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2A | THEPRESS.NET JANUARY 13, 2012

JANUARY 13, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

New police dog assigned to Oakley beat

The Oakley Police Department’s newest recruit is ready to serve, protect and take a bite out of crime.

Oleg, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, joined the force in September. He rides the beat with his handler, Offi cer David Riddle, and assists in trailing suspects and locating evidence. He’s also trained to pursue suspects in foot chases and ap-prehend suspects, sparing offi cers from employing deadly force.

“Oleg is a special dog,” Oakley Po-lice Chief Bani Kollo said. “He’s unique. He’s full of energy and loves attention, but when it is time to get down to busi-ness, he’s a tough worker. He’s been a great addition to the team and he has a great future in Oakley.”

When Kollo says Oleg is a hard worker, it’s not an exaggeration. When Riddle began training with Oleg, the dog was so focused on tracking a scent that he collided with a bush and took a thorn in the eye. Luckily, Oleg suffered no per-manent damage.

“Oleg is far different from any oth-er dog I’ve ever known, and I’ve been around dogs all my life,” Riddle said. “He’s so relaxed at home, but take him out in the patrol car and he gets jacked up. He’s so animated.”

Sometimes too animated. In his fi rst

weeks with Riddle, Oleg would get so ex-cited he’d beat his tail against the metal grate in the patrol car until he broke the skin. The vet fi nally decided to dock Oleg’s tail so that he wouldn’t hurt him-self further or get an infection.

Aside from a few extra trips to the vet, Oleg is proving to be a valuable ad-

dition to the department and has already assisted in cases in Oakley and Antioch. When he’s not on duty, he stays with Riddle and his family, which includes a German shepherd that has taken a lik-ing to Oleg. But even during his down time, Oleg can’t take his mind off work. He has his own kennel, complete with a

dog bed, but sleeps in the patrol car on occasion.

“It’s funny,” Riddle said. “I tuck him in with blankets to make sure he’s comfortable. I check on him to see if he wants to come out, but he loves to sleep in the car. He’s a unique personality. He’s a great dog.”

But what makes Oleg truly special is that he’s a gift from the Oakley commu-nity. When Kollo learned that Riddle had training in the K-9 division and was inter-ested in becoming a handler, Kollo spoke to Jim Frazier, who was Oakley mayor at the time. Frazier, president of Friends of Oakley, helped organize fundraisers and spread the word about Oakley’s need for a second K-9 unit – and the community responded. Local businesses and resi-dents contributed more than $12,000 to bring Oleg over from Germany and send him through K-9 training.

“It was a real grass-roots effort to bring Oleg on board,” Kollo said. “He is Oakley’s dog. We wouldn’t have Oleg if it wasn’t for kind-hearted people in this community, and he’s out to make them proud.”

Oleg is Oakley’s second police dog. Shadow, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, is in the prime of his K-9 career, and Kollo said by the time Shadow is ready to retire, Oleg will be in his prime, ready to take over as top dog.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Oakley Police Chief Bani Kollo introduces Oakley’s new K-9 Oleg and his han-dler, Offi cer David Riddle, during a December City Council meeting.

Photo by Samie Hartley

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

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4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

Locals skate with the stars

The marquee event at a local skating rink returns on Sunday with a little more starpower.

Michael Chack headlines the lineup at the popular fi gure skating exhibition Holiday on Ice Show, located at the out-door ice rink at The Streets of Brent-wood. Chack has skated the world over, including several top-10 performances at the U.S. Nationals competition.

Chack and a host of skaters from the East Bay will wow the crowd at the Holi-day on Ice event, slated for Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Attendees are invited to skate with the performers after the show.

The show is the fi nale for the Holi-day on Ice program, which sets up at The Streets of Brentwood each winter and gives local residents a chance to lace ’em up and hit the ice.

“It’s even more fun to do a little show at the end,” organizer and rink co-owner Lynn Roberts said, “to show our commu-nity what skating is all about.”

Throughout the fi rst three seasons of the Holiday on Ice Show, a skating sibling pair from Brentwood was the main attrac-tion. However, after an injury forced them out of consideration, Roberts was forced to fi nd a replacement. A longtime ice skat-ing coach, she pulled some strings and was able to bring Chack to Brentwood.

Born in New York City, Chack now lives in San Francisco, coaches young skaters and tours with an international group called, coincidentally, Holiday on

Ice. Chack has competed in the U.S. Na-tionals event seven times, placing third in

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

Fitness on Facebook

see Skating page 10A

Our next contest is in full swing on thepress.net Facebook page, and fi tness is what this one’s all about.

The Fitness Resolution So-lution Sweep-stakes, spon-sored by Delta Valley Athletic Club, runs un-til Jan 23. The prize is a three-

month membership to Delta Valley Ath-letic Club, plus a one-hour session with DVAC’s health and wellness consultant. The award-winning health club is excited to be part of this opportunity to provide the lucky winner with a fi tness jump-start for the new year.

To enter the contest, visit us on Face-book (www.facebook.com/thepress.net) and click on “Sweepstakes.” The winner will be selected in a random drawing and announced on Jan. 27.

There’s also a special place on our Web site, www.thepress.net, where you can easily keep up with the latest contest, learn what’s next, and view results from previous contests. Go to www.thepress.net/pages/ara_contests_games to check it out, and be sure to click “Like” while you’re there.

Michael Chack, who has traveled the world with the international Holiday on Ice company, performs in Brentwood on Sunday as the headliner of a fi gure skating show featuring local skaters.

Photo courtesy of Holiday on Ice

JANUARY 13, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A

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Hwy 4 Bypass & Sand Creek Rd.Is it just me or do we all feel like

cleaning house after the holidays? The day after New Year’s I open all the win-dows and start packing away anything red and green, pull out the vacuum and start rearranging furniture. I must not

be alone because how else can you ex-plain all the plastic storage bins on sale at Target?

I really got into it this year and began tackling the projects I’ve been putting off since Labor Day. I orga-nized the silverware drawers, threw out a bunch of old coffee

mugs, organized my spice cupboard and whittled down my three junk draw-ers to two. Hey, that was a big job!

One menial task I’ve been putting off for a long time is matching socks. This might not sound like a time-con-suming task, but in a house of seven, we have over 100 unmatched socks. They sat there in the upstairs hallway in two big laundry baskets, glaring at me every time I walked by. Mornings became even more stressful because my kids would end up trying to fi nd a matching pair but were usually unsuc-cessful.

We all started wearing unmatched

socks, which goes against my nature and further complicates the matching process. It became absurd. My husband suggested we just toss them all in the garbage and start fresh, but the miser in me couldn’t do it. (This might come as a surprise to many – I’m a compul-sive shopper who buys on impulse and have been known to come home with a new pair of earrings, only to discover I already own that very same pair.)

But throw out 100 socks? Abomi-nable! I began the tedious task by emp-tying the piles onto the fl oor. Baseball socks, dress socks, men’s athletic socks, women’s athletic socks, low-rise, crew, those irritating long black socks all the teenage boys are wearing now (yuck!) and … what’s this? Baby booties? How long have those baskets been sitting there?

My brain couldn’t comprehend the arduous task at fi rst. I didn’t know where to start. I decided I needed music, so on went the smooth jazz. One pile would be the Hopelessly Crusty or Riddled With Holes pile – one pile for boys, one for girls. It was 2 p.m. I dove in.

An hour went by. My mind was so unstimulated, I’m pretty sure I dozed off for a few minutes. It occurred to me that this might be what hell is like. “Must … keep … matching,” I told myself and forged on.

Another half hour passed and I

realized I wasn’t even looking at the socks. My hands were in high gear now. Matching, rolling them into a ball, sorting into the correct pile. I was de-veloping Matrix-like matching skills. I didn’t need to “see” the match; I could “feel” the match.

My one big unmatched pile slowly became three beautiful, orderly piles – except, of course, for the Hopelessly Crusty or Riddled With Holes pile. Into a garbage bag they went.

It was getting dark outside now. I’d spent 2½ hours with socks! My hands were gnarled and arthritic from all the sock rolling, but I was fi lled with a sense of accomplishment. Dresser drawers were now fi lled to the brim with socks and the hallway was fi nally clear.

One thing I did fi nd irritating is that my family never came looking for me. During that long purgatory of sock insanity, they relaxed, watched football, ate snacks, played Xbox and texted friends. The next morning they didn’t need to scramble in vain for a sock match. Perhaps my hard work was all in vain.

Luckily I’ve got one more tedious task that needs doing, and I’ll let my family handle that one: cleaning the grout in all three bathrooms. I’ll make sure I’m out shopping for earrings that day.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

A task of the menial sort

HANGIN’ INTHERE

VICKI MCKENNA

6A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

Wells Fargo Bank Mount Diablo Market President Bob Ceglio, center, recently presented a pair of organizations with dona-tions to aid their efforts to support local schools. On the right is

Liberty Union High School District Ed Foundation President Karen Rarey with a $5,000 check. On the left is Brentwood Union School District Edu-cation Foundation President Wendy Herman, who accepted a $10,000 check. Wells Fargo also presented teacher support grants to the Antioch Unifi ed School District, Oakley Union Elementary School District and the Seeking Excellence in Educational Development Foundation of the Byron Union School District.

Beneficent bank

Photo courtesy of LUHDEF

The 23rd District Agricultural Associa-tion (DAA) Board of Directors announced Monday the opening of a search process for a new chief executive offi cer. Current CEO Lori Marshall resigned as of Dec. 7, 2011.

“We look forward to this opportunity for change,” said Board President Lynette Busby. “Lori Marshall has done an excellent job with the Contra Costa Fair and we wish her every happiness. Now we need to fi nd the best per-son to take our strengths forward and lead us into the future. We need a sharp and excep-

tional administrator who will implement the board’s policies and manage the day-to-day operations of the fair with business acumen, vision and commitment to the community purpose of this organization.”

Requests for application and position in-formation may be obtained by writing: CEO Selection Process, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch, CA 94509. All applications must be submitted according to form and be accompanied by a resumé and a list of fi ve references. Applica-tions must be received by Feb. 15.

County fair seeks new CEO

Across the country, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become a call to service in honor of his memory. Inspired by this spirit of com-munity and volunteerism, Congressman Jerry McNerney announced that he will dedicate January as a Month of Service, and encourages others to volunteer their time when they can.

Throughout the month, McNerney will be participating in various volunteer efforts throughout his district. He kicked off his volunteer efforts this week by teaching folks at the Dublin Senior Center how to play the popular puzzle game Sudoku.

“It doesn’t always take money to contrib-ute to our community,” McNerney wrote in a press release. “Just taking a few hours to lend a hand in your neighborhood benefi ts you, your family and friends. When our commu-nity thrives, we all benefi t.”

Locally, East County residents can par-ticipate in the Month of Service when the

Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed hosts its annual Day of Service Community Cleanup. On Monday, Jan. 16, volunteers will gather from 9 a.m. to noon at Almond Park, Creek-side Park and the O’Hara Avenue Demonstra-tion Garden – all in Brentwood – to remove weeds and plant new native plants. For more information, visit www.fomcw.org.

Participants in the Month of Service can submit photos, anecdotes or videos of their efforts at mcnerneyservice@mail.house.gov. Some of the volunteer efforts will be featured on McNerney’s website, www.mcnerney.house.gov, as well as on his offi cial Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jerrymcnerney.

“I encourage folks to participate in this worthy effort,” McNerney said. “Just as Mar-tin Luther King, Jr. Day has spurred a spirit of service, I hope that we can make January a month to rededicate ourselves to our com-munity.”

Month of Service promoted

JANUARY 13, 2012 ARTS THEPRESS.NET | 7A

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At right is a chart that I watch very carefully. It is from Lender Processing Services, Inc. and it tracks the % of loans that are delin-quent (red line) vs. foreclosures (green line) across the U.S.

Historically, delinquency leads foreclosure. When delinquencies go up, foreclosures rise a few months later and vice versa. You can see that both lines stayed within cer-tain ranges all the way up until about mid-2007, at which point they both started rising rapidly. This was the beginning of the crash where values dropped so suddenly. Then in 2009, the foreclosure moratoriums kicked in, so delinquencies continued to rise, but fore-closures fell. Since then delinquencies have dropped, and foreclosures have flattened out.

I think delinquencies have dropped due to two main reasons. The first is that eventu-ally many delinquent loans become either a foreclosure or a short sale. Once either of those happen, the loan is no longer reported

as delinquent. The second reason would be that loan mods have gotten much better the last few years, and once the mod goes through, the loan is reported as current. The bottom line is that delinquency has dropped, but both delinquency and foreclosures are still at very high levels compared to the past.

If you have questions on this or any other real estate topic, call me at (925) 240-MOVE (6683). To search the MLS for free and view virtual tours of homes for sale, go to: www.SharpHomesOnline.com. Sharp Realty

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Liberty teen makes‘X Factor’ connection

It’s still more than a month away, but Liberty High School sophomore Christine Wojcik is already thinking about the four-day holiday weekend in February.

In a few weeks she’ll embark on a road trip to Tucson, Ariz. with her family, including cousin Chelsey, with whom she’ll perform during “X Factor” contestant Tora Woloshin’s CD release party.

“It’s unreal,” said Christine, 15. “It’s a huge opportunity for us, since we hope to have our own CD release party some day. Everything has been happening so fast. It’s hard to let it all sink in.”

The girls, who perform as CMW (their shared initials), fi rst met with Wo-loshin when they submitted an application

to serve as the opening act for the reality competition star, who played the East Bay Holiday Classic halftime show last month. The opening acts had already been select-ed, but Woloshin wanted to give the girls a shot and invited them to open for her show at the Lesher Center of the Arts in Wal-nut Creek. The girls performed four songs, including two originals. Woloshin enjoyed their performance so much that she asked them to come to Arizona for the release party.

“It was insane,” said San Ramon resi-dent Chelsey, 16. “When we fi nished, she pulled us into a side room and asked that no one else come in. She told us that she loved our act and wanted us to perform at the party next month. We were so lucky to

Liberty High School sophomore Christine

Wojcik, left, along with her cousin

Chelsey, right, have been invited to

perform at the CD release party for “X Factor” contestant

Tora Woloshin’s new album.

Photo courtesy of Gina Ransom

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see X Factor page 16A

8A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

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Special-needs persons ALIVE and well

For those with special needs, life is often more of a reactive than proactive experience.

“The world for many of these individu-als has just happened to them as opposed to them being able to impact it,” said Will San-ford, executive director of Futures Unlimited. “But part of what we do is help them stand up for themselves and help them say, ‘Here’s who I am and here’s what I want.’”

For the past 20 years, Sanford’s organiza-tion has been doing just that – quietly chang-ing, empowering and forever making better the lives of those with disabilities through a program called ALIVE (Actively Living and Involved in a Variety of Endeavors).

Serving under the umbrella of the nonprofi t organization Futures Unlimited, ALIVE helps those with signifi cant physical handicaps and/or mental disabilities – ages 18 and up – transition to the next phase of their lives, whether it be school, work or volunteer opportunities.

“The question always is: ‘how do you get them into the adult world?’” said Sanford. “K-12 is focused on that segment of the pop-ulation but the question then becomes: what will that individual be doing when they grad-uate? Will they be going to work, college?”

Conversely, older clients in the program – some in their 40s and 50s – have come to ALIVE looking to enhance, enrich and enjoy their lives in more ambitious ways.

Kimberly Williams, 47, is one such per-son. Born into a state institution, the devel-opmentally disabled Antioch resident lived for a time with family members, but spent the majority of her childhood and adoles-cence bouncing from group home to group home. Drawn to the ALIVE program nearly 20 years ago, Williams now lives on her own, rides public transit, serves on a consumer-ac-tion committee and is also a board member of the Contra Costa Developmental Disabili-ties Council.

For Williams, the gift of ALIVE has

been independence. “I love the fact that I get to make my own choices,” she said. “I live on my own and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Andrew Gambon has a similar story. A veteran of charitable groups and organiza-tions, Gambon, 51, experienced his share of programs before fi nding his niche in ALIVE. Today, the East County resident is an advo-cate for and a member of a consumer-advo-cate committee that helps those with develop-mental disabilities. He lives on his own and works a part-time job in an area restaurant.

Like Williams, Gambon’s measure of success in ALIVE has been the opportunity to take care of himself. “I get out and about in the community,” he said, “and I actually have a say in what I do and where I go.”

Williams and Gambon’s stories are only two in a growing anthology of ALIVE’s suc-cesses. “We have all age groups of individuals, many of whom just kind of slipped through the cracks,” said Sanford. “We support about 20 folks at Los Medanos College, many with the hope of moving onto a four-year. Some are just coming out of high school and others are older – when they were 20, college wasn’t an option. We also have a group who formed a consumer-action committee that has taken on roles of advocacy. It’s quite a range of folks.”

Funded through the Regional Center of the East Bay, ALIVE has deep roots in East County and throughout Contra Costa. Op-erating locations in Antioch and Concord, ALIVE serves hundreds of residents, some living independently, many with their fami-lies and others residing in group homes based on their particular situations. But all strive to integrate themselves into the community in productive and meaningful ways.

“East County is a tight-knit community that embraces this program and our efforts,” said Sanford. “It’s been very successful.”

For more information on the ALIVE program, call 925-284-2340, or visit www.fu-tures-explored.org.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

ALIVE participants take in a production of “Wicked” in Walnut Creek. Among its many services, the nonprofi t organization helps individuals with disabilities enjoy social and community activities.

Photo courtesy of Futures Explored

JANUARY 13, 2012 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

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GED prep course opens doors digitally

for the program through Liberty Adult Ed, the cost is $45. The course offi cially launched this week, but 20 spaces are still available and Torres will continue to register students until all spaces are fi lled. To register, apply at Lib-erty Adult Ed, 929 Second St. in Brentwood, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call 925-634-2565 or e-mail Torres at torrest@libertyuhsd.k12.ca.us.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Potential employers look for two things on your resumé: experience and education. Job opportunities for those without a high school diploma are scarce, especially during the recession, but a General Educational De-velopment (GED) certifi cate opens a lot of doors.

“More and more people without high school diplomas are seeing the necessity for a complete secondary education to succeed in a competitive workforce,” said Liberty Adult Education GED Instructor Tara Tor-res. “Completing the GED opens door pro-fessionally, but it also does a lot for a person’s self esteem.”

Liberty Adult Education in Brentwood now offers an online GED prep course that allows participants to practice for the GED at their leisure. The class is self paced, and students get to spend more time on the areas where they personally need to improve. Partic-ipants can save course work for the weekend or do it in pieces during the week. They can even attend class in their pajamas.

“Offering the online option is important because not everyone has time in their sched-ule to commit to an arranged class time,” Tor-res said. “The online class offers convenience. Over the course of 10 weeks, you can study when it’s right for you, whether that’s fi rst thing when you get up or after you’ve put the kids to bed for the night.”

In California, those 18 and older (age 17 in special circumstances) are invited to take the GED exam, which covers reading, writ-ing, math, science and social studies.

Torres said the online prep course is also benefi cial for those looking to improve com-puter literacy. Since GED tests will be paper-less by 2014, computer literacy will be a neces-sity. But for the technologically challenged, a face-to-face class time will be established on Mondays for those who need assistance with the GED prep program or the educational material.

Liberty Adult Education runs the course through www.passged.com. The site is open to anyone looking to prepare for the GED, but the standard cost is $100. If you register

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

10A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

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Brentwood cops lock up holiday spiritThe men and women of the Brent-

wood Police Department recently con-ducted their annual Christmas Shop With a Cop event, reaching out to 13 under-privileged children from Brentwood and Oakley. Offi cers devoted their day off to participate in the event.

The children were chosen by admin-istrators of the Brentwood Union School District; selections were based on fi nancial hardship. Many of the children’s parents have been unemployed or lead single-par-ent households. Children participating in the Shop With a Cop program purchase gifts for their families and themselves – a welcome reprieve from the harsh realities of their daily lives.

This year’s program was made pos-sible by generous donations from the Brentwood Police Offi cers Association, the Brentwood Police Activities League, the Brentwood Regional Community

Chest, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Brentwood Rotary Club.

Fifteen police offi cers along with the Police Explorers from Post 415 and staff from the Brentwood Police Department set out at 7:30 a.m., picking up the chil-dren and transporting them to the Brent-wood Café, where owner Paul Boulos donated a Christmas breakfast to all in attendance. Santa and Mrs. Claus even fl ew down from the North Pole to meet the children.

Then the group was off to the An-tioch Walmart, where each child was given a gift card and special Christmas gift basket provided by Walmart employ-ees. In an act of spontaneous generosity, a Walmart shopper watching the Shop With a Cop activities was moved to pur-chase one child’s entire cartful of gifts – to the tune of $156. Another shopper made a cash donation to the event.

1993. He was in fi rst place until his fi nal run, when he slipped and fell after a part of his costume came loose.

Roberts is ecstatic to bring a fi gure skater of Chack’s caliber to East County. “He’s just really dynamic to watch,” Rob-erts said. “He’s the sweetest guy ever and a beautiful skater – an absolutely fantas-tic skater. Everybody used to say when he was competing that he was technically so

far above whoever he was skating with. It’s going to be awesome to have him.”

The Holiday on Ice Show will also feature several talented young fi gure skat-ers from the East Bay. Roberts noted that Hayward’s Michelle Ito and Lizzy Goatz of Fremont, of the Bay Area Amateur Competitive Skaters, should give crowd-pleasing performances.

The show won’t be without East County representation, as Isabelle Yoo of

Brentwood is also scheduled to perform. The Adams Middle School sixth-grader is one of Roberts’ pupils, and Roberts is excited to show East Bay residents what she’s been watching for years.

Skaters will range in age from young kids through high schoolers, fi nishing with Chack’s performance.

“The show is about here’s where they start and here’s what it looks like at the end, and then we’re going to have Mi-

chael,” Roberts said.Though our early winter has been

unseasonably warm, Roberts said peo-ple have still been coming out to skate around. This year, roughly 30,000 skaters have taken a spin on the Holiday on Ice rink.

For more information, visit www.brentwoodholidayonice.com. To purchase tickets, call 925-513-1702.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Skating from page 4A

Honey Crosby enjoys a breakfast visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus during the Brentwood PAL Shop with a Cop event.

Photo courtesy of Roger Wilson

http://www.sutterdelta.org/asthma/

12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

Trevor’s Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Evolution

– Advertisement

With the United States run at the

2014 FIFA World Cup just getting ramped

up, we should refl ect on just how far our

“young” squad has come: roughly 40 jour-

nalists are following the United States Na-

tional team throughout their 2014 World

Cup campaign. Th is fi gure was more

than double that of the 2002 World Cup

and, according to U.S. Soccer spokesman

Michael Kammarman, included journalists

from Italy and the Czech Republic. I com-

pare 2002 to 2012 (and the run towards

2014) to see just to see how things evolve,

progress, and become better…

In 2002, many loan offi cers – not all,

but way too many – acted more like “order

takers” than “lending leaders.” If someone

wanted a house, and they had a pulse, they

could aff ord a house. “Stated” loans were

“the future” and allowed everyone a piece

of the American dream. At that time pre-

approval was no more than a credit score

and a “stated” income…pre-qualifi cation

did not even exist. Fast forward to 2012,

and, just as the United States national soc-

cer team is being taken a bit more serious

in their 2014 bid for the Cup, the lending

industry is being taken much more seri-

ously and its processes have evolved.

Th e fi rst step to homeownership is

now pre-qualifi cation; a one page form

that includes an authorization to run credit

and a “guestimated” income supplied by

potential buyer without any documents

to back it up. Th is form, and the infor-

mation it supplies, will allow the lender

to determine whether or not it is worth

the potential buyer’s time to put together

the documents needed for a real pre-ap-

proval. Th is real pre-approval is the most

important document one can receive be-

fore shopping homes, and is a much more

thorough process in 2012.

Pre-approval, in its entirety, is now

a complete loan application package

which could appropriately be submitted

to underwriting at anytime. It includes

a completed four page loan application,

two months worth of bank statements, the

last two years of federal tax returns (and

any/all accompanying schedules), and a

month worth of pay-check stubs. It is seri-

ous business, and buyers who are looking

to be taken seriously NEED to go through

this process. Lender’s pre-approval letters

should now be accompanied by proof of

the funds needed to close, as well as an

automated underwriting system (AUS)

approval. If your lender is not supplying

your Realtor with this information, simply

put, they have not evolved with the times,

and, they are not working for you to pro-

tect your best interests.

As always, I welcome all questions

and or concerns pertaining to real estate

lending on my cell phone, 925-726-1444,

or via email, tfreymortgages@yahoo.com.

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Karentma Fujinaga and her 9-month-old daughter Kaylie were on hand for the fi rst meeting of the City Council in the new Brentwood City Hall. The 150-seat chamber features state-of-the-art display and communica-

tion equipment, and is considerably larger than the council’s former environ-ment. “I’m as nervous as my fi rst meeting as mayor,” said Mayor Bob Taylor with a nod to observers in the back of the room. “It’s harder to hit us with tomatoes because you’re way back there.” A formal opening is set for Feb. 14.

Dazzling dais

Photo by Richard Wisdom

After hearing pleas from the community, Antioch’s City Council on Tuesday decided not to close a his-torical boat ramp that police worry is a crime magnet.

Council members voted in favor of working with residents to keep the Fulton Shipyard Boat Ramp open, forming a committee with community members to ensure that the area can be a safe place to launch a boat. Resi-dents shared their concerns with City Council, offering solutions to help make that area a better place.

“I certainly don’t want to have to close it,” Mayor Jim Davis said. “It’s a dead issue at this point. It’s not going to be closed.”

At a November meeting, An-tioch Police Capt. Steve McConnell said that over the last fi ve years, the department has received 298 calls for service in that area, ranging from van-dalism and loitering to drug use and shootings. City Engineer Ron Bernal noted that it costs Antioch roughly $21,400 annually to maintain the boat ramp, about $18,000 of which is dedi-cated to picking up trash four times per week and cleaning up graffi ti.

In the November staff report, Bernal stated that keeping Fulton

Shipyard’s ramp open could hurt rev-enue coming from the new downtown boat launch, which charges a $5 fee. Currently, there is no charge to launch a boat at the Fulton Shipyard ramp.

But at Tuesday’s meeting, a group of residents pledged that they could fi nd ways to improve the boat ramp without a cost to the city. Lifelong Antioch resident Jim Baccio, who owns land near the boat ramp, pro-posed leasing the ramp to a nonprofi t organization and keeping strict hours of sunrise to sunset.

Sheila White’s Red Caboose res-taurant sits on Baccio’s land. Many of her customers are fi shermen or duck hunters, and she feared that closing the ramp would severely hurt her business and its 12 employees.

“There’s people in and out of there all day because of the nice weather,” White said. “I don’t have any objection to two boat ramps. We’re the gateway to the Delta, but it needs to be fair.”

The council decided that provid-ing two access points to the river could make a positive impact. “I think we ought to give it a chance,” Councilman Wade Harper said. “There’s nothing wrong with having two launch ramps in our city, and there’s a lot of history there.”

To comment, visit www.thepress.

Boat ramp kept openby Justin Lafferty

Staff Writer

14A | THEPRESS.NET MILESTONES JANUARY 13, 2012

The “Seasons Greetings” sign consumed more than 100 hours of time and required meticulous placement of 300 tiny red lightbulbs. It was no easy task for Eagle Scout Sebastian Salmeron of Antioch Troop 153 to create.

“I learned a lot about patience and determination by having to place 300 bulbs precisely onto 16 letters. If one bulb was off even just a smidge, the entire sign would either look crooked or would not fi t properly on the rooftop,” said Sebastian. “In fact, in my fi rst trial run, the practice letters I made were too big to fi t on the hospital’s rooftop, so I had to scale them down. But after a year of planning, I was so proud when I saw the ‘Seasons Greetings’ sign light up the hospital’s rooftop.”

The bright and shiny red sign, 43 feet in length, is seen not only by patients and visitors at Sutter Delta Medical Center, but by the tens of thousands of drivers who use the Lone Tree Way corridor every day.

“I felt like it was quite an accomplishment

because I knew that so many people would see the sign every day,” said Sebastian. “I know I’ve left my mark on the city I grew up in, so it makes me feel like I made a difference. I would like to thank Sutter Delta for giving me the opportunity to make this sign.”

The sign helped Sebastian earn his Eagle Scout badge, which gave him a terrifi c feeling – but knowing he has created something that will last for years makes it even more special.

It has been approximately three years since the medical center was forced to take down its original “Seasons Greetings” sign.

“Weather took its toll on the 20-year-old sign, so we had no choice but to take it down,” said Tim Bouslog, Sutter Delta’s materials and facility director. “I’m extremely impressed with Sebastian. This wasn’t an easy project to tackle, and instantly, as soon as we turned on the lights, we received so many compliments from patients, visitors and passers-by, who’ve thanked us and told us how nice it is to see holiday cheer.”

– Contributed by Angela Juarez-Lombardi

Scout sets season aglowPhoto courtesy of Angela

Juarez-Lombardi

Eagle Scout Sebastian Salmeron

of Antioch Troop 153 worked to resurrect

the “Season’s Greetings” sign,

which was absent from the Sutter

Delta Medical Center roof for

three years.

Arleen Ames Thompson ChallbergArleen Ames Thompson

Challberg was born in Chicago on March 4, 1916 and died on Jan. 1, 2012 at the age of 95.

She was the daughter of Paul and Amanda Ames and lived much of her life in Oak-land. Arleen graduated from Oakland High School and went to work at Southern Pacifi c in San Francisco as a keypunch operator. She married Harold Thompson in 1940 and followed him to his wartime postings in Susanville and Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. where he served as a civilian fl ight instructor for the U.S. Army.

A homemaker for the rest of her life, she was devoted to her family and home. Harold died in 1984, and four years later, Arleen married Clifford Challberg, who died in 1998.

She moved to Summer-set in 2002 and enjoyed living there, making many friends and participating in the social life of the community. She attended Resurrection Ministry Luther-an Church while living there. In 2010, she moved to Eskaton Assisted Living facility and was very happy living there with her little Yorkie, Angel.

Arleen is missed by her daughter, Bonnie Thompson

Reece-Oliver, and son, Ronald Thompson; fi ve grandchildren, Annette Carpenter, Pat Hurst-Alger, Laura Carpenter, Scott Thompson and Blake Thomp-son; six great-grandchildren, Jared Bickers, Justin Bickers, Ashley Bickers, Thomas Hurst, Amanda Hurst and Kayla Carpenter; and six great-great-grandchildren, Ieke Bickers, Zoe Bickers, Nova Lee, Grace Bickers, Skyla Easter and Isaac Carpenter.

A celebration of her life will be held at Resurrection Ministry Lutheran Church on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. Donations may be made to Shepherd’s Gate, 605 Sycamore Ave., Brentwood, CA 94513.

OBITUARY

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Oakley Recreation is now accepting regis-tration for a variety of classes this winter. The following are some of the classes the depart-ment is sponsoring in January and February:Children and teen classes• Kidz Love Soccer classes begin Monday, Jan. 30. The program includes a Mommy and Me class for children 2 to 3½; a Tot-Pre-Soccer class for children 3½ to 5; a Soccer 1 class for children 5 to 6; and a Soccer Skills and Scrim-mages class for children 7 to 10. Fees vary by class.• Zumba classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 24. The six-week session is designed for participants 14 to adult. Tuition for Oakley residents is $48; $58 for non-residents.• Fencing classes begin Friday, Feb. 3. Begin-ning and intermediate classes are offered in a six-week session. The classes are designed for children 8 and older. Tuition for Oakley resi-dents is $50; $60 for non-residents.• Sport and Fitness for Kids classes begin

Monday, Feb. 6. The six-week session is de-signed for children 3 through 5. Tuition for Oakley residents is $42; $52 for non-residents.• Karate classes begin Feb. 13. The six-week session runs on Mondays and Wednesdays and is designed for children 4 and older. Tu-ition for Oakley residents is $60; $70 for non-residents.• Online Drivers Education classes are ongo-ing. This interactive class is designed for teens 15 and older. Tuition for Oakley residents is $59; $69 for non-residents.Adult classes• Social Ballroom Dance begins Thursday, Feb. 2. The six-week session is designed for participants ages 18 and older. Couples tu-ition is $96 for residents; $106 for non-resi-dents. Singles tuition is $48 for residents; $58 for non-residents.

For more information, call Recreation Technician Cindy Coelho at 925-625-7044 or e-mail coelho@ci.oakley.ca.us.

New recreation classes

The Liberty Lions Band Booster Club is holding its annual jazz and dinner dance on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. in the Brentwood Community Center, 730 Third St. The event will feature Mic Gillette of Tower of Power, Tommy Davidson, Bob McChesney and the Liberty High School jazz bands. Proceeds from the event benefi t the high school’s band programs.

The $40 admission includes dinner, danc-ing, a silent auction and live entertainment. The evening also features the presentation of the

2011 Community Partner Award to local busi-nessman Jerry Thorpe – owner of Brentwood Ace Hardware – and the Discovery Bay Lions Club in recognition of their ongoing support of the Liberty band program.

The booster club has teamed up with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties and is asking each attendee to donate a non-perishable food item or $5 in cash to the food bank. For tickets or additional information, call 925-383-5985, 510-996-2875 or e-mail libertylionsbandboosters@gmail.com.

Boosters dance and dine

16A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

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get asked to play at the Lesher Center, but to get invited all the way out to Arizona … it’s crazy. But a very good kind of crazy.”

Chelsey and Christine have been sing-ing together for as long as they can remem-ber. Christine’s mother, Gina Ransom, can attest to the many summer afternoons spent in a melody-fi lled house. “They have a gift,” she said. “And I’m not just saying that because I’m family. When these girls sing, there’s something special that hap-pens. Their voices just click.”

The girls, who describe their style as a pop-country hybrid, also connect artis-tically, writing songs and arranging them at a homemade recording studio. The dis-tance can be challenging for the creative process, but the girls are so in sync that they’re able to accomplish a lot during their time apart.

“It’s scary how in tune we are with each other’s thoughts,” Christine said. “It makes writing a lot of fun. We’re always working on new things and playing around

with new ideas. Sometimes you come up with a song or a piece of a song, but we never stop. We’re both really dedicated to pursuing a music career.”

CMW has gained a modest local fol-lowing and hopes to attract new fans when their song “Incomplete” appears on the soundtrack for “too perfect,” a local inde-pendent fi lm scheduled for release later this year. The girls are also planning a trip to Los Angeles to record a demo. If all goes well, they’d like to compile a full-length album by the end of summer. And they’re gearing up to hit the local festival circuit to gain more exposure in the Bay Area.

“This is a complete adventure in un-charted territory for us, but I couldn’t think of doing it with anyone else,” said Chelsey.

“We make a great team,” Christine agreed. “It’s exciting to go after your dream with your best friend beside you. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

To listen to songs performed by CMW, visit www.soundcloud.com/tangowhiskey or follow the girls on Facebook.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

X Factor from page 7A

Two upcoming events form the van-guard of Brentwood’s 2012 Relay For Life effort, marking the city’s eighth consecu-tive year of fundraising and support for the American Cancer Society’s research, education, advocacy and free patient ser-vices for cancer patients and their families.

The public is invited to attend a Kick Off event Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Liberty High School Library, 850 Second St., where returning teams and those interested in joining or form-ing a new team will learn what’s new for 2012.

The second event will take place in the Liberty High School Cafeteria, 850 Sec-ond St., on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m., when a Relay Rally will be held for busi-nesses, church groups, service organiza-tions, friends and neighbors. Participants will experience a mini Relay, hear an inspi-rational address and enjoy snacks, prizes and fun. Discounted registration for the 2012 Relay For Life of Brentwood will be offered at both events.

According to 2012 Event Chair Lynn

Gursky, “Nearly all of our lives have been touched in some way by cancer. In 2011, 3.5 million Relay For Life participants raised over $400 million in over 5,100 events nationwide.

“For all of the families on a cancer journey, these efforts provide the pre-cious gift of hope. Our family is extremely grateful for that gift. Hope kept us all go-ing through some diffi cult times, and now I invite all of you to join us as we pay it forward. Get involved: join a team, form a team, sponsor, donate.”

Brentwood’s 2011 Relay For Life event marshaled the efforts of 64 teams and 814 registered participants, who raised $209,650 to support the work of the Amer-ican Cancer Society. Nearly 200 cancer survivors attended the 2011 Relay to help celebrate the lives of fellow survivors, re-member those lost to cancer and fi ght back against the disease.

For more information, visit www.re-layforlife.org/brentwoodca, call Gursky at 925-634-4913 or e-mail rfl brentwood@gmail.com.

Brentwood gears up for Relay For Life

http://www.brentwooddisposal.com

Fire tax factorsEditor:

An open letter to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection district chief and commissioners:

I would like to provide input as a member of the public for your consid-eration. I have read and followed the issues. My opinions are based on the in-formation from documents, not hearsay.

I do sincerely believe that fi nancial relief for the district is essential to its success. I also believe that where and how funds are spent will play a huge part of the ballot measure success, too. Of course, we will not know until the residents respond on the ballot. Please consider or reconsider the following is-sues when fi nalizing your ballot measure:

1. Most important would be the verbiage that defi nes what a “developed parcel” is. The past 20 years have al-lowed mitigation loopholes for rampant development in the Fire Suppression area. The under-mitigated developments, along with other facets of under-fund-ing, have placed the district in fi nancial ill health. Please close the loophole and describe parcels that have a parcel number or are in the process getting of a parcel number developed to participate fully in the tax.

2. Paramedics on the engines are complimentary to the fi re service provided and generally a good idea. In this case, please consider working with County Health Services to continue QRVs until the fi fth year, when the funds from the tax become suffi cient. The delay of implementing paramedics for a few years will allow other immediate needs addressed today.

3. The 5-percent-increase clause with no sunset is a concern. The EC-CFPD has many fi xed-income residents. I think this places a hardship on those people. It is also not a very good selling point for passage of the measure. An al-ternative to consider would be tying the

18A | THEPRESS.NET JANUARY 13, 2012

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY

National Award Winning NewspapersHave you got something to say?

Visit www.thepress.net and let your thoughts be known.

The Press Newspapers are adjudicated in the the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and the Delta Judicial District

of Contra Costa County.

No part of this publication may be reproduced for commerce or trade without written permission from the publisher.

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Main Office / Brentwood248 Oak St. Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone 925-634-1441 Fax 925-634-1975Web site: www.thepress.net

Advertising 925-634-1441, ext. 115Classifieds 925-634-1441, ext. 142

Editorial 925-634-1441, ext. 111Circulation 925-250-1405

Editorial e-mail editor@brentwoodpress.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR5-percent increase to the assessed parcel valuations and Prop 13. A recalculation of the total value in real property each year would create an average. If that average increases, that increase would be deducted from the 5-percent increase. If that value does not increase or goes down the 5 percent would remain at the maximum.

4. Reopen all closed stations and upgrade existing stations for at least three fi refi ghters per engine. In Oakley, add a second engine and crew and/or build another station.

5. I just read that another wave of multi-story, low-income units will be constructed in Oakley. This along with all the other multi-story buildings in the district is a disaster in the making. Please consider a part of this tax as a priority to purchase and house a ladder truck, and train fi refi ghters for it.

These are the main concerns that I respectfully ask you to consider when fi nalizing your effort to pass this ballot measure.

John A. GonzalesKnightsen

Good fiscal foresightEditor:

The City of Brentwood is com-mended for their foresight. The city manager, during halcyon days of big developer fees, dedicated funds to pay for the General Plan for what will now be the largest State Historic Park in California. A General Plan is required before anything can be done in govern-ment. There is no way that California State Parks and Recreation would have found the money for this effort.

Brentwood city government saw the long-term benefi t for our commu-nity. While California State Parks and Recreation is fi scally hamstrung, we

Brentwood citizens are saving the John Marsh House and moving our new State Historic Park ahead. Well done, Mayor Bob Taylor and City Council!

Carol A. JensenBrentwood

Something to rave aboutEditor:

I live in Seattle, and the Seattle Times has a Sunday section called “Rants and Raves.”

I have a Rave I’d like to address to your paper.

I had a lovely experience while din-ing at Mimi’s restaurant on Christmas Eve with my 86-year-old mother and sister. Two darling little girls giggled and said, “Merry Christmas,” as did their father, when passing our table.

At the end of our dinner the waiter informed us that someone had given us a Christmas blessing by gifting us with our dinner.

I was touched with the Christmas greeting by the family and felt totally blessed by their gift.

Leslie Hefl inSeattle

Vets say thanksEditor:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789 and the Ladies Auxiliary (Brent-wood) would like to thank everyone who has participated this year in our poppy drive, pancake breakfasts and community events.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789 is made up of men and women veterans from World War II to the pres-ent who have served in combat areas overseas. We continue our service to all our military veterans still serving and to our community, which includes Brent-

wood, Oakley, Knightsen, Bethel Island, Byron and Discovery Bay.

This year we have donated to local veterans in need. This money goes to prior veterans and veterans returning from zones of confl ict needing help prior to receiving any government ben-efi ts they earn and deserve. It also helps family members of veterans who are deployed to help pay for bills.

This money comes from your dona-tions to our poppy drive. This money is used to support veterans in need in the local community, and this last year alone we provided over $3,500 in relief to local veterans in need.

We hold our Firefi ghter of the Year awards dinner every October, and this year we honored two local fi refi ghters for the VFW Firefi ghter of the Year award.

We hold our Voice of Democracy award dinner every December for local high school students in support of the VFW’s national Voice of Democracy speech-writing competition, promoting patriotism and civic awareness to our community’s youth. We awarded $600 in prize money to three students.

We donated $500 this year to Operation Creekside for postage to help mail packages to the troops overseas. We donated $500 to the Brentwood Police Activities League for their annual Christmas Shop with a Cop program.

We recognize our veterans at Vet-erans Park in Brentwood on Veterans Day. We recognize our community’s departed heroes at our annual Memorial Day observance at Union Cemetery.

It is your community contribu-tions and tax-deductable donations and participation that have allowed us to do these programs this year.

Thank you for your support.Steve Todd

Commander, VFW Post 10789

City of Brentwood

City Manager and City Council

City Hall

150 City Park Way

Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-516-5440

www.ci.brentwood.ca.us

City of Antioch

City Manager and City Council

City Hall

Th ird and H streets

Antioch, CA 94509

Phone: 925-779-7000

www.ci.antioch.ca.us

City of Oakley

City Manager and City Council

City Hall

3231 Main St.

Oakley, CA 94561

Phone: 925-625-7000

www.ci.oakley.ca.us

Town of Discovery Bay

Town Manager and

Community Services District

1800 Willow Lake Road

Discovery Bay, CA 94505

Phone: 925-634-1131

www.todb.ca.gov

County Supervisor, Dist. III

Mary N. Piepho

181 Sand Creek Road, Suite L.

Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-240-7260

dist3@bos.cccounty.us

County Supervisor, Dist. V

Federal Glover

315 E. Leland Ave.

Pittsburg, CA 94565

Phone: 925-427-8138

dist5@bos.cccounty.us

State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier

Seventh State Senate District

State Capitol

Room 2054

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: 916-651-4007

1350 Treat Blvd., Suite 240

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Phone: 925-942-6082

www.dist07.casen.govoffi ce.

com

Assemblywoman

Joan Buchanan

15th District

P.O. Box 942849

Sacramento, CA 94249

3231 Main St.,

Oakley, CA 94561

Phone: 925-679-2715

www.democrats.assembly.

ca.gov/members/a15

Gov. Jerry Brown

Constituent Aff airs

State Capitol

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: 916-445-2864

www.gov.ca.gov/interact#email

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi

10th Congressional District

420 W. Th ird Street

Antioch, CA 94509

Phone: 925-757-7187

Washington offi ce:

228 Cannon HOB

Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone: 202-225-1880

www. garamendi.house.

gov/contact

U.S. Rep. Gerald McNerney

11th Congressional District

2222 Grand Canal Blvd.,

Suite 7

Stockton, CA 95207

Phone: 209-476-8552

Fax: 209-476-8587

Washington offi ce:

312 Cannon HOB

Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone: 202-225-1947

Fax: 202-225-4060

www.mcnerney.house.gov

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer

1700 Montgomery St.,

Suite 240

San Francisco, CA 94111

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net THEPRESS.NET | 19A JANUARY 13, 2012

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Red-hot Lions ready for league play

Recent seasons have been harsh for Liberty High’s boys basketball team. Head coach Jon Heinz is quick to point out that the Lions have reached the North Coast Section playoffs only once since 1985. After a 13-3 pre-season that included victories over several winning teams, Liberty is ready to change that.

While the Lions struggled through last season, that group of players had little experience and exposure to the varsity scene. Only one of last season’s top eight play-ers was lost to graduation. Liberty now fi elds 10 seniors and is poised to compete in a Bay Valley Athletic League occupied by some of the East Bay’s top teams.

League play opens Friday when Pittsburg hosts Lib-erty, Deer Valley takes on Heritage, and Antioch plays Freedom.

“I feel quite confi dent; we’ll be ready to play those teams,” Heinz said. “We’re really jelling as a team. We have a nice little eight-game win streak. We have a lot of confi dence.”

Heinz has reason to be confi dent. One of his team’s 13 wins came in the Don Nelson Classic against Heri-tage. The Lions have given the Patriots good games in recent years but have been unable to break through, con-sistently fi nishing on the wrong side of the scoreboard. The Don Nelson win is especially pleasing for Heinz, as the 12-3 Patriots were a tough challenge.

The Lions have gotten key contributions from many players. Senior guard Dwayne Burns was the MVP of the Hornet Classic. Senior Juwan Blakeley has also been

key in the backcourt. Sophomore Jonathan Galloway’s 6 feet, 8 inches gives the Lions the size they’ve lacked in recent years.

“This group is taking pride in trying to change the past and turn the program around,” Heinz said. “They’re really focused on making it a place where there’s a suc-

cessful foundation.”Forward Darren Meeks has been starting since

his sophomore year, but is now a valuable sixth man. Heinz also identifi ed Julius Jones and Francisco Cor-

Pirates shut out Patriots in BVAL soccer opener

Heritage High boys soc-cer head coach Alex Valdivia acknowledged that Pittsburg might well fi eld the best team his Patriots face this season. He certainly knew that the league opener at the Pirates’ home fi eld would be a challenge.

Pittsburg validated that reputation, posting a 3-0 vic-tory over Heritage on Tuesday night.

The Pirates’ leadership showed throughout the match, as all three of their goals were buried by seniors. They got on the board early on a goal from midfi elder Bryan Santos, put-ting Heritage into comeback

mode early. Forward Melvin Swen gave the Pirates (7-5-1) an insurance goal, and added another for good measure. Pittsburg’s youth movement did show a bright spot, as freshman goalie Joel Avila notched the shutout.

“We fi nished the opportu-nities that we had today,” said Pirates head coach Pablo Gay-tan. “We got that fi rst goal, and that was huge. I was re-ally happy with the defense. We shifted around well to be sure we mark.”

The Pirates enjoyed a suc-cessful preseason, losing to the top teams they played but stay-ing competitive. Heritage’s non-

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

see Red-hot page 20A

Heritage High’s Nick Krahnke, left, pries the ball loose from Pittsburg’s Jaime Lopez during Tuesday’s game at Pittsburg. The Pirates ended up winning the fi rst league game.

Photo by Kevin Bartram

see Opener page 25A

Liberty senior forward Darius Brown drives to the lane against Campolindo earlier this season in the Stonebarger Tournament.

Photo by Justin Lafferty

20A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JANUARY 13, 2012

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tez as players who bring the depth to the team. “We’re going to run all game long because we have so much depth,” Heinz said. “We’re not worried about guys get-ting tired or getting into foul trouble.”

That doesn’t mean that the Lions won’t face troubles in the BVAL. While Pittsburg is experiencing a down year at 3-12, Heinz knows that the Pirates will al-ways give him a rough game, especially in Pittsburg, where the Lions’ league season begins. He gave defending co-champions Antioch similar respect despite their 2-10 record.

After those two teams, the BVAL’s preseason was nothing short of stellar.

Senior guard Olajuwon Garner leads Deer Valley with 19 points per game. Ju-nior swingman Kendall Smith and junior center Marcus Lee bring in more than 10 points per game for the 10-5 Wolverines.

As usual, Freedom (11-4) has been a model of consistency, reliant on team depth and outside shooting, and boast an 11-4 record. The Falcons have twice put up 80 points in a game and fi eld talented guards such as James O’Neal and Jelani Hardaway.

Despite a loss to Liberty, 12-3 Heri-tage is off to a good start. They’ve shown they can win both low-scoring and high-scoring games. The Patriots have received strong efforts from junior guard George Johnson, senior forward Wayne Engels-tad and sophomore center Shon Briggs.

Though in years past, the BVAL has taken its lumps in the North Coast Sec-tion tournament from East Bay Athletic League powers and others, Heinz feels that this year could be different.

“I would take our Top 4 against any league right now,” Heinz said. “I would put the BVAL against the EBAL, against Oakland, against anyone. Look for these teams to make some real noise in the NCS playoffs.”

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Red-hot from page 19ALocal grads suit up for playoffsIf your favorite NFL team didn’t

make the playoffs, you still have a few reasons to watch the games this week-end. Three local athletes are in the hunt for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

Deer Valley 2007 graduate Sterling Moore lines up at safety for the New England Patriots when they face the Denver Broncos on Saturday at 5 p.m. on CBS.

The Patriots enjoyed a bye week during the first round of the playoffs, but Moore raised some eyebrows the last time his team took the field. In the final week of the regular season, Moore was named the NFL’s Rookie of the Week after intercepting two passes against the Buffalo Bills, returning one for a touchdown. After running the gauntlet of training camp with the Oak-land Raiders, the Southern Methodist University graduate caught on with the Patriots and has bounced up and down from the practice squad this season.

Dave Tollefson, who graduated from Los Medanos College in 2000, has played the defensive end position for the New York Giants since 2007. The Giants square off against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on Fox.

Tollefson, a Northwest Missouri State alumnus, started two regular-sea-son games in 2011, recording five sacks and a forced fumble. As a member of the Giants’ 2007 squad, he earned a ring in Super Bowl XLII.

The Packers also field a local athlete in rookie wide receiver Diondre Borel, a Freedom grad who spent most of the regular season on the practice squad. Borel was a quarterback for most of his career at Utah State, but was signed as an undrafted free-agent receiver, mak-ing the best use of his athletic ability.

New York Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson, a Los Medanos College grad, fi nds some free space during a game against the Green Bay Packers. Tollefson and the Giants face the Packers in the playoffs on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Evan Pinkus

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do, then I think the results would speak for themselves.”

Coster was saddled with steep ex-pectations following his stellar freshman season. Even he admits that his goals are sky-high: Bay Valley Athletic League champion, NCS champion and state champion. He wrestles so aggressively, it’s as if he’s always battling for the state title. Coster still has three seasons to achieve those dreams.

That aggression is born of a hatred for losing and a love for competition. Par-sons knows that the frustration and the growing pains Coster feels now will help down the road.

He started wrestling as a kid af-ter watching his cousin, Ben Duran, go through Freedom’s youth program and later wrestle for Liberty. Since then, Coster knew his path was set.

“It was something to do and I was al-ways active,” he said. “I didn’t want to try anything else.”

Though he’s only a sophomore, Coster is actually starting to take more of a leadership role on the team. Teammates such as 132-pound senior Roman Garcia – who also has aspirations above the NCS level – feel they’ve learned as much from Coster as they’ve taught him.

Coster and Garcia were childhood friends who grew into star wrestlers through Freedom’s youth program. When Coster succeeds, Garcia becomes more motivated to do the same – and visa ver-sa.

“He surprises me all the time when he wrestles,” Garcia said. “He always tries to push me, and I’ll push him. If he’s tired, I’ll work him. If I’m tired, he does the same thing. We push each other to get better, just like we have when we were little kids. It’s always been like that. We always want to get better.”

Parsons and the Falcons are seeing more signs of growth and maturity from Coster. At a meet earlier this season in Reno, Coster was on the business end of a 5-3 loss from McNair’s Daniel Williams – a defeat that really got to him. Recently, Coster and Williams squared off again at the Granada Tournament in Livermore.

Not letting his emotions get the best of him, Coster trumped Williams in a 10-2 decision.

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26A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALEUNDER DEED OF TRUST Title Order 110289698-CA-GSI T.S. No. 52919 Loan No. 14039 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UN-DER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED May 8, 1997. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On January 19, 2012, at 10:00 AM, Monroe Acceptance Company, Inc. as duly ap-pointed Trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded May 27, 1997 as Instrument No. 97- 0089183-00 of Of-fi cial Records of Contra Costa County, State of California, executed by Dorothy E. Quimuyog; WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH (payable at time of sale in lawful money of the United States, by cash, a cashier’s check drawn by a state or na-tional bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specifi ed in section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state). At: At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 All right, title and interest con-veyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED DEED OF TRUST. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 16 Amador Ave Oakley, CA 94561 APN-035-311- 007-5 The undersigned Trustee dis-claims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein.Said sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard-ing title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust.The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advanc-es at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $38,505.70. The benefi ciary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. Dated: De-cember 21, 2011 Monroe Acceptance Company, Inc. A California Corporation As Said Trustee. By: Elisa C. Urbina FOR TRUSTEE’e2’80’98S SALE INFOR-MATION PLEASE CALL (714) 730-2727

THIS OFFICE IS ATTEMPTING TO COL-LECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ASAP# 4162541 12/30/2011, 01/06/2012, 01/13/2012 Oakley Press No. 03- 0477 Publish dates: December 30, 2011, January 6, 13, 2012.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALETS # CA-11-456190-AB Order #: 5644453 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 11/15/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLA-NATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PRO-CEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. A public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash, cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, check drawn by state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, or savings association, or savings bank specifi ed in Section 5102 to the Financial code and authorized to do business in this state, will be held by duly appointed trustee. The sale will be made, but without covenant or war-ranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publi-cation of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. BENEFICIARY MAY ELECT TO BID LESS THAN THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE. Trustor(s): ADRIAN LARKIN, AN UN-MARRIED MAN Recorded: 11/27/2007 as Instrument No. 2007- 0322850-00 in book xxx , page xxx of Offi cial Records in the offi ce of the Recorder of CONTRA COSTA County, California; Date of Sale: 2/6/2012 at 9:00am PST Place of Sale: At the Hilton Concord Hotel, 1970 Diamond Boulevard, Concord, CA 94520, in the Golden Gate Ballroom Amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $364,697.87 The purported property address is: 5112 ROUNDUP CT ANTIOCH, CA 94531 Assessor’s Parcel No. 056-240-011 -9 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the property address or other common designation, if any, shown herein. If no street address or other common desig-nation is shown, directions to the loca-tion of the property may be obtained by sending a written request to the benefi ciary within 10 days of the date of fi rst publication of this Notice of Sale. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a re-turn of the deposit paid. The Purchaser

shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s Attorney. Date: Qual-ity Loan Service Corp. 2141 5th Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 619-645- 7711 For NON SALE information only Sale Line: 800-280-2891 or Login to: www.auction.com Reinstatement Line: 619-645-7711 Ext. 3704 Quality Loan Service, Corp. If you have previously been discharged through bankruptcy, you may have been released of personal liability for this loan in which case this letter is intended to exercise the note holders right’s against the real property only. THIS NOTICE IS SENT FOR THE PUR-POSE OF COLLECTING A DEBT. THIS FIRM IS ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDER AND OWNER OF THE NOTE. ANY INFORMA-TION OBTAINED BY OR PROVIDED TO THIS FIRM OR THE CREDITOR WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. As required by law, you are hereby notifi ed that a negative credit report refl ecting on your credit record may be submitted to a credit report agency if you fail to ful-fi ll the terms of your credit obligations. IDSPub #0018430 1/13/2012 1/20/2012 1/27/2012 Antioch Press No. 06- 1617 Publish dates: January 13, 20, 27, 2012.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALET.S No. 1342940-10 APN: 067- 291-017 TRA: 01135 LOAN NO: Xxx5989 REF: Aylsworth, Lynette IMPORTANT NO-TICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED July 03, 2003. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On February 02, 2012, at 1:30pm, Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation, as duly appointed trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust re-corded July 14, 2003, as Inst. No. 2003-0332785-00 in book Xxx, page Xxx of Of-fi cial Records in the offi ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, executed by Lynette Ayls-worth, An Unmarried Woman, will sell at public auction to highest bidder for cash, cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings associa-tion, or savings bank At the court street entrance to the county courthouse, 725 Court Street Martinez, California, all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: Com-pletely described in said deed of trust The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 333 Batacao Lane Antioch CA 94509 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant

or warranty, express or implied, re-garding title, possession, condition or encumbrances, including fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the proper-ty to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the No-tice of Sale is: $154,724.71. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and ex-clusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The benefi ciary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Elec-tion to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located. For sales information: Mon-Fri 9:00am to 4:00pm (619) 590-1221. Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation, 525 East Main Street, P.O. Box 22004, El Cajon, CA 92022-9004 Dated: January 11, 2012. (R-400795 01/13/12, 01/20/12, 01/27/12) Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish dates: January 13, 20, 27, 2012.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALETS # CA-11-467950-AL Order #: 952497 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 5/27/2005. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLA-NATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PRO-CEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. A public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash, cashier’s check drawn on a state or national bank, check drawn by state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, or savings association, or savings bank specifi ed in Section 5102 to the Financial code and authorized to do business in this state, will be held by duly appointed trustee. The sale will be made, but without covenant or war-ranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publi-cation of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. BENEFICIARY MAY ELECT TO BID LESS THAN THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE. Trustor(s): RICHARD H. TORRES AND BEVERLY M. TORRES, HUSBAND AND WIFE Recorded: 6/13/2005 as Instrument No. 2005-0211044-00 in book XXX , page XXX of Offi cial Records in the offi ce of

the Recorder of CONTRA COSTA Coun-ty, California; Date of Sale: 1/27/2012 at 1:30:00 PM Place of Sale: At the Court St. entrance to the County Courthouse 725 Court St., (corner of Main and Court St.) Martinez, CA Amount of unpaid bal-ance and other charges: $379,364.10 The purported property address is: 4140 FOLSOM DRIVE ANTIOCH, CA 94531-8209 Assessor’s Parcel No. 052-301-001 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the property address or other common designation, if any, shown herein. If no street address or other common desig-nation is shown, directions to the loca-tion of the property may be obtained by sending a written request to the benefi ciary within 10 days of the date of fi rst publication of this Notice of Sale. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a re-turn of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s Attorney. Date: Qual-ity Loan Service Corp. 2141 5th Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 619-645- 7711 For NON SALE information only Sale Line: 714-573-1965 or Login to: www.priority-posting.com Reinstatement Line: 619-645-7711 Ext. 3704 Quality Loan Service, Corp. If you have previously been dis-charged through bankruptcy, you may have been released of personal liability for this loan in which case this letter is intended to exercise the note holders right’s against the real property only. THIS NOTICE IS SENT FOR THE PUR-POSE OF COLLECTING A DEBT. THIS FIRM IS ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDER AND OWNER OF THE NOTE. ANY INFORMA-TION OBTAINED BY OR PROVIDED TO THIS FIRM OR THE CREDITOR WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. As required by law, you are hereby notifi ed that a negative credit report refl ecting on your credit record may be submitted to a credit report agency if you fail to ful-fi ll the terms of your credit obligations. IDSPub #0018173 1/6/2012 1/13/2012 1/20/2012 Antioch Press No. 06- 1617 January 6, 13, 20, 2012.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALETS No. 11-0103025 Title Order No. 11-0083615 Investor/Insurer No. APN No. 037-241-003-5 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 12/27/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE AC-TION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER.” Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by DANNIELLE L PIERCE, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN

AND EDWARD A MCKINSEY AN UN-MARRIED MAN AS JOINT TENANTS, dated 12/27/2007 and recorded 1/3/2008, as Instrument No. 2008-0000883-00, in Book , Page ), of Offi cial Records in the offi ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, will sell on 01/31/2012 at 10:00AM, At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully de-scribed in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 65 KENWOOD CT, OAKLEY, CA, 94561. The undersigned Trustee dis-claims any liability for any incorrect-ness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $318,958.83. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will ac-cept cashier’s checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specifi ed in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and autho-rized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an ‘’AS IS’’ condi-tion, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, pos-session or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with inter-est as provided, and the unpaid princi-pal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and ex-penses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. DATED: 12/31/2011 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By: Trustee’s Sale Offi cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 4160527 01/06/2012, 01/13/2012, 01/20/2012 Oak-ley Press No. 03- 0477 Publish dates: January 6, 13, 20, 2012.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMESTATEMENT File F-0008041-00 The name of the business (es): Stand Firm Ministries Located at: 191 Mesquite Court In: Brentwood, CA, 94513, Is here-by registered by the following owner(s): Colter and Jodie Anderson, 191 Mes-

quite Court, Brentwood, CA 94513. This business is conducted by: Husband and Wife. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fi ctitious business name or names listed above on 9-11-11.. Signature of registrant: Col-ter Andersen. This statement was fi led with Stephen L Weir, County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: DEC 14, 2011 by Karla Ruiz, Deputy Expires DEC 14, 2011. Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish: January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 2012.

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

The following person(s) has abandoned the use of the fi ctitious business name Chung Yard Maintenance at: 182 W. Trident Dr, Pittsburg, CA 94565. The fi cti-tious business name referred to above was fi led in Contra Costa County on 11/FEB/2008 under fi le number 2008-0001020 (*)1. Chung Viet Truong 182 W Trident Drive, Pittsburg, CA 94565. This business was conducted by: an indi-vidual. Signature of registrant: Chung V Truong. This statement was fi led with the S.L. Weir, County Clerk of Contra Costa County DEC 27, 2011. By: C Dias, Deputy Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish Dates: January 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGNotice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Brentwood will, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the normal course of business permits on January 24, 2012, hold a public hearing to consider the following:An application for a Rezone (RZ 11-005) to amend the Brentwood Municipal Code by defi ning, and requiring con-ditional use permits for, certain large retail uses citywide. The Rezone includes amending Chapter 17.456 (PD-6), Chapter 17.486 (PD-36), Chapter 17.488 (PD-38), Chapter 17.498 (PD-48), Chapter 17.501 (PD-51), Chapter 17.503 (PD-53), and Chapter 17.505 (PD-55), and adding Chapter 17.750 (Large Re-tail Uses).Applicant: City of BrentwoodThe Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the application on December 20, 2011, and did not make a specifi c recommendation to the City Council.Said hearing will be held at the City Council Chambers, 150 City Park Way, Brentwood, California.Further information may be obtained from Planning Manager Erik Nolthe-nius [(925) 516-5137 or enolthenius@brentwoodca.gov] in the Community Development Department of the City of Brentwood, 150 City Park Way, Brent-wood, California 94513.In any court challenge of City Council decisions, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspon-dence delivered to the Brentwood City Council at, or prior to, the public hear-ing. Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Pub-lish date: January 13, 2012.

LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICES

Cash reserves used to make up the difference will run out in about six months, and the dis-trict is considering placing a $197-per-parcel property tax on the June ballot.

Although the fi nal form of the ballot measure is still being fi nalized, the intention is to use the additional revenue to increase staff-ing to the industry-standard three fi refi ghters per station, place paramedics on each engine and reopen at least one of the two stations shuttered last year to save money. The revenue would also provide funds needed to replace equipment and engines, and make improve-ments to provide adequate living quarters for fi refi ghters (crew members in Bethel Island’s condemned Station 95 currently sleep in FEMA trailers).

Aside from the Grand Jury’s fi rst fi nding – that without additional revenue the district can’t be sustained even as is – board members found little to agree with.

“We’re asked to agree, somewhat agree, or disagree, right?” Director Erick Stone-barger asked as the required responses to the report were being discussed Monday. “Do we have the ability to respond with an ‘absolutely ridiculous’?”

Vince Wells, president of fi refi ghters union Local 1230, said he agreed with an-other of the report’s points: that a detailed service model based only on current revenue be developed. The district has determined that continuing to operate on money it now receives would result in the closure of three more of its six stations and the layoff of half its 48 fi refi ghters, but Wells believes the pub-lic should be better informed about just what that means.

“It could mean we no longer respond for things like odor investigations or spilled gaso-line,” he said. Noting that fi ve engines and 15 fi refi ghters are usually dispatched to structure fi res, efforts to extinguish such blazes could

be seriously impaired waiting for units from other districts to arrive.

“We’ll be putting out fi res from the out-side (of burning buildings). Those buildings will be gone,” he said. Such conditions, he added, would also put more strain on nearby districts that augment coverage through the existing automatic aid system, which could see modifi cations if a tax fails and ECCFPD’s needs increase due to more station closures.

ECCFPD Chief Hugh Henderson said a detailed plan for operating with only exist-ing revenue was already in the works, and would be presented as part of the district’s on-going series of town hall meetings being held throughout the district. The next town hall meeting takes place at Oakley City Hall next Monday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a meeting in Bethel Island’s Scout Hall on Jan. 19, also at 6:30 p.m.

Also on Monday, the board responded to concerns heard at earlier town hall meetings

about the proposed tax’s maximum 5-percent annual increase meant to offset infl ation and mounting, unfunded retirement liabilities. It directed staff to recalculate projections based on limiting any future increases to the cost-of-living index or 3 percent, whichever is lower. A report on how that would impact the district budget over the next 10 years will be brought back to the board for consideration at its Feb-ruary meeting.

The board will also fi nalize its response to the Grand Jury at February’s meeting, and has invited public comment to be submitted so it can be included. “Send us an e-mail, write a letter to the editor, post on the Inter-net,” Romick said. “We’ll attach the responses and send them in with ours.”

E-mails may be sent to phubbard@ec-cfpd.org. The full Grand Jury report can be found on the Grand Jury’s website, www.cc-courts.org/index.cfm?nodeid=38.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Fire from page 1A

from being vandalized by tenants who break through their wooden fences to create a short-cut to get across town.

“I don’t know what to do,” Michaela Stafford said. “They tear down our fence and stomp through our yards. We fi x the fence and they just do it again. I don’t feel safe letting my children play in our front yard because you never know who is going to come barrel-ing through. ... Something needs to be done. I should feel safe in my own neighborhood.”

Similar concerns were shared on the Oakley Watchdog Facebook forum. Some fear that more low-income housing will bring more troublemakers to the area, resulting in an increase in crime. But Valerie Castaldi asked her fellow Oakley residents to keep in mind the law-abiding citizens who qualify for low-income housing and need a roof over their heads.

“Did you know there a lot of people los-ing their houses?” asked Castaldi. “Some of us have lost our spouse – then our house. Our

last resort is probably this housing. Who are you to tell me (that) me and my children don’t deserve this?”

The council has no legal basis for decid-ing who moves into the apartments at Carol Lane. Oakley is subject to the Regional Hous-ing Needs Allocation, which requires cities to plan for low-income housing based on the size of the city’s population. In Oakley’s case, the city must allow for approximately 900 units of low-income housing to stay in com-pliance with state law.

Montgomery said he understands the public’s concern regarding the issue, but there isn’t much that can be done from a legal stand-point: “The city staff is not anxious; it is not excited; it is not happy about this application. This isn’t something city staff supports, but it is an application that we have to respond to. And there are certain rules and regulations mandated by the state that require us to re-spond. … It’s a very diffi cult situation we fi nd ourselves in.”

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Housing from page 1A

JANUARY 13, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 27A

28A | THEPRESS.NET JANUARY 13, 2012

ANTIOCH

Plenty of Room $253,000There is plenty of room in this 2 story home. With over 2600

sq ft of living space this home offers a formal living & dining

rooms, kitchen& family combo, open floor plan, with an easy

to maintain backyard.

DISCOVERY BAY

Deep Water Custom Home $435,000 Custom Single Story features 4 bed, 2.5 bath & over 2300sq ft of

living space. With a southern exposure and awesome water views

this property also offers a remodeled kitchen w/ granite counter

tops, stainless steel appliances & a great room/ kitchen combo. It

also features beautiful walnut hardwood & tile floors throughout

& a U-dock. This is a great home to entertain your guests.

ANTIOCH

Wonderful $189,000A Wonderful home, for first time buyer or investor. Needs

some cosmetic repairs. 4 bedroom, 3 full baths, 2390 sq ft of

living space, formal dining and kitchen family combo. Close

to shopping, restaurants and easy access to freeway. Hurry

this won’t last. Call Amante 925-628-8882

ANTIOCH

Potential $305,000Wonderful 2 story with 3270 sq ft of living space. It offers a

formal living & dining rooms, Kitchen & family combo, 1 bed

& bath downstairs and a 3 car garage. It also features a large

backyard with covered patio. It needs some work but it will

be worth it. A must see.

OAKLEY

Move In Ready $199,900This 2 story property offers 4 beds, 2.5 baths and 1763 sq ft of living

space. The property features newer carpets, newer kitchen applianc-

es, 2 tone paint, a Formal dining room, kitchen/family combo and

living room. It has a half bath downstairs and good size bedrooms

upstairs. It has been landscaped in front & back and is close to com-

munity pool, new park, shopping and offers easy freeway access.

Windermere Ellsworth & AssociatesEBLIVING.COM

(925) 513-2605 | (925) 642-7653

Rod Talavera, RealtorFluent in Tagalog Lic# 01701571

Shauna Suckow, RealtorLic# 01505149

Amante Asuncion, Broker Associate Lic# 00636264

Robin Nelson, RealtorLic# 01793070

Penny Dobbertin, RealtorLic# 01306163

Vanessa Gutierrez, RealtorSe Habla Español Lic# 01840693

Bryce Ellsworth, BrokerLic# 01305147

The Time to

Sell Short is Now!Yes, that’s right; I am calling this the best opportunity you will have

to get a fresh start. With current Tax and Real Estate Laws on the side

of Homeowners, there is no better time to get behind the massive

negative equity associated with most homes in our area. Call us today;

we will not push you into a short sale. Our job as always is to

GIVE YOU THE BEST REAL ESTATE ADVICE AVAILABLE.

* Don’t know your rights?

* Not sure if a short sale is best for your situation?

* Behind on payments?

* Lost your job?

* Just need info on how it works

* Depleted your savings just to stay up on your mortgage?Marc Ellsworth,Office Manager

LIVERMORE

Opportunity Knocking $166,500Charming 3 bed 2.5 bath Condo with 1344 sq ft of living

space. It features an eat-in kitchen with tile floors and most

kitchen appliances, tile in both baths and a cozy backyard

with a deck, shed and views of open space. Very close to

community pool, playground and shopping.

ANTIOCH

Terraced Delight $136,000 Best Offers Wanted Great Fixer, this property offers 3

beds & 1.5 baths and over 1600 sq ft of living space. The

home features hardwood flooring and wall to wall carpet, a

covered back patio and a beautiful terraced up backyard.

LIVERMORE

Downtown $168,000Best Offers Wanted. Great Location, offers 3 beds & 2

baths and 960 sq ft of living space. Other features include

an inside laundry room, covered patio and deck and a Big

driveway.

OAKLEY

Here It Is $165,000Here it is, the home you have been waiting for. This One Story

features 4 beds, 2 baths & 1370 sq ft in Turn Key Condition.

Includes Upgraded Carpets, tile flooring, dual pane windows,

newer appliances and roof, whole house fan and a great

open floor plan that makes the home feel far bigger then it

is. Won’t last long.

LIVERMORE

Possibilities $310,050What possibilities with this large 2 story home. It offers 4

beds & 3 baths with a bonus room and over 1800 sq ft of

living space. Other features include hardwood & tile flooring,

dishwasher and refrigerator, Ceiling fans, 2 car garage, an

easy to manage backyard and is within walking distance to

Granada High School.

FEATURED PROPERTY

Antioch Room to Roam $211,000There is plenty of room to roam in this 1931 sq ft property. It offers 4 beds & 2.1 baths, a formal dining, living & family room with laminate wood flooring, eat in kitchen with tile countertops and an inside laundry room.

Event is FREE! The setting more relaxed and intimate, easier

to ask questions that are important to YOU!

Space for Only 20 Attendees!

• An Overview of the HUD Home Process

• A Detailed Explanation of Who Can Buy/Sell HUD Homes

• How to Obtain a NAID# & Broker Registration

• The Correct Process to Bid and Submit Offers

Date: January 19, 2012

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Where: Windermere Ellsworth & Associates

8335 Brentwood Blvd., Suite F, Brentwood

RSVP by email: bryce@topproducer.com

HUD AGENT TRAINING

2B | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS JANUARY 13, 2012

A place where wellness is Intuitive

Quiet music, soothing scents

and friendly staff welcome

guests at Intuitive Healing

Center Antioch. Offering services

including massage, acupuncture and

aromatherapy, the Center strives

to heal clients’ bodies, relax their

minds and soothe their spirits – and

the peaceful atmosphere that greets

clients is just the beginning.

“People who come in here are look-ing for something different,” said Julie “Jude” Byrne, who co-owns the business with fellow licensed massage thera-pists Scott Lawler and Beed Lawler. The spacious Center, which opened in July of 2010, includes massage rooms, acupunc-ture rooms, a dry sauna, and rooms with Jacuzzi tubs for aromatherapy and mineral baths.

“We’re planning to grow and add

more services,” said Beed. “We’ve done really well to expand so quickly.”

Scott attributes their success to the fact that clients’ treatments speak for themselves. “Family and friends are seeing the results,” he said.

Most half-hour therapeutic treatments

cost $30, while most hour-long treatments are $59. Clients can also purchase a 15-minute chair massage for $15 or multi-treatment packages ranging from $55 to $150. Massages encompass the feet, the neck, back and shoulders, facial pressure points or a general massage. Refl exology,

which Julie described as “acupuncture, but no needles,” targets pressure points, particularly in the feet, to relieve pain and discomfort throughout the entire body. Refl exology treatments can include the full body or pinpoint specifi c areas of concern.

A M Y C L A I R E

see Intuitive page 7B

ON THE COVER: Get Fit Pilates owner and instructor Skye Wetherbee coaches Jackie Etherington through a workout.

Owners Julie Byrne, Scott Lawler and Beed Lawler, front, and staff provide a welcoming atmosphere at Intuitive Healing Center Antioch.

Photo by Amy Claire

JANUARY 13, 2012 HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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It’s Back!

January 15th-22nd

(925) 516-0111(925) 516-01113101-D Balfour Rd.3101-D Balfour Rd.

BrentwoodBrentwood

Made to help you look your best

Whether you want a

complete makeover

or an update to your

favorite style, Made is the place for

you. The new makeup boutique in

Brentwood is the ideal place to play

and experiment with new looks in a

comfortable environment.

A cosmetologist for 20 years, owner Patricia Barreda-Lo Piano knows all the tricks to bring out the inner beauty in her clients. And the best part: transformations needn’t be costly.

“The problem with women today is that they look in the mirror and scrutinize every fl aw,” Piano said. “They are so absorbed in their imperfections that they lose sight of the beauty that is there. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on products. You just need to know what products work for you and what techniques can help highlight your beauty rather than cover it up.”

When clients fi rst walk into the Oak Street shop in downtown Brentwood, the fi rst thing they see is a buffet of colors in the forms of shadows, powders, blushes

and glosses. Piano invites women to stop by anytime to test out products and ask questions about how to fi nd a desired look. If you’re completely clueless about what you want, Piano is more than happy to sit you down and construct the perfect look

based on your lifestyle. She said people don’t need to coat their face in makeup to look nice. It’s more important to accent your favorite features rather than coat your

S A M I E H A R T L E Y

see Made page 6B

Made Makeup Boutique owner Patricia Barreda-Lo Piano applies makeup for Sandra Odom.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

4B | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS JANUARY 13, 2012

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Sunday, February 5 • 11AM-4PM

Joyful Vibrations Wellness Center

2465 Discovery Bay Blvd. (next to Sports Bar & Steakhouse)

www.joyfulvibrations.comFREE to Public

366-7744

An overwhelming variety of over-the-counter pain medications is available in today’s marketplace. Recently I heard a warning on TV about acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and related generic products. Since that’s what my

mom uses on occasion for pain, I decided to interview her pharmacist, Robert Fox, at Walgreens to get the facts straight.

The FDA has stated that a maximum of 3,000 milligrams or less of products containing acetaminophen is safe in a full 24-hour

period. Since approximately 600 products – over-the-counter and prescribed – contain acetaminophen, the potential for dangerous medication interaction should be monitored by your doctor for the maximum safe dosages.

When you ingest acetaminophen, a toxic component is metabolized when broken down by the liver. The liver identifi es this and holds onto it until it can deactivate it. Too much of this can put

a strain on the liver and cause damage. Although the liver can regenerate, it’s a good idea, per Fox, to “not push the envelope” and stick to the recommended maximum dosage. Prescription drugs such as Vicodin and Percocet contain acetaminophen. Your doctor will set the dosage but be careful not to combine these with additional over-the-counter drugs, as you might exceed the limit.

I asked Robert about the difference between OTC pain medications whose primary ingredient is ibuprophen, aspirin or acetaminophen. What an education I got!

Some compounded medications have blood-thinning properties, others contain small amounts of caffeine. There are anti-infl ammatory ingredients, and different formulations for different strengths of the same product, so it’s important to read the labels on everything you buy to make sure the “combination” medications are free of whatever might give you a harmful reaction.

Recently a loved one got what he thought was a cold. He took a product that raised his blood pressure but

SENIOR

CORNER

MARLA LUCKHARDT

Understand your over-the-counter meds

see Meds page 6B

“I just wasn’t happy,” said the 42-year-old Brentwood resident. “So I did some soul-searching and realized that I have to do what I’m really passionate about. It’s not about money; it’s about what I enjoy doing.”

What she enjoyed more than anything at the time – and ever since – were her after-work exercise classes. Especially Pilates.

So the human resources director gave up her dream job, setting off a storm of family gossip and speculation, to earn her Pilates teaching certifi cation. “My family thought I’d lost my mind,” she said from her home studio – formerly the garage.

Today, the mother of three sons, 8, 6 and 4, runs a studio from her Brentwood home. Wetherbee and her husband, Steve, turned the garage into what’s now the Get Fit Pilates Studio as soon as they moved into the place in 2003. By then, Wetherbee had been through about a decade of training and internships, and had racked up a plethora of certifi cations in Pilates, Yogilates and massage therapy.

“This is how I want my life to be,” she said. “I work at my home, I get to be there for my kids and I’m doing something I’m passion-ate about by helping people get into the best shape of their life.”

So what’s the appeal of Pilates over, say, Yoga? Wetherbee says it’s the variety and movement. In a Yoga class, you switch from one static pose to another in the same order nearly every time. In Pilates, you keep moving the entire 55-minute class, fl uidly transitioning from one exercise to another.

“We mix it up every time,” Wetherbee said. “And each workout is tailored to the individual.”

The exercise form, invented by German-born physical-culturist Joseph Pilates, has been around for the better part of a century. The U.S. immigrant wanted to develop a psycho-somatic discipline that based every movement on the body’s core – the abdominal and back muscles. It uses several pieces of exercise equip-ment custom-made for Pilates, such as the “reformer,” “wunda chair,” “jump board” and spinal corrector. Part of the reason people sign up for one-on-one, duet or group classes led by a certifi ed trainer is because they can’t afford to buy the equipment themselves.

Pilates appeared on our cultural radar in the 1970s when Hollywood celebrities made it a mainstream phenomenon. Today it’s the exercise of choice for injured dancers or profes-

sional athletes trying to cross-train their way to a leaner, lither physique.

Antioch resident Holly Quansah, 36, signed up for her fi rst class with Wetherbee four years ago because she wanted to balance her cardio running workouts with a core-strengthening workout. “I think it’s just a good counterbalance to the running because the running I can do outdoors, which I love,” she said. “But I otherwise don’t take time to do a lot of strengthening and conditioning.”

The seamless, core-centered exercises of Pilates can be tailored to any physical ability or background. So when Quansah was in her fi rst pregnancy, with her now-2-year-old daughter, she turned to Wetherbee to coach her chang-ing body. Currently pregnant with her second child, Quansah’s doing the same workouts to prepare for labor. “(Wetherbee) has kids of her own, so she knows what’s going on with your body during pregnancy,” said Quansah, an advertising executive. “She helps you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.”

Wetherbee’s other clients include a professional waterskiier, pro football player and septuagenarian ice-skater. “I enjoy the process of tailoring the workouts to fi t their needs,” she said. “I’m hard on them; these aren’t easy workouts, but I do it because I want the best results for my clients.”

Interested in trying it out? Wetherbee’s studio offers free evaluations to determine what workout regimen is best for you. Check out her website for pricing and class schedules at www.getfi tpilates.com or call 925-584-8888.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

JANUARY 13, 2012 HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS THEPRESS.NET | 5B

50 Eagle Rock Way, Suite C • BrentwoodLocated in the Vic Stewart’s Plaza

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Pilates from page 1B

6B | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS JANUARY 13, 2012

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fortunately when he went to the doctor, he was told of his error and it was caught in time. Avoid self-medication; don’t assume that an over-the-counter medicine is harmless. Call your doctor. Use your pharmacist. That’s what they’re there for.

Some people are allergic to aspirin. Reactions can be as mild as an upset stomach and rash or as severe as internal bleeding. Aspirin can inhibit clotting. Many heart patients are put on a low-dose aspirin regimen.

Medications can get confusing,

especially as you stroll down the long isle of pain relievers. Two things I can highly recommend: First, if you’re not sure, ask your pharmacist. Second, if you are sure – ask anyway! Robert Fox can be found at the Walgreens on the corner of Balfour Road and Cortona Way. He’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Marla Luckhardt is a Discovery Bay resident and member of the East Contra Costa Senior Coalition. She works with several local senior care and advocacy groups. To contact her, e-mail marla2054@aol.com.

Meds from page 4B

complexion in a rainbow of colors.Piano worked in the corporate fi eld

for most of her career but decided to open her own boutique in Brentwood and create a deeper relationship with her clients. She invites women to come in with their girlfriends to get primped for a night out or a quick sit-down for some false lashes to add a little pop before catching lunch and a movie downtown. The boutique also has jewelry and handbags for sale to complete a new look. Piano offers a skin care line as well as a variety of custom makeup, and she fi ts feather extensions for those looking for some pop in their hairdo. Also on board is esthetician Isis Yee, a specialist in brow design and shaping, brow and lash tinting, plus body waxing.

“I want this place to be like an escape,” Piano said. “I want girls to come

in and hang their purses on the rack and have fun. I want to help women feel good about themselves. I want every person to walk out of here feeling and looking their best.”

Made welcomes walk-ins and appointments, especially for body waxing. Piano also offers private makeup application lessons and offers bridal makeup services.

Made, located at 219 Oak St. in Brentwood, is open Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – closed Sundays and Mondays. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 925-308-7200. Visit Made online at www.facebook.com/madeamakeupboutique.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Made from page 3B

JANUARY 13, 2012 HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS THEPRESS.NET | 7B

www.brentwoodbikeco.com

925-634-50007750 Brentwood Blvd., Suite C, Brentwood

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Ride a bike!

22 11112011 G

OLD MEDALAWARD

“We try to be very fl exible with our treat-ments,” said Julie.

Another service offered at the Center is Cranial Sacral therapy, a massage tech-nique that focuses on the cranium and spine. Scott described the treatment as especially effective in treating migraines. While many of his clients see their symptoms merely improve, others see the debilitating headaches vanish completely.

After treatment, clients can sit and relax on soft couches before a digital aquarium and fi replace. They enjoy complimentary wine and chocolate while reading a book or simply listening to the gentle music and basking in the ambiance. “We try to make it cozy and relaxing,” said Scott.

The Center also includes a small gift shop that sells gift certifi cates and aroma-therapy products produced in the Center. One popular item, aromatherapy inhal-ers ($8), offers blends intended to help relieve anxiety, improve weight loss, and even assist in quitting smoking. Testers are available to help clients choose scents, and

products are made fresh when ordered.One of the Center’s objectives is to

provide services and treatments for people with special needs. Clients suffering from conditions ranging from autism to cerebral palsy, from fi bromyalgia to ADHD, have found relief through the Center’s services. “Everything is accessible for disabilities,” said Julie. Gigi Smith, 20, who has Down syndrome and several misaligned bones, is one of Julie’s regular clients. “My daughter had several surgeries,” said Gigi’s mother, Adriana. “Nothing helped until we came to (Julie) for refl exology.” Adriana has seen vast improvements in Gigi’s well being since beginning the treatments two years ago. “She’s back at school. She functions at all her activities. She’s able to live a very satisfying life.”

Intuitive Healing Center Antioch, located at 213 G. Street, is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 925-777-9995 or visit www.intuitivehealingcenter.net. Walk-ins are welcome.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Intuitive from page 2B

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10B | THEPRESS.NET FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 13, 2012

Liberty Boosters get crabby over athletics

Co. Co. Wine seeks talent

Maris Samesel plays the lead role in Edna Hill Middle School’s production of the classic “The Wizard of Oz,” for which the curtain goes up today, Friday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. in The Theatre at Edna Hill. Performances continue Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1 and 7 p.m.; Fri., Jan 20 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1 and 7 p.m. Admission is $5. Tickets may be purchased at the door, by phone at 925-513-6440 or by e-mail at bschneider@brentwood.k12.ca.us.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Photo courtesy of Bart Schneider

The Liberty Boosters are get-ting ready for a crackin’ good time at their upcoming crab feed, slated for Saturday, Feb. 4 from 6 to 11 p.m. at Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood.

The third annual event is ca-tered by Tony D’Errico; crab pro-vided by Justin’s Crab Company. The dinner features all-you-can-

eat crab, pasta, salad and garlic bread plus a no-host bar. The Lib-erty High coaching staff will tend bar, and the music will be provided by Sixstrings.

Proceeds benefit the Liberty High School athletic programs. Admission is $40. For tickets and more information, call the Booster Hotline at 925-679-5513.

Do you or someone you know make beautiful music? The Co. Co. County Wine Company is looking to showcase local musi-cal talent Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. at the store, 633 First St. in downtown Brentwood. The kick-off event was held Jan. 11, but open auditions and performances

are ongoing.Artists should bring their own

instruments and call ahead to se-cure their reservation. Performers will be limited to one or two songs. All genres are welcome. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available. For more information, call 925-634-9463.

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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police de-partments.BRENTWOODDec. 28, 2:06 p.m. On the Highway 4 Bypass at Sand Creek Road, a driver swerved to avoid an animal, struck the rear of another vehicle and was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.Dec. 28, 5 p.m. A subject drove past a resi-dence on Coventry Circle in violation of a restraining order.Dec. 29, 4:53 a.m. An unidentifi ed person stole an unattended duffl e bag on Walnut Boulevard.Dec. 29, 7:30 a.m. An unidentifi ed person stole a vehicle parked on Prominent Drive. The vehicle was later recovered in Antioch.Dec. 29, 10:59 a.m. A resident of Rockwell Street arrived at his residence to fi nd a sus-picious male subject at his front door. The subject fl ed in a vehicle.Dec. 29, 11:07 a.m. An unidentifi ed person used the ATM card account number of a resident of Majestic Lane to purchase a computer.Dec. 29, noon A resident turned in two guns for destruction at police headquarters.Dec. 29, 5 p.m. An unidentifi ed person used the account information of a resident of Pris-tine Way to pass fi ctitious checks in Redwood City.Dec. 29, 5:06 p.m. A subject who struck another subject during a verbal dispute on Collett Court was arrested and released on a Promise To Appear.Dec. 29, 5:42 p.m. An unidentifi ed person stole checks from the mailbox of a residence on Sunlight Drive. The Oakley Police De-partment contacted the victim, advising her that a suspect in possession of her checks had been detained.Dec. 29, 6 p.m. A subject was battered by un-identifi ed persons outside a business on Sand Creek Road. The victim suffered a small abrasion to his forehead but refused medical attention. The assailants fl ed the scene prior to police arrival.Dec. 29, 7:35 p.m. An unidentifi ed person stole mail from the mailbox of a residence on Solitude Way.Dec. 29, 9:06 p.m. On Brentwood Boulevard at Second Street, a subject stopped for a ve-

hicle code violation was found to driving on a suspended license.Dec. 29, 10:42 p.m. On Oak Street at First Street, a subject stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to driving without a li-cense, and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and released on a Promise To Appear.Dec. 30, 12:50 a.m. A subject contacted on Brentwood Boulevard at Pine Street was found to be in violation of a restraining order. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 30, 6:29 a.m. An unidentifi ed person was observed looking into a vehicle parked on Dawnview Drive with a fl ashlight.Dec. 30, 9 a.m. The number on the front license plate of a vehicle parked on Harvest Park Drive at Middlefi eld Court did not cor-respond to the rear plate.Dec. 30, 3:08 p.m. A subject observed driving recklessly was contacted at his residence on Altessa Drive and found to be driving under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 30, 9:44 p.m. Two subjects were ob-served fl eeing from a vacant residence on Grovewood Loop.Dec. 30, 9:44 p.m. A subject contacted on Gregory Lane at Brentwood Boulevard was found to be on probation and under the infl u-ence of a controlled substance. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 30, 10:20 p.m. A dog observed running in the roadway on Sand Creek Road was picked up by Animal Control.Dec. 31, 1:10 a.m. A suspicious female re-ported to be hiding in the bushes on Positano Avenue at Montecito Drive fl ed in a vehicle prior to police arrival.Dec. 31, 2:59 a.m. A subject contacted on Altessa Drive was found in possession of a switchblade knife. He was arrested and re-leased on a Promise To Appear.Dec. 31, 4:16 a.m. A subject contacted on Oak Street during a suspicious-circumstance investigation was found to be driving under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 31, 12:50 p.m. A subject caught shoplift-ing at a business on Lone Tree Way was ar-rested and released on a Promise To Appear.Dec. 31, 5:45 p.m. A two-vehicle rear-end col-

lision occurred on Lone Tree Way at Gann Street.Dec. 31, 7:49 p.m. On Piata Court, an un-identifi ed person failed to pay cab fare.Dec. 31, 10:58 p.m. On Crescent Drive at Claremont Drive, a subject driving a stolen vehicle fl ed the scene of a traffi c collision. He was pursued by the victim and confronted in a parking lot. When police arrived, he fl ed in his vehicle, which he eventually abandoned. He was apprehended and found to be under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Jan. 1, 1:04 a.m. On Hansen Lane at Brent-wood Boulevard, a subject stopped for vehicle code violations was found to be driving under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Jan. 1, 1:24 a.m. On Sand Creek Road at Business Center Drive, a subject stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to be driving on a license suspended for DUI. He was ar-rested and released on a Notice To Appear.Jan. 1, 10:45 a.m. A subject contacted on Southwood Drive was found to be under the infl uence of a central nervous system stimulant. He was arrested and released on a Promise To Appear.Jan. 1, 12:23 p.m. A subject forced his way into a residence on Pecan Place and assaulted one of the residents. He was apprehended, arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.

To view the Brentwood Police Depart-ment’s public logs on the city’s website, visit www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/department/pd/reports/index.cfm.ANTIOCHJan. 7, 10:56 a.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Po-lice Department responded to the report of a collision at the intersection of East 18th Street and Crestwood Drive. The driver of a car had pulled out from Crestwood Drive onto East 18th Street into the path of a motorcyclist – a 49-year-old Antioch resident – and the force of the impact had ejected him onto the road-way. He was fl own to an area hospital, where he died of his injuries. His name is being with-held pending notifi cation of his family. The driver of the car was contacted at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.

For information on law enforcement in Antioch, visit www.ci.antioch.ca.us/city-gov/police.

OAKLEYDec. 26 – A juvenile runaway was reported on the 100 block of Carol Lane.Dec. 26 – Battery was reported on the 300 block of Hill Avenue and on Burgundy Drive at Gamay Drive.Dec. 26 – On the 1200 block of Quail Valley Run, a subject was arrested for domestic vio-lence in violation of a court order.Dec. 27 – A bicycle was stolen on the 2000 block of Main Street.Dec. 27 – Reckless driving was reported on Cedar Glen Drive at Shady Oak Drive.Dec. 28 – Arrest warrants were served on the 1600 block of Ashwood Drive and the 700 block of Mammoth Court.Dec. 28 – On East Cypress Road at Main Street, a subject was cited for violating the terms of his probation.Dec. 28 – On Big Break Road at Main Street, a subject was cited for driving on a suspended license.Dec. 29 – On the 4700 block of Big Bear Road, a subject was arrested for domestic violence with injury to a spouse.Dec. 30 – Vandalism was reported on the 500 block of Third Street.Dec. 30 – On East Cypress Road at Frank Hengel Way, a subject was arrested for being under the infl uence of drugs.Dec. 30 – A subject was arrested for shoplifting at a business on the 2000 block of Main Street.Dec. 30 – A vehicle accident with property damage was reported on the 500 block of Jane Lane.Dec. 30 – A vehicle was stolen from the 4900 block of Teakwood Drive.Dec. 30 – Vehicles were towed from Empire Avenue at Laurel Road, and Edgewood Drive at Teakwood Drive.Dec. 31 – A stolen vehicle was recovered from the 2100 block of Main Street.Dec. 31 – A resident of the 100 block of Wo-odridge Place reported an incident of iden-tity theft.Dec. 31 – Grand theft from a building was re-ported on the 4800 block of Montague Avenue.Jan. 1 – A residence on the 80 block of Chi-anti Way was burglarized.Jan. 1 – On East Cypress Road at Rubens Way and on Empire Avenue at Laurel Road, subjects were arrested for driving under the infl uence of alcohol.

COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS A suspicious female reported to be hiding in the bushes

on Positano Avenue at Montecito Drive fl ed in a vehicle prior to police arrival.

Dec. 31, 1:10 a.m. in Brentwood

JANUARY 13, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 19B

Events

Friday, Jan. 13

Holiday on IceBrentwood’s popular outdoor skating rink is open through Jan. 16. Skaters can glide on a lighted ice rink protected from the elements by a magnificent tent. For hours and prices, call 925-513-1702 or visit www.brentwoodholidayonice.com.

Saturday, Jan. 14

E-Waste FundraiserFreedom Football hosts an e-waste collection day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Freedom High School parking lot, 1050 Neroly Road in Oakley. No household appliances, furniture or batteries will be accepted. For more information, e-mail hartwigk@luhsd.net or call 925-625-5900, ext. 3892.

Community Cleanup The Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup Program takes on Gino Marchetti Park, 2500 Kendree St., from 9-11 a.m. Volunteers will receive instruc-tions and equipment. The targeted areas are within walking distance.

Crab FeedHarvest Park Bowl Hurricanes hold a crab feed fundraiser at 6 p.m. in Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood. Tickets ($38) are available at Harvest Park Bowl, 5000 Balfour Road in Brentwood. For more information, call 925-516-1221.

World of DiscoveryThe grand opening ceremony for East County’s first all-abilities playground – the World of Discovery at Crockett Park, 4150 Richard Way in Oakley – gets underway at 10 a.m. For more information, call 925-625-7007.

Recycle FundraiserLiberty High School Class of 2012 holds a recycling fundraiser from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on the campus, 850 Second St. in Brentwood. Accepted items include TVs, computer equipment, radios, bicycles, washers and dryers, car batteries and DVD players. For a complete list, e-mail callahan@libertyuhsd.k12.ca.us.

Blood DriveThe American Red Cross holds a blood drive from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at The Streets of Brentwood, 2565 Sand Creek Road. To schedule an appointment, call 800-733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org (sponsor code: Streets925).

Crab FeedThe Friends of Laurel Ridge host a crab feed fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. at 2459 Laurel Road in Oakley. Admission to the alcohol-free event is $45. Proceeds benefit the youth and student ministries plus camp and mission trips. For more informa-tion, visit www.friendsoflaurelridge.bbnow.org.

Monday, Jan. 16

Day of Service CleanupJoin Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed at 9 a.m. for a Day of Service community cleanup. The event honors the memory and service of Dr. Martin Luther King. For more information and cleanup locations, call 925-325-2908 or visit www.fomcw.org.

MLK CelebrationA Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration takes place at Antioch High School’s Beede Auditorium, 700 W. 18th St., from 1-3 p.m. The event features guest speakers and performances by the Delta School for the Performing Arts, DVHS Divine Voices and DVHS Show Choir. For more information, call 925-437-4240 or e-mail diane@art4antioch.org.

Tuesday, Jan. 17

Relay For Life KickoffBrentwood Relay For Life 2012 kicks off at 7 p.m. in the Liberty High School library, 850 Second St. Sign up your Relay For Life team or gather more information about Brentwood’s annual fight against cancer. For more information, call 925-634-4913 or 925-550-1182.

Fire MeetingThe East Contra Costa Fire Protection District board holds an informational meeting about the proposed $197 parcel tax – why it’s needed and what will happen if it’s not passed – at 6:30 p.m. in Oakley City Hall, 3231 Main St. For more information, call 925-240-2131.

Wednesday, Jan. 18

Samba de AmigoAntioch Library, 501 W. 18th St., hosts a Samba de Amigo Wii party at 3 p.m. Students in grades three through seven are welcome. For more information, call 925-757-9224.

Thursday, Jan. 19

Fire MeetingThe East Contra Costa Fire Protection District board holds an informational meeting about the proposed $197 parcel tax – why it’s needed and what will happen if it’s not passed – at 6:30 p.m. in Scout Hall, 3090 Ranch Lane Road in Bethel Island. For more information, call 925-240-2131.

Sign-upsNor Cal TitansThe Nor Cal Titans 13U blue team holds tryouts for the 2012 spring season on Sundays, Jan. 15 and 22 from noon-2 p.m. at Cornell Park, 2453 Discovery Bay Blvd. in Discovery Bay. For more information, e-mail apage@norcaltitansbaseball.com.

Soccer TryoutsAjax East Bay conducts tryouts for its U9-U14 teams on March 3 and 4 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Liberty High School, 850 Second St. in Brentwood. For more information, visit www.ajaxunitedeastbay.org or e-mail directorofcoaching@ajaxunitedeastbay.org.

Cheer and Dance CampHeritage High School Cheer and Dance Youth Camp is held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 from 4-6 p.m. at Heritage High, 101 American Ave. in Brentwood. Registration is $40. Forms and information can be found at www.luhsd.net/hhsrallysquad. For more information, e-mail hhsrallysquad@gmail.com.

Baseball and Softball Sign-upsDelta Baseball and Softball League hosts sign-ups on Saturdays, Jan. 14-28 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Jan. 18 and 24 from 6-8 p.m. at Aladino’s Pizza, 1324 Sunset Drive in Antioch. For more information, visit www.deltabaseballleague.com.

Brentwood PONY BaseballBrentwood PONY baseball league is registering players for the for the 2012 season. For informa-tion, including fees, visit www.brentwoodpony.org. Walk-in registration is held Jan. 14 and 28 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sports Authority, 5641 Lone Tree Way in Brentwood.

PowerPoint BasicsOpportunity Junction, 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, hosts a three-week PowerPoint Basics class Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30-9 p.m. beginning Jan. 17. To sign up, visit www.oppor-tunityjunction.org/evening or call 925-776-1133.

Baseball TryoutsElite Baseball holds one more round of tryouts for 12U for the 2012 season. Call 925-683-9312 to schedule a tryout time.

East County Idol AuditionsEast County Idol auditions are scheduled for Jan. 21 and 28 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Somersville Town Centre, 2556 Somersville Road in Antioch. The final competition is held Feb. 24 at the El Campanil Theatre. To sign up for an audition time, call 925-756-7628.

Job Training and PlacementOpportunity Junction, 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, hosts a 12-week job training and placement program beginning Feb. 6. The program includes training in Microsoft Office computer applications plus life and business skills. A required informational meeting is held Jan. 17 or 23. For more information, visit www.opportunityjunction.org or call 925-776-1133.

Pharmacy Technician TrainingBoston Reed College hosts a Pharmacy Technician Training Program beginning Jan. 31 at Liberty Adult Education in Brentwood. Technicians help pharmacists package or mix prescriptions, maintain client records, collect payments and coordinate billing. The course combines classroom instruction with an extern-ship. For more information, call 800-201-1141 or visit www.bostonreedcollege.com.

Meals on WheelsMeals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers to deliver meals for its new Antioch route. Drivers work once a week for two-hour shifts and make a tremendous difference in the lives of seniors in need. For more information, call 925-778-4379.

ESL ClassesLiberty Adult Education, 929 Second St. in Brentwood, offers morning and evening English as a Second Language classes. For more information, call 925-634-2565 or visit www.libertyadulted.org.

Friendly Visitors NeededFriendly Visitors is looking for caring and com-passionate volunteers 18 and older to visit lonely seniors in their homes for one hour per week. Share a cup of tea, watch a movie, play cards or take a walk together. For more information, visit www.mowsos.org or call 925-937-8311.

Hospice Volunteers NeededHospice of the East Bay is looking for motivated, committed residents who want to make a differ-ence in the lives of hospice patients. To volunteer or for more information, call 925-887-5678 and ask for the Volunteer Department.

On the HorizonReverse MortgagesLoan officer Rick San Vicente presents “Reverse Mortgages: Explained” on Friday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. at Liberty Adult School, 929 Second St. in Brentwood. The class includes a question-and-answer period. For more information, visit www.ricksanvicente.com.

Friends of MusicThe Friends of Music series begins the 2012 season Saturday, Jan. 21 with a performance by Kevin McLaughlin and Don Pearson at 7:30 p.m. in St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. A champagne and dessert recep-tion follows. Donations are accepted. For more information, e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com or call 925-756-7628.

Chinese Art and CalligraphyThe Oakley Library, 1050 Neroly Road, hosts a Chinese art and calligraphy workshop for chil-dren on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call 925-625-2400.

Crab FeedEast County Youth Football holds a crab feed on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 6-11 p.m. at Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood. Tickets are $45. For more information, call 925-625-1698 or 925-679-9023.

Jazz Dinner DanceThe Liberty Lions Band Boosters hold a jazz dinner dance fundraiser, including a silent auction, Saturday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. Entertainment is provided by Mic Gillette from Tower of Power, Tommy Davidson, Bob McChesney and the Liberty High School jazz bands. Tickets are $40. For more information, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/213220.

Girl’s Night Out NetworkingDelta Valley Chapter meets Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Hannah Nicole Vineyards from 5:30 to 8 p.m. $10 for members, $15 for non-members.Event catered by Tess’ Community Kitchen. Please RSVP to gnoners@gmail.com.

Park and Recreation CommissionThe California State Park and Recreation Commission holds a meeting Friday, Jan. 27 at 9 a.m. in the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. to discuss the John Marsh House. For more information, visit www.johnmarshhouse.com.

Crab Feed and Tri-tip DinnerThe Deer Valley High School Band and Auxiliary Boosters hold an all-you-can-eat crab feed and tri-tip dinner Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th St. in Antioch. Tickets are $45. No tickets will be sold at the door. For tickets and information, call 925-755-2724.

Ongoing

Novel Knitters & Crochet with ChrisWork on the group project or bring a current project of your own. All ages are welcome. Novel Knitters & Crochet meets the third Saturday of the month at the Antioch Library, 501 W. 18th St. No fee or registration are required. For more information, call 925-757-9224.

Marine Corps LeagueMCL Delta Diablo Detachment 1155 invites Marines with at least 90 days of honorable service to join its detachment the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. in Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood. For more information, call 925-516-0575, 925-634-0649 or e-mail thedale@pacbell.net.

Brentwood Concert BandThe Brentwood Concert Band rehearses Mondays from 7-9 p.m. at the Liberty High School Band Room, 850 Second St. The band welcomes all musical abilities and instruments. For more information, e-mail stuart.susan@gmail.com.

Overeaters AnonymousOvereaters Anonymous meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church, or Wednesdays at 9 a.m. at Resurrection Ministries in Brentwood. No dues, fees or weigh-ins are required. Anyone with a problem with food is welcome. For more information, visit www.oa.org.

Free Internet AccessOpportunity Junction, 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, offers free Internet access to visitors 18 and older, software for practicing typing and learning English, plus lists of Internet sites for job hunting and finding local resources. Hours are Mondays-Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. For more information, call 925-776-1133 or visit www.opportunityjunction.org.

Celebrate Life RecoveryCelebrate Life is a Christ-based recovery program that meets Mondays and Fridays at 7 p.m. in Bethel Island Baptist Church, 3725 Gateway Road. All are welcome. Call 925-684-3700 for further information.

ESL ClassesOpportunity Junction offers free English as a Second Language classes for those 18 and older on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. at 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch. The language lab class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. For more information, call 925-776-1133 or visit www.opportunityjunction.org.

Afternoon Tea PartyLittle Miss Everything, 220 Oak St. in Brentwood, hosts a tea party for children 3-10 on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. Come enjoy music, crafts and tea party hats. For more information, call 925-513-4700 or visit www.littlemisseverything.com.

HIV Counseling and TestingContra Costa Health Services Mobile HIV services clinic will be at the Salvation Army parking lot, 20 W. 10th St. in Antioch, on Wednesdays from 2-3:30 p.m. For information, call 925-313-6771 or visit www.cchealth.org.

Delta Squares Square Dance ClubThe Delta Squares meet Wednesdays at 7-9:30 p.m. in the Laurel Elementary School multi-pur-pose room, 1141 Laurel Road in Oakley. For more information call 925-217-2255 or visit www.deltasquares.com.

CALENDAR E-mail calendar listings to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. Post your events anytime at www.thepress.net.

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