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4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Locals helping to feed Haitians

According to the World Health Organi-zation, someone on the planet dies of hunger every 3.6 seconds. And each year, 15 million of those are children.

Can you imagine? said Brentwood res-ident Deborah Melander. My little girl cant believe that kids can actually die because they dont have enough food. She cant believe its even possible.

But the sobering statistics say otherwise. Yet through the efforts of national organiza-tions such as Kids Against Hunger (KAH), Melander and others are working to make the possible, impossible.

KAH is a food-aid organization whose mission is to feed starving children in the United States and abroad. The group oper-ates approximately 80 satellite food-packing sites throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This month, Melander along with Sherri Leal, organizer of the KAH Pleasanton chapter plans to package and ship 50,000 of the nonprofi t organizations pre-made meals to the children of Haiti. And theyre inviting the public to help.

For a $25 donation, participants can sign up to pack 100 meals, or they can drop by and pack one bag of food for $1.50. The meals are dehydrated vitamin-fortifi ed soy-rice cas-seroles that cook up in boiling water and con-tain a days worth of protein.

This is a really cool program, and its

something that is very doable for our kids lo-cally, said Melander, who also organizes the local Treasure Box program that sells name-brand boxes of food at discount rates. Kids can come in and bring us their quarters and box up and decorate a package themselves. Its something they can see the benefi t of right away, and that makes them feel really good.

The food packets are scheduled to be delivered to Haiti at the end of March via Project Handclasp a U.S. Navy program that transports educational, humanitarian and goodwill material donated by Americas private sector aboard Navy ships.

Im so excited about this Brentwood proj-ect, said Leal, who has packaged KAH items for children in Mexico, Africa and the Philip-pines. Were concentrating on Haiti right now because the need is so great, but also because the Navy has boots there on the ground to

make sure the packages are delivered and dont sit on the loading docks. We have people there to make sure it gets hand delivered.

Those interested in participating in the two-day packing project are encouraged to bring their friends, family, coworkers, Scout troop, school friends or anyone they feel might want to help. The Brentwood packing event will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Towne Center Plaza, 1185 Second St., Suite H.

To sign up or learn more about the event, call Juanita Brownell at 925-634-6050 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about the Kids Against Hunger program, call Sherri Leal at 925-400-7201 or e-mail [email protected]. To donate online, go to www.kidsagain-sthungerpleasanton.org.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

The Kids Against Hunger organization will send 50,000 meals to Haiti later this month.

Photo courtesy of Kids Against Hunger

If you know of an East County se-nior a family member, neighbor or fel-low church member who could use a friend, youre encouraged to refer them to the Friendly Visitors program.

Loneliness and isolation can impact nutrition, independence and over-all health, and accelarate the aging process. The Friendly Visitor Program was created to support the aging community and pro-vide vital companionship in the form of one-hour weekly in-home visits. Friendly Visitors are dependable and caring volun-teers who project a positive spirit. Theyre screened, trained and matched with se-niors who share similar interests.

The Friendly Visitors Program is operated through Meals on Wheels by Senior Outreach Services, a private, non-profi t agency supporting seniors in Contra Costa County since 1968. To learn more about the Friendly Visitors Program, call Susannah Meyer at 925-937-8311, ext. 130, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.mowsos.org.

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Rick Lemyre and Desty Shoemaker, above, were saluted last week for eight years at the helm of the Brentwood Diversity Commit-tee (BDC). The BDCs mission is to foster community harmony and celebrate cultural variety. The two recently stepped down from their leadership roles in the group Lemyre has been the BDC chair and Shoe-maker its secretary since it was founded in 2002. Gloria Hartsough will now chair the group, which meets on the rst Thursday of the month in Brentwood. For more information, call 925-484-4860.

Changes at BDC

Photo by Richard Wisdom

MJ tribute helps RelayTake a trip with Foreverland on Satur-

day, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. in Antiochs El Cam-panil Theatre to raise money for this years Brentwood Relay For Life.

Based in San Francisco, the 14-piece ensemble was formed in March of 2009 to honor Jacksons musical genius and legend-ary showmanship. Rather than be limited by an MJ impersonator and pre-recorded back-ing tracks, the bands unique approach is to celebrate the larger-than-life performances, imagination and infectious spirit of this leg-endary artist.

All proceeds benefi t the American Cancer Societys Relay For Life, a world-wide event that celebrates the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fi ght back against the

disease. Relay teams camp out at a local high school, park or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team puts a representative on the track at all times. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length. Brentwoods event will be held in June.

Tickets are $40 for preferred seating; $30 for adults and $25 for seniors (62 and older) and youth (17 and under). Tickets may be purchased in advance at the El Campanil ticket offi ce, 604 W. Second St. in Antioch, next door to the theater. The offi ce is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and one hour before showtime. Tickets are also available by phone at 925-757-9500 or online at www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

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Photo courtesy of El Campinil Theatre

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 7A

Advertisement

FORECLOSURES TO PEAK THIS YEAR?Once again, Ive heard on good

authority that the banks are about to release a whole bunch of foreclosed prop-erties on the market. The problem is, Ive had this same report from the same source the last two years, and the huge tsunami of REO properties never materialized. So Im starting to doubt my source... I dont doubt that they believe they are telling me the truth. Its just that there are too many fac-tors at work here, all the way up to the very highest levels of government. But its not just my source, Im reading this in all kinds of real estate reports, that the pressure is building, and they are really going to do it this year, so get ready!

This is quite a bit like the story of the boy who cried Wolf! and the townspeople tuned him out. But there is something criti-cally important about that story that people tend to forget--at the end of the story, the wolf DOES show up!

Delinquencies remain stubbornly high. Loan mod programs are still only

marginally successful, and the fall-out rate is still quite high. Unemployment is still high, and house prices havent bounced back to their prior levels. There is no easy answer to our real estate mess. Either the banks are going to continue to delay fore-closures when they can, hoping things get better. Meanwhile they are papering over their losses with the government know-ingly looking the other way. Or they will go ahead and start foreclosing in masse, which will tank the market further. Neither option is a great one. My guess is they will fore-close on a certain percentage of their most seriously delinquent loans, and then keep kicking the can down the road on the rest. Welcome to the muddle-through real estate market for the next few years.

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

Thursday, March 3, 20116:00 8:00 pm

Prewett Family Park & Community Center 4701 Lone Tree Way Antioch, CA 94509

Public Workshop Announcement

For more information about the public workshop or to RSVP, please contact Christine Lim at 415-391-7900, [email protected] or visit

www.ebparks.org/planning#contraloma. For more information about the RMPprocess, please contact Sheryl Carter at 559-487-5299, [email protected].

As workshop participants, you will have the opportunity to:

Learn about the process and timeline for Contra Loma planning and environmental review

Understand how community input has helped inform the process to date Provide input on possible future actions and how they relate to uses,

including recreation Identify additional opportunities for improving resource management and

recreational experiences at Contra Loma

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is preparing a Resource Management Plan (RMP) to guide future management of the Contra Loma Reser-voir and Recreation Area (Contra Loma), which includes Contra Loma Regional Park and Antioch Community Park. The March 3 workshop is another chance to help guide the future management of recreational uses and natural, cultural, and water resources at Contra Loma.

The continued success of Contra Loma management depends on your involvement. Attend the workshop to share your thoughts and ideas!

Antioch Riverview Garden Clubs pick for Garden of the Month is the Victory Highway Cactus Garden located at the entrance to the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds. Dedicated May 31, 1926, the memorial commemorates servicemen and women lost during World War I. Members of the garden club later planted and continue to main-tain the cactus garden surrounding the memorial. Monthly garden club meetings are held the rst Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Antioch Public Library.

Magnificent memorial

8A | THEPRESS.NET OUTDOORS FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Old dogs enter golden years of rusty gearsJDs about to turn 12. His hardcore

hiking days are nearly done. It wont be long before his old bones cant take the pounding, before he feels an unfamiliar twinge in those Jack Russell sinews signaling the end of his time on the trail.

If its any consolation, my old friend, Im headed in the same direction.

I dont take JD out for the companionship; Ive been hiking solo all my life. Fact is, his need for water breaks and sniffi ng excursions slows me down. On hot days hell drag me over to a shady spot

and sprawl for a couple minutes, his tongue protruding past his canines like a lurid pink gangplank.

I dont take him for the primal vibe. Were the urge to grab a spear and take a domesticated hunting companion out to catch the scent of a saber-toothed tiger in my mental cards, the jangling of tags on JDs collar would tend to dispel the reverie.

I take him because he loves going anywhere.

Time was when JDd scramble out of the car at the trailhead, clamp the leash with his teeth, shake it till his head nearly popped off, and scamper away with a growl and a grin. I was happy to indulge his Alpha philosophy: Life is like a dogsled team. If you aint in the lead, the scenery never changes.

But when I took him to Mt. Diablo last week, he exited the vehicle like a former Olympic gymnast from the Rome games in 60. He stuck the landing with remarkable grace for his age but didnt earn any medals. He hit the trailhead at a trot, not the reckless gallop of his prime.

Secretariat put out to pasture.We hopped off-trail and trudged up a

formation I call Meteor Hill. A few years ago hed give me that are we there yet? look after three miles. Now its a mile. The fi rst hint hes done for the day: he falls behind. Oh, he can keep up; hes simply

suggesting a different direction back. I stop to savor the scenery and he starts retracing our steps. Then his tether runs out. Sorry, Jack. Your pack leader isnt ready to pack it in just yet.

One reason I choose off-trail routes is JDs paws. Make that four reasons. Like

the tread on old tires, his pads are wearing down. Grass goes easier on those aging tootsies than the hard dirt of the trail. Even a few years ago, when it became clear on our descent from Eagle Peak that his feet were killing him, I portaged him over the rocky passages like a kayak over sandbars and gave thanks he wasnt a 70-pound Lab. Now, as the canine equivalent of me at 80, hed be hard-pressed pull off Eagle Peak in the fi rst place.

Once upon a time, a hike with the hound required extra vigilance. A ground squirrel would scurry across the trail and JDd be after him like a heat-seeking missile. Hed also be a handful when wed run across another dog straining at the leash, ignoring my reasoned directives. It was hard to blame him. Were I the domesticated minion of a more intelligent being (and what married man isnt?) and spotted another human on the trail, Id go bonkers, too.

But now JDs as mellow as Grandpa out for a round of golf. I watch his ears fl op merrily along and feel a pang of sadness. Since the fi rst canine was domesticated some 14,000 years ago, our dogs have become so intricately intertwined with us that theyve lost their beasthood. Condemned to the limbo between their ancestors and their tamers, they cant fend for themselves in the wild; cant open a can of Alpo.

And yet something about JD strikes the wild chord. One does not meet oneself until one catches the refl ection from an eye other than human, wrote Loren Eiseley. My old hound might lack the wariness of the coyote and the lethality of the cougar. He might lack the self-suffi ciency of every creature giving us a wide berth in the wild places. He might lack the jauntiness of his youth. What he

JD catches a breather atop Meteor Hill overlooking Mt. Diablos Donner Canyon.

Photo by Ger Erickson

see Outside page 9A

TAKE ITOUTSIDE

GERERICKSON

He doesnt know martial arts or star in major motion pictures, but Jacket Chan has fans at Adams Middle School.

In an effort to boost school spirit, the video productions class sponsored a name-the-mascot contest earlier this month, inviting students to chime in with suggestions for the mascots new name. A list of potential names was narrowed down to fi ve choices, which included Buzz and Sting also appropriate names for the Adams yellowjacket, and the student body voted during their morning advisory class. Jacket Chan is an Adams Middle School take on Jackie Chan, the actor known for movies such as Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon and the 2010 update of The Karate Kid.

The whole idea began when the video productions class decided to run a spot-the-mascot contest during the morning announcements broadcast as a way to en-courage students to pay attention to im-portant reminders. As part of the contest, the yellowjacket is hidden somewhere on screen and classes are asked to call in once they spot it. The contest was unanimously supported by the video productions class, which produces the morning announce-ments, but the contest also raised ques-tions: who is this mascot, anyway?

The students wanted to know if the yellowjacket had a name, said Produc-tions Advisor Patrick Rockenbaugh. I didnt know if the mascot had a name, so I asked around, but no one seemed to know. So I went to Leadership Advisor Laura Bascom and she told me the mas-cot was named Buzz.

The students thought they could come up with a name with more person-ality, so we started the contest, and they chose Jacket Chan. It won by a margin

of about 60 percent. The students really liked that one. Sting was also popular, but it didnt stand a chance.

Adams eighth-grader Nicole Loeffl er spearheaded the project. Were trying to do a lot of new things with the morn-ing announcements so that students will watch the show. We thought the name-the-mascot contest would be fun. The students voted in their advisory classes and now our mascot is Jacket Chan. Its a really unique name.

Through the mascot-naming process, students were able to interact with the show, and Loeffl er hopes that more stu-

dents will be inclined to watch the show each morning instead of daydreaming and missing out on campus news.

But Jacket Chans reign is uncertain. Rockenbaugh is suggesting that every three years, a new name is picked by the next group of students that pass through Adams, allowing each group to customize its own school spirit.

Principal Scott Vernoy said he accepts the students decision to name the mascot Jacket Chan. It was students choice. Its not the name I would have gone with, but theres nothing wrong with that.


FEBRUARY 18, 2011 EDUCTAION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

radiates in abundance is abandonment to the moment, total immersion in every sight, sound and scent in that realm I visit, at times, in a haze of human awareness that my tether is running out, too.

I watch him bob and weave up the trail, head down, and wonder what scents hes catching. Boasting 25 times my olfactory receptors, he could teach me a thing or two about East County ecosystems. Suddenly he stops, cocks his head and lifts a paw. He doesnt seem to be looking anywhere; just listening. His auditory reach extends to 45,000 Hz; mine to 23,000 at best.

In some ways in the most meaningful ways hell always be a better hiker than his master.

Maybe thats why, when I fi rst pull out the leash and utter the incantatory outside, he still whines, yaps and whirls like a dervish. He has no vision of the ordeal ahead; no grasp of his mortality. His imagination extends to memories of sights, sounds and scents and days in the sun with another old dog.


Outside from page 8A

Jacket Chan buzzes into Adamsby Samie Hartley

Staff Writer

CHAN

10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION FEBRUARY 18, 2011

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Student art headed for Washington, D.C.

High school students with a flair for creating art are invited to submit their work to Congressman McNer-ney, who represents Californias 11th District (including Brentwood and Discovery Bay) for entry in the na-tional 2011 Congressional Art Com-petition. The winners work will be displayed in the halls of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I encourage high school students from throughout the 11th District to participate in this years Congressio-nal Art Competition, said McNerney. Each time I walk to the Capitol, I pass by the collection of student art-work, and Im always impressed by the level of talent and quality of work. Im looking forward to seeing this years entries.

The grand-prize winner from the 11th District will be flown with a guest to Washington D.C. to attend an awards ceremony in June. The sec-ond-, third- and fourth-place winners work will be displayed in one of Con-gressman McNerneys three offices, located in Washington, Stockton and Pleasanton.

Artwork must be two-dimensional and weigh no more than 15 pounds.

Each piece can be no larger than 28 inches high, 28 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, including the frame. Ac-ceptable media for artwork includes paintings (oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.); drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers); col-lages; prints (lithographs, silkscreen, block prints); mixed media (use of more than two medias such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.); computer-gen-erated art; and photography.

A panel of judges will select the winning entries and their decision will be announced at a special ceremony and exhibit to be held at Tracys Grand Theatre Center for the Arts.

The contest is open to all high school students who reside in the 11th District. Artwork is due by April 22 and can be submitted at either of Congressman McNerneys district of-fices: 2222 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 7 in Stockton or 5776 Stoneridge Mall Road, Suite 175 in Pleasanton.

Students and teachers interested in the Congressional Art Competition should call Cheri Clasen at McNer-neys Pleasanton office at 925-737-0727 for further guidelines and infor-mation.

At Vintage Parkways recent spelling bee, the winning word was variegated. The top competitors, from left, are rst-place win-ner Ethan Dike, second-place winner Marina Miles and third-place winner Marissa Melton. Ethan will go on to represent Vintage Parkway in the Contra Costa Countys Scripps Spelling Bee at the end of March.

Variegated at Vintage

Photo by Lee Ann Dike

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 THEPRESS.NET | 11A

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12A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 18, 2011

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

AwardWinning 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

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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

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Editorial e-mail [email protected]

New perspective on Citizen of the YearI had written about Brentwood

Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year every year for 15 straight years, but it all came to a screeching halt after Gene Clare in 2009. Gene, like those who preceded him, was easy to write about because of the man he is. He was

actually even easier than most because he fell off his roof just before his selec-tion and got picked anyway.

But then, in 2010, they picked me. There was plenty to write about, from the fact that I was humbled by the high-est honor Id ever re-

ceived, to the fabulous dinner in January with family and friends, to the fact that my dad left his convertibles top down as he conveyed me through The Streets of Brentwood in a rain-drenched parade in November. I just couldnt write about myself, but I fi gured thatd be OK.

But when it came time to write about this years selection, Jeff Schults, a man I greatly respect and whom I

had nominated, the words still wouldnt come.

Maybe it was my new perspective, having been named to that assemblage of do-gooders myself. It also might have been due to my linear thinking: Its tough to go to work on Chapter 17 when Chapter 16 was never written.

I met Jeff about a decade ago, around the time he retired and threw himself full-time into helping other people. I still know relatively little about his career, his family or even his pas-sion for snow skiing I mostly know him as a stalwart community supporter who can always be counted on. Over and over and over again, he has been a go-to guy for me and virtually any other charitable effort he found out about.

Since meeting him, and after work-ing with him on countless projects, Ive come to think of Jeff as a steady-as-she-goes kind of guy, one Ive never seen rush around but who still somehow manages to show up everywhere. His round, beaming face and constant man-tra of Its all good, dude have defused more than one tense situation, and made him one of the guys about which people say things like Oh, good Jeff

is here when they see him coming.Jeff doesnt just make life easier for

those who benefi t from his good works; he makes it easier for people whom he works with performing those works. Of course, hes also a valuable volunteer to have around because he drives a pickup truck, although hes more often seen riding that little three-wheeled thing of

his. But no matter how he gets there, he always gets there.

Like every Citizen of the Year, Jeff deserves a hearty pat on the back for what hes done Relay For Life, PAL, the Liberty Ed Foundation, Brentwood Regional Community Chest, Rotary, Kiwanis and plenty more. Hes made a tremendous impact on the organiza-tions hes worked with as well as their benefi ciaries, and its pretty clear things just wouldnt be the same around here without him.

So thank you, Jeff, for your work and your leadership and for pitching in whenever youre asked. Im proud to call you my friend and be part of a community that places a high value on the things a Citizen of the Year does. Youve been reliable, inspirational, help-ful, fun and fl exible (except, perhaps, in the occasional opinion). Youve done a lot of things for a lot of people, but Im willing to bet that overcoming writers block is not one of the things youve helped someone with before, but now you have.

And you didnt even fall off a roof to do it.


ONDEADLINE

RICKLEMYRE JEFF SCHULTS

2011 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

LETTERS TO THE EDITORBasketfuls of thanks

Editor:On behalf of the board of directors

of the Brentwood Regional Community Chest, we would like to take the oppor-tunity to thank all of the local residents who helped make the 2010 Community Chest Holiday Food Basket and Gift distribution another hugely successful event. This year, as in the past few, we have seen the needs of the community grow. Every year the growth in commu-nity support is proven out by the num-

ber of residents that make the Friday night packaging event and the Saturday basket distribution a Family Event.

For members of the board, the payback for the efforts is achieved by simply watching parents and their chil-dren (of all ages) help in the bagging of gifts and food for those less fortunate. You all contribute to the success of this program thank you! We both need and greatly appreciate your efforts.

To the members of the Brentwood Rotary Club: thank you for braving the pre-dawn hours to prepare and serve a warm breakfast to both those waiting

in line, and the volunteers. You do truly represent your motto of Service Above Self.

To all of the local businesses, employees and owners who contribute selfl essly to the cause by both time and donations, thank you!

To Offi cer Roger Wilson and the Brentwood Police Explorer Post: thank you for making the event effi cient and safe.

We would like to specifi cally acknowledge both Winco Foods for its continued contribution to the cause in both food and staff time in loading the

large trucks on Saturday morning, and the merchants and management of The Streets of Brentwood. This year, the merchants of The Streets of Brentwood contributed several thousand dollars to the cause. Collectively, they have shown their dedication to our commu-nity. A special thanks to Tracey Nobil for spearheading those efforts at the Streets.

We will see you again next holiday season.

Kevin KingCo-president

Brentwood Regional Community Chest

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall181 Sand Creek Road, Suite LBrentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-516-5440www.ci.brentwood.ca.us

City of Antioch City Manager and City Council City HallThird and H streetsAntioch, CA 94509Phone: 925-779-7000www.ci.antioch.ca.us

City of Oakley City Manager and City Council City Hall3231 Main St.Oakley, CA 94561Phone: 925-625-7000www.ci.oakley.ca.us

Town of Discovery BayTown Manager and Community Services District 1800 Willow Lake RoadDiscovery Bay, CA 94505Phone: 925-634-1131www.todb.ca.gov

County Supervisor, Dist. III Mary N. Piepho181 Sand Creek Road, Suite L.Brentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-240-7260 [email protected]

County Supervisor, Dist. VFederal Glover315 E. Leland Ave.Pittsburg, CA 94565Phone: [email protected]

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Carl CantwellAug. 15, 1935-Jan. 22, 2011

B r e n t -wood resi-dent Carl C a n t w e l l went home to the Lord after several months of bodily weak-ness, which he faced with a powerful spirit of love and confi dence in his Savior. His testament to the grace of God touched and enriched many, both through the way he lived his life and the way he faced his death.

Carl was born in Billings, Mont. and moved with his family to Oakland while he was a toddler. He graduated from Oaklands Fremont High School and Laney College with a diploma in photography. Carl worked for 20 years as a camera expert and later for Alameda County as a draftsman. He has lived for 20 years in Contra Costa County.

Carl was an active volunteer in many and varied Brentwood activities such as a trained peer counselor for Brentwood Delta Commu-nity Services, Inc., serving others at Brentwood Senior Center, and was on the resident councils at Sycamore Gardens and Eskaton Lodge. He organized activities at Neighborhood Church and was active in classes at the Brentwood Church of Christ, where he was a member for the last fi ve years. Carl was devoted to fi nding his Lord for more than 50 years. He is survived by one daughter and many friends.

Graveside services were held Feb. 16 at Union Cemetery in Brentwood. Friends are also invited to a Celebration of Remembrance on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. in Eskaton Lodge, 450 John Muir Parkway in Brentwood.

In lieu of fl owers, donations can be made to Carls favorite charity, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Mem-phis, TN 38105 or at www.stjude.org.

Charles Richard Pa CudneyCharles Richard Pa Cudney was

born on Sept. 17, 1931 in Flint, Mich. He left us on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010.

A longtime Oakley resident, Charles retired as a senior b u i l d i n g i n s p e c t o r from Con-tra Costa County in 1995 and r e l o c a t e d to King-man, where he has lived the past 16 years. Charles was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, where he served as a cryptographer during the Korean Con-fl ict and the Vietnam War. He received the Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, and Good Conduct and Sharpshooters medals. Pa was an avid fi sherman and outdoorsman. He was a longtime mem-ber of the Kingman Bass Club and a site steward for the Bureau of Land Manage-ment.

Charles is survived by his brother, Robert Cudney, and wife, Dorothy; sister, Marge Uric of Michigan; his wife of 49 years, Carol; his sons, Russell (Mary) of Oakley, Michael (April) of Arizona and Loren of Antioch; his daughter, Cari Lynn Leary (John) of North Carolina; and the pride of his life, his 13 grandchil-dren. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, George and Maxine Cudney; his brother Loren, and sister Jean.

Walter E. FitzgeraldMay 14, 1940-Feb. 6, 2011

Born in Pocahontas, Iowa, Walter passed away peacefully in his Brentwood home as a result of a heart-related illness. He was 70. Walter was a retired Contra Costa County deputy sheriff.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Lorie and Ed Fitzger-ald, and b r o t h e r s Ray m o n d and John Fitzgerald.

H i s son, Doug-las, and d a u g h -ter-in-law, Mona of C o n c o r d ; d a u g h t e r, S a n d r a , and son-in-law, John Sawatzky of Brent-wood; grandsons, Randal and Shawn Mori; brothers, Glenn, Russell and Rob-ert; sisters, Lois Stewart, Marjorie Ban-croft, Roberta Carbaugh and Phoebe Williamson, will always love him and miss him greatly.

Walter served his country in the U.S. Army and Navy as a communications and radar technician. He spent many years as a reserve police offi cer until becoming a full-time Contra Costa County deputy sheriff in 1967. He received many awards during his 26 years of service, including Deputy of the Year in 1992. Walter was well respected both on and off duty.

Walt cherished his family, friends and life. He was happiest enjoying the company of family and friends and play-ing poker while 10-7OD.

A Life Celebration with family and friends will be held at his daughters

home, 830 Camino Diablo in Brent-wood, on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. In lieu of fl owers, donations may be sent to the American Heart Association, 100 Montgomery St., #1650, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Scott D. WrightJune 16, 1960-Jan. 25, 2011

L o n g -time An-tioch resi-dent Scott D. Wright passed away on Jan. 25 after losing his battle with lung cancer. He was born on June 16, 1960 in Portland, Ore. He enjoyed fi shing, working on cars and was a Raiders fan. He worked for Montgomery Roofi ng for many years.

Scott is survived by his mother, Jan-ice Rudolph; and was predeceased by his father, Gary Wright. He is also survived by his children: Scotty, Cassie, Chad and Nathan Wright; brother Steve Wright; sisters: Peggy Toomer, Michelle Alexan-der and Theresa Bradshaw; one grand-child, four nieces and three nephews; and longtime girlfriend, Sue Peterson.

A memorial will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. at Delta Hawaii Club-house, 875 Stoneman Ave. in Pittsburg.

14A | THEPRESS.NET MILESTONES FEBRUARY 18, 2011

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OBITUARIES

Examples of a milestone could be: A new baby, A 100th birthday, Engagement/Wedding, Signifi cant Anniversary, Awards Won, Military Achievements or a Hole-In-One.

Have you or someone you know recently reached a milestone? If so, wed like to know about it!

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MilestonesMilestones


Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

100% Financing Still AvailableUSDA Home Loans

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Th is previous weekend interesting weather and all I headed out on the infamous Delta for the fourth time in my entire life. Aft er each adventure, aft er we dock the boat for the day and Im driving home, I always think to myself, there is so much untapped land throughout this area. Certain pockets of the Deltas canals are legally zoned as rural areas, and as such allow for special fi nancing off ers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Th ese loans, known as USDA Home Loans, are very unique in that they are one of the only remaining ways to obtain 100% fi nancing thats right, there is no down payment required. In theory, the government is allowing for the foundation in which this nation was built to stay alive. By off ering low to moderate income families the ability to purchase new (constructed within the last 12 months), or existing (constructed more than 12 months ago) homes in cities that have a population of no more than 10,000, the spirit of the mid 1800s is truly still alive. Certain areas with a population up to 25,000 can still be consideredeach USDA Home Loan is run through the nationwide to system to see ensure the property is eligible. Either way, our local areas such as

Knightsen, Bethel Island, and even parts of Discovery Bay are very much able to participate in this federally insured program.

For this program, you dont need to be a fi rst time home buyer you just need to be a low- to moderate-income buyer. If your annual income is less than $95,000 for a family of 1-4 people, or less than $125,400 for a family of more than 4 people, you may be able to take advantage of this 100% fi nancing program.

Mark Twain and Will Rogers alike shared a sentiment. As Twain stated, Buy land, theyre not making it anymore. Our current fi nancial markets are in turmoil and constantly looking to rebound, however one thing is for sure, the value of land will rebound. With the Federal Government truly off ering no money out of pocket purchasing, now could very well be the best time since Mark Twains death in 1910 to purchase a home!

If you have any real estate lending related questions or concerns, dont hesitate to write me at [email protected] or call me directly on my cell phone, (925) 726-1444. Im here to help in any way that I can and I will be available throughout the weekend!

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that need a few extra hands.People are contacting me for ap-

plications or theyve had trouble reach-ing someone at the police station because they have limited hours, Gougeon said. It seems like Ive kind of been the go-between in making those connections, which is really, really good.

Many of the residents who attended that TBA forum went to the revitalized Saturday cleanup the next day, picking up trash at Meadow Creek Park. Antioch resident Alan Bayson, on his 49th birth-day, surprised his family, who thought he was taking them out to breakfast, by contributing to the volunteer effort at the cleanup.

Ive always been reading the police bulletins and it happened to fall on my birthday, so I was excited to surprise my family and not tell them till the very last minute what we were going to do, said Bayson, a fi ve-year resident of Antioch. They enjoyed it; they had a good time.

One of the residents who helped bring the fi rst Saturday clean up back

from the budget cutting board, Dennis Jeglum, also heads up the Graffi ti Abate-ment Program (GAP). Jeglum, a retired offi cer, drives through Antioch cleaning up the tagging, but his help is dwindling.

Jeglum said that last year, 13 people went through the four-hour GAP semi-nar, but there are only three volunteers today, not counting him and City Coun-cilman Gary Agopian. The program runs entirely on donations.

When we see graffi ti, we stop and paint it up immediately, Jeglum said. By getting more volunteers, our goal is to put that truck out eight hours a day, four days a week.

Thanks to the recent surge in volun-teerism, more than 10 people have signed up for this years orientation, to be held Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. People can also sign up to participate in GAP through the citys website.

Jeglum is also manning Keep An-tioch Beautiful day, a citywide cleanup scheduled for April 23.


Volunteers from page 3A

OAKLEYOAKLEYPRESS

2 02010

SELL IT IN THECLASSIFIEDS

PEOPLE READ THESE EVERY WEEK!Call Sue Hanson at

(925) 634-1441 ext. 142Deadline to submit for each week is Monday at 3p.m.

18A | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH & BEAUTY FEBRUARY 18, 2011

22 000002010

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D MEDALAWARD

by Marla Luckhardt

Its the middle of the night and Im enjoying an en-tertaining Technicolor dream. My dream takes an ugly turn, however, when I feel what Im dreaming: a harsh pain shooting through my foot and leg. I wake up to fi nd this is no dream, and bound out of bed and walk the fl oor, whispering ow ow ow ow ow .

I try walking off the spasms while not awakening my snoring husband. Just when I believe the pain has subsided and I get back under the blankets, the twinge starts again and up I go. In the morning and with bloodshot eyes, I researched the cause of these awful cramps and how to stop them before they ruin a per-fectly good dream sequence and crucial night of sleep.

Muscle cramps are sudden and uncontrolled mus-cular contractions that usually start in the legs; most often in muscles that cross in the calf, foot and ham-string. They strike most often at night, causing that awful disruption of sleep. Factors that contribute to muscle cramps are dehydration, excess weight, electro-lyte imbalances, muscle fatigue and medications such as statins. Changing shoe heel levels and starting a new exercise regimen can also trigger leg cramps.

There doesnt seem to be a cure for all muscle cramps, but proper hydration, regular stretching and gradual buildup to an exercise regiment will help. Ask your doctor before you begin any exercise program. As for hydration: water is life, the body needs it to survive, and the muscles are no exception.

If you get one of those cramps, and jumping out of bed isnt an option, rub, stretch and massage the cramped muscle gently with your hands and fi ngers.

Usually the cramp is short lived and goes away after a minute or two. If it you dont get relief, a hot shower or warm bath can help. I usually walk it off but I still hate getting out of that warm bed!

Leg cramps are rare but if you experience recur-ring problems with them, ask your doctor for an evalu-ation, including your electrolyte and potassium levels. Your doctor might be able to prescribe a muscle-relax-ing medication based on your medical history and your current medicine intake.

I, for one, have mastered the Cramp Cha Cha. One, two, ow ow ow.

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 [email protected].

Those annoying leg crampsDuring the winter months, when our homes

are heated with dry air, its important to keep our nasal passages moist. An easy way to do this is to sniff a salt solution into both sides of the nose two to four times a day.

To prepare a solution of proper strength, add teaspoon of table salt to a cup of warm water and stir it until all the salt is dissolved. Sniff some from a spoon or other small contain-er into each nostril. You can also buy prepared nasal saline products such as Ocean, Simply Sa-line or generic equivalents from drug stores.

Such solutions can be used to wash away mucus from the membranous lining of the na-sal passages and shrink swollen nasal passag-es. Mucus and swollen membranes can block openings of the sinuses into the nasal passages. Sinusitis will then occur if nasal bacteria infect the mucus, which can no longer drain from the blocked sinus. Treatment of sinusitis (rather than its prevention) often requires the use of antibiotics.

Since research suggests that nasal saline irrigation does not significantly reduce the in-cidence of colds, some doctors are not enthu-siastic about the treatment. But dont confuse colds with sinusitis. Viruses cause colds, while sinusitis is a bacterial-induced complication for some colds. Irrigation of the nasal passages with saline cannot kill viruses or bacteria, but it does help reduce the incidence of sinusitis in people with a tendency to develop this com-mon complication of colds.

For more information, call Dr. Dikran De-ragopian at 925-513-0100.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2011 FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT THEPRESS.NET | 19A

22 000002010

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DMEDALAWARD

Kabeezy comes to CapsStand up comic Kabeezy will be per-

forming at Caps Oak Street Bar & Grill, 144 Oak St. in Brentwood, Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m.

Kabeezy is the 2009 winner of the Rooster T Bay Area Stand Up Comedy Competition and the 2010 San Jose Im-prov competition winner, besting more than 160 competitors. The Portland, Ore. native has opened for such well-known comics as Jay Mohr, Damon Wayans, Jr., Dat Phan, Bill Burr an Bobby Slayton.

Tickets for the event are $15. For res-ervations, call 925-634-1025.

The Heritage High School Rising Stars present the classic musical The Scarlet Pimpernel at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, and March 3 and 4; and at 2 p.m. on March 5.

The story in set in the time of the French Revolution, when a mysterious English nobleman known only as The Scarlet Pimpernel snatches French aristo-crats from the jaws of the guillotine. Pos-ing in public as the foppish and decadent

Sir Percy Blakeney, the Pimpernel is part of an underground effort to free victims from Robespierres Reign of Terror. Percy falls for and marries the beautiful actress Marguerite St. Just whom the audience suspects might be a French spy and lead our hero to his doom.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students. The Heritage High School The-ater box offi ce opens 30 minutes prior to each performance.

Pimpernel to steal the show

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22A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS FEBRUARY 18, 2011

The Panthers (14-11, 7-2 BVAL) were issued two technical fouls in the fi nal two quarters and allowed the Lions to creep back into a game that looked over by half-time, when Antioch held a 33-18 lead. The Panthers stormed to a 22-4 advantage in the fi rst quarter, but fought to keep Liberty at arms length later in the game. In the end, Antiochs senior leadership (all but two players are fourth-year athletes) and athleti-cism meant the difference.

It got heated, but I just like to keep calm and collected and tell my teammates to do the same thing, said senior guard Aris Morton. We came out with a W and thats all that matters.

Morton led the Panthers with 19 points. Fellow senior guard Jamaal Davis netted nine; senior guard Namuji Madoshi fi nished with eight points.

Woolery, who was often animated Tuesday night on his side of the bench, said it was diffi cult trying to keep his players un-der control when the game grew tense.

Our whole thing all year is just lack of discipline, Woolery said. I think if we play how we should play, like the fi rst few minutes of the game, then were fi ne. But we

just have those lapses and we lose concentra-tion.

The Lions (11-14, 2-7 BVAL) were able to come back, trimming the margin to as little as nine, but could never quite turn the corner. Liberty was paced by sophomore guard Brandon White, who posted a game-high 20 points. Senior guard Matt Sisneros, playing in his fi nal game on the Lions home court, fi nished with eight.

Sisneros was one of three Liberty play-ers along with Cole Tom and Jordan Oli-ver honored before the game as part of senior night.

That was like an away game for us, Sisneros said. It kind of motivates me be-cause I like that. Thats what basketballs all about to me just those crazy games and the energy in the gym.

Antioch hosts Freedom on Friday night; the Lions travel to Deer Valley to fi n-ish the season.

Liberty came out with a win in the ju-nior varsity game, easily taking care of An-tioch 57-28. Junior Basmagian led the Lions with 12 points; Antiochs Eddie Johnson scored a team-high seven.

For video highlights, visit www.thepress.net.

Victorious from page 21A

NCS team, the second was a 4-2 loss at the hands of Newark Memorial, which is seeded just ahead of Deer Valley.

Within a few weeks, several Wolver-ine players will sign their letters of intent to play in college next year. Despite be-

ing a senior-laden team, the Wolverines departing seniors feel that the team will be left in good hands: a good coach in Howliston and a strong group of under-classmen and junior varsity players.

I think its left with a solid skeleton, said Ortlieb. I dont know who will fi ll in

where, but with that strong skeleton, I see them getting back to NCS.

The Wolverines began their play-off run at home against Richmond on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Should they keep winning, the No. 3 seed guarantees them at least two home games.

The way were playing, I think we have a good chance at winning and mov-ing on, said Howliston, who has coached at Deer Valley since 2006. But you never know. Its all a lottery; its like a new sea-son is just starting.


Title from page 21A

Antioch senior guard Namuji Madoshi goes for a layup against Liberty on Tuesday night.

Photo by Angelo Garcia, Jr.

FEBRUARY 18, 2011 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 23A

THE PRESS THE PRESS ATHLETE OF THE ATHLETE OF THE WEEKWEEK

If youd like to nominate someone for athlete of the week, Call Justin at 634-1441, ext.138

Michelle LopezAntioch High alumna Michelle Lopez recently earned the 2010 Scholar Female Athlete Award from the California Community College Athletic Association. Lopez played soccer for the Panthers, graduated from Los Medanos College and now attends California State University, Long Beach.

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said. To place third like that is really excep-tional. She lost in overtime to the girl that won it, so she was right there.

Diaz has always been an athletic girl. She played basketball for Liberty for a while, but she didnt feel as motivated playing for a team. Individual sports such as wrestling and boxing put the focus, the blame and the responsibility all on the competitor some-thing she craves.

Diaz has always been drawn to contact sports. LA Boxing had me fi t for this, so I didnt come in weak I had strength, Diaz said. I love physical activities. Im OK at team sports, but I do a lot better with indi-vidual sports. You can blame only yourself.

As a boxer, shes earned high praise and respect from those at LA Boxing. The owner of the gym, Joseph Garcia, said the team only started about eight months ago, but Diaz has stepped up to lead. The team fi elds about 15 boxers from ages 5 to 30, who compete in exhibition matches against other local gyms.

Shes one of our strongest boxers right now, as far as determination and her fi ghting skills, Garcia said. She was not afraid to go in and engage at fi rst. Now shes a smart fi ghter.

It was Kristinas younger sister, Nicole, who actually convinced her to step onto the mat. A seventh-grader and wrestler at Edna Hill Middle School, Nicole attended a girls wrestling camp a few months ago. Kristina watched her sister compete and started to wonder how shed fare as a grappler.

Kristina started off as a novice wres-

tler, working with the freshman team as she learned the techniques. Shortly after, she asked Chappel if she could compete with the varsity squad as a way to push herself harder. The coach saw Diazs motivation and granted her request.

She was able to pick up moves quick-ly, freshman wrestling coach Mike Mundy said. Shes still doing beginner-type things, but you can see that shes learning and get-ting better and better at what to do as things go on. You can see the progression.

Diaz is going down a path paved by Brittany David, who graduated from Liberty last year and is now wrestling for Linden-wood University in St. Charles, Mo. Chappel regards David, a four-time NCS champion, as tougher than many of his boy wrestlers. Diaz is now one of three wrestlers on Liber-tys team, the others being freshman Karley Maniatis, who competed at the NCS tourna-ment in the 126-pound bracket, and junior Paula Ramirez.

Chappel said more and more girls are becoming interested in the sport, tradition-ally known for its machismo aura.

While Diaz said Davids success has motivated her and that shes a great helping hand, the junior is determined to forge her own legacy at one of the best wrestling pro-grams in the Bay Area.

People ask me if Im trying to be the next Brittany, but Brittanys Brittany and Im me, Diaz said. All the girls encourage other girls to (wrestle), because theres so little of us. It helps and encourages me, because if she did it, I can do it too.


Study from page 21A


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Wolverines edge Patriots in Senior Night shootout

Tuesdays boys varsity basketball game between Deer Valley and Heritage was one of the most exciting, frenetic and high scoring Bay Valley Athletic League games of the season. The Wolverines held off a strong Patriots fi nish to close the game out 85-79.

With 13 seconds remaining and Deer Valley nurs-ing an 81-79 lead, Wolverines senior forward Obah Pope stepped to the free throw line. As a loud and hostile crowd tried to distract him, Pope nailed both free throws, effec-tively putting the game out of reach. The Patriots failed to score on the ensuing possession and sophomore guard Kendall Smith scored the last of his team-high 32 points to put the nail in the coffi n.

All we do is practice free throws, said Pope, who scored all of his eight points in the fourth quarter. Most of the time, were not a good free-throw-shooting team. We were just working out free throws in practice, when its game time; it feels good to knock them down.

The teams played much better in this game than in their fi rst match-up, a convincing yet sloppy Wolverines win. Heritages 39 fi rst-half points nearly matched its 43-point total in the fi rst meeting.

The Patriots, celebrating senior night, honored eight seniors in a pre-game ceremony. Head coach Pat Cruick-shank went with a starting fi ve of seniors Dorian Hardy, David Nelson, Kyle Reynolds, Kyle Grant and Brian Quinn all part of last seasons league championship team. On senior night, it was fi tting that Hardy and for-ward Xavier Watson, both seniors, led the Patriots attack. Watson scored a game-high 35.

We battled until the end. We came into this game with a lot of belief and 100-percent effort, said Hardy, who complemented Watson with 26 of his own, 16 in the

fourth quarter. I was just feeling it, and I know Xavier was, too. I was just trying to get him the ball, get other players the ball and wait for my own opportunities.

The loss dropped the Patriots to 15-10 overall, 5-4 in league. They are likely to return to the playoffs, regardless of the outcome of Fridays game at Pittsburg. Still, the Pa-triots will qualify for the playoffs as an at-large bid, mean-ing their chances of hosting a playoff game are almost nonexistent.

Deer Valleys 7-2 league record still gives it a chance to lock up at least a share of the league title and a high playoff seed. On Friday, the Wolverines host a Liberty team that theyve already beaten by 19 points this season. Antioch is also 7-2, but the Panthers host a Freedom team that has already beaten them.

Deer Valleys consistent offensive effort against Heri-tage racked up 20 or more points in every quarter but the fi rst, offsetting a 28-point Patriots fourth quarter by scoring 27 of their own. Senior big man Andre McPhail complemented Smiths 32 with 24 of his own.

This is their place, and they shoot well in their place. We were expecting that, said head coach LeChet Phillips. They played tough, just as I expected them to do. They never let up. Theyre a well-coached team.

Another key to the Wolverine victory was uncharac-teristically good free throw shooting. Six of Popes eight fourth-quarter points came from the line. In total, Deer Valley was 21-for-27 from the charity stripe.

I think were looking pretty good, said McPhail. We have our game on Friday and we have a chance to compete for a league championship fi nally. Thats what we want. And then its on to the playoffs.

The exciting Wolverines win in the varsity game matched the excitement of the junior varsity game, in

Deer Valley senior forward Andre McPhail slams it home for two on Tuesday night.

Photo by Curtis Evans

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

see Shootout page 26A


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which Deer Valley edged Heritage 54-51 as the Patriots missed a three-point shot at the end of the game that would have tied the score. That provided an identical ending to the fi rst one, only with a different winner. Robert Bershell led the Wolverines with 19;

Ethan Magalei scored 14 for the Patriots.Freedom 82, Pittsburg 60

Freedom senior guard Andrew Gard-ners game-high 19 points paced the Fal-cons in an 82-60 win over Pittsburg on Fri-day night. Sophomore guard James ONeal scored 15; senior forward Darrell Greene,

bound for San Diego State, fi nished with 11.Freedom led 20-6 at the end of the fi rst

quarter and never trailed again, though the Pirates put up a fi ght in the middle of the game.

Pittsburg junior guard Randal Gory scored a team-high 18 points for the Pirates.

Nuel Oharie, a junior forward, netted 17 more.

The Falcons (15-10, 5-4 BVAL) fi nish their regular season Friday in Antioch; Pitts-burg (5-17, 1-8 BVAL) ends its slate hosting Heritage.


Shootout from page 24A

Deer Valley out-Foxes Heritage

Earlier this season, Tuesdays Deer Valley and Heritage varsity girls basketball rematch looked like it could have been a deciding fac-tor for the Bay Valley Athletic League title.

Instead, the game proved to be a showcase of why the Wol-verines have dominated the league in recent years. Deer Valley came away with an easy 75-39 victory.

Wolverines head coach Mark Anger said that the fi rst half of Tuesdays game, which his players led 39-9, was some of the best bas-ketball hes seen them play all year. Senior guard Raven Fox, who will attend Fresno State next year on a full scholarship, scored 18 of her 23 points before halftime. After that, Anger started to cycle in some of the reserves.

Sophomore guards Erin Asher and Haley Love each scored a team-high seven points for the Patriots.

Junior guard Monique Mulder contributed 10 points. Se-nior guard Imana Samuels scored nine and came away with seven steals.

Anger said he studied tape of the fi rst Heritage/Deer Valley match-up, which the Wolverines won 71-57, and found that while his players created numerous turnovers, they werent following them up with points. Thats something Deer Valley changed on Tuesday, capitalizing on Heritage mistakes.

Deer Valley (16-7, 8-0 BVAL) travels to Liberty on Friday to fi nish its regular season; Heritage (16-9, 5-4 BVAL) faced Pittsburg on Thursday.

Liberty 62, Antioch 47A big night from Bernadette Fong helped Liberty cruise to a

62-47 victory over Antioch on Tuesday. The Lions junior center put up a game-high 34 points, her best scoring output of the season. On Jan. 28, Fong scored 23 points against the Panthers, now her second-best game of the season.

Liberty sophomore guard Gabrielle Freeman netted 16, sopho-more guard Erin Morgan contributed seven and senior guard Gabby Worley fi nished with fi ve points.

Im thrilled because the second half of league (play), we need-ed to win the games we lost in the fi rst half, and we have done that, Lions head coach Debbi Weil wrote in an e-mail. It truly has been a magical season; it has been so much fun being around this group of girls.

Liberty (16-9, 6-3 BVAL) faces a tough match-up, hosting Deer Valley on Friday to fi nish the regular season; Antioch (5-19, 1-7 BVAL) takes on Freedom in the last game of the season.Pittsburg 69, Freedom 26

Pittsburg had little trouble with Freedom on Tuesday, leaving with a 69-26 victory. Pirates junior forward Keshia Ward scored a game-high 15 points. Junior center Myeshia Ward contributed 14 to the winning effort and senior post player Terri Powell fi nished with 12.

The Falcons were led by sophomore guard Caroline Calbonero and her 10 points.

Pittsburg (14-12, 6-3 BVAL) ended its regular season on Tues-day against Heritage; Freedom (6-19, 0-9 BVAL) hosts Antioch on Friday in search of its fi rst league victory of the season.


Wolverines senior guard Raven Fox, seen here ear-lier this season, scored 18 of her 23 points against Heritage on Tuesday night in the rst half.

Photo by Curtis Evans

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ites to emerge as victor of the tournament this year, led by 145-pound senior Jesse Baldazo.

The California Wrestler ranks Baldazo sixth in the state in his weight class. The magazine ranked Lions 135-pound senior Nico Serrano 21st and 112-pound sopho-more Austin Solari 26th.

Last weekend, Liberty took home third at the NCS dual competition, losing a close match to James Logan. Head coach Greg Chappel accepted responsibility for the loss, as a lineup snafu forced the Lions to forfeit a match. Taking that overall per-formance into account, Chappel said he likes where his team is right now, heading

into the league tournament and next week-ends NCS team tournament.

I thought we wrestled to our po-tential (in the dual meet), Chappel said. Once they make weight, then we just have to wrestle to our ability and maybe upset somebody or keep doing what weve done if were the No. 1 ranked team.

The Lions face stiff competition at the BVAL tourney from a talented Free-dom team, which fi nished second in the regular season. The Falcons boast a few ranked grapplers, led by 119-pound junior Roman Garcia, No. 13 in the state accord-ing to The California Wrestler. Senior cap-tain Zack Wiley, at 130 pounds, is ranked 22nd in his weight class. Freshman Ricky

Coster, 112 pounds, could also be a factor in the postseason.

Freedom head coach John Parsons feels that his team underachieved this sea-son and has a chance to bounce back on Friday.

Weve got some guys that are sick and some guys that are beat up, but well be all right, Parsons said. Hopefully theyll come back, gel as a group and win the tournament. They need to get out there and push Liberty to the brink.

Antioch placed third in the league standings, but had a rough time in the NCS dual meet. The Panthers drew one of the top teams in the state in the fi rst round, De La Salle, and lost 67-12. In the conso-

lation bracket, Antioch lost to fi fth-seeded Castro Valley 61-9.

The Panthers will lean upon their senior leadership wrestlers such as 160-pound Lucas Hudson and 140-pound Joe Baynes.

VolleyballHeritage High School will host a

spring volleyball clinic for boys and girls in grades three through eight. The clinic is scheduled for Monday, March 14 through Thursday, March 17 at the high school from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost for each player is $100 and space is limited. To ob-tain an informational fl yer, e-mail Janet Hannigan at [email protected].

Winter from page 27A

Heritage wrestlers learn on the mat

The Heritage High varsity wrestling team is small, but learning. A standard wrestling squad will fi eld about 50 ath-letes. Between the Patriots junior var-sity and varsity squads, which are inter-changeable in some weight divisions, the Heritage team is about 20 strong.

More than half of the Patriots grap-plers are underclassmen and many had little to no wrestling experience before this year. Head coach Mark Barnes works off campus but is the defensive coordina-tor for the freshman football team in the fall. It was there that he recruited many of the young Heritage wrestlers.

One of the Patriots most experienced wrestlers is Clayton Hambrick, a top com-petitor in the 152-pound class. I think theyre adjusting very well, a lot better than I adjusted when I was younger, said Ham-brick of his younger teammates. Theyre learning how it is, making weight with ev-erybody, and keeping their weight down.

The Patriots are small in another way. Injuries to their key heavyweight wrestlers have depleted their ranks down to zero in that class. Additionally, Will Oliver, who recently signed a football scholar-ship to UCLA and had wrestled for three

previous years, opted not to wrestle in his senior season.

The inability to fi eld a full team puts Heritage at a disadvantage against every team in the Bay Valley Athletic League, with the exception of Deer Valley. And yet in the recent Heritage loss to a strong Antioch team a contest in which the Pa-

triots were forced to forfeit seven matches Barnes found consolation: in the seven matches that were wrestled, Heritage won fi ve; the Panthers two.

In his fi rst season as the Patriots head coach, Barnes has coached all around the country for the last 25 years. He began coaching at Heritage because

his son Dalton wrestles for the team. A junior, Dalton also plays tight end for the Patriots football squad.

For some, wrestling is a sport that can occupy 11 months of the year. Cit-ing himself as an example, coach Barnes pointed out that wrestling is a great way to keep kids out of trouble. It gives them not only a place to go, but a safe and legal outlet to release aggression.

Its a family. You sweat together, you bleed together, and you make weight together, said Barnes. For some tourna-ments, you leave at 5:30 in the morning on a Friday and dont come home until Saturday night. So you spend two days cooped up together.

Although the new wrestlers have picked up the game with surprising speed, theyve also taken their lumps. Many of the top wrestlers in the area have been in-volved in the sport for most of their lives. Some are ranked among the top wrestlers in the state.

Kids that are my age, I have done pretty well against, said freshman 125-pounder Nathan Cleverly, a football player recruited by Barnes in the fall. Its the older, more experienced wrestlers that I have had problems with. They are a lot stronger and I need to get stronger.


Heritages Clayton Hambrick, seen here battling Deer Valleys Xavier Gomez, has led a Patriots wrestling roster loaded with athletes new to the sport.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

One of An-tioch Highs most famous alumni, baseball star Aaron Miles, stopped by the An-tioch Sports Leg-ends Hall of Fame last weekend to sign autographs and meet fans as part of Aaron Miles Day. Miles, who was an in elder for the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the World Series in 2006, graduated from Antioch in 1995 after helping the Panthers win two North Coast Section titles. He recently signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. For a video of Miles visit, log on to www.thepress.net.

Miles of smiles

Photo courtesy of Tom Menasco

In its rst full year of competition, Brentwood-based Legacy Cheer & Dance earned several rst-place titles in addi-tion to its recent natio-nal ranking. Founded in 2009, Legacy Cheer and Dance enjoyed an especi-ally successful 2010. After earning ve rst-place regional titles, Legacy Cheer & Dance competed at the 2011 JAMZ Nationals Cheer Competition in Las Vegas in three categories: Dance, Show Cheer and Hip Hop. The team brought home three third-place trophies, beating out up to 10 te-ams in each division. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call 925-757-8020.

Building a legacy

Photo courtesy of Tuli Ojala

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2B | THEPRESS.NET MONEY MATTER$ FEBRUARY 18, 2011

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Keep feathering that 401(k) nest

W hen the rst waves of the recent economic recession hit America, there was little fear that a tsunami

was headed toward shore. The

waves appeared to be part of the

natural ebb and ow of the nancial

tides. But when the economy took

a dive, many Americans resurfaced

to nd their investments had been

swept out to sea.

But rather than drift on the warmer, incoming tides of the rebuild-ing economy, nancial advisors are urging Americans to dip their toes in the water and consider reentering the fray by renewing their nancial invest-ments, which includes revamping 401(k) portfolios.

A 401(k) is an investment plan in which an employer helps employees save for retirement. Employees defer a portion of each paycheck to a 401(k) account and the money rests in that account, building interest. Many employers match

a percentage of the deferred funds, providing 401(k) participants essentially free money simply for participating in the program.

According to Kiplingers Personal Finance, more than 40 percent of the American workforce watched 401(k) investments decline by 30 percent in 2008. But rather than down-playing the value of stocks, mutual funds and bonds, advisors are encouraging people to continue investing in their 401(k) plans. However, since many Americans are beginning or re-beginning their retirement plans from scratch, they need to take a new look at their investment strategy.

David Roche, brand manager for Apex Securities and Assets Management in Brentwood, believes that since no two

investors are alike, its important to make choices that are right for you. At Apex Securities, we advise clients to continue looking forward, said Roche. Your

investment choices shouldnt be reactive to what

happened last year. Just because

gold did well last year

doesnt mean it will uphold that trend this

year.Since

clients set personal retire-

ment goals, Roche and business partner

Treva Black recommend meet-ing with a nancial advisor to discuss the most responsible route to take to achieve those goals.

While there are hundreds of invest-ment options for a 401(k), how the retirement funds will be spent is what truly matters. According to Steve Vernon, FSA and blogger for MoneyWatch.com,

a 401(k) should be treated like a retire-ment paycheck generator. Each month you should take out a regular predeter-mined paycheck from your retirement fund to pay for expenses. Most of us live paycheck to paycheck while were working, so lets not change this nancial discipline after we retire, Vernon said.

Many recently-retired Americans assume their nest eggs will be all they need to live out the rest of their lives, but after you travel the world, refurbish your house and buy a motorcycle or two, youll have only so much left, so you need to plan your retirement investments wisely to meet your desired retirement lifestyle.

And one way to enhance your 401(k) is to work longer. Its not what you want to hear, but if you work a few extra years than you originally planned, more money will accrue in your 401(k) account. The important thing now is to jump in and get your feet wet. Meet with a nancial advisor to help you plan for the retire-ment you want.

Whether retirement is 10 or 50 years away, its never too early to start investing into your future, and a 401(k) plan is one of the best ways to keep you a oat.


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Call me today for more information.

April 15 looms on the horizon. Theres no denying that the tax man cometh. But with a little simple planning and a few

sharpened pencils, lers this year can

minimize the pain and maximize their

pro ts when Uncle Sam comes calling.

Tax codesThere are several changes in the tax

codes for 2010, said Pat Reagan, co-owner of Reagan Management Services

in Brentwood. The majority of taxpayers should be aware of these before ling their taxes.

Some of the changes include standard deduction rates and in ation adjustments for itemized deductions, the standard mile-age rate for business use, per diem rates, student loan interest, standard deductions, depreciation and amortization, earned income credits and the income levels for which one must le a return.

But one of the most signi cant changes this year comes with the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Renamed from

see Tax time page 4B

Tax time: closer than you thinkR U T H R O B E R T S

4B | THEPRESS.NET MONEY MATTER$ FEBRUARY 18, 2011

I Can Handle Th is On My OwnForeclosure Sales and Short Salesby Joan Grimes, Esq.

Advertisement

When a person is behind on a home loan, it is very common to think a foreclosure or short sale will allow them to focus on other debts and thereby avoid a bankruptcy fi ling. However, all too oft en, a foreclosure or short sale is still followed by a bankruptcy because there is either another loan on the property which starts collecting on its loan or there are taxes as a result of the foreclosure sale which the borrower was unaware.

In many cases, a bankruptcy fi ling prior to the foreclosure or short sale would have discharged the liability on any additional loans on the property, avoided the tax liability completely and allowed the person to stay in the property several additional months. Additionally, a foreclosure or short sale prior to a bankruptcy fi ling may cause a person not to qualify for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy leaving a person in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy for 3-5 years. What should a person consider prior to allowing a property to be sold at a foreclosure sale?

First, prior to allowing a property to be sold through a foreclosure or short sale, (1) determine the aff ect of the foreclosure or short sale on your credit, (2) is there any personal liability aft er the foreclosure or short sale which could be discharged in a bankruptcy fi ling and (3) is there any tax liability which could be discharged through a bankruptcy fi ling prior to the foreclosure or short sale.

Second, could a Chapter 13 bankruptcy fi ling avoid a junior lien on your principal residence which would have allowed you to retain the real property? Under the Bankruptcy law, a junior lien on a persons principal residence which does not attach to equity in the real property, can be avoid through a Chapter 13 Plan. For example, if the current fair market value of a principal residence is $250,000 and the balance on the fi rst deed of trust is $300,000, then a junior lien could be avoided through the Chapter 13 Plan. A Chapter 13

also allows a person to cure a default on a home loan over time which may be all that is necessary to avoid a foreclosure sale.

Th ird, are there any other reasons that a bankruptcy fi ling may be appropriate prior to a foreclosure sale. Th e most common reason is that there is signifi cant unsecured debt which can be discharged in the bankruptcy and a bankruptcy fi ling prior to a foreclosure sale will allow a person to fi le a Chapter 7 instead of being required to enter into a Chapter 13 repayment plan. In addition, a bankruptcy fi ling will allow a person to remain in the property additional time.

In conclusion, a foreclosure or short sale of real property without a bankruptcy fi ling may be the right decision. However, a foreclosure or short sale will have serious consequences which should be analyzed by a bankruptcy or real estate attorney prior to the foreclosure sale. Th is is a complicated area of the law, but a bankruptcy or real estate attorney should be able to make to an analysis of your particular situation fairly quickly. I do free 30 minute consultation in my offi ces located in Walnut Creek, Antioch and Brentwood. Th ere is no reason to make a wrong decision about a foreclosure or short sale when legal assistance is available.

THIS OFFICE IS A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE HELP PEOPLE FILE BANKRUPTCY. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON IN MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFA

oakley press_02.18.11

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