YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 9, No. 1 Including Surrounding Communities www.oakleypress.com February 27, 2009

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

THIS WEEK

Fraud takes the stage

A local impresario has been charged with propping up his failing company by fleecing patrons.

Page 3A

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Business .............................6ACalendar ..........................19BClassifieds ........................14BCop Logs ..........................16AEducation ..........................8AEntertainment ................18BFood .................................10BHealth & Beauty ...............9BMilestones .........................7BOpinion ...........................15ASports .................................1BWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

Erring on side of safety Local officials met the recent salmonella threat with over-whelming force.

Page 8A

Falcons fall to Patriots

Up by a single point in the last minute, Heritage drained a tre that put the game away.

Page 1B

Oakley residents boast that they have the Delta in their backyard unfortunately, much of the scenic waterfront has been fenced off from public access.

That began to change a couple of years ago when the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) opened up a park site off of Big Break Road. So far, the parks amenities are rather basic: a parking lot, restroom, trail and pier.

All of that is about to change, too. A year from now the currently threadbare site is planned to feature a childrens playground where kids can pretend to be junior archeolo-gists, a large relief map of the Delta, kayak-ing tours, picnic tables with barbecues and an amphitheater where a park interpreter will discuss nature against the backdrop of the Delta.

With the aid of nearly $2 million in state government grants, the park district plans to seek approval from Oakleys city government next month for the Delta Discovery Experi-ence. The district hopes to start construction in June and open the new facilities to the pub-lic in early 2010, according to Diane Althoff, EBRPD chief of design and construction.

The Delta Discovery Experience is real-ly an outdoor education and interpretive-type facility, she said. The outdoor amphitheater is inset into the Delta edge there, so that you can look right out across the water as you have your interpretive program.

It remains to be determined whether the district will also provide concerts at the scenic, 150-seat site, similar to the concerts the park district provides at Black Diamond Mines Re-gional Preserve in the summer.

Although there will be kayak launching, the kayak will not be available for rental for general public use; only for tours led by the parks interpretive staff.

The childrens playground will be fun but also educational. You will be digging through the sand and discovering a fossil or

element thats fi xed underneath the sand that you can cover and uncover, said Althoff.

Visitors will need to walk the quarter-mile trail from the parking lot to get to the picnic facilities near the water or to launch their own kayak, because parking near the water will be available only for those with disabilities.

The Delta map will be a main feature in the plaza area on a stand a little lower than waist-high, showing in relief the source of the

Currently, theres little more than a pier, parking lot and restroom at the East Bay Regional Park District site off of Big Break Road in Oakley.

Photo by Dave Roberts

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

Big park planned for Big Break

see Big Break page18A

Bypass to be named for local pioneer

Hes had creeks and parks named after him and trusts established in his memory. Now the man who cut a deep, historic swath across California will add another distinction to his resum.

The John Marsh Heritage Highway the new name of the Highway 4 Bypass will boast two 76-foot signs along the 12 -mile stretch beginning south of Antioch and ending north of the intersection of Vasco and Marsh Creek roads.

The naming of the commemorative highway is the result of years of lobbying by the John Marsh Historic Trust, local mayors and county supervisors. The highway will commemorate Marshs unique presence and

contribution to the area, and will run directly by his fabled Stone House and surrounding property

in Brentwood. The Marsh house is part of a designated 4,000-acre state historic park the largest

of its kind in California. The park site is currently pending the completion of its general plan, and will eventually be open to the public.

Im just thrilled, said Kathy Leighton, a director of the John Marsh Historic Trust. This is a great thing, and what is really nice about the recognition for John Marsh on the highway is that thousands of people every day will see them (the signs), and that is certainly something we at the foundation are excited about.

Paid for by the John Marsh Historic Trust at a cost of $3,500, including installation, the signs will be posted by the California Bypass Authority in conjunction with Caltrans. According to

Traf c moves along the newest section of the Highway 4 Bypass south of Balfour Road this week. The Bypass will be renamed the John Marsh Heritage Highway in honor of Contra Costa Countys rst settler.

Photo by Kevin Bartram

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see Bypass page 18A

Childrens theater producer Frank J. Ballesteros is being charged with 15 counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, police said Tuesday.

The charges from the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Offi ce stem from unfulfi lled contracts Ballesteros, 59, held with individual investors between November of 2006 and May of 2008. An Antioch Police Department press release said a Notice To Appear will be issued to him (Ballesteros) requiring his appearance for arraignment.

Shannon Murphy-Teixeira of Discovery Bay, and seven others, fi led the police complaint against Ballesteros in May of 2008 after loaning him money ranging from $2,000 to $12,000 to support the foundering theater group.

Deputy District Attorney Steven Bolen said that the investigation took months to complete due to the large number of victims involved in the case: In this instance, we found 15 separate victims in a serious situation with losses totaling over $60,000. Thats a signifi cant amount, and there may be other victims out there as well.

News that the D.A.s offi ce had advised the 15 counts be fi led was met with relief. Hopefully this will bring healing and closure to a part of the

community that felt very betrayed, said Oakley resident Iris Obregon, who loaned Ballesteros $6,000 in March of 2007. Yes, this is good, but Im sorry it had to happen. Now well just wait and let the system that is here to protect us do its job.

On Sept. 25 of last year, Ballesteros fi led for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection, and court documents list 22 individuals who had invested more than $123,000 in the theater. Ballesteros has not publicly commented on the case, but in a report taken in July of last year by the Antioch Police Department, Ballesteros said in a taped interview that since 2006 he had been asking families involved in the theater company for loans to cover production costs. He added that he had paid back more than $60,000 of the loans and hoped to be able to pay back the rest once the bankruptcy paperwork was signed. To date, none of the individuals who fi led the initial police report with Murphy-Teixeira have received any bankruptcy dollars.

However, said Murphy-Teixeira who loaned Ballesteros $3,000 fi nancial payback was never the intent: This has never been about the money; its always been about making sure this doesnt happen to anyone else and that our kids are protected.

Im very, very pleased that the

D.A. took us seriously as victims and Im glad that the D.A. took the charges seriously. If this stops him (Ballesteros) from victimizing one more person, or asking one more person for money, then yeah, Im satisfi ed. That will be enough.

For nearly 40 years, Ballesteros has been a fi xture in the theater community,

earning a reputation as a harsh yet fair taskmaster. He is known for his classic productions of The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, and his signature role as the title character in Scrooged.

Those with additional information regarding the case or who believe they were also victims should contact Antioch Detective Jeff Stanton at 925-779-6884.

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Ballesteros to face fraud chargesby Ruth Roberts

Staff Writer

As a result of a complaint led with the Antioch Police Department in May of 2008, the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Of ce is charging Frank J. Ballesteros, left, with 15 counts of obtaining prop-erty under false pretenses.

File photo

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 27, 2009

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Community mourns third-grader

Her favorite color was purple, she adored books about fairies and her dearest wish was to become a mommy. Carmen Galbraith lost her fi ght with brain cancer on Feb. 18, but for her grieving family and friends, the 8-year-old third graders valiant battle is more than a story of loss; its a lesson in love.

As news of Carmens passing reached the close-knit community of Knightsen last week, where Carmen attended school, the reaction was one of shock and sorrow. Flags were lowered to half-mast and teachers struggled to comfort students and staff.

Carmen was always smiling and had a sense of joy about her regardless of how ill she was, said a distraught Knightsen Elementary Superintendent Vickey Rinehart. This has just been so hard on every-one. Its beyond belief that someone who was so tiny could have so much strength. You just dont know what to say; how do you say, Im sorry with something like that?

For the past two years, the school and the community-at-large has rallied behind Brentwoods Gailbrath family, hosting fundraising events and monthly pancake breakfasts in support of the sweet-faced girl with the quick smile and infectious laugh.

Carmens parents, Reed and Dorothy, remember their daughter as a girly girl who always tried to do the right thing. She would get very upset if she was corrected or told she did something wrong, said Dorothy. Her faith and desire to do whats right were very important to her.

Family friend and Old River Elementary School Principal Ray Witte said he will always think of Carmen as a happy little girl who loved to read and displayed a surprising amount of confi dence, despite her illness. Carmen loved to learn. Even when she was going through her treatments, when she was at home, she would want to do her home-work, said Witte. She was a very, very brave little girl who didnt seem, at least to me, self-conscious about the loss of her hair or her illness. She just didnt seem fazed.

The Galbraiths remain grateful to the Knightsen community,

which has supported the family with food, visits and prayers. Knight-sen has been way above and beyond anything imaginable in terms of support, said Reed. We are so thankful for their kindness and love.

And as Carmens parents plus brothers Scott, James, Vincent and Timothy continue to struggle with their loss, they remain stead-fast in their beliefs. It makes it easier to know that well see her again, said Dorothy. And it helped Carmen to know that, too. She didnt want to go; she fought it to the end, but she was peaceful and knew we would all be together again.

A bank account has been created in Carmens name. The Gal-braiths will contribute all donations to the Koret Family House, a free facility for families with loved ones at UCSF. The account number is 173294018. Checks may be mailed to Carmens account to Bank of the West, 4540 Balfour Road, Brentwood, CA, 94513, or the Galbraith residence, 242 Creektrail Court, Brentwood.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, at 2350 Jeffery Way in Brentwood. All are welcome.

The East Contra Costa Historical Society is preparing to open the doors of the ECCHS Museum for the 2009 season, and it needs your help.

The museum, which opens Satur-day, March 28, is recruiting volunteers to help get everything ready for open-ing day.

Docent Joyce Decato said there are a variety of tasks to be completed before and after the opening: The museum is run by volunteers, so we can always use new additions. We need people to help paint the inside of the museum, and we need people to host tours and work at various stations, such as Homers tool shed. There is always something to be done around here. Every little bit helps. Just let us know youre interested and well fi nd a place for you.

Those interested in helping out at the museum this year are encouraged to attend an informational orientation on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. to learn about various volunteer opportunities. Another orientation will be held Sun-day, March 8, for those who cant make the fi rst meeting. For more informa-tion, call Decato at 925-679-1024.

Hailing Historicalhelpers

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

CARMEN MARIE GALBRAITHAUG. 10, 2000-FEB. 18, 2009

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Fundraiser set for Relay supporter

Felicia Thomas might be battling re-curring breast cancer, but shes not spend-ing a lot of time thinking about it. Sure, shes going through treatment and doing all the right things, but if you ask Thomas what keeps her awake at night, its not her fear of the disease, its her dreams of help-ing others.

It is very important to me to be a voice, said Thomas. A voice of love, compassion and encouragement to peo-ple who need it. It gives me a lot to know that that Im making a difference.

And now Thomas friends want to make a difference for her.

Next month, Thomas will be the fo-cus of The Miracle Fundraiser, a daylong event designed to ease the fi nancial and emotional burden for Thomas a single mom and her three children. Held at the Brentwood Community Center, the fundraiser will feature performances by the California Cowboys and East County Kids N Motion, and will include raffl es, prizes, food and kid-friendly activities.

For the can-do girl who is more ac-customed to giving than receiving, the communitys outpouring of support has been overwhelming.

It took a lot of humbling on my part to accept the help, and there were a lot of tears, but they were happy tears, said

Thomas. Ive had friends calling me and bringing us food and just checking in on us. The Mayor of Brentwood even called me. People asked me what I wanted, and I said just a day to be with my family and friends. So thats what were going to do.

And in typical Thomas fashion, shell be working her own fundraiser, manning a table and soliciting sign-ups for the American Cancer Societys upcoming Re-lay for Life event the premiere cancer fundraiser, which celebrates those battling cancer and those who have lost their fi ght to the disease.

Thomas has been involved in the lo-

cal relay chapter and other cancer sup-port groups since she was fi rst diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. For her, its all about showing the love.

Ever since I was diagnosed I have come into this new family, the commu-nity of Brentwood, said Thomas. My dream, when I get better, is to have a nonprofi t agency for individuals and their families who are dealing with cancer. In fact, Im going to use any money I get to pay my bills and put some toward the nonprofi t. Im all about my kids and my community.

Thomas is expected to begin a regime of chemotherapy and radiation within the next few weeks, and says her doctors have given her a good prognosis. For now, she intends to focus on her health, her family and her ongoing commitment to helping others. That, she says, should keep her busy.

Im happy with whats going on in my life right now, she said. I know that I am not alone in this fi ght and Im looking to help others along the way. Life is too short not to reach out, laugh a little and enjoy, and thats what Im going to do.

The Miracle Fundraiser will be held Saturday, March 28 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Brentwood Community Center, 730 Third St. Tickets are $25 for adults; $10 for ages 6 to 17. For more information, call Shante at 925-890-1904 or Baheejah at 925-798-1610.

Felicia Thomas will be the honoree at an upcoming event called The Miracle Fundraiser. The Brentwood resident, 40, is undergoing treatment for a re-currence of breast cancer.

Photo by Ruth Roberts

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

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What a wild week! The ink was barely dry on the federal stimulus package, and then President Obama comes out with his hous-ing plan. Then a few days later the California budget was passed, and they threw in some items designed to help address our real estate problem. All this is tentative at the moment until I can confirm the hard details, but here is what has leaked out so far.

First, here are the highlights of Obamas plan. This plan only addresses principal residences. Homeowners with loans owned or guaranteed with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae who still have equity in their homes may be allowed to refinance at attractive rates and terms. The plan also allocates $75 billion to help lenders modify loans for those people who are upside-down on their homes. The lender and the government would share the cost of reducing payments to 31% of the hom-eowners income. The good news is that the homeowner does NOT have to be delinquent for this plan. The government will also pay lenders and servicers $500 to $1500 for each

loan modified to further incent them to mod-ify loans. Obamas plan also attempts to lower mortgage rates by throwing more money at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Because of all the fine print, its estimated that less than 5% of homes around here will qualify for the refi-nance/modification part of his plan.

Then in the California budget, there are two items of interest. A tax credit of 5% of the purchase price or $10,000 (whichever is less) if you buy a home that has never been occupied, and occupy it as your principal residence. Obviously geared towards buying a brand-new home. Must buy between 3/1/09 and 3/1/10. And lenders that dont have a loan modification program in place for their bor-rowers will have to wait an extra 90 days to foreclose.

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Bill Goldsby, Erich Dark and Father

Ken Sales of the Knights

of Columbus, Immaculate

Heart of Mary Church, serve

up dinner during the

churchs an-nual six-week Friday Fish Fry

last year.

This year, the season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 25. Like Jesus, who fasted and prayed in the desert for 40 days before beginning his ministry, more than 5,000 Brentwood Catholics also observe the Lenten season with fasting and prayer in preparation for the crucifi xion of Jesus Christ, followed by the Easter celebration.

But unlike Jesus, who spent 40 days alone, we are not asked to do the same. At Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Catholic Church in Brentwood, there are several public observances of the season in which we can prepare as a community including

the churchs annual Friday Fish Fry.As Catholics around the world give

up something they enjoy as a spiritual gesture, doctrine dictates that they abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent because Jesus was crucifi ed on Friday. Fish Fridays are a long-standing tradition for generations of Catholic families. Drawing on this tradition of family and community, IHM hosts an annual Fish Fry each Friday during the Lenten season open to the entire community.

Sponsored by the Catholic mens

Ushering in Lent withfaith, fellowship, fish

see Lent page 9A

8A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION FEBRUARY 27, 2009

If you recently purchased cookie dough to support one of your local schools, you might want to check the freezer.

In light of the recent nationwide sal-monella outbreak involving contaminated peanut butter, Dough-To-Go, a Santa Clara based cookie company, has voluntarily re-called items used in fundraisers from Janu-ary of 2007 to January of 2009.

The California Health Department re-leased a statement on Jan. 28 that identifi ed 162 public and private schools that might have sold contaminated products. The list includes six local schools: Ron Nunn El-ementary, Loma Vista Elementary and Bristow Middle School of the Brentwood Union School District; Laurel and Gehring-er elementary schools of the Oakley Union School District; and Discovery Bay Elemen-

tary of the Byron Union School District.Dana Eaton, BUSD director of student

services, said the announcement of the recall occurred after school hours, but letters were promptly prepared to be sent out the next day.

We jumped on it and had letters ready by the following morning, Eaton said. No illnesses have been reported from our dis-trict. This was a voluntary recall. None of the cookie dough sold at our schools is be-lieved to be contaminated, but we wanted to remain cautious. This is a serious matter.

When the news fi rst broke about sal-monella contamination, we pulled all pea-nut butter products from our cafeterias as a precaution. That is our procedure for when these types of things happen. Its always a scary thing and you can never be too care-ful.

Cookie dough recall affects local schools

see Recall page 9A

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organization, The Knights of Columbus, the annual Fish Fry has grown to be one of the largest and most anticipated fundraisers for Brentwoods only Catholic Church. For six Fridays, starting Feb. 27 and continuing through April 3, the Knights of Columbus host a dine-in or take-out dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Dinner includes fried fi sh, chips, coleslaw and a drink for $10. Last year, the Fish Fry drew more than 200 people each Friday.

For more information, call 925-634-4154.

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Lent from page 7A

Ron Nunn Principal Scott Vernoy said it was important for a letter to be sent home even though there were no sus-pected risks. Our fundraiser was held at the beginning of the school year, back in October or so. People who purchased the cookie dough probably have consumed it by now, but it is important to get the mes-sage out just to be on the safe side.

While Discovery Bay Elementary posted the recall announcement in the weekly newsletter that goes to parents, the OUSD decided to handle the situation by hitting the phone lines.

Anne Allen, principal of Laurel El-ementary, said the Parents Club obtained a list of all the students who sold cookie dough and then all the parents were called to inform them of the recall. We called ev-ery parent who bought cookie dough. No one has been reported sick, but we didnt want to risk the health of any of our fami-lies, so we notifi ed parents right away.

Betsy Lee Sanders, president of Dough-To-Go, said in an e-mail that only the peanut butter products from the fund-raisers have been recalled. Although no ill-nesses have been associated with Dough-To-Go products, California Department of Public Health Director Mark Horton urged customers to dispose of the fund-raiser cookie dough as a safety measure.

For information about the Dough-To-Go recall, call the California Health Department Offi ce of Public Affairs at 916-440-7259. For more information about the salmonella outbreak, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Web site, www.fda.gov, or call the hotline at 800-220-2339.

Recall from page 8A

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Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

In order to properly assess anything cars, boats, real estate, people you have to fi rst de-termine that object, or individuals, worth. Aft er all, to assess is to classify according to value. Th at said, personally I would be of little or no value, and deserve a low assessment, if I were to constantly supply false, or incorrect information. Last week I mentioned our (Californias) 10th District Rep. Ellen Tauscher was responsible for Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay and Oakley which is not the case. Democrat Ellen Tauschers reach expands to Antioch, Oakley, Bethel Island and Knightsen, but does not in-clude Brentwood, Byron, or Discovery Bay. Th is knowledge was brought to my attention aft er a good friend, an elderly gentleman (inside joke), assessed last weeks article and was gracious enough to bring the correction to my attention.

Th e best part about his friendly advice was that it was freehe did not call, solicit, or ask for upfront funds in anyway. Oft en times, use above paragraph as just one example, reassess-ment is needed and should be done at no charge to the party looking for assistance. In other words if/when you receive an ad off ering help to reduce your 2009 property taxes please, please, please simply throw it away. Th ese companies off er services that you can handle yourself and purposely do not explain the appeals process in hopes of keeping you in the dark, while pocket-ing your money.

When requesting a deduction in property taxes from the county, in our case Contra Costa, its important to fi rst understand when the work was put in, and second, how Gus Kramers offi ce determines the value you receive on paper July

1st of every year (dont forget the tax year is always July 1st-June 30th). Th e updated value is based on an assessment performed by the county as of January 1st, using the PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEARS NOVEMBER/DECEM-BER home sales, making any claims, rebuttals, or requests for re-assessment based on values at any other time of year a mute point. In other words, in order to have your property tax bill reduced, you have to fi rst provide proof your home was below the assessed value back when the annual assessment took place January 1st. Every County in California has a special form you must fi le for an appeal, and every County in California sets its own time period for ap-peals. In Contra Costa County you must use the required form (available from the County Assessors Offi ce) and you may fi le your appeal any time from July through November.

But youre not in real estate on a profes-sional level, so how would you obtain the sales prices of comparable homes in your neighbor-hood from November/December of any year? Th e best places to begin your search are two easily accessible institutions; either the agent who sold you your home, or the title company that handled your title insurance. Both of these sources have already received your monies for their services, and can easily supply you with the November/December Sales Data youll need to battle a January assessmentonly adding to the direct value they have in your life!

As always, I welcome all questions and or concerns pertaining to real estate lending on my cell phone, 510-798-0060, or via email, tfrey-mortgages@yahoo.com.

Determining Value

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FEBRUARY 27, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 13A

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Students Audreana Lopez, Alex Ramos, Megan Groshong, Georgia Teyler and Felipe Bell wait to recite their poems at the recent Independence High School Poetry Out Loud competition.

Seven Independence High School students showed heart and spirit as they recited poems at a recent Poetry Out Loud school competition. Alivia Lo-gan, Audreana Lopez, Michael Cadigan, Georgia Teyler, Felipe Bell, Alex Ramos and Megan Groshong performed in front of a panel of local judges and a large audience that included family members, school faculty and staff, and supporters from the community. Students selected

poems written by various artists, and Me-gan Groshong won the event with a beau-tiful rendition of Thoughtless Cruelty by Charles Lamb.

During the intermission, Indepen-dence teacher Paul Lindeman took the stage and recited a poem, followed by a reading of Emma Lazarus famous poem The New Colossus (engraved on the

Promulgating poetry

see Poetry page 17A

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Brentwood, Ca A very new and little known treatment for back pain and sciatica is emerg-ing as what may be the most promising alter-native to potentially dangerous epidural injec-tions and risky back surgery in the last 100 years.

Most of you have been exposed to an old treat-ment aff ectionately called Th e Rack or trac-tion as more properly described. Th is was an early attempt to reduce or eliminate back and leg pain that has been shown to be for the most part, ineff ective for helping with back and leg pain caused by disc problems.

Like bulging, protruding or herniated discs. Also, for dried up worn out and fl attened de-generated discs. Traction can really help with back pain from overworked tightened mus-cles, facet pain and uncomplicated back pain, but not really helpful for serious back pain or sciatica caused by bulging, herniated, protrud-ing discs causing pressure or infl ammation that causes pressure on sensitive nerves.

So just what is this new Breakthrough back pain treatment procedure you may ask? It is a Non Surgical and Non Invasive very eff ective computerized angle adjustable Spinal Decom-pression. What does that really mean?Imagine lying on a soft cushy table aft er being fi tted with a snug upper harness conforming to your chest and shoulders and torso kinda like a soft bulletproof vest with an attachment to hold you from sliding down toward your feet and a snug lower harness hugging your pelvis with a steel and nylon cable attached from the bottom of the pelvis harness to a computer driven decompression motor near your feet.

Now imagine a slight pulling sensation as the cable tightens and slowly and gently begins to pull you from your pelvis toward your feet. Now the cushy table you are lying on your back gently and slowly separates in the middle and slowly slides you toward your feet a few inches separating and gently stretching your lower back at the level of your disc problem.

Th e slight pulling sensation lasts for a few doz-en seconds and slowly and gently releases and repeats the same process 8 to 12 times pump-ing fl uid and nutrients back into the dried out disc and gently sucking the bulging disc back toward the center where it belongs.

Warning! Th is Is Not Th e Same As Traction Or Hanging Upside Down Or An Inversion Table.

Well, how can it not be the same as traction?

Great question. Traction involves a direct lin-ear pull that activates muscle receptors and causes them to tighten up to protect you from being pulled apart. Th is can actually cause more pressure and squeezing of the disc and cause more pain.

Non Surgical Spinal Decompression Is Diff erent

A computer creates a non-linear pull (which actually tricks your muscles to stay relaxed without reacting and tightening like traction) and as your muscles stay relaxed, the disc actu-ally gets stretchedas the disc gently stretches, it moves back in toward the center and takes the pressure off your sensitive nerves and re-duces pain, numbness, tingling, and burning and stabbing pain.

So How Do You Know If YouHave A Disc Problem?

Ice Pick at your belt line Pain traveling into your leg Pain in your shin Fire in your legs Prickling in your thighs Bending over is a problem Turning over in bed without

Pain isnt easy

If you are tired of waking up every morning stiff , achy and just feeling like you cant stand it one more day. If you cant do your housework, gardening, cleaning, fi shing, golf, normal every day activities, shopping, walking for a bit and having to sit down, having to sit aft er stand-ing for just a little while, tossing and turning in bed trying to fi nd a comfortable position.

Or maybe its painful to do almost anything anymore without pain and you just work through the pain. Maybe youre wondering why you should go on living. Or maybe youre concerned your pain or problem will get worse and get really ugly and leave you disabled and unable to provide for yourself or your family.

Whatever your case may be, you owe it to yourself to fi nd out more about this revolu-tionary new procedure. Find out if you qualify for this new procedure.

Imagine:

Waking up without the pain and stiff ness. Bending over without holding on to

something to get back up Sleeping soundly all the way through the

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Walking without having to stop to sit for some relief

Playing golf again Doing the jitterbug on the dance fl oor Holding and playing with your grand-

kids

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, Dr. James Martin D.C. in Brentwood has been performing this procedure for over 3 years.

My name is Dr. James Martin D.C. and Ive successfully treated hundreds of patients with spinal decompression so theres no reason your back problem should be any diff erent.

In fact, Im so confi dent we can help you, Im will-ing to back it upbut not with empty promises.

I GUARANTEE you will only be accepted into our program IF YOU QUALIFY for the treatment AFTER having THE MOST THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE AS-SESSMENT YOU HAVE EVER HAD or I will buy you lunch! (I havent bought one yet !)

Yes! I am very confi dent, but I cant help EV-ERBODY.. You see, theres a very small per-centage of folks we cant help. Heres what a couple applicants said aft er I told them both I couldnt help them:

I was treated very nicely. Th e doctors have lis-tened to me and they didnt rush me out of the offi ce, despite the fact I wasnt a candidate. Th e exam I had was super, the best Ive had any-where. Th e doctor explained things to me that no one else ever has.Non-CandidateBrentwood, Ca

I thought Id write a note to you and all of those potential patients who have serious doubts (as I had) about your decompression treatments. Actu-ally, I thought your procedure was more of a psy-chological placebo designed for everyone, instead of a non-surgical process that could repair injured vertebral discs. Imagine my surprise when you ad-vised me that my condition was too severe for your procedure to correct. To me, that refusal added worlds of credibility to your program. It showed me that you are only there to help patients; not just to take their money. I assure you that I will recom-mend you to anyone I know or meet that suff ers from spine and/or disc pain. I can do this know-ing full well that they will be treated right. Non-CandidateAntioch, Ca

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Just read what a few of our patients thathave been through the procedure had to say:

I had excruciating back pain and was worried I would need surgery. I tried acupuncture, acu-pressure, chiropractic, and pain medications. Dr. Martin and spinal decompression have given me my life back. I couldnt walk and was in excruciating pain. I now have no pain and I have my mobility back.Bonnie Salmon Owner Scooters Caf

I had lower back pain and leg numbness so bad I could not sleep properly. Its wonderful to be able to sleep all night without pain and to stand straight and walk without both legs going numb. Marcia Penick Retired

I had severe back pain and losing ability to function. My problem started 13 years ago and it got severe in the last 2 months or so. Aft er the fi rst treatment, the numbness in my left leg and foot went away. Burna McClelland- Rancher

I had unrelenting back pain, gloom and dis-appointment as I had several doctors were un-able to help me. Spinal Decompression is really amazing! I have gone through a transformation of pain, gloom and disappointment to a new value, new hope and a new lease on life.Herb Olsen-Retired

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Televise council confabsEditor:

Ask yourself the following questions: What is going on behind closed doors? Does the video or Internet show both sides of the argument? Dont we have the right to actually see the council meetings live on tele-vision? Why cant our council meetings be televised like Antioch and other cities have?

The City Council members are trying to get more of our citizens involved in what is going on in our city. When I was campaigning for offi ce, I talked to a lot of people that always asked questions about what is going on in our city. I told them to come to the City Council meetings, voice their opinions and see what is going on. That still did not get more people to our meetings.

Videotaping is not going to do the trick. We need to have televised meetings for the citizens; this way, if the citizens see or hear something that they are interested in and want to say something about the issue, then they have time to contact the council on this issue.

The city has to take the council meet-ings to the citizens; this should get more citizens interested in what the city is doing and hopefully maybe they will show up at the actual meeting. But the city will need to advertise that the meetings are on TV by ad-vertising in the newspaper, the city marquee, and even use the police message board.

By having the meetings televised live, the citizens can see that nothing is going on behind closed doors. The citizens can see and hear both sides of the arguments. Nothing is left up to guesswork and every-thing is above board. The citizens should contact your council members and let them know how you feel about having the council meetings televised.

Remember, this is for the betterment of our city; make sure you voice your opinion.

Bob CaughronOakley

Hurrah for recovery packageEditor:

The economic recovery package signed by President Obama is a huge step in the right direction for our state and the nations economy. It will create an estimated 396,000 jobs in California and prevent growing numbers of fami-lies from falling into poverty.

Millions of dollars in fi scal relief will soon be available to our state to help fund jobs in education, child care, health care and other state services, while giving struggling families the support they need to weather the most severe economic storm we have seen in decades.

Congressman McNerney, as well as senators Boxer and Feinstein, are to be commended for their support of this important piece of legislation. Their vote means people in need will get help withstanding the recession by means of increased food stamps, unemployment benefi ts, the Child Tax Credit, and other vital assistance.

Their action will help bring us closer to a recovery shared by all Ameri-cans.

Lisa SherrillBrentwood

Suspicions substantiatedEditor:

The lead article in this papers Discovery Bay edition each of the last two weeks caused me to be concerned. First with the Dave Dove issue of for-warding an e-mail from legal counsel, I wondered: why all the anguish and extremely harsh words from two of his colleagues (David Piepho and Shannon Murphy-Texeira) over something that broke no laws and as we know had no impact on the referenced court case that is (now) closed?

The second article had to do with the Brown Act violation by CSD Direc-tor David Piepho, town GM Virgil Koehne and town legal advisor John Stovall. It seems this situation did in-volve breaking an actual law; in fact, it was the same law the town just fi nished spending a lot of our money with Mr. Stovalls law fi rm claiming it never broke.

What really caught my attention was the stark contrast between the extreme negative commentary offered on the Dave Dove situation by Direc-tor David Piepho, then his total silence the very next week when the fact that he himself participated in breaking an actual law was brought forward.

Mr. Piephos wife, Supervisor Mary Piepho, commented on the Brown Act violation in an effort to cast blame away from herself, but David Piepho, who

can not escape blame, was silent, totally avoiding the issue.

Like others, I have been suspect of this individuals motivations, arrogance and ethical character. This episode seems to have clearly validated every concern about David Piepho that I have had.

Mike WitcoskyDiscovery Bay

Delightful doctorEditor:

I was pleased to read about Dr. Richard Singer receiving the Best Pedia-trician Award on the recently published Best of Brentwood 2008.

As parents of one of his 11-month-old patients, what impressed us most about Dr. Singer from other pediatri-cians wasnt necessarily the college he was board certifi ed from. Rather it was three simple things hes fl exible, available and he genuinely cares about the well-being of his patients (child and parent alike).

All three are important ingredients for any pediatrician. Your child doesnt wait until business hours to fall sick. Yet chances are that if you ring up Dr. Singer even after hours or even on week-end, youll get a call back within half an hour. Very few doctors are personally ready to do that after-hours, let alone go out of their way to visit patients at home. The fact that Dr. Singer does makes the world of difference to parents faced with a feverish child in the middle of the night even if all thats required is a few reassuring words of advice.

Finding a good doctor these days is like a lottery. Being a success-ful doctor isnt just about studying books and passing board exams. It also requires exemplary social skills i.e., a genuine passion for caring and listening. A doctor is supposed to make you feel better both physically and emotion-ally. If youve ever left a doctors offi ce just as, or more worried, than when you entered, then he/she has not done their job to the full. Unfortunately, that social aspect is all too often lost in the pace of todays monetary-driven organized medicine system.

With more and more certifi ed doctors being churned out of colleges and a continued infl ux of doctors from abroad, the medical profession risks becoming a commodity service item. And like all commodities, theyll need to differentiate themselves to survive in a downturn economy.

So well done, Dr. Singer. I hope more or your peers follow your shining example and are motivated to be more people-centric in their practices.

Madan SheinaAntioch

Fabulous FeedEditor:

The Krey Elementary Crab Feed was held on Jan. 31. The event raised more than $10,000 for the school! Fundraising through this school year will be dedicated toward advancing technology on campus as well as sup-porting the purchase of instructional materials for reading, writing and math. The Krey Parents Club would like to thank the generous sponsors who made our success possible: Grazie! Italian Restaurant and Martini Bar, Cover Ups Rentals, Deer Ridge/Shadow Lakes Golf Courses, Frames N Things, Bay Area Racing Limos, Beach Blanket Babylon, Club One, Dr. Brandon Roberts, Trader Joes, Caps Restaurant, Marihelen Palmer (Diamond Hills Ten-nis), Hair Razors Salon, David Redman personal training, Chilis, Body Shop at Home by Nicole Hefner, Brentwood Fine Meats, Smile Family Portraits, Pampered Chef by Jennifer Uresti, Mimis Caf, Boards and More, Boresha Coffee by Bill Hemenway, Dominguez Landscape Service, Jodi Koenig pastry chef, Massage Envy, Scrap Diva, Planet Beach, Black Diamond Gymnastics, P3 Party Place, Schooners Restaurant and Bar, Aladinos Pizza, Diggers, Sport Haircuts, More Flavor Beer, Beer, and More Beer, Mens Wearhouse, Cont-abilita Winery, Brentwood Embroidery, V. Sattui Winery, C&R Memoribilia and Diamond Hills Sport Club.

Thank you.Lori Johnstone

Brentwood

Harmonious happeningEditor:

On Feb. 8, the Voices in Harmony and Liberty choruses and quartets gave a concert at Liberty High School. It was great fun and a wonderful show!

The Voices in Harmony would like to thank Helen Dixon, John Capps, Josh Mangold, JJ Baczenas, Kristen Loyd, Peter Mattea, Ryan Spero and all the lighting and sound crew for their work in making us look and sound so good. We thank everyone who took time out of their weekend to join us. We would especially like to thank Sue Stuart and her talented singers for their gracious hospitality.

It is always a pleasure for us to share the stage with the talented Liberty students here in Brentwood. We hope we can do it again. Thank you, Brent-wood!

Rick SperoVoices in Harmony

FEBRUARY 27, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 15A

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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police de-partments.

BRENTWOODFeb. 12, 2:56 p.m. At a business on Sec-ond Street, a subject detained for stealing alcohol was arrested and released on ju-venile affi davit.Feb. 12, 7:15 p.m. On Village Drive, pur-suant to a no-bail warrant, a subject was arrested and taken to the Martinez De-tention Facility.Feb. 13, 6:59 a.m. An unidentifi ed male was seen prowling around property on In-trigue Lane.Feb. 13, 7:12 a.m. After evicting a sub-ject from a residence on Diamond Springs Lane, the reporting person discovered that items were missing from the residence.Feb. 13, 11:21 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son called a resident of Brentwood Bou-levard repeatedly over the course of four days and left menacing messages.Feb. 13, 9:35 p.m. On Balfour Road at Mountain View Drive, a driver struck an-other vehicle in the rear and fl ed the scene without exchanging information.Feb. 14, 1:31 a.m. A vehicle stolen in Union City was found parked on Brent-wood Boulevard. The vehicle was towed and stored.Feb. 14, 9:40 a.m. A subject actively re-sisting offi cers attempts to investigate a domestic disturbance on Pelican Street was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Feb. 14, 4:40 p.m. At a business on Brent-wood Boulevard, an unidentifi ed person used fraudulent credit card information to obtain fl owers.Feb. 14, 4:45 p.m. On Edera Place, a ve-hicle with registration expired over six months was removed from the street.Feb. 15, 1:10 a.m. On Balfour Road, a subject stopped for a vehicle code viola-tion was found to be under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Feb. 15, 8:16 a.m. An unidentifi ed person dislodged a fi re hydrant on Robin Street at Kingfi sher Street.Feb. 15, 10:44 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-

son fi red two bullets into a residence on Empress Lane. There were no injuries.Feb. 15, 11:47 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son forced open the drivers-side door of a vehicle parked on Woodsong Lane and stole an audio amplifi er and speakers.Feb. 15, 7:39 p.m. On San Jose Avenue at St. Regis Avenue, an unidentifi ed person lit a bottle containing a fl ammable sub-stance and a rag, and left it at the end of the roadway.Feb. 16, 1:34 a.m. On OHara Avenue at Lone Tree Way, a subject stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to be driving on a suspended license. He was ar-rested and the vehicle was towed.

To view the Brentwood Police Depart-ments public logs on the citys Web site, visit www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/department/pd/reports/index.cfm.

ANTIOCHFeb. 15, 10:54 a.m. Offi cers of the An-tioch Police Department spotted a re-ported stolen vehicle and initiated a pur-suit when the driver of the stolen vehicle failed to yield to an enforcement stop. The pursuit went through Oakley, Brentwood, Pittsburg and back to Antioch. The driver abandoned the vehicle in the area of Ca-ada Valley road north of Lone Tree Way and fl ed on foot. An extensive search for the driver was conducted but he was not located. The incident is still under investi-gation. Those with information regarding this case should call the Antioch Police Department at 925-778-2441.Feb. 17 A 24-year-old Antioch resident was found stabbed multiple times near Mahogany and Auto Center Drives. A passerby found the victim and took him to a local hospital, where he was treated for fi ve stab wounds and a lacerated liv-er. The victim was less than forthcoming about the incident, but did say that his car was stolen during the attack. Investiga-tors soon learned that the incident was gang related, and that the victim knew his attacker, later identifi ed as 31-year-old Troy Matthews. Matthews was arrested in Antioch on Feb. 18. The victims car was located as well. Matthews admitted to the stabbing, but claimed it was in self-de-

fense. Both Matthews and the victims are known gang members. The victim remains hospitalized and is refusing to cooperate with prosecution. Those with information should contact Detective Santiago Cas-tillo at 925-779-6933.Feb. 19, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The Antioch Police Departments REACH Project, the An-tioch Unifi ed School District and the Con-tra Costa County Probation Department collaborated in a truancy sweep in the city of Antioch, pairing up APD offi cers with probation offi cers. A total of 28 truant stu-dents were detained, cited for truancy and returned to class. Student Support Services from the Antioch Unifi ed School District as well as personnel from the REACH Proj-ect processed and counseled the truants. The program is intended to be supportive rather than punitive, and its purpose is to keep school-age children in school and off the streets during school hours. Statistical data reveals that high rates of truancy are directly linked to daytime criminal behav-ior, and truant students are more prone to drop out of school.Feb. 20 Offi cers of the Antioch Police De-partment were dispatched on the report of a man fi ring a gun in the median of High-way 4 at Contra Loma Boulevard. Upon arrival, offi cers stopped traffi c in both di-rections to facilitate a search for the sus-pect. Pittsburg resident Craig Johnson, 49, was found hiding in the shrubbery in the center median and was taken into custody. The weapon was found on the ground near Johnson. According to a wit-ness, Johnson was fi ring the weapon into the ground and not at passing vehicles. Johnsons motive for his actions is not known at this time. So far, no victims have been located or have come forward.

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

OAKLEYFeb. 9 Attempted rape was reported on the 2100 block of El Lago Drive.Feb. 9 Terrorist threats were made on the 2400 block of Main Street.Feb. 9 Residences on the 4200 block of Sequoia Drive and the 5000 block of

Teakwood Drive were burglarized.Feb. 10 On Lariat Lane at Terra Verde Lane, a stolen vehicle was recovered.Feb. 10 An arrest warrant was issued on Courtland Drive.Feb. 10 A boat docked on the 100 block of Lauritzen Lane was burglarized.Feb. 10 Grand theft was reported on the 1000 block of Neroly Road.Feb. 11 On the 5500 block of Main Street, a subject was found to be in viola-tion of a court order.Feb. 11 A vehicle accident with property damage occurred on East Cypress Road at Main Street.Feb. 11 Sexual battery was reported on the 1000 block of Neroly Road, and do-mestic battery on the 3600 block of Frank Hengel Way.Feb. 11 On the 1000 block of Main Street, a subject was arrested for evading police.Feb. 11 A business on Live Oak Avenue at Main Street was burglarized.Feb. 11 Incidents of grand theft were reported on the 4400 block of Fall Lane and the 100 block of Lauritzen Lane.Feb. 11 Identity theft occurred on the 100 block of Carol Lane.Feb. 12 At a business on the 3500 block of Main Street, a subject was caught shoplifting.Feb. 12 On the 100 block of Main Street, a subject was arrested for public intoxica-tion.Feb. 13 Vehicles required towing on the 100 block of Oxford Drive, the 4300 block of El Dorado Street and the 4900 block of Winchester Drive.Feb. 13 A misdemeanor hit-and-run oc-curred on Main Street at Norcross Lane.Feb. 14 On the 2400 block of Main Street, a subject was found in possession of dangerous drugs.Feb. 14 Separate incidents of misde-meanor driving under the infl uence oc-curred on Main Street at OHara Avenue.Feb. 15 On El Monte Drive at Empire Avenue, a driver was cited for speeding.Feb. 15 Grand theft of vehicle parts was reported on the 1800 block of Port Way.Feb. 16 On West Cypress Road at OHara Avenue, an adult was reported missing.

COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS An unidentifi ed person used fraudulent credit card infor-mation to obtain fl owers.Feb. 14, 4:40 p.m. in Brentwood

FEBRUARY 27, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 17A

The Liberty Union High School District has announced the recipients of its 2009 Graduates of Distinction Program. The committee selected Manuel Vilchez, Liberty Class of 1949; Richard Mello, Liberty Class of 1976; and Dr. Nancy Gemetti DeGuire, Liberty Class of 1982.

These three outstanding alumni will visit Liberty, Freedom and Heritage High schools on Friday, April 3 to meet and speak with students. Assemblies will be held at all

three sites, allowing students to hear and ask questions about how these alumni achieved success in their chosen fi elds. The honorees will also be recognized by local dignitaries and special guests at a community reception at 3 p.m. at Nines Restaurant, 100 Summerset Drive in Brentwood. The community is invited to attend this reception.

For more information, call District Coordinator Ilene Foster at 925-634-3521, ext. 5220.

LUHSD Graduates of Distinction named

pedestal of the Statue of Liberty) by Lindemans 10-year-old daughter, Andie. District Arts Commissioner P.J. Shelton was so impressed with the youngster that she invited Andie to perform (as an exhi-bition) at a county competition held re-cently. The event will be televised on Con-tra Costa TV (CCTV Comcast channel 27 and Astound channel 32) March 1 and

8 at 7 p.m.While Meghan Groshong did not win

at the county level, she considers all of the Poetry Out Loud participants winners be-cause they had the courage to enter the competition and perform in front of an audience. State winners will compete at the National Finals in Washington, D.C. on April 28.

Contributed by Sarah Singrin

Poetry from page 13A

Connecting to Christ and with each other

Pastor Mike Lange

1275 Fairview Ave. Brentwoodwww.Resmin.org 634-5180

Sunday Worship 8:30 - Classic 9:30 - Sunday School - all ages 10:45 - Family Praise

REZ!

an outreach of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

Resurrection Ministries

Sunday Worship10:45 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Bible StudySunday at 9:45 a.m.

Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.on the corner of Walnut and Balfour

925-634-3178

Church of Christ

Striving to know Christand live his word

VISIONSCHRISTIAN CENTER

The Just Shall Live By His FaithSunday School 10:00amWorship Service 11:00amWednesday Bible Study 7:30pm

2752 W. Tregallas Rd., AntiochPastor Harmon Roberts 777-0290

Sundays9:30 AM Discipleship Hour

10:30 AM Worship & the WordTuesdays

7:00 PM High School GroupWednesdays

6:00 PM AWANA Kids ClubThursdays

9:00 AM Womens Bible Study7:00 PM Youth Jr. Group

WeeklySmall groups

Call for details 634-2188657 McClarren Rd.

Brentwood(Across from McClarren Park)

H

Hwy 4

McC

larren

Rd.

Walnut Blvd.

proclaiming His excellencies

Balfo

ur R

d.

Sunday at Liberty High School

10AM Worship & The Word5PM Adult Bible Study

5PM AWANA Kids Club925 - 513 - 6572Pastor: Frank Griffithwww.calvarytruth.org

Camino Diablo Rd. & McCabe Rd.

Byron 634-6625MASSES

Sat. Evening5:00 pm Mass Chapel

SundayCommunity Life Center

8:30 & 10:30 am12:30 pm Misa in Espaol Chapel

Weekday: Mon-Thurs: 9:00 am Chapel

P.O. Box 476, Byron 94514www.stannechurchbyron.com

God has a plan and a purpose for your life. Expect a miracle!

Pastor Jonathan GeeNew Address:

161 Sand Creek Road, Ste. ABrentwood

(925) 308-7737www.FamilyWorshipCenter.us

Family Worship Centerformerly Delta Family Bible

Join us at 9 or 11 Sunday MorningNursery & Children's Programs provided

Wednesday: Bible Classes, 7pmThursday: Extreme Youth Night

7:00pm

Transportation available for seniors and disabled for Sunday Service

24-Hour Prayer Line755-PRAY

Come and fellowship with us.Ministries for all ages.

925-240-7144www.creeksidelife.org

Experiencing Life At Its BestMultiple Weekend ServicesSundays at 9 & 10:30 am

4501 OHara Ave., Brentwood

A Focus on YouthTues: JX (Junior High): 6:30-8:00

Wed: XING (High School): 7:00-8:30

9:00am Traditional Service with Chancel & Bell Choirs10:00am Fellowship Time & Special Coffee10:30am Contemporary Service with Guitar & Praise Band10:30am Children & Youth Sun. School

Located in Discovery Bay

dcpcfamily.org

1900 Willow Lake Rd.(925) 634-0184

Delta CommunityPresbyterian Church

Child Care (0-3yr) provided for all services.

Immaculate Heart of MaryCatholic Church

500 Fairview Brtwd 634-4154MASSES / MISAS

SATURDAY/SBADO:8am & 5pm English; 6:30pm Espaol

SUNDAY/DOMINGO 7:30am 9:00am 12:30pm English

10:45am 2:00pm Espaol; 5:00pm LatinWEEKDAY MASSES/MISAS DIARIAS

Mon thru Fri: 7:00am English8:30am Bilingual

CONFESSIONS/CONFESIONESWednesdays/Mircoles: 7:00pm

Saturdays/ Sbados: 3:30-4:30pmEveryone Welcome

Heritage Baptist Church

Home of Heritage Baptist Academy (K-12) for 20 years!

5200 Heidorn Ranch RoadCentrally Located at the Crossroads to Oakley, Brentwood

and Antioch, near the new Home Depot.

925-757-5242

Sunday ServicesWorship 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School for all ages 10:00 a.m.Adult Bible Study & Patch Music Club for kids 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday ServicesAdult Bible Study & Kids Klub 7:00 p.m.Well-staffed nursery & childcare available during all Services.

925-634-1415brentwoodnc.org

9:00 am Worship Serviceat Edna Hill Gym, 235 Lawrence Ln.

11:00 am Worship Servicenext door at Church Building, 50 Birch St.

Awesome Children's, Youth & Adult Ministries Small groups for all ages!

Connecting with God and each other.

NeighborhoodChurch

Pastor Jim Kraft 634-0800Anchored to the Rock, Moored to the Word

Mariners Mariners ChurchChurch

Sunday Worship 9:00Sunday Worship 9:00Adult Bible ClassAdult Bible Class 10:30 10:30

Nursery & ChildrensNursery & ChildrensSunday SchoolSunday School 9:309:30Byron Excelsior GymByron Excelsior Gym

14401 Byron Highway 14401 Byron Highway High School Hang Time 6:30 p.m. Tuesday nights

in Discovery Bay

Worship ServicesCATHOLIC

CHRISTIAN

CHURCH OF CHRIST

NON DENOMINATIONAL

PENTECOSTALBAPTIST LUTHERAN

PRESBYTERIAN

NON DENOMINATIONAL

The Orchard Church

Meeting atHeritage High School Theater101 American Way, Brentwood

Sunday at 10:00amGet to know God. Learn the Bible.

Connect with People.

(925) 325-5020 Pastor Steve With

theorchardchurch.com

Sunday Children's ProgramWednesday Middle School 6:45pm

Wednesday High School 7:00pmBible Studies throughout the Week

CHRISTIAN &MISSIONARY ALLIANCE

LUTHERAN

Advertise your church hours and location here for as low as

$25 Call Rebecca at 634-1441 ext. 122

or email rporter eld@

brentwoodpress.com

18A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 27, 2009

water from the Sierra down through vari-ous rivers to the Delta.

Also planned are low seating walls adorned with murals or inset tiles, provid-ing some artistic elements to the park.

Depending on the availability of fund-ing, some of the parks facilities and ame-nities might not be built right away, but

phased in. Park offi cials are still working out the details.

Also on the districts drawing board for the park is the Delta Science Center. Planned to be built sometime next year near the existing parking lot, the center is funded with the recently approved Mea-sure WW bond revenue.

That will be a place for indoor inter-pretive programming or to orient before

going out to the Delta with a walk-and-talk with the interpreter, said Althoff. There might be staff offi ces for preparation of the programs. Its a little more modest in size than we originally hoped.

The construction depends on when the bonds are sold to raise the construc-tion funds and what priority the park dis-trict board gives to the project. Our hope is that will be a high-priority project for the

board, said Althoff. That will be resolved in their upcoming workshops.

In other Delta educational/recreation-al developments, the Discover the Delta Information Center is being planned at the conjunction of highways 12 and 160. And an East County organization called the Delta Science Center has been help-ing sponsor Delta boat cruises for students and provides educational Delta calendars

Caltrans Engineer Nancy Wein, the familiar green signs are expected to go up within the next few weeks designating the stretch as an offi cial state highway.

Local historian Carol Jensen, also a director of the John Marsh Historic Trust,

feels that the wording of the highway is especially s i g n i f i c a n t . The reason heritage is so lovely (in the name) is that the area is the site of Native Americans that

predate the pyramids and Stonehenge, said Jensen. The heritage is not only Native American, but the West and agriculture. Its exciting because when you say heritage and John Marsh, this embraces the whole of California history.

Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor has been a longtime proponent of the project. Seeing the fi nished product, said Taylor, will be the icing on the cake. I think that John Marsh is a historical site in Brentwood proper and I think it (naming of the highway) was an extraordinary move, said Taylor. You know, as we go through America we always see the various landmarks that are a part of history, and this area is defi nitely one of the them.

The story of John Marsh is as famous as it is infamous. A Harvard-educated man, Marsh left the East Coast for the wilds of the west in the mid-1800s, fi nding plenty of adventures along the way. He explored the Sioux culture, was accused of illegally selling them guns, and eventually led a command of the tribe during the Black Hawk War. He lost a son at birth, gave up a son and daughter for adoption during his lifetime, and practiced medicine without a license.

In 1838, Marsh became the fi rst settler in Contra Costa County, establishing

a 17,000-acre ranch he named Rancho Los Meganos. Living in an adobe house, he began building a magnifi cent, Greek-revival stone house off what is now Marsh Creek Road in Brentwood, a few hundred yards from the highway that will bear his name. He acquired a huge herd of cattle in exchange for medical services provided to wounded and sick explorers and local Native Americans, planted fruit trees and wheat, and even took a turn prospecting for gold.

Marshs letters to eastern newspapers, penned from Los Meganos, extolled the beauty of California and its rich potential for agriculture. His letters are credited with

helping to start the great tide of prairie schooners rolling west, and many early explorers (including Kit Carson) were visitors to Los Meganos.

Marsh was murdered by disgruntled employee vaqueros in 1856, before the stone house was completed. It became the property of his son and daughter, and was later home to a procession of tenant farmworkers. An effort to restore the crumbling edifi ce is underway, with plans to make it the centerpiece of the state park that surrounds it.

For more information on John Marsh and the trust, visit www.johnmarshhouse.com.

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Dont miss it!JOHN MARSH

20A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 27, 2009

2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS FEBRUARY 27, 2009

DELTA PATRIOTSYouth Football & Cheer

Football Ages 6-14Cheer - Ages 6-14, Both Competitive & Non Competitive SquadsNationally Ranked Cheer SquadsChampionship Level Football TeamsNo Tryouts Required, No Cuts

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Football and Cheer Registration begins

March 1stRegister online at www.deltapatriots.com

Open House and Walk-in RegistrationApril 4th from 11 to 2

Delta Patriots Headquarters3877 Walnut Blvd. Suite C, Brentwood

Please bring a copy of your birth certifi cate and your medical insurance information.

Visit our website for more information

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The Black Diamond Kids Center All-Star Cheer teams recently com-peted in the Jamz Nationals competition in Las Vegas. In past years, Black Diamond has brought home seven rst-place tro-phies, one second and one third. I am so proud of our girls this year, said program director Nicole Younger. It was really exciting to see their skills and con dence develop over the year. The next cheerleading sea-son starts in May. For more information, e-mail nicole@bdgym.com or call 925-516-6619.

Cheerful kids

Photo courtesy of Nicole Younger

Big Bass Challenge returns to Russos

The maxim that It aint over till its over was never more vividly illustrated than at last years inaugural Berkley Big Bass Challenge event, where amateur-level bass fi sherman Pete Moore shocked the crowd and himself by capturing the fi rst-ever Berkley Big Bass Challenge title.

Last year was a pretty tough year for me, as I had been going through a string of personal circumstances, said Pete at the awards presentations. I decided to fi sh the Berkley Big Bass Challenge be-cause it was an inexpensive way for me to have fun plus have a good chance at win-ning some cash for catching a fi sh. And although Im just an amateur, I fi gured I had just as good a chance as anybody of catching a big fi sh on the California Delta and boy, was I right!

This years Berkley Big Bass Chal-lenge takes place June 6 and 7 at Russos Marina in Bethel Island. The unique for-mat combines angling skill and weigh-in strategy. Each competition day consists of a six-hour period in which anglers can weigh in their single largest fi sh. Some an-glers who participated in last years event called it bass fi shings version of Texas hold em.

Each angler brings one fi sh to the

scales every hour to vie for one of the sev-en hourly cash awards (more than $1,300 is awarded every hour), including $500 for the biggest fi sh of the hour. The angler with the biggest fi sh each hour will also qualify as a Top 12 Finalist, qualifying for a chance to win the keys to a new Toyota Tundra valued at $28,000.

A $150 entry fee covers both days; the one-day entry fee is $100. Anglers ar-riving Friday, June 5 (the day before the event) at Russos Marina will have the op-portunity to attend seminars hosted by Berkley pro staff. The Berkley Experience trailer, more than 70 feet of rolling event center, will be on site from Friday until the fi nal weigh-in and awards ceremony on Sunday. The trailer features interactive presentation screens, Wii video games, a knot-tying station and competition and bait demonstration tanks.

Russos will also be present in the big tent ready to supply all your Berkley bait needs. Anglers are encouraged to save their empty Berkley Gulp! and Powerbait bags for the big raffl e at the end of event, where they can trade the bags for raffl e tickets.

For more information, visit www.anglerspress.net, e-mail anglerspress@hotmail.com or call 916-768-0938.

FEBRUARY 27, 2009 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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Patriots to dive inThe Heritage High School boys

swim team, under the guidance of head coach Craig Carson, heads into the 2009 season led by seniors Karl Mehta (sprint freestyle), Zack Harris (100m and 200m free), Clinton Freeman (200m IM and 500m free) and Nicolas Brix (100m breast, 200m IM).

Returning varsity standouts Cyrus Blankenship, Kurt Holzmuller, Josh Chang and Garrin Bailey add depth and versatility to the roster. And incoming freshmen John Palazzotto and Carter Haines provide punch to the Patriot line-up. With Heritage, Deer Valley and Free-dom all vying for the top spot, the BVAL

championship race should be close.The Heritage girls swim team will be

led by returning varsity standout Shelby Ross (breaststroke, backstroke), Stepha-nie Wallen (freestyle, backstroke), Krista Natali (sprint freestyle) and freshman Madison Applegate. Returning seniors Kristin Moore, Alyssa Arguello, Jenny Wheable and Krystal Bocanegra, along with Katie Dolan, Jessica Crawford and Hayley Thaning, will round out the ros-ter.

The girls team looks to improve on last seasons fi fth-place fi nish in the BVAL. This season Liberty and Deer Valley are the teams to beat.

Panthers set to splashAntioch High School swim coach

Keri Miles is back for her second season with the team, and looking forward to working with Sophia Osborne, the teams new assistant coach.

Sophia comes to us with great tal-ent and technique expertise, said Miles. Shes entering her third season as coach for the Antioch Delta Skimmers 15-to-18 age group as well as being a Masters Team competition swimmer in her own right.

Senior Jeremy LaDue, a member of the Antioch Delta Skimmer for eight years, will be swimming for his fourth

season at AHS. Senior Jonathan Campos is back for a third season with the Pan-thers, and Miles is excited to see what his senior year will hold for him.

Two strong juniors are returning to the team: Chris Tennow, a third-year year swimmer, and Angelina Troia, a longtime member of the East Count Sting Rays, swimming in her third year at AHS.

Students interested in trying out for the swim team are encouraged to speak with coaches Miles and Osborne, who can be found on the pool deck Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

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4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS FEBRUARY 27, 2009

The hardcourt warriors of the Heritage High School junior varsity boys basketball team were the scourge of the Bay Valley Athletic League this season, posting an undefeated record in league play.

Brilliant in BVAL

Photo by Stacey Chance/DiscoveryBayStudios.com

Window Seat GalleryPortraits Landscapes Special Orders

Jo Cotarelo757-3761

754-1700

Play ball!As kids step onto local diamonds for the fi rst day of prac-

tice, a long tradition of good old-fashioned Little League ball dating back to 1957 continues in Antioch.

After a decade of separation by a boundary dividing the city into two leagues, on March 14 Antioch High School will host the opening-day ceremony marking the return to one city-wide league.

Antioch Little League serves children ages 4 to 16 partici-pating in T-ball, challenger ball for the disabled, baseball and girls softball. The league allows kids to play on teams based on ability not just age. This allows players to challenge themselves against other players of equal or better skills.

In the lower divisions of farm, T-ball and softball mini-minors, players can have fun mixing it up with their friends or family. In Antioch Little League, every child plays. In the com-petitive divisions, all players are required to play at least half the game and managers work hard to provide equal playing time for everyone.

The diamonds at the Antioch Little League Fields and the Antioch Youth Sports Complex are manicured and ready, and the league invites everyone to come out and share in the tradi-tion. For more information, visit www.antiochlit