january 2011 issue
DESCRIPTION
Community Focus online edition for January 2011TRANSCRIPT
A Monthly Publication Delivered to Over 40,000 Residents
January 2011
• Weather • Traffic • Local Business Directory • Real Estate• Sports • Place a Classified Ad • Business News & Links • Archives • Recipes • KTVU 2 Local & National News • The Focus Columns • Seniors• Submit a Story • Post a Community Calendar Event • Community Resources & Links • Local Movie Times
Make Our Community Focus Your Home PageFind the information you need to navigate Our Community at www.ourcommunityfocus.com
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage � January �011
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P097314 State Farm Home Office, Bloomington, IL
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Now that's teamwork.Matthew Rinn, AgentInsurance Lic. #: 0F99232Bus: 925-671-0222 Fax: 925-671-0309Pleasant Hill, CA [email protected]
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www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �
• Local Real Estate ......................................page 7• PH Chamber Chat ...................................page 9• Pair Up ....................................................page 14• Home Team ............................................page 16
• Local Restaurant Guide .................................page 19 • Best of the Bay in PH ....................................page 22 • Calendar ........................................................page 26 • Views on School Closures .............................page 27
Day TrIPSLindsay Wildlife Museum A place where people connect with wildlife
and learn about the natural world. 1931 1st Ave, Walnut Creek. 935-1978. www.wildlife-museum.org.
Diablo rock Gym
This is a full-service facility with all the
amenities you could want. The programs
are highly recommended for kids 6 years
old and above. 1220 Diamond Way, Suite 140, Concord. Call (925) 602-1000 for more information or visit: www.touchstone-climbing.com.
Sky High SportsSky High Sports is a unique trampoline
fun center in Concord where you can jump
on the trampolines or bounce in the foam
pit. They also offer organized activities like
trampoline dodge ball. www.con.jump-skyhigh.com/or contact: 925-682-JUMP (5867).
Color Me MineBring the kids to paint your own pottery.
Kids paint for free every Tuesday.
3541 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Contact: 299-2615 or visit: www.lafayette.color-memine.com
all in the KilnA paint-it-yourself ceramic studio. Kids
paint free every Tuesday, and Fridays are
$5/painter. 1950 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Contact: 939-2888 or visit: www.allinthekiln.com.
Take a ride on BarT!Start at the Pleasant Hill BART station and
head into San Francisco and the Westfield
San Francisco Centre. Just exit BART at
Powell Street Station and arrive at the front
door without stepping outside!
westfield.com/sanfrancisco, www.bart.gov/schedules.
Chabot Space and Science CenterJourney from space to Earth on an urgent
mission to thwart climate change. Join Bill
Nye, commander of the Clean Energy Space
Station, as a Climate Scout where you’ll
explore, innovate, advocate and change
the world! Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
except January 17th! 10000 Skyline Boul-evard, Oakland. Visit:chabotspace.org or call: 510-336-7373.
Visit the Contra Costa LibraryClosed Sunday and Monday. ccclib.org/
Fun aT HOMEScavenger Hunt Hide items in your house and have the
kids try to find them. This can be as easy or
elaborate as you chose.
read a Picture Book OnlineStoryline Online is a streaming video
program featuring famous people reading
children’s books aloud. www.storylineon-line.net.
Paper Bag Puppets The easiest form of this requires only a
paper lunch bag and crayons or markers.
Simply draw on a face and you have a pup-
pet! To make the characters more elaborate,
decorate with yarn for hair, buttons for eyes,
and glitter for cheeks. Ribbon can be added
to the hair or made into a bow tie for the
“neck”. Draw on eyelashes and lips with
colorful markers.
Coloring PastaPlace a handful of dry, uncooked pasta, such as ziti, rotini or farfelle, into a plastic zipper baggie. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar
and 2-3 drops of food coloring. Close the
baggie and have the kids shake the bag until
the pasta is completely colored. Spread out
onto a paper plate or paper towel and allow
to dry. Use several baggies to create differ-
ent colors. Once the pasta is dry, kids can
use yarn to string together pieces to make
necklaces and bracelets, or glue them to
paper plates or construction paper to create
a work of art.
Make Play-Dough1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon oil
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
A few drops of food coloring
Mix all but the last ingredient in a small
saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for
just a few minutes until it turns into dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until
cool enough for kids to touch. Separate the
dough into as many colors as you want to
make. Put just a few drops of coloring in
each ball and knead until evenly mixed. You
can store the dough in a jar and place in a
fridge.
Build a fortUse chairs, tables, blankets, pillows…the
only limit is your own imagination.
Life size cut outsUsing sheets of paper taped together meas-
uring the length of your child, have them
lie on them and trace the outline of their
body. Cut it out and let the kids decorate the
figure.
read a BookTake turns reading paragraphs from a
chapter book or learn some new facts from
a nonfiction book.
Make a place mat Using old magazines or family photos cut
out pictures and glue them to a piece of
construction paper. Write your child’s name
on it in big, bold, colorful letters and lami-
nate using clear packing tape.
Do a science experiment. Perhaps use paper mache to make a “vol-
cano” and watch it erupt. Check out http://
www.scienceexperimentsforkids.org.
Make homemade cardsA rainy indoor day is the perfect time to
make some homemade cards. Think Val-
entine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day or upcoming
Birthdays and Anniversaries.
redecorate or reorganize Help a child redo their room.
BakeBake and decorate cookies.
LegosTake out all Legos and create a Lego city.
Play a card Game Think ‘Crazy 8’s’ or Go Fish or War.
Computer GamesCheck out some educational websites: www.coolmath.com, www.funbrain.com www.factmonster.com
Dance!Use karaoke, dance videos or the freeze
game in which kids dance until the music
stops. The last one to freeze is out.
Go Outside and Get Wet Oh, What the Heck—Suit up with boots,
raincoats, and warm socks and get outside
and splash in the puddles. When you come
inside, swap the rain gear for a cup of soup
or hot chocolate.
rainy Day activities for Kids“I’m Bored!” Want to avoid hearing those two dreaded words on a dreary, rainy day? A few of the suggestions below require a short drive,
but most are indoor activities. Have your own suggestions? We’d love to hear them. Go to our website, www.ourcommunityfocus.com, and tell us what your family does to relieve rainy day boredom.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage � January �011
JuLIE SayS
I met this really interesting woman
named Allison on the sidelines of a soc-
cer game this past fall. Allison is a nut
trader.
She specializes in almonds. After
hearing a bit about the nut business
and praise for the health benefits of her
tasty product, I could not wait to get
home and check out the website of the
California Almond Board.
I loved it. I learned almonds are
heart smart, nutrient dense, antioxidant rich and I
should eat a handful every day. Now I have my New
Year’s Resolution!
If you’d like to join me in my resolve to eat more
almonds but are not sure how many nuts make up a
handful, there is no need for concern.
The Almond Board suggests one ounce, or 23
nuts. If you don’t own a kitchen scale and counting
the nuts seems a tad bit obsessive, the Board does of-
fer alternatives, with photographs!
One serving of almonds neatly covers the surface
of a 3” x 3” sticky note. It fills a shot glass or a baby
food jar. Or, you can measure out a serving using an
ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measure.
If those are still not enough portion-control op-
tions for you, the Board suggests you visit their eStore
to purchase a “stylish almond snack tin that lets you
take the perfect 1oz. serving wherever you go.” Well,
they are certainly making it easy for me and I appreci-
ate it.
Back to Allison – she got to travel to Beijing last
May to attend the International Nut Congress. I wish
I had known Allison then, because I for sure would
have asked her to bring me back an “International
Nut Congress” tote bag.
The International Nut and Dried Fruit Founda-
tion, which sponsors the annual conference, has high
praise for almonds as well. The Founda-
tion touts almonds as “the most impor-
tant article among the edible nuts, being
the indisputable leader of the world
market.” Wow.
I can’t wait to get started on my
year of almond-eating. Are you with
me? Here’s another handy tip from the
Almond Board to make sure we stay the
course: “Keep an airtight cup of almonds
in your car cup holder for smart snack-
ing on the road.”
So, here’s to 2011, The Year of Smart Snacking on
the Road.
I will leave you with this final thought, again
from the Almond Board of California: “You should
never let anything come between you and your al-
monds -- and that’s that. “
Words to live by. So glad I had the chance to
meet Allison. Happy New Year!
Please e-mail questions, comments to [email protected].
Pass the almond ButterBy Julie Ross
PuBLISHErSBecky Coburn, Jennifer Neys, Elena Hutslar
[email protected],000HomesandBusinessesinPleasantHill,Martinez,
Pacheco,LafayetteandWalnutCreek
SPOrTS EDITOrChuck Nan
GraPHIC DESIGnTrish Heaney, Debra Wilson, Sarah Birdwell
GuEST EDITOrAlison Clary
View the Focus online at Website: www.ourcommunityfocus.com
COnTaCT InFOrMaTIOn:Community Calendar:
Stage Door Theater Submissions: [email protected]
Content & General Inquiries: [email protected]
6680 alhambra ave. Box #132Martinez, Ca 94553
Phone: (925) 335 - nEWS (6397)
Pleasant Hill Market • Pleasant Hill City HallPleasant Hill Senior Center • Pleasant Hill Library
Mt. Diablo YMCA • UPS – Virginia Hills, Mtz.Chamber of Commerce (P.H. & Mtz.)
Pleasant Hill Rec and Park (Civic Dr. & Gregory)Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Pleasant Hill
Legal Grounds, Martinez • Martinez Senior CenterLes Schwab Tires - Alhambra Avenue
Best Western, John Muir Inn, MartinezHeadways Salon, Main Street
The Community Focus is available at the
following locations:
AAA TravelAspire Pilates Center
A Wee ChangeBrandman University
Café MilanoChristies for Kids
Coldstone CreameryCollege Park Boosters
Computer Sales and Service Dallimonti’sDiablo FC
Diablo Trophy and AwardsDiablo Valley Oncology
Don & Norma Flaskerud- Re-Max
Donna L. Berggren, CPAGarden Natives
Heritage Soccer ClubHire My HusbandHitchcock Realty
Home Detailers HousekeepingJennifer L. Martin D.D.S.
Kobe JapanLand Home Financial Services, Inc.
Le Jardin at the SpaLes Schwab Tires
Lindsay Wildlife MuseumMarie’s Designer Outlet
John Malley, Mass Mutual Financial Group
Matthew C. Rinn, State Farm InsuranceMonica Smilth, Headways Salon
Moulding CompanyOrange Leaf Yogurt
Payless PaintingPediatric Dentistry of Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill Chamber of CommercePleasant Hill Recreation & Park District
Quality Plumbing and RooterScott Floor to Ceiling
Senior HelpersUPS – Virginia Hills
Weight Loss ChallengeWine Shop at Home
THanK yOu aDVErTISErS!
Independent Locally Owned
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �
1/7 – ambassador Meeting PHCityHall–LargeCommunityRoom7:45a–9:00a 1/11 – ambassador Luncheon 11:45a–1:00patMagoo’sGrillRSVP:[email protected] 1/16 – Mr. Lucky’s 2nd annual Crab Feed2618PHRoad,2p-8p,$40pp.ContactRandyorWalt@933-7778 1/19 – January Mixer 5:30p–7:30pOutbackSteakhouse,150Long-brook,RSVP:[email protected]
1/20 – BOD Meeting 7:45a–9:00aatPHCityHall–LargeCommunityRm
1/21 – PH Lions Club 38th annual Crab Feed-PHCommunityCenter,320CivicDr.6p,$45pp.ContactDon@676-5589 1/28 – Mayors Breakfast 2011 - Fordetailsvisitwww.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.usorwww.pleasanthillchamber.com 1/31 – Green Committee3p-5pBackForty 1/28 – GaC Meeting3p-5pBackForty
Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce January Schedule of Events
Confirm schedule at www.pleasanthillchamber.com
PLEaSanT HILL CHaMBEr nEWSPaGE SPOnSOrED By
(925) 827-1200Rated by Bay Area Consumers’ Checkbook Magazine
and Checkbook.org as one of the top computer repair shops in the San Francisco Bay Area.
1936 Linda DrivePleasant Hill CA 94523
Celebrity Chef Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook fame, welcomes Executive Chef Cory Chen to Yan Can Asian Bistro in Downtown Pleasant Hill. “Chef Cory and I share the same passion for good food!” exclaimed Chef Yan. “We have both traveled extensively to eat and learn different styles of cooking. We share the same passion for serving fresh, scrumptious, colorful dishes of good value. We have the same philosophy towards giving back to the community - we connected when volun-teering at gourmet fund raisers!” New to Yan Can Asian Bistro: •Happy Hour daily from �pm-6pm featuring appetizers such as Fiery Chicken Wings and Tofu Bites • Beer, wine, and specialty sake cocktails! • Casual, full service dining with all the old favorites such as Chinese Chicken Salad and Sweet and Sour Spicy Catfish, plus Chef Cory’s seasonal offerings •During crab season, Garlic Crab with Garlic Noodles by advance reservations! Dine-in, take-out, parties and catering available.Yan Can Asian Bistro, �� Crescent Drive, 1�-A, Pleasant Hill, 9��-8�7-�1��, www.yancanrestaurants.com. Open daily from 11am to 9:�0 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10:�0 pm.
ribbon CuttingYan Can
MarTInEZ CHaMBEr nEWS
1/3 Chamber Office reopens after the Holidays — Happy new year!
1/6 - ribbon Cutting –4pmatCaliforniaFitness,621AlhambraAve.,Martinez.
1/8 - Crab Feed –Boys&GirlsClubofDiabloValley,1301AlhambraAve,Martinez.ContacttheClubat925-228-3896
1/11 - ambassador MeetingContactRebaat(925)[email protected]
1/13 - Chamber Mixer FoodBankofCC&Solanoco-hostedwithEnglund’sCatering,4010NelsonAve,Concord–5:30pm-7:30pm.GreatNetworking,Food,Fun,RafflePrizes(bringaraffleprizeandhaveyourbusinessannounced!)Foreachcanoffoodyoubring,youwillreceiveafreeraffleticket.
1/16 – ribbon CuttingSunday,2pmatLuigi’s99¢andUp–(fortheGrandOpeningoftheDeli)680CastroSt.atthecornerofMainSt.,Martinez
1/17 – Office Closed - Martin Luther King Day
2/1 – Save the Date–7:30am-StateoftheCityBreakfast.ShellClubHouse,cornerofPacheco&Arreba,Martinez–Enjoyafullgourmetbreakfastbuffet,$25.RSVPby1/21toMartinezCham-ber(925)[email protected]
From our Chamber Office to you – Have a Wonderful new year!!
Martinez Chamber of Commerce January Schedule of Events
Please verify schedule at www.martinezchamber.com
Chamber Holiday Mixer
1 2 3 Accounting Solutions, your local tax and bookkeeping specialists is collecting
donations of new or gently used sleeping bags, blankets and gloves to be distributed to
local homeless communities during the cold winter season. Donations can be dropped
off until January 31, 2011, Monday-Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm at 1704
Alhambra Avenue, Martinez. To arrange other drop off times please call 925-228-8300.
1 2 3 Accounting Solutions reminds you that your donations are tax deductible.
Sleeping Bags needed
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 6 January �011
Remember the
“stated” loan? It’s also
called the “liar loan” or
the “loan that crashed
our housing market.”
Actually, the original
intent of the loan was
to help self-employed
people whose tax
returns took full advantage of tax write-
offs and showed a bottom line lower than
what would work for qualifying ratios
for loan approval. Unfortunately, this
was abused beyond the original intent to
the extent that W-2 wage earners where
allowed to acquire stated loans, resulting
in millions of under qualified borrowers
receiving loans well over their ability to
repay.
Now the dilemma - today we have
more and more people hanging out their
shingles as companies continue to cut
personnel and the job market remains
fairly weak. Stated loans have not come
back and probably will not for a long,
long time, if ever.
What should you know if you are
starting your own business and will want
to purchase or refinance a home? First
of all, you will need to be in business for
two years in order to qualify for a loan.
Usually, these are the hardest times for
a start up business, so be patient. If you
are established in your business and
want to refinance or purchase a home,
you will need to sit down with your loan
professional to review your taxes. If your
debt to income ratios won’t work for
current lending guidelines, your next step
would be to visit with your professional
tax preparer.
Recently, I worked with a client who
was in this very predicament. With help
from Monika Hengesbach, an Enrolled
Agent who specializes in working with
small business owners, we were able to
work a plan that would help my clients
toward their goal of home ownership.
Here are some helpful hints from Monika
that can steer you in the right direction to
loan approval:
Itemize. Taxpayers who do not itemize
their deductions are entitled to a standard
deduction. For single filers, the standard
deduction is $5,700 and for married
filing jointly it is $11,400. Consider
this however, let’s say you purchased
a $550,000 home, put down 20% and
qualified for 4.375%. Your itemized
deduction would be $27,356. This
number does not include all the other
items you are now entitled to claim as
deductions: state and local taxes, gifts
to charity, job expenses and certain
miscellaneous deductions. As you can
see, the deductions for single filers would
increase to $21,656 and to $15,956 for
married filers. Talk about saving money
on your taxes!
A few areas that can be looked
at when managing your business and
preparing your taxes are:
1. Depreciate your fixed assets vs. writing
them all off in the year of purchase.
Instead of taking 100% of the purchase
price off in the year of purchase (Sec. 179)
defer the payments over the life of the
assets; 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 years.
2. Contribute to a self-employed
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP).
Contributions to an SEP are tax
deductible and may be eligible for a tax
credit of up to $500 per year for each of
the first three years for the cost of starting
the plan.
3. Incorporate your business. Net
income of sole proprietors is taxed at
their personal rate; they also pay a self-
employment tax of 15.3% on the net
income. By incorporating, you will pay
the same 15.3% self-employment tax on
your wages but not on your net income.
Depending on the structure you choose,
the net income can pass-through to
you which will help with your income
qualification for home ownership.
If you would like to know more ways
on how to become “tax savvy,” you can
follow Monika on twitter at taxhealer@
twitter.com, on Facebook at www.
facebook.com/decisionfinancial or on a
website www.decisionfinancial.com
Peter Paredero, Senior Mortgage Consultant for Land Home Financial Services Inc. has resided in Pleasant Hill since 1994. 925 787-8746. [email protected]
The Self-Employed Loan Dilemma By Peter Paredero
AnnouncementsONLINE
RESTAURANTguide
Business Service DirectorySHOP LOCAL • SHOP LOCAL • SHOP LOCAL • SHOP LOCAL • SHOP LOCAL • SHOP LOCAL
Start 2011 o� RIGHTWe have many advertising choices just RIGHT for your business.
For more information please call 925.335.NEWS or visit us atwww.ourcommunityfocus.com
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 7
HOuSInG nEWS
Local real Estate updateBy Nathan Hitchcock
As the year 2010 has drawn to a close,
a disturbing new epidemic is on the rise in
America – the death of homeownership.
Dropping to 66.9%, homeownership rates
are now at their lowest level since 1999,
according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau
report. More than 900,000 foreclosures
occurred in 1999 and we are on pace for
over 1,000,000 to occur in 2010.
Friends, family members, coworkers,
neighbors - the victims are all around us
and in every neighborhood from coast to
coast. The good news is that the condi-
tion is very treatable, especially if caught
early enough. With numerous alternatives
available to today’s struggling homeown-
er, foreclosure can actually be avoided in
all but a small percentage of cases.
Alternatives such as mortgage
modifications, forbearance agree-
ments, short sales and deeds in lieu of
foreclosure are much less impactful on
your credit score, not to mention your
neighborhood’s home values and your
ability to obtain a mortgage again in
the future. In some cases, they can also
help prevent future deficiency judg-
ments from being sought by lenders
for unpaid loan balances, a common
occurrence even after a foreclosure.
Unfortunately, because of the embar-
rassment and social stigma attached to
being behind on your mortgage, many
homeowners choose to bury their heads
in the sand and do nothing to avert the
foreclosure. In reality, the last thing a
lender wants is to foreclose on a home.
It’s expensive, time consuming and
fraught with liability.
Recognizing these benefits, many
lenders are rapidly reallocating their
staff resources away from their fore-
closure departments and towards their
short sale and loan modification de-
partments. Over the last few months,
Bank of America has gone from being
one of the slowest at approving short
sale purchase agreements to one of the
fastest. Short sale approvals that were
taking 9 to 12 months to obtain are
now taking as little as 30-45 days in
many cases.
So, if you are having trouble keeping
your mortgage paid, first take solace in
knowing that you are not alone. Nation-
wide, 1 in 10 homeowners are currently
behind on their mortgage payments
Then, once you have pulled your pride up
from the gutter and dusted it off, pick up
the phone and get help. It’s vitally impor-
tant that you know what your options are
so you can make an informed decision on
how to proceed.
A trusted and experienced realtor is
a good place to start. Not only will they
be able to help you ascertain your home’s
equity position and sales options, but they
will also be able to refer you to reputable
real estate attorney to help you weigh the
legal ramifications of the different paths
you may choose to travel.
Nathan Hitchcock is the managing broker of Hitchcock Realty, a residential real estate brokerage and property management firm in down-town Pleasant Hill. He can be reached at [email protected] or (925) 825-1100. Data contained herein was ob-tained from the CCAR Multiple Listing Service. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.
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QUALITYPlumbing & Rooter
Address Beds Baths Sq Ft Market Days List Price Sales Price Sales $/Sq Ft
RECENT MARTINEZ HOME SALES (11/1/2010 – 11/30/2010)
SINGLE FAMILY HOME
430 G ST 2 1 690 10 $106,000 $132,100 $191.45
4206 CABRILHO DR 3 1 1123 46 $149,900 $134,900 $120.12
831 MAGNOLIA AVE 3 2 1585 246 $299,999 $175,000 $110.41
1971 BOYNTON AVE 3 1 -- 30 $209,900 $189,000 --
203 DE NORMANDIE WAY 3 2 1333 86 $191,900 $206,000 $154.54
540 WANO ST 3 2 1626 54 $227,900 $206,000 $126.69
1140 ARLINGTON WAY 3 1 1207 13 $179,900 $211,000 $174.81
2311 WAYNE ST 4 2 1502 8 $153,000 $215,555 $143.51
33 MORELLO AVE 3 1 1455 88 $239,900 $229,900 $158.01
145 ARREBA ST. 3 2 943 30 $219,000 $231,750 $245.76
2374 MONTEREY AVE 3 2 1263 11 $239,000 $250,000 $197.94
1952 NICOLETTE CT 3 2 1277 41 $280,000 $270,000 $211.43
481 MORELLO AVE 2 1 1318 18 $284,000 $271,980 $206.36
310 GILGER AVENUE 2 1 1101 2 $279,000 $272,000 $247.05
4630 PLEASANT HILL RD E 2 1 1002 2 $315,000 $300,000 $299.40
214 GREEN ST 4 2 2072 165 $319,000 $323,000 $155.89
1127 MORELLO AVE 3 2 1286 3 $339,000 $339,000 $263.61
442 VINE HILL WAY 3 2 1370 9 $369,000 $369,000 $269.34
231 DONEGAL WAY 3 2 1416 3 $419,000 $400,000 $282.49
132 GORDON WAY 3 2 1570 32 $522,500 $480,000 $305.73
6352 GREENRIDGE CT 4 2 2061 86 $549,500 $520,000 $252.30
117 LANCE CT 4 2 2237 95 $660,000 $630,000 $281.63
1091 PEREIRA ROAD 4 3 3200 21 $1,199,000 $1,199,000 $374.69
Totals: 23 Listings 47 $337,017 $328,486 $216
TOWN HOMES / CONDOS / DUETS
1158 MAYWOOD LN 2 1 986 54 $139,900 $135,000 $136.92
1186 MAYWOOD LN 2 2 986 9 $137,000 $137,000 $138.95
830 CENTER AVE 2 1 1061 65 $157,900 $159,000 $149.86
191 VILLAGE PLACE 2 2 911 56 $179,000 $177,000 $194.29
2034 LOST LAKE PL 2 2 1026 8 $190,000 $190,000 $185.19
1428 ASHWOOD DR 3 2 1528 96 $249,900 $248,000 $162.30
Totals: 6 Listings 48 $175,616 $174,333 $161
Address Beds Baths Sq Ft Market Days List Price Sales Price Sales $/Sq Ft
RECENT PLEASANT HILL HOME SALES (11/1/2010 – 11/30/2010)
SINGLE FAMILY HOME
125 MAZIE DR 3 1 1052 75 $289,900 $281,000 $267.11
3063 PUTNAM BLVD 2 1 915 26 $309,900 $304,000 $332.24
1812 DONNA DR 4 2 1412 30 $329,900 $320,000 $226.63
209 DORIS DR. 3 1 1042 6 $360,000 $342,500 $328.69
1600 SHIRLEY DRIVE 3 1 1490 148 $397,000 $400,000 $268.46
195 CORTSEN RD 3 2 1798 0 $425,000 $425,000 $236.37
1926 WENDELL LN 3 2 1512 10 $527,000 $510,000 $337.30
130 LORENZO DR. 3 2 1695 97 $588,000 $540,000 $318.58
336 BELVA LN 3 2 1772 25 $569,000 $550,000 $310.38
94 MONTE CRESTA AVE 3 2 1539 75 $595,000 $575,000 $373.62
201 ELDERWOOD DR 4 2 2123 88 $595,000 $591,000 $278.38
207 POSHARD ST 3 2 1893 98 $629,000 $610,000 $322.24
119 IPSWICH WAY 4 2 2418 15 $629,000 $613,000 $253.52
2972 HANNAN DR 5 2 2188 30 $649,000 $639,000 $292.05
25 PALMER CT 5 2 2632 211 $750,000 $725,000 $275.46
Totals: 15 Listings 62 $509,513 $495,033 $294
TOWN HOMES / CONDOS / DUETS
59 MASSOLO DR 2 2 973 59 $210,000 $205,000 $210.69
362 SCOTTSDALE RD 3 2 1365 19 $279,950 $265,000 $194.14
190 CLEAVELAND RD 2 2 1492 35 $289,900 $287,500 $192.69
1010 RIDGEVIEW PL 3 2 1538 41 $359,000 $354,500 $230.49
26 WARHOL WAY 2 2 1560 7 $389,000 $381,500 $244.55
Totals: 5 Listings 32 $305,570 $298,700 $214
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 8 January �011
Shopping for auto Insurance
Whether you’re a first time buyer
of auto insurance or already have it
but are looking for a better deal, you
should be asking several questions.
First, is the person from whom
you’re buying (your agent) a
visible, established member of your
community and someone you know
and trust?
Second, is the company from
whom you’re buying well known?
What is its reputation? What about
price? Because there are hundreds
of companies competing for your
business, prices vary – sometimes a
lot. It may pay you to shop. Be sure the
premiums you’re quoted are for equal
amounts of coverage.
How about service? Price is
important but saving money won’t
mean much unless you get the
service you need - when you need it.
If possible, ask other clients of your
prospective agent how they’ve been
treated, especially when they’ve had
a claim. Find out how the company
handles claims. Is the method
convenient for you, no matter where
you have an accident?
How about solvency? Is the
company you’re considering still
going to be in business when you file
your claim? Your state department
of insurance has financial rating
information on all of the companies
that do business in its state.
Once you’ve decided on a
company and an agent, there are more
questions to ask. How much coverage
do you need? The required minimum
amounts of liability coverage may not
be enough for you.
Consider your needs in light of
your assets and income. How much
can you afford to pay if there’s a big
judgment against you because of an
accident? What about deductibles?
Deductibles lower your premiums
- most commonly for collision and
comprehensive coverages - but
increase the amount of loss that
comes out of your pocket. How much
additional risk are you willing to take
in order to save?
Should you carry collision and
comprehensive coverage? As your
car’s value decreases, you might
consider dropping these coverages and
pocketing the savings on premiums.
But consider if the savings are enough
to offset the risk of footing the entire
cost of repairing or replacing your car.
Auto insurance is not a generic
commodity. It is a product that should
be tailored to each individual. Your
agent can help you answer these
questions and help you tailor your
auto insurance to your specific and
unique needs.
Matt rinn State Farm agentIn FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS
AD1760 As seen in the September 15, 2010, issue of �e Wall Street Journal
Economic downturns happen. But you can feel protected when they do. MassMutual’s whole life insurance helps secure your family’s financial future and also acts as a solid asset, guaranteed to steadily build its value even through turbulent times. And should life ever take an unexpected turn, policyholders can borrow from the cash value they’ve built to protect their home, family or business.1 As owners of our company,2 our participating policyholders can feel con�dent knowing they are our top priority and that our �nancial strength ratings are among the highest of any company in any industry.3
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It’s feeling protected, no matter whatthe economic environment.
WHAT IS THE SIGN OF A GOOD DECISION?SM
In uncertain
times like these,
sound financial
decisions matter
more than ever.
When it comes to
securing guaranteed
retirement income,
it’s important to base
your decisions on a clear understanding
of available products. Since many
people turn to both deferred fixed
annuities and certificates of deposit
(CDs) for stable returns, it’s helpful to
know the differences between the two.
First and foremost, a deferred fixed
annuity is a conservative retirement
vehicle, while a CD is designed to
be a savings vehicle. Deferred fixed
annuities can help you accumulate
Conservative Savings...or retirement Income? By John Malley
and protect assets until you are ready
to receive them as guaranteed income
during retirement – and many offer
the option of guaranteeing retirement
income for your lifetime; of course,
guarantees and payment of lifetime
income are based on the claims-paying
ability of the issuing company. CDs,
by contrast, offer a conservative way
to save and preserve assets when your
investment horizon (the amount of
time you expect assets to be invested)
is relatively short. CDs do not offer a
guaranteed lifetime income option.
While both vehicles are considered
conservative, they reduce risk in
different ways. CDs are generally backed
by banks and currently are insured
for up to $250,000 for each depositor
by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) or the National
Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
Fixed annuities are guaranteed
– with no maximum – by the issuing
insurance company. They are not FDIC
insured. Be sure to ask your financial
professional about an insurance
company’s ratings and financial
strength if you plan to purchase an
annuity, because payment of lifetime
income is contingent upon the claims-
paying ability of the issuing company or
companies.
There are other important
differences as well, involving income
tax treatment, early withdrawal options,
and other important factors. The best
way to make a good decision when
planning for retirement is to work with
a trained, trusted financial professional
to choose products that best meet
your retirement income objectives and
investment needs.
John Malley is a financial representative with Mass Mutual Financial Group©, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in Walnut Creek. (925) 979-2329. [email protected]
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 9
Chamber Chat By Charley Daley, Chief Executive Officer, Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce
2011 Brown Bag Lunch Series ~ Kicko Event
Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Ave., Suite 200, Walnut Creekwww.brandman.edu/walnutcreek
Friday, February 11, 2011 at 11 a.m.RSVP required by February 1 (limit 50)Call 925.687.0700Email [email protected]
Join us for a FREE lunch & workshop to celebrate ourpartnership with the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce!
Topic: Come with an Idea, Leave with a Plan... a One Page Business Plan®Featured Speaker: Jim Horan, Founder & President, The One Page Business Plan Company
Introducing the first in a series of quarterly Pleas-ant Hill Chamber of Commerce features, with the purpose of inform-ing the community of Chamber activities, new members, and shedding light on the members who devote themselves to promoting the businesses and the community of Pleas-ant Hill. I trust that you will find the infor-mation gives you a better insight into the vital role we play in the success of the community and the potential ben-efits of being a part of the Pleasant Hill Chamber. ~ Charley Daley, Chief Executive Of-ficer, Pleasant Hill Chamber of Com-merce 2011 looks to be the year of recovery
and change. Recovery especially as the
economy ACTUALLY starts to recover.
Change as the Chamber introduces new
programs, changes existing ones and
even comes forward with new events.
Let’s start with change: Each year
at this time the Chamber experiences
a change of leadership. 2010 President,
Steve Wallace, after guiding the Chamber
through one of the more challenging
economic environments handed off the
keys to the shop to Dave Huitt. Dave
has been on the Board of Directors for
about 2 years and brings his many years
of restaurant management experience to
the table as the 2011 President.
Change is also occurring with some
of the events that the Chamber has
been doing. Business Showcase, which
has been at the Community Center for
the last 30 plus years is being moved to
the Crowne Plaza in Concord while the
Community Center gets rebuilt.
Look to late May or early June for
the Burger Bash in Downtown Pleasant
nEW MEMBErS
Le Jardin at the Spa 1603OakParkBlvd.,Pleas-antHill,NancyRobinson(925-935-4247)Pleasant Hill Wellness Center238GolfClubRd.,PleasantHill,PatriciaRobinow(925-798-1474)
Democrasoft50OldCourthouseSquare#300,SantaRosa,RonBolden(888-993-8683)Excelsior Brewing6680AlahambraAvenue#228,Martinez,JimBlair(925-228-8787)Profit Business Services1102ViaEnsenadaCourt,Concord,JeffWillis(925-216-1025)
The Original Pancake House2059ContraCostaBlvd,PleasantHill,KittyLeung(925-798-3081)Dunn-Edwards Paints555ContraCostaBlvd,PleasantHillTonyChih(925-798-5377)Nationwide Insurance190N.WigetLane#110,WalnutCreek,RyanHayes(925-787-2655)Ottoman Art Company108EmersonCourt,Pleas-antHill,OttoGonzalez(925-934-5890)Yan Can35CrescentDrive#12A,PleasantHillCoryChen(925-827-4133)Christie’s For Kids69DorayDrive,PleasantHill,MikeChristie(925-849-6541)
Doorstep Farmers180GolfClubRoad#127,PleasantHill,MichaelWedgley(925-360-8643)Smokey D’s Slow Cooked BBQPleasantHill,DaveHuittAssociatePleasantHill,JackWeir(925-899-4298),42YearsSunvalley Shopping Center1SunValleyMall,Concord,KimTrupiano(925-825-0400),26YearsDiablo Valley College321GolfClubRd,PleasantHill,JeanieDewhurst(925-685-1230)Associate828HamiltonDr,PleasantHill,LolaFellinger(925-934-4588)AssociateTedFuller(925-686-0738)13Years
Rehabilitation Services of Northern California490GolfClubRd,PleasantHill,MargoDutton(925-682-6330),20YearsSoroptimists Int’l of Diablo VistaP.O.Box5855,ConcordJoHarlow(925-827-9676)18YearsContra Costa Water DistrictP.O.BoxH20,ConcordJenniferAllen(925-688-8041),15YearsMinuteman Press - Pleasant Hill2835ContraCostaBlvd#E,PleasantHill,TheresaCoff-man(925-256-6444)Center for Human Development391TaylorBlvd,#120,Pleas-antHill,ElainePrendergrast(925-687-8844)
Aegis Assisted Living1660OakParkBlvd,Pleas-antHill,SoniaChahal-Singh(925-939-2700),12YearsJB Services4960BlumRd,MartinezBeverleyForrest(925-370-1775),11YearsCentral Contra Costa Sanitary District5019ImhoffPlace,MartinezMichaelScahill(925-229-7310)J. Rockcliff Realtors3799Mt.DiabloBlvdSte100,Lafayette,PeteSabine(925-385-2340),9YearsPasta Pomodoro45CCrescentDr,PleasantHill,ZeeShanAnsari(925-363-9641),8YearsSam’s Club1225ConcordAve,Concord,MariaGalbraith(925-687-1400X)
AssociateDarrell&MarilynHarguth(925-934-1642),6YearsPleasant Hill 4th of July CommissionP.O.Box23272,PleasantHill,JimBonato,4YearsHeald College5130CommercialCircle,Concord,LauraPhilpot(925-288-5800)American Association of University WomenPleasantHill,JillAnderson(925-932-2063)Dutch Boy Window Cleaning100AdelaCt.,PleasantHill,PeterScheers(925-917-0161),3YearsTennis Express391TaylorBlvd.,Ste180,PleasantHill,MarkP.Lyons(925-691-4439)
AssociateLafayette,AngieBailie(925-640-9996),2YearsMonument Crisis CenterP.OBox23973,PleasantHillSandraScherer(925-825-7720)California Cancer and Research Institute400TaylorBlvd.#105,PleasantHill,LoraSanders(925-826-1900)Risk Concepts Insurance Brokers, Inc.3732Mt.DiabloBlvd,#375,Lafayette,MikeRobertson(925-283-8200)AssociatePleasantHill,DeborahHicksFlickinger(925-586-1156)Stokley Properties190RandomWay,PleasantHill,JoeStokley(925-658-1415)
Barton Chiropractic1251MonumentBlvd#140,Concord,AnnetteBarton(925-685-2002)Mary Kay Cosmetics - Becky Xepoleas16WoodCreekPlace,PleasantHill,BeckyXe-poleas(925-947-2068)AssociatePleasantHill,DeborahHicksFlickinger(925-586-1156)
Meghan Mahler Design4271TreatBlvd,ConcordMeghanMahler(925-674-8810),FirstYearRenewalRosewood Care Center1911OakParkBlvd,PleasantHill,JennyAshley(925-925-6630)AssociatePleasantHill,SueDamhesel(925-998-3537)
President - Dave Huitt, Smokie D’sChairperson - Steve Wallace, Wallace & Associates Director - Stephan Anthony, Cover�CoverDirector - Jim Blair, Excelsior Brewing CompanyDirector - Tom Guarino, Pacific Gas and ElectricDirector - Kristin Kelly, AssociateDirector - Melodie Lane, Brandman University
Director - Meghan Mahler, Meghan Mahler DesignDirector - Valerie Perkins, Carlton Senior LivingDirector - Matt Rinn, Matt Rinn State FarmDirector - Michael Saenz, Irvin Deustcher Family YMCADirector - Christine Sampson, Christine Sampson State FarmDirector - Judith Sosnowski, Mt Diablo Adult EducationDirector - Tina Traum, Above & Beyond Concierge Service
CHaMBEr nEWS
Hill. We have so many terrific places
to get a burger in PH so why not bring
them all together in one spot? Add in
music and maybe some beer and wine
and you have a reason to get out of the
house.
In 2010, the summer Blues and
Brews was so successful that we will do it
again with even more to see at the event
this July. August looks to have a wine
stroll in Downtown PH. And of course
we will continue with the award winning
Art, Jazz & Wine Fest in October.
Other changes are with our Brown
Bag Lunch series. For those who don’t
know, the Brown Bag Lunch is held once
a month and usually features top notch
speakers on a variety of business topics.
For 2011 the chamber is partnering with
Brandman University and the series
will be held at their campus. February’s
featured speaker is Jim Horan, author
of The One Page Business Plan. Space is
limited and this will fill quickly.
As to recovery, even though the folks
in Washington DC say that we have been
out of the recession since June of 2009,
those people on the street know that
it has been a tough haul. 2011 looks to
get better even though not all business
sectors have seen an improvement.
If you need help with your business
call the Chamber today. We’re there for
you.
Welcome 2011 Chamber Board of Directors:
These members have chosen to serve the Chamber and community. Let’s look forward to a great 2011!
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 10 January �011
Wagon peddler
Among the donations to the Mar-
tinez Historical Society were documents
related to the Tarwater family history.
The Tarwater family file in the Society’s
archives includes a clipping of an inter-
view with Mrs. Maud [Scott} Tarwater of
Martinez (Martinez News-Gazette, April
17, 1976). The article does not give the
name of the interviewer or the date of the
interview, but if it occurred near the date
of publication Maud Tarwater would have
been nearly 100 years old.
Interviewer’s introduction: Mrs.
Maud Tarwater (nee Maud Scott) was
born in Martinez in 1877. She attended
the old Martinez grammar school, located
on the site of the present Boy’s Club.
“Miss Callie Wittenmeyer, who was
later to become dean of Mills College, was
principal of the school. School was held
from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and if the lessons
were not right by the time school was over
the pupils were made to stay until they
were perfect. The teachers worked long
hours, often not leaving until 6:00 p.m.
“The social life of the community
consisted of Christian Endeavor at the
Congregational Church and the Epworth
League at the Methodist Church, where
most of the young people gathered. In the
old Opera House, located at Estudillo and
Escobar, many home talent shows were
held, in which I usually had a leading role.
Occasionally dances were held in Ben-
nett’s Hall, where the Curry Building is
located, as well as midnight suppers at the
Martinez Hotel, for which the charge was
$1.50 per couple.
“On Saturday nights there was a
dancing school with an instructor and pi-
anist that came all the way from Alameda
County. First they would hold the dancing
class, which was followed by dancing until
midnight, as dancing was not permitted
on Sundays.
“Hayrides to Clayton were also very
popular with the young folks. The boys
furnished the wagon and the girls the
lunch. Many parties were held in the vari-
ous homes, at which games were played
and community singing enjoyed. Many
of the married couples belonged to card
clubs. Then, about 1900, Bay View Pavil-
ion was erected for roller skating.
“On Sundays ball games were played
on Pacheco Road, which were well at-
tended. Usually after the game many of
the people in attendance would drive
down to the Southern Pacific depot to see
who was arriving and departing on the
train.
“In 1881 there were no street lights.
Lanterns were used. Soon after came the
coal oil street lighting, and later the town
acquired a gas tank down by the station.
Coal oil lamps were used in the
homes; there was no electricity.
“There were several churches in town
including the Congregational, Methodist,
Catholic, Episcopal and an African Negro
church on Portuguese Flat.
“There were no concrete sidewalks,
only board walks, and it was not uncom-
mon to find mud up to one’s knees in
places.
“There were no undertaking parlors
or mortuaries; burial was from the home.
“The following lodges had repre-
sentation in Martinez: Native Daughters,
Native Sons, Masonic, Odd Fellows, Mac-
cabees (later the Rebekahs), and Eastern
Star.
“The first telephone was installed
in a little room in the back office of the
Southern Pacific station, Jo McCann and I
were among the first telephone operators.
“There were no beauty salons.
Women curled each other’s hair with a
curling iron. “In the 1880’s there were few
stores in Martinez. The town consisted
of a Chinese laundry, near the site of the
Traveler’s Hotel, a barber shop, and a
general merchandise and dry goods store.
Prices were cheap: egg, 14 cents a dozen;
bread, five cents a loaf; milk, 10 cents a
quart; flour, 50 cents a hundred pounds;
potatoes, $l.00 per hundred pound sack; a
bale of hay cost $2.25; a cask of bran was
50 cents, and cotton stockings were 90
cents a pair. (These prices were all taken
from an old cookbook belonging to Mrs.
Tarwater in which she had made these
entries.)
“Women’s clothes were heavily em-
broidered or beaded, and bustles were a
‘must.’
“The entire family took their bath in
the wash tub. Water was heated in a big
boiler on the stove and it was such a chore
to heat it that everyone used the same
water.
“At Christmas there were no trees.
The children simply hung up their stock-
ings, which were filled with candy, nuts
and one little present,”
Mrs. Tarwater believed that people
were generally happier in those days than
they are today because no one was trying
to outdo the other, and no one was trying
to keep up with the Joneses.
Martinez in the Late nineteenth CenturyBy Gay Gerlack
MarTInEZ HISTOrICaL SOCIETy
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 11
architectural review CommissionJanuary 6, �0100 Gregory LaneLarge Community Room, �:00pmContact: 671-���9
City Council MeetingJanuary �, 17100 Gregory LaneContact: 671-��67
Civic action Commission MeetingJanuary �100 Gregory LaneSmall Community Room, 6:�0pmContact: 671-���9
Education/Schools advisoryCommission MeetingJanuary �6100 Gregory LaneLarge Community Room, 7:00pmContact: 671-���9
Planning Commission MeetingJanuary 11, ��100 Gregory LaneCity Council Chambers, 7:�0pmContact: 671-���9
City Calendar of Events
PLEaSanT HILL CITy BuZZ
For Confirmation Visit: www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us
At its meeting on December 6, 2010,
the City Council voted to appoint David
Durant as Mayor and John Hanecak as
Vice-Mayor for the remainder of 2010 and
most of 2011. This is the third time that
David Durant will serve as Mayor, having
previously done so during 2001-02 and
2006-07.
At the same meeting, the City Council
paid tribute to outgoing member, Terri
Williamson, who stepped down after 25
consecutive years as a member of the City
Council. Her position was then taken by
newly elected member of the City Council,
Jack Weir, who was sworn in by Contra
Costa County Clerk, Steve Weir.
Council member, Dr. Michael G. Har-
ris, who was re-elected in November, was
not available for this meeting and instead
will take the oath of office at the January
10, 2011 meeting of the City Council.
Outgoing Mayor, Karen Mitchoff,
announced her intention to resign her seat
on the City Council on January 2, 2011 in
order to take up her new position on the
Contra Costa County Board of Supervi-
sors. The City Council will then have 60
days in which to fill the vacant seat either
by holding a special election or by ap-
pointment.
The City of Pleasant Hill is cel-
ebrating its 50th year in 2011 and we’re
planning a huge celebration!
The City was officially incorpo-
rated on November 14, 1961. Over the
weekend of November
12-13, 2011 the City
will host a grand finale
weekend of festivities
including an Art & Pho-
tographic Exhibit at City
Hall depicting 50 years
of Pleasant Hill
history, an Open
House for all
residents, and a dinner
dance celebration at the Contra Costa
Country Club.
Throughout 2011, the 50th Anni-
versary theme and logo will be promi-
nent in City publications, events and
other promotions. To kick-start the cel-
ebration, the Chamber of Commerce
and 50th Anniversary Committee are
offering a once in a lifetime oppor-
tunity for businesses and residents to
sponsor one of only 50 street banners
to be erected early in 2011 along Con-
tra Costa Blvd, and will remain in place
for most of the year.
The individualized 7 feet by 4 feet
banners will be hung on street poles
along the entire length of Contra Costa
Blvd. and will include the
name of one sponsor on
each. What’s more, once
the banners are removed,
the sponsors will be given
theirs as a keepsake to
remember all of the 50th
events and festivi-
ties during 2011!
The cost to
sponsor each banner
is only $295. However, time is of the
essence – the deadline for sponsorship
(including payment) is January 17,
2011.
Please contact the Chamber at
(925) 687-0700 or email ingrid@
pleasanthillchamber.com. Information
about the 50th Anniversary Commit-
tee is also available through Martin
Nelis at (925) 671-5229 or mnelis@
ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us.
Happy Holidays! I am honored
to serve as Pleasant
Hill’s Mayor until
December 5, 2011.
Although I have
entered my 12th
year serving on the City Council, many
of our residents may still not know me.
So, I’ll use this column to introduce
myself a little.
Growing up in New York, I learned
about service from my mother (a
long-time political activist) and my
grandmother (a devoted minister’s
wife). Together, they taught me about
fairness, equality, and the importance
of giving back; of trying hard to leave
the world a little bit better for you hav-
ing been in it and fighting for what’s
right. I try to live by these teachings
every day, whether as a Pleasant Hill
City Councilmember, as Vice Chair
of the Contra Costa Transportation
Authority, as Chair of the Contra Costa
Airport Land Use Commission, as a
volunteer leader at Hillcrest Congrega-
tional Church, or as a Board member
of two great non-profit organizations:
Youth ALIVE! and Legal Assistance
for Seniors. To some, my dedication to
service may sound idealistic or corny.
But for me, it’s a way of life I credit
to my mother and grandmother, but
also to great historical figures like John
F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt and
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pleasant Hill Mayor’s Message David Durant, Mayor of Pleasant Hill
As we welcome a new Coun-
cilmember and prepare to replace our
colleague and friend Karen Mitchoff
(who soon becomes our County Super-
visor), I have great hope that our new
City Council will work together in an
atmosphere of openness, civility and
a sense of joint purpose, as we address
the challenges that face our small city.
I also know that I speak for the
Council and the City’s tremendous,
dedicated Staff when wishing you Hap-
py Holidays and in looking forward to
a great New Year.
Sponsor a BannerBy Martin Nelis, Public Information Officer, City of Pleasant Hill
new Officials for 2011 By Martin Nelis, Public Information Officer, City of Pleasant Hill
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 1� January �011
Zoning administrator MeetingJanuary 19�:00pm-6:00pmContact: 9��-�7�-��00
City Council MeetingCheck City Calendar WebsiteFor Exact dateswww.cityofmartinez.org/cals7:00pm-10:�0pmContact: 9��-�7�-��00
Design review MeetingJanuary 1�, �6�:00pm-6:00pmContact: 9��-�7�-��00
Planning Commission MeetingJanuary 11, ��7:00pm-11:00pmContact: 9��-�7�-��00
City Calendar of Events
MarTInEZ CITy BuZZ
Martinez has
enjoyed a ten-
year partnership
with the Willows
Theatre Company,
which has brought
arts, entertain-
ment and eco-
nomic development to the fabric of
our community. It all started with an
idea that the home of John Muir could
weave historical theatre into its culture
through a partnership of the city, the
Willows Theatre and the John Muir
Association. Thus was born the John
Muir Festival Center Association.
Although the John Muir Festival
Center has not yet been built, that
partnership (with help from Shell Oil
Company and their employees) built
the John Muir Amphitheatre, located
at Waterfront Park. Many perform-
ances of John Muir Mountain Days
and Sacagawea played at the venue.
The amphitheatre continues to be used
on an occasional basis by the Willows
Martinez Mayor’s Message Rob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez
For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org
and other groups, but it presents many
challenges. The location is not a “turn
key” facility and it is very expensive to
bring in seating, lighting and backstage
facilities. Im-
provements
such as bath-
rooms and
concession
buildings
have been made, but the city is hop-
ing to be awarded a grant from Prop.
84 funds to make the amphitheatre a
facility that is ready to go when the gate
is unlocked. Once that is reality, the
amphitheatre will be a preferred venue
from spring to late fall.
The partnership continues be-
tween the city and the Willows Theatre
Company with the development of
the Kinney Production Facility near
the amphitheatre and the Campbell
Theatre in downtown Martinez. The
Campbell Theatre was formerly an auto
parts store and then served as a county
storage facility for years. The city leased
the building specifically to be trans-
formed into a cabaret style theatre and
worked with the Willows, local busi-
nesses and
a multitude
of Willows’
financial
supporters
to make it
so. Performances began in 2007 with
the opening of the first of a series of
the Nunscence plays. Since then, tens
of thousands of people have enjoyed
theatre in downtown Martinez.
If you have not had the opportuni-
ty to visit downtown Martinez and see
a performance at the Campbell Thea-
tre, please do so. Come for the evening
and have dinner in one of our fine
restaurants and walk a short block to
the theatre. The 2011 season includes
Rags, Once On This Island, King O’ the
Moon, Show Boat, A New Musical and
The Winter Wonderettes.
The City of Martinez’s General
Plan is undergoing its first compre-
hensive update since the 1970s. The
General Plan provides the basis for
decision-making related to future de-
velopment. It gives a clear description
of the ideal future version of Martinez
and contains long-term goals and
objectives.
Public input is needed and all
members of the community are
encouraged to participate. In Novem-
ber and December, the City and the
General Plan Update Task Force held
a series of community workshops and
although the turnout was low, City
Planner Terry Blount commented
that, “We would have welcomed more
people participating in the workshops,
however there was good synergy from
those that showed.”
Martinez recently became one
of three California cities to receive
an online public engagement grant,
awarded by Pepperdine’s Common
Sense California. To further encourage
community input and opinions, the
grant has been used to set up a web-
based questionnaire that asks the same
five (5) open-ended and strategic ques-
tions that were asked at the commu-
nity workshops, and you can answer as
much or as little as you like. The online
questionnaire will be available through
January 15.
“We have received fairly succinct
answers to the questions so far and
there has been a fair amount of activity
from the website,” said Blount. Ques-
tions include: What do you like most
about Martinez? What do you like
least about Martinez that you would
like to see improved? What does Mar-
tinez look like to you in the future?
In addition to the website, Blount
said, “Task Force members are going
out into the community to ask ques-
tions. Comments from participating
community members will help for-
mulate the General Plan and working
vision that will guide Martinez for
the next 20 years. We’ve done a really
extensive outreach for this type of
activity. The information will be com-
piled and organized into categories,
then into a report as a ‘Working Vision’
and will be an umbrella that drives the
next few stages of our work.” The Vi-
sion will then be presented to the City
Council and Planning Commission for
review.
The next meeting of the Task
Force will be Wednesday, January
26th at 6:30 pm at City Hall in Mar-
tinez.
For more information, con-tact Terry Blount, AICP, Planning Manager for the City of Martinez, at 925.372.3534 or e-mail him at [email protected].
Martinez General Plan Jaki Jones
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www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 1�
Congress’ “CLaSS act” By Jon Weiner
CST#1003968-80 Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
You Are Invited!
When: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hosted by: AAA Travel - Concord
Where: Pleasant Hill Community Center
320 Civic Drive
Pleasant Hill
Time: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
RSVP (925) 808-6203 or email
by 1/19: [email protected]
Exclusive AAA Member benefits
Day-of-event specials
Non-Members welcome to attend
Light refreshments and door prizes
Join AAA Travel Concord for our Travel Fair. Receive AAA Member Benefits and
Special Discounts to exciting vacation destinations!
Buried in the health care overhaul
is the nation’s first public, long-term
care insurance program called the
CLASS ACT (Community Living As-
sistance Services and Supports Act).
This bill was signed into law in late
March and will take effect Jan. 1, 2011.
An estimated 10 million Ameri-
cans have trouble performing daily
tasks such as bathing, dressing and eat-
ing without help. Most of these people
live at home as opposed to nursing
homes and other institutions, yet most
are financially unprepared to pay for
non-medical care not typically cov-
ered by Medicare or Medicaid. “This
is where the CLASS Act truly saves the
day,” says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior
Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing
provider of in-home senior care. He
believes the CLASS Act is “an easy way
for Americans to save for their future
without taking a huge bite out of their
paychecks.”
Any employee over the age of 18
can receive long-term care benefits
from the CLASS Act after paying pre-
miums via automatic payroll deduc-
tions for five years and actively work-
ing for at least three of those five years.
Monthly premiums are estimated to be
$61 to $123 a month or less, depending
on public participation. Once a person
loses the ability to perform basic self-
care he should reap benefits between
$50 and $75 worth of daily in-home
care. Eligible participants receive ben-
efits for as long as they need long-term
care, regardless of age.
“Young people sometimes assume
they are going to be healthy all their
lives, and that’s not always the case,”
says 92-year-old Robert Bard of Phoe-
nix. Bard pays an in-home caregiver
from Senior Helpers to help
him around the clock, seven days per
week. “Due to injuries and health
problems in the past, I couldn’t live on
my own now. Years ago, I didn’t plan
ahead or think much about the cost
(of help), but now I couldn’t get along
without it.”
The many supporters and volun-
teers of the Monument Crisis Center
will gather at our Annual Heartfelt Gala
at the Concord Hilton on February 3rd.
Live music, appetizers and dinner, silent
auction, raffles, award presentations, and
guest speakers promise to add entertain-
ment and enjoyment to the evening.
Monument Crisis Center takes great
pride in announcing that the honorees at
the Heartfelt Gala will be the Stan Hansen
Family and the Brookview Park Commu-
nity. This group will be recognized for the
extraordinary amount of support they
have given to Monument Crisis Center.
The Center would not be possible
without community support! Located in
the Monument Corridor in Concord, our
primary mission is feeding the hungry.
As one of the largest food pantries in
two counties, we serve more than 6,500
people every month. In the last year we
distributed enough groceries to families to
make approximately one million meals.
Our programs serve hundreds of
seniors, families and youth through fam-
ily law, ESL classes, tutoring, employment
and health workshops, referrals, and an
annual Holiday Adopt a Family program.
Please join us to celebrate and sup-
port the good work and people that make
our programs possible. Tickets, $75.
Please call the center at 925-825-7751 or
visit monumentcrisiscenter.org for more
information. Heartfelt Gala Thursday,
February 3, Concord Hilton, 5-9 p.m.
Crisis Center Gala
Submit your story and photos to us
on our website:www.ourcommunityfocus.com
or call 925-335-NEWS. Deadline is January 14th
We want to hear from you.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 1� January �011
COrKS anD FOrKS
Pair upWith La Sommelierre Maria Terry
Garbanzo Bean Chicken StewINGREDIENTS
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
breasts, 2” dice
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions
2 large garlic cloves
½ tsp. ground ginger
1½ tbsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and
drained
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Sauté diced chicken and onion in
butter and olive oil until chicken is
cooked through and onion is soft,
seasoning with salt and pepper. Add
the garlic, spices and pepper flake.
Pour in broth and add beans. Sim-
mer until chicken is tender. Mix
cilantro and garlic together and add
as garnish to each dish when served.
Yield: one big pot of stew, about 6-8
people
Pimento Cheese Ball
INGREDIENTS
1 jar (5 oz.) pimientos, with juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1 lb. med-sharp or sharp Cheddar
cheese, grated
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Combine pimientos, juice and mayo
and mix thoroughly. Mix in cheese
and then nuts. Season to taste and
form into 1- cup balls or one long
log. Serve with crackers.
Yield: 4 cups
Couch Potato Comfort Kick back and take it easy as the
New Year rolls in and the flurry of
activity from the holidays is a distant
memory. This is a menu that will be
ready when you are.
Early in the day, mix up a cheese
ball and put it in the fridge. That way
when the game is on you can settle
in on the couch with a knife, crack-
ers and a cold beer. Pair this piquant
cheese ball with a brown ale. Flavors
of nuts and caramel in the beer will
echo the nuts in the dish. But ales
are not wimpy beers and will not be
overpowered by the roasted pepper
and sharp cheddar cheese.
After your cheesy snack, you
might not be too hungry for dinner.
But if you have planned ahead and
made a big pot of chicken stew, when
your appetite returns, you will be all
set. Caramelized onions and chunks
of chicken with spicy ginger, cumin
and garlic are balanced by fresh green
cilantro. Add a bit of white rice to
the bowl and you have a complete
meal. To match these flavors, the wine
needs a bit of unctuous body, moder-
ate-high acid and a little spice. A rich
Alsatian or Oregon pinot gris will fill
these requirements.
Look for a dessert that is warm
and comforting to end this evening.
If it is an evening for two, pick-up
a little apple tart or if you have a
group at home, get a whole pie. I
think sweet, cinnamon-scented apples
would be just the right flavors to end
this relaxing night. And, don’t try to
over think the pairing, go with a hot
cup of coffee.
So, go on. Pair Up!
Maria Terry is a Certified Som-
melier and Wine Educator in the San
Francisco Bay Area. www.LaSomme-
lierre.com
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 1�
SEnIOr EnVy Meet P.H. Senior Center Chef Susan yoshizaki
By Doug Kaya
Pleasant Hill Senior activities
Stretch, Balance & Coordination - Jan.10 – Mar. 7 – NEW!Improveyourflexibilityandenhancebodyawarenessinthisfunanddynamic45-minuteclass.Increasevitalitythroughbalanceandcoordinationexercises.Allfitnesslevels,withtheoptionofusingachairtoperformeachexercise.Dropin’swelcome!Instructor:DeeAssael,CertifiedPersonalTrainer.Weds.5:30pm–6:15pm.$29/Member$24/Dropin$6.Noclass:*1/17,1/24,2/14,2/21
Sunrise Stretch – NEW! – Jan - Feb. 12Wakeupandrefreshwithasoothingstretchclassthatwillhelpmobilizethosestiffjoints.Exercisescanbedonefromachairorfloormat.Bringyourownfloormat.Instructor:DeeAssael,CertifiedPersonalTrainer.Sat.8am–8:45am.$5dropinonly
Crab Feed – Jan. 28Annualfundraiser!Allyoucaneatfreshcrab,pasta,salad,garlicbreadanddessert!Don’tmissthe50/50raffleandotherchancestowin!Buyyourticketsearly,thisisasell-outevent!6pm,$35Members/$40General
Bunco – Jan. 30Potluckat4pm,Buncobeginsat5pm.Fun&friendlyatmospherewherenopriorknowledgeofthegameisnecessary!BuyyourticketattheSeniorCenter!.Jan.30,2pm-5pm.$4plusbringpotluckitemtofeed4people.
Taste of the Vine – Feb. 11Relaxfromyourweekandcasuallysiponaglassofwinewithfriends.Avarietyofredandwhitewinespluslighthorsd’oeuvreswillbeserved.Non-alcoholicbeveragesavailable.SponsoredbyTheChateau’sofPleasantHill.4pm11–6pm,$6presale/$8atthedoor
Pleasant Hill Senior Center • 233 Gregory Lane (925) 798-8788
3
36 Year MemberPleasant Hill
Chamber of Commerce
Tu as faim? Sie sind hungrig? Tienes hambre? are you hun-gry? Susan Yoshizaki and her two broth-
ers were born in Oakland and raised
in San Francisco. Susan’s uncle was a
chef at many five-star restaurants and
lived with Susan’s family in between
jobs. While her mom prepared delicious
but typical family meals like meatloaf,
spaghetti and stews, her uncle prepared
multi-entrée, gourmet French meals and
became Susan’s first culinary role model.
At twenty years of age, Susan
considered all her options but heard the
culinary world beckon. She enrolled in
a Board of Education two-year culinary
program and met another student who
would become her future husband.
Tashi Yoshizaki won Susan’s heart
and also graduated at the top of his
class. They married in 1974 and eventu-
ally took a belated honeymoon to Japan.
The couple settled in Concord, where
Susan’s mother had a home, and raised
two daughters and a son who all still live
in the area.
Susan worked for a catering com-
pany for five years. She also spent fifteen
years volunteering and was later hired
part-time at a thrift shop, managing
and training mentally-challenged staff.
She was the chef at the Concord Senior
Center for three years and has been with
the Pleasant Hill Senior Center (PHSC)
for five. Tashi was the head chef at
Kensington Assisted Living for 21 years
and the couple now operates their own
catering business. In her spare time, Su-
san baby-sits two granddaughters, knits
and sews, and plays mahjong. She enjoys
garage sales and thrift shops, where she
often finds one-of-a-kind treasures that
may be used as culinary accessories or
decorations for the PHSC or catering
business.
Since Susan and Tashi’s workdays
and hours conflict, they relish vaca-
tions, albeit short, to enjoy each other’s
company and further explore the vast
and endless culinary world. Susan loves
travel and has been to Canada, London,
Paris, and India. She would like to visit
Thailand someday as well and keeps it
on her “bucket list.”
If you haven’t experienced Susan’s
culinary skills before, come fill your
tummy at “Chef ’s Lunch” at the Pleas-
ant Hill Senior Center. Lunches take
place on most Fridays in building #2,
starting at 11:30 am with arrival prior
to11 am. In the summer, multiple salads,
breads and desserts are served. In the fall
and winter, come for soups made from
scratch, as well as breads and desserts.
The cost per person is $4.00 or $3.50 if
you use a 10-lunch pass.
Taste of the Vine in Pleasant HillMembers enjoying Taste of the Vine at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center.
Martinez Senior activities
Pancake Breakfast – Jan. 98:00–11:00a.m.$3.50adults/$2childrenunder10.Homemadecraftsforsale
Alzheimers Respite Program- AdultDayCareOpenings–TherearecurrentlytwoopeningsatourAdultDayCareprogramthatoperateseveryWednes-dayfrom10:00a.m.to4:00p.m.atour1111FerrySt.location.Atypicaldaystartswithamorningsnackandconversation,followedbyanhourofchairyogaandexerciseclass.Lunchisatnoon,followedbyafternoonactivities,whichvaryfromwalkstothepark,bingo,musicalentertainment,dancing,moviesorcrafts.Feeis$15aweekwithaninitial$20registrationfee.PleasecontactBonniePannell(925)370-8772formoreinformation.Nodrop-ins.
6th Annual Crab Feed – Saturday, Jan. 22Doorsopenat5:45p.m.Dinnerservedat6:30p.m.Wewillbeservingourfamousmarinatedcrab,gourmetsalad,pasta,garlicbread,anddessert.Complimentaryiceteaandcoffeewillbeserved.Ticketswillbesoldforwine,beer,andsoftdrinks.Proceedsfromthecrabfeedandsilentauctionwillbeusedtopainttheinteriorofourbuilding,withtheremaindergoingintoa“2011TransportationFund.”Cost:$40perperson.PurchaseticketsbyFriday,Jan.7,oruntilmaximumisreached.
Martinez Senior Center • 818 Green St. (925) 370-8770
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 16 January �011
HOME TEaM
Osterholt was a very successful head coach of the Bulldog’s program for 17-years and was a teacher
at the school as well. Photo by: Kurt Schwartz
Former Alhambra wrestler Scott
Osterholt was inducted into the Al-
hambra High School Wrestling Hall-
of-Fame on December 4th at the team’s
annual Crab Feed fundraiser. Osterholt
coached at Alhambra for over 17 years
and was a Physical Education teacher at
the school for much longer.
Osterholt was head coach of the
Bulldogs from 1985-2000. During his
tenure, he successfully coached one
North Coast Section (NCS) champion,
six NCS place winners, two CIF State
qualifiers and three league champions.
In addition, Osterholt coached five Law-
rence Miller Invitation champions and
led the Bulldogs to capture the 1997-98
DFAL team championship.
Prior to his coahcing and teaching
career, Osterholt earned NCAA Division
II All-American honors in wrestling
while at San Francisco State University.
In 1979 he was the NCAA West Region
Champion at 167 lbs. and the Far West
Conference Champion at 177 lbs. In
1988, Osterholt was invited to partici-
pate in the United States Olympic Trials
for Greco-Roman wrestling.
The Alhambra Wrestling Hall of
Fame is dedicated to past Alhambra
wrestlers, coaches and contributors who
have excelled in success of the sport
at the school. Each year a committee
selects worthy candidates based on their
accomplishments. A plaque with their
names and accomplishments is dis-
played in the team wrestling room.
Under intermittent downpours and
slippery, soggy conditions, both Falcon
squads took second place at the North
Coast Section Championships (NCS)
in November. Only two top Division
1 teams at the NCS advanced to the
CIF State Championships. Both squads
demonstrated just how important team
effort is in cross country races. With
800 meters to go and appearing behind,
the Falcon girls flew through the final
leg of the race to clinch the #2 spot for
advancement, edging out Amador Valley
in a nail-biter finish. Sophmore Kendall
Stuscavage finished first for the girls and
9th overall with a time of 18:55, followed
by senior Marissa Buckley at 19:10. Junior
Kazune Shidara finished third at 19:37,
with Parisa Broomand on her heels at
19:38. The top five were rounded off with
a tremendous performance by junior
Amelia Lowry with a time of 19:47. Other
finishers for the girls’ squad were junior
Amanda Baker and senior Jessie Reed. On
the boys’ side,
De La Salle
squeaked a
win through
the purple
storm by
a mere 11
points, how-
ever senior Jeff
Bickert claims
the Division 1
NCS indi-
vidual title in a
time of 15:50, followed closely by senior
Anthony Ortolan’s second place time
of 15:57. Third for the Falcon boys was
senior Will Holland with a time of 16:22,
followed by senior Cooper Shanks with
16:37 and freshman Parker Marson in a
time of 17:02. The final finishers for the
boys were senior Sam Smith and junior
Janskaranjit Singh.
At the CIF State Championships in
Fresno, College Park had qualified two
Falcons Fly at nCS By Dave Holland
Coach Osterholt By Chuck Nan
squads and were prepared to take on the
challenge of the 5K course. Unfortunately,
the team’s #4 runner took ill the morn-
ing of the race. Finishing 18th overall
as a team, the girls were led by Kendall
Stuscavage 19:07, Marissa Buckley 19:27,
Amelia Lowry 19:49, Kazune Shidara
20:19, Jessie Reed 20:33, and Amanda
Baker 21:21.
The boys had a terrific finish at the
state level, posting the overall top time
for a NCS boys’ squad and the third top
time in Northern California. Finishing
12th overall as a team, and having their
top three runners complete the course
in under 15:56, the boys were led by Jeff
Bickert and Anthony Ortolan in times of
15:16 and 15:30 respectively, followed by
Will Holland 15:55, Cooper Shanks 16:28,
Sam Smith 17:06, Parker Marson 17:11,
and Jaskaranjit Singh 18:13. Congratula-
tions to both College Park Cross Country
Teams for representing Pleasant Hill
impressively at the state level.
Showrooms also in Santa Clara & Milbrae
A. Lowry, J. Reed, M. Buckley, K. Stuscavage, A. Baker, K. Shidara, and P. Broomand.
A.Ortolan, W. Holland, J.Bickert, S. Smith, C.Shanks, P. Marson and J. Singh
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 17
HOME TEaM
Top Bulldog In September, Alhambra High
School’s Jared Leaf had a remarkable
323-yard game at El Molino. In Octo-
ber, Leaf added a 200-plus yard effort
to his resume with 211 at Campolindo.
He also scored the game-winning
touchdown on fourth-down. This
came just one week after he had been
selected as 2010 Homecoming King.
rutley’s Big Play Alhambra High School alumnus,
Brandon Rutley, proved he is a big-
play player in San Jose State’s 29-27
loss at New Mexico State. Very early in
the second half at Las Cruces, Rutley
caught a 75-yard touchdown pass
from quarterback Jordan LeScala and
romped to the end zone. It was Rutley’s
third play at SJSU in excess of 75-yards.
Rutley has also scored on a long run-
ning play (80-yards) and thrown a long
distance touchdown pass in his Spartan
career, thus far.
at The Helm Glad to see Mike Aboussie back in
the ranks as a head coach in the DFAL.
Aboussie led the Alhambra Lady Bull-
dogs for 13 seasons and accumulated
219 wins in that span. Now, after a
couple of years off, he is the head man
of the Bulldogs boys’ program. Abous-
sie has established himself as one of
the top-tier coaches in the area. His
girls’ teams reached the NCS playoffs
several times under his leadership. In
addition, Aboussie coached several
young ladies who proceeded to play at
“Season Ticket” Sports By Chuck Nan
2010 FaLL aLL-LEaGuE SELECTIOnSALHAMBRA BULLDOGSGirlsVolleyball: Second-Team: Jennifer Silva (Junior)Honorable Mention: Julia Miller (Junior)Water Polo: First-Team: Hannah Perkins (Senior)Honorable Mention: Melissa Billecci (Senior), Alex Manulis (Sophomore) and Lara Visser (Senior)BoysCross Country: Second-Team: Evan Quigley (Junior)FootballOffense: First-Team: Jared Leaf (Senior), Nate Schwartz (Senior), Stevie Rossi (Junior) and Trevor Davis (Senior) Second-Team: Rich Manuli (Senior) and Justin Green (Junior) Honorable Mention: Cody Zahner (Senior), Aleksei vonDisterlo (Junior), Defense: First-Team: Maurice Poyadue (Senior) and Jared Leaf (Senior)Water Polo: Second-Team: Dominic Lucido (Junior) and Evan Weiss (Senior)
COLLEGE PARK FALCONSGirlsCross Country: First-Team: Kendall Stuscavage (Sophomore), Kazune Shidara (Junior), Marrisa Buckley (Senior) and Parisa Broomand (Sopho-more) Second-Team: Amelia Lowry (Junior) and Jessica Reed (Senior)Golf: Honorable Mention: Nicole Chuhak and Kacie PowellTennis: First-Team Singles: Alina Nguyen Second-Team Singles: Gina AlvarezVolleyball: Second-Team: Tricia Quinn (Senior)Honorable Mention: Paige Brown (Senior)Water Polo: First-Team: Maggie Shoeman (Senior) and Molly Gaoiran (Senior) Second-Team: Erica DeLuca (Senior)BoysCross Country: First-Team: Jeff Bickert (Senior), Anthony Ortolan (Senior), Will Holland (Senior) and Cooper Shanks (Senior) Second-Team: Sam Smith (Senior) and Jaskaranjit Singh (Junior)Honorable Mention: Tommy Seng (Junior)FootballOffense: First-Team: Taylor Valdez (Senior) and Vince Ferrante (Senior) Second-Team: Daivon Ballard (Senior), Robbie Byers (Senior), Eric Wilhelm (Senior) and Robert Herlich (Senior) Honorable Mention: Jared Malin (Senior) and Dylan Lamb (Junior)Defense: First-Team: Oshrey Elor (Junior), Josh Levy (Sophomore), Jordan Louis (Senior) and Daivon Ballard (Senior) Second-Team: Jared Malin (Senior) and Robbie Byers (Senior)Honorable Mention: Momin Raees (Senior), Water Polo: First-Team: Drew Pitcher (Junior)
For the second consecutive year, Col-
lege Park traveled to Pleasanton to face
a much-higher seed in the NCS playoffs
and came away with upset victories in the
first-round. Last season Amador Valley was
the victim, 34-21. This year the Falcons
ambushed Foothill, 21-13 on a cold, rainy
night. Back Daivon Ballard led the way
with 105 yards on 16 attempts. His efforts
included a 15-yard touchdown burst with
0:37 seconds remaining to ice the game
and the victory.
The second-round saw the Falcons
travel to the same area, this time to face
Granada. The story of this contest would
be the big play. In the end, it was the
Matadors who would have more of them
and prevail, mainly due to the strength of
All-American George Atkinson III.
The Falcons did manage to stay in the
game through the first-half, trailing just
19-14. Uncharacteristically, it was the air
game which provided the offensive success.
The two Falcon touchdowns came on long
passes from quarterback Taylor Valdez.
The first was 68-yards to Jared Malin. The
second, a 30-yard toss to Ryan Hughes.
Atkinson doomed CP as he reached
paydirt on the first play from scrimmage
on three Granada possessions, all for 55-
yards or more in length. This included a
65-yard touchdown run on the first play
to start the second-half to break the game
open.
Atkinson had already caught two
passes for scores, one for 68-yards and one
for 55-yards. In all, Atkinson torched the
Falcons for 329 total yards of offense and
three touchdowns as Granada prevailed,
40-14.
College Park (5-7) continued to fight
in the second-half, but could muster just
five first downs as Granada held them un-
der two-yards per-carry (1.9) rushing. The
Falcons came into the game averaging 5.6
yards per attempt and 253 rushing yards
per contest. This night they came about
100-yards short of that (155).
Ballard was the leading rusher with
65-yards. Valdez was 11-for-23 passing for
160-yards. Malin had four receptions for
79-yards.
Victory then DefeatBy Chuck Nan
four-year schools.
Congratulations A big congratulations goes out to
three local preps who signed National
Letters of Intent to play at Division I
schools. Baseball ace Robert Stephenson
from Alhambra will head to the Uni-
versity of Washington. Lady Bulldog’s
softball player Jenna Krummen will
attend Santa Clara University. Emily
Vann, a Martinez resident who attends
St. Mary’s in Albany, will play hoops at
UC Davis.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage 18 January �011
You may be surprised by how
much of the “canvas” of our commu-
nity has been touched by artist and
painter, Sylvie Carr. Her murals can
be seen in various locations, includ-
ing Downtown Pleasant Hill and the
County library, as well as many of our
local schools. Her pieces range from
vivid depictions of the California
landscape to brightly colored fruits
and vegetables to Valley View Middle
School’s mascot, the jaguar.
Sylvie began her career after gradu-
ating in 1980 from the Parsons School
of Design. She worked for several years
in New York City, then moved with her
husband to Berkeley in 1985, and later
settled in Walnut Creek to raise three
daughters. In 1996 she became an art
instructor at Pleasant Hill Elementary
for 4th and 5th graders. A total of five
murals that involved student participa-
tion can be seen around the campus of
PHE, with one spanning three class-
rooms. Since then, she has worked with
hundreds of students designing and
painting murals.
Sylvie feels that “art is a great col-
laborative effort and therapeutic in its
process.” Her talent as a muralist and
her ability to work with and inspire
students led to other projects at local
schools including Fair Oaks Elemen-
tary, Valley View Middle School and
College Park High School. With the
exception of the impressive 20’ x 4’
high mural in the College Park library,
her murals at the high school always
involved the students.
When asked what project is the
most sentimental to her she said, “The
shoe mural at College Park is the most
memorable for me. I used assorted
shoes so kids would think about the di-
versity in one another.” Some students
would pose for her and she would
sketch their shoes on the spot. “I think
peace and acceptance are recurring
themes at the schools.”
Sylvie was later commissioned by
the property management of Down-
town Pleasant Hill to brighten up
many of the walls and doors around
the shopping center. Her intention was
to convey a “feeling of ownership and
belonging for the community.” When
walking around Downtown, you may
find renderings of local terrain and
landmarks just outside of Massage
Envy, for example, as well as vibrant
fruits and vegetables outside of Jamba
Juice and Sweet Tomatoes. In October
2009, Sylvie completed her 6th mural
across from the entrance of Borders,
an impressive 7’ x 6’ painting of the
Golden Gate Bridge.
When she is not teaching or partic-
ipating in local art shows, Ms. Carr can
often been seen Downtown, touching
up her murals. For more information
on Ms. Carr and to view her online art
gallery, visit: www.sylviecarr.com.
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Mural, Mural on the Wall By Jaki Jones
A section of the shoes mural at College Park High School.
Artist Sylvie Carr in front of one of the landscape murals in Downtown Pleasant Hill.
This mural next to Jamba Juice in Downtown Pleasant Hill, was a combined effort between by
Ms. Carr and several College Park students.
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2238 MORELLO AVE.PLEASANT HILL, CA 94523
n Caring Companionshipn Bathing & Dressingn Walking Assistancen Light Housekeepingn Medication Remindersn Up to 24-hour Care
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www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page 19
Dallimonti’s Restaurantitalian
1932 Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill. 925-944-5224
Dallimonti’s Italian restaurant is a multi-course, family-style dining experience, o�ering Pasta, Seafood, Steaks, Prime Rib. Full bar and
wine list. Friday night Karaoke and Saturday night live music.
www.dallimontis.com
• A Family Tradition Since 1982 • Open for Lunch & Dinner• Reservations & Take Out Available • Small Banquets Welcome
• A Touch of North Beach in your Neighborhood
Kobe Japan By Aaron Stanwell
I was excited when I received my
latest restaurant review assignment. I
love hibachi style restaurants and was
pleased to find that we have one right
here in Pleasant Hill. Kobe Japan.
There is a lot going on over there,
with many different menus and won-
derful options for both the Hibachi
style food as well as Sushi. Kobe Japan
offers an elaborate Happy Hour menu
from 4:00pm – 6:00pm daily in their
full bar. Some of the Happy Hour spe-
cials include California rolls, tempura
tuna roll, shrimp tempura, calamari
and classic onion rings. These items
range from $2.50 to $5.95.
During our visit, owners Terry
and Maggi Jiang worked hard greeting
customers and making sure everything
was just how we wanted it. Terry shared
a little of their history and their love for
the restaurant business. Their passion
for pleasing the customer was clear.
We started our hibachi style meal
with appetizers and sushi. Terry chose
our sushi and we were not disap-
pointed. The cucumber-crab sushi was
excellent, but my favorite was the tuna
special. Our hibachi chef, Rocky, was
entertaining. Knives twirled, canisters
flipped and food was flying! He even
included the classic, “smoking volcano”
of onion slices. It was as good a pres-
entation as we have ever had anywhere
and the food was excellent. I had the
steak and shrimp, my wife, the steak
and chicken. The service, atmosphere,
presentation, and prices were fantastic!
The entrée menu at Kobe Japan
is extensive with many possible meal
combinations. The key main course
choices include chicken, steak, sea bass,
lobster, shrimp, lamb and scallops. En-
trees are priced well starting at $15 up-
wards to around $38 and include soup,
salad, an appetizer, veggies, steamed
or fried rice and fresh fruit. They have
a children’s hibachi style menu as well
with prices from $12.
The traditional wine list is nice
with choices by the glass at around $6 -
$9, and bottles from $9 - $49 and there
are seventeen varieties of sake served
either hot or cold.
Oh, by the way… they do serve
what I am sure is an absolutely deli-
cious Kobe beef hamburger for $12.95.
If you like hibachi style meals,
sushi, a great happy hour at great
prices, all served right here in our own
little corner of the county, you have to
get over to Kobe Japan and enjoy the
experience. This is a perfect place to
enjoy a wonderful meal with fam-
ily and friends. Terry and Maggi are
celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the
restaurant’s opening, and are offering a
wonderful Teppanyaki special. See their
ad below.
Kobe Japan, 1918 Oak Park BlvdPleasant Hill, 94523www.kobejapanrestaurant.com 925-707-7065/7066Happy Hour Daily 4 – 6Holiday Lunch HH 11:30 – 2:30 M-FFull bar – yesTV’s with sports – yesReservations - yes
rESTauranT GuIDE
Incredible Italian Cuisine, Lovely Ambience, Friendly Service, Great Wine Selection & Reasonable Prices
716 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, 94523 • Tel: 925-682-3333
Now open 7 days a week for Lunch & Dinner
• Senior Citizen Discount 10%Mention this Ad
Monday-Saturday 11:30am-9:00pmSunday 11:30am-8:00pm• We cater all occasions
www.KobeJapanRestaurant.com
1918 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill CA 94523• 925-705-7065
Teppanyaki SpecialCome celebrate our 2nd Anniversary
With original voucher only, not valid with other o�ers
Hibachi Filet Mignon & PrawnsFOR ONLY $18.99
Monday - Thursday
Enjoy your �let mignon and hibachi prawns combo entrée, served with Onion soup, organic spring mixed salad, hibachi shrimp appetizer, hibachi vegetables, steamed rice and fresh fruit
Reservations recommended. Limited time o�er.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �0 January �011
The cycle, rhythm and balance of
women’s bodies are unique to each individ-
ual. No two are alike. Thus no two women
experience conditions such as weight gain
and hormonal matters in
the same way. Due to our
differences, it is perplexing
why women are often given
standard prescriptions and
remedies for their concerns.
Homeopathy offers
long-lasting solutions that can
restore thyroid function and
healthy weight loss solutions.
I offer several programs that
can do both. My Perfect Balance, a homeo-
pathic HCG-based weight loss program is
an excellent program that offers a struc-
tured and supportive environment for
clients who need to lose weight and keep it
off.
Here is what one client says about it:
“After several years of homeopathic treatment,
my health had returned. My thyroid had
gotten better and I didn’t need any thyroid
medication. I felt more youthful. However,
even though my thyroid was balanced, I was
still overweight. I had tried many diets and
nutrition strategies but couldn’t lose any
weight without putting it all right back on. I
read about the diet and it made sense, plus,
it was scientific. The homeopathic drops were
great. The diet was easy and I wasn’t hungry.
I learned to recognize and change emotions
that were driving me to eat
and the diet helped melt stub-
born fat. I lost ½ to 2 pounds
per day, and after 40 days I
was 28 pounds lighter.”
If you are curious about
this program, call my office
at 925-826-3858 for a free
30-minute consultation. The
next group starts Monday,
January 10. I’m looking
forward to hearing from you.
Join us to learn how to Stop Ear Infec-tions Once and For All: Homeopathy Every Day Study Group, Thurs., Jan. 20, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., Conference Room, Floor 2, 43 Quail Court, Suite 215, Walnut Creek, Natalya Golovanov, ND, and Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA) discuss common approaches to homeopathy for ear infections and strep throat in children. Fee $9.00 Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA) is a board certified homeopath (US & Canada) specializing in women’s health issues and allergies. She has a private practice in Walnut Creek.
What Can you Lose?By Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA)
Diablo Valley Oncology at the Cali-
fornia Cancer and Research Institute of
Pleasant Hill is the first and only cancer
treatment center in the East Bay that
offers cancer patients the breakthrough
benefits of real-time tumor tracking dur-
ing external beam radiation therapy. This
highly advanced technology, known as the
Calypso System—also referred to as “GPS
for the Body”—may lead to reduced side-
effects by enabling physicians to more
accurately deliver radiation to the tumor
while minimizing exposure to the sur-
rounding healthy tissue and organs.
Currently, the Calypso System is
cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Ad-
ministration (FDA) for use in radiation
therapy for the prostate and prostatic bed;
however, the technology is designed for
body-wide applications and studies are
underway for using it in oth-
er locations in the body. Like
many organs in our body,
the prostate gland is con-
stantly moving. The Calypso
System, with its “GPS for the
Body” technology, utilizes
miniature-implanted trans-
ponders (the size of a grain
of rice) to provide precise,
continuous information on
the location of the tumor during external
beam radiation therapy. Any movement
by the patient, including internal move-
ment of the tumor, may cause therapeutic
radiation treatment to miss its intended
target and hit adjacent healthy tissue. The
Calypso System provides real-time tumor
position information dur-
ing delivery of radiation,
thereby allowing physi-
cians to deliver radiation
directly to the tumor with
increased accuracy and
precision, while spar-
ing surrounding healthy
organs from radiation
exposure.
In May 2010, a clinical
study published in Urology demonstrated
that prostate cancer patients who were
treated with radiation and monitored
with the Calypso System reported signifi-
cantly reduced side effects like urinary/
bowel irritation and erectile dysfunction
than those whose radiation was not com-
plemented by Calypso.
Over the last decade, there have been
incredible technological advancements
in the field of radiation therapy. The
ability to target the tumor location with
Calypso’s “GPS for the Body” technol-
ogy further demonstrates the on-going
progress in the field of radiation therapy
today, even when compared to just a cou-
ple of years ago. Diablo Valley Oncology
is committed to providing state-of-the art
technologies such as the Calypso System
in order to improve or maintain quality of
life for our patients.
Dr Kamath is a Radiation Oncolo-gist at Diablo Valley Oncology.
GPS for the BodyBy Sachin Kamath, M.D.
PaID aDVErTOrIaL
Talking to your Parents about In-Home Care?
By Joyce & Jim Newport, Owners, Right at Home of Mt. Diablo The best time to start talking about care for a senior parent is before a crisis. Actually having that conversation is often a challenge for families. Convincing a parent or loved one to get help with the laundry or regulate medication is not easy. Almost all seniors resist care, saying they don’t need help, or they cannot afford it. In reality, they fear losing their independence – precisely what their family is trying to preserve. The best way to handle the situation is head-on, with as many family members as possible involved in the conversation. We find that it’s best to get the whole family together to talk openly and honestly about the chang-ing needs of their loved ones. It’s also important to include mom and dad in those discussions, working on solu-tions together while upholding their parents’ dignity in the process. Typically, one child in a family will lead the initiative to get some help for mom or dad, and that person is often
the eldest daughter who has been help-ing out. And that extra help has slowly
turned into a 40+ hour a week job. Home care services can provide an excellent alternative to relocation. We haven’t met a senior yet who didn’t want to stay Right at Home.
Jim and Joyce Newport opened Right at Home in Pleasant Hill in
2009. Right at Home provides caregiv-ers to help with in-home companion and personal assistance and support to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently in their own homes. Right at Home directly employs all caregiving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client’s home. For more information about our services, please visit www.rah-md.net, or call us at (925) 256-HOME (4663)
PaID aDVErTOrIaL
PaID aDVErTOrIaL
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �1
Local Hummingbirds By Susan Heckly, Lindsay Wildlife Museum
GARDENNATIVES
WWW.GARDENNATIVES.COM
DROUGHT TOLERANT ANDEASY CARE PLANTS
BRIDGEHEAD RD, MARTINEZ
(925) 818 4460WED - FRI 10AM TO 6PM
SATURDAYS 9AM TO 4PM
JUST OFF 680 (MARINA VISTA EXIT)FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO VISTA POINT
Family memberships just $55 through the end of the year. See website for full details.
1931 First Avenue, Walnut Creek CA 94597 • 925-935-1978 • www.wildlife-museum.org
Explore, Discover, and Learn!
Lindsay Wildlife MuseumConnecting people with wildlife to inspire responsibility and respect for the world we share.
· children’s classes
· holiday workshops
· birthday parties
· scout tours · family programs
Lindsay Wildlife Museum
I always enjoy talking with seasoned
gardeners about their soil. They revel in
tales of adding manure or compost reli-
giously for the past 20 years, digging it in
and turning it over. Others like to impress
upon me the benefits of double digging
and how their plants just burst from the
ground.
Call me a poster child for the lazy
generation, but the thought of spending
the next 20 years shoveling horse poop or
double digging (google it – it’s not fun)
ranks up there with root canal surgery.
My preferred approach is to forget
the amendments and build berms instead.
What’s a berm? In its simplest form it’s a
pile of dirt. However, when used creatively
in the garden they aid in shaping a unique
topography, allowing the homeowner to
showcase a wider range of plants than
otherwise possible. Berms also create
improved drainage which reduces the oc-
currence of soil borne diseases.
No special formulations or magic
ingredients are called for. I like a 2 parts
(sandy loam) to 1 part (small lava rock)
mix for most applications. Soil yards can
mix this up or they may have their own
mix ready to go. Berms should be no less
than 12” high as soil compaction over
time will reduce this by a quarter. It’s also
a good idea to scruff up the existing soil
prior building the berms as this aids with
root penetration.
The Futility of amendingBy Troy McGregor, Garden Natives
Shadow DiversBook Review by Adam Kondonijakos
Shadow Divers by Robert
Kurson tells the amazing true
story of how two dynamic
scuba divers and shipwreck
hunters literally risk their
lives to solve a decade’s old
mystery and wind up rewrit-
ing history in the process.
To many of us, World
War II was the most tragic
and costly war in history. And, with
the exception of Hawaii, it occurred
away from home in Europe and the
Pacific. What many don’t realize, how-
ever, is that German U-boats (subma-
rines) patrolled the east coast of the
United States and led many attacks
against U.S. military and commercial
vessels. One such U-boat was found
by divers John Chatterton and Richie
Kohler at the bottom of the Atlantic,
sixty miles off the coast of New Jersey.
The most amazing part is no one in
the U.S. government or Navy, Ger-
man government or Navy,
nor divers anywhere have a
record of any U-boat having
being sunk anywhere within
100 miles of the wreck site.
What follows is an
unbelievable adventure in-
volving Chatterton and Koh-
ler, along with several teams
of fellow divers, and depict-
ing what they were willing to do and
risk in order to find the true identity
of this U-boat. I do not want to give
away too many details, but know that
this story will have you racing through
each page to see what happens next
and leave you with such a great appre-
ciation for what deep sea scuba divers
do that you will both dread and wish
for the chance to be out there diving
with them.
To share your thoughts on this book or this review please email me at [email protected]
Winter is here and, believe it or not,
birds are starting to build nests already. An-
na’s Hummingbirds - named after the late
Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli - begin
nesting in January. They build small nests
made of soft plant material and spiders’
webs, with bits of lichen decorating the
outside. These materials allow the nests to
stretch as the baby hummingbirds grow, so
the fit is always just right.
Female hummingbirds build their nests
in shrubs and trees two to thirty feet above
the ground. The nest is securely attached to
a small branch or other support. It can take
up to thirty days for a female to build a nest,
with no help from the male. She lays two
tiny, white eggs the size of small jellybeans.
The eggs incubate for 16–17 days. On day
12, the babies are developed enough to
stay warm without being brooded by the
mother. Only the female incubates the eggs
and tends to the babies. Babies leave the nest
in 25–26 days. Anna’s Hummingbirds can
have two or three broods each year.
Lindsay Wildlife Museum receives
over 200 injured or orphaned humming-
birds each year for care. Many of the babies
are brought to us because their nest was
attached to a branch that was pruned.
Although the dead of winter may be a good
time to prune trees, it’s not a good time for
nesting wildlife. While it’s too late for this
year’s pruning chores, plan to get your fall
and winter pruning done in the months of
October through December.
For more information about Lindsay
Wildlife Museum and ways you can help
wildlife, visit www.wildlife-museum.org.
BOOKS In FOCuS
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �� January �011
2010 was a banner year for Payless
Painting. In the midst of a slumping
economy and a frightful outlook for
the construction industry we managed
to have one of our best years ever as an
organization. Of course I am not talking
about our bottom line but rather a more
subjective definition of success which en-
compasses how our company has reacted
to these trying times. From working
more closely as a team to improving our
processes we have made great strides
over the course of the year.
Although we may not immediately
see the economic benefits from all our
hard work, we have had recognition
from our clients, government organiza-
tions, and the media which to a small
business can be just as rewarding. Early
this year we were recognized as a Green
Business by the Bay Area Green Business
Program for our efforts to minimize our
impact on the environment. In August,
Payless Painting was featured on the
front page of the business section of
the Contra Costa Times and other local
newspapers. The article highlighted our
efforts as a small business operating in
this challenging economy.
In November, our clients nomi-
nated us for “Best Painting Company”
on the BEST of the BAY television show
on KRON 4. We are very excited about
this distinction and we couldn’t think
of a better place to film the episode
than right here in Pleasant Hill, the city
in which our company was founded in
1961 and continues to operate out of
today. JoAnne Creamer, a client of ours,
was more than gracious to open up her
home for the film crew and participate
in the shoot. We had a great time with
the filming and the whole experience
was unforgettable.
As 2010 has come and gone, Payless
Painting is excited about the opportuni-
ties that the New Year will present. We
are looking forward to celebrating our
50th anniversary in 2011 which, as an
interesting coincidence, is also the 50th
anniversary of the City of Pleasant Hill.
I can only imagine that Tom Rice, our
founder, my grandfather, and an avid
lover of Pleasant Hill, would be proud.
It’s the most
wonderful time of
the year. At least
that is what the
song says. I am not
sure this is true but
it is better than tax
time. It’s better than
my birthday because I don’t get a year
older. I have a friend whose birthday is
on Christmas. He says it stinks. Sharing
a birthday with some yo-yo at work is
one thing but sharing your birthday with
Jesus, well that’s got to be tough. Talk
about feeling like you don’t measure up.
I don’t look forward to putting up
Christmas lights. I would leave my lights
up year-round if my wife would let me.
Shoot, you hardly notice them from the
street if they’re not turned on. I tried
it one year and around Valentine’s Day
someone wrote in the dirt on my car
window, “Take down your Xmas lights!”
Later, a sign appeared in my yard that
read, “Home for Sale by Neighbor.” My
argument that it made our house easier
to find in the event of an emergency
was futile. So, up the ladder I went and
down came the lights, just in time for St.
Patrick’s Day.
I remember laying in bed on
Christmas Eve as a boy and listening for
Santa. What I heard was my Dad’s voice
from downstairs. “These directions are
stupid! I can’t get this $#@!*&% bike
together!” Ah, the sounds of Christmas. I
remember eavesdropping on my parents
talking about my uncle who always had
too much to drink, or the cousin no one
liked. Ah, the sounds of Christmas.
I don’t remember wishing stores
opened up at 4:00 am the day after
Thanksgiving so we could get a jump on
Christmas sales. If I’m up at 4:00 am the
day after Thanksgiving it’s because I’m
digging under the couch cushions for
Rolaids.
Remember the first visit to the Mall
Santa? Nothing like waiting in line for
an hour and a half only to have our
child refuse to sit on Santa’s lap. After
forcing the situation, we ended up with
that classic photo of him on Santa’s lap
screaming as if he was being pinched. My
son ran from the scene yelling, “Stranger
danger! Stranger danger!”
Yes, we had the year when the kids
played with the boxes more than the
toys. We used to keep score to make sure
each kid had the same number of gifts
because, although they could not yet
count, they intuitively knew when they
were being cheated. Now that they are
older and talking our ears off, (why were
we so happy when they learned to talk?)
they can give you a gift-by-gift recap
of Christmas ’04, the year their sibling
made out like a bandit and they felt more
cheated than Elin Woods.
Honestly…I love Christmas. I love
the lights and I love the sales. I love my
drunken uncle and I love that my cousin
moved out of state. I love the fact that
everyone gets along and wishes each other
well. I love the gifts and the food and the
family gatherings. I love my family and
yours. Hey! Maybe we should do this
more often. But…that’s just how I see it.
To contact Russell, email him at [email protected].
aS ruSS SEES IT
The Sounds of Christmas By Russell Carroll
Best of the Bay in Pleasant Hill By Mathew Rice, Payless Painting
An As Russ Sees it Classic
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page ��
Happy New Year! Another holiday
season passes by, life settles into winter
habits, and time seems to slow down
long enough to take
stock of our lives. New
Year’s resolutions are
made - some wicked
strong and some a bit
tentative - but at least
we are getting them
into our consciousness. That can’t be
bad, right? Being kinder in traffic is
one, or perhaps brushing the cat more
and remembering to get the flea stuff
on regularly. Shedding a few of those
holiday pounds, reading to the kids
more and quitting tobacco reliance have
probably crossed a mind or two. My
resolution is usually less sugar. Whatever
IT is, remember to go easy on yourself
if you back slide. Studies show that the
more blindly, single-minded effort you
put into losing a habit, the more likely
you are to fail. Whatever the case is, get
back on that horse.
Fortunately, we have awesome
farmers’ markets around with incred-
ibly hard working and just plain nice
farmers hanging out, rain or shine, wait-
ing for us to procure yummy, seasonal
produce. January brings an amazing
collection of citrus fruits: blood oranges,
tangelos, Satsuma mandarins, Cara Cara
oranges, pomelos, Buddha Hand citron,
the list goes on. Also you’ll find crunchy
sweet broccoli, creamy cauliflower,
greens of all kinds, peppery mustard
and arugula, rainbow hued beets, chard,
and whatever your beautiful heart
desires. These are all “tools” that make it
easier to get to the task at hand.
As per my usual rant, exercise is
key to any fitness goal. Walking is the
easiest, cheapest and most flexible plan,
plus you get to be outside devouring
our amazing landscape and inhaling
crisp, cold air into holiday weary lungs.
Next up the rung is a good bone-build-
ing, weight-bearing exercise routine.
Personally, I am a workout class junkie.
There is almost nothing better than
getting into the groove with madly
jumping people and loud music. Ever
tried Zumba? Now is the time and
there are great places in Pleasant Hill to
try classes. Step It Up Studios and the
resolutions and Citrus Fruit Fruition! By Lesley Stiles
THE GarDEn
YMCA come quickly to mind and are
my personal favorites. Whatever kind of
exercise excites you, seize the moment
and start working those jeans again.
Here’s to a New Year filled with all
the love, peace, compassion and pros-
perity you can take!
Lesley Stiles is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, sustain-able caterer and school garden edu-cator. Contact Lesley at [email protected], www.lesleystiles.blogspot.com and visit her new website: www.lesleystilesfoods.com.
Black Eyed Peas w/ Sweet Potatoes, Greens and Winter Squash
Drain soaking water from peas and cover with fresh water. Bring to a hard boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until peas are soft and tender. Drain liquid and set aside. In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat olive oil adding onions and garlic and sauté about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and winter squash. Sauté for 5 minutes and add cooked peas, cumin and stock. Let simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add greens and cilantro and season to tastes with salt and pepper. The heat of the stew will cook the greens and the cilantro sufficiently melding the Southern flavors together with the beans. Serves 8.
2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked for 3 to 6 hours in cold water2 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, chopped1 orange sweet potato, chopped2 cups cubed winter squash2 cups washed and chopped
winter greens2 tablespoons freshly toasted and ground cumin2 cups vegetable or chicken stock1 bunch cilantro washed and choppedSea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Ingredients:
Directions:
A long standing tradition in our family of creating good luck for the New Year has always been a nice pot of black eyed peas to eat on New Years Day, accompanied by bubbly and our good friends!
The Farmers’ Market Lovers’ Calendar for 2011 is now available for sale! Chef Lesley Stiles, from Creative Catering, and artist Dave Johnson, from the CC Times Produce Pro, have teamed up again to bring you 15 months of sensual, enticing recipes accompanied by ultra realistic and beautiful watercolors depicting seasonal produce from each month. A great gift for the holidays at only $16.50 per calendar. Available at Diablo Valley or Moraga farmers’ markets, Orchard Nursery, Orinda Books, The Gar-dener, or online at www.hardscratchpress.com or www.lesleystilesfoods.com.
Saturday - Kaiser Shadelands, Diablo Valley Market: 9am – 1pmSunday - Moraga Shopping Center, Moraga Farmers Market: 9am -1pmSunday - Walnut Creek on Locust St: 9am -1pmTuesday - Concord Todos Santos Park: 10am – 2pm
Orange, Satsuma & Avocado Salad
In a salad bowl combine spinach with the citrus and avocado and lightly toss. Add the feta, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and toss lightly again. Serves 4.
1 pound cleaned baby spinach 2 oranges, peeled and sliced4 Satsuma mandarins, peeled and sectioned1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
½ cup crumbled feta2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegarKosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Ingredients:
Directions:
Farmers’ Market Calendar
year round Farmers’ Markets
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �� January �011
“This is the year! I’m going to do
it! I’m going to follow through on my
New Year’s resolution to get in shape….
no matter how badly it hurts!” Unfor-
tunately, because many of us tend to
over extend ourselves during the first
week of January, our positive energy and
enthusiasm become quickly dampened
by sore muscles or injuries. Eventually we
stop working out. Then there is the guilt
associated with not accomplishing our
resolutions. In the long run, our philoso-
phy of “No pain, no gain” has not served
us well.
Make 2011 the year you accomplish
your resolution of becoming fit and pain
free. You can do this by embracing the
philosophy of “No pain, BIG gain.” It’s the
perfect way to break the old patterns and
start fresh. What’s the key to “No pain,
big gain”? Start slowly and build a solid
foundation of healthy body mechanics.
You can be successful this year! Here
are some tips to help you accomplish
your goals:
Build a solid foundation of good
technique and healthy body mechanics.
This enables you to attain fast results
while simultaneously preventing injury.
Start slowly and work steadily. This
enables your body to become strong,
flexible and prepared to accomplish your
fitness goals.
Remember that there is always to-
morrow. You don’t have to hit that fitness
goal before the gym closes tonight.
Find a good teacher or mentor.
Working out with someone well qualified
makes a huge difference in helping you
start and stay on the path to long-term
success.
Taking the time on the front end to
establish a healthy foundation goes a long
way to keeping you on track. When you
are injury free and still going strong in
April, June, December and beyond, you
will be so glad you gave your body the
time it needed to catch up with your as-
piring mind. 2011 will be your best fitness
year yet!
Tonya Marie Amos danced pro-fessionally in New York for 15 years before opening her studio, Aspire Pilates Center, in 2006. She is a fully certified Pilates instructor with over 1000 hours of training. For more information, please call (925) 680-4400 or go to www.AspirePilatesCenter.com.
Contra Costa has another BIG
LOSER! In one year, Lisa has lost over
100 pounds, which is about 38% of her
body weight. As Lisa lost weight, she
gained money - her total winnings from
Weight Loss Center (WLC) equal over
$500!
Lisa doesn’t believe diets are re-
alistic. How does she know? Well, she
has tried plenty. What happened? Lisa
explains, “Life happened and as soon as I
began eating “real food” again the weight
came back - and then some!” But for the
first time, Lisa has started to SHRINK
for good! Oversized shirts have been
replaced with fitted tops and pants with
belts, and her face is radiant!
Lisa goes on the say that “the WLC
meetings are all about health, nutrition
and science. This program is very realis-
tic and provides excellent information.
You even get a total wellness evaluation
Lisa Hanna is a new WomanBy Tricia Hann
so you know what your body requires
- what is right for you as an individual.”
Here are some healthy tips that Lisa
and the Weight Loss Challengers follow:
• Be sure to have enough protein, fiber
and water every day (as well as fruits
and veggies). You will definitely not go
hungry.
• Do NOT skip breakfast; it is your most
important meal.
• Keep a food log. It’s very important and
it’s a wonderful asset because it helps you
recognize what works and what doesn’t.
If your energy level drops during the day,
you will see it as a result of what you ate.
The Weight Loss Challenge coaches say,
“You bite it, you write it!”
• Exercise and get plenty of rest.
• Be kind to yourself. If you hit a bump
on your weight-loss path, just keep going
forward and regain focus. Call and talk
it through with your coach; you’ll feel
better and you will do better.
• Enjoy it! The groups are caring and sup-
portive and the coach makes things fun.
For more information and to register for the January Weight Loss Challenge, call Tricia at 925-798-1474. Tricia is a Weight Loss Challenge Team Member.
Lisa Hanna Before Lisa Hanna After
Keep your new year’s Fitness resolutions
By Tonya Marie Amos
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page ��
The Benefits of KeratinBy Monica Smith and Michelle Christensen
Headways Hair Salon is bring-
ing Martinez into the 21st century by
introducing clients to the Keratin Com-
plex Smoothing Therapy by Coppola.
Do you have frizzy, curly, unruly
hair? Keratin Complex Smoothing
Therapy is a revolutionary smoothing
system that infuses the highest quality
of keratin deep into the hair cuticle,
reducing up to ninety-five percent of
frizz and curl, leaving the hair smooth,
shiny and luxurious! Unlike other
salon services, the more you treat your
hair, the healthier it becomes. With
each treatment, the build up of keratin
makes the hair smoother and silkier,
straighter and shinier, easier and faster
to blow-dry and close to being “mainte-
nance free”!
“Keratin Complex changed my life...
I finally have ‘normal’ hair! It is won-
derful! I love it!” Mary Mize-Headways
client.
Keratin Complex Smoothing
Therapy encases the hair follicle with
a keratinous bond to promote heal-
ing, block the effects of humidity and
prevent environmental toxins from
entering the hair. It is gentle enough
to use on all hair types: color treated,
chemically processed, bleached or
highlighted. Results typically last 3 to 5
months depending on hair type.
The innovative team of stylists
at Headways Hair Salon located at
727 Main Street in Martinez has been
specially trained in the Keratin Com-
plex Smoothing Therapy by Coppola
methods. Call for your free consulta-
tion today 925-228-8563 and feel the
difference this incredible smoothing
system can do for you!
The Pleasant Hill Lions Club partici-
pated in the “Veteran’s Day Celebration
Outreach” at the Pleasant Hill Commu-
nity Center on November 11, 2010. As
a co-sponsor of the event, we provided
and served over 300 free breakfasts to our
veterans, their families and event partici-
pants. Cub Scout Pack 405 helped us with
the breakfast, and we definitely appreci-
ated their assistance!
On December 8, 2010, we served
hamburgers and hot dogs and also
sponsored one of the family activities at
the Annual Pleasant Hill Holiday Festival
at the Pleasant Hill Community Center.
All funds raised were donated back to the
community.
Continuing the holiday theme, we
served a holiday luncheon on Decem-
ber 13, 2010, to the clients of the Diablo
Valley Blind Center located in Pittsburg.
We support this Blind Center as well as
the Center for the Visually Impaired in
Oakland.
Coming up on Friday, January 21,
2011, is the Club’s largest fundraiser of the
year – the 38th Annual Crab Feed. Enjoy
all the crab, pasta, salad and bread you
can eat! There is also a raffle, silent auc-
tion, dancing and a $400 cash door prize!
This event usually sells out. For tickets,
call Don Flaskerud at 925-676-5859. The
ticket price of $45 includes the dinner and
dancing.
If you want to learn more about
and/or join the Pleasant Hill Lions Club,
call Ken Wombacher at
925-687-0858.
new Board PH rec Park At the Pleasant Hill Recreation &
Park District Board of Directors meet-
ing on December 2, the Board welcomed
newly-elected Board member Bobby
Glover and expressed appreciation to Joe
Hurd for his three years of service on the
Board. Also congratulated on their reelec-
tion in November were Sandra Bonato
and Cecile Shepard.
Growing up in Pleasant Hill, Bobby
Glover attended Valley View Middle
School, College Park High, and Diablo
Valley College. As a child he played in the
park district’s youth basketball leagues
and when he was a teenager, he worked
part time for the District’s youth sports
programs.
In 2009, he volunteered to help pass
Measure E. Glover now works as Execu-
tive Director of the Building Industry
Association of the Bay Area. He has
experience serving on the Martinez
Planning Commission, the Contra Costa
County Workforce Investment Board,
and numerous other local and regional
committees.
He and his wife Stacey (who also
grew up in Pleasant Hill) are looking
forward to starting a family here. They
believe in the value of recreation, and are
dedicated to preserving the parks and
programs for the benefit of all Pleasant
Hill residents for generations to come.
At the Board meeting on December
2, the new Board officers were selected
for the coming year. Bobby Glover was
nominated and elected to serve as Board
Secretary. Sandra Bonato will serve as
Chair, Dennis Donaghu will serve as
Vice Chair and Sherry Sterrett and Cecile
Shepard, as members.
Board meetings are held on the sec-
ond and fourth Thursdays of each month
at 7 pm at the Park District Administra-
tion office, 147 Gregory Lane. The public
is welcome to attend.
P.H. Lions, Busy as usual
Fitness has never been easier! Pleas-
ant Hill Recreation & Park District
has a variety of Yoga, Pilates,
Qigong, Karate, and
Jazzercise classes con-
veniently offered at the
Winslow Center.
This spacious
building on the corner
of Taylor Boulevard
and Pleasant Hill Road
has plenty of parking and is
located very close to home. The
upper-level Assembly room is big and in-
viting with beautiful views of Mt. Diablo
and Mangini Farms. It’s the perfect place
for a great workout.
Jazzercise classes are
held from 9-10am on Mon-
days, Wednesdays, Fridays
and Saturdays, and eve-
nings Mondays through
Thursdays 5:30-6:30. On
Thursday mornings, a
new Pilates Mat Class is
offered at 10:30am. Hatha
Yoga and Sugi (gentle) Yoga are
also available. Check the Spare Time
Spotlight at www.pleasanthillrec.com and
choose a class that fits your schedule.
Get Fit
County Clerk Steve Weir swearing in the newly elected (and re-elected) Board Members: Bobby Glover, Cecile Shepard and Sandra Bonato.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �6 January �011
1/8 & 1/12 – S.T.A.G.E. Troupe Audi-tions- You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown- A heartwarming classic, March 25–April 3. For auditions prepare a two-minute up-beat song and be ready to move on stage. Call 682-0896 for an audition appoint-ment. Medical waiver must be completed prior to participation. Tech Week: March 18–March 20. For fees and information visit: www.pleasanthillrec.com.
1/12 - WIN-WIN-WIN! Start the new year doing something good for yourself, your health and your community! Join us at an upcoming information meeting at 7PM @ the Pleasant Hill City Hall – 100 Gregory Ln. or call Project Coor., Karen Leffler at 925-323-2996. Join our team fundraising adventure “HIKE FOR SHEL-TER – Conquer The Canyon®” to benefit SHELTER, Inc. of CCC. Your reward is an expense paid trip to The Grand Canyon April 28-May 1 with a one day guided hike! All abilities welcome! Training begins in January! www.conquerthecan-yon.com/SHELTER.htm or email [email protected]
1/21 - Pleasant Hill Lions Club 38th Annual Crab Feed- No Host Bar @6 pm, Dinner @7:30 followed by music and dancing. Dinner includes all-you-can-eat crab, pasta, salad and french bread.$45 includes dinner, dancing, donation and chance to win a $400 CASH door prize! All proceeds benefit the community. Tickets available by calling Phil Madruga (925) 933-8061 or Matt Maksel (925) 682-3841 -- evenings only, please. PH Com-munity Center, 320 Civic Dr.
1/24 – Hot Cocoa and S’mores Camp- One day of winter fun and a little cooking. We’ll also include cooking brownies in a cup, crafts and games. For ages 4-11 years. 9am-3pm, $18 / $17 for Mtz. Residents. Nancy Boyd Park, 90 Church St. Contact Mtz Rec at 925-372-3510.
1/29 – 1st Annual Alhambra Bulldogs Adult 6v6 Soccer Tournament- Raise money for Alhambra High School Mens Soccer. Registration is $25 pp. Teams of at least 7 players, including goalkeepers. 20-30 minute games, prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Rain or shine! For more info contact Mark Eitelegeorge at 917-1437 or 229-4424 or visit: leaguelineup.com/wel-come.asp?url=ahsdogs.
EVENTS
AT THE LIBRARYIn Martinez: 1/10 - Free and Low Cost Job Training. Do you need to improve your skills to get the job you want? Come to this free workshop to learn about free and low-cost job training programs available in Contra Costa County. The workshop is presented by Opportunity Junction, a nonprofit organization. 6:30pm – 7:30pm. Contact: 925-335-9425.
1/11, 18 & 25 (Tuesdays) Mother Goose Time. This fun storytime is tailored for the youngest crowd. Let your child develop early literacy skills naturally, as we share songs and rhymes, bounces and tickles, and simple stories. A simple craft follows the storytime. Come join us for this light-hearted story hour just for tots. 11:30am-12:15pm. Contact: Ruth Boyer, 925-335-9425.
In Pleasant Hill:1/5 – Mother Goose Time. This fun story time is tailored for the youngest crowd. Let your child develop early literacy skills
2/5- College Park’s Athletic Booster’s 21st Annual Crab Feed- Live and Silent Auction and Dancing at the PH Com-munity Center, 320 Civic Dr. $50 pp 6pm-Midnight. Act now while tickets still available. Must be 21 or older to at-tend. Tickets must be made in advance at http://Collegepark.revtrak.net/tek9.asp.
2/11 - My Little Sweetheart Valentine Dinner & Dance Party- 6–7:30 pm. PH Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill. (2–10 yrs) (Boys / Girls with Parent(s)) Treat your little sweethearts to dinner and dancing as you celebrate Val-entine’s Day. Includes pasta, salad, bread, and dessert. Children under two years welcome. $10 pp. Reservations req. Call (925) 682-0896 or visit: www.pleasanthill-rec.com.
2/26 - Pleasant Hill Dolfins Crab Feed- No Host Bar 6:30 pm; Dinner 7:30 pm: Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill. For details, tickets, or to donate a silent auction item, call 682-0896. $45 pp. Reservations req.
Ongoing - The Martinez Animal Hos-pital has a Kitten Adoption Program. The Cost to the new owner is our cost of vaccines & spay/neuter. www.martinezan-imalhospital.net.
Calendar
College Park at Home 1/4 Boys Basketball vs CV: 7pm1/12 Boys Wrestling vs Concord: 6pm1/14 Boys Basketball vs NG: 7pm1/18 Girls Basketball vs Berean: 7pm1/22 Boys Basketball vs Berkeley: 7pm1/25 Boys Basketball vs Concord: 7pm
Alhambra at Home1/7 Girls Basketball vs Dublin: 5:30pm1/7 Boys Basketball vs Dublin: 7pm1/11 Girls Basketball vs Acalanes: 5:30pm1/11 Boys Basketball vs Acalanes: 7pm1/24 Girls Basketball vs Dougherty 5:30pm1/24 Boys Basketball vs Dougherty: 7pm1/27 Boys Wrestling vs Acalances: 6pm
Diablo Valley College at HomeMens Basketball1/4 vs Santa Rosa: 8pm1/11 vs Modesto: 8pm1/21 vs Sacramento: 8pm1/25 vs American River: 8pm
1/8 - The Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club presents Ransom Stephens, Author of the God Patent. Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill Check-in begins at 11:30 A.M., buffet luncheon at noon, with the program following. $20 for CWC mem-bers, $25 for guests. Reserve by calling 925-934-5611.For more information visit: www.mtdiablowriters.org.
1/4 - Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club- 7 pm at the PH Community Center, 320 Civic Dr. Speaker: Keeyla Meadows on “Sustaining Spirit with Color and Whim-sy”. Guests are welcome. Contact: 925-944-4898 or visit: www.phgsc.com
CLUBS
JANUARY - NOW PLAYING
naturally, as we share songs and rhymes, bounces and tickles, and simple stories. Come join us for this light-hearted story hour just for tots up to 3 yrs. 11:15am -11:45am.
1/11 - The Green Revolution: Finding Your Place in the New Green Economy. What exactly is the “green economy”, where are the jobs, and how can you get one? This workshop answers these ques-tions and more. Learn if a green career is right for you, what type of job to target, how to get the training and experience you need, and how to get started in the new “green economy”. The presentation will be held in the Gates Computer Lab. Computer experience is not needed but space is limited. 2:00pm-4:00pm.
1/11 – January Book Club. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. Get more from your books at the Pleasant Hill Library Book Club. Meet other readers for fun en-gaged discussions. 6:30pm-7:30pm. Room A. Contact: 925-646-6434.
1/15 – Pleasant Hill Friends of the Library Meeting. Join the Friends for this mandatory meeting. 10:30am-12:30pm.
1/17 - Library closed - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1/25 - Nick Barone Puppets presents T-Rex Thunderlizard’s Wild West Revue. Join us for a musical comedy cowboy variety show of prehistoric proportions. A cast of over twenty friendly dinosaurs, dressed as cowboys, will entertain you with songs, jokes and skits. This fun-filled romp through the Wild West includes over a dozen different kinds of dinosaurs.
Comedy Of Errors by William Shakespeare (Comedy), Directed by Beth McBrienDec 03, 2010 through Dec 12, 2010, Curtain time(s): Thurs/Fri/Sat 8PM; Sun 2:30pm. Ticket Price: $10.00 - $20.00. The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separatedat birth. It displays a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities leading to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, arrests, and accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession. Produced by: Diablo Valley College, Box office: (925) 687-4445 www.dvcdrama.net, 321 Golf Club Road Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Of the Earth by Jon Tracy (Drama), Directed by Jon TracyDec 02, 2010 through Jan 30, 2011, Curtain time(s): Thurs-Sat 8PM; Sun 5PM; Wed 7PM (after 12/15). Ticket Price: $17.00 - $60.00: World Premiere. In an astonishing rise from the ashes of Troy, Of the Earth takes us on a new journey through the madness of Odysseus’s traumatized mind. In a sleek and stunning new work inspired by The Odyssey, Odysseus’s journey home begins. Original music by Brendan West. Produced by: Shotgun Players Box office: (510) 841-6500 www.shotgunplayers.org, 1901 Ashby Ave. Berkeley, CA 94703 Wondering with alice, Directed by Jerry Chirip Jan. 27 @ 7:15pm, Jan. 28 @ 9:45am & 7:15pm, Jan. 29 @ 2:15pm & 7:15pm, Jan. 30 @ 2:15pm. Tickets: $14, Youth/Seniors are $10, ($8 for January 28 @ 9:45 only) Come wander through Wonderland with a modern Alice on her first day of high school. Meet her most interesting companions as imagined by young local writers. This play is full of surprises and will delight audiences of all ages! With food fights in the “mad lunch room”, a rapping teacher, and drama in the chess club, all Alice can say is: “Weirder and Weirder!” Produced by: Lesher Center for The Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek www.poisonappleproductions.com
It is chock full of dinosaur facts and lots of fun to boot! 6:30pm-7:00pm.
LOCAL SPORTS
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �7
Thoughts on ClosuresBy Cindy Matteoni, Principal, Sequoia Elementary
Limit one per customer per visit. Price Excludes Tax. Valid only at participating locations. No cash value. Not valid with other offers or fundraisers or if copied, sold, auctioned, exchanged for payment or prohibited by law. ©2010 Cold Stone Creamery, Inc. All rights reserved.
PLU #49. Expires 02/12/2011.
Pleasant Hill Cold Stone-925 288 0388
Closing a school is an emotional ordeal no matter what the circumstances. Neigh-borhoods are tied to their schools--they are the heart of a community. Mt. Diablo Unified has undertaken this task. A com-mittee made up of teachers, administrators, parents, community members and students have been meeting for the past several months to look at a tremendous amount of data and to finalize a recommendation for school closure. No one wanted this task, but each took this on to represent the voice of the community. This has been a huge undertaking and the result will be a recom-mendation to the Board of Education. We are often asked by parents, “What can we do?” I recently held a meeting with over 40 parents who had exactly that ques-tion. My advice was to keep involved, gather information and share your feelings in a thoughtful manner with the school Board. They are the elected voice of the community and ultimately have to make this very dif-ficult decision. Our next steps are far more emotional. Once the decision is made, schools identi-fied for closure will need a period of time
to go through a grieving process. Schools identified to receive transferred students will need to prepare for the welcoming acceptance of these families. This change brings a new school population. Emotions will be high; that is to be expected. The role we play through this process as adults will be magnified by our students. We need to reassure them that this will be okay. Their educational needs will be met. They will have opportunities to meet new friends. We can either stew in anger or we can be the catalyst for positive change. The important thing to remember is that in times such as these we can either pull together or we can divide. I have great faith in the strong bonds of the Pleasant Hill community. In times of need and adversity, we have always pulled together. With this challenge, my hope is that we support all of those that will be affected by school closure. Let’s remember that when doors close, windows open. Editors Note: As of this printing, both Sequoia Elementary and Sequoia Middle are on the MDUSD school closure list.
Last September, in reaction to crush-ing State budget cuts to schools, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District assembled a School Closure Committee. This group, representing a cross-section of the district community, began the complex evalua-tion of school sites for possible closure and preparing recommendations to the Board of Education. Committee members rated each school according to seven criteria: facility condition, capacity, operations and main-tenance costs, available capacity at nearby sites, academic performance, geographic equity within the district and the possibility of moving students to better facilities. Each scenario calls for closure of a middle school and two elementary campuses to save at least $1.5 million a year. As of December 13, the committee has come up with three different school closure scenarios in order from most votes to least:1. Close Glenbrook Middle School, Silver-wood and Wren Avenue Elementary.2. Close Glenbrook Middle School, Silver-wood, and Holbrook Elementary.3. Close Sequoia Elementary and Sequoia Middle and send students to home schools. Close Monte Gardens and send resident students to Wren Avenue and Westwood. Send transfer students to home schools. If you live in the area and have children who attend Sequoia schools, option three is no doubt causing some anxiety. Something to consider:• More than 50% of Sequoia students have Pleasant Hill schools as their home schools.
• The Committee is also looking at how the closures will affect school boundaries and how those boundaries may need to change.• Construction of portables may be needed to accommodate students at some schools if Sequoia Elementary closes.• There is no guarantee that if the Pleasant Hill schools escape this round of closures, they won’t be in jeopardy in the coming years. • All three magnet schools in the District (Sequoia Elementary, Sequoia Middle and Monte Gardens Elementary) are choice schools and to lose them would be taking away a choice for the parents.• The savings from any school closure would come from principals, office manag-ers, secretaries, custodians and food serv-ices, not teachers. Closing an elementary school saves about $300,000 and a middle school saves about $700,000. • It is possible the school Board will elect to close more than 3 schools. • Sequoia schools are not elite; the schools are open to everyone via the lottery and no one is turned away based on any other criteria.• If the State takes over, they WILL balance the budget. The Board will have no voice on how this is achieved.• The chosen schools will close by fall, 2011.The Committee will forward their recom-mendations to the Board of Education in mid-January, and although the Committee will vote, the Board can come up with their own solution as they are the final decision making body. Make your voice heard and
MDuSD School Closure Committee update By Jaki Jones
consider getting involved. Write letters with constructive alternatives. Board Member contact information:Gary Eberhart, President [email protected] Whitmarsh, Vice-President [email protected]
Linda Mayo, Board Member [email protected] Dennler, Board [email protected] Cheryl Hansen, Board [email protected]
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �8 January �011
Stage DoorBy Nicole Diestler
A new year brings with it an op-
timism and steadfast commitment to
better oneself. The feeling of determina-
tion and fortitude is palpable and no one
will stop us from achieving our “resolved”
goals. According
to a recent USA
TODAY article,
the top ten New
Year’s Resolutions
are as follows:
1. Lose Weight 2.
Stop Smoking
3. Spend More Time With Family
4. Reduce Stress 5. Drink Less Alcohol
6. Go Back To School 7. Save Money
8. Manage Debt 9. Exercise
10. Volunteer To Help Others.
For the remainder of this article I
will refer to this list as “A”.
Now, being that I am a theatre artist
and educator, I would have loved to see a
list that looked a bit more like this:
1. Go To The Theatre A Least Twice A
Month 2. Become An Advocate for Edu-
cation and The Arts 3. Take An Acting
Class 4.Write A Play 5. Learn How To Do
Stage Makeup 6. Book A Trip To Tour
The World’s Stages 7. Enroll in DVC Dra-
ma’s Technical Theatre Program 8. Buy
Season Tickets To All East Bay Theatre
Companies
9. Buy That Vacant Lot and Build A New
Theatre 10. Read A Least One New Play
Each Month
For the remainder of this article I
will refer to this list as “B”.
I know that my list might not suit
everyone’s tastes. Therefore, I propose
a compromise. How about tackle
everything on both lists? Doesn’t seem
possible? Here is how you can accom-
plish it all.
First, immediately drive to your local
pharmacy and buy yourself a nicotine
patch (2A) grab your children (3A), put
on your walking shoes and take a hike
(9A) to 321 Golf Club Road. There you
THEaTrE & THE arTS
will locate Diablo Valley College (6A).
Enter the Admissions and Records Build-
ing and register for Drama112- Stage
Makeup (5B) and Drama122- Begin-
ning Acting (3B), both of which are part
of DVC’s Technical Theatre Program
(7B). In utilizing DVC, you will be SAV-
ING MONEY, which knocks off (7A).
Next, go to the Pleasant Hill Library, still
walking mind you (1A) and check out a
play (10B) and a book on tackling your
debt (8A and 4A). Speak to the friendly
librarian and offer to volunteer your time
tutoring children (10A). She will engage
you in a lively conversation about educa-
tion and the arts (2B). The conversation
will lead to an exchange of business cards;
this is when you will find out that she is
also a part-time travel agent (6B). Leave
the library and head for home (9A) and
stumble across an empty store front with
a For Sale sign posted. Call the # listed
(9B) and start dreaming up your thea-
tre’s name. Upon reaching home, kiss
your spouse (3A) and then grab your
computer, a glass of sparkling cider (5A)
and find a quite space (4A), go online
using Goodsearch.com (with Diablo
Valley College: Department Of Drama
selected as your charity of choice). Go to
Theatre Bay Area.org (1B) and click on
the tab: Search For Shows. Find the East
Bay Theatre Companies and purchase
your season tickets online (8B and 7A).
While you calmly wait for the purchases
to process, (4A) take out a sheet of paper
and begin your masterpiece (4B) (Hint:
exposition, character, plot, conflict, rising
action, objectives, climax and resolution)
Resolutions! Happy Endings! Happy New
Year!
Nicole Diestler is the Associate Pro-fessor of Acting and Directing at Diablo Valley College. Send information to [email protected]. Look for “January - now Playing” theatre listings in the Community Calen-dar located on page 26.
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �9
Letter to the EditorDo We need Two In-n-Out Burgers? As most people are aware, In-N-
Out Burger has been approved by the
city of Pleasant Hill to build on Contra
Costa Blvd, in front of Toys R Us. Are
you aware In-N-Out wants a second
restaurant just 3.3 miles south, on
North Main Street, next to
Black Angus? This second
location is planned to take
some of the pressure off
the first restaurant and is
also located in Pleasant
Hill. We’re excited about
the first location and feel the location
was well chosen although the increased
traffic is of major concern.
The proposed restaurant on North
Main Street has many problems and
has neighbors, local business owners,
and other members of the community
asking that the project be moved to a
more appropriate location. The neigh-
bors support the development of the
area but a fast food restaurant would
be a terrible choice. Community mem-
bers are concerned about the increased
traffic, fumes from idling cars, and late
night crowds, among other things.
The North Main restaurant would
be adjacent to a residential neighbor-
hood and squeezed between the Black
Angus Restaurant and Oak Park Mor-
tuary. Black Angus has been in this
location for decades. Oak Park Mortu-
ary has been owned and managed by
the same family for two generations.
In-N-Out expects 2,176
trips daily and will reduce
parking spaces for Black
Angus by 30%, accord-
ing to the latest site plan.
The drive thru que and
speaker box will be feet
from the mortuary ramp.
The nearest intersection is North
Main Street and Sunnyvale Ave at the
680 off ramp. Just south of that is the
intersection of North Main and Treat/
Geary, both of which are notorious for
horrific congestion. Both intersections
have a very poor rating of “LOS E,”
Level of Service. This rating is based
on efficiency. Intersections receive a
rating of A-F.
In-N-Out’s drive-thru will accom-
modate up to 14 cars. If you’ve visited
the restaurant in San Ramon you’ll no-
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Letters and Opinions
Letters to the Editor
tice the cars are often stacked onto the
street. Local residents fear the fumes
from idling cars.
Visit YouTube and view the vio-
lence at various In-N-Out locations on
late evenings. In-N-Out would like to
keep their store open until 1:30am.
If you wish to learn more on this pro-
posed restaurant you can review docu-
ments on the Pleasant Hill City website.
I’m sure you’ll agree that North Main
Street is a very poor location for a suc-
cessful fast-food business.
Laura Milstead
Elks Lodge 1811 Walnut Creek
hosts our veterans with guest of hon-
or retired Sergeant Mike Greenawalt,
US Army, First Class Fifth Special
Forces Green Berets. Sgt Greenawalt
was the last military personnel to leave
Viet Nam. His last moments were on
the roof top of the American Embassy
in Saigon protecting our forces under
fire as they left on helicopters. Upon
Sgt Greenawalt departure the last
soldier to leave was presented the last
American Flag flying on the embassy
roof. Picture of Sgt Greenwalt holding
the flag with Gerry Gouveia, Exalted
Ruler. Included in the evening were
active and retired military of all serv-
ices and our veterans from VA Mar-
tinez with presentation of colors by
the color guard Contra Costa County
Sheriffs Department.
What do you think of when you
hear the words jury duty? You probably
think of the summons you receive now
and then that disrupts your routine
and makes you sit and wait for hours.
But did you know that there is another
kind of jury that many county residents
actually want to join? It is the Contra
Costa Civil Grand Jury, and you can
apply to be a part of this important and
exciting work.
The Contra Costa Civil Grand Jury
is impaneled annually and comprised
of nineteen citizens who devote a year
to keeping careful watch over many
aspects of our county government. The
Grand Jury works to ensure that our
county government is acting in the best
interest of all citizens of Contra Costa
County. Investigation, critical think-
ing skills, and fact finding are the tools
of this body. Grand Jurors keep their
eyes on our education system, health
department, financial offices, and other
government functions. When our gov-
ernment does not perform effectively,
they ask the tough questions and make
the recommendations that are needed
to make a difference.
If you’ve ever suspected irrespon-
sible, unethical, or wasteful practices
in county government, you may be
interested in serving as a member of the
Grand Jury. Grand Jurors form com-
mittees, study government processes,
and issue reports which have resulted in
many positive changes.
You just may be the person Contra Cos-
ta County needs to help save taxpayer
dollars and optimize county services.
The qualifications for being a Grand Juror are:• Be a citizen of the United States, age 18 or older, and a resident of the county for at least one year.• Possess ordinary intelligence, sound judgment, and fair character.• Possess sufficient knowledge of the English language.• Have never been convicted of a felony, malfeasance, or other high crime. You must be able to devote twenty
hours a week to this effort. It is benefi-
cial to be able to work collaboratively
with other people and to feel a genuine
interest and connection to the work
involved.
To apply, you need to fill out
an application, which can be down-
loaded from the Contra Costa County
Grand Jury website (www.cc-courts.
org/grandjury).The applications for the
year 2011/2012 must be submitted by
April 15. Grand Jurors are then selected
through an interview process and lot-
tery. Previous Grand Jurors have found
this to be a very rewarding experience.
Wanted: Grand JurorsBy Julie Nilsen
Local Veteran Honored
www.ourcommunityfocus.comPage �0 January �011
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The Pleasant Hill-Martinez Soccer
Association’s U10 Elite Lightning girls
soccer team had more to celebrate than
just Thanksgiving over the weekend of
November 27-28, as they went 3-1 to win
the Tracy FC Turkey Bowl in Tracy. Game
1 against the Dublin Diamonds resulted
in a 2-0 victory as Holly Gallagher and
Chloe Creecy each banged in goals. On
Defense, Natalie Ahearn and Gabby
Darden teamed up to completely shut
down the opposition.
In game 2, the girls battled hard, but
came up on the short end of a 1-0 contest
against the Pacific FC Strikers. Defensive-
ly, Grace Shughrou and Genevieve Wiley
were all over the field to help keep the
game close. Sunday morning pitted the
girls against their closest rivals, the MDSA
Dominators from Concord. Gallagher
was back at it, scoring her second goal
of the tourney. Jaycee Armosino, Bailey
Mathews and Jessica Vinogradov turned
in big defensive efforts to help send the
game to overtime. Penalty kick goals by
Armosino, Gallagher and Lilly Walker
sealed the deal, sending the Lightning to
the final game later that day.
The championship brought the
small but scrappy Newark Extreme team.
The game was scoreless in the first half
and remained that way until Kaylee Pond
scampered through the defense and
punched it in for an exciting goal. The
celebration was short lived, however, as
the Extreme tied the game with only two
minutes left in regulation, sending the
game to another penalty kick shootout
in overtime. PK scores by Mathews, Ar-
mosino, Gallagher and Walker along with
the spectacular keeper play by Walker
ended the game, awarding the girls their
championship trophy and medals.
The team is coached by Gina Paff,
Shawn Wiley, John Nakanishi and Sarah
Paff.
Turkey Bowl WinnersBy Lisa Ahearn and Andy Armosino
Bottom row L-R: Genevieve Wiley, Kaylee Pond, Grace Shughrou, Natalie Ahearn, Jaycee Armosino, Chloe Creecy. Top row L-R: Jessica Vinogradov, Holly Gallagher, Lilly Walker, Gabrielle Darden, Bailey Matthews.Coaches: Shawn Wiley, Gina Paff, Sarah Paff, John Nakanishi (not shown in picture)
After taking first place in the PHMSA league, both Dynamite, a U1� Girls Division team and Xtreme, a U10 Girls Division team moved on to the surrounding Area � Cup in Foster City for the Section � Championships and won. Dynamite took the championship with a �-1 win over Millbrae, and Xtreme beat San Bruno 7-� to take the title. The teams representing Section � come from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Northern California. Next stop... The California State Cup, March 1�th in Garden Grove. Yes, these girls are going to Disneyland!
State Sectional Champs
Pictured L to R, Coach Mark Hood, Julia Betti, Julia Shinn, Katie Foerste, Hannah Alves, Samantha Pearson, Megan Hood, Samantha Gingrich, Sophia Lucio, Alyssa Clements and Coach Kristi Gingrich
u12 Dynamite
Overtime Decision
Hurricanes (black jersey) L-R: Lucio Santos, Gabe Guerrero, Gabriel Thurston, Diego, Santos, Nicky Butera, Nicholas Armstrong, Nicholas Forbes, Michael Garcia and Daniel Acosta (not shown). Golden Bulls, L-R: Khalil Muhammad, Dalton Mofrad, Connor Sullivan, William Berriman, Kade Shipp, Dillon Elliott, Wyatt Hammer and Kyle Garza. Coaches not pictured (Steve Elliott and Mike Hammer).
Photo submitted by Lori Garcia
u10 Extreme
The Hurricanes and the Golden Bulls, both AYSO U10 teams, arrived at the champion-ship game undefeated for the season. Proving to be a good match up, the nail biter was decided in overtime with the Hurricanes pulling out the win; �-�.
Tournament Champs
Back row: Trevor Larnach, Brian Smith, Kevin Crosno, Joe DeMers, Jeffrey Mitchell, Dominic Ceja Front row: Steven Daily, Evan Gravenmier, and William MacIver
The Christ The King 8th grade American basketball team has walked away with the Annual CTK Thanksgiving Invitational Basketball Tournament Championship trophy for the �nd year in a row. They had a tough road to travel on their way to Champion status, having to beat St. Francis of Assisi (Concord), St. Lawrence O’Toole (Oakland) and finally, St. Martin de Porres (Oakland) in the Championship game. Jeffrey Mitchell and Dominic Ceja were named to the All Tournament Team, and Joe DeMers, who averaged �� points/game, received the Tournament MVP honors. The team remains undefeated this season, including three tournament championship wins.
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Daily
Photo courtesy of Julie Hood
www.ourcommunityfocus.comJanuary �011 Page �1
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