YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 11, No. 5
Including Surrounding Communities
www.brentwoodpress.com
Clare named Citizen of the Year by Rick Lemyre Staff Writer
Gene Clare was just doing what he always does last weekend: supporting people. Still feeling the effects of a fall from his roof last December, the director of alternative education for the Liberty Union High School District nonetheless propped a pillow under his right arm to protect his shattered rib cage and, along with wife Gretchen, headed out to honor the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year (Brentwood Fine Meats) and welcome the Chamber’s new board. But before things got around to owners Bill Harris and Greg Karkas, and before the new members of the board were introduced, there was one other piece of business to take care of, and Clare heard himself announced as Brentwood’s 2009 Citizen of the Year. “We were extremely surprised, very surprised,” Clare said. “There were probably a dozen people in that room that were
Photo by Rick Lemyre
Gene and Gretchen Clare beam as they receive congratulations at his being named the 2009 Brentwood Citizen of the Year. more deserving than I am. I am humbled; honored.” Genuine humility is one of the characteristics often found in citizens of the year, as is selfless
dedication to charitable causes. In Clare’s case that would include Brentwood Rotary (he’s an eight-year member and past president), the Police Activities League
(board member), the Brentwood Youth Commission (co-founder and current board member), and the annual Community Chest Christmas Basket program (chief potato bagger). Previous honorees have also been big on education, and in Clare’s case (in addition to his current role) that means a decade as Liberty High School principal, helping to found and serve as a director for CLARO, a computerlearning charity, and providing support for A Place of Learning tutoring center. And a few citizens of the year have been active in the public sector, which in Clare’s case means being instrumental in keeping the East Bay Works job center in Brentwood, serving on the board of Tri Delta Transit, and even running for City Council in 2006. But while many of his activities mirror those of previous honorees, some of the things that qualified Clare for the honor do not. He’s provided inspiration for see Clare page 18A
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January 30, 2009
THIS WEEK
Readers get Capitol idea
Frigid temperatures didn’t deter several locals from hanging out at a certain mall in D.C. to witness a historic event.
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Grand muffed auto A car thief experienced kyper’s remorse when he restored a filched Ford to its rightful owner.
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Takin’ it to the iron
Report: downtown needs restaurants by Rick Lemyre Staff Writer
What a vibrant downtown business district might consist of has been given a little more clarity, but putting all the pieces together remains a significant challenge. A report from the consulting firm Metrovision Brokerage was delivered to the City Council Jan. 13 suggesting a number of uses the city should focus on to increase traffic in the city’s traditional business core. They include restaurants – especially those offering live music and special events – entertainment, recreational and equipment supplies, tabletop accessories such as gifts and antiques, video and computer stores, and financial services. Of those categories, restaurants will play the key role, the report says. Unique locations can successfully compete with those in other areas, and people coming to the downtown to eat or be entertained there will help
The Patriots launched an inspired comeback in the final frame of a hard-nosed game.
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INSIDE
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Prevot’s restaurant on First Street does a brisk business on Monday. A new report says the downtown area needs more such establishments to thrive. support the other uses. “The challenge facing the downtown, however, is that most of the current structures will require substantial tenant improvements and/or financial investments … because of the high cost of upgrading buildings to current fire, building, plumbing and accessibility codes and
laws,” Economic Development Director Linda Maurer wrote in the staff report accompanying the Metrovision analysis. An example, Maurer said Monday, is the recently vacated craft store on Oak Street. Its sewer line runs through the center of the building, and major work would be required to move
the line to accommodate the kitchen and bathrooms needed for a restaurant. In other cases, the challenges aren’t even known. “In some of these old buildings, we don’t even know where things are,” she said. see Report page 18A
Business ............................. 5B Calendar ..........................19B Classifieds ........................14B Cop Log ...........................15A Education ..........................8A Entertainment ................10B Food .................................12B Health & Beauty ............... 6B Milestones .......................17B Opinion ...........................14A Sports ................................. 1B WebExtras ......................... 1B
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A