YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 9, No. 35 Including Surrounding Communities www.thepress.net August 28, 2009

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

THIS WEEK

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Delta Patriots pack a punch

A local league football squad is giving opponents a taste of its own brand of Patriotism.

Page 4B

Better bypass the Bypass Save time and aggravation by checking out the details of the Highway 4 Bypass impending closure.

Page 18A

Arts.....................................6ABusiness ...........................15ACalendar ..........................23BClassifieds ........................16BCop Logs ..........................14AEntertainment ................11BFood .................................12BHealth & Beauty ...............8BMilestones .........................7BOpinion ...........................13ARecreation .........................8ASports .................................1BTalk About Town ..............5AWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

Dishing up agreen dream

An Oakley couples bright idea puts an efficient and eco-friendly spin on outdoor partying.

Page 4A

Citizens to challenge councils responsiveness

New recreation guide for Oakley

Do you have a Guitar Hero in your house? A Karate Kid or a promising Picas-so? Then youll want to grab the latest copy of the City of Oakley Recreation Guide for Fall/Winter 2009. This years guide is a comprehensive one-stop peek at an array of new classes and local events for children, adults and seniors. Copies are available in-side your copy of this weeks Press and at the Oak-ley city of-fi ces, 3231 Main St. For more informa-tion, call 925-625-7000.

In a city of 32,000, a group of 11 citizens seems small, but that isnt stopping a grassroots movement of concerned citizens from joining to-gether to stand up to the Oakley City Council to make their voices heard.

The group, which calls itself Oakley Citizens for Responsive Government (OCRG), met for the fi rst time this week to rally its resources and brainstorm ways to get the attention of the coun-cil, which they believe has been ignoring public input at recent meetings.

Led by Oakley resident Paul Seger, the un-offi cial videographer of Oakley council meetings, OCRG hopes to fi nd strength in numbers to help draw attention to the causes that affect the city and its people.

We need to get people with like interests together who want whats best for the city, Seger said. We are not being heard at the council meet-ings. You get your three minutes, and all they (the council) say is so long thanks for coming. We need a strategy to get their attention. Weve got to shake em up so theyll listen.

Eve Diamond, who spoke at the last council meeting, said addressing the council is like talking to a brick wall, which is why many citizens dont

go to council meetings.Ive talked to so many people, and they all

seem defeated and dont believe there is anything they can do to be heard, Diamond said. Ive knocked on doors and sent out e-mails, but its diffi cult to get people to show up. Its like theyve already given up.

Oakley City Manager Bryan Montgom-ery said he has run into this situation at all the cities he has worked for in the past. He said its not uncommon for some people to feel like they arent being heard, but the fact is that the council does listen to all speakers. They just choose not to agree with some opinions presented to them, and cast their vote for what they decide is best for the city.

I have never worked with a more polite and professional city council than the one here in Oakley, Montgomery said in an e-mail. They do listen intently and deliberate conscientiously.

OCRG member Nancy DCruz said since the council is elected by the people to represent the people, it should consider the opinions of the public and vote for what the people want, and while the council might be listening to public comments, the messages behind the comments

Boaters: 2-Gate is too muchIn three months, two gates

may be constructed in the Delta in a fi ve-year experiment to deter-mine whether they will help save the endangered Delta smelt while continuing to allow the pumping of water south to Central Valley farms and southern California residents.

But some local boaters are concerned that the gates will restrict their access to the Delta, and believe the 2-Gate Fish Protection Demon-stration Project is part of an ongo-ing water grab that is harming the Delta.

One of those boaters is Jan McCleery, who has been boating on the Delta for 40 years and moved with her husband to Discovery Bay three years ago from Sunnyvale to be closer to the water. On most weekends they hop onto their 43-foot Bayliner yacht and sail off to idyllic Mildred Island, where they anchor and hang out.

Normally they get there by go-ing under the Bacon Island Bridge,

which has a lift mechanism allow-ing them to pass under it on Middle River. When that bridge lift is not in operation they must travel a route that is planned to be blocked part of the year by a gate at Connection

Slough on the north side of Bacon Island.

McCleery is concerned that the gated channel wont be deep enough to accommodate her boat even when the gate is open. And its

unclear the exact hours when the gate will be closed.

It will make it very diffi cult to tell if we can get back or when and how, she said. My other concern is I dont think environmentally they are protecting the smelt. Its to allow them to pump more water its the fi rst step toward the peripheral ca-nal.

The gates project is a collabo-ration of the California Depart-ment of Water Resources, the fed-eral Bureau of Reclamation and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It has not yet been approved, however the environmental studies are due to be released soon, which will allow opportunities for public comment before a fi nal decision is made.

But the current schedule is for construction to begin in September and for the gates to begin operation on Dec. 15. One gate would be on Connection Slough and the other on Old River north of Rock Slough between Bacon Island and Holland

Jan McCleerys family and friends enjoy anchoring out at Mildred Island and are concerned that a plan to put gates in the Delta could block their access.

Photo courtesy of Jan McCleery

see Gates page 18A

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see Citizens page 18A

Isnt this gorgeous? Donna deFrates said as she navigated through the crowd dur-ing the Senior Stars Fashion Show, sporting a design sold at Oak Street Boutique.

Beaming ear to ear, deFrates was just one of nine ladies who gracefully glided around the Brentwood Senior Activity Center on Aug. 14, showing off the latest trends for women this fall.

Brentwood Senior Citizens Club Presi-dent Lynda Oliver she was delighted by the turnout of more than 130 people to the clubs third annual event. This was a great event for seniors in the community to see what the club and the senior center are all about, she said. You know, there arent many occasions to get all dressed up once you hit a certain age. We seniors dont get to go to proms, so this is a fun way for the ladies to get dressed up and be admired.

All women love to play dress-up, and what a treat for them to get to walk around on the arm of a handsome gentleman. Now these ladies have photos to show their friends and family that clearly illustrate that they do not live a dull life. They are active and involved, and that is what the club is all about.

Models Elaine Allen, Stella Brown, Lydia Campos, Marlene Cook, Laura Jara-millo, Hermie Rasey, Bev Rossi, Dolcie Tullis and deFrates took turns donning formal and casual wear, walking around the senior center as audience members enjoyed lunch. As the

ladies twirled to show off the seasons latest styles, members of the crowd clapped and some men even cheered and whistled when they saw something they liked.

Tullis, who has modeled in the past, said it was fun to be part of the show, especially since it helped draw more people to the center.

Oliver said the event was a win-win for the seniors as well as the participating local businesses. The show featured fashions sold at Chicos, Coldwater Creek, TJ Maxx, Cat-

walk, Oak Street Boutique, and His and Her Formal Wear. More than 20 other local busi-nesses donated items for a raffl e, and all pro-ceeds were donated to the seniors club.

Councilman Bob Brockman, who served as an escort during the event along with Brentwood Press Publisher Greg Rob-inson and Brentwood Recreation Supervisor Mac Kaiser, auctioned off two dinner parties in which the winners, along with three of their friends, were invited to dine with Brockman

and his wife at Shutters Brasserie. The dinners went for $100 each.

Bev Rossi, who also modeled in the show, was one of the winners. She said she was more than happy to bid on the prize as the money went to a good cause, and signing the check was a lot easier than modeling.

It was fun to get up and play dress-up, but it was nerve wracking, Rossi said. Lyn-da convinced me to do it. Ill do anything to support the club and the center, though. This is such a nice place the seniors have here, and I

want to support that.Oliver said the commu-

nity and business support to put the event together is testa-ment to the community spirit that is unique to Brentwood. Businesses went out of their way to help us, and that just goes to show that it is a privi-lege to live in this commu-nity, she said. Brentwood is so kind to its seniors, and this new senior center is such a wonderful gathering place. You wont fi nd a place like this anywhere else.

Oliver said she was pleased with the num-ber of new people she met at the event and hopes more seniors in the area will be encour-aged to join the seniors club and participate in upcoming activities held at the center.

Up next, the senior center, located at 193 Griffi th Lane, will serve as the stage for a per-formance of On Golden Pond presented by the Vagabond Players on Wednesday, Sept. 23. For more information, call Brentwood Parks and Recreation at 925-516-5444.

AUGUST 28, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

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Priced to sell! Great opportunity, darling country 3 bdrm. 2 ba. home on private road surrounded by nice custom homes. Huge barn/shop on property. Close to town and shops. $360,000

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Nice single story 4 bdrm., 2 bath, 2,093 sf home and 3 car garage in the gated Brookside Community. Large backyard and close to a park.

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Own beautiful delta land, 1 acre with tons of potential. Minutes from boating, all usable land, owner to carry w/ the right offer! Views of agricultural land around, great opportunity. $200,000

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Donna deFraters, on the arm of escort Mac Kaiser, shows off one of the new fall fashions available at Oak Street Boutique in Brentwood, above. Dolice Tullis, inset, escort-ed by Brentwood Councilman Bob Brockman, models a de-sign sold at Catwalk during the Senior Stars Fashion Show held Aug. 14.

Photos by Samie Hartley

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

Seniors shine at fashion show

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TALK ABOUT TOWN Have an item? E-maileditor@brentwoodpress.com.John Ioane, seen here with Free-dom High football coach Kevin Hartwig, left, and boys basket-ball coach Drew Torres, has some-thing new to say should anyone ask him how he rolls these days: he rolls in a brand new $26,930 Ford Mus-tang, his reward for having scored a hole-in-one on the third hole at Freedoms recent Run & Gun Golf Tournament on Bethel Island. The event bene ted the Freedom High School basketball and football pro-grams, and was sponsored by Hilltop Ford, Bethel Island Golf Course, Nor-Cal Promotion, Hitchens Home Team Real Estate, Caps Oak Street Grill, John Torres Golf Clubs, Freedom Ath-letic Booster Club, Brentwood Golf Club, Diamond Hills Country Club, Angelinas Tax Service, Black Bear Diner, Nines Restaurant, Hook, Line & Sinker, Lucky Store, Walmart, Gina Khan Salon, Edible Arrangements/Frutation, The Carvery, Rock Bottom Records, Tailgaters, Centr-O-Mart, T&B Sports and Cold Stone Cream-ery, all of whom will be given a turn using Johns new wheels. Not really.

Some stories cry out for further factoids. An enterprising thief recently stole copper wiring which fetches a pretty price on the black market on Garin Parkway at Jen-

nifer Street in Brentwood. The ca-veat: this offender didnt cop the copper by meticulously pulling it out of a streetlamp. He stole the whole streetlamp! Now, thats what we call going to great lengths as in atbed truck in order to make a living in the weird world of crime.

Oakleyites will get a chance to party like its l999 at the Oakley Librarys 10th anniversary celebra-tion on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Freedom High School location on Neroly Road. The Happy Hook-ers (crochet group) will be there, but most likely not the Artist For-merly Known As Prince. There will, however, be cake, a magic show and

other surprises.

Decidedly cool: Proprietors of the Holiday on Ice skating rink have announced that theyll be back this year. Located at the Streets of Brent-wood, the rink last year attracted just over 22,000 paying skaters, said Lynn Roberts of Holiday on Ice. This years goal is to attract 30,000, which Lynn said could help it become a successful annual event for win-tertime family fun in Brentwood for years to come. The dates this year: Nov. 14 to Jan 10. Anyone interested in sponsoring the rink should call Lynn at 925-998-5356 or visit www.brentwoodholidayonice.com.

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DTI and Loan Mod/Short SaleLast week I wrote about how DTI

(debt-to-income ratio) was back in vogue in real estate lending. Lenders actually have the audacity to check to see if the borrower can afford the payment before making a loan now (gasp!). To recap, some rough guidelines are that your housing expenses (principal, interest, tax, insurance, HOA) are not over 35% of your gross income, and that your total installment payments of any type not exceed 45%.

In the past, we only talked about debt ratios in regards to getting approved for a new loan. But now there are two other situ-ations where debt ratios come into play, and those two are loan modifications and short sales. When you apply for either a short sale or a loan modification, your lender will ask for a pretty complete set of financial infor-mation from you. As part of their decision-making process, they will look at your debt ratio. But there is a big difference between what they are looking for between these two.

For a loan modification, it will help

if your debt ratio is high now, but not too high. They want to see that you are having trouble making your payments now, but if they reduced your payment, your debt ratio would drop to something you can afford for the long term. But for a short sale, if your front-end debt ratio (housing only) is lower than 35%, that can make your short sale harder to get approved. They may say, Hey, they COULD afford to make this payment if they wanted to Thats where they look at the rest of your package to see if the other bills you have are bills you have to paymedical bills, wage garnishment, etc. But if you are having trouble making your house payment because you are choosing to make your luxury car payment, boat payment, credit card payments instead, that will be a tougher sell. Not impossible, just tougher.

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

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The volunteers at the Antioch Ani-mal Shelter are inviting the community to a day of fun aimed at supporting the shelter. The event takes place tomorrow, Aug. 29.

We are hoping to recruit more vol-unteers to help at the shelter because of the huge budget cut that our small city shelter just received, said longtime shel-ter volunteer Shellie Robertson.

The Volunteers 4 Volunteers Pet Event will feature adoptable animals from the shelter as well as representatives from about a dozen animal rescue organizations that the shelter works with on a regular basis. There will be raffl e prizes and music, plus face painting and balloons for the kids.

Groomers from Hairy Hounds in Oakley, in addition to donating raffl e prizes, will be visiting the shelter on Fri-day (when theyre closed) to groom some of the animals to make them more appeal-ing to potential adopters. At the event, the Groomers will be trimming cat/dog nails for a donation, which will be given to the shelter.

To top it all off, the shelter will be of-fering a one-day amnesty on dog licens-ing. Antioch residents wishing to license their dog can do so without any late fees/penalties.

The Volunteers 4 Volunteers Pet Event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Antioch Animal Services, 300 L St.

Dog and cat days of summer

A variety of adoptable animals, including Daisy, left, and Fritz will be available for adoption at the Antioch Animal Services Volunteers 4 Volunteers event this Saturday.

Photos courtesy of Shellie Robertson

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8A | THEPRESS.NET RECREATION AUGUST 28, 2009

Photo by Samie Hartley

From right, Dustin Baughman, Jackie Kerlegan and Zoraida Finlez share a laugh with instructor Toni Todd, left, during a recent belly dancing class at Red Door Dance Studio in Brentwood.

Red Door opens to dancers

While most of Brentwood is settling into the quiet of a Monday evening, the Red Door Dance Studio is coming to life, as rhythmic drum music fl oods through the red doors onto First Street as 12 women sway to the beat.

Toni Todd, owner of the studio, calls out the eight-count as her dancers shimmy across the dance fl oor during a Dansoleil belly dancing lesson. After an hour of practice, the women execute a new routine to round out the session and celebrate their accomplishment with cheers and applause. The smiles of their faces are what Todd en-joys most about her job.

I love seeing my dancers get excited

when theyve learned something new, Todd said. Belly dancing allows women to get in touch with a deeper part of them-selves and express whats in their hearts. Modern women lose themselves in their daily routines since they juggle so much, but this dance allows them to let go and get in touch with their feminine side.

Its like dance therapy. They always seem so much happier after class, and belly dancing isnt just for girls who look like Barbie dolls. I have women of all ages, shapes and sizes come to my classes and I love working with them and watching them all grow and fi nding confi dence not just with their dance abilities but with themselves.

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see Dancers page 9A

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Todd, who has been dancing all her life, discovered belly dancing 10 years ago and used it as a way to condition her body back to dancing form following surgery. Once she was back in shape, she knew she wanted to teach belly dancing, but fi nding a space to hold class wasnt easy.

She taught classes through Brentwood Parks and Recreation and developed a dance troupe that traveled around the Bay Area performing belly dance routines, but she always dreamed of owning her own studio, so when she found the location on First Street and the rent prices came down due to the failing economy, she took the opportunity to make her dream come true.

Ive lived here for 22 years, and Ive wanted to be a part of downtown Brent-wood for so long, Todd said. When this space opened up, I couldnt refuse. It was still scary to fi nally make all of this hap-pen, but my dancers kept encouraging me, and Im so glad I listened to them. This re-ally is a dream come true. I get to do what I love and share dance. What could be bet-ter?

Todd partnered up with Cozette Hileman, a local dance instructor who was also looking for a place to call her own, and in March they opened Red Door Dance Studio, named for the front doors that were already painted red.

Hileman, a certifi ed dance instruc-tor who specializes in ballroom dancing, taught at other dance studios in the area, but was looking for a more intimate setting to hold her lessons, so the partnership with Todd was ideal.

I wanted to be involved with a small-er studio, and the location is perfect., Hileman said. It is so wonderful to be a part of historic downtown Brentwood. To-gether, Toni and I offer a variety of classes, so there is something for everyone.

While Todds belly dancing classes are ongoing and people can join at any time, Hilemans classes change every four weeks. She also hosts a dance party on the third Saturday of every month, when she gives a dance lesson and then invites people to stay and dance the night away.

Its great for people who dont live in the area, Hileman said. Couples can come out to Brentwood and enjoy a nice dinner and then come over to the studio, have a little dance lesson, and then spend the evening dancing. Its a fun idea for a date night.

While Red Door is home to Todd and Hilemans classes, they also rent the studio out to other instructors who teach dance classes as well as dance-inspired fi tness classes such as a youth hip hop class and a Zumba fi tness class, which incorporates forms of Latin dance such as salsa into a cardio workout. In September, a yoga in-structor will join the Red Door team, and Todd says she hopes to expand the dance card and fi nd more instructors to offer as diverse a selection as possible.

In addition to the classes that are held Monday through Saturday, Red Door Dance Studio also hosts a monthly work-shop to introduce different dance styles to novice and experienced dancers. This Sat-urday, Aug. 29, Todd has invited a tribal

belly dance instructor to run a workshop on the more primitive style of belly danc-ing, a style that is quite different from the Americanized version Todd teaches.

The biggest goal with the classes and the workshops is to share the love of dance, Todd said. Dancing is just like anything else you have to learn. It takes practice, and Ive tried to create the most positive atmo-sphere possible to foster a learning environ-ment that makes the dancers feel safe. Ev-eryone can dance; they just have to have the patience to fi nd the dancer within.

Red Door Dance Studio is located at 817 First St. in Brentwood. For more in-formation and a schedule of classes, visit www.reddoordance.com or call 925-516-3667.

Dancers from page 8A

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These smiling third-graders recently celebrated their rst Lucky Hat Day at Timber Point Elementary School. The idea came from a story about three young children and their search for lucky hats. Students liked the idea so much they decided to hunt for their own, and judging from the varied selection, it looks like everyone had success.

A hat-worthy idea

Photo courtesy of Timber Point Elementary

Based on Ovids transformation myths, Metamorphoses by Mary Zim-merman subtly mixes the ancient stories of pathos and tragedy with contemporary language, humor and thought, all enacted in and around a large pool of water in the center of the stage. The themes of love, the inevitability of change, and the hu-man ability to adapt to change are time-

less, amply demonstrated by the eerie similarity of some of plays vignettes to Ovids original text, which still resonates with modern viewers.

Performance dates are Sept. 4, 5, 10 and 11 at 7 p.m., and Sept.12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $9.50 and available online at www.lhsplaymakers.com or by phone at 925-634-3521, ext. 5489.

Metamorphoses opens

Most East County schools showed in-creases in academic profi ciency, according to the states recently released Standardized Test-ing And Reporting (STAR) results.

The fi gures, which track student achieve-ment, are part of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act that requires students to demon-strate profi ciency in math and English-lan-guage arts. The STAR test measures student progress toward achieving the state-adopted content standards, which describe what stu-dents should know and be able to do in each grade and subject tested.

The Antioch Unifi ed School District saw profi ciency numbers hovering around 50 per-cent in grades two through 11 for both math and English-language arts, with a fl uctuation of less than 1 percentage point, in most grade levels.

In Oakley, most numbers were bumped up as well, the biggest gains coming in Eng-lish-language arts up in some cases as much as 5 percentage points over last year. Algebra students increased in their profi ciency nearly 20 percentage points, from 33 percent in 2008 to 52 percent in 2009.

Oakley Union School District Super-intendent Rick Rogers credits the districts overall increase to a major effort last year, especially in math. Weve made some ex-cellent growth in math, and part of that is because we were able, despite diffi cult fi nancial circumstances, to hold onto our

math specialist, said Rogers.We also have really improved our stu-

dent assessments in the classroom and estab-lished good pacing guides for all the grade levels. Our students, parents and staff are to be commended; theyre the best and Im very proud to be associated with them.

The Knightsen School Districts (KSDs) results were a mixed bag. The district improved signifi cantly in second-grade English-language arts profi ciency 83 percent over last years 46 percent. But algebra continued to be a struggle for eighth-graders, whose profi ciency rate was 20 percent, down from 2008s 35 percent.

KSD Superintendent Vickey Rinehart isnt sure what happened with the math scores.

I dont know why those scores are low, she said. We have the students divided into special groups and they get daily instruction and intervention, so Im not sure what hap-pened, but we will continue to look at student growth and assess student needs. Overall, though, we had gains at most levels and Im very proud of our students and teachers.

Merrill Grant, superintendent of the Brentwood Union Elementary District is proud as well, noting that students in all grade levels maintained or increased in English-lan-guage arts (around 55 percent) and scored an 81-percent profi ciency in algebra.

We are up across the board in all grade levels in math and language arts, said Grant. I am really proud of our results and our teachers. Theyve all been working very hard and its starting to pay off.

At the Liberty Union High School Dis-

trict (LUHSD), English-language arts scores were down for freshman (56-percent profi -cient over last years 67), but up for juniors (43 versus 39 in 2008). Algebra 1 scores are up for both freshman and juniors (17 and 15 percent profi cient, respectively), but still far below the countywide profi ciency percentage of 71.

Weve had some growth in certain ar-eas and were certainly pleased with that, said Mary Vinciguera, director of curricu-lum and instruction for the LUHSD. She acknowledged that the Algebra 1 scores were low, but added that they did represent a four percent improvement. Of course, you always want to increase and do better, she said. We are defi nitely improving, and

our goal is to continue improving.The Byron Union Elementary School

District showed a signifi cant increase, in math profi ciency particularly, with a 41 percent rate in Algebra 1 compared with 2008s 17 per-cent.

The middle school did really, really well in algebra, and were very pleased with those numbers, said the Byron districts Super-intendent Eric Prater. What that means to me is that early intervention is working. Our teachers and staff are really rolling up their sleeves and doing the hard work in spite of all the (fi nancial) challenges. I commend all of far East County for the work educators are doing. Theyre walking the walk and talking the talk.

STAR test results can be viewed by log-ging onto www.star.cde.ca.gov.

AUGUST 28, 2009 EDCUATION THEPRESS.NET | 11A

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ers Classic Rock 3:00pm 5:00pm: Garageland Rodeo Country, Rock5:30pm 7:30pm: Ralph Woodson Experience Hendrix Tribute

8:00pm 10:00pm: Zebop Santana Tribute

S U N D A Y :12:30pm 2:30pm: Replica 80s music revisited

3:00pm 5:00pm: Hot for Teacher Van Halen Tribute

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September 11th-13th

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Fun for all at the Oakley Almond Festival!Fun for all at the Oakley Almond Festival!Fun for all at the Oakley Almond Festival!

Vote September 1st!_MMARK DESAULNIER,Democratic Senator

State Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Oakley Council Member Jim Frazier

Paid for by Mark DeSaulnier for Congress, FEC ID #C00460162 PO Box 6066 Concord, CA 94524 (925) 957-1123, Rita Copeland, Treasurer

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diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and needs a heart and kidney transplant simultaneously in order to survive. www.saveabrokenheart.com

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Bank of Agriculturec/o Aaron Tanner Heart Foundation2251 Balfour Rd.,

Brentwood

STAR test results mostly upby Ruth Roberts

Staff Writer

12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY AUGUST 28, 2009

Enter the Brentwood Downtown Thursday Night Harvest Festival Scarecrow Contest!

September 17th, 5-8pmFirst Street, Downtown Brentwood

Thursday, Sept. 24th, 5-8pmFirst Street, Downtown Brentwood

Open to all agesSong lengths - 3 minute maximum

No profanity or innuendoAppropriate (G-Rated) attire please

Check-in at stage (Center of First Street)Prizes awarded at 7:30pm

To register or for more information on these or other events visitwww.brentwooddowntown.com

Downtown Thursdays sponsored by The Downtown Downtown Thursdays sponsored by The Downtown Brentwood Coalition and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce.Brentwood Coalition and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce.

Rules & Guidelinesorn Must be hand-made, not taller than six feetorn Must be free standing orn Must be in Good Tasteorn Must be registered before Sept. 16thorn Check-in no earlier than 4PM

(Chestnut Street side)orn Prizes awarded at 7:30PMTwo Groupsorn Kids under 12orn Adults/Business Entries

Aaron Tanner, the 4-year-old Brent-wood boy awaiting a heart and kidney transplant, is expected to be fl own from UCSF to UCLA within the next few days and be placed on an organ donor waiting list.

Aaron was born with only a partial-ly functioning heart. Although doctors predicted he would eventually become a candidate for a new heart, they didnt anticipate Aaron would need the sur-gery until he was into his 20s. But when the preschoolers kidneys began failing last month, causing subsequent pressure on his heart, it became clear that Aaron would need the rare double transplant surgery.

In an interview with the Press this week, Aarons mother Elizabeth said her son is holding on despite his ordeal: Hes (Aaron) about as stable as they can get him right now. Hes on a lot of pain medi-cation and he sleeps a lot, but hes hanging in there. This has been such a nightmare. Once hes got his heart and kidney, we can relax. Im so ready for this to be over.

As the Tanners continue to pray for a miracle, the community continues to rally behind the family, hosting a variety of fundraisers and events.

The most recently planned event is scheduled for Sept. 23 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Hanoum Estate in Oakley. Mike and Vickey Fagan, owners of Mikes Beef n Brew, are co-organizers of the benefi t, which will include a barbecue dinner, live music and a Texas hold em tournament. Tickets for the event are $50 and include dinner and a buy-in for the poker tourna-ment.

We expect this to be a great event, said Mike. Its a gorgeous spot that the owners have generously donated, so were hoping to gather a lot of local sponsors and donations. Were just going to do whatever we can to help this family who has stopped everything to save their son. We want to make things a little easier.

Support for Aaron gains momentum

AARON TANNER

see Aaron page 16A

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

Commissions sunsets the factsEditor:

In response to recent comments by Don Flint of Discovery Bay regard-ing the non-renewal of two Regional Planning Commissions in Contra Costa County, Id like to share with your read-ers the actual historical record so they may judge the situation for themselves and not Mr. Flints allegations.

These planning commissions, the San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Commission and the East County Re-gional Planning Commissions (ECRPC), were initially scheduled to sunset in October, 2007. Even though the record at that time indicated dwindling issues and frequently canceled meetings, I sought and received support from my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to actually extend both of these commissions, on two separate occasions, for a total of two years, to a sunset date of October, 2009.

More currently, the board received a letter of support from the chair of the East County Regional Planning Com-mission, Bay Point resident Edmond Ste-venson, by a unanimous vote, requesting the commission be allowed to sunset. Mr. Edmond Stevenson was appointed by Supervisor Glover, not me. This request letter came from the ECRPCs experi-ences as indicated by the substantial re-duction in development activity we do not fi nd that there is suffi cient benefi t provided by continuing the Commission, particularly given the importance of reducing costs for the County and the majority of our meetings have been can-celled due to the lack of planning items. Again, the vote to disband was unani-mous from the East County Regional Planning Commission itself.

This record differs from Mr. Don Flints representations, particularly the fact that there was no recent action taken by the Board of Supervisors to sunset these commissions, that action actually occurred in 2008, identifying the Octo-

ber, 2009 sunset date.The Board of Supervisors greatly ap-

preciates the many, many volunteers who have served diligently on these boards from the very beginning. These appoint-ments come with terms as well and are routinely scheduled to sunset, as in the case of Mr. Walter MacVittie. We recog-nize very clearly that large development projects will need to be heard locally, and will ensure that happens, as discussed at the board. The reality is that the county must run more effi ciently and effectively in signifi cantly tight budget times.

We are working diligently to fi nd revenue to keep deputies on the streets, district attorneys for prosecution, and funding for 4-H and UC Cooperative Extension programs. It is time for us to build a better structure of county operations, to meet the needs of our citizens while creating higher levels of cost effectiveness and service effi ciency. I will continue to keep the public engaged during this process.

Once again, if any member of the public has any questions as to the facts or background to any issue before the Board of Supervisors, my offi ce can be contacted at 925-240-7260 and we are conveniently located in downtown Brent-wood off of Sand Creek Road.

Mary Nejedly PiephoContra Costa County Supervisor

District III

Garamendis geography gapEditor:

I got a rude awakening last week when I learned that congressional candidates are not required to live in the district within which they run for offi ce. Thats just illogical to me!

A representative should under-stand where I live, know my concerns and then vote accordingly. How can Garamendi say he understands this district when the fi rst time he faced the nightmare traffi c of Highway 4 was for a candidate forum in June?

Garamendi says hes passionate about the issues in Washington; I want a representative who is passionate about representing me and solving the chal-lenges we both face in our district. As the local candidate who has been account-able to us for more than 25 years, Mark DeSaulnier has my vote for Congress on Sept. 1.

Cathy NelsonAntioch

Bunch is best on ballotEditor

After much consideration, reading about and listening to the various can-didates in the race for the 10th Congres-sional District, I have decided to give my public support to Chris Bunch.

He is a small business owner who

understands directly the impacts of taxation and government regulation and is committed to reducing both. Bunch understands what it takes to create jobs and wealth, and how the government can easily take those away. He, like many of us, has been directly affected by the current economic downturn. So he can relate to the common person in this dis-trict and America.

With his military background, hav-ing served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Bunch understands the need for ending both wars with victory and bringing our troops home quickly.

Closer to home, Bunch is commit-ted to bringing solutions and funding for our transportation needs here in Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano counties and opposes the construction of the peripheral canal, which would send our water to Southern California and destroy the Deltas environment.

I share his values and most of his views, and believe Chris Bunch is the best choice for Congress. Please join me in sup-porting him with your vote next Tuesday.

Allen PaytonAntioch

Sustaining the showEditor:

The Senior Citizens of Brentwood would like thank the following sponsors who helped to make the Senior Fashion Show and Luncheon held on Aug. 14 a huge success:

Ace Hardware; Bagel Street Caf; Betty Boop Beauty Shop; Brentwood Caf; Brentwood Fine Meats; Brentwood Wine Co.; Brentwood Frame Shop; Crme dela Gem (fi ne) Jewelry; Food-Maxx; Firestone Auto Care; Gabbys Grind Caf; Hampton Inn; Mimis Caf; Prevots Oyster Bar & Grill; Perkos Caf; Ribbons & Roses Florist; Scrap Diva; Su-san Myers Private Quarters; The Classy Cottage; The Vintage House; Tracy D. Benhamon, DDS; Tres Jolie Salon & Spa; and The Shepherds Kitchen.

We would also like to thank our cloth-ing fashion suppliers: Cat Walk; Chicos; Coldwater Creek; Kohls Oak Street Bou-tique; T.J. Maxx; and His & Hers Formal Wear, which supplied the tuxedos.

Tove JohnstonSenior Citizens of Brentwood

Super advocacyEditor:

I wanted to take a brief moment to say thank you to Supervisor Mary Piepho for all the hard work she is doing to pro-tect our Delta and the communities that rely on its health and safety. Her work as spokesperson for the fi ve Delta counties has made our concerns and issues heard on the state level.

At Delta Team County Staff Meet-ings, Mary Piepho has been instrumental

to our cause by discussing Contra Costa Countys action almost every Monday for the last few months. She was com-manding and precise at the Save the Delta press conference in Sacramento and my family and our community here in Dis-covery Bay cant thank her enough. Youre doing a great job, Supervisor Piepho!

Chayce Byrne12th-grader

Discovery Bay

Defending Delta with democracyEditor:

I live in Discovery Bay on the Delta waterway. For the last 10 years, the fi shing and boating communities on the Delta have noticed a rapid decline of the Delta estuary and have reported this to the DWR, Department of Fish and Game, and our state legislators. It seems that our politicians and the governor are more concerned with selling water than the quality of water.

I am over 60 years of age and have lived and fi shed the Delta a very long time. I know the governor would like to get something done but his advisers are clearly giving him bad advice. He is not giving the people a chance to be represent-ed on his decision-making committees. Just look at his Blue Ribbon Panel selec-tions: not one person lives on the Delta or even understands the fragile freshwater fl ow that keeps it alive.

We are fed up with this political at-titude and we are ready to fi ght the battle with the water distributors. Our state leaders are charged with a sacred trust to protect and sustain our Delta estuary, and they have traded this sacred trust to sell water and make millions of dollars. Just ask where all this money is going. To pre-serve the Delta? I think not because it is clear the water quality has been declining for the past 10 years.

We just had our Million Boat Float to the capital. This represented a million people in support of saving the Delta. On Aug. 17 we organized a protest rally on the Capitol steps with 20 guest speakers and 300 protesters. The photo was one street corner group advancing the cause of awareness to the people.

Yes, we are ready to fi ght. More peo-ple are becoming aware of the governors intentions to build a 52-mile long steel barrier canal 1,000 feet wide through the center of the Delta.

Wake up, Northern California; they have already started to core drill into the earth and collect dirt samples that will allow them to start building as early as 2011. What will happen when they try and fi ll this monstrosity? The salt water will in-trude into the Delta up into Franks Tract and kill the natural plant life and fi sh we love so dearly.

AUGUST 28, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 13A

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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police departments.BRENTWOODAug. 19, 10:41 a.m. An unidentifi ed person threw a Molotov cocktail into the roadway on Robin Street at Kingfi sher Road.Aug. 19, 11:12 a.m. An unidentifi ed person broke into a residence on Dainty Avenue and stole power tools.Aug. 19, 4:17 p.m. On Minnesota Avenue, an unidentifi ed person forced entry into a bike rack area and stole three bicycles.Aug. 19, 5:39 p.m. On Balfour Road at Fair-view Avenue, a driver rear-ended another ve-hicle and fl ed the scene.Aug. 19, 5:51 p.m. Three security alarms were found near a trash can on Shady Wil-low Lane at Amber Lane.Aug. 19, 11:04 p.m. On Brentwood Boule-vard, a passenger in a vehicle stopped for code violations was found to have a no-bail warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Aug. 20, Midnight An unidentifi ed person entered an unlocked vehicle parked on Som-ersby Way and stole a GPS unit.Aug. 20, 4:23 p.m. On Country Glen Lane, an unidentifi ed person was found in posses-sion of gang-related clothing in violation of his probation.Aug. 20, 5:38 p.m. On American Avenue, two subjects kicked and punched one victim in the head and punched another in the face, causing injury to both. They were arrested and released on juvenile affi davits.Aug. 20, 8:11 p.m. A trailer was taken from the driveway of a residence on Thompsons Drive.Aug. 20, 8:14 p.m. A suspicious-looking de-vice seen on First Street was eventually con-fi rmed to be used for mosquito surveillance.

Aug. 21, Midnight An unidentifi ed person forced entry into a residence on Sand Creek Road and stole cash and jewelry.Aug. 21, 1:41 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son stole a purse from an unlocked vehicle parked on Second Street.Aug. 21, 1:12 p.m. A subject was evicted from a residence on Broderick Drive and remained in the apartment, stealing power from laundry room.Aug. 21, 3:09 p.m. An unidentifi ed person stole a trailer parked on Beverly Place.Aug. 21, 11:25 p.m. On Second Street, two subjects contacted after fl eeing from an of-fi cer was found in possession of stolen alco-hol. They were arrested and released to their parents on juvenile affi davits.Aug. 22, 2:19 a.m. On the Highway 4 Bypass at Balfour Road, a subject stopped for ve-hicle code violations obstructed offi cers dur-ing a DUI investigation. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Aug. 23, 7:15 a.m. On Balfour Road at Min-nesota Avenue, a driver hopped the median, struck some trees and fl ed the scene.Aug. 23, 8:45 p.m. A subject contacted on Walnut Boulevard was found to have an ex-traditable warrant out of Arizona. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility.

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.ANTIOCHAug. 17, 1:05 p.m. An offi cer of the Antioch Police Department heard several gunshots and saw a male later identifi ed as 27-year-old Concord resident Jerode Griffi n standing on Somersville Road near Highway 4 shooting fi ve to six shots from a handgun across the lanes of traffi c. It is unknown exactly what

he was shooting at. The subject then fl ed the scene in a white sedan East onto Highway 4. The car then crashed on Highway 4 just East of the Somersville Road on-ramp. Two sub-jects fl ed from the car and after an extensive search, were located and arrested. A fi rearm was recovered from the car. At this time police are unable to locate any persons or property hit by the gunfi re. Griffi n was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on the charges of shooting into an inhabited dwelling/vehicle and for violation of parole. Vincent Johnson, a 20-year-old Antioch resident, was identifi ed as the driver. He was also booked for shoot-ing into an inhabited dwelling/vehicle.Aug. 18, 9:45 p.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Po-lice Department were dispatched to the Rite Aid at 4100 Lone Tree Way on the report of an audible alarm. Upon arrival, offi cers saw a subject, later identifi ed as 29-year-old Shon-del Johnson, running out of a side door of the closed business carrying a backpack and a computer tower. When Johnson saw the offi -cers, he attempted to get into a vehicle, driven by 20-year-old Kellina Brown, parked behind the business. Johnson was unable to get into the vehicle, and fl ed on foot, dropping the backpack and computer tower. Offi cers ap-prehended and detained Johnson and Brown at the scene without incident. Upon inspect-ing the backpack, offi cers found cash and checks from Rite Aid. Johnson and Brown were taken into custody and booked into the Main Detention Facility in Martinez.Aug. 20, 9:54 p.m. An unidentifi ed person fi red several rounds at a 13-year-old male An-tioch resident, a 21-year-old female Antioch resident, a 17-year-old female Pittsburg resi-dent, and a 30-year-old male Antioch resident as they were leaving an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Sycamore Drive. The vic-tims were in a vehicle and at least some of

the rounds hit and shattered the back wind-shield. None of the victims were injured. The investigation of the incident revealed that a week earlier, the suspect a 15-year-old male Antioch resident had threatened to kill the 13-year-old, who lives in the same apartment complex. The suspect was located at a dif-ferent apartment complex in the 2200 block of Sycamore Drive. He was arrested for at-tempted murder and terrorist threats. A 17-year-old male suspect was located in the same apartment and was arrested as an accessory to the crime.Aug. 23, 1:05 p.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Police Department responded to the report of suspicious chemicals, suspected of being part of a methamphetamine lab, located in a broken-down van on Sunset Lane in Antioch. Upon arrival offi cers found the meth lab in the van. A subsequent investigation revealed that 52-year-old Steven Michael Woodhouse had access to the van and was residing in a rented room at a nearby house. Chemicals and small amounts of methamphetamine were found in the bedroom. Also located in the bedroom was a rifl e and ammunition. Woodhouse is prohibited from possessing fi rearms or ammunition in part due to a previous 1999 conviction for manufacturing methamphet-amine. Antioch narcotics detectives along with agents from the California DOJ Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement responded to the scene to process the methamphetamine labo-ratory. Woodhouse was located and arrested in the parking lot of Contra Loma Reservoir and booked at the Contra Costa County Jail for methamphetamine manufacture and be-ing a felon in possession of a fi rearm and am-munition.

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

COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS A suspicious-looking device seen on First Street was eventually confi rmed to be used for mosquito surveillance.Aug. 20, 8:14 p.m, Brentwood

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Old becomes new at Tummies to Tots

Jeannette Hemenway sets high stan-dards for the quality of items she sells at her consignment shop Tummies to Tots in Brent-wood, so dont get freaked out if she smells the clothes youre trying to sell.

I know its weird and I get weird looks when I smell the clothes, but its what the customers are going to do anyway, Hemen-way said. I dont want to sell something that smells like its been in your garage for fi ve years. It needs to look and feel brand new.

Along with scent, Hemenway also checks to make sure there are no stains, miss-ing buttons or faulty zippers on items people try to sell through her store, which opened in July. But Tummies to Tots is more than a clothing store. Its a one-stop shop for help-ing families get through those early years. Hemenway sells everything from cribs and car seats to books and educational toys.

Customer Kaila Cutshaw of Brentwood said shes excited to have a consignment shop close to home where she can shop for her 11-month-old Myles. Im so glad this place is fi nally open. Ive been waiting very patiently to shop here. And I really appreciate that the owner has such an attention to detail. Its so important to provide your children with safe and sanitized things, so as a parent, Im really happy that she has such a strict clean policy.

Hemenway got the idea for Tummies

to Tots two years ago when one of her girl-friends discovered she was pregnant and asked about consignment shops that catered to expectant mothers and their offspring. Hemenway knew of only a few and none of them were in far East County, so she did some research and decided to bring a con-signment shop to Brentwood.

The closest shops were in Walnut Creek and Lafayette, and driving all that way can end up taking up your whole day, and

families cant afford to do that especially now, Hemenway said. Plus, kids clothes become expensive because theyre constantly outgrowing their clothes, and you have to buy more. When I go out to get out my win-ter clothes this season, the clothes from last year are still going to fi t me. That wont be the case for my 4-year old.

While families are tightening their belts and watching their budgets, dressing their children remains a priority, and theres no

way around the need to fi nd new clothes that fi t children comfortably.

Kids need clothes. Thats all there is to it, Hemenway said. There is so much life left in these clothes since kids get to wear them for only a short period of time, so its like buying them brand new but you get it at such a great price. Plus, you are support-ing your community by shopping locally and buying from people in your community.

Hemenway sells maternity clothes as well as clothes for children up to age 6. Since kids can grow fast, many of the items Hem-enway brings in still have the tags on them the original owner grew too big to wear them even once. Items sold at Tummies to Tots are 50 to 75 percent off the retail value, and when that involves name brands such as Gap, Gymboree and Carters, those savings are huge.

Hemenway already has a wait list of people hoping to sell their used items. While she has plenty of clothes to sell, shes always in need of furniture such as high chairs and car seats. To get on the wait list, Hemenway asks potential consigners to come in to meet with her fi rst at the shop and then shell alert them by e-mail when she has room on the fl oor for specifi c items.

Tummies to Tots, located at 3860 Bal-four Road, Suite A, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.tummiesto-totsofbrentwood.com or call 925-513-6556.

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

While owner Jeannette Hemenway helps customers at Tummies to Tots, her daughter Miranda, left, plays with Audrey Smith, whose mom Denise came into the shop to inquire about consigning.

Photo by Samie Hartley

16A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY AUGUST 28, 2009

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systems. Laboratory tests are the best tool for detecting early diseases in an otherwise healthy appearing animal. When subtle changes are noted on the screen-ing tests but your pet isnt showing any signs of illness, this is actually the best time to intervene and start treating or at least preventing progression of disease. Sadly, oftentimes once a pet is sick, cures and good outcomes are much harder to come by when compared to the results that may have been achieved with preven-tion or management of the early stages. To help your pet live comfortably during his or her senior life stage, schedule an appointment, let the veterinarian ask his or her questions, take a good look, feel, and listen to your friend, and we will work with you to tailor a senior wellness plan to fit your needs.

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Kindergarteners through eighth-grad-ers are invited to attend the annual Future Freedom Falcons Cheer Clinic from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Thurs-day, Sept. 3 in the upper gymnasium at Freedom High School. Participants will also perform during halftime of the Fal-con varsity football game against Ama-dor Valley on Friday, Sept. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Participants will be grouped accord-ing to age and be taught cheers by the schools varsity cheerleaders and coaches. The cost for this fundraiser is $50, and

each girl will be provided a T-shirt, pom-poms, snacks and water. All proceeds benefi t the trust fund for Ally Jenkins, a Freedom cheerleader who recently re-ceived new lungs in her fi ght with a dead-ly cardiopulmonary disease. Parents are welcome to observe, or may drop off and pick up participants.

Registration forms are available in the front offi ce at Freedom High School, 1050 Neroly Road in Oakley. Late registrants may sign up at the door on Tuesday, Sept. 1. For more information, call adviser Les-lie Runzler at 510-304-2000.

Cheering for Ally

When told of the upcoming event, Elizabeth said she continues to be over-whelmed by the public outpouring of support.

We thank God every day for our wonderful town and community and all the prayers that have been coming our way. We are so grateful.

For more information on the Sept. 23 fundraiser, call Mike Fagan at 925-628-9657 or Noelle Young at 925-759-7538.

Other Tanner fundraisers include:Saturday, August 29: Community

Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 408 Pinenut St. in Oakley (call 925-679-9437 or e-mail elcenko@sbcglobal.net). Please bring any baked goods or items to sell be-fore Saturday.

Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13: Aaron Tanner Dunk Booth at the Oak-ley Almond Festival (call 925-759-7538).

Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19: Rummage Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, at Coldwell Banker, 3775 Main St. in Oakley (call 925-759-7538).

Thursday, September 17: Pizza Night at Straw Hat, 6680 Lone Tree Way in Brentwoods Winco shopping center (call 925-634-3664).

For those able to help in other ways, other options are available. A fund has been set up at the Bank of Agriculture (c/o Aaron Tanner Heart Foundation), 2251 Balfour Road in Brentwood. Contri-butions may also be made online at www.saveabrokenheart.com.

Aaron from page 12A

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

MHA Check Up

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Th e Making Home Aff ordable (MHA) program was fi rst announced on February 18th with guidelines released to lenders through the United States Treasury on March 4, 2009, and, according to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in a press release dated May 14 2009, In just over two months, the Making Home Aff ordable program is up and run-ning, helping our economy recover and mak-ing a diff erence in the lives and livelihoods of thousands of American homeowners. As of this writing, the program includes fourteen mortgage loan servicing companies, includ-ing the fi ve largest. Between said servicers and loans owned or securitized by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, more than 75% of all mortgage loans in the country are now under the Making Home Aff ordable blanket.

So with roughly four months of operat-ing under our belts, just how is the program performing?

Of course you will always fi nd stories on both sides of the fence but according to struggling home owner Nicholas Tekpertey, In February, I was facing foreclosure, Mak-ing Home Aff ordable changed my situation, and gave me my home back. All homeown-ers who are worried about their mortgage payments should do what I did. Call your lender. See if you qualify. Th is program is real, and this program works. To further back Mr. Tekperteys personal experience are Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs actual fi gures. Since the launch of Fannie Maes new automated underwriting system 233,000

eligible refi nance applications have been run through Desktop Underwriter (DU) Refi Plus the automated system set in place April 4, 2009 specifi cally for the Making Home Aff ordable program with over 51,000 of those applications having loan-to-values between 80 and 105%. Freddie Mac has also seen success with over 1500 Home Aff ordable closed and delivered to the government entity.

Don Bisenius, Executive Vice President of Freddie Mac, was pleased to announce up-dated guidelines aimed to further the success of President Obamas MHA program, stating on June 5th, We are responding to consum-ers desires to have more refi nancing options. As an added benefi t, we are expanding the program and providing greater fl exibility in fi nancing closing costs. Freddie Mac is com-mitted to doing everything we can to bring the benefi ts of the Administrations Making Home Aff ordable program to as many bor-rowers as possible. Freddie Mac is now fol-lowing what Fannie Mae put into play from the start...allowing borrowers who attempt to participate in the program to work with any lender, not just their current servicer.

Overall the Making Home Aff ordable program is slowly but surely showing posi-tive results. For further information on said program and to see if qualify to refi nance up to 125% of your homes value please do not hesitate to call me directly, or write in at tfreymortgages@yahoo.com. You can also visit www.makinghomeaff ordable.com

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LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESNOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Brentwood will, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the normal course of business permits on September 8, 2009, hold a public hearing to consider the following:Consideration of an appeal by the ap-plicant, Don Sabin of a condition of approval associated with the Planning Commissions approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP 09-06) to allow a sec-ondary housing unit, located at 751 Bea-trice Street (APN 012-063-011). Appellant/Applicant: Don Sabin Said hearing will be held at the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 734 Third Street, Brentwood, California.Further information may be obtained from Assistant Planner Tim Nielsen [(925) 516-5151 or tnelsen@ci.brentwood.ca.us] in the Community Development Department of the City of Brentwood, 118

Oak Street, Brentwood, California 94513.In any court challenge of City Council decisions, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Brentwood City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.Brentwood Press No. 02-1273Publish Date: August 28, 2009

NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 09-0046963 Title Order No. 09-8-140987 Investor/Insurer No. 088200823 APN No. 055-390-030-9 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 01/05/2005. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly

appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by: KERRY W BURNHAM, AND JUDY A BURNHAM, HUSBAND AND WIFE AS COMMUNITY PROPERTY, dated 01/05/2005 and recorded 01/11/05, as Instrument No. 2005-0010894-00, in Book , Page ), of Of cial Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, will sell on 09/17/2009 at 10:00AM, At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property

described above is purported to be: 5217 FEATHER WAY, ANTIOCH, CA, 94531. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $477,317.99. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashiers checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to

do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the California Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, bene ciary or authorized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustees Sale duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorders Of ce. DATED: 07/16/2009 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information

(626) 927-4399 By: - Trustees Sale Of cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 3240435 08/28/2009, 09/04/2009, 09/11/2009Antioch Press No. 06-1617Publish Dates: August 28, September 4, 11, 2009

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGNotice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Brentwood will, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the normal course of business permits on September 8, 2009, hold a public hearing to consider the following:Consideration of an appeal by Jackie Waters of the Planning Commission approval of an application for a condi-tional use permit (CUP 09-09) to allow the operation of a 5,000-square-foot lounge/nightclub, known as Club O, in a 10,000-square-foot commercial/retail

building within Lone Tree Crossings, located at 6830 Lone Tree Way (APN 019-010-064).Appellant/Applicant: Jackie WatersSaid hearing will be held at the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 734 Third Street, Brentwood, California.Further information may be obtained from Senior Planner Jeff Zilm [(925) 516-5136 or jzilm@ci.brentwood.ca.us] in the Community Development Department of the City of Brentwood, 118 Oak Street, Brentwood, California 94513.In any court challenge of City Council decisions, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspon-dence delivered to the Brentwood City Council at, or prior to, the public hear-ing.Brentwood Press No. 02-1273Publish Date: August 28, 2009

Commuters should be prepared to do without a segment of the Highway 4 Bypass for nearly three weeks, beginning Monday.

Crews will be adding a rubberized as-phalt overlay extending from the Balfour Road/Bypass intersection in Brentwood to the Marsh Creek Road/Bypass intersection

south of Brentwood. The work will require the closure of the Bypass from Balfour Road to Marsh Creek Road from 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays from approximate-ly Aug. 31 through Sept. 18. A detour will be provided utilizing Balfour Road, Walnut Boulevard and Marsh Creek Road.

Bypass to undergo temporary closure

are not being heard.During the groups fi rst meeting, attend-

ees swapped stories about how they felt the city has neglected their concerns.

Don Scheer, former member of the Oak-ley Planning Commission, which was dis-banded in February, said he felt his role on the commission didnt have much infl uence with city affairs. He said he understood how some people feel the council doesnt listen, noting that while the commission voted one way, the council could ignore those suggestions and go another way, making the commissions effort seem like a waste of time in some instances.

However, Scheer was quick to defend the city during the OCRG meeting when Seger suggested the group challenge the recently passed sign ordinance, which restricts the use of outdoor advertising for local businesses. Scheer said the city did make an effort to listen to local businesses during a workshop, and the suggestions from business owners were re-fl ected in the revised ordinance that the coun-cil later adopted.

Instead, the group has decided to focus its attention on the ongoing issue on Knox Lane, where Discovery Homes plans to build 34 tract homes that residents living in that

area say will clash with the existing ambiance of their neighborhood, which consists of only fi ve homes.

At a July City Council meeting, residents asked the city to construct a barrier to sepa-rate their homes from the new development, but the council turned down the idea, suggest-ing that a wall would attract graffi ti.

Residents on Knox Lane sought help at the OCRG meeting Tuesday night, as they too believe the council has ignored their pleas to keep their neighborhood a quaint rural area.

The council will revisit the issue dur-ing the Sept. 8 meeting, so the newly formed OCRG is working to act quickly to strategize a plan of attack.

Former city councilman Brad Nix urged the group to consider a letter-writing cam-paign. He said sending letters to the editors of local newspapers is a more effective strategy than sending correspondence to individual council members, since letters to the editor are presented in a public forum and cannot be easily ignored like an e-mail.

Nix also encouraged the group to fi nd as many people as they could to speak out on the Knox Lane issue and give area homeowners a greater voice at the meeting.

You have to go up one after the other

hammer them, Nix said. Husbands and wives everyone should use their three minutes to address the council on the topic. Bring pho-tos. Let them see what you are talking about.

While the groups fi rst concentrated ef-fort will focus on helping the residents on Knox Lane, it also plans to campaign for city-

funded video coverage of council meetings that can be viewed on TV and online so that citizens have access to the meetings when they cant attend.

To fi nd out more about OCRG, visit www.ocbull.com for updates about upcoming meetings.

Citizens from page 1A

Tract, which is about fi ve miles north of Dis-covery Bay.

The gates are planned to be continu-ously open from mid-April to mid-May and from July through November. From December to March they would be closed one to two hours per day. In March to mid-April as well as mid-May through the end of June, the gates are planned to be closed up to 10 hours per day during fl ood tides, then opened during ebb and slack tides.

The goal is to prevent the spawning smelt from traveling down Old and Middle rivers into the water pumps south of Byron, killing them as water is sucked out of the Delta and sent south. The gates would be in place for at least fi ve years while their effec-tiveness is studied.

David Breninger, president of the Rec-reational Boaters of California, sent a letter July 30 to the project proponents that ap-plauds doing research on ways to save the smelt but which also expresses numerous concerns about the gates project, particu-larly the closure of the gates in the spring.

These are prime boating times, espe-cially for the residents in the area south of the gates, Breningers letter states. Dis-covery Bay, a water-oriented community of some 10,000 residents and some 3,700 homes, would be impacted the most when the gates are closed, particularly when trav-eling by water to the western Delta. They would have very limited water exit or en-

trance to and from their community.Also of concern is the need of law en-

forcement and U.S. Coast Guard boats for rapid and unencumbered access. In addi-tion, access and ease of movement is needed by working vessels such as barges, tugs and other vessels involved in possible emergency levee repair or maintenance as well as farm barges to transit the area with farm equip-ment and workers.

The publics long established right of vessel passage under the public use doctrine to transit the Delta waterways unimpeded by gates or barriers must be fully mitigated to satisfy the needs of a wide variety of boats of all sizes.

In a phone interview, Pete Lucero, spokesman for the Bureau of Reclamation, said that boaters would have an opportunity to express their concerns during the environ-mental review process for the project.

That day is coming very soon where the public will be able to make a comment and provide their voices to what the plans may be, he said. We are certainly open to hear everyones point of view on this and make sure that the intended purpose of the project meets the needs of the greater good.

The Bay Area news media will be notifi ed when the environmental docu-ments are released along with the sched-ule of the public comment meeting(s), he said. For more information, go on-line to www.science.calwater.ca.gov/events/reviews/review_2gates.html.

Gates from page 1A

20A | THEPRESS.NET AUGUST 28, 2009

Cornerstone Christian School doesnt get quite the press about its sports programs that public schools get, but interesting things are happening there nonetheless, such as the launching of its eight-man tackle football program.

The eight-man game is similar to re-gular football, but its played on a smaller fi eld 80 yards long and 40 yards wide with fi ve players on the line and three in the backfi eld. Fielding smaller teams makes sense for smaller schools like Cor-nerstone, which has just 60 high school students (and another 340 in grades K-8).

Its defi nitely a little more wide open because you have less guys on the fi eld, even though the fi eld is shorter, said Cornerstone Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Casey Copeland, who was a defensive back at San Diego State.

Athletics at a small, private school re-quires the wearing of several hats on the part of administrators Copelands assi-stant coaches are Principal Logan Heyer and Pastor Steve Miner. The players ran-ge from those who grew up playing Pop Warner football to those who are putting pads on for the fi rst time in their lives.

Its been a rewarding experience, said Copeland at a practice last week o