YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 7, No. 11 Including Surrounding Communities www.discoverybaypress.com March 13, 2009

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THIS WEEK

Patriotism personified

What began as a private barbecue snowballed into a community gala in support of our troops.

Page 3A

The griming of the gown Years after the big event, brides are finding a new use for that divine dress.

Page 9A

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Say what? Tell us your story: news, sports, opinion, or feature. Submit it online with a photo or video.

Star power harnessed

A bunch of lucky girls got a golden opportunity to train with an Olympic champion.

Page 3B

Coming of age in far East County

This is the fi rst of a three-part series on the efforts of two far East County towns, Knightsen and Byron, to retain their heritage and remain rural and small in the face of regional growth and changing lo-cal politics. This week: Setting the stage; Part two: The changes play out; Part three: Looking ahead.

The downtown block of Knightsen Avenue is dark and qui-et, except for the soft glow from the sign at Sonjas Country Inn and the rhythmic clank of someone set-ting up metal chairs at the Garden Club next door. Its a Thursday night in February, and the rest of the half-dozen buildings lining one side of the tiny towns main drag railroad tracks, the reason for the towns founding, run along the other side are locked up tight, the curb beside them void of parked cars.

Home to fewer than 1,000 souls (not counting the livestock), Knightsen has been a proud rural hamlet for more than 100 years, boasting a post offi ce, a fi re sta-tion founded by volunteers and a

500-student school district whose test scores are more than a match for the bigger districts surround-ing it. Folks swarm to town for the Annual Knightsen Family Fun Days, and help fi ll the stands at the County Fair in support of the 4-H Club as it shows off animals and carries home ribbons.

In 2005, a community services

district was formed to get a handle on the occasional fl oods that vexed the town, which is situated just a half-mile from the San Joaquin River Delta. The Knightsen Town Advisory Council (KTAC) was es-tablished in 1994 to represent the town to the county supervisor and make recommendations on mat-ters of development. (The prevail-

ing attitude, for the most part, has been No thanks.)

As the areas representative to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors (BOS) is historical-ly elected from the bigger cities of Antioch and Pittsburg to the west, Knightsen residents have trouble getting the countys attention for things like repairing the fractured sidewalk in front of Sonjas. Frus-trated as they were from time to time, though, they had grown ac-customed to the years of benign ne-glect, and were happy that growth in East County had let them be.

But the bucolic atmosphere in the Town of Knightsen was tinged with tension that Thursday night. The street became swept by the glare of headlights and the thump of car doors as people arrived and began fi lling the metal chairs waiting for them. In December, the boundaries of the area repre-sented by KTAC had been shrunk dramatically, and townsfolk were turning out by the dozens to ask why and fi nd out what it means to their future.

A few miles down that same railroad line to the south sits an-

Bucolic downtown Knightsen has remained relatively un-changed for more than a century. Residents are wary that re-cent changes made by the county could threaten their rural lifestyle.

Photo by Stacey Chance/DiscoveryBaStudios.com

by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

see Coming of age page 21A

DBPOA roundly rejects rate hike

A whopping 85 percent of the membership of the Discovery Bay Property Owners Association (DBPOA) voted down a proposed dues increase Monday night, putting an end to months of conten-tious debate and public protests over the organizations fi rst suggest-ed rate hike in 25 years.

Well, the members have spoken, said DBPOA President Dom-inic Carano, who took over last month following the resignation of president Mark Lee. Im a little disappointed because I think how the vote was set up and read gave an unclear message, but I wasnt there for the inception of it. Also, given the economic times, if any-one can say no to something fi nancial they will.

The DBPOA Board fi rst proposed the increase last year to $120 annually from the current $25 citing a growing concern over the organizations ability to continue to manage the 1,640-member Tony Steller waves to a passerby during a protest in January against

a proposed dues increase for the Discovery Bay Property Owners Association. Voters rejected the increase by nearly nine to one.

Press file photo

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see DBPOA page 4A

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Discovery Bay CSD Treasurer Dave Dove and Director David Piepho took the opportunity at last weeks CSD meeting to clear the air on a couple of controversial is-sues.

Dove went fi rst, offering an explanation for his e-mail circulation last summer of an internal board document from the towns at-torney to two members of the community one of whom was in litigation with the town at the time. The e-mail was in reference to Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) poli-cies and how they apply to Discovery Bay.

I want to clarify a memo from our lawyer, said Dove. I received this e-mail, but it was not marked confi dential. In ret-rospect, I probably shouldnt have sent it, but it was for research that some individuals were doing at the time it did look bad, and in the future this will not happen again from me.

Piepho took much the same tack in dis-cussing a CSD subcommittees violation of the open meetings laws, or Brown Act. The subcommittee, which Piepho was a member of, was formed at the suggestion of CSD at-torney John Stovall as a way to provide input to the county on the MAC restructuring is-sue.

The subcommittee was comprised of Piepho, General Manager Virgil Koehne, Stovall and Shannon Murphy-Teixiera, who

at the time was president of the CSD. The meeting was held in September of 2008 at Supervisor Mary Piephos Danville offi ce, and was attended by Stovall, Koehne and Piepho via telephone.

Because the meeting included three staff members of the CSD, it comprised a quorum and should have, under the Brown Act, been publicly posted and agendized. Stovall and Koehne have since been removed from the subcommittee, thereby eliminating the challenge of a quorum.

While Stovall has apologized twice dur-ing regular CSD meetings for the formation of the group, this was the fi rst time Piepho had spoken publicly about the meeting. Im sorry that the situation developed the way it did, he said. It probably should not have been put together as an ad-hoc committee the way we did. We have taken steps to pre-vent that from happening again. I did con-tact the assistant DA (district attorney) and he said it was all handled very appropriately. He also commented that the issue should be put to rest.

In other CSD news, the board unani-mously approved the purchase of a new vec-tor sewer truck for the town. Koehne told the board he had researched and found a demo truck for approximately $250,000. The towns current truck was purchased in 1988 and no longer meets the states air quality emissions standards.

I like to think of it (the truck) as a large vacuum on wheels, said Koehne. We could

modify the truck we have, but we have other issues with it as well, so weve been research-ing new and used trucks and have found this demo truck.

All but approximately $6,000 of the money for the truck will come out of the capital projects fund, said Koehne. The re-

mainder will most likely be taken out of re-serves and paid back over time.

CSD meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month and are open to the public. The CSD meets at 7 p.m. at the town offi ces, 1800 Willow Lake Road.

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 13, 2009

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association on a skeleton, largely volunteer, staff. Because the board received only 813 ballots far less than the required 1,006 votes needed for a quorum the vote was extended an additional 60 days.

The rate bump would have broken down to an additional $10 per month and gener-ated approximately $200,000 in additional revenue, and board members said the extra dollars would have allowed for the group to hire a professional company to run the or-ganization, provide a facility to meet in, and an offi ce space in which to conduct business. The group currently rents a meeting space in the Delta Community Presbyterian Church.

But many members of the organization said their antipathy toward the rate increase was more about control than dollars. The proposal was worded so that approval of the new rates would have also allowed a change in the association bylaws, which would have permitted future increases by the board with-out voter approval.

DBPOA Member Bruce McKay said the overwhelming defeat of the initiative speaks for itself: I think the people have

clearly spoken with this mandate not to fund them (the DBPOA). I dont think they serve any benefi t to the community and appar-ently neither does 85 percent of the hom-eowners.

Resident Frank Visitin agreed: We are just very pleased that the homeowners werent misled by the boards propaganda and were able to see through its attempt to gain even more control over the members and their property rights.

Regardless of members motives, the vote stands. The Futures Committee an arm of the DBPOA will examine the vot-ing results and plot a future course for the organization.

What that will eventually mean to rate-payers, said Carano, is hard to say.

Were just going to have to look at our future and see what we can do, he said. Un-til we get the Futures report and have our next meeting, its too soon to tell. Im sure our homeowners dont want less service from us, and we certainly dont think that will hap-pen, but you never can tell. Well just have to take a deep breath and see where we go.

The DBPOA meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

DBPOA from page 1A

Directors clarify CSD controversiesby Ruth Roberts

Staff Writer

MARCH 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A

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Art show, chamber events share stage

The next time youre taking in the local artwork at the Discovery Bay Visitors Cen-ter, remember to thank Sue Clanton and Sue Arkwright for the pleasure. The two Sues, members of the local artists organization Discover Art League, have brought the towns fi rst judged art show to the center. The show runs through the end of the month.

Named the Discover Art League Art Show, the event is presented by the Discover Art League in conjunction with the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce. The show also coincides with events such as the Business Showcase Expo and Art, held Tuesday March 31 from 4 to 8 p.m., and the Art Awards Cer-emony, scheduled for Saturday April 4 from 6 to 8 p.m.

For Arkwright, owner of Arkwright De-signs, the dual events offer an opportunity for local businesses and area artists to share their passions with the residents of Discovery Bay.

Since we have a nice new visitor center where residents are always invited to hang their art, we thought it would be nice to have a show there and invite people to come down to see it, said Arkwright, a past chamber di-rector. So Sue (Clanton) and I started work-ing together to coordinate the show with the

chamber, and I think its going to be great.The art show will culminate on March

31 with the chamber business expo, followed by the art awards ceremony on April 4. Local artist Bill Paskewitz will judge the works and two winners will be announced. All displayed artwork is available for sale.

The show is free and open to the public weekdays from noon to 3 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. The Dis-covery Bay Chamber and Visitors Center is located at 2465 Discovery Bay Blvd., Suite 200.

For additional information, call the chamber at 925-240-6600, or Arkwright at 925-516-4677.

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

Defendyourself

Tim Calvin of Delta One Martial Arts will sponsor a free womens and kids self-defense seminar March 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Delta One Martial Arts, 14870 Highway 4, Suite B in Discovery Bay. The event features free ID cards for the kids (in-cluding pictures and fi ngerprints) plus free hot dogs, chips and drinks. Participants can watch presentations including martial arts demonstrations featuring world champions in forms and weapons. For more informa-tion, call 925-516-8291.

A recent story in the Discovery Bay Press about the Read Across America pro-gram incorrectly identifi ed a group of vol-unteers as the Discovery Bay Lions Club. The group was the Byron Delta Lions.

Correction

Since we have a nice new visitor center where residents are always invited to hang their art, we thought it would be nice to have a show there and invite people to come down to see it.

Sue Arkwright

Post your comments to any story!www.thepress.net

6A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 13, 2009

Confessions of a phobiaphobicAre you reading this in the safety of your house? Good.

Now lock your doors and draw your blinds. Dont even think of traveling today; just light a candle in the comfort of your closet and say a prayer for all those daredevils with airline tickets tickets bearing the dreaded mark of Friday the 13th.

Jerry Seinfeld once remarked that one of his chief pet peeves is the term pet peeve. I know the feeling: Im so unsuperstitious that Im positively superstitious about it. Show me a ladder and Ill duck under it in a heartbeat; point out a black cat and Ill cross its path in a fl ash. Inform me that the 13th of February and March of 2009 falls on Friday and Ill yawn till my jawbone cracks.

Apologies up front to those who believe in their hearts that concrete events in our universe are caused by their correlation with abstract

numbers, but Im siding with dreary rationalism and labeling paraskevidekatriaphobia the fear of Friday the 13th a superstition.

In a way, I envy those who believe that vector intersections involving black cats and humans portend ill fortune. Those people live in a more exciting universe than I, a place in which the slightest slip-up can trigger tragic consequences, as when the groom who drops the wedding band during the ceremony dooms the marriage; a place in which the slightest precaution can trigger redemptive consequences, as when tying a knot in a handkerchief wards off evil.

These connections shouldnt be dismissed out of hand. Former Houston Astros all-star second baseman Craig Biggio didnt change or clean his batting helmet even once during the entire baseball season. If you call him wacky, you

can also call him the only player in Major League Baseball history with at least 3,000 hits who also whacked more than 600 doubles, 250 home runs and stole 400 bases. The bottom line on Biggios superstition: it worked for him.

In Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam, those with a phobic bent shun the number four, a homophone for the word for death. This tetraphobia of the East infl uences the assigning of numbers to cell phones, fl oors in buildings (skipping four, as we in the West sometimes skip 13) and names to streets. If this strikes you as silly superstition, imagine our Western numbering system containing an exact sonic match for bloodbath. Howd you like to live on Bloodbath Boulevard?

Sometimes, what prompts superstition is (as we in higher psychoanalytic circles like to say) just plain goofi ness. The fear of walking under a ladder isnt superstition; its common sense. If, however, you fi rmly believe that if you use the same pen when taking a test that you used when studying for the test, the pen will remember the answers, well the pen is mightier than your gourd.

Dont get me wrong. In our reductionist-rationalist world, its refreshing to see the superstitious mind alive and well. Are our thoughts, as many quantum physicists imagine, nothing but the random interaction of vibrating subatomic strings? If so, why should we take those physicists personal subatomic strings word for it? Is the universe meaningless? If so with no meaningful thing to compare it to how could we ever have fi gured that out? No, superstitious people believe that a mind or power outside themselves infl uences the events of their lives. They might come to the wrong conclusions, but theyre on constant lookout for connections. Theyre champions of order; foes of chaos.

If youre superstitious and want to break the habit, go break a mirror. Thumb your nose at the gods of bad luck and track the consequences. Keep a diary in the case of the

mirror, every day for seven years. For the true believer on this gloriously inauspicious Friday, March 13, 2009: Embrace your superstition. Come out of the closet. But try to relax a little. Take a deep breath. And never mind that it rhymes with death.

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The view from under a ladder. Liberation from the tyranny of superstition doesnt always translate into liberation from the armor of common sense.

Photo by Ger Erickson

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One of the hot topics these days is loan modification. Mortgage companies and poli-ticians talk about loan modifications con-stantly as one of the main tools to head off the next wave of foreclosures. They say they have all kinds of programs to help, and that they ARE modifying lots of loans. But when I talk to borrowers around here that are try-ing to get loan modifications done, they usu-ally express frustration at the process and the results. But then Ive heard other anecdotal stories of people getting major concessions on their loan mods. Id like to see if I can identify what the successful and unsuccessful loan modifications have in common. Please email me at Brian@SharpHomesOnline.com the answers to the questions below. Please dont call me with your story. I need it in writing so I can keep them all straight and tabulate the results so I can share them with you all at some point in the future. Only pro-vide the info you feel comfortable sharing, but please keep it somewhat brief. I promise

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Wedding dresses get down and dirtyOnce the wedding is over, the gifts

have been opened and the honeymoon memories have been carefully recorded, there remains the matter of the gown. Some brides preserve it as a memento, others for possible use by a yet-to-be born daughter. Increasingly, however, brides are fi nding something more creative to do: trash it.

Wikipedia defi nes it this way: Trash the dress, drown the gown, fearless brid-al and rock the frock refer to photogra-phy that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is completely out of place. According to Discovery Bay Studios owner Stacey Chance, the practice is mostly about creating images not normally possible. And the possibili-ties are only limited by imagination.

Danie and Ron Keller of Redwood City recently visited the Brentwood area to exercise that imagination. They met up with Stacey and his wife Kelly to take ad-vantage of the rustic settings the area has to offer.

We asked if Danie and Ron could come out early Saturday because a big storm was moving in, Stacey said. They had been married three years ago in Utah and now live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Like many brides, Danie was just letting her dress collect dust in the closet until she heard about the Trash the Wed-ding Dress phenomenon.

They showed up at 1 p.m. and got changed into their wedding attire. Every-one headed out to the fi rst location, St. Annes beautiful little wedding chapel in Byron.

Soon it started raining and things were looking bleak. While the group was hiding from the rain under the churchs archway, the sun began to peek through. It didnt take long to fi gure out that rain plus sun equals rainbow! After some amazing shots

of Danie in the rain against the backdrop of the rainbow, we visited a number of other locations, including an old train, an orchard, rustic barns and a sandy beach at Orwood. Danie and Ron were great sports and lots of fun, said Kelly.

As a trend that started only a few years ago, this edgy form of portraiture is exploding in popularity. Its a chance for the bride, often joined by the groom, to express individuality, playfulness and passion to the extreme. It can be a mind-blowing and liberating experience, allow-ing you to get stunning once-in-a-lifetime photographs, said Stacey.

Some brides do actually get the dress wet or a bit dirty, but many dont. The

focus is on the bride, not the dress. Its really about creative photography that re-fl ects the brides personality. Because the ceremony is over and theyre relaxed, the point is to have a fun photo shoot.

Sometimes the husbands get in-volved and theyll do something romantic, too, like roll around in the sand but its all about having fun, said Stacey. The Brentwood area is full of beautiful loca-tions, and now that the hills are green and the wildfl owers are out, its a perfect time to get down and dirty!

If you think you might be interested, contact Kelly and Stacey at www.discov-erybaystudios.com. For more photos, see the slide show at thepress.net.

Danie Keller didnt mind getting her wedding gown wet three years into her marriage, which made this rainy day shot at St. Anne Church possible, above. A Trash the Dress photo session can yield images not possible on a brides wed-ding day. Right, Danie Keller and her dress go wading at Orwood Resort.

Photos by Stacey Chance/DiscoveryBayStudios.com

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Water rationing in Brentwood unlikelyOfficials urgeconservationjust the same

Wells and water contracts mean Brent-wood residents probably wont have to deal with mandatory water rationing this year, but offi cials are asking them to cutback anyway.

Brentwood Water Conservation Special-ist Diana Williford said an informational fl yer is expected to be sent out to residents by the end of the month, encouraging everyone to help save water wherever possible. The fl yer will offer tips for conserving water as well as list various rebate programs offered to citizens who make an effort to conserve water by pur-chasing energy-effi cient toilets and washing machines.

At the Feb. 10 City Council meeting, Director of Public Works Bailey Grewal re-ported that Brentwood doesnt anticipate in-voking any water rationing this year. The city gets its water supply from groundwater wells and the East Contra Costa Irrigation District (ECCID). The citys well-water supply has not been reduced over the past years despite three years of drought statewide. In 1999, the city entered an agreement with the ECCID to receive more than 4 billion gallons of wa-

ter annually regardless of drought, so the city doesnt expect a water crisis in the near future.

Deputy Director of Public Works Chris Ehlers said the only way Brentwood would need to ration water this year would be if the state mandates that all agencies must partici-pate in water rationing, but after the recent rainfall, that is not expected.

During the council meeting, Mayor Bob Taylor asked residents to conserve as much as possible even were there no rationing. We are a fortunate city, he said. However, in dire times, some cities will take a particular hit this year with water rationing We dont want

to lose any of this (water). Water is a precious thing anymore.

The mayor also asked residents to help the city identify problem areas where water might be wasted. The mayor urged residents who spot a broken sprinkler at a city park or water leaking onto a street to inform the city of the matter immediately.

Williford echoed the mayors senti-ments. We depend on the people to let us know about these things. Were in the offi ce most of the time, so we arent out there can-vassing the city looking for these things. We need the residents to tell us so that we can fi x

the problem.Williford said it is up to all residents to do

their part to insure that water is available for generations to come. As a natural resource, water should be protected. It is a precious resource. Just because Brentwood isnt faced with mandatory rationing doesnt mean we shouldnt conserve.

Ehlers said that while Brentwood isnt forced to ration water at this time, the city is being proactive to ensure no rationing mea-sures are taken in the future. He said the informational mailer is an effort to remind residents to adopt or continue water rationing behavior.

We need to do all we can to conserve, he said. The governor is asking for everyone to reduce their water consumption by 20 per-cent, so we are asking our residents to volun-tarily take part in these conservation efforts.

Its a matter of being aware of how much water you actually use. Going green is popular right now, and conserving water is in the news right now, so people are consciously thinking about it more. There are a lot of little things you can do to help conserve water like not running the water while your brush your teeth or taking shorter showers. We can all do our part.

Ehlers said that while many are becoming educated about water conservation practices, Brentwoods largest deterrent in the conserva-tion effort is ineffi cient landscape irrigation.

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see Water page 20A

In an effort to conserve water, the City of Brentwood uses recycled water to irrigate a majority of parks and golf courses, saving an estimated 3 million gal-lons of water a day. Recycled water is generated at the wastewater treatment plant located on Elkins Way, above.

Photo by Samie Hartley

MARCH 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 11A

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I had the worst week of my life last week. My husband had to go away on a fully paid seven-day cruise on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship. One of his clients, a company that obviously is not feeling the current economic apocalypse

like the rest of us, decided to hold its annual sales meeting while sailing around the Caribbean.

Now if that doesnt shock you, this might: I could have gone too, but I didnt. Why not?! you might ask, and many of my friends did. Ill give you fi ve

reasons: my fi ve kids.No one in her right mind, includ-

ing my own mother, would step into the nightmare that is my life, especially now that its baseball season (my most hated time of year). So I watched my husband pack his swim trunks and sun screen, helped him fold his dress shirts for the formal dinners, and found myself seeth-ing with anger as I growled the words Bon Voyage, Dear.

He left on Sunday morning. My kids threw a party as they celebrated a week without their father, otherwise known as The Hammer. I dont do discipline very well. I fi nd that nurturing is more my strength, and it takes a lot less energy, but the lack of discipline can quickly lead to a chaotic environment.

The week was a mix of stressful morning tardies, unfi nished homework, brawls over the Xbox, repeated trips to fast-food restaurants (they know me by my fi rst name at Taco Bell) and 11:30 bedtimes. Throw in the baseball practices for three of my kids practices strategi-cally located at the three farthest points in Antioch, and all at 4:30 every day of the week and I will tell you that its a wonder I didnt kill any pedestrians!

I swore in front of my kids and I made my youngest child cry because, as she put it, You said the S word three times, Mom, and now youre gonna go to hell!

By the end of the week all of my kids baseball coaches thought I was de-ranged and dangerous. They were right.

My husband must have been wracked with guilt because he sent me roses. Twice. Once on Monday, kicking off the week with these words of encour-agement: Hang in There.

Oh sure, what a sweet guy, you might say. But what made matters worse were the periodic calls I would get from him relating to me the highlights of his trip, like his beautiful cabin with a balcony overlooking the ocean. He held his phone out to the sea breeze so I could hear the sound of the waves rushing against the ship. I could have heard it more clearly had it not been for the blood-curdling screams coming from my 6-year- old, who was engaged in battle with her brothers over the remote

control.Even though there were meetings to

attend, he still had a lot of free time on his hands for playing basketball, loung-ing in the sun, swimming with sea turtles, taking a bicycle tour of Grand Cayman, which included rum tasting! Rum Tast-ing? Come On!

Meanwhile, I was at home cracking open a beer with my teeth while dragging the garbage cans out into the street in my bare feet at midnight! The garage door broke on Day 3, requiring me what with all the chauffeuring of children to manually open and close the door one

hundred times a day.My older daughter, running late

(again) for her car pool, walked right through our screen door one morning, ripping it off the hinges. It swung there for the remainder of the week by one lone screw. On Day 4 I woke up and found that my truck had a fl at tire. Tak-ing those speed bumps at Deer Valley High like a skier on the black diamond mogul run had fi nally caught up with me.

My friends began avoiding me as they grew tired of my incessant moaning and complaining about how my husband

was on a cruise, eating lobster, and I was at home eating mac-n-cheese!

Then the second bouquet of fl owers arrived, offering these comforting words: Keep Hanging in There. It was all I could do to keep from throwing them directly into the trash.

My husband returned sporting a nice suntan. He brought home nice sou-venirs for all. The kids mourned the loss of their freedom, but I think they were relieved the insanity had come to an end. I gave him a hug and then showed him to his new sleeping quarters. The Tuff Shed in the backyard. Bon Voyage!

Clubby hubby goes cruisin for a bruisin

HANGIN INTHERE

VICKI MCKENNA

12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 13, 2009

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Bach birthday bash to pull out the stops

If you want to start a brawl, perhaps a riot, in a bar fi lled with classical music musicians and afi cionados, just ask, Who was the greatest composer of them all?

Fists will fl y in favor of Mozart, violins will crash over heads in favor of Beethoven and various ear twists, nose jabs and elbow digs will ensue for Haydn, Schubert, Wag-ner and Stravinsky, among others. But when someone stands up on the bar and shouts out Johann Sebastian Bach, its likely that harmony will once again pre-vail, for he is the one composer just about everybody can agree on and with whom classical music essentially began.

On Saturday, March 21, Bach, were he still with us, would be 324 years young. But, of course, he is still with us in his mu-sic its likely that no one has ever placed more notes on paper, and what glorious notes they are.

In celebration of Bachs birthday, an extremely rare event in East County an organ concert will take place at St. Ig-natius of Antioch Church, which, appro-priately enough, is located in Antioch. Excellent organist and Bach expert Don-ald Pearson will be performing on what is probably the most impressive, powerful musical instrument in East County: the Rodgers Custom Trillium Masterpiece 958 Organ.

In the hour-long recital, Pearson will be playing some of Bachs greatest hits, such as the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor a haunted house favorite and the gentle Sheep May Safely Graze. Al-though a digital, not a pipe, organ, its able to shake, rattle and roll the church pews with a full second of echo reverb off of the high ceiling (add another half-second if its humid).

The free concert will be followed by a

reception in the parish hall with a birth-day cake and champagne. Pearson, who performed annual Bach birthday concerts drawing nearly 1,000 people when he was organist in St. Johns Cathedral in Denver, is performing simply for the joy of helping keeping Bachs organ music alive.

He was asked what it is that makes Bachs music so special.

He has this universal quality, said Pearson. You can take a piece for cello and do it on trumpet or trombone. The fa-mous Switched On Bach in the 60s was the fi rst album in the classical hit list. You had the Swingle Singers, who put Bach to jazz scat. Its been put on banjos, combs and paper and it still sounds good and seems to work. I think Bach is the most ex-citing thing in the world for organ.

Father Robert Rien said that the organ is on indefi nite loan to the church from the Rodgers company. The church actually did not have an organ when he arrived as pas-toral leader three years ago. The parishs 1,050 families pitched in $45,000 to pay for a smaller Rodgers organ, which has now been superseded by the current model.

Its made quite a difference to have a quality instrument played by a quality player, improving the congregations sing-ing and interest in music. Children are sitting in the pews watching him play, said Father Robert, as hes known at the church. Theres people who stay to hear the postlude at the end of the service. His ability and watching the mechanism of the organ work (the stops light up) has capti-vated their imagination.

If youre a Bach fan, an organ fan or just want to hear a free concert, eat birthday cake and wash it down with champagne, the show begins at 7:30 p.m. The church is located at 3351 Con-tra Loma Blvd., about halfway between James Donlon Boulevard and Highway 4 in Antioch.

Donald Pearson will pull out all the stops on the Rodgers Custom Trillium Masterpiece 958 Organ in a free Bach concert on Saturday, March 21.

Photo by Dave Roberts

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

MARCH 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 13A

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Ever have a day, or one of those days, where things simply dont feel right? And Im not talking about today, when this comes out it will be Friday the 13th, and that day is supposed to feel diff erent. What Im asking is in general, if there are days where things just seem off ?

I know on a personal level, for a while now, my spider senses have been tingling and my radars have been upbut up for the wrong reasons. Every day I hear bad news on the television, receive worse news from the paper and then real life hits. Ive been so concerned with keep-ing up-to-speed on guideline changes and stimulus package updates that for a while there, unfortunately, I put real life on the back burner. A great friend of mine from way back, and his wife, are currently three weeks out from having their fi rst children, twin girls. Th at same friends Mother re-cently passed away, with her services being held earlier this week, the 9th respectively.

Th e funeral itself truly put my life on hold (or what I thought was my life), if only for a few hours and made me realize the tingling Ive been having, thats caused my radars to go up, really has very little to do with the turmoil this nation fi nds itself in. While Washington makes, remakes, and debates, new ways to put a spin on this dismal economy, real life is passing us by. Th ere is no possible way that within weeks

of throwing billions more at the economy, any of the Stimulus money will reach East Contra Costa County, directly aiding any of us.

At the same time, in the same few weeks, and in the same breath, loved ones, friends, and family do have a very real chance of leaving us forever. Th is article is in no way meant to be a downer, just a realistic point of view. Everything in life is cyclical (my friends Mother passed but he has a family of his own on the way), with each cycle running its own course. Weve been through recessions before weve even handled a Depression in the past but how many people can say theyve lived through both our current recession and Th e Great Depression? Lifes cycle is much faster, and much more precious, than any fi nancial woes we might be having.

Th ere is no question that the econ-omy is nowhere near where it needs to be. When you can buy a single share of General Motor (GM) for less than a single gallon of gas there are defi nite issues. I will be back next week with the usual fi nancial updates, but between now and then, please, please, please spend at least one quality day with your family!

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

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Contra Costa County District III Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho is seeking applicants for various community advisory bodies:Mobile Home Advisory Committee

The nine-member committee advises the Board of Supervisors on policies and issues relating to mobile home parks in the unincorporated area of the county. Three members of the committee must be mobile home park owners or managers, and three must be mobile home park homeowners or residents.

The four-year term begins Jan. 1. The terms will be staggered so that fi ve members are appointed in odd-numbered years and four in even-numbered years. Meetings are held at 2 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. Members will serve without compensation, except that the Board of Supervisors may provide for reimbursement of actual and necessary related expenses.

For further information, call Gorman Debbie, Community Development Division, at 925-335-1310 or visit www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/water/MHAC/mhac.htm.Service Area P-5 Citizens Advisory Committee

The nine-member (and two alternate) committee advises the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriffs Department regarding community desires in the area of extended police protection. Committee members serve terms of two years, ending Dec. 31. Meetings are scheduled as needed.

Byron seat on the East County Regional Planning Commission

The commissions duties include: 1. General Plan amendment requests or Specifi c Plan proposals for projects up to 1,499 units, when such amendments or proposals are not part of a larger project that would be countywide in impact. 2. Subdivision applications between 101 and 1,500 units, when such applications are not part of a larger project that would be countywide in impact. 3. Non-residential or mixed-use projects generating between 101 and 1,500 peak hour trips, when such projects are not part of a larger project that would be countywide in impact. 4. Functioning as a board of appeals to consider appeals of decisions of the zoning administrator. 5. Holding meetings and taking testimony on local proposed public-works project in order to provide insights and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the originating department (e.g., Public Works, General Services). 6. Other matters specifi cally referred by the Board of Supervisors.

The commission meets on the fi rst Monday of the month in the Antioch City Council Chambers at 7 p.m.

For applications and procedures, visit the countys Web site, www.contra.napanet.net/maddybook/, or call the county clerk of the Board of Supervisors at 925-335-1900. Applications must be returned to the clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 651 Pine St., Martinez, CA 94553 by 5 p.m. on March 20, 2009.

Commissioners sought

14A | THEPRESS.NET MARCH 13, 2009

Cleaning and Scotchgard TM

My Friends All Laughed When I Tried This New Sciatica Treatment Until

They saw that I had found the newest breakthrough non-surgical back pain and sciatica treatment that may end your pain and solve

your herniated, bulging or degenerated disc pain problemsYou may be thinking What IS

going to happen to me if I cant fi nd a solution to my back pain or leg pain? The answer to your question starts out hopeful. Ill just go to my doctor and he will take care of me. He will know what to do. But then something very odd happens to you.

You discover your primary care

physician is not really well equipped to handle that job. He or She is very busy treating infections, diabetes, heart conditions and the like, which they are very well equipped to handle.

This is very apparent with your resulting drug prescription for Soma muscle relaxers and Norco, Neurontin or any other of the various prescribed pain medications. You then take the drugs soon to feel strangely like your not altogether there or you immedi-ately are sick, feel nausea and vomit the drugs as fast as you swallowed them.

When you get sick of that (pardon the pun! I couldnt resist), you go back to your doctor looking for another more appealing treatment. This time its physical therapy. The thing you already cant do!! You already cant bend over, twist, lift things, and now they want you to do more of it with a bunch of other back pain sufferers!

Gimme a break. Now, youve real-ly had it. You try the chiropractor and either you feel better for a little while only to have the pain return, or worse nothing happens at all. Or even worse than that, after your treatment you have MORE pain (not because chiro-practic does not work..your condition is just too deteriorated or severe).

Then you try acupuncture because you read in a magazine it could help pain. You then realize sticking a bunch of needles in you will not magically re-move the bulging disc that is smashing your nerve and causing you pain. You try massage as you read on the inter-net massage may help alleviate back painonly to be disappointed. Youre now beginning to feel desperate. Back to your primary care doctor to tell him

about your adventures hoping he will have a different answer this time.

He does. We can inject pain drugs through a big needle into your spine. You cringe in fear and reluctantly agree at this point. NOW I will be fi xed. Or at least thats what youve been led to believe. You have either no pain relief, some pain relief, a whole lot of pain re-lief or it makes you have more pain.

The second pain shot (oh, yes there will be a second and a third) is usually less effective or not at all and requires another one. You come to the realiza-tion that pain shots will not fi x the disc bulge or herniation still smashing your delicate nerves causing you pain. Final-ly, your doctor recommends you see a Specialist (Back Surgeon) and he can do risky surgery.

If youve read the latest article in the Journal Of American Medical As-sociation*, you will see surgery patients and non surgery patients turned out the same! Why even do the surgery? Risk of paralysis, death, infections, more pain. No thanks. So. Back to the question. What are YOU going to do if you are stuck between serious back pain or leg pain or surgery? Great News! A new ex-tremely effective non surgical new back pain treatment is now available in Brent-wood. If you are suffering from back pain or leg pain, having pain at the belt line, fi re down your legs, numb legs, feet or toes or feel like a knife is stuck in your back you owe to yourself to check out this new procedure.

Finally, Some Good News!If youve been suffering with back

pain or arm/leg pain caused by a disc bulge, disc herniation or squashed or compressed discs.

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 different.

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

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Yes! I am very confi dent, but I cant help EVERBODY. You see, theres a very small percentage of folks we cant help. Heres what a couple applicants said after I told them both I couldnt help them:

I was treated very nicely. The doc-tors have listened to me and they didnt rush me out of the offi ce, despite the fact I wasnt a candidate. The exam I had was super, the best Ive had anywhere. The doctor explained things to me that no one else ever has.

Non-Candidate, Brentwood, Ca

I thought Id write a note to you and all of those potential patients who have se-rious doubts (as I had) about your decom-pression treatments. Actually, I thought your procedure was more of a psychologi-cal placebo designed for everyone, instead of a non-surgical process that could repair injured vertebral discs. Imagine my sur-prise when you advised me that my condi-tion 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 recommend you to anyone I know or meet that suffers from spine and/or disc pain. I can do this knowing full well that they will be treated right.

Non-Candidate, Antioch, Ca

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

I had excruciating back pain and was worried I would need surgery. I tried acu-puncture, acupressure, chiropractic, and pain medications. Dr. Martin and spi-nal decompression have given me my life back. I couldnt walk and was in excruci-ating pain. I now have no pain and I have my mobility back.

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I had lower back pain and leg numb-ness 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.

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

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I had unrelenting back pain, gloom and disappointment as I had several doc-tors were unable to help me. Spinal De-compression is really amazing! I have gone through a transformation of pain, gloom and disappointment to a new val-ue, new hope and a new lease on life.

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MARCH 13, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 15A

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16A | THEPRESS.NET MARCH 13, 2009

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY Nat

ional Aw

ardWinning Newspapers

Brentwood/Knightsen school merger a win-win by Vickey Rinehart, SuperintendentKnightsen Elementary School District

Those who have lived in our commu-nity for a long time know the history of our

school board and its dedication to students. Unfor-tunately, several events have led to

our school district being in fi nancial trouble, with its very existence at stake.

1. Our district has lived on, and has grown, for the past 30 years through inter-district transfers from other school districts. We currently have 500 students enrolled; 250 actually live in the Knightsen School District and 250 come from Byron, Brentwood, Oakley and Antioch.

Oakley, Antioch and Byron have completely stopped allowing new transfers, and are no longer granting transfers beyond the 250 students already attending our

district. We will continue to receive only a few students annually from Brentwood. The loss of new transfers annually from other districts has stopped our fl ow of money to cover rising costs.

2. The Lakes development in Discovery Bay began building in 2005. The project is designed to build 635 homes, which would generate about 370 students for our district. The project is the reason we had to build Old River Elementary, and for which we received $11 million from the state to build it through Financial Hardship. We had no choice but to move ahead with the building of Old River because Knightsen School was maxed out.

In addition, we secured a $3.3 million loan to complete the school. However, it is important to note that the loan is currently not playing a major role in our fi nancial problems. Land was purchased and the construction process began in 2006. In late 2007 and early 2008, the economy began to

slow down in California, and up to that time only 50 homes had been built. No permits have been pulled in the last school year, and probably wont be for some time.

So the numbers of students expected from the building of those homes have not come to our district, and at this point we dont know when they will begin to come again with the lack of building.

3. As the economy worsened, the state continued to provide fi gures for our funding that showed we would be able to meet our commitments as of July, 2008. In October, the state began making huge cuts in fund-ing, which so negatively affected our small district that it was projected we would not able to pay our bills for three years, 2008-09 through 2011.

In December, additional cuts were announced, and the bottom dropped out of our budget. So with the loss of new students from transfers, no new students from the housing project, more students graduating

from than coming in to Knightsen, and the huge cuts in education funding, the Knight-sen School District fi nds itself in the position of going bankrupt.

4. When a school district fi nds itself in fi nancial trouble, help is immediately pro-vided by the County Offi ce of Education. Our County Offi ce of Education has done just that, providing assistance in adjusting and monitoring our fi nances and our bud-get. We are currently forced to lay off eight teachers and about seven instructional aides. We hope we can bring back some of our teachers, but with the lower enrollment and limited funding, we are not yet sure.

5. As the County Offi ce of Education monitors us, and we continue to slide down-ward, a point will come, probably within the next three years, that a state trustee would be called in to take over the Knightsen School District. If that occurs, the state trustee

GUEST COMMENT

Commendable candorEditor:

I would like to commend Mr. Brian Ka-linowski for having the courage to say in pub-lic that he may have voted differently on the Deer Valley Library Project if he had known about the library cuts to elementary schools. Thank you, Mr. Kalinowski, for putting the issue on the agenda for reconsideration.

I would also like to reply to Ms. Hiro-shimas comment. She stated, Schools may choose to create ways for students to have access to libraries, but unfortunately without the support of a library technician. One, note the use of library technician. Antioch students do not have certifi cated librarians in their libraries. (We are lucky to have many talented and hard-working technicians.) Two, it is hard to create library projects at my school since the library is locked and unavail-able to teachers and students during the two weeks each month that the library technician

is at another school.My students and I visit the library twice

a month for 30 minutes (1 hour per month). This month, we will visit the library only once because the library technician was ill on the day of our fi rst scheduled visit. With school holidays, parent-teacher conferences and other events that affect our schedules, we frequently lose one of our two monthly visits.

Parents, please visit your childs school and classroom. Find out what is really happening on a day-to-day basis. Ask any teacher; they will tell you the truth.

Mr. Kalinowski, please know that in the next election you have my vote!

Karen VargasAntioch

City officials take pride, take actionEditor:

I am writing to thank the City of Oak-ley, and in particular Code Enforcement Offi cer Bob Downing and Council Member Jim Frazier.

One of my neighbors was a victim of the fi nancial crisis. When they moved out of their house, they left behind assorted house-hold goods strewn about the front yard. They also left several months of household garbage piled up in their side yard, against our common fence. Unfortunately, the rats, fl ies, and other critters who have found this smorgasbord do not respect the property line.

I called the City of Oakley to fi nd out what can be done about this situation. I had a very pleasant conversation with Bob Downing. He expressed interest and con-cern, but explained that the City of Oakley has neither the manpower nor the fi nancial resources to maintain abandoned houses.

I completely understand the citys posi-tion, and asked for guidance and direction.

Mr. Downing offered to look into it and get back to me, which he did. Mr. Downing was able to identify the owner of the property a bank, with no contact information. But he didnt stop there. He located the real estate company that plans to market the house. They confi rmed that they will be cleaning the property and preparing it for sale in a couple of weeks.

Bob Downing had even more good news. He told me that Council Member Jim Frazier had put a crew together to do some cleaning around the property while we waited for the real estate company to act. Sure enough, when I got home I saw that the household debris had been removed from the front yard, and the lawn had even been mowed.

I bought my home in Oakley 30 years ago, and have watched it grow and develop. I have always known that Oakley is a special community. The fact that city staff and council heard my plea, and responded, is a prime example of the caring and pride that permeates the Oakley community.

Thank you, Madam Mayor and City Council members for sustaining Oakleys unique climate and making Oakley a place for families in the heart of the Delta.

Linda PennockOakley

To a patriotic newspaper staffEditor:

In these times its unusual to read all the good that has been done for our troops. It seems that we as citizens forget that these young men and women are our children. They are the ones who have stepped up to support our country; they are the ones who have signed a blank check to defend this great nation.

I have brought home dozens upon

dozens of our service men and women, as well as participated in honoring our fallen. This local paper and its staff make it a point to come and write their stories and welcome them home. As an American Legion Rider and a Patriot Guard Rider, I say you are to be thanked. I just wish that more of our local organizations and groups would try to step up to the plate as the Press has. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sup-porting our troops and the Patriot Guard Riders.

We (PGR/ALR,10,13) will continue to support, escort and stand for all our troops, as you have done. And a special Bravo Zulu to you, Rick. Its an honor to know you.

Fred Spike SchauOakley

Trust the firsthand testimonyEditor:

I was at the recent Knightsen Town Advisory Council meeting when this woman from out of state (who just moved to the Lakes in Discovery Bay) had the nerve to insult our community by thinking we need an outsider slandering our local school superintendent, Vickey Rinehart. I regret not having responded that evening, but here I go:

Perhaps it would be wiser to ask all of us who have had our children attend Knightsen School and seen fi rsthand the at-tention and devotion not only Vickey herself gives, but in the staff she and the board have chosen to educate our children.

Our daughter attended Knightsen School from fi rst to eighth grades so we know fi rsthand it is a wonderful place for children to have the opportunity to learn. Just like many other school districts, cities and states who are suffering fi nancial woes,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

see Letters page 19A

see Merger page 19A

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The rubber met the road at the newly re-confi gured racetrack on Main Street in Oakley. Racetrack? In Oakley? On Main Street? Thats right. Look no further than 3675 Main St., where Kit and Caboodle Hobbies owners Doug and Emily Statler just fi nished reworking the old dirt track that occupies the rear of the building. The entire rear of the shop has now been turned into a track and pit area able to accommodate up to about 50 racing mavens.

The racing in question is, of course, radio-control model cars. They come in all shapes, sizes and classes. The 1/18th scale cars are known as sliders, similar to mini-sprints wings and all and late model, which resemble full-scale stock cars.

The 1/10th scale has EDM (East-ern Dirt Modifi ed), analogous to the stock class but with narrower bodies and open wheels. Another class, leg-ends, look very much like the sedans of the 30s and 40s.

Since this is an indoor track, all cars run on electric motors only. (Smoking is prohibited indoors, in-cluding around the track and indoor pit areas.) Built to last, the new facil-ity is handicapped accessible, and its brand-new drivers stand offers excel-lent visibility. The track itself boasts a 120-foot run line, 10-foot-wide straights and 11-foot-wide turns.

Races are held every Friday at 7 p.m. Practice begins at 5 p.m.; sign-in at 6 p.m. The fee is $15 for the fi rst car and class,; $5 for each additional car and class. Practice time is also avail-able on Thursdays between 3 and 7 p.m. for a $5 fee.

Racing hobbyists at Kit and Ca-boodle range from age 4 to retirees. For a starting-level, ready-to-run car kit, including batteries and charger, expect to pay around $200. The store

offers birthday party packages rang-ing from $175 to $200, depending on whether or not a hobby project is to be included. Party fees include race time, and youngsters (limit 12 per party) dont need to own a model car the shop keeps cars on hand for the purpose.

Kit and Caboodle Hobbies is open Tuesday through Saturday. For further details, call 925-625-6000.

Contributed by Liz Elias

Main Street gets racy

Photos by Liz Elias

The dirt track behind the main store at Kit and Caboodle Hobbies, above, is a haven for the racing maven. Kit and Caboodle Hobbies owners Emily and Doug Statler, top right, take race registrations. A couple of the rac-ers, bottom right, that do battle on Kit and Caboodles track are the 1/10th scale truck, foreground, and the 1/18th scale mini.

MARCH 13, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 19A

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Maximum rate buy down contribution not to exceed 6% of the total purchase price. Offer only valid for well-qualied U.S. residents on primary residences purchased after March 1st, 2009 and nanced through Shea Mortgage on a 30 year xed loan not to exceed $417,000 in total loan amount. Seller to pay discount points up to specied amount. Buyer to pay all closing costs. Shea Mortgage, Inc., CA Dept of Real Estate, Real Estate Broker, License No. 01197403. Actual interest rate will be based on credit scores, income, loan to value, debt to income ratio and other nancial statistics. APR example based on buyer contributing 20% down payment, purchase price of $400,000 and loan amount of $320,000. Individual results may vary. This information is intended to help Real Estate Professionals, and is not an advertisement to extend credit as dened by Section 226.2 of Regulation Z. All rates and terms are subject to change without notice. The APR assumes a 1 point origination fee. Please contact Jaime Graser of Shea Mortgage at 925-245-3756 for additional information on this program. Offer valid on select homes in select communities. Not all buyers or homes will qualify for this program. See a Shea Community Representative for community-specic details.

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will revoke the interdistrict transfers of 250 students and they will be forced to return to their home district.

Then he/she will see we have only 250 students who live in our district, which is not enough to keep a district viable, and the school will be closed. Teachers will be out of work, and students will be directed to sur-rounding districts.

6. We know that this is not acceptable, so we have looked for another option to keep Knightsen School open. The only op-tion is that we merge with another district, and we are talking to the Brentwood and Byron school districts about our needs. We invited the Oakley district to join in our con-versations, but their superintendent declined.

Therefore, the Knightsen, Byron and Brentwood district superintendents are working closely together to fi nd a solu-tion that will allow Knightsen to have its K-8 school remain open. If the Knightsen School District joined with Brentwood, we could. Our children and teachers would join a fi nancially strong district with over 400 teachers and 8,200 students. Our teachers would maintain their seniority, be part of an excellent school system, receive an increase in salary and benefi ts, and probably never be faced with layoffs again in their professional careers. And our students could have op-tions for attending other schools in Brent-wood if they chose.

7. Brentwood would benefi t from having our excellent teachers, students with strong test scores, and an increase in their funding for each child in their district after our two funding rates are merged. The three districts will continue to work together closely during the next school year. A fi nal decision regarding a merger will take place by December, 2009, with an application be-ing fi led for a merger no later than January, 2010. If the merger proceeds through the process with the County Offi ce of Educa-tion, hearings will be held in all communities involved. Following hearings, an election will be called so that all communities affected will be able to vote on the merger. This elec-tion would take place in November, 2010. If the merger passes, it would take effect in July, 2011. If the merger fails, Knightsen will just wait for the state trustee to be assigned to potentially dismantle our school and district.

Our school board meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month (except during school breaks) beginning at 6:30 p.m. either in the M/U Room or the Science Room (Room 13). The board is grappling now with diffi cult budget decisions that will continue to be made through May. These decisions will involve the possible closing of Old River Elementary, cutting our music program, charging parents for sports partici-pation, etc.

We invite residents to attend any of these meetings and to ask questions they may have. Also, they should feel free to call me at any time with questions. My direct line is 925-626-3301. If they wish to speak to someone else regarding these issues, they may wish to contact Joseph Ovick, super-intendent, Contra Costa County Offi ce of Education, at 925-942-3432 or Ellen Elster, deputy superintendent for business services, at 925-942-3418.

Merger from page 16AKnightsen School is a victim of the times. As our new president, Barack Obama, suggested, we can disagree without being disagreeable. Finger-pointing and blame will not help.

If outsiders feel this is such a bad school and district, maybe they should go back to where they came from.

Maralyn JammalKnightsen

Sonic soire a successEditor:

On Friday, March 6, the Liberty High School Journalism held its second annual fundraising concert that hosted six bands. The concert ran from 5:30 to 10:30

p.m. and the following Liberty students played key roles in its smooth success: Corrine Allan, Winston Brown, Taylor Daugs, Evan Dean, Brenna Dillman, Brenda Duarte, Sarah Kellner, Karleigh Klingensmith-Craig, Soledad Lopez, Amanda Mathews, Jeremy Orkes, Kylie Painter, Hailey Parish, Alexandra Re-galado, Cameron Spear and Kelsi Ward.

These students formed four commit-tees and worked together through every phase necessary to make this a successful event. They worked tirelessly, and walked away at the end of the evening with a great sense of empowerment and experi-ence.

We would like to thank many who made our event a success. In this rugged

economy, its not every day someone or a group fi nds the means to give, but the following bands generously donated their time and efforts: Like Wise, Cab Defect, Something Phantom, Stigma 13, The Atom Age, and No Reception. In a word, these bands rocked.

A gracious thank you also goes to the City of Brentwood for allowing us the use of the Community Center as a host location. Funds generated from this event support the Liberty Journalisms ability to produce and publish paper copies of our news publication, The Lions Roar. Thanks again to all of those who helped make this an evening to remember!

Todd AirolaLiberty High Journalism Advisor

Letters from page 16A

20A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 13, 2009

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Bringing puppets to lifeThe Persian tale The Fox will be

presented by the PennyRoyal Puppet Theatre at the Oakley Library on Wednesday, March 18 at 4:30 p.m. The free program, open to children of all ages, is funded by First 5 Contra Costa, which has provided the library with a grant to present multicultural programs to young children.

Winters resident Mary Lou Linvill is the founder of the PennyRoyal Puppet Theater, now considered one of the premier touring puppet companies in Northern California. The PennyRoyal Puppets have

performed for hundreds of enthusiastic audiences in elementary schools and libraries as well as at art camps, festivals and San Franciscos Ghirardelli Square. Linvill has created a puppet theater that is lively, funny and emotionally engaging.

The Oakley Library is located in Freedom High School at 1050 Neroly Road. The library is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday from 2 to 9 p.m.; Friday from 2 to 6 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, call 925-625-2400.

Sprinkler-system timers should be set to water lawns only as needed. However, since numerous factors affect the amount of water lawns need, setting the timers can be tricky. Residents must take soil composition and cli-mate into account. Weather must also be fac-tored in. To fi nd the right balance, residents can call the city for a free water-use survey.

Williford said residents can schedule a meeting by calling Brentwood Public Works at 925-516-6000, and she will come out to as-sess the landscape to determine the most effec-tive watering regimen to best balance hydra-tion and conservation.

Brentwood is also participating in a pilot program involving weather-based irrigation controllers. These devices download weather information each evening to determine how much watering is required the following day,

and the sprinkler system is recalculated to re-lease only enough water to effi ciently hydrate the landscape as needed.

For example, on a rainy day, the device will receive a directive to not water the lawn on the following day. On a dry day, the system will be instructed to water a little longer.

The devices are available for free from the city, and the fi rst year of service is paid for as part of the citys study. After that, residents pay $48 per year to maintain the service. If the devices prove to help residents conserve water, the device might become a mandatory feature for new housing developments, said Ehlers.

For a free irrigation device, call the Brent-wood Public Works Department at 925-516-6000. To report a water leak on city property, call the City of Brentwood at 925-516-5400. For more tips about what you can do to con-serve water, visit www.h2ouse.org.

Water from page 10A

22A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 13, 2009

Congregation Bnai Torah of Antioch (www.bnaitorah.50megs.com) invites you to RUNNING FROM FATE: The Book of Jonah and the Psychology of Avoidance, an interactive lecture by Dr. Josh Gressel (www.joshgressel.com).

What does it mean to run from our fate? What can cause us to return to the path which is ordained for us?

Sunday, March 29th, from 10:00 11:30 a.m. Somerset III Club House in Brentwood. Attendees must RSVP to Matt Cordova (650-759-6939 or mattjcord@comcast.net) by March 25th.

Part of the Outreach in the Delta series. Supported by a joint grant from the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay and The Jewish Community Foundation.

Congregation Bnai TorahCongregation Bnai Torah

Its the American Cancer Societys signature activity; it offers everyone in our community an opportunity to partici-pate in the fi ght against cancer. We honor cancer survivors and their caregivers; we raise awareness regarding the services made available by the American Cancer Society to cancer patients (survivors) and their caregivers, cancer prevention and detection.

Teams of individuals from all walks of life and age groups will camp out at a local high school and take turns walking or running around the track. Captains or-ganize their teams fundraising efforts pri-or to and during the event, making sure a representative from every team is on the track at all times.

Relay For Life is a moving celebra-tion of cancer survivorship. The event begins with a Survivors Lap, in which cancer survivors adorned in purple T-shirts, along with their caregivers, take a victory lap around the track. As day turns to night, a special candlelight ceremony, the Luminaria is held. The edges of the track are outlined with lighted Luminaria

bags that have been decorated by friends and family to honor cancer survivors and remember those weve lost to the disease.

Our community is hosting two Relay For Life events this year, in Oakley on May 2 and 3, and in Brentwood on June 13 and 14. Both events need your help. How can you help? Glad you asked

Form a team or join and existing team. Invite a cancer survivor to join you at the event. Volunteer at one or both events. Become an event sponsor per-haps your company name can be proudly displayed on event T-shirts and programs. Or donate. If youre unable to participate or visit either event, but still want to help in the fi ght against cancer, you can do so by making a donation online at these Web sites: Oakley www.relayforlife.org/oak-leyca; Brentwood www.relayforlife.org/brentwoodca.

No matter who you are, theres a place for you at Relay. Have more ques-tions? Call 800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org. Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.

Contributed by Wanda Zimmerman

Relay shines light on life

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Patriots finish best season ever

The Heritage boys volleyball teams faced stiff competition on the road against Amador Valley on March 5, losing the varsity match 0-3 and the junior varsity contest 1-3.

In the varsity game, Amador Valley boasted a complete roster of year-round players who were poised and confi dent and whose strong suit is consistency. The Patriots threw everything they had at the Dons, but it wasnt enough.

The JV game was a hard-fought match fi lled with exciting defens