finalfeb lores

Delivered to Over 50,000 Homes and Businesses

•february 2014

• New Community Center .............................page 3• Truckee to Quincy ..................................... page 10• Sunday Dinner Recipes ............................. page 15• AHS / CP Soccer ......................................... page 18

Teaching Transformation ................................ page 20Support FPHE ................................................... page 21Wences, a Local Jewel ...................................... page 24Anniversary of I-680 ........................................ page 30

Alhambra’s senior Dominic Weir #8, up against College Park’s freshman Reese Burkhart #9. Photo by Conrad Rowling.

www.ourcommunityfocus.com February 2014

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www.ourcommunityfocus.comFebruary 2014

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For 41 years, the original Pleasant Hill Community Center served to im-prove the quality of life in Pleasant Hill. The Center provided a central place for all members of the community to come together, socialize and engage in enrich-ment classes, programs, recreational activities and special events. The former community center, a predominantly wood structure, eventu-ally began to show significant signs of decay. Extensive repairs and renovations were required to replace the rotting wood and to meet new regulatory and safety standards. An entirely new Community Center was needed. With phenomenal support of the local community, a bond measure was

passed in August 2009 with a favorable 75.7% of the vote. Building a new Com-munity Center was one of four projects approved under the Measure “E” bond. The Senior Center, and Teen Center were completed last year and the upcom-ing Pleasant Oaks Park will celebrate its grand opening March 2. Today, the new Pleasant Hill Com-munity Center, 21,800 square foot grand facility in a beautiful park setting, features the dramatic Perera Pavilion, six multi-purpose rooms, a new preschool wing, catering kitchen and a private event entrance. The legacy of the Community Center now continues. Make sure to visit the Center and take in the grandness. It is something to be proud of.

The New and Grand Community Center


JuLIe SayS

When fires blaze out of control in our local, open space, wilderness areas, I can’t help but remember the fire scene in the Disney film Bambi. The terrified animals run for their lives on screen, at last climbing to safety with their young on a riverbank. Whew. (Yes, I know they are animated, not real; I am almost, but not quite, that gullible.) Last September, the Morgan Wild-fire burned more than 2500 acres on Mt Diablo. Ever wonder what really happens to wildlife after a big fire? Last month, I at-tended a presentation to the docent group at Lindsay Wildlife Museum about the September fire and nature’s recovery proc-ess. The talk was given by Steve Elliott, the docent coordinator for Mt. Diablo State Park and also a fellow docent at the wild-life museum. Steve coordinated security efforts during the fire – keeping the public away and safe – and he witnessed its destruction and containment first-hand. He reported that, despite the fire’s size, there was only minor property damage – a few picnic tables and fencing -- and what he had to say regarding the fate of wildlife was very reassuring. Steve said that while there is signifi-cant wildlife displacement during a fire, there is usually not much actual loss. Some animals hide in burrows under a fire, while others take flight or run away. Wildfires typically travel about 7 miles per hour (faster uphill and slower downhill), so while it must be certainly scary (like for Bambi and his friends!), most creatures have a good chance of reaching safe terri-tory. Most of us have heard that wildfires are important for the renewal of the envi-ronment in many ways, such as by clear-ing out diseased trees. What surprised me was Steve’s remark that there is a 25-30% increase in wildlife after a fire. The fire clears out all the old vegetation, allowing new growth, which insects find delicious.

The increase in the insect population in the burned area attracts the rest of the food web and recovery begins. Steve discussed one insect, a species of wood boring beetle, which is especially interesting. He said the burned trees were absolutely covered with these bugs right after the fire. These beetles have the super-power of infrared sensors on their bodies and can detect heat from up to 50 miles away. They follow fires and eat burned trees. The beetles and their larvae become dinner for other animals. Mother Nature continues to amaze. A negative aspect of wildfires is that a serious burn makes soil hydrophobic, or water repellent. Seed germination and root growth cannot occur in hydrophobic soil because it does not allow water to infil-trate. Crews working the fire turned the white, hydrophobic soil, breaking up the water-repellent layers to allow new growth. Steve described how vegetation comes back in pulses or phases. Native plants like Manzanita and soap root come back first. For some wildflowers, such as

the fire poppy and purple monkey flower, the heat causes seeds lying underground to germinate. Other wildflowers return in 1 or 2 years; for others it takes 3 to 5 years for a comeback. It can take 40 to 100 years for the full natural chaparral to return. To see a photo gallery of the 2013 Morgan Fire and learn more about the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA), the park’s cooperating asso-ciation leading some of the fire recovery work, visit the MDIA website at www.mdia.org. If you are interested in learning more about what happens to animal and plant life after a wildfire, Lindsay Wildlife Museum has partnered with MDIA to of-fer a program for adults (ages 16+) at the museum the evening of Thursday, April 3. You can register for “After the Burn: The Regeneration of Mt. Diablo” at the muse-um’s website, www.wildlife-museum.org. I know you are dying to go re-watch Bambi, so after you check out these web-sites, go right ahead. You can contact Julie at [email protected]

Wildfires: The Good and The bad By Julie Ross

PubLISHerSBecky Coburn, Jennifer Neys,

Elena Hutslarinfo@ourcommunityfocus.comAMonthlyPublicationdeliveredtoover50,000HomesandBusinessesinPleasantHill,Martinez,Pacheco,

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while strengthening and building connections within our community.

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annual film festival Moves to Pleasant Hill Documentaries on legendary funny men, international dramas reminiscent of the cinematic styles of Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen, and Quentin Tarantino’s fa-vorite 2013 thriller are among the 40 inter-national films on the 19th Annual East Bay International Jewish Film Festival sched-ule this March. The 10-day event will run March 7 through March 13 at the Century 16 Theatres in Pleasant Hill and March 21 through March 23 at the Orinda Theatre. Debra Levin, the Festival chairper-son and a Pleasant Hill resident, notes that the Century 16 site will launch the Festi-val. “While we loved the old Cinearts dome theatre, we are enthusiastic about our move to downtown. I know that our festival-goers will enjoy the shops in the area.” With that

in mind, the Festival built more time in the schedule between the morning and early afternoon films so that attendees could dine in one of the nearby restaurants. Levin adds, “This is a win-win for everyone. We get to screen films in the state-of-art Century 16 theatre, and film fans can visit the down-town area and all it has to offer.” The superb quality of international films in 2013 also resulted in the addition of an extra day to the Festival’s schedule. “We normally run from Saturday evening through Thursday evening, however, this year we added Friday screenings because we had a surplus of excellent movies to show our audience,” explains Levin. While rich in dramas and documen-taries, the Festival also has a lighter side.

“When Comedy Went to School features the early careers of such comedians as Mort Sahl, Jerry Lewis and Jerry Stiller, while Lunch is more like a reality show. It show-cases legendary screenwriter Carl Reiner, the legendary comedian Sid Caesar and other movie and television personalities who meet every few weeks at a deli in Los Angeles for lunch and a lot of reminiscing,” Levin says. As usual, the Festival has an interna-tional line-up with feature movies from France, Germany, Poland, The Netherlands,

Macedonia, Australia, Belgium, Canada and Israel. Levin adds, “Movies are a great way to visit the world without actually getting on a plane. That’s why our motto is ‘See a Film. See the World.’” The Festival is presented by the Jewish Federation of the East Bay and is sponsored by City National Bank, Auntie Anne’s Pret-zels, RINA Accountancy, Diablo Magazine, Destination Wealth Management, Wells Fargo, and Aaron Metals. For the complete schedule or to purchase tickets visit www.eastbayjewishfilm.org or call 510.318.6453.

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Focus Visits Cambodia

While traveling in Vietnam and Cambodia last fall, Dawn Block and former Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris brought the Community Focus along. Here they are at the ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

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architectural review CommissionFebruary 6, 20City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneSmall Community Room, 5pmContact: 671-5209

City CouncilFebruary 3, 24City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneCouncil Chambers, 7:30pmContact: 671-5229

Civic action CommissionFebruary 5City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneSmall Community Room, 6:30pmContact: 671-5229

education CommissionFebruary 26City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneLarge Community Room, 7pmContact: 671-5229

Planning CommissionFebruary 11, 25City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneCouncil Chambers, 7:30pmContact: 671-5209

all meetings take place at City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill.

for Confirmation Visit: www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us

Public Meetings

PLeaSaNT HILL CITy buZZ

Mayor’s MessageTim Flaherty, Mayor of Pleasant Hill

Just two years ago, I was keep-ing busy with an active law prac-tice, family and friends, and pub-lic service as chair of the Pleasant Hill Civic Action Commission and as a Pleasant Hill Planning Commissioner. I was honored to be elected to the city council in November 2012 and, about this time last year, I was attending a conference in Sacramento for newly elected council members. Today I am writing my first column for the Com-munity Focus as Mayor of Pleasant Hill. What a difference a couple years make. So at the outset, let me say thank you to all of you for the privilege of represent-ing you. How did I get to where I am today? I grew up in San Francisco and still maintain my law practice there. I moved to Pleasant Hill 17 years ago, a divorced dad with two kids, and was immediately embraced by my neigh-bors in Poet’s Corner. I was completely smitten with my new neighborhood, the local businesses on Oak Park Boul-evard and the public library, all within walking distance of my new home. I was excited to see the renovation of our downtown and impressed by the architecture of our City Hall.

I wanted to be a part of this com-munity. I wanted to get involved and contribute to making it an even better place to live. The opportunity presented itself one day as I was reading an article that the city was seeking volunteers for various commissions. I applied and was appointed to Civic Action and, so, began my journey that led me to this column. Pleasant Hill offers so many op-portunities to serve and volunteer to improve our community, and I encour-age everyone to get involved in one way or another. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not all laughs, and volunteering can be challenging work, but I am certain you will find it ultimately rewarding. You will make new friends and become more fully woven into the fabric of our community. You can also get involved by sup-porting community events. February offers a host of opportunities to show your support. Here are two for your consideration. First, the 4th annual Come Together Concert is on Friday evening, February 7, at the stunning new Community Center. The event benefits teen music programs in Pleas-ant Hill, with all performers donating their time and talent. This year’s concert lineup is full of locally grown and re-gional musicians and singers. Purchase tickets at the Rec & Park District offices

(147 Gregory Lane) or call 682-0896. Come meet those people who have heeded the call to volunteer at the 43rd Annual Community Awards Night at the Community Center on Tuesday, February 18. This event recognizes those citizens, teachers, teens, employ-ees, businesses and organizations which have contributed to making our com-

munity a better place for all of us to live, work and play. For more details, contact Martin Nelis at [email protected] or go to www.pleasant-hill.net/awards. I would like to hear from you on any subject. Feel free to contact me at [email protected]. I will listen.

City Newsannotated agendas of City Council Meetings Citystaffhaspostedthe‘annotatedagendas’forcitycouncilmeetingsheldin2013andwillcontinuetoposttheseagendasforallfuturemeetings.The‘annotatedagenda’containsalloftheagendaitems,includingattach-ments,staffreports,andarecordofthevotetakenoneachitem,butitisnottheofficialminutesofcitycouncilmeetings.Overthepastyear,nocitycoun-cilmeetingminuteswereproducedandcitystaffisworkingtocorrecttheaction.TheannotatedagendasarelocatedintheAgendaCenteronthehomepageofthecitywebsite.AttheJanuary6citycouncilmeeting,Coun-cilmemberDurantaddressedtheissueofthelackofpastandcurrentcitycouncilminutesavailableforpublicview.Therewasalsodiscussionaboutask-ingvoterswhetherthepositionofcityclerkshouldbemadeanappointedofficeratherthananelectedofficetovotersontheNovember2014GeneralElectionballot(orthefirstspecialelectionballotbeforethatdate,ifthereisotherwiseaspecialelectioncalledforbytheCityofPleasantHill).

PO Park Grand Opening PleasantOaksParkgrandopeningisscheduledfor March 2.Irrigation,sitework,playfieldequipment,battingcagesandlandscapeplanting,including“no-mow”grasses,iscomplete.Theparkwillremainfencedofffromaccesssothesodcanestablishstrongdeeproots,ensuringeveryonecanenjoyhealthyplayingfieldsforyearstocome.

Downtown PH Althoughdreamsofthegrilledcheesesandwichshop,TheMelt,comingtoDowntownhaveslippedaway,theleasingagencyJohnCumbelich&As-sociateshasfilledtwoadditionalspacesonCrescentDrive.Tenantimprove-mentplansareunderwayinthespacelocatedattheclocktowerbuildingtohousetheretailstoreAtlas,amen’sclothingstore.Accordingtotheirwebsite,Atlasis“thefashionleaderthatdoesn’trelyondesignernamesandpricestodefineus.Weoffertrend-rightstylesthathavetheNorthernCalguyinmind,andwefocusonawearablecollectionthatbringsnewnessandexcitementtoyourwardrobe.”Tenantimprovementswillincludereplacementoftheex-istingclocktowerroofandexistingclockfaces,newfaçadetreatmentsandanoutdoordisplayarea.Plansareforaspringopening.Inaddition,thespacenexttoT-Mobilehasbeenleasedtoabeautysupplystore.Itwillbeafewmoremonthsbeforeworkiscompletedonthestore.

Crossroads Shopping Center RumorhasitthatDSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse)willoccupytheformerBallyFitnessspacenexttoDick’sSportingGoodsinthecomingmonths.Al-thoughaspokespersonfromSyWestDevelopmentdidnotdisclosewhowasgoingtobethe“nationalretailer,”hedidsaythestoreis“highlycomplemen-tarytotheretailersthatarealreadyintheCrossroadsCenter.Itmeshesreallywell.Wehadalotofinterestinthisspace,andwespecificallychosethisten-antbecauseit’scomplimentaryinnaturetowhatisalreadyoutthere.Ourde-sirewastofindsomethingthatreallyfilledthatnichewiththeexistingretail.I’dsayit’sagreatfit!”(nopunintended?)

City Hall Offices Closed on february 10 & 17 in observance of President Lincoln’s and President Washington’s birthdays


MarTINeZ CITy buZZ

Public Meetings

In the April 2013 issue of Community Fo-cus, I reported on the County Con-nection’s new Bus Tracker system. This new system tells you where every bus in the Coun-ty Connection service area is located and when it will arrive at any given bus stop. You can also customize your per-sonal page in the system to update par-ticular routes and bus stops. Bus Tracker has been installed on all County Connection fixed route buses, and the software uses GPS loca-tion data to predict arrival times. Buses transmit their location every thirty seconds, enabling Bus Tracker to pre-dict arrival times and make bus loca-tion available to the public on the Web. Riders can view the upcoming bus ar-rival times by selecting any bus stop in the system. To use Bus Tracker go to www.ccta.org or www.countyconnection.com and click on the Bus Tracker but-ton. You can browse the estimated ar-rival times by route or bus stop, or see a map of selected routes with the ac-tual location of all buses on that route. If you are a regular passenger of a specific route, it is best to personalize your Bus Tracker page for your specific needs. The only problem with the Bus Tracker system is that it is difficult to view and navigate on a hand-held de-

vice such as a smart phone or tablet. Because it is Internet based and not an application designed for the smaller devices, a number of riders and read-ers have expressed frustration with the system. The feedback I received urged the development of an app that would make access to real time arrival infor-mation easier to view when using a mobile device. I am pleased to announce that a free downloadable application is now available for both Apple and Android platforms at www.thetransitapp.com. The application works in 43 cities in the USA and Canada. The application is so easy to use; not only can you get arrival information for buses nearest your current location, there is a de-scription of where the bus routes trav-el, options to view the route map, ac-cess to complete schedule information, and access to reverse directions. It will also give you arrival times of the near-est BART trains. I have downloaded the app on my smart phone and it works great. Try it out for yourself. Download the app or scan the QR code. If you need help or have any other questions about County Connection, please call customer ser-vice at 925-676-7500.

Mayor’s MessageRob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez

All City Meetings at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, Unless Otherwise Indicated. For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org

City News

City Council MeetingFebruary 5, 197pm-11pmContact: 925-372-3500

Design review MeetingFebruary 263-5pmContact: 925-372-3500

Planning Commission MeetingFebruary 11, 257-11pmContact: 925-372-3500

Zoning administrator MeetingFebruary 5, 193-5pmContact: 925-372-3500

Photo by Stahlberg

City Offices Closed on February 12 & 17 in Observance of President Lincoln’s and President Washington’s birthdays.

The Gamble at Campbell Pays Off MarkHinds,managingdirectorofOnstageRepertoryTheater(newoc-cupantsoftheCampbellTheater)thankedcitycouncilattheirDecember18meetingfortheopportunitytousethetheater.CleaningandrepairingtheCampbellTheaterbeganlastOctoberwithlotsofvolunteers,includingthePleasantHillRotaryClub.Onstagethenproducedfivesuccessfulholidayper-formancesofChristmas BellslastDecember.“PatCampbellbroughttwelvemembersoftheoldWillowsboardwithhim,andIthinktheyallhadagreattimewithit.Itwaswellreceived,”saidHinds.AccordingtotheagreementwiththeCityofMartinez,attheendofaperformance,Onstagewouldpaythecityeither$50iftherewerenoprofitsmadefromtheperformancesorhalfoftheprofitsiftheyweresuccessful.Mr.Hindswaspleasedtopresentacheckintheamountof$504.25,halfoftheprofitsfromtheDecemberperformances.“It’sagoodstartandwe’regoingtobuildonit.I’mjustthrilledaboutthat,”Hindscontinued.OnstageTheatreiscurrentlyrunningThe Book of Liz,directedbyEddiePeabody,throughFebruary15,attheCampbellTheatre,636WardStreet,Martinez.

New Interim City Manager OnJanuary16,MayorSchroderreportedinanopensessionthatthecouncildiscussedthepublicemploymentoftheinterimcitymanagerposition.MayorSchroderannouncedthedecisiontohireAnnaGwynSimpson,current-lythedeputydirectorofStrategicPlanningandCommunityDevelopment,asinterimcitymanagerbythefollowingvote:Ayes-MayorSchroder,ViceMayorMenesiniandCouncilmemberAvilaFarias;No-CouncilmemberDeLaneyandCouncilmemberRoss.SimpsonhasbeenwiththecitysinceJuly2013.Inthesamemotion,councildirectedMayorSchrodertocontactprofessionalservicefirmstoobtainbidsforcitymanagerrecruitmentanddirectthecityattorneytodrawupacontactforMs.SimpsonwithsimilartermsasAssistantCityMan-agerAlanShear.

Main Street Matters update BenjaminMooreisplanningtorevitalizeaportionofMainStreetinMar-tinezaspartofitsMainStreetMattersprogramthisMarch.SeveralMartinezbusinessesonMainStreet,fromLasJuntasStreettoCastroStreet,werecon-tactedtoundergoleadtestinginordertodeterminewhatregulatoryrequire-mentsneedtobeaddressedforre-paintinggivenMartinez’suniqueneedsaswellasobtainwrittenapprovaloftheirinterestintheproject. OnFebruary4,BenjaminMooreandMainStreetwillco-hostacommunitymeetingforpropertyandbusinessownersinthecouncilchambersatCityHall,wheremoredetailsabouttheprojectwillbeavailable.Theareastobepaint-edwillbedeterminedjointlywithMartinez,andBenjaminMoorerepresenta-tivesandthecompany’scolorexpertswillconsultoncolorchoicesforeachbuilding.Whentheworkbegins,BenjaminMoorewillprovideallnecessarypaint,stainandsuppliesforfaçadesandotherexteriorbuildingtrims.MartinezisoneoftwentycommunitiesacrossNorthAmericatolaunchtheproject.

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edward Jones ranks No. 1 for financial advisorsFirm takes top spot for 19th time According to Amy M. Wasser, an Edward Jones financial advisor in Pleasant Hill, the financial-services firm Edward Jones ranked No. 1 in the WealthManagement.com. /REP. maga-zine annual survey of the nation’s six largest financial services firms for the 19th time. REP. magazine randomly selects financial advisors nationwide and asks them to rank their firms in various categories. Edward Jones’ overall score was 9.5 out of 10 possible points. The firm

scored top marks across the board, earn-ing near perfect scores in overall ethics (9.8) and public image (9.7), according to WealthManagment.com. Edward Jones financial advisors gave the firm some of the highest scores in the technology and training category, scoring high above the other five firms in every sub-category, which includes the quality of technology, clarity and online access of client account statements and ongoing training. “This honor is a testament to the enduring strength of our firm values,

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our trade-offs and our partnership,” said Wasser. “We are guided by a clear mission to serve the serious, long-term individual investor and to provide the best career-long opportunity for financial advisors who take pride in their work and appreciate the importance of the work we do.” According to WealthManagement.com, between October 7 and November 7, 2013, invitations were emailed to print subscribers and advisors from various firms in the Meridian-AIQ database requesting participation in an online survey. By November 7, 2,333 completed responses were received. Financial advi-sors rated their current employers on 33 items related to their satisfaction. Ratings are based on a 1-to-10 scale, with 10 rep-resenting the highest satisfaction level. For more information about Edward Jones, please contact Amy M Wasser, Edward Jones in Pleasant Hill, 367 Civic Dr. Suite 8, at (925) 798-5297 or John Fuller, Edward Jones in Martinez, 608 Las Juntas, at (925) 370-0184 or visit

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The Martinez Chamber of Commerce Congratulates... the Winners & Finalists of the “Readers’ Local Favorites for 2013” published in the January issue of the Community Focus.

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2/7 – Mayor’s “State of the City” breakfast–7:30-9am.ChateauRoom,PleasantHillSeniorCent-er,233GregoryLane.

2/11, 2/12, 2/13 & 2/25, 2/26, 2/27– 680 breakfast Club Net-working 8:30-10am.CallCham-berofficeforinformation.

2/13 – business education Quar-terly Workshop #1: “business resource runway 2014” 11am-1:30pm.500EllinwoodDr.,FirstFloor,PleasantHill.

2/14 – ambassador Meeting8-9am.PHCityHall,CommunityRoom.

2/17 – Chamber Office ClosedforPresident’sDay.

2/18 – Community Service awards Night5:30-10pm.NewCommunityCenter,320CivicDr.,PleasantHill.Eachyearnomina-tionsaremadeforexemplaryciti-zensandbusinesspeopleinPleas-antHill.Thiseventwillrecognizenominees&winnersforBusinessoftheYear,CitizenoftheYear,TeacheroftheYear,TeenoftheYear,GreenAwardandmore.In-

dividuals$45ortablesoften$450.PurchaseticketsnowbycallingtheChamberoratpleasanthill-communityawardsnight.event-brite.com.

2/20 – board of Directors Meet-ing8-9am.PHCityHall,Commu-nityRoom.

2/24 – Green Committee Meet-ing4-5pm.BackFortyBBQ,100CogginsDrive,PleasantHill.

2/24 – Govt. affairs Commit-tee Meeting5:30-7pm.BackFortyBBQ,100CogginsDrive,PleasantHill

2/26 – Chamber Open House4-6pm.91GregoryLane,Suite11.

Ifinterestedinbecominganam-bassador,contacttheChamberoffice.

2/11 – State of the City break-fast8-10am.CreeksideChurchAuditorium,444FigTreeLane,Martinez.StateoftheCity:MayorRobSchroderandmagicpres-entationbyGerryGriffinoftheCaliforniaMagicClub.Enjoyafullgourmetbreakfastbuffet,$25.RSVPtoChamberrequired.

2/17 – Office ClosedforPresi-dent’sDay.

2/20 – educational Series12-1:30pm(Doorsopenat11:30).“AreYouMaximizingYourCham-berMembership?Findwaystoutilizethefeaturestoyourbusinessadvantage.”PresentedbyAdamHoffert,ChairmanoftheBoardandJohnStevens,CEOMartin-ezChamber.CreeksideChurchMulti-PurposeRoom,444FigTreeLane.$10forChamberMembers,Non-Members$20.Non-MembersthatjointheChamberwillget$10creditedtowardstheirmember-ship.Lunchwillbeprovided.All

noshowswillbecharged$10.Spacelimited.RSVPrequiredatleast2dayspriortotheChamberoremailinfo@martinezchamber.com.

2/20 - Chamber Mixer 5:30-7:30pm.AmbassadorMixeratRemodelMeShowroom,3660PachecoBlvd.,Martinez.Greatnetworking,food,fun,raffleprizes(bringaraffleprizeandhaveyourbusinessannounced!)

2/27 – Grand Opening & ribbon Cutting Ceremony5pm.AlohaChiropractic,649MainSt.,Ste.104,Martinez.Joinusinwelcom-ingournewmember.


Part 2: Lake Tahoe - Tule Lake If you are driving the interstate to begin your journey northward onto Highway 89, I recommend taking a break in Truckee. The city has experi-enced a renaissance of sorts, with a more developed array of shops and eateries. The city has also undergone a resur-gence of population, growing nearly 20% in the last 5 years. One noteworthy place worth your time is the one-of-kind Truckeee Variety Co. For those of us old enough to remember, it will bring back memo-ries of the Woolworth five-and-dime stores; old, wooden, squeaky floors and large counters and shelves full of every conceivable game, toy, doll and knick-knack imaginable. Warning: you will be hard-pressed to leave this store without an investment in memories, both past and future. For those inclined to wander through cooking stores, Truckee has a great one. Additionally, we had one amazing lunch at the Bar of America (a misnomer of sorts) because there is a family-friendly dining section. The food (Ruben and Cheddar Cheese Soup) was second-visit worthy. Continue out of Truckee eastward, right onto Highway 89 north. After surviving the two new roundabouts, the forest surrenders to ranch lands. (Note the snow markers to remind you of the kind of country you are driv-ing through.) Despite it’s beauty, this highway is a bit remote, so take care to navigate curves carefully. After about 20 miles, you’ll come to an intersection called Sierraville (population: 200). This location marks the southern end of the great Sierra Valley which meanders over the next 100 miles or so northward. Also, Highway 89 joins forces with its more famous twin, Highway 49, for a short while. Relax along this stretch of highway, as the scenery is straight out of an old West novel; barns and wooden fences, meandering streams, pockets of windbreak and stream-fed aspens and cottonwoods. This is cattle country, so watch the signage warnings for the oc-casional wayward steer.

For those with access to a computer, I highly recommend searching “Plumas County colors” on the Internet. These websites will serve as a valuable resource for mapping excursions throughout this part of the country. That said, I highly recommend purchasing the large format Northern California Atlas and Gazet-teer by Delorme for a comprehensive and detailed look at the relative qual-ity of roads in and around this part of the country. For instance, shortly after leaving Sierraville, there is a branch/forest road called A23 (Westside Rd.), which meanders in the backcountry southeast to Beckwourth (along High-way 70). From here, you can easily rejoin Highway 89 by heading west on Highway 70 a few miles. Such secondary

roads are common and provide lifelines to remote family farms and ranches. A note of caution: these back-roads must be taken slowly and cautiously. Curves are sometimes not marked well; roads abut property lines, driveways and open fields. You must drive these roads as if you are driving in urban neighbor-hoods, as children and loose animals are apt to be outside on or near these roads. That said, don’t be afraid to travel these beautiful access roads. No travel adventure would be com-plete without mentioning the Western Pacific Railroad Museum (www.wplives.org) along Highway 70 in Portola, just a few miles east of Highway 89. If you are a train buff, put this on your must-stop list. The museum resembles a working

rail-yard. You get to climb into locomo-tives and experience rail life first hand. Train rides are available during the summer months, when the scenery is spectacular, to say the least. Highway 89 and 70 converge near the village of Graeagle. Take a break here; enjoy the candy/ice cream at Buc-keroo Chocolates (all low calorie, I am assured) and other small, locally owned venues that offer a variety of foods, arts and gifts. (Check out the website www.graeagle.com.) In keeping with the leisurely pace required to enjoy this trip, Graeagle offers a great place to stop and take a stretch. You may even want to consider staying overnight because of the recreational opportunities here (e.g. golfing, hiking, eating). The area around Graeagle and the road up to Quincy offers some of the most stunning views of ranch lands, streams and decidu-ous forests along the valley foothills on either side of the highway. Back onto Highway 89/70 heading north some short distance is the town of Quincy. Slightly larger than Graeagle, Quincy boasts a Walgreens, large food markets, Les Schwab Tire Center, an in-tersection light and a myriad of motels. We stayed at an eclectic but nice, clean motel at the south end of Quincy called Ranchito, whose appearance is right out of a movie set from old Spanish Cali-fornia; white adobe, brick with wagon wheels and large, plank doors. The price was right, the shower great and people friendly. (There is a newer wing with queen beds for a bit more comfort.) Because of the increasing popularity of this part of the country for tree color viewing, I recommend making a careful plan of your itinerary and making reser-vations ahead if staying over a weekend. Mid-October weekdays did not seem to present any problem finding accom-modations, but weekends book up many weeks ahead.Next up: Quincy, Greenville and Lake Almanor View more of Christopher and Elaine’s photos at www.vardasphotog-raphy.com.

Truckee to QuincyStory and Photos by Christopher Vardas


real estate updateBy Nathan Hitchcock

The day is January 13, 2014, and I’ve just gotten off a phone call that has solidified my opinion on how the local real estate market will fare in 2014 -- at least for the first six months. For those of you who follow this column, you know that as 2013 closed, my crystal ball predicted a relatively high likelihood that 2014 would start as a seller’s market and home values would rise as a result. Well, consider me all the way out on that limb; we are currently in a seller’s mar-ket, prices are on the rise, and this condition will continue at least until midsummer. No, this phone call was not a one-hour conference call with the chief economist for the California Association of Realtors. Nor did it involve the evaluation of the latest pending home sales, unsold housing inventory, foreclosure rates, or any other housing-related statistics. In reality, it’s far too early in the year to evaluate those num-bers anyway. All we know from our latest

data is that nearly everything dropped in December, which it always does, given the distractions of the holiday season. This phone call, in fact, lasted only two minutes. It was with a listing agent for a bank-owned property that essentially needed a full remodel to be habitable again. The property had been listed on the market for well over four months, which was unsurprising, as it was priced 25% too high when factoring in surrounding home values and the renovation investment required. The purpose of my call was to learn how successful my prospective buyer would be in submitting an offer over 30% below the current listed price. Knowing banks have a habit of only entertaining offers within a few percentage points of their list price, I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time if the offer would be rejected outright due to an internal “negotiation policy” on the bank’s end. As expected, the agent’s response was, “No, there’s not much point in writing an offer like that.” I prodded, trying to uncover where the bank’s bottom line might be on

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your Successor TrusteeBy Daniel DuRee

One of the primary considerations in the estate planning proc-ess is deciding who will administer your affairs if you become incapaci-tated and, later, after you pass away. In a trust, this person is called the successor trustee. The successor trustee takes over management of a trust when the origi-nal trustee or co-trustees are no longer able to fulfill their duties. The successor trustee is called a fiduciary because they have a legal (“fiduciary”) duty to act in the best interest of the trust beneficiaries and/or the trust creator. When deciding who will be your suc-cessor trustee, you can appoint a layperson or a professional, licensed, third party fiduci-ary. Which type depends largely on your particular circumstances and goals. Layperson as Trustee: The vast majority of people have a family member(s) as succes-sor trustee or co-trustees. These trustees are largely guided by the terms of the trust, and although conflict is possible, most trust administrations are a fairly straightforward and amicable process. People often choose one of their children, a sibling, or a trusted friend. You can appoint co-trustees to act together in the trust administration. In choosing a layperson as a successor trustee, it is probably best to choose from among the beneficiaries to ensure that their personal in-terest is aligned with the beneficiaries of the trust. In California, even a layperson trustee is entitled to reasonable compensation un-less the trust explicitly requires the trustee to waive compensation.

Professional Third Party Fiduciary: The primary benefit of choosing a professional third party fiduciary is you know your wish-es will be carried out without the potential conflict encountered among family trus-tees and family beneficiaries. The primary drawback of a professional trustee is the cost. A professional will usually have a minimum fee and also charge fees based on the size of the estate. These fees could run into the tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size and complexity of the estate. The other potential problem with a professional fiduciary is the person you choose may no longer be working or even alive when you need him. One way to deal with this issue is to allow the beneficiaries to choose, by ma-jority vote, which professional fiduciary to hire as trustee. The one major drawback to this scheme is that the beneficiaries will need to be aware of the trust and have access to a copy of it should something happen. A third option is to combine a layper-son and a professional fiduciary as co-trustees. The main downside, however, is the expense of the professional fiduciary. Deciding who to designate as your suc-cessor trustee or co-trustees is an important choice. The successor trustee is the gate-keeper who ensures your wishes are carried out. It is not a difficult job to be a successor trustee, but you should take care to choose a successor that you and your beneficiaries can trust implicitly. Daniel L. DuRee is a third generation resident of Contra Costa County and a li-censed attorney practicing in Walnut Creek. He can be reached at (925) 210-1400 or visit www.DuReeLaw.com.

this property. His reply clearly defined where the market was headed just 13 days into the new year: “Well, we currently have multiple offers on this property and it looks like we’ll be under contract soon.” I paused a moment, attempting to comprehend what I had just heard. After confirming we were in fact talking about the same property, he admitted it was a surprising turn of events. Having been on the market for nearly the entire second half

of 2013 with no buyers, this property now had multiple people willing to pay more than what the comparable sales in the area indicate it is worth. That, my friends, is a seller’s market. Hang on to your hats and keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, because it’s going to be an exciting ride ahead. Nathan Hitchcock can be reached at [email protected] or (925) 825-1100.


Brooke Bechter, Emilie Fleck, and Karina Dominguez received Girl Scout Sil-ver Awards for their project, “You Can Do It.” They donated creatively painted gar-bage cans and recycling cans to Valley View Middle School. To attain this award, a Cadette Girl Scout must complete a minimum of 40 hours of preparation, plan-ning and work to accomplish goals set by the girls. The girls are part of Troop 31061 in Pleasant Hill. Anne Baker, recycling coordinator at Republic Services served as Project Advisor. Lori St. Marseille is the troop leader.

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Pictured are: Lori St. Marseille, troop leader of 31061; Karina Dominguez; Emilie Fleck; Ean Ainsworth, principal, Valley View Middle School; Brooke Bechter and Anne Baker, Republic Services.

Wells Fargo continues a long tradition of supporting the Martinez commu-nity and Martinez Education Foundation (MEF) by making a generous dona-tion in the amount of $10,000 to MEF. Since 1994, Wells Fargo has contributed $140,500 to the foundation. MEF would like to recognize Wells Fargo as an outstanding corporate citi-zen for their continued support of Martinez public schools and Martinez stu-dents and encourages Martinez businesses, parents, teachers, students and other community members to patronize Wells Fargo and express their appre-ciation and thanks the next time they do business with any Wells Fargo team member.

Pictured L to R: Rami Muth, superintendent of Martinez Unified School District; Marko Ignacio, Wells Fargo Martinez branch manager; Ashoo Vaid, Well Fargo district manager; Cheryl Vereschagin, MEF president; Cynthia Webster, MEF secretary; Mike Beck, MEF board member; Greg Young, Wells Fargo community development officer; Jenn Clauson and Heather Hamilton, MEF board members; and Bob Ceglio, Wells Fargo Mt. Diablo Region president. Photo Credit: Diane Beck.

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with high-efficiency clothes washers – plus get a combined rebate from your water agency and PG&E. At minimum, be sure to run full loads only no matter what kind of washer you have. Add Mulch: Landscape areas should have 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch. Mulch keeps moisture from evaporat-ing from the soil and as it decomposes, it improves the soil structure and adds nutrients.

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WaTer: enough to use, None to WasteBy Chris Dundon, CCWD Water Conservation Manager, Richard Harris, EBMUD Water Conservation Manager

With the lack of rain and snow so far this winter, there’s real concern about statewide water supply. In fact, on Janu-ary 17, Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought state of emergency, urging a 20 percent reduction in water use. Most Bay Area water agencies are tracking their water supply closely and are helping customers conserve by providing tips and access to conservation services and rebates. Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) and East Bay Municipal Water District (EBMUD) are asking customers to con-tinue their conservation efforts and check to see if they are using water efficiently. Each agency has a wide range of conserva-tion services, including home water use evaluations, toilet rebates, clothes washer rebates, lawn to garden rebates, and more. For details on specific water conservation services, visit their websites:CCWD: www.ccwater.com/conserveEBMUD: www.ebmud.com/watersmart Below are a few actions you can take

today to save water: Find & Fix Leaks: Leaks account for a significant amount of water loss and, if unrepaired, they can result in property damage. Two key places to look for leaks are your toilet tank and sprinkler valves. Check toilet leaks by inspecting the tank and ensure the water level is set 1” below the top of the overflow tube. Place food coloring or dye tablets in the tank water. Wait ten minutes and check the toilet bowl. If the colored water made its way into the bowl, it means you need to replace the toilet flapper. Turn Off Irrigation Timer: Auto-matic sprinkler timers can ‘automatically’ waste water. This time of year, automatic sprinkler timers should be turned off, even though it may be tempting to keep them on given current weather condi-tions. If the lawn or landscape requires irrigation, use it in the manual mode only when plants need it. Invest In A New Clothes Washer: You’ll save water, energy and detergent

Mulching your yard will keep plants healthy.

LongtimeMartinezresidentTamiMaytumrecallsthedroughtinthe1970’sandhowsheandherfamilyconservedwater.Belowareafewofherconserva-tiontipsthatcouldbeappliedtoday. “Wewouldhaveabucketinourbathtubunderthefaucettocatchcoldwaterwhilewewaitedforourshowertowarmup.Oncewarm,wewouldre-movethebucketandusetheexcesswaterontheplantsinside,ordumpintoabiggerbucketinthebackyardtowatertheflowersandplantsoutside.Wealsotookmilitaryshowers.Wewouldgetourbody/hairwetthenturnoffthewater,washourhairandbodyandthenturnwaterbackontorinse.Inmyhouseyoucouldn’thavethewaterrunninglongerthan2minutes.Ialsoremembermyparentsandgrandparentsplacingabrickintheirtoilettanks.Withtheefficienttoiletsoftoday,Iamnotsureifthiswouldbenecessary.Wealsoletthelawnsdie,theyjusttooktoomuchwater.” Feel free to send your water conservation tips to the Community Focus at [email protected] for a possible mention in an upcoming issue.


Poached Pears with Quick Chocolate Sauce

Clam Dip

Roast Beef with Pan Gravy

INGREDIENTS1 1/2 cups sugar1 cinnamon stickPeel from 1/2 orangeJuice of 1/2 orange4 Bosc pearsQuick Chocolate Sauce1/3 cup heavy cream2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips DIRECTIONSIn a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water, sugar, cinnamon stick, orange peel, and orange juice to a boil.Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Core the pears from the bottom using a

corer or vegetable peeler.Add the pears to the simple syrup, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the pears are tender, but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Chill the pears in the syrup.For the sauce: Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream to hot, but not boiling in the microwave, about 15 to 20 seconds. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Mix until smooth and serve.Place the pear standing up on a des-sert plate and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS8 oz. cream cheese1 tbsp. minced dried onion½ tsp. lemon juice (opt)5 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste1 can minced clamsSalt and pepper DIRECTIONSDrain clams and reserve juice. Place cream cheese, onion, lemon juice and

Tabasco in a food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. Add clams and pulse briefly. Add reserved juice and pulse a few times until combined and desired consistency is reached. Adjust seasoning to taste. Dip will thicken slight-ly upon refrigeration. Serve with Fritos Scoops corn chips or Kettle Cooked potato chips. Yield: About 2 Cups

INGREDIENTS1 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) bottom round rump roast, at room temperature1 teaspoon seasoned salt1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper3 tablespoons olive oil1/2 large yellow onion, sliced3 sprigs fresh thyme3 cups canned low-sodium beef broth2 tablespoons cornstarch1/4 cup waterDIRECTIONSPreheat the oven to 275°F.Season the meat on all sides with the seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the roast from the pan and add the onion

slices and thyme sprigs. Place the roast on top of the onions, fat side up. Add beef broth to the pan and place in the oven, uncovered. Roast until the beef is tender and registers an internal temperature of 130° to 135°F. Transfer the roast to a platter or cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.Meanwhile, use a slotted spoon to discard the onions and thyme sprigs. Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat to heat the beef drippings. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the beef drippings and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.Yield: 6-8 Servings

Pair upWith La Sommelierre Maria Terry

Sunday Dinner Sunday dinners are about family and close friends. There is a special quality to Sunday dinner; often, the food and wine is prepared and consumed in a more relaxed fashion compared to the hustle and bustle of a workweek meal. Sunday meals also give us an opportunity to talk about what is coming up in the week ahead. I always like to have a beverage and something to nibble on when folks gather in the kitchen before a meal. If I don’t want

to make anything elaborate, my go-to, wine-friendly starter is a salty bag of chips. They go with just about any wine and are easy to grab from the pantry. Two other staples are cream cheese and canned clams. My good friend John Horn gave me a recipe for clam dip that is super-quick to blend up and is loved by almost everyone. Pair it with Cava, Spain’s sparkling wine. You will love the citrus-floral flavors of the wine with the delicate brine of the clams enrobed in the creamy dip.

Roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy is a quintessential Sunday dinner. You will need to start it about two hours before you want to eat, but it requires almost no work. You could even slice the onions in the food processor before making the clam dip and just clean the bowl once. Roast beef is a classic red wine dish. A great value-conscious choice is one of the rich, red wines from South America. Try a Chilean Cabernet or an Argentinian Malbec. It is easy to find terrific options for under $10 at any local store that sells wine. Since dessert is rare during the week at my house, serving dessert makes the

meal feel more special. Poached Pears With Quick Chocolate Sauce fits perfectly with the simple, cook-ahead MO of the rest of this meal. Choose Sauternes, a sweet French dessert wine, to complement the pears. You can find some great values on half-bottles at Costco and other wine shops for between $10-20. They are super sweet and have classic aromas of honey, gardenia and pear. And, if you don’t finish the bottle tonight, it will keep in the fridge for up to a month.So, go on. Pair Up! Maria Terry is a Certified Sommelier and Wine Educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.LaSommelierre.com.

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Team Up for Adult Sports League Fun! Spring Softball - Soccer - Kickball - Flag Football. Team packets now available at www.pleasanthillrecsports.com.

Plan Early! PHRec Summer Camp information available March 10 LEGO, Harry Potter, Incrediflix Film, Mad Science, Spanish Immersion, Wildlife Habitat Exploration, Art Camps and many more!

Pleasant Hill Preschool 2014-2015 Registration Begins March 8. Learn. Play. Grow. Since 1973. Pleasant Hill Preschool nurtures each child, devel-

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Fairytale Princess Party (age 2-6 yrs + parent) March 19, 3:30 – 4:30pm at the Winslow Center. Register by March 12 at pleasanthillrec.com.

Got Tots? We’ve got lots of fun pre-school activities this spring! • NEW! California Gymnastics (3 classes offered starting at age 14 months) • Let’s Make Music with Andrea Gaspari (12 mos – 4 yrs + parent) • Parent Tot Preschool Prep (22 mos – 3 yrs) Visit pleasanthill-rec.com to register.

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U8 8/1/06 - 7/31/08U9 8/1/05 - 7/31/06U10 8/1/04 - 7/31/05U11 8/1/03 - 7/31/04U12 8/1/02 - 7/31/03U13 8/1/01 - 7/31/02U14 8/1/00 - 7/31/01

2014 Age Matrix

2014 Season Tryouts

Programs are designed to bring professional

experience and guidance to youth

soccer players

professional coaching staff has created a

curriculum to build the necessary FUNdamentals

for your child to develop as a soc

cer player and

continue to grow in their love for the

sport.

Soccer Academy teaches basic dribbling and

juggling skills, passing and receivin

g the ball and

ball striking. The emphasis is on indiv

idual player

development in a fast-paced, friendly environ

ment

without the pressure of game performance.

Academy Director: Adam Cooper

Head coach, St. Mary’s College

2-time WCC Coach of the Year

West Region College Coach of the Year

DAYS & DATES: Mondays & Thursda

ys, Jan. 16 to Feb. 27, 2014

Time & Location: 5 - 6 p.m. at Willow Pass Park #5

, Concord

(Salvio St. @ Olivera Rd. next to Pixi

eland Park)

Eligibility: Girls & Boys ages 5 to 10. All skill levels

welcome!

Cost:

T-shirt, Diablo FC pin & window stick

er.

3 ways to Register! Complete online

registration form and pay by credit card.

P.O. Box 97, Clayton CA 94517

13thSeason

Sign up Today!Free Sessions

Jan. 9 & 13

All welcome!

U15-U19 March & April

Diablo FC AlumnusChris Wondolowski

US Men’s National Team

U13-U14 Girls & BoysTRYOUTS

Diablo FC o�ers players:For updates on Diablo FC follow us on

@DFCsoccer

www.diablofc.org 925 798-GOAL“You won’t �nd a better soccer

experience for your child!”

Feb 4 - U13-U14 GirlsFeb 6 - U13-U14 Boys

Feb 9 - U13-U14 Girls & Boys

MISSED TRYOUTS?Visit www.diablofc.org

and register for the appropriate age group.

You will be contactedto come to a playerevaluation session

in Concord.


a Healthy rivalry

DVC baseballHOMe TeaM

On January 28, the DVC baseball team opened its 2014 season playing Merced on its newly renovated field. Returning as coach is former athletic director and Hall of Fame Chairman Steve Ward. “We should have a strong pitching staff led by sophomore LHP Ben Krauth (Northgate HS and All Big 8 selection last year), sophomore RHP Jesse Scholtens, back from the University of Arizona, and freshman Johnny York (Aca-lanes HS),” he told Community Focus. DVC baseball games are free. Parking permits on campus are $3. february Home Game ScheduleTuesday, Feb. 4 vs. San Mateo @ 2pmThursday, Feb. 13 vs. Contra Costa @ 2pmWednesday, Feb. 19 vs. Lassen @ 2pmFriday, Feb. 21 vs. Laney @ 2pmFriday, Feb. 28 vs. Mendocino @ 2pm

The College Park varsity boys soccer team defeated host Bulldogs 3-1 under the lights at Alhambra High School. The very physical and well-attended non-confer-ence game took place on January 24. Andre Garcia scored the first goal for the Falcons in the first half. In the second half, Garcia sent a pass to Joey Brauer who was able to add to the score, giving the Falcons a 2-0 lead. Alhambra’s Jesus Mal-donado took control and scored soon after Brauer, shifting the score to 2-1. It was Garcia’s second goal, the result of a penalty that sealed the win for the Falcons. Varsity coach Edgar Sagastume reflected on the match and said, “The game against Alhambra was played with great intensity by both teams due to the healthy rivalry that has always existed between these two schools. Fortunately for us, it was one of those games where our combinations as a team and individual

efforts together worked to our advantage.” With the end of the season approaching mid-February, Sagastume’s plan is to “ac-cumulate as many wins as possible to stay above .500 in our records both league and overall. We need to concentrate on com-bining those individual efforts with the passing skills of the rest of the team, build consistency and to believe in ourselves, so that if we make playoffs, we will be there to represent College Park with pride.” At press time, both varsity teams have four games remaining on their schedules. Alhambra’s overall record is 8-5-3 and 3-2-2 in league. The Falcons are 4-5-6 overall and 3-2-1 in league. You can view Conrad Rowling’s photos of the match by visiting http://con-radsphotography.smugmug.com. Video highlights courtesy of Brad Holst can be found on UTube here: http://youtu.be/-bLmWnB8UGI.

Krauth (pictured) pitched 8.1 Innings with 11 strikeouts. Athan Koutsoubinas (College Park) and

Anthony Taliaferro (Alhambra) both had two RBIs each. Final score DVC 7, Merced 3.

CP Patrick Holst #1, rushing for the ball against AHS’s Nick Goulding #4 & Juan Sanchez #2. Photo by Conrad Rowling.


College Park Lady falcons flying HighSubmitted by Howard and Vangie Jordan

HOMe TeaM

In January the Lady Falcons varsity soccer team participated in the Tri-Valley Tournament, the top showcase for women’s high school soccer in the Bay Area. Col-lege Park got off to a slow start by losing to Castro Valley High School 3-1. They would re-group by making some minor adjustments on defense and in the midfield positions. The results were immediate, as the team would finish the tournament strong by winning their remaining three games. According to senior Jessica Jordan, “Losing to Castro Valley in the Tri-Valley Tournament was a wake-up call to my team because we knew we could play bet-ter than that; we’ve won every single game since that loss.” The Lady Falcons have demonstrated their resiliency and versatility by win-ning the next eight games, including wins against cross-town rivals Alhambra and conference rivals Northgate, Concord, Ygnacio Valley, Berean and last year’s 3rd place DVAL winners, Clayton Valley Char-ter High School 2-0. The offense, led by juniors Jacky Scharff and Dominike Tambazidis, so-phomore Logan Silva, and senior Brianna Vassar, continues their dominant play by scoring 31 of the team’s 35 goals thus far. Seniors Stacey Oliver and Emily Kastell, along with juniors Marianna Perez, Sophia Rumph, and sophomore Breanna Eales, have also shown the ability to score when called upon. Team captain Jacky Scharff stated, “I am happy to be part of this great group of girls. We want to keep winning so CP can be DVAL champions.”

Starting midfielders Alexandra Gonzalez, Torrez Ramsey, and Kendall Marsh have combined for 58 steals to lead the team in take-aways and an impressive five assists on goals. The defense, lead by seniors Jessica Jordan, Mary Stammers, Rachel Lindenauer, Gabby Silva and junior Melissa Kastell, have really stepped-up to take control of the back line during this eleven game winning streak. Senior Chel-sea Realini, senior Jamie Merjano, junior Kallista Wilson, and sophomore Caleigh Silva support them. Goalkeeper junior Ka-tie McLaughlin continues to show why she should be named the 1st team, all-league keeper as she posted a shut out in nine of the last eleven games. According to team captain Mary Stammers, “It took us some time to get used to playing with one another, but with each game and practice we’re improving, and now we’re really starting to click and play well as a team.” The Lady Falcons finished the first half of league plays with an astounding 14-3 record and 6-0 DVAL play. The Falcons now sit at #4 in the North Coast Section Division 1 rankings under #1 Monte Vista, #2 San Ramon Valley, and #3 California High School. Team captain Brianna Vassar sums up this year, “As my senior year comes to a close, I can’t express enough how fun it is to be part of this team. Most of us have played together at least three years on varsity, and we are on track again to go to NCS and win our league. It is exciting to play at a high level and do it with team-

mates sharing one goal. Go Falcons!” Head coach Randy Madison and assistant coach Larry Hall have a com-bined 27 years of coaching at College Park and have won many league titles at every level of high school soccer: frosh, junior varsity and varsity. When asked to share his thoughts about this years’ team, Coach Madison stated, “The team as a whole is gelling at the right time. It has taken some time to become proficient in our new system of play, but the goals are starting to

come. The defense continues to strengthen, giving up only two goals through the first half of league play. I am very pleased with where we are at this point in the season.” Come out and support these hard-working dedicated athletes as they work to win their 3rd in a row DVAL crown. Catch the remaining games:2/4 @ Berean 3:30pm2/6 @ Ygnacio 3:30pm2/11 vs. Concord 3:30pm (Senior Day)2/13 @ Clayton 6:00pm


The Transformation of Teaching and LearningBy Rami Muth, Superintendent of Martinez Unified School District

MDuSD education News

HIGH SCHOOL HaPPeNINGS

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”– Martin Luther King Jr. The Chinese symbol for crisis is made up of two characters; one rep-resents danger, the other opportunity. Like most school districts throughout the state, Martinez Unified District is grappling with how to best transition to the Common Core State Standards using a new funding model for schools called the Local Control Funding Formula. It is the nexus of this change that sets the stage for a dynamic paradigm shift in the way teachers teach and students learn. In Martinez we have chosen to embrace these changes and see them as an opportunity to re-imagine what teaching and learning looks like in our schools. Collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication are the cornerstone of a 21st century classroom. Common Core State Standards are not the goal, but rather the pathway to the goal. College and career readiness is the end game of this transformation, ensuring that all students are mindfully

prepared for success beyond high school with the ability to compete and contrib-ute in a global society. The transition from the previous California state standards for math-ematics represents one area undergoing the greatest change. Common Core State Standards have a strong emphasis on both conceptual and procedural knowledge. Topics are taught in a more integrated way. Through inquiry and investigation, students develop a deeper conceptual understanding of the math they are learning and are then asked to apply their learning to real world experi-ences using performance based tasks. One key element in the new standards is the role of the teacher as a facilitator. We will no longer see a focus on the quest for the right answer, but rather on developing a keen un-derstanding of how they arrived at that answer. Students are asked to provide evidence to support their responses, and performance based tasks require a demonstration of a much higher level of understanding. Rich discourse is a

MDuSD Headed for a Strike? TheunproductiveNovember5,2013bargainingsessionbetweenMDEA(Mt.DiabloEducationAssociation)andMt.DiabloUnifiedSchoolDistrict’sBoardrep-resentativesledtoimpasse.Sincethen,thestatehasappointedamediator.OnJanuary13,thebargainingteammetwiththemediatorforthefirsttimeinanefforttomakesomeprogressona7%salaryincreaseandareturntomedicalcoverageequivalenttotheKaisersingleratebeingaskedbyMDEAversusthe3%salaryin-creaseand$0formedicalcoverageofferedbyMDUSD.Unfortunately,thepartieswereunabletodoso.Further,teachersheldaprotestatthedistrict’sDentCenterattheJanuary15SchoolBoardmeeting.Membersspokeabouttheneedforim-provedcompensationandstatedthattheywillstrikeifnecessary.DemonstrationsbyMt.Diabloemployeescontinuetobeseenatmanyschoolstoletthepublicknowthatsixyearswithoutasalaryincreaseislongenough. AJanuary27MDEAbargainingupdatestatedthat,“Certificationtofactfind-inghasbeenpostponedastheDistricthasagreedtohavea2ndlookattheirbudgettoseeifes-timatedrevenuesmaybeunderstatedorifes-timatedexpensesmaybeoverstated.MDEA’sbeliefisthata2ndlookwillallowtheBoardmoreconfidenceintheirabil-itytokeeptheDistrictonastrongfinancialfoot-ingwhilemeetingthe

financialneedsofMDUSDemployees.Oncethis2ndlookhasbeencompleted,ifthereisroomtomoveforward,mediationwillresume”. MDEAhasscheduledaseriesofcommunitymeetingsinordertoinformpar-entsaboutthesituationandgathersupport.AlthoughtheCollegeParkmeet-ingwasonJanuary23,additionalmeetingsareasfollows:Thursday,February6,7:00pmattheConcordHighSchoolLibrary;Thursday,February13,7:00pmattheNorthgateHighSchoolFacultyDiningRoomandThursday,February20,7:00pmattheMountDiabloHighSchoolLibrary.InformationalleafletingatschoolsiteshavebeenineffectsinceJanuarytoinformparentsthattheremaybeastrikeandtoin-vitethemtoattendthecommunitymeetingstogetmoreinformationandtoshowtheirsupport.

MDuSD School board News AttheDecember11Mt.DiabloUnifiedSchoolDistrictSchoolBoardmeeting,boardmemberBarbaraOakswaselectedasboardpresident.Ms.Oakswasafor-merprincipalatCollegeParkHighSchool.Shewaselectedin2012andhertermexpiresin2016.Inaddition,BrianLawrencewaselectedasboardvicepresidentandSuperintendentNellieMeyerwasappointedassecretaryoftheboard.

MuSD Common Core funding AfterthepassageofAssemblyBill86(AB86)inJuly2013,theStateofCalifor-niawillbedistributing$1.2billiontoschooldistrictsinsupportofthetransitiontotheCommonCoreStateStandards(CCSS).TheallocationforMartinezUnifiedisap-proximately$800,000.Theseone-timefundscanonlybespentinthreeareasoverthenexttwoyears:professionaldevelopment,instructionalmaterials,andtechnol-ogy.MUSDpresentedanexpenditureplantothegoverningboardonDecember9outlininghowfundswillbeallocatedinthethreecategories.Itwasproposedthatanestimated$445,000bespentonprofessionaldevelopment,$275,000allocatedtoinstructionalmaterialsand$80,000towardstechnology.

critical component of a common core classroom, and students are asked to apply what they have learned to other contexts and to explain, verbally and in writing, the rationale for their answers. This type of institutional change requires mobilizing people to tackle challenges and create conditions that will allow them to thrive. Risk must be accepted as a condition of growth, and mistakes celebrated as a tool for continuous growth and improvement.

It will require some trial and error, and we must be patient and flexible as we navigate this paradigm shift in teaching and learning. The work will be messy, but the benefits profound. The choices we make have the potential to limit or expand the opportunities for our students. Martinez is poised and ready to move forward, and we welcome this challenge and look forward to bringing this dynamic change for our students, our staff and our community.

Members at Sequoia Middle handing out flyers.


FPHE Kicks Off 6th Annual Campaign!

HELP SCHOOLS THRIVE - GIVE $75!DONATE AT www.fphe.org

Donations to FPHE’s 2014 Annual Campaign reduce the impact budget cuts have on the 11 Pleasant Hill public schools. Your donation directly benefits language arts, math, science and enrichment programs.

I wish to contibute the following to Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education:

Please mail this coupon to: FPHE, P.O. Box 23851 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (Tax ID#: 26-2326345)

Payment Enclosed Please Charge my: Visa Mastercard AMEX

Card # Expiration

Please make check payable to FPHE

Signature Security Code

Home Phone

Cardholder Name (Please Print)

Address

E-Mail City/Zip

Help Schools Thrive$75 $100 $500$250 Other

6th Annual Campaign Goal: $60,000

How You Can Help: Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education (FPHE) suggests a donation of $75 or more. Donations of all amounts are appreciated. FPHE’s ability to issue school grants is solely dependent on the support of the community.

How to Donate: Donate online at www.fphe.org or mail to FPHE, P.O. Box 23851, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.

How are donations used? Funds raised go to school grants issued in May 2014.

Why Give? Strong Schools Bene�t You. Strong schools greatly bene�t students. They also help increase property values as more homebuyers understand our community’s dedication to supporting local education. Businesses thrive and grow. Most importantly, strong schools enhance the future of our community.

Since 2009, thanks to community support, FPHE has awarded over $158,000 in grants to our community’s 11 public schools. FPHE has funded:• Books for entire grade levels: reference, biographies, literature pieces, early readers.• Classroom equipment: maps, graphing calculators, DNA research tools, lab equipment, LCD projectors, interactive whiteboards.• Curriculum support items: math/science programs, “living history” programs, literature programs.• Items to support the arts: musical instruments/supplies, stage lighting, audio equipment.

Learn More: To become a FPHE member or learn more about 2014 campaign events, email [email protected].

Be a Part of Progress - Donate Today at www.fphe.org or mail the coupon belowQuestions? Email [email protected]. Thank you for your commitment to education and our community.

Be a Part of Progress – Donate Today for the Future of Our Community’s Schools


THe GarDeN

It is hard to choose from so many winter greens in season, courte-sy of so much sunshine, wanted or not. Take a chance and glom onto some tatsoi from the farmers’ market. You can identify tatsoi by emerald green, spoon-shaped leaves tast-ing faintly of salty, honey mustard. With immense depth and flavor, they perk up your daily bowl of fresh greens. In season now in Northern and Southern Cali, tat-soi has flavors that feel like rippling sun-light on your tongue when tossed with good olive oil, citrus peel and avocado. When lightly sautéed with garlic, cilan-tro (in season), olive oil, and possibly in-cendiary pepper flakes, tatsoi achieves a deeper dimension and begs to be placed under sesame, grilled, local salmon. Brim-ming with calcium and iron, tatsoi may also be added a la minute to soups and stews after retiring the flame, letting ten-der leaves cook by the heat of pot contents alone. Being a cool weather crop, tatsoi leaves may be substituted for summer basil in pesto, joining parsley and cilan-tro leaves along with local walnuts, gar-lic, good olive oil and Meyer lemon juice and peel. Being an unusual green, local tatsoi is almost only available at farmers’ markets while the mercury dips, but it is incredibly easy to grow, just as lettuce, arugula, chards, mustard greens, kale and other winter greens are. Another joy of winter, albeit a dry, cold one. Another winter crop experiencing a lengthy crescendo is citrus. We brought a citrus tasting to our garden classes at Col-lege Park, helping students realize and taste the immense variety of citrus we are

fortunate to have around Diablo Valley. We tasted blood orange, Cara Cara orang-es, Page tangerines, Satsuma mandarins, Japanese grapefruits, Rio red grapefruits, navel oranges and the list goes on. Most were acquired at the Diablo Valley farm-ers’ markets at Kaiser Shadelands on a Sat-urday. Grocers now offer a few of the un-usual choices too, such as honey tanger-ines as well as the ever-popular Cuties and Halos; it’s a genius market tool to get those zipper-skinned, seedless Satsuma manda-rins out there. Students learned about the differences between varieties while getting the info that they are all from the same family. We love this lesson because it goes beyond citrus and crosses over into teach-ing tolerance for other families of differ-ent varieties in their lives. They always love the blood oranges for their ghoulishly bloody flesh, a teenager thing, I guess. Harking originally from Sicily in the 1500s, blood oranges and their crim-son shot, scarlet flesh and juice can be shocking to the virgin taster who slices into their flesh. A mutation of sweet or-anges, bloods can be smaller than their cousins, but lack nothing in flavor when purchased locally at their peak freshness. With haunting tropical tastes and rasp-berry nuances, blood oranges lend their talents smoothly to a plethora of culinary pleasures. Squeezing their fresh juice in champagne blushes the cocktail pink to go with your cheeks. Margaritas crave the addition of the blood juice as well. Com-bine sliced, roasted, yellow beets with ma-genta segments to blend color and flavor, then add rice vinegar and place on win-ter arugula dotted with chevre to create a stellar main or side dish. Fennel, jicama and bloods, all in season right now, make

enjoy the TatsoiBy Lesley Stiles

Citrus and Avocado Salad

In a salad bowl combine lettuce with citrus and avocado and lightly toss. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and toss lightly again.Serves 4.

1 pound mixed baby greens 2 oranges, peeled and sliced1 large Japanese grapefruit, peeled and sliced

1 large avocado, peeled and sliced2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients:

Directions:

a stunning salad, brilliantly crisp. Reduce blood juice with a bit of cream, and then add segments at the end for a luxuriously thrilling roasted chicken breast. Three words: fresh, now, aaahhhh. Japanese grapefruit is another cit-rus we tested the students on that is now available at the farmers’ market. This is an amazing taste treat and almost tastes like you cut one open and doused it with sug-ar, but you didn’t! It actually comes that way. Hamada Farms at the Diablo Val-ley farmers’ market has really good ones!! These sweet delights are pushing their way to the top of the citrus popularity list and are not available in grocery stores. On to odder bedfellows, kumquats rate high on the weirdness scale in produce circles. Compact orange ovals, they are curious for sure and so often overlooked and dis-carded. In fact, the kumquat has a dis-tinctly steamy side that, once delved into, deepens awakening winter curiosity. Per-fectly tasted in two bites, you need to be able to actually grasp opposite upheavals of your taste buds. Meant to be eaten skin and all, it is a completely backwards citrus, with an organic conundrum similar to the hard-to-grasp, inside-blooming fig factor. Kumquat skin is shockingly sweet, while balanced by cheek-tightening tartness of the flesh. They are lovely for concocting jams and marmalades, and it is easy to chop just a few and stir into sweet butter

drizzled with local honey on toast. Mari-nate chopped kumquats in vodka and let it macerate awhile before straining over ice -- sublime. Note to self: Make now for next year’s New Year’s gig. In a deep sauté pan, brown turkey thighs along with sliced onions and garlic in olive oil. Add a handful each of whole kumquats and whole, dried apricots, then deglaze with a splash of white wine and a couple cups of chicken stock. Cover and simmer on low for 90 minutes. Brace for meltingly luscious flavors to caress your olfactory senses, while leaving exotic cit-rus traces for your tongue to figure out. At commencement of penning this column, there has still been no rain. While hiking in Briones and surrounding ridg-es, it is almost moonscape-ish out there. Stunted traces of upcoming wild flowers can be seen here and there, peaking out their little heads and legs in shadier spots. Let’s hope for rain the whole month of February!! Rain or not, you’ll want to get a walk up on the ridge; it is beautiful, and we are fortunate indeed to have it in our backyard. Lesley Stiles is a graduate of the Cali-fornia Culinary Academy, sustainable caterer and school garden educator. Con-tact Lesley at [email protected], www.lesleystiles.blogspot.com and visit her new website: www.lesleystilesfoods.com.

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Happy Valentine’s DayHibachi DinnerOnion Soup • Organic Spring Mixed/Ginger DressingHibachi Shrimp Appetizer • Hibachi VegetablesEntrée Choices:Certified Angus NY Steak & Shrimp $31Main Lobster Tail & Filet Mignon $40Kobe Beef & Maine Lobster Tail $59Dessert Fresh Fruit

Sushi LoungeMiso or Onion Soup Organic Spring Mixed / Ginger DressingEntrée Choices:Chicken Katsu & Combo Tempura $26NY Steak & Yakitori $26Maine Lobster Tail & Seafood Teriyaki $28Sushi Omakase or Sashimi Omakase $31Dessert Fresh Fruit

Reservations Recommended • With Voucher Only. Not Valid w/ other offers • Expires after 2/28/2014


Neighbors Helping NeighborsBy Jim Bonato, Pleasant Hill CERT Program Manager

In my November article, “The Shak-ing Is Over…Now What?” we explored some immediate actions to take following a major temblor. Because you have taken precautions to prepare your house and its contents and have prepared and practiced your family’s emergency plan, you now realize the benefits of earlier preparations. Your next thoughts might turn to your elderly neighbors; are they ok? There are well-established Neighbor-hood Watch programs in Pleasant Hill where individual neighborhoods have organized fellow neighbors to be on the lookout for potential crime, vandalism, or safety issues in the neighborhood; in other words, neighbors looking out for neighbors. If anything suspicious is ob-served, a quick call to the police depart-ment sets the ball in motion to remedy the situation. What a great concept!

What if neighbors expanded this concept and helped each other prepare for an earthquake and looked out for each other following a major quake? Not only are neighbors looking out for their neigh-bors, neighbors are helping neighbors. This concept is driven home when you realize how few emergency responders will be available after an intense shaking in your community. Our first respond-ers will initially be focused on major fires and major public safety issues. There’s no telling when they would be available to respond to smaller fires, damage to homes, downed power lines, and broken water mains in our neighborhoods. Helping each other prepare for the coming earthquake can become a fun neighborhood activity -- meeting your neighbors, rekindling friendships, check-ing to see that homes are bolted to their

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air Conditioning SystemBy the Hagin’s Staff

How often should I service my vehicle’s A/C? Your vehicle’s air conditioning may need to be serviced every one to five years, depending on its age. Even if you are not having any issues with your air conditioning, you should have it serviced once every five years. It is better to have inspections and service done more fre-quently on the air conditioning system rather than wait for a problem to occur. There are a lot of components in the au-tomotive air conditioning system that should be checked regularly. A leak in your vehicle’s air condition-ing system is a serious problem. Some of the chemicals can be toxic; a trained pro-fessional should repair all leaks imme-diately. It is not a good idea to try to use a low-cost, leak-repair product as it may interact with the chemicals or blow back through the air-conditioning system, per-manently damaging it.I’m not getting enough cold air, what’s wrong?Not enough cool air or air that is warmer than usual is generally caused by:

• Low refrigerant• Loose drive belt• Slipping compressor clutch• Partially clogged valves or filters• Slow leaks in components or hoses• Clogs in the evaporator or condenserWhy did my air conditioning suddenly stop working?The most common reasons an air condi-tioning system stops working include:• Broken or very loose drive belt• Blown fuses• Broken compressor or compressor clutch• Leaks in components, seals or hoses• Defects or clogs in the expansion valve, orifice tube, accumulator, receiver-drier, or hoses If you are asking yourself either of these questions, it’s time to have your ve-hicle’s air conditioning system checked. Finding a solution that corrects the prob-lem now will help you save on repairs and maintenance down the road. Hagin’s Automotive, located at 3725 Alhambra Avenue in Martinez, can be reached at (925) 228-5115 or via their website at www.haginsauto.com.

foundations and crawlspace walls are reinforced. Helping each other secure water heaters properly and insuring everyone has a first aid kit, a stash of water and food, and a fire extinguisher makes neighbors feel more confident and competent in caring for each other. Your local Community Emergency

Response Team (CERT) would be happy to give your neighborhood some pointers on disaster preparedness and neighbor-hood response. If you would like more information, call me at 938-5433 or send an email to: [email protected]. You can also view past columns at www.ourcom-munityfocus.com.


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Brunch • Lunch • Dinner

Wence’s in Pleasant Hill is a family-owned restaurant that serves the entire East Bay. We offer freshly prepared and artfully presented California cuisine. Wence’s serves lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on weekends. Our extensive menu offers choices for eve-ryone, inspiring guests to return eager to try new dishes. Our lunch menu offers a variety of fresh, crisp salads, sandwiches, and succulent burgers such as Junior’s Burger, which has melted cambozola cheese, smoked apple wood bacon, sliced bright tomatoes, crisp let-tuce, fried egg and certified Angus Beef, served on a lightly toasted brioche bun smeared in our Wence’s sauce. If you are in search of a lighter choice, Wence’s offers many options such as our BBQ Chicken Salad with crisp romaine, avo-cado, green onions, corn, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, grilled chicken and a chipotle flavored BBQ ranch dressing. At Wence’s, the specialty of the house is our fresh seafood. Come in for dinner and start with a light appetizer of Jumbo Pan-Seared Scallops topped with our Citrus Habanero Glaze. For your en-

trée, enjoy our tender and flaky Chilean Sea Bass served on a bed of fresh jumbo prawns, clams, chorizo, Mediterranean black mussels, shallots and cherry toma-toes, all sautéed in the ultimate com-plementary white wine saffron cream sauce. Finally, indulge in one of our house- made desserts such as our cookie melt skillet, a warm, rich, chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla gelato and drizzled with caramel and chocolate. At Wence’s you’ll find consistency in the fresh and fine ingredients used to make our flavorful dishes. With over 21 years of experience in preparing and presenting food, Chef Gerardo Wence has finally made his dream a reality. Chef Wence participates in all food preparation and works side-by-side with wife Sandra Wence, who manages the front of the house to ensure equilibrium of quality food with quality service. At Wence’s you’ll find the whole family hard at work to provide the utmost dining experience for you, our honored guest! Wence’s is expanding their dining room. Watch for information in the Focus as plans come together.


In the Mix Interview with frankie G.By Paul Cotruvo, Cover2Cover and The Big Jangle

There’s a great song by blues art-ist Albert Cum-mings called, “The Blues Makes Me Feel So Good,” with the lyric, “Well it’s hard to feel bad when the blues makes me feel so good.” I couldn’t have found a more perfect song to describe the one and only Frankie G. He draws you in with his emotional and passionate guitar licks, and you cannot help but feel good after hearing him play. Frankie is one of the finest guitar players and lo-cal legends to keep the blues alive here in Contra Costa County. So much of what is labeled under the “blues genre” has little relation to the traditional and classic blues, but Frankie is keeping the blues as real as ever. Influenced by Freddie King, B.B. King, Johnny Winter and Eric Clapton, Frankie man-ages to deliver a high-energy, powerful show. This incredible musician is one of the nicest and most compassionate people in this area. PC: At what age did you start playing guitar? FG: I was 16 years old. My brother taught me some simple “box-type” scale and it came easy to me. I bor-rowed a guitar from a friend and started fooling around with it… that was it. I still play that scale every time I pick up the guitar.PC: Who were your influences? FG: Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter,

Dicky Betts, Mick Ralphs, Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughnn, and, of course, Freddie, Albert and BB.PC: Do you remember the first band you were in? FG: Yep. Frankie G and the Meatballs. One gig. I was hooked.PC: What have been some of your musical highlights? FG: Spending an afternoon with Brownie McGhee and being asked to play at his birthday party, sitting in with Coco Montoya, and anytime someone appreciates what I just played.PC: How did you get involved with the Delta Blues Festival (DBF)? FG: My friend David Williamson was the creator of the festival and asked me to help out. David’s life ended untime-ly and his family wanted me to take it over. My wife Gail and our loyal volun-teers see it as a gift back to the commu-nity. It’s a lot of work, but when people are dancing and smiling and telling us how much they appreciate the event, it gives us motivation to continue. There are a lot of nice people out there, and they seem to attend our event. We like that. We have a DBF benefit concert coming up on March 1. It’s a GREAT line up. The mighty Chris Cain; Chi-cago’s Cashbox Kings, featuring Steve Freund, Kathy Tejcka, Teresa & Louis; and Frankie G & the Conviction. The event benefits the Delta Blues Festival. (Shameless non-profit plug alert! For tickets: http://www.elcampaniltheatre.com/coming-attractions-buy-tickets.html#dbf, www.ElCampanilTheatre.

PauL’S PICKS fOr february

com.)PC: What do you think of the blues scene here in Contra Costa? FG: There are a lot of great, great play-ers. Contra-Costa-speaking, there are Steve Freund, Jim Caroompas, SuMac, Kyle Jester, Annie Sampson, Kelly Back, Sam-one, I could go on and on. The talent is out there, but I wish shows were supported more. It’s a fact of where we live; there is just so much going on in the Bay Area. People who love the blues should support Ar-mando’s and EJ Phair. They are terrific clubs that support music with local and national acts. There are outdoor venues as well. The Pleasant Hill Blues and Brews Festival, The Delta Blues Festi-val, and most music in the park (like Pleasant Hill) support blues music.PC: Buddy Guy or B.B. King? I know, tough one! FG: Freddie King. (Oops sorry!) BB… hands down.PC: If you were a blues song, what song would you be and why?

FG: “Be Careful With a Fool” (cause someday… he may get smart. He will treat you so cool and chilly… then he will hurt you to your heart). PC: Why? FG: Because I like to try to pay-it-for-ward and treat people with kindness, hoping for the same in return. Un-fortunately, that doesn’t always hap-pen. There are a lot of fools out there looking to take advantage of others, especially in our current day. I get a little cautious, sometimes.PC: Thanks Frankie. Please get out there and support some great local music. You can catch Frankie at this year’s “Come Together” show on February 7 and as a part of the Delta Blues Festival Benefit on March 1 at the Historic El Campanil Theatre in Antioch.Quote of the Month:“I had the blues because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” – Denis Waitley

Dallimonti’s Restaurant

1932 Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill. 925-944-5224

www.dallimontis.com

• A Family Tradition Since 1982 • Open for Lunch & Dinner• Reservations & Take Out Available • Small Banquets Welcome

• Full Bar & Wine List • A Touch of North Beach in your Neighborhood

LIVE MUSIC EVERY SATURDAY FRIDAY KARAOKE NIGHT • GRAB THE MIC AND ROCK OUT

Come for the food stay for the music!

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2 Eggs with your choice of 1/2 waffle or 2 flapjacks,

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Country Cookin’ at itsOld Fashioned Best

BREAKFAST & LUNCH

February 1: Jim Caroompas & The Sisters of Mercy, Roxx on Main, 627 Main St., Mtz., 7pm.

February 6: Chris Cain Band, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm.

February 7: “Come Together #4” at the brand new Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320

Civic Dr., Pleasant Hill, 7:30pm. Featuring: The Muddy Roses; Sin Silver; Frankie G.; Mark

Stanley; Veronica Dangerfield; The Unplugged Jangle; Angelique and Taylor Kellogg; Wild

Guess; Fiona and Deirdre Nelis.

February 8: Stung, Dan’s Bar, 1524 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 10pm.

February 15: Kyle Jester, Roxx on Main, 627 Main St., Martinez, 7pm.

February 15: Delta Wires, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm.

February 22, Lumberyard, Dallimontis, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm.


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read My Mind© Book Reviews by Michael G. Harris, OD

When my wife and I returned from an extended trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, I had 32 books waiting for me at the library. And, of course, all of them were due in three weeks! I didn’t read all of them in three weeks, but here are reviews of some I found interesting. Who would have thought that a crime novel by first-time author Robert Galbraith would suddenly jump from number 4709 on the bestseller list to number one? That is exactly what hap-pened when the world learned that The Cuckoo’s Calling was actually written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling under a pseudonym. The mystery of whether Lula Landry’s (“the cuckoo”) fall to her death was a suicide or murder introduces us to some interesting characters, par-ticularly the crippled detective Cormoran Strike. While I enjoyed the book, I kept wondering whether this book would have become a runaway bestseller if Rowling weren’t the real author. Take The Stand: My Life In The Law is defense attorney Alan Dershowitz’s autobiography. The Harvard professor’s legal career was certainly filled with interesting cases, including the defense of suspected murderers O.J. Simpson and Claus von Bulow. His stories are interest-ing, but contain too much “chutzpah” for my liking. If you’re interested in law and can get over Dershowitz’s ego, you’ll find some fascinating tidbits in this book. Jeff Greenfield’s new book, If Kennedy Lived, delves into what could

have happened if JFK had sur-vived the assassination attempt and served a second term. In this fanciful “alternate history” there would have been no Vi-etnam War or prolonged Cold War. Unfortunately, that was not the case. This is especially

interesting reading as we just marked the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death. Want more politics? You will have your plate full with Double Down, Mark Halperin and John Heileman’s account of the 2012 presidential election campaign. As they did in Game Change, their best-seller about the 2008 election, they seem to be “flies on the wall” at every meeting the candidates attended. We learn the gruesome details of the Denver debate debacle, why Clint Eastwood spent 12 minutes in prime time talking to a chair at the GOP convention, and the crazy vetting process of the GOP vice presi-dential candidates. This is a must read for anyone interested in national politics. Pat Conroy is one of America’s most celebrated authors for his books like The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, a fictionalized version of his childhood. His latest book, The Death of Santini, tells the true story of his life living with the father he hated ”long before he knew there was a word for hate.” It is a tragic tale of an abusive father and the devastat-ing affect he had on his entire family. It is a fitting end to the Santini tale. John Gri-sham’s latest bestseller, Sycamore Row, is a follow-up to his first book, A Time to Kill. Mississippi lawyer Jake Brigance has a different kind of case this time. Instead of defending a suspected murderer, he must defend the hand-written will of Seth Hubbard, who wrote it just days before hanging himself. In his usual spellbind-ing fashion, Grisham leads us carefully through the lives of his characters and their families until we learn why Hub-bard recanted his previous will and left most of his vast estate to his black maid. Although Sycamore Row is not as exciting as Grisham’s previous book, The Racket-eer, it is still a fun read for any Grisham fan.

Dune, by Frank Herbert, is an impressively detailed and well-written book and one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read. Dune is to sci-ence fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy. Both Herbert and Tolkien have written incredibly engaging stories with tan-gibly real characters, but, for these two authors, the story is only the tip of the iceberg. This is because they have created histories and cultures so detailed that, when you read their books, you really believe for a moment that their worlds are real. Every facet of Dune is so detailed and thought out, from the history to the religion to the ecology of the planet, that you get the sense what you are reading is only a fraction of what Herbert created. However, unlike Tolkien, whose writing is sometimes criticized for being too focused on his created world and not on the story, Herbert keeps you hooked the whole time, keeping the action alive while still relating the rich history of his world. The novel centers on Paul Atreides, the son of the Duke of Arrakis, a desert planet with so little water that inhabit-

ants must wear bodysuits to conserve their fluids in order to stay hydrated. In addition to the lack of wa-ter on Arrakis, the desert contains giant sandworms that grow to be hundreds of meters long, providing additional peril for any-one who ventures too far into the desert. Paul lives an easy life in the capital of Arrakis until his family

is attacked by the Harkonnens, a rival house who seeks to take control of the planet from Paul’s father. Consequent-ly, Paul escapes into the desert and joins the Fremen, the nomadic natives of Arrakis, who tell him of a messianic prophecy that he may unwittingly be connected to. Paul, a product of a long genetic experiment, discovers new-found powers that he must utilize to lead the Fremen in taking back control of the planet. Herbert’s novel is all at once a coming-of-age story, an exploration of a foreign ecology, and an epic adven-ture saga. His writing is impressively eloquent, while still being readable and not distracting from the plot. Consid-ered by many to be the best science fiction novel ever written, Dune is a fantastic read for even non-sci-fi fans.

To read or Not to read By Zane Dundon, Senior, De La Salle HS

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Back Forty Texas BBQBig O Tires

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Cold Stone CreameryContra Costa Country Club

Corner Bakery CaféDeja Vu, A Unique Boutique

Edward Jones Financial – Amy WasserEstates Consignment

Five Guys Burgers & FriesHillcrest Veterinary Hospital

Jack’s Restaurant & BarKelly Ann’s Salon & Day Spa

Kinder’s Meats & BBQLa Tapatia Mexican Cuisine

Leading Edge Pest ManagementMartin Orthodontics – Jennifer L. Martin, DDS

Magoo’s GrillMeow & Howl Pet Sitting

Paddock BowlPayless Painting

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RE/MAX Realty – Don & Norma FlaskerudSenior Helpers

Sinful BlissState Farm Insurance – Christine Sampson

State Farm Insurance – Matt RinnSusan Wood Photography

Tahoe Joe’s Famous SteakhouseTogo’s

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YMCAZachary’s PizzaZen Restaurant

Resources to PropelYour Business in the New Year Thursday, February 13, 2014500 Ellinwood, 1st �oor, Pleasant Hill11:00 am – 2:00 pm (Registration begins at 10:45 am) $20 pre-register by 2/12; $25 at door; Includes lunch Developing clear and concise goal strategies The 3 pillars to creating extraordinary results Utilizing unique time management and time blocking Develop the art of prospecting and referral power Closing skills to gain trust and the ultimate yes

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For more information, contactPleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce [email protected] or call (925) 687-0700

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Julie McCoyRedn Realty & PH Chamber’s 680 Business Club Facilitator

Susie O’BryantBusiness Coach and Trainer & SBDC Business Advisor

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Congratulations to our Chamber Members

who were Winners and Finalistsin the recent Community Focus

“Readers’ Local Favorites” contest!

Welcome New MembersRight Choice Coaching LaShawn Wells (925) 586-4771East Bay International Jewish Film Festival Riva Gambert (510) 839-2900Placemaking Group Dennis Erokan (510) 835-7900 x203PBC Pleasant Hill Buskirk, LLC Terri Reno (925) 746-7100Summit Funding Brian Schaefer (925) 348-5625J. Rockcliff Realtors Zack Heene (415) 994-3504Youth Homes, Inc. Laurel Pendleton (925) 933-2627Banc of California Phillip Delianides (925) 222-6834Green Light Carpet Cleaning Tim Green (925) 348-0748Evoke Spinal Care Dr. Fred Dietzen (925) 523-1033

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free bus rides for Seniors

Computer Lab is Open

Pleasant Hill Senior activities

Martinez Senior activities818 Green St. (925) 370-8770

233 Gregory Lane (925) 798-8788

Linda J. WeihofenReverse Mortgage Specialist

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Feb. 13 - Valentine’s Day Social1pm.LivemusicbyLaSalleStreetJazzBand.Refreshmentsserved.Tickets:$12pp(pre-sale)/$16pp(atdoor).

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Explore Your World With Us!Nowbooking2014tripsthroughPHRecTravelServices.VisitAdult>Tripsatpleasanthillrec.comorcallJessieWusthoff,TripCoordinatorat(925)771-7636.

Sign up for fun enrichment classes at phseniorcenter.com!NEW!PreludetoaDance•NEW!GentlePilates•BasicComputers&You–Part1&2(NEW!)•Internet,Web&Email•CreativeWritingfromLifeExperience•AmericanSignLanguageforBeginners•GentleYoga•TangoforSeniors•Quiltingclasses(3)

Upcoming trips. Call for Details: Canyon Country – Sep. 25 – Oct. 3, 2014.Visitthreenationalparks:Zion,BryceandtheGrandCanyon.AlsovisitScottsdale,OakCreekCanyon,KaibabNationalForest,LakePowell,MonumentValleyendinginLasVegas. Exploring South Africa, Victoria Falls and Botswana – February 2015Epicscenery,windingcoastlines,remarkableculturaldiversityandabundantwildlifecometogetherinanincredibleexperience. Washington, D.C. – Exploring America’s Capital – Spring 2015ExploreAmerica’sheritageandhistoryonthisin-depthtourofthecapitalcity.

Feb. 9 - Pancake Breakfast8am-11am.

Feb. 28 - C.E.R.T. Presentation10am–12:30pm(CommunityEmergencyResponseTeam)Don’t be Scared….Be Prepared!Weareagainoffer-inga2-hourpersonalemergencypreparednessseminar.Learnhowtoprepareyourselfandyourfamilyforamajordisaster.Thisseminarisfree;refreshmentswillbeserved.Pleasecallourofficetoregister.(925)370-8770.

Mar. 7 & 14 - AARP Smart Driver Course(2consecutiveFridays)10am-2:30pm(witha30minutelunchbreak).Programhelpsseniorsrecog-nizetheirlimitationsandlearnhowtoreduceaccidentsandregaindrivingprivileges.ReceiveaCertificateofCompletion,whichmayofferinsurancediscounts.CheckspayabletoAARPatthetimeofregistration;cashcannotbeaccepted.$15forAARPmembers(bringcard),$20forNon-members.

Mar. 21 - The Vagabond Players Present: “Social Security”byAndrewBergman1pm.A1986hitBroadwaycomedydealingwiththetimelyissueofmarriedcouplescaringforanagingparent.Thefunandlaugh-terbeginsanddoesn’tstopuntilthesurpriseending!Theone-hourperformanceisfollowedbyalightbuffet.Cost:$10members/$12non-members.TicketswillgoonsaleFriday,February7oruntilwereachourcapacity.

County Con-nection’s board of directors recently approved a plan to es-tablish a promotional free ride program for senior and disabled riders during the mid-day hours of 10am and 2pm, seven days a week, on any County Connection regular or express fixed-route service. The promotion took effect on December 22. “County Connection is responding to a need in our community for reliable transportation options for the elderly and persons with disabilities,” said Bob Sim-mons, County Connection board chair and City of Walnut Creek council mem-ber. “Because this group is often living on a fixed income, we are pleased to offer this Free Ride Program during the mid-day in addition to our already reduced rates to ride at other times of the day.” To take advantage of the Free Ride Program, riders need to show bus op-erators proof of eligibility. People with a

photo ID showing a birth date of 65 years of age or older or a senior Clipper card qualify for the senior pricing. Eligible disa-bled passengers need an RTC Discount

Card, DMV placard registration receipt, a Medicare Card, or a Veteran Disability card. The Free Ride Program will be of-fered by County Connection for a promo-tional period of six months, after which the feasibility of extending the program will be studied. As a general reminder, the first few seats of the bus are designated to allow easy access for elderly and disabled riders. County Connection provides fixed route and para-transit service throughout central Contra Costa County. For infor-mation on all transit services, visit www.countyconnection.com or call County Connection Customer Service at 676-7500.

There are a large number of Windows 7 computers with Internet access for mem-bers (age 50 and up) to use for pleasure and/or learning. There is a volunteer available to help you with questions about Internet, email, and Windows; volunteers offer help-ful hints to use your computer productively. Current hours: M 9-12, T 1-4, W 12-3, F 12-3. Formal classes are available as well – check with the receptionist at the Center or the website: www.phseniorcenter.com. Volunteers are also available for Apple users on Th 10-12.


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anniversary of I-680By Jason Bezis

January 6 was the 50th anniver-sary of a pivotal event in Pleasant Hill history, the opening of Interstate 680 through the city. Flanked by politicians and civic leaders, Mayor Lenard Grote cut the ribbon behind a big “PLEAS-ANT HILL” banner at 2pm on January 6, 1964. This project filled a 1.7-mile gap in I-680 between Monument Blvd. and Willow Pass Rd. It completed the freeway between Walnut Creek and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. The freeway segment to the south of Monument Blvd. opened in 1957; the I-680 section north of Willow Pass Rd. was completed in 1962. Con-tra Costa Blvd. was converted from “State Route 21” into the community’s “main street.” With the diversion of through traffic to the freeway, the City of Pleasant Hill immediately set forth on a “beautification” project to calm traffic and improve conditions for local residents and shoppers on the formerly congested arterial. The four-lane I-680 freeway helped Pleasant Hill and its vicinity become a major regional retail district. The Montgomery Ward/dome theater center (now Kohl’s) opened in 1962. The giant Pleasant Hill PayLess store, located next to the new Monu-ment Blvd. off-ramp, advertised a “Freeway Opening Celebration Sale.” A large White Front store (now the

Target/Pleasant Hill Shopping Center) opened in late 1964. Sunvalley Mall opened in 1967. The state planned to build the freeway a couple of years earlier so it could feed the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge (opened 1962). However, a dispute with East Bay MUD about relocation of its aqueducts delayed awarding of the Monument Blvd./Willow Pass Rd. freeway construction contract until May 1962. (Today the aqueducts run along the westerly side of I-680). In late 1962, the state widened Contra Costa Blvd. within Pleasant Hill to serve as a temporary conduit for traffic until the freeway “gap” was closed. Inclement weather in late 1963 de-layed the freeway opening until Janu-ary 1964. The first section of Highway 242 freeway from I-680 into Concord opened a few months later. Lack of off- and on-ramps on northbound I-680 at Willow Pass Rd. were deficiencies of the new freeway. A “Concord Tran-script” editorial called for improve-ment of the interchange before Sun-valley Mall was built. I-680 through Pleasant Hill was substantially re-built in the late 1990s as part of the massive, decade-long 24/680 reconstructions. That project widened the freeway to its current breadth and re-configured many interchanges.

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acupuncture for IbSBy Richard Weissman, L.Ac., Acu-Wellness Center

Strong core muscles have the incredible ability to support our spine and help prevent back pain. Unfor-tunately, a sedentary life-style and the poor posture created by our chair domi-nant culture inhibits these muscles from working well. Morphing into the shape of our office chair creates unhealthy body align-ment. Unhealthy body alignment pre-vents these important, deep muscles from getting the natural exercise that is needed to keep our backs feeling good. The core is made up of four deep muscle groups: the diaphragm (an im-portant breathing muscle), the trans-versus abdominis (the deepest of four abdominal muscles), the pelvic floor (the muscles that keep our internal or-gans safely inside our body) and the multifidi (small spinal muscles that

support the vertebrae). These muscles have an un-healthy Catch-22 with bad posture. Bad posture helps weaken the core muscles, and weak core muscles help create bad posture. And a lack of strength in these deep muscles is accom-

panied by muscular imbalances, un-healthy body mechanics, back and joint pain. So do you need “washboard” abs to have a strong core? Thankfully, the answer is “no.” These “ripped” muscles are more superficial than the spine sta-bilizing, pain averting, deep muscles of the core. This means that you can have enviable abs, but actually have a weak core. And just as the bark of a tree can’t successfully hold up the tree, neither can our superficial muscles support our structure without pain. If you are healthy and fit, you can always improve on your core strength. If you suffer from back pain, ask your doctor if you might benefit from core strengthening. Work with an exer-cise specialist that is trained to safe-ly strengthen people with back pain. With solid core strength, better posture and improved body mechanics, your back will soon be thanking you. Tonya Marie Amos is a fully certi-fied Pilates instructor. For more infor-mation, please call (925) 680-4400 or go to www.AspirePilatesCenter.com.

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401 GREGORY LANE, SUITE 126PLEASANT HILL, CA 94523

925.676.8485 FAX 925.676.0288www.drjennifermartin.com

Many sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) seek relief through acu-puncture. While some medical prac-titioners use IBS as a “one size fits all” diagnosis, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach IBS on an individual basis. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, IBS is mainly caused by an infection of the gastrointestinal system, which is caused by the pathogenic factors of dampness and heat, obtained either externally (such as from weather) or generated in-ternally (such as internal injury from improper food).Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Western Medicine Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or “spastic colon” is a functional bowel dis-order. The small and large intestines do not function appropriately and there are changes in bowel habits and abdominal pain, however, no structural damage or abnormalities are found through diag-nostic testing. IBS makes up 20-50% of visits to gastroenterologists, and women are affected three times more than men. The average age of onset is between 20 and 40. Diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) is having diarrhea immediately af-ter waking or immediately after eating, along with pain, bloating, urgency and urinary incontinence. Constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), also known as “spastic colon,” manifests with pain over at least one area of the colon and periodic constipation. This pain may be continuous or come in bouts and is fre-

quently relieved by moving the bowels. Associated symptoms include bloating, gas, nausea and dyspepsia. To avoid triggering symptoms, people affected by this disorder should maintain regular eating habits that con-sist of high fiber, refrain from heavy and large meals high in fat, drink plenty of water daily, avoid smoking, and develop a regular toilet schedule. Regular exer-cise can help relieve stress, which seems to exacerbate the disorder. Western medicine treats IBS with anti-spasmodic or anti-diarrhea medication, diet modi-fication and stress reduction techniques.The Treatment of IBS in Traditional Chinese Medicine To dissipate IBS symptoms, Tradi-tional Chinese Medicine uses acupunc-ture to remove dampness and heat from within the system by selecting certain points along the meridians of the stom-ach and large intestine, located mostly along the lateral side of the legs and arms. At the same time, reinforcement techniques can strengthen the body’s immune system, while reducing tech-niques can relieve stress to prevent fu-ture exacerbation. A free comprehensive evaluation at the Acupuncture Wellness Center in Pleasant Hill provides an East-ern diagnosis and suggestions for a plan to minimize symptoms and stimulate healing. Acu-Wellness is located at 2261 Morello Avenue (complex behind Hill-crest Center/ Kinder’s) in Pleasant Hill For more information call 925-671-2100.


Quality Cancer Care:recognizing excellence

By Sarah Buenviaje, NP

Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group has received reac-creditation by the Quality Oncology Practice Initia-tive (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clini-cal Oncology (ASCO). The QOPI® Certification Program provides a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest standards for quality cancer care. Our goal is to provide the highest level of care to every patient every day, and this recertification from ASCO and QOPI® recognizes our commit-ment to delivering excellent cancer care. Our practice was one of the first five practices in California to achieve QOPI® certification in February 2011; recertifying for another three years is very gratifying. “Practices that choose to apply for recertification through QOPI® dem-onstrate their continued commitment to the pursuit of clinical care excel-lence,” said ASCO President Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP. “This certification program helps such practices assess the level of care they provide to their patients and demonstrates their com-mitment to maintaining quality and lifelong learning.”

QOPI® is a volun-tary self-assessment and improvement program launched by ASCO in 2006 to help hematology-oncol-ogy and medical oncology practices assess the quality of the care they provide to patients. The QOPI® Certi-

fication Program (QCP) was launched in January 2010, with more than 190 practices already certified nationwide. This certification for outpatient oncol-ogy practices is the first program of its kind for oncology in the United States. Oncologists can achieve certification by demonstrating practice consistent with the highest standards of care. The QCP seal designates practices that not only scored high on the key QOPI® quality measures, but meets rigorous safety measures established by ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). Diablo Valley Oncology / He-matology Medical Group, located at the California Cancer and Research Institute in Pleasant Hill, provides comprehensive cancer care to patients by bringing together medical oncology, hematology, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, clinical trials, oncology rehabilitation and supportive care all in one convenient location.

PaID aDVerTOrIaL

Why bodywork?Why Hellerwork?

By Kay Hogan MT-MEd What is bodywork? I use this hands-on tech-nique to work with the con-nective tissues of the mus-cle, called fascia, to release muscles, improve circula-tion and increase muscle tone. The style of work I do is called Hellerwork, also referred to as Structural Integra-tion because the purpose of this work is to realign the body. In other words, it’s to help you stand up better, which lightens the body and makes you look younger and more attractive. Why do people come for body-work? They usually come in pain and have been treated by a doctor with no significant improvement, even with joint transplants, and they’ve been told there is nothing more that can be done.

The last resort is to live on painkillers. If a person isn’t interested in living on pills for the rest of his or her life or can’t tolerate drugs, they should try Hellerwork. This technique can often make significant changes in the body and pain levels when a

client participates in an eleven-session series of hands-on bodywork done in one and a half hour sessions. A cli-ent can receive even better results if they are willing to make some life style changes along with their bodywork sessions. You can visit my website www.kayhogan.com for frequently asked questions about Hellerwork, call me at 925-676-3696, or e-mail me at [email protected].

PaID aDVerTOrIaL

500 Ferry Street, Martinez

Customer Appreciation DaySaturday March 8th • 10:30 - 5:30

Join us for snacksand a storewide sale!

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Community announcements

Martinez Unified School District Student-Centered, Common Core Aligned Instruction, Technology Integration & Mobile 1:1 Computing, Continuous Professional Development for All Staff

Members, Updated Facilities, Alternative Education Opportunities for Grades 9-12, Supportive Parent Community

Now Enrolling for 2014-15

Transitional Kindergarten* (TK) & Kindergarten Inter- and Intra- District Transfers

TK & K Registration Dates: February 3 Las Juntas February 4 John Muir February 5 John Swett February 6 Morello Park

*Students who have their 5th birthday between September 1, 2014 and December 2, 2014 are eligible for TK.

More information can be found at www.martinez.k12.ca.us. Follow the link

for Enrollment/Registration.

All TK&K Registration is from 9:00-1:00 at the District Office, 921

Susana Street, Martinez. Packets are now available and can be

picked up at elementary school sites and the District Office.

Martinez Unified School District Cultivating the Seeds of Change For more information or to register for classes

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.MartinezCERT.org

!

!!!!!!!!!!! !!

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FREE CLASSES – Spring 2014 !"#$%&'()*%$+'),),-%.%/0%123+%!23+(4%

CERT Basic Training - Saturday Series – March 22, 29, April 5, 12 8 AM – 1 PM at Martinez City Council Chambers, 525 Henrietta Street CERT Basic Training - Tuesday Series – March 27, April 3, 10,15, May 1,8 6 PM – 9 :30 PM at IBEW Hall 1875 Arnold Dr. CERT Basic Training - Skills Exercise – Saturday May 31, 7 AM – 2 PM You are an important part of the solution for our City. CERT will train you to be better prepared for emergencies and how to respond when your family, neighbors, and community need you most. !!!!

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Sign Up Now for Classes at DVC Emeritus College The DVC Emeritus College Spring 2014 brochure is now available with an exciting and interesting line up of affordable classes, tours and day trips. The offerings include a tour of the California Railroad Museum, opening day on the bay aboard the USS, Potomac, a hike in the Marin headlands, and classes on art, music, philosophy, history, cook-ing and much more. Emeritus College, a non-profit, fee-supported program of Diablo Valley College, offers classes for people 50 and older designed to challenge your brain, stimulate your senses, and create new friendships. To see the entire brochure, visit www.dvc.edu/emeritus or call (925) 969-4316 for more information.

Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club Meets Tuesday, February 4 at 7pm. New loca-tion: Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill. Speaker: Jim “Doc” Hale; Topic: Ethnobotany - Na-tive American Uses of Edible & Medicinal Plants. Guests are welcome & free. Con-tact: (925) 944-4898. www.phgsc.com.

The Society of American Magicians As-sembly #112 meets 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7pm; Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1919 Wendell Lane, Pleasant Hill. Open to all! Contact Fred at (925) 451-1292.

Clayton Theatre Company Fundraiser February 18, 11am - 9pm. Dine out at Ed’s Mudville Grill in Clayton and Ed’s will donate 20% of all pre-tax receipts to CTC.

Present our flier for dine in or carry out orders. This is a great way to support lo-cal theatre in our area. Ed’s Mudville Grill, 6200 Center Street, Clayton. To download fliers see our website at claytontheatrec-ompany.com.

The 2014 Wine and Chocolate Stroll pre-sented by Main Street Martinez. Saturday, February 8, 2-5:30pm. Sample delicious wine and chocolates at participating busi-nesses. A great way to spend the after-noon! Details and ticket sales coming soon, www.MainStreetMartinez.org.

How to Raise Your Own Chickens Sun-days, February 9 and 23, from 1-3:30pm. Lafayette resident Papa John Kiefer will offer workshops on raising your own chickens. Topics will include rais-ing young chicks, laying hen mainte-nance and sustainable coop construction. Workshops are free and reservations are required. Contact Papa John [email protected] at [email protected]. Raising Rabbits for Food workshops are also available on upon request.

Contra Costa Camp & School Fair Sun-day, February 23, 11am – 2pm. The 2nd annual free event with booths for camps, schools, preschool, daycare, sports, mar-tial arts, gymnastics, enrichment, per-forming arts, scouts and family vacations. Free Admission. Activities and exhibi-tions. Acalanes High School, 1200 Pleas-ant Hill Rd., Lafayette. Visit www.Contra-CostaCampFair.com.

Pleasant Hill Middle School presents Parents’ Comedy Night Party Saturday March 1, 6pm. Come out and support PHMS at our 1st ever Comedy Night Par-ty at Zio Fraedos. Headliners include Sam Van Zandt and Veronica Dangerfield. Dinner, Cocktails, Comedy, Raffles, Silent auction, Live Auction and more! Tickets are $35. For additional info or to purchase tickets email [email protected] or call Shelly at (510) 589-1864.

2014 East Bay Women’s Conference Monday, March 3. Presented by Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visi-tors Bureau in conjunction with Chevron and John Muir Health. Keynote speaker Cokie Roberts and guest speakers, Rita Moreno and Leah Albright-Byrd are powerhouse voices who have had an ex-traordinary impact on the lives of women

around the world and who continue to act and speak out for positive change. ABC 7 news anchor, Dan Ashley will emcee this distinctive conference. The $195.00 ticket price includes continental breakfast, lunch, and afternoon reception. To ensure your spot, make your online reservation now at www.walnut-creek.com.

Downtown Martinez Restaurant Week! Save the date March 7-13. Downtown dining has something for everyone! Dis-cover something new or rediscover your favorite places. Participating restaurants will offer a prix-fixe menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Excludes tax, beverages, and tips. No ticket necessary. Visit as may restaurants as you like during the week. List of participating restaurants, menus, and more coming soon at www.martin-ezrestaurantweek.com.

Eros 3 Celebrating the Human Body

February 3 - 28, 2014I’ve Been Framed Shop & Gallery

Monday - Friday, 10am - 5pm411 Ferry St., Suite C • Martinez, CA 94553

925.228.7353

SWAN DAY (Support Women Artists Now Day) is an international holiday celebrating the creative power of women all over the world. The 7th International SWAN DAY is Saturday, March 29th, 2014.

Locally, the Martinez Arts Association has brought this international holiday close to home in downtown Martinez and has been celebrating for the past 6 years. With the sup-port of the City of Martinez and local artists we have promoted the concept of celebrating all forms of art including visual & performing arts.

We invite all artists and lovers of the arts to join in the celebration of this amazing collabo-ration. The event is held in downtown Martinez on Saturday March 29th from 10 to 4 pm, at the end of Ferry Street in the Old Train Depot parking lot. For more information or to participate in this free event please visit www.martinezarts.org or www.swanday.org .

SWaN Day


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2/28/14

Winter CleaningSpecial

Acupuncture Wellness CenterAntique Corner

Amy Wasser, Edward JonesAspire Pilates Center

AstoundBay View Yacht Charters

Bella CakesBig Air Heating and Air Conditioning

Cold Stone CreameryColdwell Banker, Marlene Haws

Contra Costa Camp FairCooper Bail Bonds

Country WafflesCreekside Church

Dallimonti’sDC Solar

Devil Mountain CycleryDiablo Futbol Club

Diablo Valley OncologyDonald W. Linck II, DDS

Dr. Bob Schaefer Chiropractic & Weight LossEcoMulch Landscape Materials

East Bay International Jewish Film Festival East Bay Residential Realty

Ellinwood ExterminatorsEl Tapatio

Flaskerud - RE/MAX TodayForma Gym

Foundation for Pleasant Hill EducationGil’s Carpets

Hagin’s AutomotiveHammer’s Heating and A/C

Heritage Soccer ClubHillcrest Church

Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital

Hire My HusbandHitchcock Realty

Home Detailers HousekeepingJack’s Restaurant & BarJennifer L. Martin D.D.S.

John Fuller, Edwared JonesKinder’s

Kobe JapanLafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church

Law Office of Daniel L. DuReeLeading Edge Pest Management, Inc.

Les Schwab Tires, MartinezLinda J. Weihofen, Reverse Mortgage

Martinez Auto BodyMartinez Chamber of Commerce

Martinez Furniture Co. Matthew C. Rinn, State Farm Insurance

Maureen Ingalls - RE/MAX AccordMolino’s Ravioli Factory

Moulding CompanyNavlet’s

Nor-Cal T-ShirtsPleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce

Pleasant Hill Coin & JewelryPleasant Hill Rec & ParkSamuels Construction

Skin Science Medical SpaSenior Helpers

Shell Western States Credit UnionSuzanne Looker, Pacific Union International

UPS Store- Arnold DriveWarren Jones, A.G Realty

Waters Moving and StorageWence’s Restaurant


510-318-6484

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