ThePress 11-7-2025

Local resources available to SNAP recipients

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

Roughly 110,000 people in Contra Costa County rely on government assistance in order to be able to afford food, according to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). With the federal government shut down and President Donald Trump threatening to withhold or reduce payments for November, some families may need to turn to other resources to keep food on the table.

“For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, benefits are delayed,” a message on the CDSS website reads. “California and other states filed a lawsuit and in recent court rulings, secured a commitment from U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) to provide at least some CalFresh benefits for November. California is waiting for the USDA to provide more information on CalFresh benefits. Once USDA sends this necessary information, California will work to

Permits delaying new Discovery Bay building

By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent

Discovery Bay is waiting on permits from Contra Costa County to install its new, prefabricated office building.

The town’s Community Services District (CSD) Board voted last year to spend $4.15 million on the new modular building to house its staff, and $2.5 million on site work –paving, drainage, utilities and landscaping. The building plan’s timeline runs along with the town’s new solar project, with both being constructed on community center grounds at 1601 Discovery Bay Blvd.

Discovery Bay General Manager Dina Breitstein said the building has been completed by the manufacturer, Mobile Modular, and once the permits are approved by the county, construction can begin.

“The manufacturer will actually install the building for us, as this was a design, build,

construct project,” Breitstein said. “And we have a construction project management company overseeing things for us.”

CSD Director Ashley Porter said the new office building will be a place for staff to run its water and wastewater operations, which includes allowing public access to pay

see Building page 23A

get benefits out as quickly as possible.”

According to a Nov. 3 update, the department does not know when November benefits will be sent to recipients nor do they know the amount that will be sent out. Once CDSS receives further instruction from the federal government, they say they will work

“as quickly as possible” to distribute benefits.

To that end, the county Board of Supervisors has proclaimed a local emergency due to the federal government shutdown disrupting CalFresh funding that threatens whether 107,020 people in the county have enough food to eat. More than half of the County’s CalFresh recipients (58,861) are children and older adults. CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program (SNAP), provides critical food assistance to households and County residents.

“We recognize the hardship this creates for many in our community,” said Board chairwoman Candace Andersen, District 2 Supervisor. “The lapse in government funding for SNAP benefits not only impacts vulnerable residents who depend on food assistance but also threatens the stability of

City of Brentwood to make city fleets all electric

By Sean Tongson Correspondent

With the state requiring all public agencies to begin transitioning vehicle fleets to be zero-emission, the City of Brentwood is complying with this mandate.

Design work began earlier this year on the Fleet Electrification Project following approval from City Council. This infrastructure project will allow the city to begin adding electric vehicles to its fleet in compliance with California Executive Order N-79-20, with the added benefit of a savings in vehicle costs over time. The project, which has been in the planning phase for the past several years, is expected to save the city more than $5 million over

“ Full compliance with this order was recently postponed to 2030, so it may be some time before other agencies announce their plans to comply.

Brentwood Public Works Director Casey Wichert

20 years through reduced fuel and maintenance costs, according to Brentwood Public Works Director Casey Wichert.

“The Fleet Electrification project has a total project cost of $3.1 million; $1.9 million of that is covered by a grant from

Photo courtesy of Town of Discovery Bay

Photo courtesy of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Gift drives and letter programs can brighten the holidays in East County

By Connor Robles Correspondent

From seniors without family to celebrate with to struggling local families with children, many people in East County are short on gifts and holiday cheer. But there are many programs and drives hosted by East County cities and nonprofits that will help them – and you – celebrate the holidays with food, toys, and even letters to and from Santa.

Brentwood

The City of Brentwood is collaborating with local nonprofits such as Brentwood STRONG to create an AdoptA-Senior program. Adopters are to purchase at least $50 worth of items from a wishlist provided by the adoptee, as well as a $25 grocery gift card and a sheet of 20 Forever stamps. The goal of the program is to adopt 200 local seniors, according to its Eventbrite page. One can also donate money to the program through Brentwood STRONG; checks, with “Adopt A Senior Donor” in the memo section, can be mailed to “Brentwood Adopt-A-Senior” at 150 City Park Way, Brentwood 94513. All donations are due by Dec. 2. Registration is at www.eventbrite.com/e/brentwoods-adopt-a-seniorevent-2025-tickets-1319887562229 and

clicking the “Get Tickets” button.

Brentwood is also holding a Senior Holiday Card Campaign, in which locals can drop off handmade or store-bought holiday cards at the Brentwood Community Center dropbox (35 Oak St., Brentwood). Cards should be submitted in bundles, with a note stating the deliverer’s name and the number of cards in the bundle. Individual cards should not have names or return addresses listed on them. Cards should be dropped off no later than Dec. 8.

Brentwood has a Letter From Santa program, in which young children can receive a personalized letter from Saint Nick talking about the weather at the North Pole, the reindeer’s health, Mrs. Claus, and the elves. Register at https://anc.apm. activecommunities.com/brentwoodparksandrec/activity/search/detail/14872?onl ineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true by Dec. 9.

Starting the second week of November, the Brentwood Regional Community Chest will be collecting non-perishable food and toys in various containers located at banks, post offices, businesses, and elementary and middle schools in Brentwood, Byron, and Knightsen. ReOakley’s

Angel Tree for local seniors is just one of many local gift drives that

Photo courtesy of city of Oakley

Nonprofit to host craft fair and dinner Nov. 15 to help children with cancer

By Isaac Arriaga Correspondent

Dillon’s Dream - A World Without Cancer is hosting the Autumn Craft Fair and Harvest Feast dinner on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. to raise funds for the nonprofit organization.

The free craft fair will be open from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. selling food and locally made craft. Doors open for the Harvest Feast dinner at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger. There will also be a toy drive at the dinner, and anyone who brings a toy will get a free raffle ticket for each toy that can be used to win what organizers call “some great prizes.”

“The dinner will help us raise money to pay for our activities that we do for the kids,” said Dillon’s Dream founder Denise Rundall. “We started the nonprofit with bringing awareness, and then we realized we really need to do things for these kids.”

Walnut Creek, Sutter Sacramento, Kaiser Antioch, Kaiser Roseville, and Kaiser Oakland hospitals to help families with children staying at those hospitals.

Rundall raved about how helpful the nonprofits in Boston were. “It was amazing the support we got back there,” she said. “The first day we got there, they gave us a binder that had taxi, Uber, and food vouchers. So pretty much everything was paid for. We had an apartment for six months that was paid for, and our flights were paid for by nonprofits.”

The focus of Dillon’s Dream is to organize fun events for children with cancer to

In 2019, Rundall’s son, Dillon Rundall, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, which according to the Mayo Clinic, “is a type of cancer that begins as a growth of cells in the bones and the soft tissue around the bones”. The Rundalls started Dillon’s Dream in 2021 after nonprofit organizations helped pay for the Rundall family to go to Boston for Dillon to receive treatment.

enjoy such as petting zoos and horse riding trips. All the funds raised at the craft fair and harvest feast will go to Dillon’s Dream to continue organizing free activities, providing food vouchers, and giving gas cards to families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Dillon Rundall passed away in 2023 at the age of 19. Rundall said Dillon was involved with the organization for nine months before becoming too ill to help out. Dillon’s Dream now works with John Muir

Rundall has noticed the benefits of the Dillon’s Dream events for families with children with cancer. “We noticed our events are becoming a support for parents. We had parents talking about their experiences - that was a nice resource. That was a lot of the things I learned when Dillon was sick. It’s bringing parents together to support one another.”

To learn more about Dillon’s Dream - A World Without Cancer visit their website at: dillonsdreams.org. For tickets, visit https://dillonsdreams.simpletix.com/ . To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia

Founders of Dillon’s Dream - A World Without Cancer from left to right: Deanna and Denise Rundall.

Photo by Isaac Arriaga

‘...

and

that’s how we caught him.’

By Nicole Becchina Staff Writer

Joseph DeAngelo, more commonly known as the Golden State Killer, is one of the most notorious serial killers in United States history. His crimes, committed throughout the 1970s and 1980s, consisted of 13 known murders, 50 sexual assaults, and 120 burglaries in 11 different counties in California, including Contra Costa County. DeAngelo was caught in 2018.

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho was the lead prosecutor and secured a life sentence for DeAngelo. Now, he’s sharing his experience, and behind the scenes details that have never been revealed, in his new book, “The People vs. The Golden State Killer” (Third State Books), to be released Nov. 11.

“We had prosecutors from multiple different counties,” Ho said. “The geographical scope of this crime is simply staggering. You’re talking about over 3 million pages of police reports,endless videos, photographs, lab reports. So it was my job to sort of collate and organize all of that, as well from all of the different counties and put it together, along with a great team of other prosecutors.”

With the large number of crimes in this case compared to most that typically have one crime, the magnitude was much greater, even more so with the fact that some of the crimes happened over 40 years ago. Ho recalled flying to Los Angeles to meet with other prosecutors at one point, a city that was home to some of the most well-known murder cases, including the Menendez brothers, the Night Stalker and O.J. Simpson.

“We were about to land in L.A. and the sheer scope of the case, my breathing became shallow, my heart began to race and it just hit me, the sheer magnitude and responsibility of the case,” Ho said. “I kept repeating to myself, ‘Take care of the things that you can take care of, and the rest will take care of themselves.’ Then I would remind myself of the old proverb ‘How do you eat an elephant?, one bite at a time.’ How do you handle a case of this magnitude? One incident at a time. You piece it together.”

The Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, is used to help solve crimes using DNA evidence.

“They uploaded his DNA from the crime scenes into CODIS, which is a national database run by the FBI and there was no hit because in order to be in CODIS you have to have been convicted or arrested for a certain series of crimes,” Ho said. “He wasn’t in the system.”

Paul Holes, one of Ho’s former colleagues and a criminalist from Contra Costa County, came up with the idea of using genetic genealogy to help solve the case.

“We took some DNA from one of his crime scenes in Ventura - there was rape case - and when we did that, we converted it into a “SNIP” profile and uploaded it to one of the genealogy databases and it gave us that he was related to a distant relative,” Ho said.

A “SNIP” or a “SNP” profile is a genetic profile. When they placed the distant relative into a family tree in the ancestry database, more than 1,000 people came up. Ho said they filtered through them to see who fit the characteristics of the suspect and the various crimes. Eventually, they narrowed it down to three people.

“We followed this guy in Sacramento. And on the day that he put out his trash, we collected his trash and the last item we tested was a piece of tissue,” Ho said. “It came back to all the murders and the rapes that we had DNA on, and that’s how we caught him.”

This is called Investigative Genetic Geneaology (IGG).

DeAngelo was arrested in April 2018. Ho worked on the case for about two and a half years, with the case concluding in August 2020.

“We had witnesses that were in their 90s,” Ho said.

He said taking on this case was a bit terrifying because he felt an “immense responsibility.”

He recalled the first time he came to court.

“I show up to court and this lady who stands about maybe 4 feet 10, gray hair, thick Coke-bottled glasses, and she comes up to me with the warmest, sweetest smile and she says to me, “Hi, my name is Phyllis and I’m victim number one.””

Phyllis Henneman was the first known rape victim in Sacramento. Ho was familiar with her case.

“She was 23 when she was sexually assaulted, and here she was in her 60s,” Ho said. “When she reached out and touched my hand, we shook hands, it was as if I was reaching out to space and time. Everytime I would come to court Phyllis would be sitting there in the front row.”

Ho and Henneman would chat, and he would provide her updates about the trial. One day near the end of the case, she told him she would not be able to make it to court. She had just been diagnosed with cancer.

When it was time for the defendant’s allocution of Phyllis’ case, she also couldn’t attend.

“On Phyllis’ case she couldn’t be there because she was going through chemo, so all the other victims in the courtroom – it was a makeshift courtroom because we were in the middle of COVID; it was in the

Sacramento State Ballroom – they all stood up for Phyllis,” Ho said. “Fast-forward about two months later, we were back in the ballroom for him to receive his sentence and I looked across the room and there’s Phyllis. She has a mask on and she has this twinkle in her eye. For the first time in 40 years, she was able to obtain a measure of justice. She passed away three months later from cancer.”

After the verdict and the sentencing, Ho said he felt relief.

“I don’t feel joy because in these cases victims have had the very fabric of their lives ripped apart,” Ho said. “There’s no joy in that. There’s no joy in catching somebody. There’s just relief. That’s what I felt. That’s what I feel. When I think of the case now I only think of Phyllis and those victims.”

“The People vs. The Golden State Killer” is Ho’s first book, and he said it will include new insights of various aspects of the case.

“I wanted to really focus on the generation of law enforcement that never gave up their pursuit of the monster,” Ho said. “I also wanted to give a voice to the victims and the survivors. I hope it comes across in the book.”

Ho was born in Vietnam, came to the U.S. as a child and didn’t know English at the time. Eventually, he attended college and became a lawyer.

“I’m really proud,” Ho said. “I never thought I’d be a lawyer, never thought I’d be a prosecutor, and I definitely never thought that I would be a published author of a true crime memoir. I’m proud of the fact that we were able to put this together. I am also cognizant of the fact that there are not very many authors that come from my background and my community so I think that that is important as well to make sure that we inspire and move another generation to see the things that are possible. If you can see something that somebody else did then you realize that it’s possible and if you realize it’s possible then you can do anything.”

Ho began a book tour Nov. 6 in St. Louis. For upcoming dates and locations, including stops in the Bay Area, visit thirdstatebooks.com/en-usd/pages/events.

“I do plan to write other books,” Ho said. “I’m looking at possible other projects. I think I have a few other stories to tell.”

American Legion Auxiliary seeks financial help for girls high school program

By Isaac Arriaga Correspondent

Dolores Long, president of the Brentwood American Legion Auxiliary - Roy Frerichs Unit 202, is seeking donations to support the California Girls State program, a local program that empowers high school girls who are considering careers or have an interest in government.

Long said the program is growing and requiring more money. “The American Legion Auxiliary gives scholarships to students at our three high schools, and because we are the only Auxiliary in the local area, we have been tasked with reaching out to the greater community in Contra Costa County,” she said. “It costs anywhere from $500-$700 to send a student to the program. Since we are picking up other schools in Contra Costa County - we don’t have that kind of money.”

The program chooses one female

student in her junior year of high school to send to a weeklong seminar, from June 22-26, to learn about civics, government, and leadership. Next year’s 83rd California Girls State Session will be held in Southern California. Although the program alternates between Southern and Northern California, Sacramento State University has hosted the session for the past 25 years. With the next session being held in Southern California, Long said the Auxiliary will help offset the cost to send the delegates on a bus to the location of the seminar.

“During the week-long seminar, students set up a mock government,” Long said. “You have a president and your legislature, and you learn all about the branches of government. They write laws, they have to get everybody to support them, and they have to run it like they would if they were in the real world.”

CYBERSECURITY AND COMPLIANCE: THE NEW CORNERSTONES OF BUSINESS TRUST

By Seana Fippin, Red Box Business Solutions

In today’s digital-first world, where proposals are sent with a click and responses often vanish into silence, business leaders are asking: Why the disconnect? The answer may lie in a growing concern — trust.

C-suite executives and business owners, especially those working remotely, are navigating a landscape where cybersecurity and compliance are no longer optional — they’re foundational. The companies you engage with must not only deliver value but also align with your standards for data protection, privacy, and operational integrity.

We’re seeing a shift. The end user is becoming more cautious, more selective. They want to know: Is this vendor secure? Are they compliant? Do they take data protection seriously? If the answer is unclear, the opportunity may be lost before it begins.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence tools are being rapidly integrated into business systems, often without the proper security frameworks in place. This creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited,

especially in environments where sensitive data is handled. Without a strong Foundation IT Secure posture, even the most innovative tools can become liabilities.

Cybersecurity and compliance are now two of the greatest factors influencing business decisions. They affect everything from vendor selection to contract approvals. If your systems aren’t secure, your proposals may never make it past the inbox.

It’s time to rethink how we present ourselves in the marketplace. Security isn’t just an IT issue — it’s a business strategy. Compliance isn’t just about regulations — it’s about earning trust.

Whether you’re a startup or a seasoned enterprise, aligning your operations with cybersecurity best practices and compliance standards is no longer a luxury. It’s the new baseline.

Let’s build businesses that are not only smart — but secure.

Have questions about IT or Cybersecurity? Call the friendliest and best team in the business at (925) 513-0000 or go to www.GetRedBox.com. – Advertorial

Week

PEST TALK WITH LIBERTY

By Robert Ayres, Owner of Liberty Pest Services

THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT BED BUGS

Bed bugs are silent hitchhikers. They don’t care how clean your home is. They feed on blood, hide in cracks as thin as a credit card, and multiply quickly. Once inside, they spread before you ever see the first bite.

You can bring bed bugs home from almost anywhere. Hotels, buses, and airplanes are common sources. They hide in mattress seams, luggage racks, and seat cushions.

Used furniture and mattresses are another major problem. Even one infested chair can bring hundreds of eggs into your home. Schools, offices, and apartments also make easy transfer points, spreading bed bugs from one space to another.

Early warning signs include tiny red stains on your sheets, dark spots along mattress seams, shed skins, or a musty odor. Most store-bought sprays fail because bed bugs hide deep and resist

common chemicals. Once they settle in, only professional treatment stops them.

This is where Liberty Pest Services steps in. Our licensed technicians know how to find what you can’t see. We use professional-grade treatments and proven inspection methods to stop bed bugs at the source. We protect your home, your family, and your peace of mind.

The ugly truth is that anyone can get bed bugs. But you don’t have to fight them alone. If you’ve seen signs or want preventive protection, contact Liberty Pest Services today. We’re local, veteranowned, and committed to keeping your home safe. Freedom starts with Liberty. Call 925-628-3030 to schedule your inspection.

Pest control service for homes & businesses, Real estate inspections and termite treatments, Rodent exclusion and inspections. Licensed – Insured – Bonded. Opr#14018

Brentwood Regional Community Chest

ANNOUNCES Registration for the 2025 Holiday Food & Toy Distribution December 20 at Brentwood Elementary School

You Must Pre-Register

ID and proof of residency (phone or water bill, vehicle registration) are required.  BRCC will not share any of your personal/family information with any outside organization or agency. We use this information ONLY for holiday giving.

All registrations are held at the Brentwood Senior Center, 193 Griffith Lane

Registration dates:

Saturday, November 1st • 10:00AM - 12:00PM Monday, November 10th • 9:30AM - 10:30AM Friday, November 21st • 2:30PM - 3:30PM Thursday, December 4th • 5:30PM - 6:30PM Wednesday, December 10th • 2:00PM - 3:00PM

Maximum of 500 registrations Open to Residents from Brentwood, Byron, Knightsen and Discovery Bay ONLY.

cipients must register in advance at the Brentwood Senior Center located at 193 Griffith Lane on one of five registration dates by bringing photo ID and proof of residence. The pro gram is open to a maximum of 500 registrations. Donations will be distrubuted on Dec. 20. Businesses that wish to host a donation barrel or bin can contact Oscar Peccorini at (925) 384-2599. For more information and a list of current barrels, visit www.brcchest.org.

the holiday wish of an anonymous senior. Gifts must be purchased and dropped off at the Recreation Center by Dec. 3. For details, visit https://bit.ly/3LjWT6z.

Ronald McDonald House’s Comfort and Joy drive has a satellite drop-off location in Brentwood. Donors can send money or purchase and send “toys, basic necessities, and household goods” at https://rmhcbayarea.org/help/holidaydrive. Potential donors can email anthony.taylor@rmhcbayarea.org for more details, including the location.

The American Legion Auxillary and Operation Creekside, a Brentwood-based group that sends care packages to troops and veterans, have begun to distribute Christmas trees and wreaths to local businesses such as Dad’s Cafe, Brentwood Cafe and the Starbucks and Ace Hardware locations on Balfour Road. These wreaths and the ornaments on the trees are available for purchase on the honor system, according to one of the organizers, Dolores Long. Long explained that the rising cost of shipping care packages overseas has grown in recent years and that the ornaments and wreaths are a creative opportunity to help raise funds for it. For more information, visit https:// trooppack.org/ Oakley

The City of Oakley is hosting an Angel Tree for local seniors. Participants can go to the Oakley Recreation Center at 1250 O’Hara Ave. until Nov. 17 to pick an ornament off of the Christmas tree, listing

Oakley also has a North Pole Mailbox program, in which residents may drop off self-addressed and stamped letters to Santa at the Oakley Recreation Center or at City Hall (3231 Main St.). The Oakley Rotary Club is holding a Christmas Basket program for needy families in Oakley and Bethel Island. Registration to receive a basket will occur from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at:

• Gehringer Elementary School, 100 Simoni Ranch Road, Nov. 8

• Oakley Elementary School, 501 Norcross Lane on Nov. 15

Donors can drop off new, unwrapped toys at the following locations:

• Les Schwab Oakley, 89 Carol Lane

• Oakley City Hall, 3231 Main St.

• Shred Shed Fitness, 3675 Main St.

• Oakley Grocery Outlet, 3110 Main St.

• Skipolini’s Pizza, 3070 Main St. Monetary donations can be sent to https://bit.ly/4os9OSv.

Antioch

Similar to Brentwood, Antioch is holding a Gift-A-Senior drive, in which gift givers can purchase items on a senior’s wishlist worth $60. Registration can be found at https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/antiochrecreation/ activity/search/detail/13398?onlineSiteI d=0&from_original_cui=true. Gifts are due to the Antioch Senior Center at 415 West Second St. by Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. The Antioch barbershop called The Shop is partnering with Branches of Community Services for the latter’s 23rd annual Holiday Toy Drive. Donors can drop off new, unwrapped toys at 206 G St. until Dec. 2. More information can be found at www.instagram. com/p/DQmqIvCEozQ.

– Advertorial

Oakley City Council recognizes November as Homelessness Awareness Month

At the Oct. 28 meeting of the Oakley City Council, Mayor Shannon Shaw presented a proclamation to Jenney Robbins and Jamie Schecter from Contra Costa Health on behalf of the City Council, recognizing November as Homelessness Awareness Month.

Contra Costa Continuum of Care put together a video of real county residents sharing their journeys from housing insecurity to stability, healing, and hope. Through personal stories and striking visuals, the video challenges common myths and highlights the transformative impact of housing and community support. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=708ojMNk-WA.

Explore the toolkit from Contra Costa Health to learn, act, and celebrate the progress in Contra Costa. Access the toolkit from their Facebook page linked above.

East County business community comes together

County Supervisor Diane Burgis along with the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Discovery Bay chamber, Oakley Chamber and Antioch Chamber came together for a spook-spectacular evening at Brownstone Gardens of networking while enjoying fellowship, treats and a mega raffle at their mega mixer.

Submitted photo

Brentwood

girl starring in

‘A

Christmas Story Musical’ touring group

Eva Carreon, 11, of Brentwood is in New York City again currently rehearsing for another national Broadway tour. She has been cast as Mary Beth in A Christmas Story Musical. The tour begins in Utica, N.Y., but it doesn’t travel to California. It does, however, make several other stops to different states over the next two months. Eva is thrilled to be on another national tour. She loved being a part of the Annie national tour last year and was excited when she got the call after an extensive callback process for this show.

LMC student newspaper wins regional awards

The Los Medanos College Experience won 18 awards in the 2025 Northern Regional Publication contest of the Journalism Association of Community Col-

leges, presented at the annual regional journalism conference held Oct. 25 at San Jose State University.

The student news organization won General Excellence in the Publications Contest for its print edition published during the 2024-25 academic year.

Worship Services

In addition to the Experience staff General Excellence win, 13 current and former Experience staff members won 17 individual and team awards in a variety of writing, photography, design, and new media contests.

The full list of students who earned recognition is at https:// www.losmedanos.edu/news/lmcnews/jawards2025.aspx.

Submitted photo

REGIONAL & LOCAL

News iN Brief

DA investigating Brentwood police arrest of woman, 72, as a fatal incident

Brentwood police responded to a call on Sept. 26 at around 11 a.m., that involved a family dispute, during which Yolanda Ramirez, 72, was placed under a citizen’s arrest at the request of a family member. When officers arrived, Ramirez attempted to flee the scene. Officers detained her, and after being secured in a patrol vehicle, officers noticed she appeared to be having a medical issue, and they immediately contacted medical personnel. Ramirez was released from police custody and transported by medical personnel to a local hospital, according to a press release.

Several days later, police were notified that Ramirez was still hospitalized, her condition had worsened, and that she was not expected to survive. Ramirez was removed from life support on Oct. 3 and died the same day. Following Contra Costa County Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol, Brentwood police notified the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, which initiated an independent investigation.

The City of Brentwood is cooperating with the independent investigation. Body-worn camera and dash-camera footage will be provided in accordance with the law and the fatal incident protocol.

Police said they “cannot comment further on an active investigation or pending claim.”

Eight healthcare literacy ambassadors selected to help East County residents navigate healthcare system

East Contra Costa County residents who are struggling to navigate a complex healthcare system will soon have help with that. The recently formed Healthcare Literacy Council of Contra Costa County has selected eight Los Medanos College students to play a key role in its public education initiative by serving as Healthcare Literacy Ambassadors. They will try to answer healthcare questions from the public, according to a news release from Supervisor Diane Burgis’s office.

“The goal of this campaign is to meet people where they’re at and to help them understand the healthcare system so that

they can have better health outcomes,” said County Supervisor Diane Burgis. “The ambassadors will be out in our community helping empower people to access their healthcare system and manage their health more confidently.”

The selected ambassadors include Alyssa King, America Delgado Rivera, Andy Nguyen, Brianna Navarro Sotelo, Janine LaChaux, Monique Grant, Natalya Danila Marroquin and Valerie Macha Ramos. The eight were chosen from a competitive pool of applicants for their communication skills and passion for serving their community. Spanning academic disciplines, cultural backgrounds and life experiences, they make up a diverse cohort ready to connect with equally diverse audiences.

Each ambassador will receive comprehensive training, compensation and ongoing support to share key healthcare literacy information. Beginning in January 2026, ambassadors will deliver classes at schools, senior centers, clubs and faithbased organizations; and be at fairs, special events and on social media.

The pilot program will run through 2026 in District 3, focusing on outreach in Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood, as well as unincorporated areas of Bethel Island, Byron, Discovery Bay and Knightsen. The Council plans to expand the program countywide as its “Right Care Right Way” campaign grows. Local community organizations can request community classes from Healthcare Literacy Ambassadors at www.rightcarerightway.org/ community-classes.

For details, contact Deputy Chief of Staff Chris Toler at (925) 655-2330.

American Red Cross to host blood drives in East County

Four blood drives are scheduled for East County this month, including:

• Nov. 8, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Ebenezer Community Church, 1250 O’Hara Ave., Oakley

• Nov. 12, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at, Trilogy Vineyards Veterans Association, 1700 Trilogy Parkway, Brentwood

• Nov. 15, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at, Resurrection Ministries Lutheran Church, 1275 Fairview Ave., Brentwood

• Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Delta Valley Health Club, 160 Guthrie Lane, Brentwood

Learn more and/or join the cause by visiting the American Red Cross website. https://www.redcross.org/give-blood

Perfect Star Heating, Cooling & Electrical to host annual turkey dinner giveaway on Nov. 15

To submit a news item for this page, send it to editor@brentwoodpress.com

on Saturday, Nov. 15, to support local families during the Thanksgiving season.

This year, Perfect Star, Grocery Outlet Brentwood and Lennox Air and Praise Chapel in Concord wil provide 200 complete turkey dinners, each including a turkey and traditional side dishes, to residents in need from 10 a.m. to noon. (or until meals run out) in the Brentwood Grocery Outlet parking lot at 7610 Brentwood Blvd., according to a press release from Perfect Star.

Visitors are asked to visit the checkin tent upon arrival to receive one of 200 vouchers – one per family – for the distribution line.

Perfect Star Heating, Cooling & Electrical — recently rebranded to reflect the addition of its electrical services division — remains committed to giving back to the communities it serves, the press release stated. To that end, the company has been recognized by local residents and The Press newspaper as one of the most community-minded businesses in East Contra Costa County.

New laws help CHP take down organized retail theft operations statewide

As the holiday shopping season begins, Gov. Newsom has highlighted how California’s commitment to tackling organized retail theft statewide is showing results. Using new laws and years of state investments to combat crime, Newsom announced that this year the state’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force has made nearly 800 arrests, conducted more than 500 investigations, and recovered over 150,000 stolen goods with an estimated retail value of $8.6 million, his office said in a press release.

In September, officials conducted 41 investigations, leading to 35 arrests and the recovery of more than 2,050 assets worth over $415,000. The retail value of the stolen assets recovered was up 67.5% from the month prior.

Between October 2023 and June 2025, state-funded local law enforcement operations resulted in the arrest of 25,675 suspects and the referral of nearly 20,049 cases for prosecution, Newsom’s office said in the press release.

In the last quarter alone, law enforcement agencies recovered $40 million in stolen goods. These results drove the total amount of recovered stolen property agencies have been able to recover more than $190 million, a total increase of nearly 28%.

Two initiatives support Brentwood families who need food

Instacart has announced two initiatives to support families and help them access the foods and essentials they need, the City of Brentwood posted on its Facebook page.

1. SNAP recipients receive 50% off their next grocery order (up to a $50 discount). This offer is designed to immediately help families stretch their grocery dollars, helping them keep food on their table.

2. They’ve tripled the reach of their Community Carts program, a virtual food drive partnering with 300 food banks that allows anyone to donate the items their local food bank needs most in just a few clicks. Visit instacart.com/donate to find a list of local food banks to support.

Vasco Road safety improvements project from Walnut Boulevard to Frisk Creek Bridge

The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will begin construction of the Vasco Road safety improvements project from Walnut Boulevard to Frisk Creek Bridge.

Construction started Oct. 27 and will run through Nov. 14, barring unforeseen circumstances and weather permitting. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Drivers should expect delays of up to 10 minutes through the construction zone and consider alternative routes during working hours.

The work will occur in these phases:

• Phase 1 (through Nov. 7) from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and consist of striping removal, centerline rumble strip installation, centerline striping, and channelizer placement.

• Phase 2 (Nov. 12-14) work will occur Wednesday – Friday from 8 p.m.5 a.m. the following morning. The work includes improvements to the traffic signal lights for increased visibility at the intersections of Vasco Road and Walnut Boulevard, and Vasco Road and Camino Diablo.

Additional work on the signals may occur during the day, with minimal to no impacts to traffic expected.

This project is paid for by State Highway Safety Improvement Program funds and local road money. For more information, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/9962/ Vasco-Road-Safety-Improvements-Project--.

Brentwood city services to continue regardless of immigration status

The City of Brentwood wants to reassure residents that city services will continue to be provided to everyone, regardless of immigration status, the city said on its Facebook page. “Our commitment remains the same – to ensure that all residents and visitors feel safe and supported in our community,” the post stated.

The city also encourages anyone seeking information or assistance to access the available resource list at https:// brentwood.info/comm-message

Perfect Star Heating, Cooling & Electrical’s annual turkey dinner giveaway

RAMIREZ

This year, Long has reached out to Antioch and Concord high schools in addition to Liberty, Heritage, and Freedom high schools. The Auxiliary’s program is for girls only. However, the American Legion Post 202 offers a boys and girls state session, but girls cannot apply to both.

Long encourages girls who are juniors to talk to their career center counselors to be considered as a delegate for their school. The counselors will then assess every girl’s academic proficiency and choose 8-10 girls with scholastic merit and an interest in both community and government. Long will then interview the girls and choose one delegate and two alternates if the top delegate is unable to go. While there is no set deadline as to when students must talk to their counselors, Long suggests girls apply immediately as she will begin her

interviews in the first week of February.

Long said she is “working with these other schools to get them to reach out to their community to see what kind of fundraising (they can do). I need help. Part of what we do as American Legion Auxiliary is always about service before self. With all the programs that we

do, we would really like more community involvement.”

The goals for the girls during the week are to strengthen leadership skills, learn about the government and promote Americanism and service, Long said.

“Students benefit as they apply for college and scholarships with this prestigious accomplishment, “ she explained. “When speaking with students that have returned and even years later, as young adults, I love hearing about the experience they had and the connections they’ve made with lifelong friendships.”

To donate or host a fundraiser for the American Legion Auxiliary - Roy Frerichs Unit 202, email Long at princessdee@comcast net

Girls who want to learn more about the American Legion Auxiliary California Girls State can visit www cagirlsstate org or email Long at princessdee@ comcast net

Small enough to know all our clients and to serve them personally

That’s the mantra of Certified Accounting Services Co. owned by Marlen Rosales, CPA.

They prepare income tax returns and financial statements, do QuickBooks clean-ups, support small business CFOs, payroll, do sales tax returns, tax projections and tax research.

The advantages of doing business with them are

that they save time and stress, are extremely thorough and have a proven 99% audit-free track record.

Rosales was inspired to open the business because of her love of accounting, satisfaction of balancing books, and the desire to manage her own business. Her clients are middle-class individuals and closely-held businesses in the real estate professions.

The company opened 24 years ago in South San Francisco and eventually moved to Brentwood in 2019 to their location now at 9040

Blvd.

C. Call Certified Accounting Services at 925-392-8047 or email marlen@rosales-cpa.com to schedule an appointment. Rosales will respond to each call or email.

El Campanil Theatre

602 W. Second Street • Antioch

Entertainistry

Presented by Live Entertainment Company  Saturday, November 8 @ 6pm

All Seats: $30

Franc D’Ambrosio

with Nick Crossen

S.F.’s Favorite Phantom of the Opera in Concert with guest American Idol Alum:

Nick Crossen

Presented by El Campanil Theatre

Sunday November 9 @ 2pm

Adult: $32, Senior $29, Youth $15

Afternoon Encore Series: Andy Kars

Presented FREE by El Campanil Theatre thanks to grant from the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund Thursday, November 13 @ 1pm FREE EVENT!

Bravo Bash: Starry Night

Presented by Tutu School  Sunday, November 16

@ 9:30am, 11am & 12:30pm

Adult & Youth 13 & Up $16

Youth 12 & Under Free

Black Diamond Ballet: Nutcracker

Presented by Black Diamond Ballet December 5th - 14th

Sensory-Friendly: Sat Dec 6th @ 11am

Motown

Holiday Revue With Top Shelf Classics

Presented by El Campanil Theatre  Saturday, December 20 @ 3pm & 7pm

All Seats $32

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE & THROUGH THE BOX OFFICE @ ELCAMPANILTHEATRE.COM BOX OFFICE: (925) 757-9500

RENTAL INFORMATION: OUR VENUE IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR RECITALS, CONCERTS, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, POETRY READING, GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS, PLAYS, MUSICALS AND MANY OTHER EVENTS.

Calendar

This Week’s Events

Friday, November 7

Harvest Time No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em

Harvest Time in Brentwood presents its 50th anniversary poker tournament No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em at McCauley Estate Vineyards, 22525 Sunset Road in Brentwood. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner, and the tournament starts at 7. Tickets are $75 per player, which includes a buffet dinner from Brentwood Fine Meats, drink ticket and tournament play. There are unlimited $20 re-buys. Tournament limited to those 21 and older. For details and to buy tickets, contact Steve Gursky at sgursky@sbcglobal.net or 925-584-8708.

Saturday, November 8

Veterans Day Second Annual Parade in Brentwood

The second annual Veterans Day parade is in downtown Brentwood, followed by the first VETJAM, which will start at the conclusion of the parade. The parade will start at 9:30 a.m. at First and Birch streets and end at Maple Street. The VETJAM will be at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. and feature ‘80s and ‘90s classic rock band featuring the music of Austin Ma, and admission is free. Hot dogs and a bar will be available. For more information, call 925-354-2868.

Holiday Book Sale

Start your holiday book shopping at the Friends of the Brentwood Library book sale from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the second floor of the library, 104 Oak St. The sale will have a selection of holiday books for adults and children; educational materials and a selection of both adult books, and children’s books.

U.S. Marine Corps’

250th birthday dinner

The Delta Diablo Detachment 1155 hosts a dinner to celebrate the U.S. Marine Corps’ 250th birthday. The celebration will be at Smith’s Landing at 1 Marina Plaza in Antioch at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $90, which includes appetizers, dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and dessert. They can be purchased at www.zeffy.colm/enus/ticketing/ united-states-marine-corps-250th-birthday-dinner.

Holiday Boutique at Discovery Bay Yacht Club

The holiday boutique will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, 5871 Marina Blvd. Admission is free. There will be vendors, cocktails and lunch available.

Discover Your Roots

Discover your ancestors at this free event at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2350 Jeffery Way in Brentwood, from 9 a.m.-noon.

Whether you are just beginning or are a seasoned family history researcher, there will be displays, and family history activities for all ages, in-person help, and a chance to win a DNA kit. Learn how to leverage free research tools and methods on FamilySearch.org and affiliated websites to grow your family tree. For more information, call 925-331-0581.

Sunday, November 9

The Final Bab-A Veterans Charity Fundraiser

Hosted by the Creekside Disc Golf Club, this is a singles tournament at Creekside Park, 1010 Claremont Drive in Brentwood. Proceeds will benefit the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building. For more information and to register, visit dgscene.com/thefinalbab.

Dia De Los Muertos in Brentwood

The event will be from 2-7 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. There will be a Catrina parade, Aztec dancers, folkloric ballet, food vendors, merchandise vendors, live music, an altar contest and a Catrina contest. It’s organized by Azucar Dulces Y Algo Mas and supported by the City of Brentwood. For more information, visit https:// sf.funcheap.com/brentwoods-10th-annual-diade-los-muertos-festival

To have your event appear in the newspaper, email your events to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. To have your event online, post your event for free on The Press Community Calendar www.thepress.net/calendar.

Monday, November 10

Veterans Breakfast in Brentwood

The Veterans Breakfast is free for all veterans. It will be from 7:30-10 a.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. Pancakes, eggs, bacon and fruit will be served. For questions, call Dolores at 925-584-6712.

Veterans Appreciation Night Fundraiser

The event will take place at Hops and Grapes, 24 W. 10th St. in Antioch, from 5-10 p.m. Participants at this fundraiser presented by the Antioch Chamber Nonprofit Council and Hops and Grapes, can enjoy food and drinks and help give back to local veterans. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Delta Veterans Group. For more information, visit antiochchamber.com.

Tuesday, November 11

Oakley Veterans Day Ceremony

Join the City of Oakley in honoring veterans at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony from 11 a.m.noon in Civic Center Plaza, 3231 Main St. Those interested in participating should contact the Oakley Recreation Division at 925-625-7041. For more information, visit oakleyca.gov.

Brentwood Veterans Day Ceremony

The Brentwood Veterans Service Organization along with the city of Brentwood will host this year’s Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Park, 3841 Balfour Road, at 10:30 a.m. During the ceremony, there will be guest speakers, music, a rifle salute, a tribute to veterans, and the playing of TAPS. For more information, visit www.facebook. com/groups/1504007233250596

Veterans Day at

Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill

In honor of Veterans Day, the staff of Smith’s Landing, 1 Marina Plaza in Antioch, are saying “thank you” with a complimentary entrée from their special Veterans Day menu. This will be available to active, former and retired military. Guests should show their server proof of military service, such as Military ID cards, Veterans Affairs Cards, or Discharge papers. Dine in from a limited menu only. Beverage and gratuity are not included. To make a reservation, visit www.smithslandingantioch.com/reservations

On the Horizon

Friday, November 14

Veterans Day Game Night

The event will take place at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Hall, 500 Fairview Ave. in Brentwood. Check-in will be at 5 p.m., dinner will be at 5:30 p.m., and Texas Hold ‘Em game play will be from 7-10 p.m. There will be raffle prizes and a silent auction. Dinner and game buy-in is $70, dinner only is $25, re-buys are $25, add-ons are $50. For tickets and information, contact Richard Alward at 925-286-3291 or knights7467@gmail.com.

Saturday, November 15

Owl’s Bazaar Community Market

Mary Casey Black Elementary School’s Community Market and Owl’s Bazaar is from 8 a.m.-noon at 480 Farmington Drive in Brentwood. Browse and shop their market of more than 20 local vendors, plus families with yard sale items. There will be face painting and yard games, coffee cart and food trucks for breakfast fare. This is a family-friendly event supporting local families and businesses.

Turkey Dinner Giveaway

Hosted by Perfect Star Heating, Cooking and Electrical

The company revives its annual Turkey Dinner Giveaway to support local families during the Thanksgiving season. Perfect Star, Grocery Outlet Brentwood, Lennox Air and Praise Chapel in Concord to provide 200 complete turkey dinners, each including a turkey and traditional side dishes, to anyone in need from 10 a.m.-noon (or until

meals run out) in the Brentwood Grocery Outlet parking lot, 7610 Brentwood Blvd. Visitors should visit the check-in tent upon arrival to receive a voucher for the distribution line. There will be 200 vouchers available, one per family. For more information, visit www.perfectstarhvac.com.

Clothing and Food Drive

‘Thank you’ Barbecue

The Food Bank of Contra Costa County and Myriad Outreach Project are hosting a food and clothing drive from 3-5 p.m. at Veterans Park in Brentwood, 3841 Balfour Road. Non-perishable food (no glass jars) and clothing (new, lightly used, clean) donations will be accepted. Clothing includes coats, jackets, hoodies, gloves, socks and blankets. Food items include canned proteins, vegetables, fruit, rice, pasta, beans and peanut butter.

Free Dementia Care Training

for Families

Caring for a loved one living with dementia can be rewarding, but it also brings daily challenges. This free training helps family members build confidence, reduce stress, and create meaningful moments of connection. The training will be at the Bedford Center, 1811 C St., in Antioch, from 9 a.m.-noon. Participants will learn:

• How dementia affects memory, communication, and behavior

• Practical ways to handle common care challenges

• Tips for safety, daily routines, and engagement activities

• How to care for yourself while caring for someone else

• Local and national resources for ongoing support.

Led by dementia care professionals and certified trainers, this session blends real-life examples with easy-to-use tools that families can apply right away. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited. To reserve a spot, complete this form: https://forms.gle/uzuMHUoS4zb9Wo417

Friends of Oakley Library Fall Fiesta

The second annual fundraising dinner will take place from 6-10 p.m. at the Oakley Recreation Center, 1250 O’Hara Ave. All ages are welcome. There will be food from New Mecca Cafe, entertainment by Ballet de Folklorico de Antioch, a raffle and silent auction, and updates about the new Oakley Library and Community Center by Mayor Shannon Shaw and City Manager Joshua McMurray. All proceeds go towards the new Oakley Library and Community Center. Festive colors and attire are encouraged. Ticket prices are $70 for adults and $30 for children under 13. For more information and tickets, visit www.oakleylibrary.org. brentwoodchamber.com/events/ details/hawaiian-bingo-night-4106.

Harvest Fundraiser Dinner

A harvest feast will be at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St., at 5 p.m. There will be dinner prepared and cooked by Chef Tom Hartrick, as well as music and raffle prizes. Receive a raffle ticket for every toy you bring for the toy drive. Toys must be new. Proceeds of the evening will go to local families with children battling cancer. Adult tickets are $30 and children ages 12 years and under are $15. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6 p.m. For more information, visit dillonsdreams. org. For questions, contact Denise Rundall at dillonsdreams@gmail.com or 925-305-9993.

Saturday, December 20

Heritage High School Class of 2014 Reunion

Open to all HHS 2014 graduates with a plus one. Share an unforgettable night with former classmates at McCauley Estates Vineyard, 2525 Sunset Road, Brentwood. Follow @heritagehighschool_classof2014 on Instagram for updates.

-Sponsored

Resilient Heritage girls volleyball reach NCS title game for first time since 2013

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

The North Coast Section girls volleyball semifinal game Wednesday night didn’t start well for Heritage. But it had a perfect ending.

The Patriots rallied from an early deficit in the first set to sweep Miramonte at home 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-18) to advance to their first NCS championship game in 12 years.

Heritage will host San Marin on Saturday night, Nov. 8, at 7 in search of their first North Coast Section championship. San Marin defeated Moreau Catholic in five sets in their semifinal match.

“This is a moment in history,” senior Camy De La Chevrotiere said. She had the match-winning block along with junior Jamie Hsieh to end the match and send Heritage to the title game. “It’s really shocking, and I’m still processing it. “This is a really big thing for Heritage. We’ve worked super, super hard to get here, and it’s really paid off.”

The berth in the title game marks the first for Heritage since the Patriots fell 3-1 at San Ramon Valley in 2013.

“For me, it feels like yesterday,” Heritage head coach Janet Hannigan said. “It was a long time ago, but for me the feelings are there. That same feeling tonight of it being okay to show emotion and be excited and get choked up about it because this doesn’t happen all the time.”

Heritage’s ticket to the championship game didn’t come easily though. The Patriots not only battled back from a 9-2 deficit in the first set, Heritage battled through a back-andforth match throughout the entire night until Chevrotiere and Hsieh’s match-ending block at the net.

That block capped a match-ending 10-3 run by the Patri-

started to go wrong on the court for Heritage, it eventually snowballed and rolled the Patriots out of the playoffs. Now, Heritage has found their way to swing back at adversity in matches, especially in this postseason.

“We didn’t give up,” said junior Jaelyn Kinnaird, who finished with seven kills in the win over the Matadors. “We have that fight in us, and we just wanted to keep it going no matter what the score was.”

“We want to be the team that’s able to go farther than everyone else,” said senior Layla Peters, who recorded a teamhigh 10 kills in the win. “We’re already this far, so what’s the point of not giving our all? I think everyone’s just willing to give it their all every game. …We’ve really been working on our mental (strength and focus) and our energy when we are in those points and we just think it’s 0-0 or it’s tied to get us back up. We’ve worked on a mentality to stay focused and not let those points get to us.”

ots after both teams continued to trade blows up to 15-15 deep in the third set.

“That was a great way to finish,” Hannigan said. “It’s nice when you finish on earning a point, rather than them losing the point (on an error).”

“Being able to contribute, especially on the most important point, really made it feel impactful. It wasn’t all me, it wasn’t all for me. It was all for my team.”

Resilience has become a part of Heritage’s identity through the NCS playoffs the past few years. The Patriots have conceded just one set through the postseason – dropping the third set 25-22 against Liberty in the opening round of the playoffs. In the last few years in the playoffs, when things

Second-seed Heritage will host a fourth-seed San Marin Mustangs team that’s faced its own share of challenges as well in the playoffs.

The Mustangs travel to Brentwood for the championship game after battling through two five-set matches in the playoffs – the first in their opening round win against Freedom in a back-and-forth affair, and then in Wednesday night’s win over Moreau Catholic, battling back from a 2-1 deficit to win the last two sets to advance.

Players for Heritage, despite playing dominant in the postseason with back-to-back sweeps, say they are ready for the challenge Saturday night.

“It’s our will to win,” De La Chevrotiere said. “We want this much more than anyone, and I think our will to win and our strength to keep going and pushing really got us here.”

After Friday off, Lions refreshed for Brentwood Bowl

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

It’s not often a team gets a Friday night off in the penultimate week of the regular season, but Liberty managed to take advantage of the rest heading into Friday night’s Brentwood Bowl against cross-town rival Heritage on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at Liberty High School.

“We had a four-day practice last week to prepare for a game that didn’t happen,” Liberty head coach Mike Cable said. “We came back Monday fresh almost as if it was just normal business as scheduled.”

Liberty’s sudden off-day came last Friday morning after Antioch was forced to forfeit their game at Liberty after a social media video of an Antioch player getting what looked to be hazed by teammates went viral. The player was seen lying on the floor getting various things thrown at him like trash, water, a football helmet, and a full-size plastic bin.

“(The situation) was definitely disappointing,” Liberty senior running back Jaxon Bell said. “Just everything that went on, just seeing the stuff that they did was disappointing in itself. But not being able to play, that was just a different feeling.”

Although the Lions were looking for-

ward to taking on then-7-1 Antioch in what the Lions considered a playoff warm-up against the postseason-bound Panthers, Cable knew that not having the game was the right decision.

“Sometimes there’s things that happen in life that take bigger precedence over football, and this was one of them,” he said. “It was sad not to play,but when you look at the gravity of the situation, that supersedes any disappointment that we may have (of not playing).”

On the field, Liberty (7-2, 3-1 Bay Valley Athletic League) prepares to take on a struggling Heritage team (1-8, 1-3 BVAL) at home Friday night. Heritage enters the Brentwood

Liberty’s David Calkins Jr. works on pass rushing drills during the Lions’ practice this week.

looking the Patriots, the Lions are eager to embrace the upcoming Senior Night festivities while preparing themselves for the playoffs.

“We’re blessed to go on and play in the playoffs,” Cable said. “But for some teams, this is their last week of football, and for these seniors, this is their Senior Night, and it’s going to be the last time they play a home game at their home field. So, that takes precedence over all of it.”

Bowl on a two-game losing streak. After a last-second loss at Deer Valley last week, the Patriots’ first loss to the Wolverines since 2018.

For the Lions’ seniors Calkins Jr. and running back Jaxon Bell, Friday night’s Brentwood Bowl is not only a final tune-up before the North Coast Section postseason begins next week, it’s also a chance to end their Liberty careers undefeated against their crosstown rivals.

“Basically all of Brentwood goes to that game,” Bell said. “It’s definitely nice to whoop them.”

Liberty enters Friday night winners of two of their last three games. While not over-

He added: “A lot of these kids have been (on varsity three years) and even more so than that, they’ve grown up together. For these guys this Friday, it’s all about the time that they put in: the blood, sweat, and tears, what they’ve given to this program, and then the legacy that they’re going to leave behind for these juniors and these sophomores to follow in their footsteps.”

The game Friday night also gives the Lions a chance to achieve something that the program hasn’t done in the Cable era – finish the regular season 8-2, which would be the best regular season finish for the Lions since 2019 when they went 9-1 in the regular season. The Lions could also extend their winning streak to nine in a row against the Patriots with a win Friday night. Liberty’s last loss to Heritage came back in the 2016 season.

Heritage’s girls volleyball team celebrates their win over Miramonte in the NCS semifinals Wednesday night in Brentwood.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

Deer Valley’s football team finds itself in uncharted waters entering its regular-season finale at Freedom on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

Not only do the Wolverines (5-4, 1-3 BVAL) have a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2013 — when they went 9-1 — but they could also find themselves playing deep into November. A win against the Falcons (1-8, 0-4 Bay Valley Athletic League) on Friday night would send Deer Valley to its first playoff appearance in 12 years. No matter how Friday’s game turns out, Deer Valley will avoid a losing record for the first time since 2013.

“Our goal this season was to make the playoffs, and I think we have a very good chance to do that,” senior quarterback Adrian Masaniai said. “We’re going to lock that in this Friday.”

With the postseason within reach, first-year head coach Marcus Malu’s message to his team this week is simple.

“Finish,” he said. “That’s our mindset — just finish what we started a few months ago. They get a chance to finish and move on to the playoffs.”

Deer Valley earned playoff conten-

tion by notching its fifth win last Thursday, beating Heritage 17-15 on Senior Night in Antioch. Santiago Navarro-Berny’s school-record 45-yard field goal sealed the win, snapping a four-game losing streak and pushing the Wolverines to the brink of the North Coast Section playoffs.

“It was a big boost for our kids,”

Malu said. “The way things were going through that losing streak — we gave up a touchdown with a minute left and they went for two. We came back down with a minute left, Adrian made some throws and put us in a good situation.”

Malu said the four-game skid — losses to Roseville, Liberty, Antioch and Pittsburg — tested the team mentally, especially after starting 4-1, an unfamiliar position for the program.

“They’ve never been in that winning environment before,” Malu said. “Sometimes it’s about being accustomed to what you’re used to — and they weren’t used to that. Those four games were not easy, and mentally it wasn’t easy for them. They wanted to perform, but they’d never been in that environment. We had to go through that because it turned the team around.

“As we were losing, I told them that if this plays out right, we’re going to come out of this and make a little run — but it’s all going to depend on what we learned from it.”

For seniors like Masaniai, clinching a playoff berth would be the perfect payoff for a season defined by growth — from a hot start to weathering a mid-season slump.

“I’m hoping we can get our momentum back for the playoffs,” he said. “We’re just going to do our best to make a run, and I feel like we can with the team that we have.”

“It was pretty amazing,” Masaniai said. He was the holder for Navarro-Berny’s game-winning kick. “I was trying not to let the pressure get to me.”

Deer Valley senior quarterback Adrian Masaniai looks to pass during the team’s practice in Antioch.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

East County Elite to host girls flag football tryout and showcase

The East County Elite (ECE), girls flag football movement is hosting a tryout and showcase for athletes ages 10–17 on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Freedom High School, with the showcase game kicking off at 1:15 p.m..

Founded in 2025, ECE has quickly made a name for itself through a culture of joyful in tensity, technical precision, and Whole Athlete development. With over 50 athletes already registered for the event, the program emphasizes not just competition, but character, leadership, and team cohe sion, the grop said in a press release.

The event at 1050 Neroly Road in Oakley, will feature combinestyle drills, positional skill work, and a full-speed showcase game. ECE is also inviting neighboring clubs to send athletes for the showcase hour as part of a broader effort to unify and uplift flag football in Northern California. “We’re building something special. This isn’t about recruiting — it’s about raising the standard

and giving girls a space to lead, compete, and shine,” said Jose Sanchez, director and head coach of East County Elite. “Elite is HERe’ isn’t just a motto. It’s our culture.”

Added Justin Silva, General Manager of East County Elite. “This is about more than flag football. It’s about building something bigger — confidence, camaraderie, and a culture that empowers girls to lead with both grit and joy.”

East County Elite’s motto — ELITE IS HERe — reflects its commitment to creating spaces where female athletes are celebrated, challenged, and championed. With opportunities for elite competition, academic support, and leadership growth, ECE aims to set the gold standard for girls flag football.

The event will also feature food trucks, health and wellness vendors, and free manicures for athletes — celebrating the ‘Whole Athlete’ approach ECE champions in every facet of its programming.

Nomations have begun for the Discovery Bay Citizen, Business and Nonprofit of the year. The nomination process will remain open until Nov. 26, and the nominee finalists and open finalist voting will be announced in early December. Voting will close January 5, 2026, the town said in a press release. Winners will be announced at the State of the Town Gala January 24, 2026. This year’s gala theme is Roaring 20’s/Speakeasy.

Here are the links for voting. For Citizen: https://bit.ly/43Yi5VV For Business: https://bit.ly/47KfDU6 For Nonprofit: https://bit.ly/4nM6EYG

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Our subscribers are our shareholders, and they are the ones who we strive to make happy. We are your local news!

Undefeated East County Lions make playoffs

The East County Lions junior varsity championship division team is a win away from the Turkey Bowl championship game after defeating San Leandro on the road 32-12, extending their over all record to 10-0 on the season.

The Lions will take on Antioch’s Supreme Team on Saturday at Antioch High School with the chance to play in the Turkey Bowl on the line.

The junior varsity team, East County’s 12-and-under division, is one of the program’s seven total levels that qualified for the playoffs this year. The JV Lions went undefeated at 9-0 in the regular season in the East Bay Youth Football and Cheer’s Championship division, led by a stellar defense that allowed a division-low 26 points during the regular season, according to the East County Lions website.

Comments on the opinion piece titled Protests against President Trump? Why not Biden and Obama, too?

Published in the October 24 edition of The Press

“As far as I remember there were huge protests against both Biden and Obama.. Especially Biden for arming and supporting the genocide in Palestine.”

— Frank Sterling, Facebook

“Maybe because neither of them had convictions of 34 felonies and sexual assault or wanted to starve people or had the White House desecrated or lusted after their daughter or was accused of raping a minor or put drunk tv show hosts in their administration.”

— Jim Rader, Facebook

Local politics matters. Stop making presidents out to be kings and pay attention to what’s happening in your own backyard.”

— Edward Younger, Facebook

Comments on the story titled Government shutdown could soon halt food support for

Social Talk About Town...

many in East County.

Published in the October 24 edition of The Press

“shame on republicans for cutting many social services to our communities and lining up the pockets of their wealthiest lawyers while they privatize our natural resources and cage people up in for profit detention camps. if you’re still turning a blind eye, remember some of us have loyalty to our neighbors and not to a party of pedos.”

– @addri.verse, Instagram

“This snap thing is total bs! Why do we have 40 billion to bail out Argentina but not 6 billion to keep Americans from starving????”

— Jeffrey Altman, Facebook

“This is a shutdown of the SNAP benefits to illegals. Let’s be real. If only 18% of Americans are on and the rest are illegal and companies are profiting from this con job then yeah. Shut it down and clean it up!”

— Elieen Erickson, Facebook

“Why doesn’t Newsom step up and pay for it? He controls the 4th largest economy.”

— Mike Matthews, Facebook

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Letters to the editor

Island Charity Cruise raises funds for Bethel Island Children’s Support and Meals on Wheels Diablo Region

Editor:

A huge ‘thank you’ to the San Joaquin Yacht Club, especially the event organizers Glenn and Nancy Hammonds, Vince Tyson, Bethel Island Children’s Support (BICS) – Audrey Delano, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region, Lindsey Loving, and a host of many sponsors and volunteers who made this another successful event. Proceeds were given on Nov. 1 to the Meals on Wheels Diablo Region and at the San Joaquin Yacht Club, which received $10,180 each.

These funds were made possible by the generous donations and support of generous sponsors, local businesses and residents that participated at the San Joaquin Yacht Club for the second annual Island Charity Cruise on Sept. 20 held in loving memory of Dennis Pippin, who

coordinated the previous years cruise events of 15 years for Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. This event was made possible by the amazing boat captains whose generosity set the course for a successful event benefiting both charities.

The cruise was four hours on the Delta on private boats that served Champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Following the cruise, guests were treated to an amazing dinner of Wagyu flap steak, shrimp and chicken thighs followed by a live band and dancing.

Proceeds benefitted Meals on Wheels Diablo Region, helping to guarantee quality meals to seniors, and Bethel Island Children’s Support, providing educational and holiday support to more than 300 children on Bethel Island for new backpacks to students, laptops to juniors and seniors, tuition assistance to college applicants and free weekly tutoring for grades 3-12.

Kate Senior San Joaquin Yacht Club social media liaison

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Send correspondence to The Press, 248 Oak St., Brentwood, California, 94513; or email editor@ brentwoodpress.com.

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A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Sherwood Drive. It was a verbal dispute and someone punched a hole in the wall in a residence.

October 24, 1:16 p.m.

The following is a selection of recent law enforcement activity:

BRENTWOOD

October 24, 2:07 a.m. A non-injury accident was reported at Jeffery Way and Lone Tree Way. There was a silver sedan with a male out of the vehicle last seen wearing no shirt.

October 24, 8:20 a.m. A non-injury accident was reported on West Country Club Drive. The reporting party said they would exchange information.

October 24, 12:18 p.m. A case of forgery/ fraud was reported on Sand Creek Road. A vendor email account was hacked for $34,000.

October 24, 1:16 p.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Sherwood Drive. It was a verbal dispute and someone punched a hole in the wall in a residence.

October 24, 2:10 p.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Sherwood Drive. Someone threw a lighter through the back window of a vehicle. An adult was arrested.

October 24, 2:15 p.m. A non-injury hit and run was reported on Sand Creek Road.

October 24, 4:03 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. The suspect took items and exited out the emergency door. The total take was worth $684.

October 24, 4:04 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. Two suspects took items and exited out the front door. The total take was $950.70.

October 24, 4:14 p.m. An accident with minor injuries and fire/medical response at Brentwood Boulevard and Sunrise Drive. The reporting party was rear-ended and asked for medical help.

October 24, 5:05 p.m. A restraining/court order violation was reported on Heidorn Ranch Road. The suspect was driving in the parking lot near the reporting party’s vehicle.

October 24, 5:11 p.m. A restraining/court order violation was reported on Mildred Court. Someone called the reporting party and left a voicemail.

October 24, 6:12 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Heidorn Ranch Road. The suspect was a Hispanic male in his 20s wearing all red clothing with black shoes. He left in a matte black Acura with a broken rear passenger window and a bungee cord holding the trunk down. At the time of the report, the loss was $1,200 and still counting.

October 24, 7:17 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. Three suspects who are known to steal were in the store. One suspect was a Black male last seen wearing a black beany, black jacket, black pants and black shoes. One suspect was a Hispanic male last seen wearing a black T-shirt with blue jeans. One suspect was a white female with brown hair last seen wearing a black jacket, blue shorts,

and a brown purse.

October 25, 7:00 a.m. A suspicious person was reported on First Street. The suspect was in someone’s backyard.

October 25, 12:29 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Caddie Court. The reporting party has more than 40 inquiries on her credit. The suspect bought a vehicle under the reporting party’s name and requested to have it shipped.

October 25, 2:48 p.m. A case of an uncontrollable/truant juvenile was reported on Armstrong Way. It was a domestic dispute.

October 25, 2:56 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Heidorn Ranch Road. The take was $479.98 worth of merchandise.

October 25, 5:33 p.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Lone Tree Way. There was a vehicle into the store.

October 25, 6:11 p.m. A case of forgery/ fraud was reported on Sand Creek Road. A Black male in his late 20s last seen wearing a brown hoodie, black jeans, white shoes, and a brown beanie used $300 in fake $20 bills.

October 26, 12:50 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Sand Creek Road. There was $300 in merchandise taken from the store within the last five minutes at the time of the report. The suspects were two Black females. One was possibly in her 60s and the other was in her early 30s with four toddlers. The older Black female was wearing a pink jacket with a large black bag. The younger Black female was wearing black active wear with a crop jacket and had long braided hair. They were associated with a brown/beige Toyota Camry.

October 26, 12:52 p.m. A case of reckless driving was reported on Amanda Circle. A male in a Corvette was driving recklessly in the court.

October 26, 2:44 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Larkspur Court. The reporting party had a credit card opened in her name.

October 26, 3:10 p.m. A case of a noninjury hit and run was reported on Sand Creek Road. The reporting party’s 2019 black Nissan Altima was hit in the parking lot.

October 26, 4:52 p.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Brentwood Boulevard. The business appeared to be closed, but the reporting party thought it may have been broken into.

October 26, 5:31 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported on Marshall Drive. Domestic dispute.

October 26, 6:12 p.m. A threats complaint was reported on City Park Way. A group of juveniles was harassing the reporting party and telling him to come fight him.

October 26, 11:02 p.m. A vehicle theft recovery was reported at Cesar Chavez Drive and Grant Street. The vehicle was unoccupied.

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local grocers and the capacity of the Contra Costa County Food Collaborative to meet increasing demand.”

The Board unanimously approved allocating up to $21 million from the General Fund to purchase debit cards for distribution to CalFresh November eligible households, and authorize the Employment & Human Services Department to:

• purchase and distribute the debit cards so CalFresh-eligible households can purchase food

• deploy its staff as disaster workers to support the distribution at the department’s busiest locations.

Under the plan, CalFresh participants can pick up debit cards loaded with two weeks of approved benefit amounts starting the week of Nov. 10 at 4545 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch.

For anyone who needs to find food resources during the disruption, residents can search by city or ZIP code to locate food distribution sites on the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano’s Find Food in My City page. They can also call (855) 309-FOOD (3663).

In the meantime, the agency suggests that those who need assistance should visit a local food bank, while also noting that food banks may be busier than usual as a result of this increased need.

A list of resources, such as food pantries and other community programs, is below. These partner food pantries provide free food to the public, according to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. The organization notes that each pantry has its own guidelines and recommends residents check with their local pantry about specific eligibil-

Building from page 1A

ity requirements and pick-up limits as well as hours and special holiday distributions.

For more information about these and other resources, as well as to donate to help those in need, visit https://www.foodbankccs.org/ Brentwood

• Brentwood Community United Methodist Church- Hope House , 218 Pine St. Monday & Wednesday 9-11 a.m.. Email: hhouse. umc@gmail.com Phone: 925-382-9967

• Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 500 Fairview Ave. has two different food distributions.

Contra Costa Food Bank delivers fresh fruit and vegetables on the second and fourth Tuesdays from noon until 1 p.m. in the back parking lot. St. Vincent de Paul is at the church every Friday from 9-11:30 a.m. These programs serve Brentwood, Bethel Island, and Knightson residents. ID required. Must register at site prior to distribution. Bring ID. Phone: 925864-3242

into your search bar: https://supportlives.org/ get-yana Phone: 510-541-6293. Call to confirm hours and special holiday distributions. Oakley

The Oakley Senior Center program, operates out of the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church parking lot at 971 O’Hara Ave. on Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. or until all food is given out. Bring your own bags/containers. Do not arrive at the location before 11 a.m.. Doors will open at 1 pm. Phone: 925-7830818

• St. Anthony’s Catholic Church , 971 O’Hara Ave., on the second and fourth Saturdays from 9-10 a.m.. Phone: 925-325-7424

Antioch

• Agape

International Church & Ministries , 605 W Madill St., Antioch, Thursday 1-3 p.m.. Phone: 925-709-4424.

1800 Woodland Drive, Saturday 9-10 a.m.. Phone: 925-418-4735.

• Grace Closet, 3415 Oakley Road, Wednesday 4-6 p.m. Saturday noon-2 p.m.. Clothing is also distributed at this location. Call for more information. Phone: 925-522-2017.

• Grace Temple COGIC (drivethrough), 1001 Fitzuren Road, Friday noon1 p.m.. Phone: 925-759-8049.

• Kings Chapel (drive-through, 320 Worrell Road, first Friday by appointment only. Call and verify your attendance at least 15 minutes before. Phone: 925-756-7315.

• Light Ministries Pantry, 415 W. 6th St. Saturday 11 a.m.-noon. By appointment only. Call to schedule. Phone: 925-778-1639.

• Rivertown Veterans Thrift Store & Resource Center, 3646 Lone Tree Way,, Monday appointment only Wednesday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.. Call to make an appointment for Monday. Phone: 925-206-4976.

• Showers of Blessings, 2220 A St., Monday, Wednesday and Friday 6-7:30 p.m.. Phone: 510-736-8477.

• Power for Living Ministries (drivethrough), 6830 Lone Tree Way, Friday at noon (open until all food or supplies are given out). Phone: (925) 418-1418.

• Seed of Faith Church, 605 Harvest Park Dr., Tuesday 10 a.m.-noon on the second and fourth Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon. Phone: 925-513-2970.

• Support Life Foundation: (drivethrough), 7701 Lone Tree Way, Friday 10:3011:15 a.m.. Clients must register before attending distribution. Copy and paste this link

bills. That access comes with specific security requirements the current office building does not fulfill, Porter said.

The building staff occupy now is a 40-year-old trailer and is not secure against angry customers, or any physical attacks on the infrastructure or employees or is up to code as state law requires.

The town already has more than $3 million set aside for the new office building project and will cover the remaining cost with reserve funds and water and wastewater money . Breitstein said the project is on budget.

The solar panel project will start in the new year, around the same time as the site work for the new building. With a power bill nearing $1.5 million last fiscal year, and several “bill credit” programs ending, town staff began to research new federal programs providing incentives to municipalities to generate clean energy. Through the town’s water and wastewater contractor, Veolia, the town has designed – and will install, operate and maintain – solar energy to leverage savings and maintain performance, meaning everything has power and will con-

Electric from page 1A

the Bay Area Air Quality Management District,” Wichert said. “Another $600,000 is expected to come from federal tax incentives at the completion of the project. We are also waiting to hear back on $720,000 in additional grant funding we’ve applied for, so there’s a good chance this project will be completely grant funded.”

One goal of this effort has been to secure grant funding to minimize the use of city money, with staff pursuing additional grant

tinue to do so.

• AMF Food Closet , 2507 San Jose Drive, on Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon. Proof of address is required. Antioch residents only. Phone: 925-7571672. Call to confirm hours and special holiday distributions.

• Antioch Covenant Church - Gracefully Broken , 1919 Buchanan Road, Tuesday 11 a.m.-noon. Phone: 925-207-6241.

• En Su Habitacion (drive-through), 2808 Harbour Drive, Thursday 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.. Phone: 925-759-0861.

• First Family Church (drive-through), 3195 Contra Loma Blvd. Saturday 9:3010:30 a.m.. Phone: 925-706-1238.

• Genesis Church (drive-through),

The solar panels will be elevated above the community center parking lot – just like at the high schools, Breitstein said – and cost about $3 million, with roughly $575,000 being covered by tax credits. The rest of the project will be financed through the California Energy Commission at 1% interest. According to the staff report presented during a board meeting in December 2024, this will result in $12 million in savings over the life of the infrastructure, and a 400% return on investment.

“The solar project will help assist to power one of our well sites, the pool, the new building and a portion of the community center, as well,” Breitstein said, noting the solar project will increase the number of parking spaces at the community center and add three electric vehicle chargers

Porter noted that up to 3,000 homes will be constructed in town in the next decade, and current staffing and infrastructure are not prepared for that many homes to be added to existing power, water and wastewater infrastructure.

For more information, visit www.todb.ca.gov.

opportunities that could fully fund the project and eliminate the need for any contribution from the city, according to social media posts by the City of Brentwood.

Wichert also said existing vehicles will be kept until they reach the end of their useful life.

“When that happens, they are auctioned off and replaced with EVs when possible, as not every vehicle has an EV alternative,” Wichert said. “The State mandate doesn’t require us to get rid of existing vehicles, but does

• Support Life Foundation: (drivethrough), 2001 W. 10th St. Friday 11 a.m.noon. Clients must register before attending distribution at https://supportlives.org/getyana. Phone: 510-541-6293.

• The Landing Place (drive-though), 620 E. Tregallas Road, Wednesday 10-11 a.m.. Phone: 925-513-5180.

• The Most Holy Rosary Church (St. Vincent de Paul), 21 E. 15th St., TuesdayThursday 9-10 a.m.. Proof of address is required. Bring ID for proof. Phone: 925-7570941.

• Visions Christian Center, 330 Worrell Road, Thursday 11 a.m.-noon. Phone: 925777-0290.

location.

require newly purchased vehicles to be EV’s.”

According to Wichert, construction is expected to start in December, with completion likely taking 12-18 months, pending the availability of PG&E to help. While it is unknown how far along other agencies are with following the state order, Wichert said it is likely some agencies already have the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in place. Oakley Assistant City Manager Danielle Navarro said there are no plans to do so for Oakley. Antioch did not respond to a re-

quest for an update.

Wichert also spoke to the possibility of consequences if cities don’t follow the rules. ‘I think it’s likely they will have penalties for non-compliance,” he said.

“Full compliance with this order was recently postponed to 2030, so it may be some time before other agencies announce their plans to comply,” Wichert added.

For details about this project, call the Brentwood Public Works Department at 925-516-6000.

A map of Town of Discovery Bay’s new administration building

Press info graphic

Tennis Courts

Current Community Center Future Administration Building

Cantilever carports for Solar panels

8,315 square-feet

HONORING OUR

Donations sought for military

Project brings joy to service members during holidays

“ O n Christmas Eve, I got a message from Iraq that was a troop saying, ‘I don’t know how you know where I am, I don’t know how you know my name, I don’t know where Brentwood California is, but you guys made our Christmas and God Bless You.’ ”

Linda Wilson is quoting a service member from a previous Operation Creekside, and the co-organizer of the annual event said she wants the program to have that kind of impact again this year.

Operation Creekside is requesting donations of prepackaged food items, clothes such as T-shirts or socks, and hand-written ‘thank you’ notes for the 13th annual Holiday Pack For The Troops on Dec. 9 at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. at 6 p.m. so that they can see Creekside page 5B

ISAAC ARRIAGA

Photo by Adobe Stock

Veterans have options for therapy

ilitary service members provide an invaluable service that protects national ideals and ensures the country and various regions around the world are safe havens for people from all walks of life. That service requires considerable sacrifice, and the cost of service can extend well beyond the time military personnel are on active duty.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), more than 1.7 million veterans used mental health services at the VA last year. That need is not exclusive to American veterans, as the Government of Canada reports that one-fifth of Canadian veterans experience a diagnosed mental health disorder at some point during their lives. Mental health services can help veterans successfully navigate difficult periods in their lives, and the following are various types of therapies service members may encounter during their treatment journeys.

♦ Individual and group counseling: American Addiction Centers notes that individual counseling is a one-on-one approach to therapy that can help veterans work through their issues, thoughts,

Mental health problems are common among military veterans, but various therapies are available and effective at helping veterans navigate those problems. More information is available at va.gov.

concerns, emotions, and individual situations. Some veterans may prefer individual counseling because of confidentiality and the one-on-one attention each session provides. But group counseling provides an opportunity to receive and give support from and to others who may be in similar situations and have similar experiences during their time in the military.

♦ Couples and family counseling: Couples and family counseling can help veterans open up with those closest to them, which some veterans struggle with after their time in the military. The VA notes that couples therapy for veterans

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and their significant others can help them reconnect spiritually and romantically. Therapists leading this type of therapy aim to create a space for listening and mutual understanding.

♦ Military sexual trauma counseling: The VA notes military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault or harassment experienced during military service. Counseling for military sexual trauma can help veterans cope with how a traumatic sexual experience while serving is impacting veterans’ current lives and can involve in-depth discussions of the experience.

♦ Readjustment counseling: Readjustment

counseling aims to help veterans and their families successfully transition from military life to civilian life. That transition can be difficult for both veterans and their families, and it’s important to note that family members of individuals who served in combat zones or received a military campaign ribbon are eligible for readjustment counseling.

♦ Bereavement (grief) counseling: Many veterans go through emotional and psychological stress after the death of a fellow service member who they knew or served alongside at some point during their time in the military. This type of counseling offers support after the death of a loved one. It’s important to note that bereavement counseling can be sought even if a loved one who passed away was not in the military.

♦ Substance use treatment: The VA notes many veterans have problems with alcohol, tobacco, street drugs, and prescription medicines. Various services, including medically managed detoxification, are offered to veterans under the umbrella of substance use treatment.

For more information, contact Contra Costa Veterans Services at 10 Douglas Drive Suite # 100, Martinez. Call (925) 313-1481 or visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/1557/ Veterans-Services.

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Mental health resources available for local veterans

If you are an active-duty service member or a veteran having mental health problems, there are plenty of local resources to help you. Local experts say you just have to ask.

One such problem is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder that can develop after exposure to traumatic events, such as combat, accidents, or assaults. Symptoms of PTSD include intrusive memories, hyper-vigilance, irritability, and emotional numbness.

Seven out of every 100 veterans (seven percent) will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with PTSD more common among female veterans (13 percent) than male veterans (six percent), according to the National Center for PTSD.

Asking for help is the hardest step, but also the most important step, while emphasizing that veterans in East County have a variety of options for assistance, according to Donald Hester, commandant for Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, Marine Corps League.

“The Concord Vet Center offers confidential counseling for combat veterans and their families,” Hester said. “The Contra Costa County Veterans Service Office helps connect veterans to VA benefits, including mental-

health care and disability compensation. In our area, community-based groups such as the Delta Veterans Group, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789, American Legion Post 202, and the Marine Corps League Delta Diablo Detachment 1155 all provide peer support, camaraderie, and outreach.”

In addition to PTSD, veterans may also experience survivor’s guilt, itself a symptom of PTSD, which is a related feeling of remorse when one has lived through an event that others did not, Hester said. According to the

National Center for PTSD, survivors might also feel guilty for not being able to rescue others, feel guilty for actions that they committed during the traumatic events, or also may feel responsible for the overall traumatic event.

“Both are normal human reactions to extraordinary circumstances, not signs of weakness,” Hester said. “With the right support, treatment, and community, recovery and renewed purpose are absolutely possible.”

For veterans seeking assistance, Hester recommended starting with the veterans

center in Concord or the County Veterans Service Office, where they can walk veterans through their available benefits, counseling, and referrals. In terms of how the community can do to support veterans, Hester said that the best thing a community can do is to “listen and include”, adding that simple acts, such as sincerely thanking a veteran, inviting them to community events, or supporting local veterans’ organizations, can go a long way. Employers meanwhile, can learn about transferable military skills and create supportive workplaces.

The public also can encourage open, stigma-free conversations about mental health so veterans feel safe seeking help.

“No Marine, soldier, sailor, or airman has to fight this battle alone,” Hester said. “Lean on your brothers and sisters in arms. Local organizations like ours were built so Veterans always have a place to belong, talk openly, and heal together. We are here for you. We will not leave you behind.”

For anyone in crisis, the national Veterans Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 988 then press 1 or text 838255.

The Concord Vet Center is at 1333 Willow Pass Road. Visit www va gov/concordvet-center/ or call 925- 680-4526. The County Veterans Service Office is at 10 Douglas Drive in Martinez. Their phone number is 925-313-1481.

For details on PTSD, visit https://share. google/uINvdn3Pgzzc9kYSW.

SEAN TONGSON

Photo by Adobe Stock

Asking for help is the hardest step, but also the most important step, while emphasizing that veterans in East County have a variety of options for assistance, according to Donald Hester, commandant for Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, Marine Corps League.

Many East County events honor veterans

Veterans Day is Tuesday, Nov. 11. There are several local events to honor and celebrate veterans and their service. Details are below.

Saturday, Nov. 8

Veterans Day Second Annual Parade in Brentwood

The second annual Veterans Day parade is in downtown Brentwood, followed by the first VETJAM, which will start at the conclusion of the parade. The parade will start at 9:30 a.m. at First and Birch streets and end at Maple Street. The VETJAM will be at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. and feature ‘80s and ‘90s classic rock band Austin Ma. Admission is free. Hot dogs and a bar will be available. For more information, call 925-354-2868. See parade map on page 7B.

U.S. Marine Corps’ 250th birthday dinner

The Delta Diablo Detachment 1155 hosts a dinner to celebrate the U.S. Marine Corps’ 250th birthday. The celebration will be at Smith’s Landing at 1 Marina Plaza in Antioch at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $90,

which includes appetizers, dinner, nonalcoholic beverages and dessert. They can be purchased at www.zeffy.colm/enus/ticketing/ united-states-marine-corps-250th-birthdaydinner.

Sunday, Nov. 9

The Final Bab-A Veterans Charity Fundraiser

Hosted by the Creekside Disc Golf Club, this event will be a singles tourna-

ment at Creekside Park, 1010 Claremont Drive in Brentwood. Proceeds will benefit the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building. For more information and to register, visit dgscene.com/thefinalbab.

Monday, Nov. 10

Veterans Breakfast in Brentwood

Hosted by American Legion Womens Auxilliary, the Veterans Breakfast is free for all veterans. It will be from 7:30-10 a.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. Pancakes, eggs, bacon and fruit will be served. For questions, call Dolores at 925-584-6712.

Veterans Appreciation Night Fundraiser

Presented by the Antioch Chamber Nonprofit Council and Hops and Grapes, the event will take place at Hops and Grapes, 24 W. 10th St. in Antioch, from 5-10 p.m. Participants can enjoy food and drinks and help give back to local heroes. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Delta Veterans Group. For more information, visit antiochchamber.org

Tuesday, Nov. 11

Brentwood Veterans Day Ceremony

The Brentwood Veterans Service Organization along with the City of Brentwood, will host to this year’s Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Park, 3841 Balfour Road, at 10:30 a.m. During the ceremony, there will be guest speakers, music, a rifle salute, a tribute to veterans, and the playing of TAPS. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ groups/1504007233250596

Oakley Veterans Day Ceremony

Join the City of Oakley in honoring veterans at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony from 11 a.m.-noon in Civic Center Plaza, 3231 Main St. Those interested in participating should contact the Oakley Recreation Division at 925-625-7041. For more information, visit oakleyca.gov.

Veterans Day at

Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill

In honor of Veterans Day, the staff of Smith’s Landing, 1 Marina Plaza in Antioch, are saying “Thank you” with a complimentary entrée from their special Veterans Day menu. This will be available to active-duty, former and retired military. Guests should show their server proof of military service, such as Military ID cards, Veterans Affairs Cards, or Discharge papers. Dine in from a limited menu only. Beverage and gratuity are not included. To make a reservation, visit www.smithslandingantioch.com/reservations

Friday, Nov. 14

Veterans Day Game Night

The event will take place at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Hall, 500 Fairview Ave. in Brentwood. Check-in will be at 5 p.m., dinner will be at 5:30 p.m., and Texas Hold ‘Em game play will be from 7-10 p.m. There will be raffle prizes and a silent auction. Dinner and game buy-in is $70, dinner only is $25, re-buys are $25, add-ons are $50. For tickets and information, contact Richard Alward at 925-286-3291 or knights7467@ gmail.com.

NICOLE BECCHINA

Adobe stock photo

Schoolchildren present handmade banners to veterans during a heartfelt Veterans Day assembly.

continue to have this kind of impact on service members worldwide during the upcoming holidays.

For the past 13 years, Wilson, helps coordinate The Troop Pack with Operation Creekside which has organized the gathering and sending of packages to active-duty service members and veterans of past conflicts during the holiday season. Wilson said the goal of the packages is to recognize and bring joy to active-duty members and veterans across the globe who are away from their families like the troop who said he did not know how Operation Creekside found him.

“I got involved 13 years ago; I kind of started in it as a dare,” Wilson said. “It ended up that it was so overwhelming to do it the first time.”

Wilson, who is also co-owner of Brentwood NAPA Auto Parts, was approached by Operation Creekside founder Ed McClelland in 2012 to ask if Brentwood NAPA Auto Parts would like to host a donation box for the troop packs. McClelland had been sending troop packs since 2009, but welcomed extra help packaging and sending troop packs. After getting more involved with the project, Wilson said she now organizes the troop packs annually to allow McClelland to work on other projects for Operation Creekside.

“Last year, we sent about 500 pack-

ages,” Wilson said. “The year before, we sent about 620. Last year was really hard, I know people were having issues with donations. It all depends because of the freight, we have to put back about $10,000 every year before we even start.”

Donations for items to be sent in the troop packs can be dropped off at Brentwood NAPA Auto Parts at 7881 Brentwood Blvd., the Brentwood Press building at 248 Oak St., or at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. Items can be donated up until the packaging event on Dec. 9.

Volunteers are welcome to help package the troop packs and will receive a free hot dog for their help.

“It’s just open and there’s no signups so you never know how many are going to show,” Wilson said. “And you think you have stuff for all these boxes and it’s going to take a while, but there are so many people that show that I would say within an hour and 15 minutes, it’s done.”

Operation Creekside uses USPS standard packages (12x12x5.5) to pack in snacks, clothes, notes, powdered mix

drinks, and artwork created by children. To cover the cost of shipping, Operation Creekside is also taking monetary donations that can be made using the QR code to Venmo on their website (trooppack.org) or by writing a check to Operation Creekside, EIN #27-4120860. Wilson said the cost of shipping the packs has risen in recent years. “When we first started out, packing was $12.95, now it’s $28 a box,” she said. “So each pack … I think is running us probably about $75 a box if you figure out everything that we’re putting in it with the freight on it.”

Despite the rising cost of shipping, Operation Creekside is requesting more names of active-duty service members, stationed both domestically and abroad, and veterans of past conflicts to send packs to. If you know of anyone who would benefit from a troop pack box, you can enter their information on trooppack.org. Operation Creekside would also like to know how many personnel are in their unit to send them troop pack box as well. However, Operation Creekside requests that the person you want to receive a troop pack be stationed at the location stated in their submission form through January 2026 as shipping may take up to six weeks.

For assistance with donations or additional questions, call Brentwood (NAPA) Auto Parts at (925) 634-3952 and ask for Linda or Beth or email NAPArick@sbcglobal.net.

Photo by Isaac Arriaga

BRENTWOOD AUTO PARTS, INC.

Recognizing the hidden toll of military service

Each November, the nation observes Veterans Day and National Veterans and Military Families

Month — two occasions that remind Americans that the cost of service is carried not only on the battlefield but also in the enduring strength of those who serve and the families who stand beside them.

These have even greater meaning for areas with deep military history, particularly Contra Costa County. Out of a total population of nearly 1.7 million as of last year, the county has nearly 33,800 veterans, including those in East County.

However, beyond holding ceremonies, these events strongly call for more decisive action to confront the burdens numerous former service members and their families still confront.

November is a month to ponder the silent struggles of veterans

For decades, November has consistently stood as a month of remembrance for all former military personnel and their families who carried their service with them. Yet behind these celebrations is a toxic legacy weighing heavily on this population: prolonged exposure to harmful substances, such as Agent Orange, burn pit fumes, mustard gas, Lewisite, radiation, and most notably, asbestos. For most of the 20th century, this hazardous mineral was extensively used in the construction of naval vessels and numerous military facilities, including Concord Naval Weapons Station, roughly 20 miles from Antioch.

Unfortunately, service members handling asbestos have become vulnerable to severe illnesses like asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Their families weren’t immune either, as they often fall victim to secondary exposure — when asbestos fibers cling to their loved ones; belongings and are brought home, poten-

tially inhaled by household members. Over time, this concern has taken a toll across California, which tallied 27,080 asbestoslinked deaths between 1999 and 2017. Contra Costa County specifically logged 1,198 fatalities, according to www.asbestosnation.org/facts/asbestos-deaths/ca/.

These figures emphasize the immediate need for medical support and preventive measures to protect both veterans and their families.

Turning recognition into lasting support Dedicating a specific day and an entire month to honoring veterans and their families is essential — especially considering their sacrifices in safeguarding the country. But then, tribute alone is not enough if it fails to address the challenges they face. Federal programs have already brought significant help to toxic-exposed veterans. Among these is the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, which has added more than 20 presumptive conditions to streamline access to specialized care as well as benefits for those harmed by dangerous chemicals.

Since the new law’s inception, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has already received nearly 3 million claims, including 219,629 from California. To date, almost 2 million applications have been approved. And just in 2024, more than $6.8 billion in compensation has been granted to rightful victims, according to the VA.

Yet this progress notwithstanding, countless veterans still struggle to navigate the claims process — thus limiting their access to specialized care and other vital support. Policymakers and concerned stakeholders must step up to provide more comprehensive health services and benefits that extend not only to veterans but also to their families. After all, proper respect for military service is reflected in proactive action — not just in ceremonies.

Cristina Johnson is an advocate for Navy veterans for Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness and educate veterans about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist veterans in navigating the VA claims process. For more information, visit www.asbestos-ships.com/

Gestures anyone can embrace in support of veterans

Community events tend to be held on Nov. 11 to honor veterans on their special day, but any day of the year is a good time to pay respect to veterans. On a local level, people can do much to thank veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Provide a free restaurant meal

Offer to take out a veteran for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you see a veteran eating in a restaurant, anonymously pay the bill for that person.

Send care packages

Communities can gather resources and chip in to make care packages for veterans who live in town, and even to send to troops stationed elsewhere. Include foods and comforts from home. Operation Creekside on December 9 at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building does exactly that.

Buy from veterans

Seek out veteran-owned businesses in the area, and then make purchases from their retail stores or use their services. A few have advertisements in this section.

Volunteer at a VA hospital

Spend time with veterans where they receive care for current health needs or past injuries suffered in combat. Decorate cemeteries

Honor fallen veterans by placing flowers or flags by their gravesites.

Participate in a parade

If your town hosts a Veterans Day or Remembrance Day parade, find out how you can volunteer or be a part of it. Oftentimes parade officials enable youth groups, such as high school marching bands or scouting troops, to participate in the parade. The Brentwood Veterans Day Parade is November 8.

Write to the newspaper

Write an op-ed or a feature piece to submit to the newspaper about veterans in the community. Mention local veterans who have unique stories, or speak about the importance of veterans to the community.

Ask a veteran to speak

If you work in a school or a community center, ask veterans to share their experiences with area youth.

Visit local memorials

Spend time visiting memorials nearby and paying homage to the veterans who devoted their time, or even their lives, to service.

– Courtesy of Metro Creative

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