residential and Commercial Properties 982 Howe Rd. Martinez CA 94553 Phone: 925-685-1818 Fax: 925-370-6859 www.gilscarpets.com
Thank you for voting us a 2013 Readers’ Local Favorite!
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
13
YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH CANCER BEGINS WITH A DOCTOR WHO CARES. At MOUNT DIABLO SOLANO ONCOLOGY GROUP, we’ve been helping patients face the challenge of cancer since 1992. We provide cuttingedge treatments and a collaborative approach that includes other medical specialists and community resources to ensure you receive the care and support you need. We also take the time to listen to you and design a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Our job is to help you move through treatment by caring for all of you, not just your cancer. Learn more about our care at mdsogroup.com.
Conquering cancer, with you, close to you.
CONQUERING CANCER, WITH YOU, CLOSE TO YOU.
CONCORD: 2571 Park Avenue / 925.674.2100 VALLEJO: 100 Hospital Drive, Suite 110B / 707.551.3333
LL TO
Re from nts $1 just
Y DA
Fabulous Fun Never Stops!
CA
,6
95! At Carlton Senior Living’s Chateau on Broadway, residents enjoy a life full of fun and frequent events with festive food, drink, live musical performances, and informative guest speakers. Whether you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a fiesta or dancing at a Dixieland jubilee, there are no boring days at Chateau on Broadway! Residents have recently enjoyed:
100% Satisfaction Guarantee Carlton Senior Living’s Chateau on Broadway is an amazing place to live. With fun, fantastic events, this independent living community allows residents to enjoy themselves while socializing with friends both new and old.
· Martini Madness · Spring Fling Celebration
· Dixieland Concert · Casablanca on the Courtyard
Chateau on Broadway is an independent living community that hosts wonderful events and excursions regularly. Call today to schedule a visit and reserve your new home!
Please call today to schedule a visit.
Chateau on Broadway 1700 Broadway Street Concord · CA · 94520 (925) 686-1700
Tom MacDonald Founder
Lic. No. 5005347
CarltonSeniorLiving.com 14
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
· Cinco de Mayo Fiesta · Many, many more!
Travel Trends Multi-Generational Cruise Vacations BY MARGARET MINER Multi-generational travel is the wave of the future, and one of the best ways for extended families to vacation together is cruising! From sun up to sun down, when you’re on board a magnificent ship, you have options to do as much or as little as you like. We are fortunate to have Princess Cruises conveniently ported year ‘round in our own back yard and for sailing round-trip to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and the California coast from San Francisco. There is an ideal itinerary for the entire family! Kids enjoy age-specific activities designed just for them: from scavenger hunts and disco nights, to the “Science on the Seas” program and kids-only dinners. There’s not a chance parents will ever hear the words “I’m bored” on this vacation. Teens ages 13-17 will meet new friends while enjoying teens-only lounges and fun events like late-night movies, dance classes, DJ workshops, and sports tournaments. Adults will enjoy a variety of entertainment aboard Princess ships: from production shows and comedy, to theme parties and “movies under the stars.” Choosing what to do first will be a challenge. Want to relax with a luxurious treatment in the spa, or try your hand at blackjack at the casino? Why not do both? And once you arrive at your ports of call, Princess Cruises has mindfully designed an array of shore excursions to appeal to every interest and activity level, categorized by type (Activities & Adventures, Nature & Wildlife, Sightseeing & City Tours). Guests can chose an excursion that meets their desired activity
level: easy, moderate, or strenuous. Disney Cruise Lines offers fun for the entire family in the style we’ve come to know and love! Supervised kids programs abound on the ship, offering parents and grandparents piece of mind. Grown-ups will enjoy the Quiet Cove Pool, a relaxing adult oasis and exclusive adult-only dining at Palo, featuring fine Northern Italian cuisine or fine, Frenchinspired fare at Remy. One of the best wine tastings I’ve experienced at sea was aboard the Disney Magic; a team of skilled wine-experts are at your service to assist you at any time! The entire family will enjoy Broadway-quality shows and musicals, while kids of all ages will be smitten with Disney character greetings throughout the cruise. (Don’t forget your autograph book!) Family dining aboard Disney Cruise Lines will please even the fussiest of young diners, and personalized service by your wait staff, who is with you at each of your seated dinings, will be something you won’t soon forget. With nurseries for tots as young as 3 months, to the Oceaneer’s Club for kids ages 3-12, to age-specific programs for tweens and teens, Disney Cruise Lines has thought of everything to ensure families of all sizes and ages have a oncein-a-lifetime vacation together! Traveling together as an extended family offers everything from fun and excitement to relaxation and downtime. Are you ready to set sail? Margaret Miner is the owner of VinoCruising, a full-service travel agency. She can be reached at mminer@cruiseone.com
SUE NOACK for Pleasant Hill City Council
Working Together for Pleasant Hill
Dear Neighbors, I am running for Pleasant Hill City Council, and I appreciate the opportunity to earn your support. After many years working in business, I’ve joined many of you to invest our time and energy as an investment in Pleasant Hill. And through all of our work this continues to be an incredible place to live. Now the best way for me to help Pleasant Hill is to combine our collective sense of community with my financial and business experience to serve as a member of our City Council. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, and I look forward to working together with all of you not just on the campaign trail, but beyond as well.
Sue
SUE NOACK 925.278.4525 Sue@SueNoack.com www.SueNoack.com
Find us on Facebook. 307 Meadowood Ct. Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Paid for by Sue Noack for Pleasant Hill City Council 2014. FPPC# 1366987. ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
15
Chasing Tired
Get Them Moving
Great Workouts, Long-Term Results
Encouraging Kids to Exercise
BY KEVIN ARNDT This article may be short, but the message is important. One mistake I see throughout my industry, when training athletes or the general population, is trainers and clients will often “chase tired,” meaning, instead of making the client stronger or more fit than when they walked in the door, the focus is just on making them tired. I believe clients should always feel like they got a great workout when they leave, but pushing past exhaustion for the sake of feeling tired should never be the aim. Any trainer can make a client feel like they are going to be sick after a workout, but the goal should be to help clients stay on course over the longterm, or to relieve pain and get results, while assuring them a great day-to-day workout. There are huge risks associ-
BY TONYA AMOS For 25 years, I have taught movement to thousands of children. I’ve seen many exercise trends and the occasional child with back pain due to tight hamstrings and bad posture. Gone are the days when most kids play outside for hours on end - climbing trees, playing hide and seek and tag, jumping rope and taking P.E. in school. An explosion in endless hours of video games, computers and smart phones has triggered a shift towards hunched posture, weak, tight muscles, and over-active thumbs that seems to be impacting the number of children I see with back pain. Here are some tips to reverse this un-
ated with pushing the body to the max during every session without a thoughtful approach. The biggest risk is injury due to overtraining or using wrong form due to exhaustion. I do feel clients should always set a goal for a specific personal record when training, but pushing until they throw up or feel dizzy doesn’t qualify as a great workout. Christian Thibaudeau, a Canadian bodybuilder, and strength-training coach, had a great quote regarding this: “Training until you puke might make you tough. But so does training in 110° weather until you get a heat stroke. Doesn’t make it smart.” In the end, go to the gym to better yourself and set personal records, but don’t go to the gym just to get tired. Have a goal for what you want to accomplish and make sure your training is helping you reach that goal every day. Kevin Arndt is an athletic trainer at Forma Gym in Walnut Creek.
Like soccer, basketball and swimming? Then water polo is for you!
ACADEMY WATER POLO fall Session September 9 – November 6, 2014 DVC, De La Salle High, Pleasant Hill Middle School & College Park High Pools Registration for Boys and Girls All Ages 10U and 5-6th Grade 7-8th Grade and High School
For Register and all other information go to at www.academypolo.com! Sibling and Referrals Discounts Available
ACADEMY WATER POLO TOURNAMENTS • SCRIMMAGES • FUNDAMENTALS SMALL ATHLETE TO COACH RATIO A PLACE FOR ALL LEVELS OF PLAY! Questions? Go to web site at www.academypolo.com • E-mail academypolo@gmail.com See Policy Information on Website
16
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Tropical Pilates Retreat March 7th - 14th, 2015
7 Nights Relaxation for Body & Mind Pilates, Cooking & Spanish Classes This is your chance to escape!
www.MexicoPilatesRetreat.com
healthy, inactive trend: Have children walk to school. If you are concerned about safety, walking with them gets both you and your child moving in the morning. Studies show that kids who exercise before school perform better. Get them on a team. It’s great physical activity and helps build social skills. Take them to the park. Encourage them to run around in the fresh air, climb, swing, hop, skip and jump. Joining in is a great workout for you, too. Have them retrieve “forgotten” keys for you. This works especially well if you live in a two-story home. They’ll catch on in a few days, but do it as long as you can get away with it! Join a family outdoor club. Hiking, swimming, and exploring local history with other families combines exercise with great cross-generational interaction. Volunteer for a charity that invites families to participate. Think shoreline clean-up or delivering meals to the elderly. Encouraging your child to exercise helps them establish healthy habits for life. And those healthy habits may even rub off on the rest of the family. Tonya Marie Amos is a fully certified Pilates instructor. For more information, please call (925) 680-4400 or go to www. AspirePilatesCenter.com.
Join us at the final concert! LIVE Music 5-7pm! Food & Fun & Beer Truck Please note earlier time this concert!
Sunset by the Lake
FREE!
S UMMER C ONCERTS Pleasant Hill City Hall Gregory Ln & Cleaveland Rd, On the lawn by the lake
Sponsored by
Sue Noack Food sales by Steel Smokin BBQ
dd Sep 7...East Bay Mu Funk/R&B
Organized by PH Civic Action Commission. Visit www.pleasanthillconcerts.com for all concert information.
Last chance to bring items of non-perishable food to donate to the Crisis Center.
financial expertise home. Your community is something special. And here at SAFE Credit Union, we’re proud to be a part of it. Step by step and home by home, we’re here to help you grow, with all the exceptional service and professional expertise you’re looking for in a financial partner. We offer a home loan that makes your finances go further. Come speak to your local (800) SEE-SAFE ext. 2772 SAFE Mortgage Officer today. safecu.org/homeloans
And Concert Sponsors!
Series Sponsors!
PLEASANT HILL
Thank you to all the sponsors who make the concerts happen!
SAFE. Bringing
COI N
J E W E LRY
Tim Flaherty
Sheila’s
Casey Strand Chiropractor
E X C H A N G E
Daycare
Sue Noack
NMLS# 466072
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
17
Panther’s Hot Summer
Panthers Conquer Davis
The 8U Pleasant Hill Panthers concluded their summer season with a first place finish in the Union City Del Soderholm Memorial tournament. Panthers finished the season with an overall record of 25-5-1, earning three first-place finishes, one second-place finish, and two semi-final appearances in six tournaments.
PHBA’s 14U Pleasant Hill Panthers won the Davis Championship on August 2-3. Led by the strong pitching of Sydney King, Tricia Leong, and Victoria Plato, and supported by the bats of Abby Morris, Chloe Whiting, Emily Howie, and Fiona Walsh, the Panthers went 5-1 en route to winning their second tournament championship of the summer season. The team outscored their opponents 43-21 over the two-day tournament. On August 2, the Panthers defeated determined Roseville Thunder in the championship game 7-1, helped by key plays from Camille Campbell, Olivia Cannizzo, Kailey Meyer, and Jillian Kefer. Congratulations on an outstanding team effort and a greatly successful summer season!
Front Row (LtoR): Lexy Sealy, Myia Weiler, Maeve Gagnon, Hailey Hallford, Jessica Delatorre, Carly Short, Stevie Fong. Middle Row: Ariana Rivera, Hailey Stripling, Morgan Bowdish, Sofia Meyer, Bella Montero, Liberty Lynch. Back Row: Coach Brian Gagnon, Coach Heidi Hallford, Manager Jose Delatorre and Coach Mark Weiler. Submitted by Jose Delatorre.
Dolfins Set Team Record The Pleasant Hill Dolfins 15-18 girls medley relay team: Jamie Wanket, Emily Adamson, Christina Bracamontes and Erin Cooney, placed 3rd and broke the team record at the Contra Costa County Swim Championships August 16 at Acalanes High School. Jamie Wanket broke the team 100 freestyle record as well. Photo by Lilia Bracamontes.
Front Row (LtoR): Tricia Leong, Emily Howie, Sydney King, Abby Morris, Chloe Whiting and Camille Campbell. Back Row: Victoria Plato, Jillian Kefer, Kelsey Rumbaugh, Kailey Meyer, Fiona Walsh, Olivia Cannizzo and Madi Bellew. Photo Credit: Charles King.
Bolt Shuts Out Three The U13 Gold Girls Heritage team “Bolt,” took 1st place in the Santa Cruz Breakers Cup Tournament. Bolt had three shutouts and only allowed one goal in four games.
Pictured (LtoR): Coach Vicky Dewey, Jamie Wanket, Emily Adamson, Cristina Bracamontes and Erin Cooney.
18
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Front row (LtoR): Maia Pecher, Carlee Palmer, Julia Giannini, Karina Umali and Tatiana Elsea. Back row: Vanessa Kaminska, Laura Bocek, Maya Drewicke, Rylee McCormick, Mackenzie Owen, Christina Abudayeh and Kiera Walker. Submitted by Lia McCormick.
Jenna Betti Memorial Tournament DFC Hosts Successful Tournament to Celebrate Jenna’s Life
T
he Betti family teamed up with Diablo FC to create the first annual Jenna Betti Memorial Soccer Tournament. The tournament was held on August 16 and 17 and was created to celebrate the life of 14-year-old DFC Jenna Betti, who tragically passed away in March of 2014. She was a part of the Diablo FC G99 family as a center defender. Over fifty U12 to U19 girls’ teams came to compete from all over the Bay Area and Sacramento. The event also included an extra team-building spirit challenge bonus night on August 16 at the Boatwright Youth Sports Complex in Concord. In addition to juggling and timed double plank challenges, the spirit challenges included PK (penalty kick) Wars. Four representatives from each team were invited to participate, with the winners in each age bracket taking home a “PK Wars Champion” t-shirt. DFC Galaxy player Sophia Jones participated in the competition. “I thought the PK wars was a great idea. When I took my first shot and missed, I started to cry because I felt like I was
letting down Jenna, her family, and my team. As soon as I found out we were moving on, I sucked it up and made the rest of my shots because I knew I had something to fight for. It felt great to win!” The two-day tournament was par-
and me closer together; we played harder and walked away knowing we gave it our all for Jenna. Being a part of the PK wars brought back memories of being with Jenna on the field, knowing how important it was for her to make every PK` and wanting to do the
The event was a special way to process the pain of losing a daughter. ticularly impactful on players who knew Jenna personally. “I have known Jenna since elementary school and we played together on DFC’s Azzurri team. I felt the tournament brought my teammates
same in honor of her,” said DFC player Carly Agostino. For Santana Merryfield, memories of Jenna go back to playing together as 9-year-olds in a house league. “My old coaches Tom Brown and
Chris Lindsey would always tell me what an amazing player she was. When I met her the next year, I found out what an amazing person she was, too. She was so happy and could always cheer me up. We were on the same team for four years,” Merryfield commented. The Betti Family felt the event was a special way to process the pain of losing a daughter, a family member, a teammate and a friend. Through their loss of Jenna, they have reaffirmed that the connection and love we share with one another is the most important gift in life. It’s through their belief that we’re stronger together than we are apart that the inspiration of their non-profit, #hersmile, was created. Its mission is to inspire people who have had a tragedy by giving experiences or support that bring light and love. Through their sale of apparel, they have been able to raise charitable funds to give money to families in our communities that have experienced similar tragedies. To learn more, visit www.hersmile.org. Tournament results can be found at www. diablofc.org.
DFC PK Wars Champions in the U14-15 bracket: Santana Merryfield, Kailee Gross, Carly Agostino and Sophia Jones.
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
19
F E ST I
...........................................................
Bay Area Blues Festival
........................................................... Bay Area Blues Festival Italian Street Painting Festival
Italain Street Painting
Steven Restivo Event Services and Main Street Martinez Downtown Organization announce the merger of two great festivals, the Downtown Martinez Italian Street Painting Festival and San Francisco’s Polk Street Blues Festival. The festivals will be held in Downtown Martinez (on Main Street between Court and Alhambra) on Saturday and Sunday, September 27 & 28, from 10am to 6pm. This free, two-day event will present continuous live blues performances on two stages, a merchant marketplace with arts, crafts and other items for sale, as well as gourmet food booths, local food vendors, hands on kids activities and rides, a farmers’ market, craft beer and fine wines, and of course street painting artists that will create impressive chalk art. Entertainment line-up to be announced soon, visit bayareabluesfestival.com for line-up, artist info, and festival updates.
Greek Festival
Greek Festival
Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival
20
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church invites you to the 36th Annual Contra Costa Greek Food and Wine Festival September 12, 13 and 14, offering a collage of Greek experiences: music, dancing, art, cuisine, wines and hospitality. St. Demetrios’ group of Greek grandmothers, fondly named the Yia Yia Sisterhood, will be creating delectable pastries and savory dishes such as Moussake or Souvlaki on the premises. At the wine bar, pair these dishes with rich reds and delightful whites from the Greek Isles. As you are enjoying the food and wine, you will be entertained by live bands and lively Greek dances. Then feast your eyes on a variety of Hellenic arts, crafts and treasures. Come have a taste of Greece. Yassou! Festival hours are: Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 12-
11pm & Sunday 12-8pm. Located at St. Demetrios Church at 1955 Kirker Pass Road in Concord. For more information visit CCGreekfest.com.
Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival The 19th Annual Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival takes place in the heart of downtown Lafayette, on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Saturday, September 20 from 10am-7pm and Sun, September 21, from 10am-6pm. In 2013, over 80,000 people strolled among the booths of art, handmade crafts, sampling foods from top local restaurants and enjoyed quality wines and microbrews, pausing to enjoy continuous music from our two main stages. This year you can expect: • More than 250 fine arts and crafts booths. • Restaurants, food vendors, wineries and microbreweries. • Continuous musical entertainment presented on four stages. • Kid’s area with entertainment and activities for kids of all ages. • Special exhibit and sale of work by local artists, in our local Artist Alley (La Fiesta Square). • “Meals on Wheels” Food Truck Alley. • Premium Wine and Craft Beer Pavilion. • Battle of the Bands Contest. Admission is FREE. Kids Zone tickets range from $1-$5 depending on activity. Drink tickets are $7 for an individual ticket. Individual wine or beer glasses are $7. Combination packages available with big discounts! For more information visit lafayettefestival.com.
Martinez Martini Month
The legacy of Julio Richelieu will take center
VALS
...........................................................
........................................................... stage again as Martinez’ celebrated inventor of the martini. Richelieu is credited with inventing the martini in Martinez for a weary miner traveling through. At that time, in 1874, the cocktail was known as the Martinez Special. The Martinez Chamber of Commerce will kick off Martinez Martini Month with a proclamation read by the mayor designating the day as Julio Richelieu Day. The month of celebration will also include Martini Happy Hour on Friday, September 12, at ARTU4IA and then close the month with the Martinis on the Plaza Gala at Ygnacio Plaza. This is the fifth year of the Gala, which will be on Saturday, September 27. As part of the celebration, people often don black ties, cocktail dresses, and period attire. The event will feature dancing with live music from Lost Dog Found, food from local restaurants and a silent auction. In addition, area restaurants and bars will create and serve specialty martinis and compete for the Peoples’ Choice award and a juried competition. Past winners of the People’s Choice and first place awards have been Whisky Lane and Barrel Aged. Tickets for the gala are now available. For further information, visit MartinezMartini.com.
Art, Jazz and Wine Fest Join the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Pleasant Hill and Downtown Pleasant Hill for the 12th Annual Art, Jazz, and Wine Fest in Downtown Pleasant Hill on Saturday, October 4, from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday, October 5, from 11am to 5pm, with live music, entertainment and activities for children, arts and crafts vendors, local wineries and craft breweries. Multiple wine and beer ticket booth locations will be available throughout the event. Best
of all, general admission is FREE! Live Music Enjoy two full days of live music starting Saturday with the Dalt Williams Quartet, Jackson and the Immortals, Mads Tolling Trio, and The Big Jangle, featuring Pleasant Hill’s 2014 Citizen of the Year Paul Cotruvo. Sponsored by Pete Sabine with Pacific Union Real Estate, a special Saturday evening concert with the Bay Area’s very own East Bay Mudd will take place from 6:30pm to 8:45pm. Sunday performers include Duo Gadjo, Jinx Jones, and The Groove Doctors. Wine, Arts & Crafts on Crescent Drive “You will want to stroll down Crescent Drive, with beer or wine in hand, and shop at more than 70 booths featuring handmade crafts, fine art, textiles, jewelry, and more,” says Ann Luke, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. “ Representatives from Napa, Sonoma and Livermore wineries will offer insights to their regional varietals, showcasing their finest wines and answering your questions. The NEW Livermore Wine Trolley will offer drawings each day for popular wine tours in Livermore wine country. Expanded KidZone at City Hall Lawn SpongeBob SquarePants will be making live appearances throughout the weekend. Enjoy a beach party at the bounce house and walk, crawl, or run in the water balls activity and visit the stage to see magic shows, dance performances, and jugglers. Children’s entertainment and activities will be FREE. For more information, or if you are looking for overnight lodging, please visit www.pleasanthillchamber.com and keep up to date on our events schedule, wine and beer list, art vendor updates, and special offers! Like us on Facebook for your chance to win FREE tickets for wine and craft beer.
Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival
Martinis on the Plaza
Pleasant Hill Art, Jazz and Wine Fest
Pleasant Hill Art, Jazz and Wine Fest
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
21
September is Walnut Festival Month
Walnut Festival
Walnut Festival Parade
Every September, the Walnut Festival Association presents fantastic events to celebrate the community. On Saturday, September 13, the Annual Twilight Parade will take place on Main Street in downtown Walnut Creek. The parade, which begins on Mt. Diablo and ends on Civic Drive, invites local high school bands, business owners, and community organizations to participate. The Twilight Parade is a sanctioned event and is judged by the Pacific Judging Association. High School Bands are awarded points and prizes for their participation in the parade. This year, the Walnut Festival Association joins with the City of Walnut Creek to celebrate their centennial anniversary. Mayors from years past will lead the parade down Main Street. The parade is free of charge, so be sure to get there early to reserve the best viewing spots. On Wednesday, September 17, The Walnut Festival Association will open festival doors a day early to host its annual “Special Needs Night” at the Walnut Festival. Started in 2000 by past President’s Steve & Wendy Devoe with 25 families, this invitation-only event has grown to include over 800 special needs families. Sponsored by Midway of Fun, the Walnut Festival Association, Steel Smokin’ BBQ, and Dominoes Pizza, the doors are opened solely to these families to go on rides, have
dinner, and enjoy the festival without the crowds that usually limit these kids from participating during regular event hours. For more information and to receive an invitation, please email walnutfestival@sbcglobal.net. The 77th Annual Walnut Festival starts Thursday, September 18, and runs through Sunday, September 21. Again this year, there will be two areas of carnival rides and two live stages of entertainment. Pay one price ride bracelets are available for all days of the festival. You can purchase pre-sale coupons for $20 starting on Monday, September 1, at www.thewalnutfestival.org. On Sunday, September 21, we are excited to announce that the world famous Aquanuts will be hosting an exhibition at the swim center. The Second Annual Beer Garden will be pouring craft beer from local breweries. Tickets for beer can be purchased at the event. Admission to the festival is $6.00 per person. A $1.00 discount will be given per ticket with a food donation to the Contra Costa Food Bank. Free admission will be given to seniors 65+, active military (with ID) and children under 5 years old. Hours for The Walnut Festival are: Thursday, September 18, 5 - 10pm; Friday, September 19, 5 - 11pm; Saturday, September 20, 11am – 11pm; Sunday, September 21, 11am – 8pm. Parking is available onsite. We look forward to seeing you at all of these events.
Heather Farm Park Walnut Creek
FESTIVAL HOURS: Thurs. 9/18 - 5pm - 10pm Fri. 9/19 - 5pm - 11pm Sat. 9/20 - 11am - 11pm Sun. 9/21 - 11am - 8pm
ADMISSION: $6.00 Entry Fee $1.00 off per ticket with a food can donation FREE ADMISSION: 65 + Active Military (With ID) Kids 5 & Under
Carnival, 2 Stages of Live Entertainment, Beer Garden, Vendors, Food & Drinks SUN ONLY: AQUANUTS PERFORMANCE (Time TBD) Purchase Pay On Price Ride Bracelets at:
www.thewalnutfestival.com
22
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Brought to you by:
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
23
In the Garden
The Trek of a Lifetime Part One
BY LESLEY STILES Sitting around my friend Stephanie’s nice house party last September and talking about doing a 500 mile back pack/trek/walk/ hike called the Camino de Santiago over the French Pyrenees and into Northwestern Spain to the coast at Finisterre was one thing, but donning the beastly pack almost a year later to board a plane in San Francisco and leave our homes and families for six weeks was quite another. Arriving in Paris, we had 19 hours for walking, sitting in cafes and window shopping (but not putting any more weight in the pack) before catching a train to Bayonne and winding our way by bus to the beautifully sweet mountain hamlet of St. Jean Pied de Port, where, after an amazing communal supper and communal sleeping, we would begin our 500 mile (785 kilometer) jaunt that eventually ended in Santiago Spain. St. Jean is literally the foot gate over the mountains, and pilgrims seeking penance and joy, war criminals and heroes stealing through freezing nights to save the world, and sheepherders grazing their herds have used the trail for centuries. Our first few nights were spent in “albergues,” where bunk beds are arranged in four to eight or so in a room, and bathrooms are co-ed and shared by many. It took us no-longer-spring-chickens a minute to get used to it, and we didn’t fail to don shower shoes. Dining was a family affair, with all the pilgrims staying at
the albergues and sharing a meal at long tables. We met more people than Carter has pills and made so many hard and fast friends that a bed or couch awaits in most European countries should the need arise. We figured out the backpack score pretty swiftly, and with no regrets, we sent a big box of stuff from our packs home the morning before we started walking. Our first day was short but brutally steep, climbing about 3000 feet in a few hours time. Constantly accompanied by unending mountain vistas with sheep and goats aplenty, breathtakingly lovely, with air as sharp as a knife blade, we trudged anaerobic, red-faced and puffing, regardless of months of training, to our goal for the day. We heaved our bodies with our 23-pound packs onto the deck of our insanely welcomed albergue in Orison for the evening, greeted with ice-cold mugs of local beer and salty peanuts. As we sat there with only the Pyrenees in all their amazing foxglove, hydrangea, and fernfilled glory, both craggy and lusciously green before us, fog fingers crept slowly between valleys, all knowing of the communal meal awaiting us. Suddenly, a gal met my gaze and we recognized each other from Kelly Duarte’s Halloween party in Martinez! Michele Matson lives in town, her hiking partner and long time friend Jamie Kruse was born and raised in Martinez, and her dad was the mayor for several years when she was growing up. My mom was not surprised I ran into someone I knew in the French Pyrenees in a place you can only get to by hiking. We found our bunks, did our laundry,
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 24
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
took showers, and settled into our first real night on the trail, eating Basque food and drinking local wines with 30 other pilgrims, most on their first night too. It was very festive, listening to sheep and night birds as well as pilgrims snoring, until we
Flan de Cafe
INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup low-fat milk 1/2 cup espresso coffee 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 1/4 cup sugar 20 whole coffee beans 6 individual servings in ramekins DIRECTIONS: Set ramekins in a large glass baking dish (9-inch x 13-inch). Heat 4-5 cups of water in a pot for the water bath. Put a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup sugar. With the back of a wooden spoon, keep sugar moving constantly until sugar is completely melted, and of a rich medium brown color (caramelized). Carefully spoon caramelized sugar into each of the 6 ramekins or large dish. Pre-heat oven to 325F (162C) degrees. Scald milk and cream in a saucepan. Remove immediately and stir in the coffee. Meanwhile, beat 3 eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar. Stirring constantly,
fell gently asleep, filled with the knowledge that the next day would bring the most strenuously brutal hike of the entire trip, cresting the Pyrenees and ending up at an 11th century monastery in Roncesvalles, Spain. gradually add hot cream mixture to egg yolk mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Blend in vanilla extract. Ladle mixture into ramekins. Pour in hot water until there is about 1/2inch of water in the baking dish for boiling water bath. Fill about a third way up. Bake uncovered in water bath for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted half way between center and the edge of dish. Note: To ensure the custard does not overcook, check doneness after 45 minutes, then every 3-5 minutes. Remove ramekins from the water bath. Set on a cooling rack until lukewarm, then chill thoroughly in refrigerator. Un-mold by running a knife around the inside edge of baking dish. Place a small dessert plate on the top of the ramekin. With one hand under the ramekin and the other on top of the place, turn over. Tap the ramekin so the flan can drop onto the plate. Garnish with the whole coffee beans and serve.
One of the desserts offered every night. The perfect way to cap a day of hiking 20 or so miles!
.......................................................................................................................
Pair Up It’s Tailgating Season Again BY MARIA TERRY September brings to my mind football season and tailgating at the games. As much as I enjoy the excitement of the game, for me, the food and conversation are the best part. I like to keep things as easy as possible at the event so I can partake, not serve. I start by choosing recipes that can be eaten out of hand and need very little on-site preparation. My beverage of choice for tailgates is beer. This menu incorporates two very different styles of beer, each with its own perks. At the end, I serve my husband’s favorite, a Scotch Whiskey and a fun, break-apart chocolate-orange ball. Starting off the meal on the lighter side, Pimento Cheese Stuffed Celery Sticks are delicious with a Pale Lager. Lager, which means “storage” in German, is a type of beer that is fermented
Apple Sauerkraut INGREDIENTS 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 pounds sauerkraut, rinsed and drained 1 Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious apple, thinly sliced 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 to 3 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar Salt and pepper
and conditioned at low temperatures. It is one of the most popular types of beer all over the world, and you can look for styles like Bock, Pilsner, and Märzen. Pale lagers tend to be crisp and lean, perfect with the slightly bitter, clean flavor of celery. And, the bubbles will offset the richness of the cheese. Moving up the scale in depth and weight is oatmeal stout beer paired with a pastrami and Swiss cheese sandwich on dark rye with the Apple Sauerkraut recipe below. You can make up the sandwiches ahead of time with mustard on the bread and the meat
Pimento Cheese Stuffed Celery Sticks INGREDIENTS 1 1/4 cups light mayonnaise 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon finely grated onion 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 2 (8-ounce) blocks 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded 6 celery ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces Garnish: paprika DIRECTIONS Stir together light mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese. Spread 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each celery rib. Garnish with paprika. Yield: 12 servings
and cheese in between. Drain off as much of the liquid as possible from the sauerkraut and pack in a separate container, then add right into the sandwich just before serving. This will keep the bread from getting soggy. Pair this substantial sandwich with an oatmeal stout beer, usually made from up to 30% oats. Although oatmeal stouts do not taste specifically of oats, the smoothness of oatmeal stouts comes from the high content of proteins, lipids (includes fats and waxes), and gums imparted by the use of oats. This smooth texture will offset the acid of the sauerkraut and mustard. The deep, rich, coffee-like flavors will echo the smoky flavors of the pastrami and nutty flavors of the bread. Bring your tailgate to a smashing end with an orange chocolate ball. I love slamming these baseball-sized round chocolates against the ground or table and then peeling them open to reveal segments of orange-scented chocolate. Enjoy the chocolate with a 10-year-old Scotch Whiskey like Benromach Speyside Single Malt. The fruit, nut, and citrus notes will complement the orange in the chocolate, and the high alcohol will keep you warm when the temperatures drop. So, go on. Pair Up! Maria Terry is a Certified Sommelier and Wine Educator in the San Francisco Bay Area, www.LaSommelierre.com.
........................................................
Cover pot and reduce heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauerkraut is very tender, about 2 hours. Stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Yield: about 4 cups
........................................................
Join us for our Early Bird specials. Monday-Thursday 3-6pm & Friday 3-5pm. New exciting menu to choose from. 1922 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill • 925-566-8971
Wencesrestaurant.com
Brunch • Lunch • Dinner
DIRECTIONS Cook onion in butter in a 4 to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut, apple, and wine and bring to a simmer.
NEW CLIENT FIRST THREAD OR WAX
FREE 50% OFF NATURAL SET OF EYELASHES
EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 30, 2014
Knowledgeable Sales Staff Large Selection in Stock Designer Quality at Affordable Pricing Next Day Delivery Best Price in Town
Come visit our designer showroom 2310 “D” Bates Avenue (Near HWY 4) Concord, CA Mon- Fri 7 - 5 • Sat 9 - 2 925-798-7525 • 1-800-566-8534 Showrooms also in Santa Clara & Milbrae
themouldingcompany.com Our Professional Staff
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
25
In the Mix
Interview with Drummer, John Xepoleas BY PAUL COTRUVO Pleasant Hill’s own John Xepoleas is one of the most versatile and respected drummers and educators in the Bay Area. Not only is he the drummer for one of the most successful party bands, The Fundamentals, as well as the jazz band, Fundz, he hosts a very successful online drum lesson website, is the music director for the Soundwall Rock and Roll summer music camps, wrote a top-selling drum book entitled, Style Studies for the Creative Drummer, and maintains a thriving teaching practice. Needless to say, he is one busy guy. As a fellow musician, I have seen John play for many years and really love his technique and style. He grooves like no other! Somehow he fit a little time in for this interview,
so sit back and enjoy, and read what John has to say: How old were you when you first started playing drums and were they your first instrument of choice? Eleven years old. First and only choice. Who were some of your inspirations and influences? When I saw Ringo and the Beatles, I got the drumming bug. Other influences include Stones, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Then jazz took over for a while, with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chic Corea and Pat Metheny. What have been some of your favorite musical highlights so far? Playing my first big concert with my first real band, The Gates of Eden, at Chabot College in Hayward. We played “Stairway to Heaven” as the closer, and I thought I was in heaven. In the mid to late 70’s, I played in a jazz/fusion band called Daybreak LTD. We did one record and had
Dallimonti’s
Restaurant www.dallimontis.com
Come for the food stay for the music!
DON’T FORGET OUT SUNDAY BAR SPECIALS • MONDAY $6.00 BBQ TUESDAY FREE TACOS • SELECT WEDNESDAYS OPEN MIC SEPTEMBER MUSIC: 9/6 Tune Riders • 9/13 The Famous Three-O 9/20 Lumberyard • 9/27 Loose Blues • A Family Tradition Since 1982 • Open for Lunch & Dinner • Reservations & Take Out Available • Small Banquets Welcome • Full Bar & Wine List • A Touch of North Beach in your Neighborhood
1932 Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill. 925-944-5224
great success in the local jazz scene for five or six years running. Played some great shows in some great rooms. I wrote and produced a two-book series entitled, Drum Lessons with The Greats. It was published by Warner Bros. and sold worldwide. It was very exciting because I got to work with Neal Peart, Dave Weckl, Steve Smith, Terry Bozzio, Peter Erskine, Kenny Aronoff, Mike Portnoy, and some other great drummers. Most recently, I’ve enjoyed some nice success with my online drum lesson videos. It all started out with free YouTube videos and has now turned into an online drum lesson website. Who would you name as the best top three drummers of all time and why? Buddy Rich, because he had amazing technique and was able to play things that people are still trying to figure out today. John Bonham, because he had a sound and style that defined how rock drummers should play. Steve Gadd, because he can play incredible stuff in a variety of musical styles. His drum parts always feel great and are perfect for whatever song he is playing. As such a versatile musician, if you could just choose one style of music, what would you choose and why? I would be un-
happy if I could only play one style of music. I feel very fortunate that I can play everything, from small group jazz to big band, from funk and rock, to pop and soul. I also get to play with some of the best musicians in the Bay Area, if not the world. If you were a funk song, what song would you be and why? “What is Hip” by Tower of Power. Not that I consider myself to be Mr. Hip, it’s just that that song and the way it feels and grooves resonates with me. If you want to hear John and the Fundamentals, you can see them for free, as they are a part of the Downtown Pleasant Hill Plaza Concert Series, held at 6:30pm on Thursday, September 18. The stage is set up between Jack’s and Sweet Tomatoes Restaurants. Make sure you bring your dancing shoes, because this band rocks! Quote of the Month: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” - Henry David Thoreau
Paul’s Picks
September 6: Lavay Smith, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm September 7: East Bay Mudd, Pleasant Hill Summer by the Lake Series, City Hall Lawn, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, 5pm September 18: The Fundamentals, Plaza Concert Series, Downtown Pleasant Hill on Crescent Dr.,6:30pm September 20 and 21: Lafayette Art & Wine Festival, featuring The Sun Kings, Aja Vu, Petty Theft, The Spazmatics, The Big Jangle, Foreverland, and more. Check the website www.lafayettefestival.com for more details. September 27: Delta Wires, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm September 27: Loose Blues, Dallimonti’s, 1932 Oak Park Blvd. Pleasant Hill, 9pm
SEPTEMBER SPECIAL Sign up for our BIRTHDAY CLUB on our website and get a FREE MEAL Up to $30 for your birthday Teppanyaki Dinner!
Please go to our website www.KobeJapanRestaurant.com, and click Sign-Up for Our Birthday Club/Special Offers
BREAKFAST & LUNCH Kobe Japan Family Night KIDS EAT FREE
Enjoy One free hibachi dinner from our kids’ menu per Adult hibachi entrée purchased. Offer valid on Monday and Tuesday for the month of September 2014.
With Coupon Only • Reservation Recommended
May not be valid for takeout orders or combined with any other offers.
1918 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill 925-705-7065/7066 (PHONE) • 925-705-7067 (FAX) www.kobejapanrestaurant.com 26
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Country Cookin’ at its Old Fashioned Best PLEASANT HILL 2390 Monument Blvd. 687-4100 Kohls Shopping Center
2 Eggs with your choice of 1/2 waffle or 2 flapjacks, and 2 strips of bacon or 2 sausage links or 1/2 ham
$6.99
All Day Everyday
Discover Downtown Martinez
www.MainStreetMartinez.org
Fridays on the Main and Farmers Market! Every Friday on Main St., Downtown Martinez Now through Sept. 12 Market 4-8pm Music & Cars 6-8pm
Fresh, Local Produce Live Music • Cool Cars www.MainStreetMartinez.org 925.228.3577
All new die cast cars, car shirts, neon clocks, poker chips, poker table tops, party supplies and games for the entire family. We are also an authorized gallery for Michael Godard prints. S
613 Main Street / Martinez, CA 94553 t top by oday Car & an g n i l let the d b m (925) 818-6751 Ga “ GOO D TIM tibles Collec begin ES” !
Value Coupon $40
27 & 28 MAIN STREET
Alhambra to Court Streets
MARTINEZ 10AM-6PM
AlohaP R A C T I C
HIRO C A specialist in: Shoulder/Arm and Hip/ Leg problems.
28 years experience teaching what’s wrong and how you can help yourself. Come meet Dr. Chow and receive an exam, report of findings for only $40 (a $75 value) Additional treatments $50. Covered by most health insurance!
Call for an appointment • Walk-ins Welcome 925-698-9911 • ameschowdc@gmail.com 649 Main St., Suite 104 (across from Starbucks)
www.BayAreaBluesFestival.com
Presented by Main Street Martinez Produced by Steven Restivo Event Services, LLC ~ 800-310-6563 ~ SRESproductions.com ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
27
Rec & Park Update SPOTLIGHT Now Available
Make your plans for fall/winter fun with lots of exciting events, activities and classes for the whole family to enjoy. Register at pleasanthillrec.com. Teen Scene After School Program Monday – Friday, with dismissal at 6pm at the Pleasant Hill Teen Center, 147 Gregory Ln. A fun and safe place for teens to go after school! Program offers a perfect combination of structured activities and time to just hang out! Transportation is available from PHMS and VVMS to Teen
28
Center. Call (925) 691-5645. Preschool Gymnastics California Gymnastics has brought their innovative preschool gymnastics programs to PHRec! Choose from Parent & Me Movement & Gymnastics, Tiny Tumblers or Preschool Gymnastics. For more information and age requirements, visit pleasanthillrec.com. Fall Adult Sports Leagues Team up with some friends for adult sports fun. Soccer, softball, flag football and kickball. League
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
play starts early October. Get your team registration packets at pleasanthillrecsports. com or email:sgeorge@pleasanthillrec. com. NFL Youth Flag Football Fall League Co-Ed (Grades 3-8). Kick off the season with some football fun. Season runs October-November (6 weeks). Registration deadline is September 19. Visit pleasanthillrecsports.com. FREE NFL Punt, Pass, Kick Event September 20, 10am. Location is at Pleasant Hill Park Field, 147 Gregory Lane. Come show off what you can do! Boys and Girls (8-13 yrs) are welcome to participate in this national football skills competition against their peers. Birth certificate required. Co-sponsored by the NFL. FALL ACTIVITIES Share the Magic Friday, October 10, 6pm at PH Community Center: Perera Pavilion.
Trunk or Treat Friday, October 24, 5:307:30pm at PH Teen Center Parking lot, 147 Gregory Ln. Family Fun Triathlon (8 yrs & up) November 2, 9am (Check in @ 8am). Preregister by October 16, PH Education Center, 1 Santa Barbara Rd. Join Mt. Diablo Dolphins Swim Team Registered with USA Swim Club, swimmers will be competing in USA swim meets in the fall (short course season). Age group is determined by the swimmer’s age for the 2015 summer season. Visit pleasanthillrec.com. Holiday Event Rentals Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District has the perfect venue for your family or business holiday parties and events. Contact Ryan Herriman at (925) 676-5200. Special Recreation Dances Music by Rhythm Master DJ Fridays, 7-9pm: 9/26 at Walnut Creek Heather Farms, 10/17 at Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 11/8 at Concord Senior Center and 12/19 at Walnut Creek Heather Farms.
Revocable Living Trusts An Invaluable Estate Planning Tool BY DANIEL DuREE A revocable living trust is an invaluable estateplanning tool for spelling out who will receive your property while avoiding the scourge of the probate process. However, if a revocable living trust is not properly funded, it may end up being essentially useless. This begs the question, “What does proper funding of a revocable trust entail, and how do I know if this was done for my trust?” Funding a revocable trust means transferring legal title of the asset into the name of the trust. Depending on the character of the asset, this will take a variety of different forms. I will
discuss a few different common asset types and how to ensure that they are properly transferred into your living trust. Real Estate Real estate is the asset most likely to cause problems in estate planning and end up stuck in probate. Real estate must be transferred into your living trust by grant deed, either during the initial purchase or via subsequent written instrument. Often, people will transfer their house into their living trust when they create the trust, but later move and forget to have the title company put the new property in the trust. This is very common and requires probate to eventually distribute the property. Savings Accounts, Brokerage Ac-
Long-Term Care Preparing for the Future
BY COLLEEN CALLAHAN Florida in the summer is quite an experience. It is hot, humid and green. There is rain and lightning, which is nice to watch if it is in the distance and moving away from you! Dipping your toe in the Gulf is really like stepping into a bathtub. My aunt and uncle get a kick out of watching me “test” the water. They have been to San Francisco in the summer and have fond memories of a very cold walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Last week, I attended a conference in Orlando sponsored by the Society of Financial Services Professionals. The content is always great; topics included estate planning, long term care insurance, Social Security, and working with widows. The speakers were excellent and the audience participation was outstanding. I will quickly share two valuable take-aways. One is related to Long Term Care insurance (LTCI) and the other is related to beneficiary designa-
tions. With regard to LTCI, the presenter discussed the time challenges faced by family caregivers. When she posed the question, “How many people have given care?” more than half the people in the room raised their hands. When she asked, “How long does a doctor’s appointment take?” several people responded in unison, “Half a day!” Purchasing a LTCI policy will not reduce all the responsibilities of family caregivers, but it will definitely help. It is important that families talk about how care and the financials will be handled. Purchasing LTCI is one piece of the puzzle. Beneficiary designations are tricky. It is important that they be reviewed regularly. One big mistake people make is listing minor children as beneficiaries. An insurance company will not pay a benefit to a minor. You might want to talk with your professional insurance agent or your attorney to discuss a solution. There are options! Colleen Callahan Insurance Services is located in Pleasant Hill. Contact her at 925-363-5433 or ccallahan@callahaninsurance.com.
counts, and CDs A savings account, brokerage account, or CD must similarly be titled in the name of the trust in order for the trust to function properly and keep the assets out of probate. An account or CD is titled in the name of your living trust by the institution where the account or CD is held. You must inform the institution that you want the account held in your living trust and give them a “certificate of trust” transfer document, which should have been included in your estate plan package. The institution will then put title to the account in the name of the trust. When this is done, your account statements will have the name of the trust as the account holder. LLC of Small Corporation Interest An LLC membership or shares in a privately held corporation must also be transferred into the name of your living trust. This is done with transfer of ownership forms.
IRA, 401(k) Tax-deferred accounts deal with succession via beneficiary forms and are therefore not transferred into the trust. Depending on the circumstances, however, a trust may be named as a beneficiary. There are important tax considerations in this area, and you should talk to a tax professional regarding your particular circumstances. Because of the importance of keeping your living trust funded, you should periodically check to make sure that no assets have been left out. A little bit of effort now can save a lot of time, money, and inconvenience someday down the road. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call my office and I will be happy to help. 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.
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 NO JOB TOO SMALL FAMILY & LOCALLY OWNED MONTHLY SERVICE
Mark Ellinwood, Owner • PO Box 23774 • Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
ANTS • SPIDERS • MICE • RATS • FLEAS • 1 TIME SPRAY OK ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
29
SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL
Proudly Sponsored by Les Schwab Martinez
ORGANIZATIONS
Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa Wins Big at First Fundraiser The tables were full at Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc.’s first fundraiser on July 18. BlueDog Events hosted the Texas Hold’em and Mecca Catering served up tasty food. The poker game was secondary to the draw it brought to one of Contra Costa County’s best-known charities. Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa currently provides 335,000 meals annually, delivered primarily by volunteer drivers to 2,000 nutritionally at-risk homebound elders with no other viable means of receiving nutritious daily meals. In addition to poker playing, donations were raffled off during the evening, courtesy of Disney Resorts, Southwest Airlines, Los Panchos, Creek Monkey Tap House, Cal Shakes, Beach Blanket Babylon, Cal Bears, Beaver Creek Smokehouse, and the Oakland Raiders. Many thanks to mother-daugh-
ter team Barbara Turcios and Suzie Tendrick, who meticulously crafted beautiful raffle baskets; our gracious volunteers, Dolores Flores and her three daughters; P.J. Kraintz; Leigh Shugrou, her husband and daughter; and a special thanks to board member Cathy Ivers for facilitating the use of the historic Shell Clubhouse in Martinez for the event. The fundraiser wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors: Union Bank, Courtyards at Pine Creek, Oakland Packaging & Supply, MOW Board President John Cottrell, Bateman Senior Meals, TNT Carpet Cleaning, Les Schwab Tires, and Favalora Trucking Company. Beverages were provided by Bill’s Ace Hardware (waters), Gallo Family Vineyards, Ninkasi Brewing, and Lagunitas Brewing Company. A special thanks to the players for their support and good sportsmanship.
Come and Celebrate at “Day for Kids”
Habitat for Humanity Groundbreaking
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Diablo Valley is presenting a “Day for Kids” celebration on September 19. Sponsored by Tesoro, the event will take place 2:30 – 5pm at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Diablo Valley, located at 1301 Alhambra Avenue, Martinez. Boys & Girls Clubs “Day for Kids” is a day set aside each year to celebrate and honor America’s children by spending meaningful time with them. Kids of all ages and adults are encouraged to attend. Research shows that when adults spend meaningful time with kids, it helps kids develop a positive self-image and sense of belonging, usefulness and purpose. Kids can participate in indoor, outdoor and water activities and games, including laser tag, zip lining, obstacle courses, jumpers and so much more! Admission and refreshments are free of charge. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Diablo Valley has been an integral part of the Martinez community and surrounding area for more than 50 years, providing services to thousands of young people. The Club is open after school Monday, Tuesday & Thursday and Friday, 2-6pm, and Wednesday 1-6pm. Programs offered include Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development, Health & Life Skills, The Arts, and Sports Fitness & Recreation. For more information about Boys & Girls Club programs or activities, please call 925 228.3896 or visit our website at www.bgcdv.org.
The Habitat for Humanity Muir Ridge Groundbreaking takes place on Saturday, September 6, at 10am. This ceremony celebrates the start of the newest 20-home development as it furthers our mission to provide hardworking families with safe and affordable homes. Whether you’re interested in homeownership opportunities, would like to learn more about this development, or want to find out about donating or volunteering, join us at 10am, 401 Heron Lane, Martinez (off Pacheco). See more at: www.habitatebsv.org/Events/Muir-Ridge-Groudbreaking#sthash.hvbeUNcD.dpuf or call 866-450-4432. Submitted by Marianne Clark.
FREE PRE-TRIP CAR CHECK Tires, Alignment, Brakes, Battery, Struts/Shocks, Tire Air Pressure
VISIT US AT:
www.lesschwabmartinez.com
Dwayne Glemser Manager
30
3800 Alhambra, Martinez • (925)370-6382
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
No purchase necessary, must present coupon.
Annual Community Service Day Join Your Friends & Neighbors to Keep Pleasant Hill Beautiful BY MICHAEL G. HARRIS, OD Can you believe it’s been 10 years since I brought the idea of an annual service day to Pleasant Hill city leaders? When we launched our first Community Service Day in 2005, I had great expectations that it would be embraced by our residents as a great way to give back to our community and make our city an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. And that’s exactly what’s happened! Starting with a few hundred volunteers in 2005, last year more than 1000 volunteers worked on dozens of projects throughout our city. Over the past nine years we, as a community, have donated over 35,000 volunteer hours to improve the place we call home. TOGETHER we have: • Cleaned up neighborhoods, schools, parks, creeks, and churches • Planted scores of trees to help beautify our city • Repaired over 1000 bicycles for donation to needy children • Donated much needed blood to save dozens of lives
Collected over 10 tons of food for the Contra Costa Food Bank • Helped children and seniors in need We couldn’t have done any of this without you! You, and the thousands of others who volunteered their time and energy, help make Pleasant Hill safer, healthier, and more beautiful. We have become a model of volunteer service that is the envy of other communities. Because of our groundbreaking effort, other cities have followed our lead. While we can be proud of our past accomplishments, there’s even more to do. So, I invite you to be part of a history-
making group by participating in our Special 10th Annual Community Service Day on Saturday September 27, at 7:30am in Pleasant Hill Park. Sign up to volunteer, or register a worthwhile project of your own, at the city’s website: www.pleasant-hill.net/csd. For more information, contact Martin Nelis at Mnelis@ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us or 925671-5229. Projects are available for adults and children of all ages and abilities. Be among the first 600 volunteers to register at Pleasant Hill Park on Saturday, September 27 at 7:30am, at Pleasant Hill Park, and you’ll receive a free pancake
breakfast, courtesy of our Lions Club, and a free commemorative T-shirt. As a special way of recognizing this event, you’ll also receive an exclusive 10th anniversary gift. The immediate impact of these projects is a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful city. Perhaps more important has been the personal connections between neighbors, friends, families, newcomers, and the business community. Community service brings out the best in us, inspires hope, and empowers us to believe in a better tomorrow. Community Service Day has increased civic pride and has proven that people want to get involved and give back to their community. I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, September 27, at Pleasant Hill Park. You will take pride in knowing that you are making a difference in this City we all love. My sincere thanks to our wonderful Civic Action Commission and Martin Nelis for all their hard work in making Community Service Day such a success.
You're Invited to the
PLEASANT HILL
10th Annual Pleasant Hill Community Service Day Saturday
Community Service Day YEARS!
September 27, 2014
September 27
7:30 a.m.
Start at Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane (and then on to your volunteer work site after breakfast and registration)
Volunteers receive...
FREE! Pancake breakfast at Pleasant Hill Park (7:30 a.m.) FREE! T-shirt and other giveaways (first 600 Volunteers)
Register at www.pleasant-hill.net/volunteer Organized by Pleasant Hill Civic Action Commission and supported by local businesses
City of Pleasant Hill
For more information contact Martin Nelis at mnelis@ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us or phone (925) 671-5229. ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
31
Heartfelt Thanks True Community Discovered
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
Moving You On To Better Things
communityfocus-ecomulch-ad-2014-2.pdf
1
2/18/14
4:01 PM
Local Organic Mulch, Soil and Compost
Well, I never imagined in my life I’d be sitting here today, recovering from a major medical incident. One never sees these things coming, and honestly I do not know where I would be without the support and strong character of my community. I want to THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I want to show my appreciation to so many people for the out-pouring of love and support throughout this ordeal and while I’m recovering. Your kindness, flowers, calls and kind words, and the beautiful cards expressing your sympathy are all truly humbling. On August 4, my friends, old and new, poured into Mr. Lucky’s to show support of me and my family in a way I would have never imagined. I feel so truly blessed. A special thanks to Walt, Randy, Murphy, and the whole Mr. Lucky’s family for organizing such an amazing fundraising event. The donations received from all of you are making it possible for me to rest and recover without additional worry. This event in my life and the response from you folks in Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and neighboring communities have shown true spirit and
Liz and her granddaughter.
how we are there for one another through good times and bad in this community. I am anxious to catch up with everyone, but trying to follow doctor’s orders to rest and recover, I will hopefully see you all soon while out and about, or at Mr. Lucky’s when I’m back, so I can personally thank you all. You have touched my heart in so many ways, and I cannot convey my gratitude for your help and encouragement. Please know I’m so proud to be a member of this community we share. My family, Marty, and I thank you all so very much! With Love, Liz Sandoval (A humbled, grateful Grandma)
Bronze Award Pillowcase Challenge
The twelve girls of Girl Scout Troop 30420 in Pleasant Hill completed their Bronze Award Project in May. They sewed 59 pillowcases in a variety of colors and patterns for patients at Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Their endeavors also contributed to the American Patchwork and Quilting 1 Million Pillowcases Challenge. The troop wanted to help kids who feel sad or lonely in the hospital by creating something colorful and cheerful to brighten their days. Troop member Kate Philson said, “We learned that it feels good to help kids who struggle with things that we cannot even imagine.” The girls improved on their sewing and ironing skills along with “assembly line” procedures. Sometimes machines did not work or a seam had to be ripped out and sewn again, but the problems were minor and the girls hope others will be inspired by their project.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ECOMULCH
We design landscape products that are environmentally preferable and ecologically friendly: Colored Mulch, Natural Mulch, Organic Soil, Compost products. 5010 Pacheco Blvd. • Martinez • (925) 228-1673 MyEcoMulch.com • Like us on Facebook! From front (LtoR): Morgan Crosby, Casey Breithaupt, Morgan Salmon, Kate Philson, Thea Winterich and Jillian Richards. Not pictured are Valerie Begg and Lena Scheidel. 32
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Home Tour
Martinez Historical Homes Have you ever driven or walked by a home in Martinez and wondered what it looked like inside? Over 400 people who attended last year’s Home Tour were amazed at the interiors of six private homes representing the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Past visitors have admired vintage features of the older homes, such as built-in china cabinets and sideboards, and were intrigued by the seamless blending of old with newly added Craftsmen bookshelves and a Murphy bed concealed in the wall cabinets of a guest cottage. The 2014 tour on Saturday, October 11, promises to be just as exciting, with five homes newly added to the tour. This year also features an “alumni” home, which was on the first tour in 2007 and was featured in the 80th issue of American Bungalow. Tours begin at one of Martinez’s historic public buildings: the Shell Clubhouse, with its intact Craftsman Era interior and the adjacent Shell Oil Museum – both located at 1635 Pacheco Boulevard; the 1890 Borland House, a Carpenter Gothic structure which is the home of the Martinez Museum; John Muir’s 1882 Italianate Victorian mansion and the adjacent 1849 Martinez Adobe. An added building this year is the historic Masonic Hall. All of the homes on the tours feature attractive gardens in the back, and some had impressive outdoor entertainment areas. Last year, the 1930 English
Cottage house on Ulfinian Way had both a vegetable garden and a beehive, which has already produced two crops of honey this year. The 1918 Craftsman house on Court Street had a three-level deck between the main house and the guest cottage. “This is stunning,” said Sabine Pitts. “They have created magic in this back yard.” Sabine is a good judge of gardens. The flower-filled garden in front of her own Craftsman house on the 1400 block of Alhambra Avenue has been attracting attention for years. One of the best features of the Home Tour is meeting the homeowners who answer questions and talk about their experiences in renovating and furnishing their older homes. “I never had so much fun in my life,” said homeowner Robert Schultz. “I really enjoyed entertaining all our visitors today.” When asked why she wanted to be part of a Home Tour, Reeny Dorsher smiled: “I love my house and I would love to have other people see it.” Tickets will go on sale the first week of September. They are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased with cash or check from Char’s Flowers (635 Main Street), Rumain’s Jewelry (510 Center Avenue), Bagel Street Café (580 Center Avenue), The UPS Store (the Lucky Shopping Center) and I’ve Been Framed (411 Ferry Street). For purchases via credit card, go to www. martinezhometour2014.eventbrite.com. Take a virtual tour of the homes on past tours on the Home Tour website: www. MartinezHomeTour.com.
Finance your NEW or USED AUTO loan and receive a $100.00 GAS CARD!* JOIN TODAY
Receive a FREE Gift! SHELL WESTERN STATES FEDERAL CREDIT UNION Offers membership to any person who lives, works, worships, volunteers, has a business or attends school in the City of Martinez & Pacheco
Shell Western States offers many great services: FREE Checking FREE Bill Pay & Home Banking Interest rates as low as 1.90% High Yield Rates on Savings Accounts Retirement Solutions / IRA Rollovers First Order of Checks FREE
SWS
1700 Pacheco Blvd., Martinez CA 94553
925-228-4545
Product shown is Cake Batter Confetti. ©2007 Cold Stone Creamery, Inc. All rights reserved. www.coldstonecreamery.com
Visit us on the web: www.swsfcu.org *No refinances/must meet underwriting criteria. ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
33
P L E AS ANT
HI L L
CHAMB E R
O F
CO MME RCE
It’s Your Business.
Consumers are more likely to do business with a company if it’s a member of their local chamber of commerce.
BUSINESS RESOURCE RUNWAY 2014 Guest Speaker
David Mitroff, Ph.D.
Maximize Your Retail Opportunities Successfull Strategies for Retail Readiness
Tuesday, September 19, 2014
500 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill, Rooms A & B
Founder & CEO - Business Consultant, Marketing Expert, Stand-Up Comic; PiedmontAve.com Includes Expert Panel Discussion and Q&A:
Business Success Stories
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
(Registration & Networking begins at 11:00 am)
$15 Pre-register by September 12 • $25 thereafter
Retail businesses in our community talk about their strategies for success
Register Online: https://businessrunway3.eventbrite.com
Welcome New Members
Mary Kay - Independent Beauty Consultant Idaho-Frank Associates Inc Law Office of Ronald B. Bass New Directions for Young Adults California LITA 'Love is the Answer' of Contra Costa The Accounting Experts RNM Framing & Matting Active Health Clinic Gary J Lalley Farmers Insurance Agency Land Home Financial Services, Inc.
34
Jeanne Schwass Mark Lyon Sandra Levine Benabon Matthew Xavier Victoria Ryan Olivia Aqui Alician Minyen Jason Worrall Gary Lalley Angela Warren
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Includes Lunch!
(925) 768-3111 (925) 609-8458 (925) 256-9855 (866) 611-5450 (925) 212-4573 (925) 363-4215 (925) 383-2542 (925) 943-2222 (925) 954-7584 (925) 885-6605
“We all have different reasons for being a Chamber member. One thing I know for sure, we are working hard to create something for everyone. Whether you want exposure in the community, advocacy for your business, marketing opportunities, business connections, education, fun events, or more... you name it, we’ve got it! It’s your business...Give us a call today!
Ann Luke Executive Director
91 Gregory Lane, Suite 11 • Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 • 925.687.0700
www.pleasanthillchamber.com
Festa Italiana Experience Italian Dining
Lovely autumn days indicate it’s time for the 16th annual Festa Italiana, an outdoor Italian dining experience sponsored by the Pleasant Hill-Martinez Branch of the American Association of University Women. The evening of wine and Italian food will be held 3:30 to 6:30pm on Saturday, October 4, at the Viano Winery,150 Morello Avenue, Martinez. Carole Larson and Elena Noble, chairwomen of the Festa Italiana committee, are coordinating the wine tasting and dinner along with committee members. They encourage you to come out and enjoy a lovely gathering in the vineyards and participate in the age-old celebration of the grape harvest. “This event sells out every year,
so buy your tickets soon!” said Trinka March, one of the co-presidents of the branch. First, you will enjoy a wine tasting and wonderful array of appetizers, and you’ll have an opportunity to buy tickets for unique items at our raffle. Our dinner includes lasagna, salad, and garlic bread, accompanied by the vintner’s table wines, with homemade biscotti for dessert. The crystal wine glass is yours to take home. The event is a fundraiser that provides academic scholarships for women. Tickets are $38.00 and reservations must be made by September 27. Please call Marge Munger at 687-9773 or Gayle Garrison at 798-7528 to arrange the purchase of your tickets.
Enjoy an evening at the Pleasant Hill-Martinez AAUW Festa Italiana on October 4. Front ro (LtoR): Gary and Sherrie Moore, Trinka March, Carole Larson, and Elena Noble. Back row: Russ Noble, Art Larson, and George March.
School Supplies Helping Those in Need Mt. Diablo Unified School District is collecting school supplies and contributions for back-to-school clothes for foster youth and homeless students. Our community has always been generous when it comes to helping others in need. For students whose lives have been turned upside down, your contributions make a big difference. School supplies and backpacks can be dropped off at either the boxes in the lobby of the Mt. Diablo Unified district office, 1936 Carlotta Drive in Concord, or brought to the front office of any Mt. Diablo Unified school. Donations will be distributed via school site staff members. For those seeking donations, please inquire at your child’s school. Some school supply suggestions include: ballpoint pens, pencils, mechanical pencils, rulers, erasers, 8x11notepads, spiral notebooks, com-
2014
position notebooks, 2” binders and binder paper, soft pencil cases, pencil boxes, pencil sharpeners, calculators, backpacks, and gym bags for middle school and high-school students. For emerging artists, art supplies such as colored pencils and pens, sketchbooks, and erasers go a long way! Many of our homeless students and foster youth also need clothes and shoes that fit. The Mt. Diablo Homeless Outreach Program for Education (Mt. HOPE) accepts donations of gift cards (e.g. Kohl’s, Target), which allows families to pick out their own items. Checks can be made out to “Mt. Diablo HOPE” and sent to 1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord, 94519, attention Elsa Dalpiaz. You can donate online using the HOPE PayPal button at www. mdusd.org. 100% of tax-deductible donations go directly to foster youth and homeless children in K-12th grade.
2014
READERS’ LOCAL
FAVORITES
vote 9-15-14|ourcommunityfocus.com VOTE ONLINE
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
35
Martinez Chorus Singing Because it’s Fun
The Martinez Community Chorus just doesn’t want to take a break. While on summer hiatus from their regular singing schedule, members of the group volunteered to perform mini-concerts at several convalescent facilities in Martinez and Pleasant Hill. Dressed in their finest Hawaiian print garb, they entertained residents with excerpts from their recent concert and some old favorites, from “Sentimental Journey” to “California Dreamin”. It is hard to say who enjoys the shows more, the singers or the audiences. The chorus is happy that they will soon be back to regular rehearsals. September 23 is the start of the fall semester at Martinez Adult Education. The group meets on Tuesday evenings, September 23 – December 16 (no class November 11 and 25), from 7–9pm in the Martinez Adult School auditorium, and the cost for the semester is $40. Directed by longtime Martinez resident Sara Stafford, this mixed chorus sings
many different styles of music, including folk, popular, jazz, sacred/spiritual, and classical. Members are looking forward to singing for the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Veteran’s Park and then concentrating on the music for their concert in December. If you like to sing or know someone else who does, you should check out this group -- they are friendly, welcoming, and talented. There are openings for sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, and any voice in between. You can contact them (and LIKE them) on their Facebook page, “Martinez Community Chorus,” or call the MAE office for information. You can register with Martinez Adult Education by phone at (925) 228-3276) or fax (925) 228- 6989, or in person at 600 F Street in Martinez. Visit www.martinez.k12.ca.us/schools/mae/ for brochure and registration information.
Martinez Senior Activities 818 Green Street, Martinez 925-370-8770
Wednesdays, Alzheimer’s Respite Program has openings at 10am-4pm, for those with mild to moderate dementia with an ability to care for their basic needs independently. Activities include discussion groups, exercise, crafts and table games to maintain social skills. A one-time $20 registration fee, with a daily lab fee of $15 charged monthly, which includes lunch. Call (925) 370-8772 for information and registration. Sept. 5 & 12 - AARP Smart Driver Course 10am – 2:30pm. Program helps seniors recognize their limitations and learn how to reduce accidents and regain driving privileges. Students receive a Certificate of Completion, which may offer insurance discounts. Check with your car insurance for details. Checks payable to AARP at time of registration; no cash. $15 for AARP members with card, $20 for non-members. Sept. 14 - Pancake Breakfast 8-11am. Breakfast includes pancakes or toast, sausage, eggs, orange juice and coffee. Everyone is welcome. Cost is $4.00 for adults/$2.50 for children 10 and under. Sept. 19 - Vagabond Players Present The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Doors open at 1:30pm and play begins at 2pm. Based around a group of six eccentrics spellers competing in a spelling bee, run by even quirkier, idiosyncratic adults. Cost: $10 members/ $12 non-members. Light buffet to follow performance. Tickets must be pre-purchased, deadline is Friday, Sept. 12. Sept. 25 - Bingo Fundraiser for Meals on Wheels. Sales at 12pm and Games at 1pm. Prizes, refreshments, and the “pot” for all regular games will be $50. Free tote bags while they last. Proceeds donated to the Meals on Wheels program. Sept. 26 - Bunco – Mark your Calendar!
Pleasant Hill Senior Activities 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill 925-798-8788 Sept. 7 - Pancake Breakfast 8:30am-10:30am. Senior Center Chateau Room. All ages welcome! Tickets: Adults (11+) $5; Children (5-10yrs) $3; 4 & under Free! Sept. 12 - Vagabond Players Presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 1pm. Senior Center Chateau Room. Based around a group of six eccentric spellers competing in a spelling bee, run by an even quirkier, idiosyncratic adults. This play is engaging and genuinely funny all the way to the end. Tickets: $7 pre-sale or $12 day of. (Ticket sales began 8/4)
Members of the Martinez Community Chorus perform at Alhambra Convalescent Hospital.
Seeking Crafters and Donations for Holiday Boutique and Craft Sale - The Senior Center’s Holiday Boutique, held on Saturday, November 22, is opening up space for outside crafters to sell their crafts. Woodworkers, painters, quilters, knitters, sewers and makers of wonderful things are welcome! Crafter entrance fee of $50 includes 6’ table space. Interested parties should email Dagny Benz at DagnyBenz@aol.com or call 937-5706. Senior Volunteer Appreciation - The Pleasant Hill Rec & Park District would like to thank all the senior volunteers for their dedication and outstanding efforts. In 2013-2015, the Pleasant Hill Senior Center had 214 volunteers who clocked 31,944 recorded hours! These super-powered volunteers do everything from working in the kitchen for our CC Café to coordinating travel services and working the front desk. Mark Your Calendars! Oct. 9 - Care Management Series: The Facts on Alzheimer’s Disease presented by the Alzheimer’s Association 2-3:30pm. PH Senior Center. The Care Management Series brings a variety of topics from experts in our community. This series is sponsored by the Chateau’s of Pleasant Hill. Space is limited. RSVP required. Call (925) 798-8788.
36
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Read My Mind©
Pet Safety
BY MICHAEL G. HARRIS, OD Hard Choices is Hillary Rodham Clinton’s memoir of her four years as Secretary of State. This riveting account of the challenges that she and the United States faced from 2009 – 2013 could also be titled “Hillary for President 2016!” Clinton opens the book by saying, “All of us face hard choices in our lives… Our choices and how we handle them shape the people we become.” Throughout her life, and certainly during her term as Secretary of State, Clinton faced challenges and choices that were truly monumental. Her decisions affected the lives of countless individuals, as well as the security of our country. This 635-page memoir covers the world much as Clinton did during her term as Secretary of State, when she visited 112 countries and traveled nearly 1,000,000 miles. It also opens our eyes to her relationship with President Obama, who defeated her in the Democratic primary in 2008. We get the sense that this “team of rivals,” as in Lincoln’s administration, buried the hatchet, learned to work together, and trusted each other in one crisis after another. We learn about the trials and tribulations of working with China and other Asian countries. She minces no words about the difficulties in dealing with Russia, especially with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We get an inside view of the war in Afghanistan and our troubled relationship with Pakistan. We are at her side as Navy SEALs finally bring Osama bin Laden to justice. She paints vivid pictures of the troubles in the Middle East. We are eyewitnesses to the Arab Spring, the downfall of Libya’s dictator Muammar Qaddafi, the Syrian civil war, the Gaza crisis, and the Iranian nuclear threat. We also get her view of other issues that will shape our future, including cli-
BY JIM BONATO It amazes me how much information is available on the Internet. How I could have used this tool for weekend homework assignments back in my school days! This week, I received the American Red Cross monthly newsletter, Crossnotes. Along with quick-to-read articles about the Ebola outbreak, wildfires, and helping victims of disasters, one eyecatching lead story was entitled, ”Summer Weather Can Be Dangerous for Pets.” Geez, my June and July articles were about keeping our families safe in the hot weather, but I failed to say anything about the four-legged members of our households. We’ve all read or heard stories in the news about the tragic outcome of a child being left in a car in the heat of summer. Well, that outcome is entirely the same for our pets, especially dogs with short snouts, who are prone to heatstroke. Cracked windows do not bring effective relief. In a super-hot environment, if the gums of your dog are tending toward brick red, if it is unable to stand or remain standing, and if it is panting heavily – suspect heatstroke. Immediately cool your dog’s body down by getting it into a cold shower or using the water hose. Take your pet to the vet as soon as you have
Hard Choices
mate change, jobs, energy, and human rights. But, by far the most interesting and controversial portion of the book deals with the September 11, 2012 attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted in the death of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Clinton describes, in graphic detail, the troubling days before the tragedy and the aftermath. I sensed that this tragedy really hit her hard. Clinton tries to answer the really hard questions about the attack. Why did the United States put Stevens and his colleagues “in harm’s way?” According to Clinton, there are always risks involved when Americans serve overseas. “Diplomacy…must often be practiced in dangerous places where America’s national security hangs in the balance.” What went wrong? Unfortunately, just about everything. Neither Stevens nor those responsible for guarding him seemed to have a clue about the possible dangers they faced in Benghazi. There was no military backup. Furthermore, communication was extremely limited and not very timely. So, who was actually responsible for the safety of these Americans serving our country oversees? This is certainly a question that’s going to be asked during the next presidential campaign. Clinton states: “When something went wrong, as it did in Benghazi, it is my responsibility.” Her opponents will certainly blame her. But as she points out, the reality is much more complicated than that. She also notes that: “Our strength abroad depends on our resolve and resilience at home.” When it comes to the next presidential election, Clinton says, “Ultimately, what happens in 2016 should be about what kind of future Americans want for ourselves and their children – and grandchildren.” Deciding who will be our next president will be a “hard choice.” Whether you are a Hillary fan or not, you will find reading Hard Choices an easy choice to make.
Summer Tips for Fido cooled it down, because heatstroke can lead to further organ damage. It goes without saying that you should be very conscientious about keeping your pet’s water bowl filled. Better yet, just in case you’re late getting home one evening, keep several bowls of water available throughout the house for your pets. If you would like to learn more about first aid for your pet, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) offers pet first aid classes four times a year. Take a look at their website, www.arf.net. Another idea I would like to pass on to you is the variety of American Red Cross apps available for your smartphone. There is an app for first aid that will even tell you how to prepare for and respond after an earthquake. And, applicable to this article, there is a Red Cross app for pet first aid. Pretty nifty stuff. Boy, have we come a long way from the good old encyclopedia!
To Read or Not to Read author, Zane Dundon, is off to Lewis and Clark University. The Community Focus is grateful for his many book reviews over the past year and we wish him the best of luck in his endeavors!
With years of remodels behind us we look forward to helping you make your house the home you've always wanted.
SAMUELS CONSTRUCTION ALL PHASES OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS AVAILABLE 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 1566 Violet Way, Pleasant Hill
MEMBER
ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014
37
Make Some Plans september
september 8
september 13
september 17
CC County AARP Tax-Aide
Community Forum on “Bomb Trains”
Gigantic Book Sale
Looking for volunteer Tax Counselors or Client Facilitators. IRS training and certification provided. Call LaVerne Gordon at 925.726.3199 for information and to apply.
Presented by Martinez Environmental Group 7:30pm, Congregational Church, 1229 Court Street, Martinez. Diane Bailey, Senior Scientist, NRDC, discusses transporting crude oil by rail. MRTENVGRP.com.
Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library. 10am to 3:30pm in the parking lot behind the library. Prices from $.25 to $1+. Volunteers are always needed and greatly appreciated! For more information email: FOPHLsale@gmail.com.
Many Faces of Gynecologic Cancers
september 2
september 8
september 13
september 18
Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club
Valley Stitchers and Fiber Arts Guild
Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club
Martinez Mutt Strutt
Speaker: Susan Morrison; “Design Solutions for Small Spaces.” Guests welcome and free. 7pm at Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, PH. 925.944.4898 or www.phgsc.com.
Speaker Marilou Moschetti, a Nuno felt designer and teacher. 10am, Faith Lutheran Church, 50 Woodsworth Ln., PH. Call Sheila at 925.945.1338
(CWC) Guest speaker, editor Bridget Watson Payne. Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Lane, PH. Sign-in 11:30am to noon, $20/members, $25/guests. Reservations required, ragig524@gmail.com, or 925.933.9670. http://cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com.
september 4-7
september 9
september 16
Onstage presents “Beau Jest”
Friends of PH Library
Martinez CERT Fall Classes
Campbell Theatre 636 Ward Street, Martinez. Thurs., Fri. & Sat., 8pm; Sun., 2:30pm. General $18; Seniors; $16; Students $10. 925.518.3277 or Onstagetheatre.homestead.com.
Ribbon Cutting 5pm. Celebrate the library’s newly expanded hours. Sponsored by the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce.
Begin Tuesday Series: 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21; 6-9:30pm. Saturday Series: 9/20, 927, 10/4, 10/11; 8am-1pm. Register at MartinezCERT.org.
6-8pm. Cancer Support Community, 3276 McNutt Ave., Walnut Creek. To register call Diablo Valley Oncology at 925-677-5041 x272.
Enter your precious pooch for Best: Name, Tail, Trick, Costume, & Looks-Most-Like-Owner contest. 6pm at the Martinez Amphitheater, Martinez Marina. Call to pre-register for this free event, 925.372.3510.
september 6
september 15
september 17
september 25
Bargain Bag of Books Sale
DVC Emeritus College
CHP Start Smart Driving Safety Program
Professional Presence
$5 buys a full grocery sack at the Friends of the Martinez Library Sale. 740 Court St., Martinez. 11am- 4pm for general public: 10am for members. Proceeds support library programs.
Affordable classes for people 50 and over, beginning the week of September 15. For brochure by mail call 925.969.4316 or view online at www.dvc.edu/emeritus.
CFor teen drivers and parents, 6:30-8:30pm, Alhambra HS, 150 E. St., Mtz. Free and open to all Martinez students and parents. Sponsored by MUSD. Register at chpstreetsmartsmusd. eventbrite.com.
september 12
october 11
Twighlight Fishing Derby
Martinez Historical Home Tour
At the Martinez Marina Free event for children ages 3 – 12 years. Bait provided & prizes awarded. Bring your favorite fishing pole. Friday, 6 – 8 pm. Pre-register at 925.372.1510.
7pm. 8th annual historical home tour. Visit up to 7 private homes built in the early 20th century. Visit www.martinezhometour.com.
september 7
september 17
Pancake Breakfast Resource Fair & Boutique
Society of American Magicians
8:30-10:30am by Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services at PH Senior Center. Under 4: free; 4-10: $3; ages 11 and up: $5. RSVP at 925.954.8736.
Assembly #112 meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7pm, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1919 Wendell Lane, PH. Open to all! 925.451.1292.
38
The Contra Costa Commission for Women in partnership with JFK University present a Women in Leadership panel discussion on Professional Presence. 6:30pm, 100 Ellinwood Way, PH. $15 advanced reg./$25 at door. www. womenscommission.com.
september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Business Directory Local Qualit y You Can Trust!
Pleasant Hill
Happy Fun "Live" Music From the 50’s thru 80’s Assisted Living Convalescent Homes Hospitals
COLLISION
Collision Repair & Painting • Frame Straightening Insurance Claims • Glass • Customs
CONTACT: Buck Cheshire
www.PleasantHillCollision.com • email phcollision@aol.com 925-939-1160 • 1581 Oak Park Boulevard • Pleasant Hill
www.buckshotozoneband.com
925-787-6149
NEW NAME SAME GREAT SERVICE YOU EXPECT!
One Dog At A Time • Call for Same Day Appointments • Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat and Sun • 9am - 6pm and Some Evenings
• Drop in nail trimming Sunday & Monday's • Located in and Backed by Central Bark, Downtown Martinez
melonie jackson • 925-822-7858 821 Escobar St, Martinez
WHAT’S BUGGIN’ YOU?
LEADING EDGE PEST MANAGEMENT, INC
Bedroom • Dining • Sofa’s Sectionals • Mattresses
925-370-7636
742 Arnold Drive #B Martinez
Outlet Prices! Free Delivery!
Lic.#PR6202
#!"+ + ' " ( $) !"" "" ' % !"* %$ + '! + # &# ! $( (!"* # ' '!) + %% %#
#!"+ + '
Advertisers Aspire Pilates Center Bay View Yacht Charters Big Air Heating and Air Conditioning Bill’s Ace Hardware Blinks & Brows Beauty Boutique Cal Performances Carlton Senior Living City of Pleasant Hill Cold Stone Creamery Colleen Callahan Insurance Services Cooper Bail Bonds Country Waffles
Dallimonti’s Downtown Pleasant Hill EcoMulch East Bay Residential Realty Ellinwood Exterminators El Tapatio Flaskerud - RE/MAX Today Forma Gym Gil’s Carpets Hagin’s Automotive Hammer’s Heating and A/C Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital Hire My Husband Hitchcock Properties/Hitchcock Team Home Detailers Housekeeping
Jack’s Restaurant & Bar Jennifer L. Martin D.D.S. Kobe Japan Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Law Office of Daniel L. DuRee Law Offices of Lauren Smykowski Les Schwab Tires Main Street Martinez Martinez Auto Body Martinez Chamber of Commerce Maureen Ingalls - RE/MAX Accord Michael Harris for City Council Molino’s Ravioli Factory Moulding Company Mt. Diablo Solano Oncology Group
!"#$%&##"'$#($)(&*+"$%&#
www.martinezfurniture.com
ANTS • SPIDERS • ROACHES • MICE RATS • TERMITES • SKUNKS • SQUIRRELS
!"#$%&##"'$#($)(&*+"$%&#
Mention this ad and receive 10% OFF.
(925)689-2222•(800)471-5555
" ( $) !"" Noni’s Pet Boutique & Grooming "" ' % !"* Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Pleasant Hill Rec & Park Safe Mortgage Lending Samuels Construction %$ + '! + Senior Helpers # &# Shell Western States Credit Union ! $( Sue Noack for PH City Council %% %# Suzanne Looker,(!"* # ' '!) + Pacific Union International Creek Covenant Church Walnut Festival Association #!"+ + ' Waters Moving and Storage " ( $) !"" Wence’s Restaurant "" ' % !"* %$ + '! +
# &# Summer Cleaning ! $( (!"* # ' '!) + %% %# Special
#!"+ + ' " ( $) !"" "" ' % !"* %$ + '! + # &# ! $( (!"* # ' '!) + %% %# 9/30/14
#!"+ + ' ourcommunityfocus.com • september 2014 " ( $) !"" "" ' % !"*
!"#$%&##"'$#($)(&*+"$%&#
1936 Linda Drive Pleasant Hill CA 94523
!"#$%&##"'$#($)(&*+"$%&#
sales@crsfbay.com • www.crsfbay.com
www.LeadingEdgePM.com
$)(&*+"$%&#
925-827-1200
TERMITE & PEST CONTROL
39
Saturday, September 20th 10-7 PM Sunday, September 21st 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette
al
nu 19th an
Free
•Admission
•Parking at BArT •Shuttle to event •Bike Valet Parking
BENEFITING
e Tak
t bar t1
Jus
ck blo
ay
aw
20 & 21
4 the sun kings • foreverland • aja vu • PettY theft • • stealin’ chicago • ZeboP • the sPaZmatics • the big jangle • • east baY mudd • night moves • baY bridge beat • duo gadjo • • other PeoPle’s moneY • juice • bob athaYde & friends • • acoustic s&m • juke joint • red house all stars • dominant 7 • Presenting Sponsor
Presenting Sponsor
Festival Sponsor
Festival Sponsor
6100 State Farm Drive Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Minuteman Press Lafayette
www.lafayettefestival.com www.facebook.com/lafayettefestival 40
6100 State Farm Drive
Rohnert Park, CA 94928 september 2014 • ourcommunityfocus.com
Minuteman Press Lafayette
@friendly chamber #LafFest