APR 21 The Pioneer 2023

It takes a village…

It’s really been 20 years

Long-time Clayton resident Tamara Steiner mulled over a career change in 2003 and that decision has impacted the lives of countless people and organizations in first Clayton, then Concord and now Pleasant Hill.

TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer

Twenty years ago this month, I stood with Jill Bedecarré in the middle of Center Street in front of the post office waiting for delivery of the first Clayton Pioneer. For six solid weeks, we had been white knuckling it up the steep side of the learning curve. As the driver unloaded the pallet with the first 5000 Pioneers, Jill sighed and asked “Did we just give birth to the same baby?”

Two decades later, as we put our 429th “baby” to bed, I’m again feeling more parent than publisher. Our kid grew up, Jill.

Her community newspaper, The Pioneer, has become a staple in the area – surviving jolting changes in the media world, economic ups and downs and a worldwide pandemic.

This May, her dream is 20 years old and we celebrate that milestone in this, the 429th issue of the newspaper publishers Tamara and Bob Steiner and their small but dedicated staff have produced, giving local residents news on government, schools, the arts, sports and many other aspects of community life in our little corner of the world.

Tamara Steiner was no stranger to the newspaper business.

“My dad was circulation manager for the Richmond Independent/Berkeley Gazette/Concord Transcript for 43 years. I grew up with paper and ink,” she recalled. “I wrote for Dean Lesher (owner of the local newspaper dynasty that included the Contra Costa Times) on and off from 1976 to about 1983. I did theater reviews, pet column, the Lamplighter restaurant column. Filled in as copy runner.”

ing for several years before she and her husband, along with two other partners, opened Pacific Business Center in Pleasant Hill. She stayed for 20 years at the 44-suite executive business center.

TURNING OVER A NEWPAGE

In February 2003, when she scratched her newspaper itch, she and husband Bob purchased the Clayton Pioneer from Harry Green. She took over a paper more known for its typographical errors than its journalism.

“The executive suite business had gotten so technologically intensive that it stopped being fun. And I really wanted to work closer to home, get to work with a hot cup of coffee, wear jeans and take my dog,” Steiner explained about her jump into the community newspaper business.

Bonaventure Church. They met professionally when Steiner came into the Lewis Benedict Bedecarré advertising agency in Concord that Jill and her husband Jay owned to have them design a logo to give the paper a fresh local look. The Bedecarré’s middle son Justin was a senior at Clayton Valley High School at the time and on the staff of the Concord school’s awardwinning student newspaper, the Talon. When his mom told Justin about the new paper that she was going to work for, he said: “Our school paper is better than that rag.” He did not get many arguments.

REFLECTING

COMMUNITY LIFE

JILL BEDECARRÉ

“Gestation” was in much simpler times. There was no Facebook or Nextdoor. The Internet was a tool, not a way of life. Computers did our bidding, printing what we told them to, not what they thought we should have said. Our phones had not yet become body parts. The local paper, although endangered, was still breathing on its own.

Today local journalism is on life support. Costs have skyrocketed, online advertising has eroded our revenue base and news aggregators are stealing our stories. In the last 20 years, hundreds of local news organizations have gone dark. Fully one-fifth of the country lives in a news desert.

But despite my dark words, it’s still light outside if we open the curtains. There are still great stories to tell with plenty of people to read them. Publishers are getting more creative with their business models--many converting to nonprofit. While hundreds of news sources have abandoned print altogether, many of us are still die-hard parents of “dead tree” babies.

We will keep on keepin’ on. Another 20 years? Not likely since in 2043, I will be 97.

But for the near future, we will keep doing what we’ve done for the last 20 years. We will find good stories and tell them well. We will stay in our lane, keeping our stories local. We will hire good people and stay out of their way. We will stay flexible.

And we will be forever grateful to the readers, the writers, the advertisers and the staff that helped us raise our baby. It does take a village.

She then used her MBA from Cal State Hayward to work in banking and account-

Her first employee was Jill Bedecarré, a former journalist. The two had become acquainted as members of St.

Working out of a tiny, windowless 8 by 10 office in Pleasant Hill, Steiner and her staff of assistant editor and advertising salesperson Bedecarré and graphic designer

Kim Rutledge, who had been laid off from a similar job at the Los Angeles Times, put out the first edition of the Clayton Pioneer on May 9, 2003.

The first issue was mailed to all Clayton residents featuring the lead story Art and Wine “Fun but No Sun” on the first of 10 pages with color and no discernable typos.

The Pioneer reflected then – and now – many of Steiner’s interests: local government and politics, the environment, education, community life, the arts, local history, reading, hiking and gardening.

By the time The Pioneer had published four issues, Steiner had assembled a roster of columnists to write about their fields of expertise. In the first issue, and every issue since, Lynne French wrote about real estate. After 20 years, French retired her column last month. Also in the first issue were columns by Dave Gray (Gray on Golf), Dan Wilson (Tech Talk) and Steiner’s son Don Richardson (Classic Movie Guy).

The fourth issue, which was 12 pages, also had columns by Linda Wyner (Food for Thought), Marybeth Rymer (Paws and Claws), Linda Johnson (Senior Moments), Kevin Parker (Hiker’s Haven), Jim Hudak (Music Notes) and Nicole Hackett, The Pioneer’s Garden Girl – who is still writing about the latest blooms and trends for your garden.

Sunny Solomon (Bookin’ with Sunny since 2008) and

Sally Hogarty (Stage Struck since 2014) are two other long-time columnists.

FROM YOUTHSPORTS TO THE OLYMPICS

Jill Bedecarré’s husband had started his career as a sportswriter for the Concord Transcript while still a student at Mt. Diablo High. Steiner wasn’t (and isn’t) much of a sports fan, but Jay Bedecarré convinced her that local sports are a key element of community life.

He explained that almost everyone reading the paper either had children or grandchildren in youth sports or went to a local high school that would be covered in The Pioneer.

Just months after The Pioneer debuted, Clayton Valley High graduate Erin Dobratz called Jill Bedecarré at her Clayton home in December to announce she had made the U.S. synchronized swimming team for the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, where she would win a bronze medal. Dobratz would be the first of five local athletes who represented America at the Olympics over these 20 years. Clayton residents Kara Kohler (rowing) and Kristian Ipsen (diving) both have been in two Olympic games and won bronze medals on the same day at the 2012 London Olympics.

Concord’s Mariya Koroleva competed in two Olympics (London and Rio) in duet synchronized swimming and Chuck Berkeley was on the

See 20 Years, page 11

Family and friends share their Pioneer memories

Kim Rutledge

In the spring of 2003, I was 28 and lost. I had just been laid off from my fourth journalism job in as many years. Newspapers were my life blood at the time, but newspapers were undergoing a dramatic transformation, and jobs in newsrooms were increasingly unstable.

My friend and neighbor Lisa Shafer, who at the time was the journalism teacher at Clayton Valley High School, called me with an intriguing job opportunity. The Clayton Pioneer had just come under new ownership, and they needed to hire someone with newspaper editing and design experience. Within days, I was in a windowless room in an office complex in Pleasant Hill with Tamara Steiner and Jill Bedecarré, making a newspaper from scratch.

The weeks leading up to the publication of the first issue of the new and improved Pioneer were stressful and exhausting. While Tamara and Jill were out looking for writers, stories, photos, and advertisers, I worked hard to make all our content look and sound professional. There was a lot of tension in that little, windowless office, but also a lot of laughter as we worked to put out a quality publication.

For the next six months, I watched the Pioneer flourish. We moved into offices in downtown Clayton, got more advertisers and contributors, and started to gain a positive reputation as the trusted news source of the community. In October 2003, I left the Pioneer for a full-time job, but the experience I gained and friend-

ships I made during the infancy of the Pioneer still live with me today.

Jay Bedecarré

When our dad passed in 2021 from COVID-19 we went through his family archives and found newspaper clippings of each of his six kid’s accomplishments, in some cases starting with our birth announcement in the local newspaper.

I’m certain Pioneer stories about youth baseball, soccer and gymnastics, the city swim meet and high school sports over the past two decades have been saved by families in Clayton and Concord and will be family keepsakes just like the ones our mom and dad kept all those years.

Chronicling the life and times of our community is the purpose of The Pioneer.

Bev Britton

When I took a buyout from Contra Costa Newspapers in the early 2000s, my plan was to become more involved at our son’s school –and work on my tennis game at Oakhurst Country Club.

Then my husband showed me an ad for a copy editor at the Clayton Pioneer. I’ve always loved editing. It fits my detail-oriented personality.

So, I dusted off my resume and emailed it to Tamara Steiner. Her almost instantaneous

response was enthusiastic, and we agreed to meet. We connected instantly. I loved her commitment to local news even while most newspapers were struggling to stay relevant.

Although our house on Eagle Peak Place was just down the road from the Pioneer office, I worked from home – before it was cool. My role soon expanded to writing one or two articles a month.

These days, I can watch a Concord City Council meeting online from the Gold Country, stopping to check on a load of laundry or sneak out for a tennis match. Through it all, I stay connected to a community we once called home.

Pete Cruz

I began my publishing career in the early 1990s, when cut and paste literally meant cutting typos off the proofs with an XActo knife and sticking the correction into place with hot wax. Learning new skills as the technology changed has kept things interesting for me, from learning my first WYSIWYG program all the way to taking the paper fully digital in 2020 without any previous experience in web design. As Tamara likes to say, we built the plane while flying it.

While watching the world change, working on a newspaper has given me a greater appreciation and respect for the work of independent journalists. I have no doubt the news business will continue to evolve in new and surprising ways, just as it has done since the start of my journey. I'm proud to have played a part in that.

Pamela Wiesendanger

Congratulations on the 20th Anniversary of The Pioneer! Surviving and thriving in print in this digital age is no easy feat. The key to success as I saw it during my time at the paper was a passion and commitment to the community and involvement of the community in reporting. No story was too big or too small to pitch from staff or a citizen. It could be written by either. A seemingly sleepy little town on Monday could be jumping with news competing for the front page by Wednesday. Each day was an adventure, wondering who might come in the door, call or email and say, “I think you’re going to want to know this.”

Howard Geller

Past Mayor and Councilman

Concert in The Grove Producer

Congratulations on your 20-year anniversary. Thank you, Tamara Steiner for your dedication and professionalism producing the Clayton/Concord Pioneer newspaper these past 20 years. You have truly filled the niche keeping our community well informed of the happenings within Clayton and the surrounding areas. I especially love the Events Calendar and the positive articles about our children along with the specialized informative columns written by our local professionals. You have helped make Clayton a community.

Laura Hoffmeister

Concord Mayor

Congratulations to the Pioneer for 20 years of a great community newspaper. They have provided and continue to provide great local news and event coverage for Concord as well as Clayton and Pleasant Hill in both print and online. I remember in 2008, when the publishers branched out into Concord with the Concordian (later merged into The Pioneer) the Concordian was named the Concord Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year.

If you want to get info on what is happening locally the Pioneer and PioneerPublishers.com is where you’ll find it.

Congrats to all the Pioneer staff past and present who have made the paper successful and informational.

Bob Hoyer Clayton's first mayor

It hardly seems that the Pioneer is 20 years old and I"m glad to be here to celebrate. Eldora was a journalist and was thrilled to have a Clayton newspaper. It is wonderful that you and Bob have continued to grow the paper to include other communities. I hope that you can continue to provide the best local news of the area.

BOB AND TAMARA STEINER PIONEER PUBLISHERS

Contra Costa team flies to the aid of snowed-in SoCal residents

When local pilot Mike Grimes heard about folks trapped by snow in the mountains of San Bernardino County, he knew he wanted to help.

Grimes is a member of the Contra Costa County chapter of the California Disaster Airlift Response Team (CalDART) based in Concord. The statewide volunteer organization coordinates efforts by professional pilots who use their skills – and oftentimes their own planes and fuel – to help when disaster strikes.

As officials in Southern California worked to clear snow and open roads, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department had to restrict access for volunteer groups wanting to help because of hazardous conditions on the winding mountain roads. CalDART was one of the few groups that the department allowed in. A dozen or so CalDART members hopped in their planes and headed to the area.

See

Ygnacio Valley, Olympic high educators county finalists for Teachers of the Year

Mt. Diablo Unified School District is once again reveling in having its teachers recognized for excellence as both Joseph Alvarico of Ygnacio Valley High School and Danya Townsend of Olympic High are named among the four finalists for 2023-24 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year.

The announcement was made Monday after Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey made surprise visits to the teacher’s Concord classrooms to reveal that they were among four finalists. There were 21 District Teachers of the Year from the

Concord goes back to the drawing board third time for CNWS master developer

Learning from past mistakes. Regaining the public trust. And, perhaps most importantly, avoiding that third strike.

That’s what the City Council hopes to accomplish as they select a new master developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.

To that end, Guy Bjerke, director of development and base reuse, obtained preliminary feedback from the council last month in order to refine the questions they will ask perspective developers.

“What is important in this third attempt is that we find a consensus both on the dais amongst the council and amongst the broader community. That we not only have consensus but that we have some unanimity on how we’re moving forward – some level of trust with whom we’re moving forward with,” Bjerke said.

18 school districts in the county under consideration for the selection of the final four.

The other two finalists are Annalouisa Gonzalez-Ortega (Liberty Union High School District) and Patricia Ogura (West Contra Costa Unified School District).

The two Contra Costa Teachers of the Year will be announced Sept. 21 in a ceremony at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek, where all District Teachers of the Year will be honored. Those two will then be entered in the State TOY competition. Natasha Paul of Mt. Diablo High was a 2022-23 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year and her fellow MDHS teacher Katalina Gallo was also one of the four

County finalists. Alvarico and Townsend were selected to represent MDUSD from five district finalists that also include Shore Acres Elementary teacher

Miran Chung, Delta View Elementary’s Lisa Dippo and Veronica Leno Garcia from Cambridge Elementary. The finalists were selected from 50 outstanding educators nomi-

nated throughout the district and recognized at a recent MDUSD School Board meeting. Both Alvarico and Townsend said they were honored to be chosen to represent the district and their schools. They are both described by colleagues and students as visionary educators with high expectations who help transform students’ lives by making learning relevant and meaningful and building strong relationships with them. Students say they feel comfortable speaking to both of them about personal issues, as well as academics.

Alvarico teaches engineer-

This effort comes after the city ended negotiations with Lennar/FivePoint in 2020 and parted ways with Concord First Partners (CFP) this January. Many in the community were angry that the council even considered the proposal from CFP, which included unpopular local developer Albert D. Seeno III.

“It was really taking advantage of the public trust to select a developer that everyone knew was not going to go over well. It’s made the public very hyper-sensitive and very hyper-aware,” 20-year resident Cora Mitchell said during public comment. “Do not disregard the power of the people in this process. They are ready. They are organized. And they are engaged.”

Members of the council were unanimous in stating they wanted any new proposal to include a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) – and that the

See CNWS, page 7

Not just any chief – but Pleasant Hill’s, says Vermillion

police chief of Pleasant Hill,” he said, showing his love of the community.

Scott Vermillion potentially could have had his pick of police chief positions, but his heart kept him here.

“I just did not want to become ‘a’ police chief, but the

A nearly 23-year veteran of the department that began as a patrol officer in October 2000, Vermillion shed the interim title in early March and was officially promoted to the top position.

“I really believe in service over self,” said Vermillion. “If I wasn’t blessed to be its police chief, I would have stayed on with the Pleasant Hill Police

Department as a captain to support the next chief and be pleased to be able to be a service to the community.”

He believes his time on the streets and the knowledge he gained will be his most enduring assets as he establishes goals and seeks to make improvements.

“In the world of law enforcement, Pleasant Hill is a great place to work as a police officer. It has a supportive community that has its values

in the right and appropriate places,” said Vermillion.

The new chief says the police department should reflect and resemble the community it polices – and that includes the values of the community.

“It’s an inclusive community. We are all in this together,” he said. “Diversity should be clearly embraced because it is what makes us strong.”

WORLDLYPERSPECTIVE

Ahead of his appointment, Vermillion attended training at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va. He saw it as an invaluable experience, including networking with law enforcement executives from around the country as well as around the world, representing numerous countries and every continent.

Vermillion spoke of rooming with a law enforcement

See Chief, page 7

SCOTT VERMILLION

Photo Credit Izzak Garcia

CalDART members Bob Falkenthal, Micah Muzio and Bryson Battagin load shovels, bottled water, clothes and other items for the trip to Lake Arrowhead to help out trapped residents. Many of those in the area were

for weeks after heavy snowstorms in March.

‘Service over self’ is philosophy of new top cop

JOSEPH ALVARICO DANYA TOWNSEND

PETE CRUZ The Pioneer

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

BEV BRITTON The Pioneer

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

Crowds lined Clayton’s Main Street during the 2019 Art & Wine Festival.

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time for the return of the Art & Wine Festival on Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30.

The Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA) held its first Art & Wine Festival in 1995, launching the CBCA tradition of making Clayton “a festival destination city.”

Thousands of Claytonians and visitors alike flock downtown each year to delight in the

charms of the town, businesses, beautiful surroundings and friendly festival atmosphere.

At the Art & Wine Festival, attendees stroll down Main Street enjoying vendors, arts & crafts and continuous live music, while sipping premium wine or beer. The food court offers a vast variety of foods, and there’s also a Kidland/Teen Zone.

Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free.

The CBCA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization comprised of dedicated volunteers serving the community. The group donates proceeds from festivals to a variety of causes, organizations and charities benefiting the Clayton community. CBCA has earmarked $175,000 to donate back to the community in 2023.

For more information, visit www.claytoncbca.org.

Clayton Cleans Up returns to beautify town just in time for Art & Wine Fest

After a three-year hiatus, Clayton Cleans Up returns 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 22.

As in years prior, the event will coincide with Earth Day, and comes one week before the Clayton Business & Community Association’s Art & Wine Festival. In contrast to the past, however, the event is being spearheaded by one resident: Clayton City Councilmember Peter Cloven.

The event hit a roadblock and was discontinued after the 2019 clean-up because of COVID-19. Prior to that, the clean-up was held thanks to the city and the Pioneer’s combined efforts each Earth Day for a decade. Cloven credits Pioneer co-publisher Bob Steiner with helping him through the learning curves of taking on the event. People who want to volunteer to clean up the heart of

Clayton can sign in at 9 a.m. in the courtyard outside City Hall. From there, Cloven says they don’t have too strict of a goal. Following the clean-up, volunteers will meet back in the courtyard for a noon barbecue.

“They’ll get a T-shirt and they’ll get gloves and a garbage bag. And then they’re going to give them the simple instruction to go and clean up,” says Cloven.

He wants volunteers to pick up trash in whatever areas they prefer, giving people the chance to clean spots that are special to them. “I want the citizens to be in charge of choosing the areas that make sense based on their observations of our town,” Cloven notes.

He calls the event an opportunity for residents to engage in a community-building cause that everyone can support. “If you’re willing (to help), this is such a nonpartisan issue. It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you fall on politically. Everybody actually loves our city.”

He goes on to say that Clayton Cleans Up is focused on general community improvement. “There’s no profit motive.” Cloven hopes volunteers will clean up their own neighborhoods or “other places of public visibility.” The town center is also likely to get a new life.

“It’s the week before the Art & Wine Festival. So, it’s really appropriate to spruce up our town for all the visitors who are coming.”

Fred Ripeto and Susan Hurl of Republic Services grill up lunch for volunteers in 2018

‘Herstory’ award honors Concord resident for helping families in crisis

KARA NAVOLIO Correspondent

Janet Frazier’s life changed forever in December 2000, when she received a phone call that every parent fears.

Her two daughters, Stephanie, 20, and Lindsey, 17, were in a car accident and being rushed to a hospital in Roseville. She left her home in Concord with nothing, racing to the hospital 1½ hours away.

Stephanie did not survive the accident, and Lindsey was in critical condition. After an endless day and night at Lindsey’s bedside, Frazier stood up and almost fainted. A nurse realized that Frazier had not eaten anything all day and offered to share her sandwich. That act of kindness was something Frazier never forgot. Lindsey was transferred to Kaiser Walnut Creek and eventually recovered. She now lives in Colorado with her husband and two children.

“The grief and then the worry for my other daughter, it was a double whammy,” Frazier recalled. “You have a hard time functioning day to day.”

CREATING A CARING NETWORK

Eventually, Frazier decided she needed to do something to channel her anxiety and grief. She approached a nurse at Kaiser Walnut Creek and asked if she could bring food for families who unexpectedly

end up at the hospital with nothing, as she had. The nurse was thrilled, saying it was the No. 1 thing families in crisis needed.

Frazier began bringing little bags of snacks and nonperishable meal items before work each week. As an employee of Chevron, she was lucky to have co-workers who helped her assemble bags on their lunch hour. After a local newspaper featured her story on the front page, more people wanted to help and to donate. In 2005, she formed a non-profit, the Network of Care.

For her efforts, state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, chose Frazier to be this year’s recipient of District 7’s “Women Making Herstory” award.

Frazier retired from

Chevron after 41 years in 2020 and enlisted the help of young adults with special needs to help assemble the food bags, called Bags of Hope.

“Bags of Hope has been very universal in teaching our students vocational skills,” says Frances Krohn, a teacher with the Liberty High School Gateway Program. “It includes a variety of different tasks like filing, stapling, shipping, labeling and taking inventory. With these skills, some of our students have gotten jobs in grocery stores and at UPS.”

Frazier added: “These skills help them transition to adult life and prepare them to hold and maintain jobs and to live independently. It’s a winwin, both for the families whom we are able to help and for the students who are learning valuable vocational skills.”

PAYINGIT FORWARD

These bags have now been delivered to more than 340,000 families throughout California, with 2,000 bags shipped each month.

One recipient named Crystal wrote: “Wow. I received a bag today during my stay at UCSF with my 10-year-old daughter who is admitted here. I was in awe of this hospital and all the care and services provided. I looked up this website and read the insert to the bag and sobbed. I just want to say thank you, and

this meal was so crucial to me here that I am at loss for words. What a beautiful daughter you have, and may she rest in peace knowing you created this in her memory. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will be paying it forward and donating.”

Julie Pierce, a former Clayton City Council member, serves on the board for the Network of Hope. “It’s a terrific service for those who are in a very difficult situation,” says Pierce. Pierce says the “Herstory” award is gratifying for those who know Frazier. “Janet is a doer; she is very caring. About 90% of the work done by the organization is done by Janet, all volunteered time,” Pierce notes.

Glazer presented the award on March 20 in Sacramento, with Lindsey at her mom’s side.

“It was a special moment for me to honor Janet at the Capitol,” Glazer says. “She has put her heart and soul into her life projects to offer care and support for women and families who have lost children or are worrying about them as they lay in hospital beds.”

Frazier says she feels lucky to be able to honor Stephanie while helping other families. “I have met a lot of great people through this work.” For more information on how to help this work to continue, visit thenetworkofhope.org.

Bringing out the crystal ball to see Concord’s future

EDI BIRSAN PULSEOF CONCORD

“We cannot change what we had for breakfast, let alone history” is an old Birsan family saying. As we reminisce on the 20th anniversary of our local paper, I want to take a look forward to the stories that might appear in the Pioneer in the year 2043.

The Concord City Council. Having shifted to a directly elected mayor and six city districts 10 years ago, the debate still swirls around whether term limits of 12 years is still too short. Meetings are every Monday, except during football and pickleball seasons.

DNA scanners. With DNA scanners on gun triggers having failed to reduce gun crimes, we put a scan application in public places – causing a divisive issue in the community. Youth, already used to

Project Lifesaver to aid missing residents with cognitive disorders in Pleasant Hill

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

Unique challenges accompany the aging process, and the Pleasant Hill Police Department is introducing Project Lifesaver to intercede quickly when problems arise.

The proactive program is designed to rapidly locate individuals with cognitive disorders, such as dementia or an autism spectrum disorder, and who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering.

Working in conjunction with Pleasant Hill Park and Rec, police representatives have scheduled a presentation at 1 p.m. May 23 to explain the pro-

gram and gauge interest in the initial target audience, according to Officer Nicholas Filippini, who heads up the Project Lifesaver team. The meeting will be in the Chateau Room of the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane.

Citizens enrolled in the program will wear a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized frequency signal. For the program to be successful, the person wearing the device will have a caregiver who would contact the department to report that the individual has gone missing. Filippini said it might be a situation of a husband and wife, where one has Alzheimer’s, for example.

Teacher, from page 1

ing and advisesRobotics Project 212 andFemineer clubs at YVHS, which he created to give students opportunities to explore STEM after school.

Townsend teaches Leadership, Weights (which she started at the school) and the APEX Learning class, which allows Olympic students to complete courses at their own pace using an online program, with guidance and oversight from Townsend.

Alvarico has taught for 23 years, including 19 in MDUSD (eightyears at Oak Grove Middle School, 11 years at Ygnacio Valley) plus four years in the Philippines, from which he immigrated.

ALVARICO CHAMPIONS STEM

He teaches engineering courses for students in grades 9-12, including dual enrollment College and Career Access Pathway courses in partnership with Diablo Valley College that allow students to earn college credits while in high school. He also teaches a Fusion 360 Computer Aided Design

course at DVC.

Alvarico works tirelessly with students during school – as well as before and after school and during breaks – to ensure they are challenging themselves and learning new skills that can help them pursue educational goals and careers that many of them never thought possible before taking his classes. He fosters a supportive community of curious, innovative critical thinkers who collaborate with each other and mentor each other in an academically rigorous, yet empathetic family environment. His work garnered him recognition last year as a “Teacher of the Game” by the San Francisco 49ers Foundation and Chevron, which funds some of his STEM programs. His dream is to make Ygnacio Valley High a magnet school for robotics.

Ygnacio Valley High Princi-

pal Jonathan Pike and Vice Principal Mandy Loushin nominated Alvarico for Teacher of the Year. “He inspires his students to become more than just part of his engineering program,”

Trained officers will use the client’s individualized frequency code to locate the position of the individual. The department will take three transmitters to where the person was last seen, and the code will triangulate the location of the individual. The louder the beep that is emitted, the closer trained search and rescue teams are to the individual’s position, Filippini said.

Time is critical and the code must be entered within 30 minutes, or using the transmitters to pinpoint the individual’s whereabouts becomes very difficult.

Adults who are not senior citizens but have conditions that

See Lifesaver, page 7

Loushin said. “They are leaders, hard workers, problem solvers and students of good character. I am inspired by Mr. Alvarico’s hard work and dedication to his students, his engineering program and the community surrounding him.”

To help students to be successful in high school, college and in life, Alvarico said he is passionate about building their leadership skills as well as their engineering skills. “I’m just one person in a room in a sea of 27-30 students,” he said. “It’s impossible for me to help out every single one of them, so I develop leaders.”

Alvarico has also built strong partnerships with engineering industry professionals, who help mentor his students and provide funding for school programs. April Treece, founder and chief executive officer of the Bay Area LEEDS organization that works to strengthen the STEM career pipeline, said student success begins and ends with good teaching and that’s what she sees in Alvarico.

Students said Alvarico is a wonderful teacher who helps them to see their own potential. “He has helped me to fig-

ure myself out and given me opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise,” said Manirat Kaur, a 15-year-old sophomore in Alvarico’s Engineering Essentials class, who is also in the Robotics club and is copresident of the Feminee Club. “He sees things in students that other people wouldn’t see and helps build on them. He finds that spark. He’s helped me gain confidence and he’s helped me to be a leader.”

TOWNSENDFINDSNEW HOME AT OLYMPIC

Townsend has taught for 14 years, including eight years at Riverview Middle School and two years in Oakley. This is her fourth year at Olympic High, which she says she loves. “I do like a challenge,” she said. “I wanted to have an opportunity to bring my experience and passion and drive here. I don’t feel like I’d teach in any other setting ever again.

“I just feel like there are so many options here that are endless and it’s a place where students who haven’t really felt like they belong in school or have been successful can experience something differentand that changes that for them

- and I love being a part of that experience for them. I feel like this is definitely where I belong.”

Her work garnered her the California Continuation Education Association’s Teacher of the Year Award last year, when then-Principal Lynsie Castellano called her “a culture game-changer for any school.”

Olympic’s current principal Courtney Lyon nominated Townsend for District Teacher of the Year. “She is just so passionate about alternative education,” Lyon said. “She really has a heart for the kids and wants them to feel like they are seen, they are valued and they can be successful in their academics, even if they have not previously experienced success. She’s really intent on building community here.

Townsend stressed the importance of being able to find those who are willing to support you and advocate for you after you graduate so that you have a network you can count on.

Students said Townsend is a caring teacher who is passionate about teaching and is honest with them about what they need to do to get on track

them

for phone and cyber implants for schooling, do not understand the resistance by the aging out Millennium Old Fogies.

Transportation.

Autonomous cars failed to make an impact in individual vehicle ownership but did reduce road rage incidents. The high-speed rail project finally completed the link between Lodi and Fresno, but no one noticed. Electric car conversion reached 70% despite the five-day mass blackout in ’39 that duplicated the Donner Party on Highway 5 north of Redding.

Roads. After the extensive road repairs of the ’20s and then in the mid-’30s, the evercyclical repair and wear down continues.

Climate change. The one-foot rise in sea level finally got noticed when flooding on golf hole 13 shifted from only on King Tides to every high tide, forcing a change in the whole course.

The base. After a sustained start in the early ’30s, the myth of One Concord was torn up when the residents there petitioned for a separate city to be called Claycord, just as they created a charter school district for themselves. The battle continues.

Immigration/refugees.

The mass influx of Taiwanese 11 years ago from the first and second Chinese Unity Invasions pushed the city to make Mandarin a school language requirement as well as Spanish and English. The influx more than offset the outflow of young families to Canada and other areas gaining from the rising world temperature and empty land.

Meanwhile, the July 4th parade still brings out the crowds and we still pledge “… indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” The hope remains strong that we will remember that our name is Concord not Discord.

Edi Birsan is a member of the Concord City Council. However, opinions expressed in this column are his alone and do not reflect those of the city. Send comments and questions to EdiBirsan@gmail.com.

to graduate. “She keeps it real,” said Eva Carranza, 17. “And sometimes we need to hear that. She motivates me. She pushes you to do more than you thought you could actually do.”

PREVIOUS MDUSD

WINNERS NAMED COUNTY

TEACHERS OFTHE YEAR:

2022-23 Natasha Paul

2019-20 Shay Kornfeld

2018-19 Kelly Perkins (State Finalist) and Rosie Reid (State Teacher of the Year; National CA Rep)

2016-17 Shauna Hawes (State Finalist)

2003-04 Liane Cismowski

2001-02 Janet Gower (State Teacher of the Year)

1996-97 Judy Moon

1993-94 Kathy Prasch

1990-91 Janice Bergamini (State Finalist)

1988-89 Shannon Merrill

1987-88 Carol Sparks

1986-87 James Wiese

1985-86 James Sayre

1983-84 Victor Hansen

1981-82 William Thomas (State Finalist)

1979-80 Ann Rowe and Joseph Hipple

1978-79 Nancy Burton

David Scholz

A client enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program would wear the small device at right. At left is one of three transmitters the Pleasant Hill Police Department would use to triangulate the position of a missing individual.

State Sen. Steve Glazer presented Concord resident Janet Frazier with District 7’s “Women Making Herstory” award.

Concord Chamber offers five $2000 scholarships to local students. Apply now

Thanks to strong fundraising and a corporate donation, the Chamber of Commerce is boosting this year’s scholarships through its Community Alliance for the Future (CAF).

“We are still collecting for the Crab Feed, and after reviewing our total collected for CAF, we are currently at almost $9,500,” reported Melissa Rea, the chamber’s president/CEO. “Between this and a $2,000 donation from Regency last year, I would like to move forward with providing up to five $2,000 scholarships instead of one $3,000 and two $2,000 scholarships.”

Rea said that the chamber historically raises $3,000-$3,500 for scholarships – but nearly tripled that amount this year.

“I believe raising the value for each scholarship will begin to gain traction for CAF, which is a goal I have set for the chamber in recent years,” she noted.

Seniors are eligible to apply if they attend Mt. Diablo, Concord High, Ygnacio Valley, Clayton Valley Charter, Northgate, Las Lomas, College Park, Carondelet and De La Salle. Applications are due 4 p.m. April 21. For more information, visit www.concordchamber.com.

Chamber’s citywide bus tour is back

Concord Council OKs police report on use of military weapons

BEV BRITTON The Pioneer

The City Council approved the April 11 Police Department report on its stock of military equipment and each deployment in the past year.

By accepting the report as required by California law, the council acknowledges that the department complied with its own policies for equipment use.

The detailed document lists all equipment that falls under Assembly Bill 481, expected 2023 purchases and each individual use. The department says there haven’t been any complaints or internal investigations related to the use of military equipment in the past year.

“The Concord Police Department retains and

employs limited equipment that falls under this legislation and subsequent law to safeguard its community,” Provisional Lt. Kevin Halm wrote in the staff report. “Concord Police Department officers, certified instructional staff and specialized units receive training throughout the year on the use of this equipment.”

A few residents spoke against the department’s use of such weapons, but Mayor Laura Hoffmeister said they are essential in some circumstances.

“I want our Police Department to have the right tools to respond to issues should they ever come up. And I hope and pray that they don’t occur in our community, but you can see what’s happening nationwide with active shooters,” she told the Pioneer after the

meeting. “I don’t want our officers to say: ‘We’re waiting for equipment that’s in Livermore and it’ll be here in an hour.’ ”

The military equipment inventory includes:

A Transcend Vantage patrol robot. Equipped with non-recording cameras and a two-way radio, it can climb stairs, open doors and deliver chemical agents.

Unmanned aerial vehicles. Primarily used outdoors during high-risk situations, evidence processing, and search and rescues. “We’ve used drones for murder investigations, locating individuals who have walked away – lost children, lost elderly residents,” Hoffmeister noted.

Two armored rescue vehicles. Designed to provide ballistic protection during high-

risk incidents. The city has already ordered a new Ford T350 ballistic van for $180,535 to replace an aging van.

Crisis Negotiations Team van and tactical dispatch van. Both donated by County Connection Bus Services.

AR-15 carbine rifles, long rifles and pistol caliber carbines. All used by trained/certified officers during appropriate situations.

Noise/flash devices, chemical agents, PepperBall launchers and projectiles. Used for crowd management, to divert attention or to dislodge barricaded subjects.

Long-range acoustic device. Used by Crisis Negotiations Team to talk with individuals who may be barricaded or otherwise unable to be reached.

Concord PD makes progress on resident’s security camera registry

KAREN JENKINS Correspondent

The Police Department has additional help available, thanks to residents and business owners who have registered hundreds of cameras that could help solve crimes.

specific area to immediately contact people who are already willing to share any images or videos, taking out the step of canvassing doorto-door and asking who might have video, Hart said.

their cameras, it doesn’t mean they have to share video,” Hart emphasized. “It just gives us an option to ask.”

The Concord chamber’s bus tour is an opportunity to learn about local businesses. A lot has probably changed since this 2018 event.

The Concord Business Insight Bus Tour is making a comeback on May 3, for the first time since 2019.

The Concord Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the city’s Economic Development Team for the fifth time to learn about current businesses and future growth of Concord.

Business and organization representatives will board a charter bus provided by Code 3 Limousine and Transportation, traveling through different districts within Concord to highlight the various industries in our community. The tour will begin and end at the event’s sponsor, Sunvalley Shopping Center.

After departing Sunvalley, participants will ride around Concord’s business districts –from the Monument to downtown and all the way through industrial North Concord.

Did you know the Kaanapali Kooler Lazy River at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is the longest lazy river in Northern California? Or that Bay Alarm is headquartered in Concord?

Attendees will learn fun facts about business in Concord while hearing about businesses moving into the area. A community representative who participated in all four previ-

ous tours learned something new each time. There will be two tour times offered, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with lunch overlapping in between at Sunvalley’s Food Court. Lunch is a great time to network with colleagues and make new acquaintances. Chamber staff always say: “You never know whom you will meet in the room, it could be your next power partner.”

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on the chamber’s website.

For more information, call 925-685-1181, visit www.concordchamber.com or stop by the office at 2280 Diamond Blvd., Suite 200 in Concord.

The department launched a program that asks residents and business owners to voluntarily register their security cameras in order to create a map of locations with private video surveillance.

“We have 207 camera locations registered, including six businesses and 201 residences,” Concord Police Sgt. Adam Hart said. “We’re still building, but I would consider that to be pretty good for a young program like this.”

The registry allows officers investigating crimes in a

“This doesn’t give us any access to anybody’s camera or video,” Hart said. “If a crime occurs, officers are able to pull up the register to quickly identify those willing to share video. Even then, residents would be contacted, as police have no direct access to any footage.”

The online registration, through the police department’s website, identifies the terms of agreement and states clearly that “registering your security camera information simply lets us know that you may be willing to share your camera’s footage.”

“Even if people register

Police used the camera registry in March, when major crimes unit detectives investigated a homicide. Hart said a suspect was identified, but he was unaware of the extent to which cameras assisted with the case.

The department’s terms and use agreement also states that “under no circumstances shall the Concord Police Department utilize any information obtained to view footage/feeds directly from cameras owned by registrants. An individual’s personal information will be kept confidential by the department unless subject to disclosure by court order.”

Concord resident Jennifer Krnich said she supports the

effort of the voluntary registry, but she doesn’t believe the registry should be the only way police contact residents or investigate crimes.

“It makes sense and I would (register) if it would help my neighbors,” said Krnich, who lives near the Concord BART station. She added that she shared video of a crime on her street prior to the voluntary registry.

“I understand the efficiency, but I’d also appreciate the door-knocking to seek information and to let us know what is known about an incident,” Krnich said. “I still want conversation and communication to happen.”

For more information go to www.cityofconcord.org/1001/Community-Camera-Registry.

Pleasant Hill’s Off the Grid food truck fare fuels friendships and fun

Off the Grid and its array of food trucks rolled into town April 5 to kick off another season of Wednesday visits to the City Hall lawn.

From 5-9 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 25, people can enjoy grab-and-go meals, bring a blanket and dine picnic style on the lawn, or enjoy their selections on the provided chairs and tables while listening to musical entertainment.

Los Kuyas and Cousins Maine Lobster are some of the new trucks that will rotate throughout this season, according to Zach Seal, Pleasant Hill’s economic

development manager, who noted that Off the Grid plans to add still others to its roster of creators on wheels.

Past favorites slated to make return visits will include BunBao, Ceviche & Co., Curveball Sliders, Daisy’s Desserts, Golden Gate Gyro, Marley’s Treats, Mozzeria and the Fry Boys. Another rolling staple of the Off the Grid roadshow is its partner the Guzzler, which again is bringing beer and wine.

Joining the diverse smells wafting over Trelany Road during opening night were the sounds of a solo musician playing such hits as “No Scrubs” by TLC, children playing on the grassy knoll by the lake, and a hum of conversations between families and friends.

Among them were Lily Janik of Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill resident Tanya

Denlinger, who met a year ago at an Off the Grid event. The women agreed they keep coming back for the delicious fare, music, and meeting people and striking up new friendships.

This year, Off the Grid is planning new activities and theme nights to create exciting weekly experiences to go along with the Bay Area’s favorite food trucks. Beginning in May, the first Wednesday of every month will be Family Night, with music, kids’ activities like face painting and crafts and partnerships with community groups.

For more information, visit https://offthegrid.com/event/plea sant-hill/2023-4-12-5PM.

MELISSA REA CONCORD CHAMBEROF COMMERCE

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

David Scholz

Nice crowds happy to see the weekly return of the Off the Grid to Pleasant Hill on Wednesday evenings braved the cool conditions that accompanied the season opener festivities on April 5.

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Obituaries

Tony Diaz

Aug. 26, 1955—March 14, 2023

Tony Diaz, 67, of Concord passed away March 14, 2023.

Tony was born in San Francisco on Aug. 26, 1955, to Blanca, who had emigrated from El Salvador, and Carlos, who had emigrated from Mexico.

after running out of money, he was determined to live there, befriending strangers (especially the ladies), finding work and learning the language.

week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print anonymous letters. E-mail your letter to tamara@pioneerpublishers.com. Letters must be submitted via E-mail.

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As soon as he could read, he went off to Catholic school, immersing himself into all things a good Catholic boy would do: serving the church and playing sports for his school. He was an altar boy and played the holy trinity of American sports – football, basketball and baseball – while he attended St. Mary’s College High School in Berkeley. Deciding to challenge himself, he went on to pursue higher education and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco and an MBA from Notre Dame.

Those who knew him discovered his strong will and his appetite for adventure. One prime example was leaving the United States for Japan with only $200 to his name. Even

Upon returning to the United States, he met Martha Flores, the future mother of his children and his partnerin-crime for 33 years. They married April 28, 1990, and had three children in rapid succession, Toni, Isabella and Cesar.

Like any true Californian, he had an insatiable love for the Beach Boys and beach party films, along with pride for his beautiful home state. And like many Bay Area natives, he launched his lifelong career in technology inspired by Silicon Valley. This influenced his love for getting his hands on the latest and greatest in technology. Whether it was an upgraded stereo system, moving away from dial-up in the ’90s or automating home life, he wanted his family to have it all.

He loved concerts, dancing, live music and any excuse to party. And those who knew him know he wanted you to celebrate in his name. And to that, he would have said, “Salud! Cheers! Kanpai!”

Tony is survived by his mother, his wife and his three children.

For more details regarding his celebration of life, visit https://everloved.com/lifeof/antonio-diaz.

Heather Gorgene Sobtaka

March 12, 1941—March 9, 2023

Lifelong Concord resident Heather Georgene Sobotka (Hooper) passed away peacefully on March 9, 2023.

She was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 12, 1941. When she was 10, her family moved to Concord, where she graduated from Mt. Diablo High School in 1959.

It was at Mt. Diablo High where she met the love of her life, William Sobotka, whom she married in 1960. They spent more than 62 years together, raising two daughters, enjoying five grandchildren and spending time with their friends.

Heather was talented with

Letters to the Editor

CBCA Events Agreement

While I do understand that the City of Clayton needs all the money it can raise in order to avoid additional taxes, terminating the CBCA agreement right before the festival season shows poor judgement by the City Council. I also think it’s unfair to suddenly spring this change on CBCA without letting them present their case first.

her crafts, such as painting and stitchery, and she created many handcrafted treasures for her family and friends. She also enjoyed gardening, skiing

CNWS, from page 1

plan should be made public. They also agreed to require the new master developer to keep the council apprised of pending legal action.

There was general council support for studying an increase in units to make the project economically feasible, including looking at Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). And they went along with Coun-

cilmember Carlyn Obringer’s suggestions to ask developers about the proposed campus district and how they would work with the GoMentum autonomous vehicle testing site.

Bjerke said there has been interest from several developers, including Lendlease and past applicants Brookfield, City Ventures, Shea – now in a

Chief, from page 1

executive from Latvia who was born in the former USSR before it eventually dissolved and broke into individual nation states. As a neighbor to Russia, his Latvian colleague spoke of issues that were a far cry from challenges Pleasant Hill presents. Nonetheless, they were eye opening for Vermillion and made him appreciative of his opportunity.

Population-wise, Pleasant Hill has only grown by about 2,000 residents in the past 20 years. But there have been differences over time, and Vermillion knows his staff must be responsive to the changes.

The department has evolved to have greater social media presence but still has not lost sight of the tried and true, boots on the ground visibility like visiting the elementary schools. A heightened awareness of mental health concerns in the community has also spurred the formation of a crisis intervention team that

responds to anyone having a mental health crisis.

MORE EYES TO KEEP CITYSAFE

The department is researching a real-time crime center in which surveillance cameras would be placed in certain parts of town. This would enable dispatchers to look at the area and provide specific information, such as the description of the individual or a vehicle that is involved, to officers enroute to the scene.

“If we can get out there fast and keep the crime from happening,” Vermillion said, the department would be making headway toward its goal of reducing crime. “Even if we achieve it, that will become the level to beat.”

Vermillion, who began his career as a patrol officer in Calistoga in June 1997, sees a strong correlation between personnel and reducing crime.

and volunteering at the various Clayton Business &Community Association events.

Travel was always a highlight for her. While she enjoyed visiting many places, she had a special fondness for Kauai – where she spent many memorable summer vacations.

Heather is survived by her husband William Sobotka of Concord; her daughters Sharon Cook and Jacqueline Connel, both of Clayton; five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

A celebration of Heather’s life was held April 15 at First Presbyterian Church of Concord.

consortium with Signature and SummerHill, and Lewis – formally with Concord First Partners.

Using the council’s input, Bjerke will conduct additional research with developers, stakeholders and community groups. He expects to bring a proposed hybrid Request for Qualifications (RFQ) timeline to the council in May.

The Pleasant Hill department has 36 sworn officers and needs to hire six or seven more to fulfill his objective of improving services to the community.

However, he noted that finding officers is “a challenge right now in the industry as whole” at the local, state and national levels.

The new chief identified property crime as the main problem facing the community, and “we will always be trying to reduce it.”

Vermillion and Pleasant Hill’s elected officials are on the same page for goals going forward, including prioritizing crime prevention in partnership with the community.

“It is important that people feel safe, and they live in a safe community,” said Vermillion, the father of teenagers.

His personal goal is that the men and women of the department have the support of the community. And, in pursuing that, “we have our department doing things right and making a difference.”

Nancy Niemeyer Clayton Resident

Lawsuits won’t solve affordable housing crisis

Not one more dime of taxpayer money for lawsuits about housing. We are a state best known for creative forward-looking solutions. Our kids, grandparents, service workers, teachers and medical personnel cannot afford to live here. Corporations are leaving because they can’t afford to pay workers to live here.

Huntington Beach and every other city and county in this state need to pull expertise together and figure out how to resolve the affordable housing mess. It will take creative, effective new community housing designs and mass and rapid transportation growth with new neighborhood parking designs. Green sustainability, power and water recycling buildout are required.

Let’s spend on methods to resolve with those taxpayer dollars – not methods to sue. Concord and Contra Costa County throughout have work to do.

Suzan Requa, Concord

Lifesaver, from page 5

put them at risk of wandering are also eligible to participate in the program, if devices are available.

The city of Pleasant Hill is funding the program to the tune of about $6,000 to cover the cost of three transmitters at $1,100 apiece and five receivers costing $325 each.

There will not be a charge to the five initial clients, who will get a receiver and battery charger as part of the kit. Depending on the response to the program, Filippini said they may have to revisit the issue of charging a fee for future enrollees.

“We haven’t really seen a recent increase in these calls. (But) we are always looking for new tools that will help us do our jobs better and make a positive impact in the community,” said Filipinni. “This is the main motivation.”

Yes, there are more potholes – but Concord is filling them

“What’s the deal with all of the new potholes?” is a complaint that I have been hearing a lot recently.

Unfortunately, all of the wet weather we’ve had since New Year’s weekend has caused some trouble for our roads.

The rain poured heavily onto and under our pavement –much more so than we’ve seen in the past few drought years. While we all want the rain to alleviate the drought, water is actually an enemy of pavement. Water breaks down the pave-

ment, and it can soften the base of the pavement – causing a depression that allows water to puddle. The combination results in a pothole.

Sun exposure creates another problem; it breaks down the asphalt binder and causes minor cracks to appear. During dry years, these minor cracks are not a problem. During wet years, those cracks create the opportunity for water to sit in them and start breaking down the surrounding material.

So, our wet winter weather

coupled with the previous few dry years and the constant flow of traffic throughout the city have created the perfect storm for roadway woes.

The good news is that our Public Works team has been hard at working fixing the newly created potholes – many of which you have told us about through our “Concord Connect” mobile app. This tool allows us to hear directly from residents, pinpoint the potholes and put them on a list for quick repair.

Since Jan. 1, 2023, our team has repaired 3,357 potholes throughout the city. Beyond these quick fixes, Concord has a comprehensive pavement maintenance strategy to patch the potholes, seal the cracks and seal-coat a street.

Concord maintains 60 million sq. ft. of local roads.

Before voters passed Measure V – our one-cent sales tax – in November 2020, the city needed approximately $26 million annually to maintain its existing pavement condition. However,

Outlining Clayton’s efforts to cover budget deficit

interest rate.

only $6 million was available to fund roadway maintenance.

Fortunately, we were able to leverage Measure V to borrow funds to invest in a five-year pavement management plan. Not only are we now able to dedicate on average an additional $21 million per year for the repair and rehabilitation of our roads, these upgrades will help us begin improving the city’s pavement condition for the first time in more than a decade.

The five-year pavement management plan includes a variety of projects occurring throughout the city, such as major work being done to replace Grant and East streets, and upgrade traffic signals on Willow Pass Road.

LAURA HOFFMEISTER CONCORD MAYOR

When the Clayton City Council adopted the city’s current year budget, it did so with a $127,000 operating budget deficit. This deficit was covered by appropriating reserves from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money.

At a recent Budget/Audit Committee meeting, staff updated its revenue projections for the city and determined that revenues for the year would likely come in higher than anticipated by approximately $82,000 from a combination of sources, the largest of which was property taxes. Expenses for the year were also forecast to come in lower than originally anticipated by $84,000 due to staff vacancies.

These fluctuations emphasize the need to conduct robust analysis in order to gather information upon which to base decisions. Rather than focus on suggesting a parcel tax as a first resort, we need to dig deeper and understand the basis for any projection, the sensitivity of any projection, and any levers available to us in order to impact the overall results and test the projections against actual results.

Given the focus on fiscal sustainability, I wanted to provide an update on one project that has the potential for significant savings as well as making the city more energy efficient as a whole. We have been working with Climatec, a vendor we engaged to assess potential savings across all of our energy uses – including gas, water and electricity.

Phase I of their work was the assessment, which was done at no cost or obligation to the city. Recently, the city entered into Phase II of our agreement,

contingent on the city being able to secure funding for the project.

The project will include a number of energy- and costefficiency elements, including solar arrays that will power all of the city’s buildings, in addition to providing shade structures for city vehicles; new lighting across our buildings, parks and streets; new HVAC systems at Endeavor Hall, the library and the maintenance building; building automation systems controlling utility usage; EV charging stations at the library; and irrigation control systems with master valve flow meters to shut off water flow in the event of a breakage.

All of these things combined will cost approximately $2 million, with an overall savings of $4.7 million over the life of the equipment. We also applied to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for an energy efficiency loan. The CEC credit facility is designed for local governments and is offered at a 1%

Contra Costa County working to address climate change

As the changing climate increasingly impacts our lives, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has developed systems to improve local policies while making lasting changes to how the county conducts business.

The Sustainability Team is a division within the Contra Costa Conservation and Development Department. Sustainability is tasked with making our communities cleaner and healthier for families, children and future generations. To accomplish this, the team oversees the development of the county’s Climate

Action Plan (CAP), staffs the Sustainability Commission (a citizen advisory group) and staffs the Board of Supervisors’ Sustainability Committee.

The Sustainability Team has a quarterly newsletter about the programs and initiatives the county is implementing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The newsletter also includes programs residents can participate in to make their homes and businesses more energy efficient. Check the Sustainability Resources page for information on rebates and incentives available for residents and busi-

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nesses.

CAP is the county’s strategic approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from sources throughout the unincorporated areas in the county. It reflects the county’s programs and actions to decrease energy use, improve energy efficiency, develop renewable energy, reduce vehicle miles traveled, increase multi-modal travel options, expand green infrastructure, reduce waste and improve the efficiency of government operations.

The Board of Supervisors adopted the current CAP in 2015. They are updating it along with the county General Plan through Envision Contra Costa 2040, estimated to be completed in 2024. In the meantime, the Sustainability Team has developed Interim Work Plans that outline the actions the county undertook in 2021 and 2022 to address climate change, and where it will focus in 2023 and 2024.

The interim plan outlines seven goals that aim to increase the effectiveness of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. These goals are clean and efficient built environment, resilient communities and natural infrastructure, no-waste Contra Costa, reduce water use and increase drought resilience, a clean transportation network, climate equity and leadership.

The Sustainability Commission allows community members to provide input and suggestions to county staff and the Board of Supervisors on sustainability issues. Each

While there are potentially other funding options, the CEC credit facility is the most favorable. We should hear back regarding our application sometime in May. If we are able to secure funding through the CEC, there will be savings to the General Fund as soon as the project is complete, which is expected to take approximately a year.

While no single effort will solve the fiscal challenges that the city faces, with this effort combined with other activities the city is working on, we are making progress. These challenges did not start overnight, and they will not be solved overnight. But through persistent effort, we will ensure that we are exploring all available levers to put us on track toward fiscal sustainability.

Send comments and questions for the mayor to jeff.wan@clayton.ci.gov

What I think residents are most excited about are the projects to repair potholes and smooth out our roads across the city. These “pothole and base repair” projects are underway and will occur in phases.

For a complete list of projects that will launch this spring and summer, visit cityofconcord.org/CIP. In addition to a schedule, you will also find an

KEN CARLSON COUNTY SUPERVISOR

supervisorial district has a voting representative and an alternate member. They provide input on CAP implementation, how to best engage county residents and businesses on sustainability, and how to ensure equity and fairness in the county’s sustainability efforts.

The Sustainability Commission meets 5-7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of every other month. These meetings are open to the public.

Supervisors John Gioia and Federal Glover sit on the board’s Sustainability Committee, which focuses on the implementation of the county’s CAP. They review the work from the Sustainability Team and the Sustainability Commission and make policy recommendations to the Board of Supervisors to approve. Over the years, the recommendations have led to permanent improvements in our county and to the environment. For more information, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/6780 /Sustainability.

Ken Carlson is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to Carlson at SupervisorCarlson@bos.cccounty.us or call his office at 925-655-2350.

interactive map that provides information about the work being done, the timeline and the cost. Next month, I’ll provide more details on these locations. The bottom line is we know our roads need some attention and we have made this a priority. As the weather warms up, you will certainly see more construction zones throughout the city. We ask for your patience. Direct your questions and comments to the mayor at 925-6713158 or Laura.Hoffmeister@cityofconcord.org.

Bill addresses equity in clean energy efforts

California continues to lead the nation and world in reducing – and reversing – the damage that has been done to our planet.

Last year, I was proud to co-author SB 54 (Allen), the strongest plastics reduction law in the country. It requires by 2032 that 100% of packaging in the state be recyclable or compostable and that 65% of all single-use plastic packaging be recycled, amongst other provisions. Setting ambitious goals such as these, and finding paths to achieving them, is how California has cemented itself as a global leader in combating climate change.

California has also set a goal of achieving net zero carbon pollution by no later than 2045, while additionally ensuring an 85% cut in greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reach this goal, we all need to be part of the solution, and the state needs to find ways of helping communities and industries contribute to progress.

While the state has made significant and sustained investments toward programs dedicated to reducing California’s greenhouse gas emissions, I believe we need to do more to empower our small business community in helping to achieve these goals.

California small businesses account for 99.8% of businesses. Of the state’s 4.1 million small businesses, 1.2 million are minority owned. An individual small business can have a relatively small carbon footprint, but the overall impact of those emissions can be huge. To meet our clean energy goals, we must create measures that incentivize small businesses to make clean energy investments.

Despite the significant role that minority small businesses have in the clean energy transition, there remains a huge gap in minority small business enterprise participation in the market transition to a low carbon future. Small businesses may lack the same resources and support that larger corporations have when it comes to reducing emissions and implementing new technologies and operations.

TIM GRAYSON 15TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

It is essential that minority enterprises actively participate in delivering solutions that help California achieve its aggressive climate goals, which is why I am authoring AB 1198 to establish the Equity in Energy Task Force to develop a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing equity in the energy industry and increasing the participation rate of women, minorities, disabled individuals and veteran-owned businesses, as well as individuals from disadvantaged communities.

This Task Force will take a complete look at all the energy-related mandates and policies within California and identify gaps that may exist for minority-owned businesses and their employees. The Task Force will also work to identify available tax credits, grants and workforce training funding, and provide recommendations on addressing barriers to access to the energy industry and how to increase participation levels among underrepresented communities.

AB 1198 will help California achieve its climate goals, support our essential small businesses and provide resources to create community wealth-building opportunities. I’m proud to have the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, the California African American Chamber of Commerce and the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce co-sponsoring the legislation.

If you would like to learn more about AB 1198, or other legislation I’m supporting to help California fight climate change, contact my Concord District Office at 925-5211511.

JEFF WAN CLAYTON MAYOR

DeSaulnier focusing on gun control, mental health, just transition to green solutions

Congressman Mark

DeSaulnier (D-CA) was on home turf last week to present a $631,200 check to the Concord City Council for pedestrian and traffic safety in the room he presided over as mayor in 1993.

The funds were Concord’s share of the larger $21.7 million Consolidated Appropriations Act. It provides funding for 15 projects across the county, including welcome funding for CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Contra Costa.

While he was in town, he sat down in the Pioneer office for an hour-long talk covering such wide-ranging topics as how a self-described “saloon keeper” ended up in national politics, what formed his political philosophy, where his passions lie and a brief update on his health.

He was surprisingly robust after a near fatal fall in 2020, when a fractured rib and punctured lung put him in ICU on a ventilator for more than a month. He still speaks quietly with a somewhat hoarse voice.

DeSaulnier is tall and athletic, with deliberate moves. The avid runner has completed 26 marathons and is back on the trail, but at a modified pace.

He also remains in remission from Stage 4 acute lymphocytic leukemia, which he was diagnosed with in 2015. He meets with other cancer survivors a few times a year to review research and advocate for increased funding.

ANSWERING THE CALL TO SERVE

DeSaulnier was born in 1952 in Lowell, Mass., into a deeply political family and educated by the Jesuits. His father was a 26-year-old state senator and later a judge who was accused in front of the U.S. Senate of accepting a bribe. He was never convicted, but he was forced to resign. He later died of a self-inflicted gunshot.

“After that, I didn’t want anything to do with politics,” DeSaulnier said. “I came to California to get away from it.”

He went to work as a probation officer, truck driver and bartender in San Francisco, then into the restaurant business with Jeremiah Tower and finally opening his own TR’s Bar and Grill in Concord.

But the call to serve was louder than his distaste for politics. For the next 35 years, he served in elected office in local, regional and state government

– finally landing a seat in the U.S. House after Rep. George Miller retired.

Once a registered Republican, DeSaulnier has always found himself on the more liberal side of issues. As the GOP moved further and further to the right, he found himself standing on blue ground.

“The party changed. I’m still the same,” said DeSaulnier, who is sure of himself and of his purpose. In 2000, he switched to the Democratic party.

Former Clayton Mayor Julie Pierce met DeSaulnier when they were both planning commissioners and assigned to TransPac. “We hit it off and have been friends ever since,” she said.

They worked closely together to open the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel. She applauds his ability to work “across the aisle” to do the right thing.

“He’s not about himself. He’s about the job,” she said. “He sees democracy the way it’s meant to be. I love the way he can quote Lincoln or any philosopher off the top of his head.”

POLITICAL PRIORITIES

His political philosophy is shaped by the Jesuits, emphasizing the social contract and service to others – but doing it as efficiently as possible. He is thoughtful, with a dry, often academic sense of humor.

Gun violence is a high priority, along with mental health. He co-authored the Health Matters Act (H.R. 7780), a comprehensive bill to dramatically increase access to mental health services for children, students, workers and families.

The bill passed the House 220205 in September 2022.

“We’ve gotten a 300% increase in mental health money since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010,” he said. “Since the ACA required parity in treating mental health, the younger generation doesn’t think about the stigma of mental health like we did.”

Once early in his career, a reporter asked about his father’s suicide. “It was awful,” he said. “I was so ashamed; I didn’t sleep for days.”

Much of his work now is focused on a just transition to clean energy. President Joe Biden has called for a complete shift to electric vehicles by 2035. DeSaulnier’s Clean Corridors Act of 2021 provides funds to put charging stations and fuel stations in the right places “so you get the highest and best usage, and more people buy the product cars.”

He is also “passionate” about telework.

“You have two-income families working 60-70 hours a week, and no one is around for their kids,” he said. “We’re not talking about (working at home) all the time. Let’s try just two or three days a week. It’s about people spending more time at home with the family.”

Closer to home, DeSaulnier has been a tireless advocate for exoneration for the Port Chicago 50, the 50 Black sailors charged with mutiny during World War II when they refused to return to loading munitions after two ships loaded with bombs blew up in the harbor – killing 320 men.

He has submitted a resolution to the 114th, 115th, 116th and now the 117th Congresses. “There’s been some progress,” DeSaulnier said. “The Navy has admitted to some wrongdoing but still stops short of full exoneration.”

Despite his frustrations, DeSaulnier notes that members from both sides are in Congress because they want to get something done. “Two people that couldn’t get elected in each other’s districts are supposed to work together,” he said. “We’re principled.”

Retired county supervisor

Karen Mitchoff worked for DeSaulnier when he was a supervisor from 1994 to 1998. “Mark has great capacity,” she said. “He is well-loved, smart, collegial and has a good heart.

“He doesn’t look at party; he looks at possibilities.”

Mark DeSaulnier discussed his priorities and current work in a wide-ranging interview with the Pioneer.

Activism marks start of 2 school board meetings last week

On a very pleasant spring late afternoon last Wednesday the temperature was a little higher indoors as the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Clayton Valley Charter High School governing boards held meetings that drew larger than normal crowds.

The CVCHS meeting started 30 minutes before the Mt. Diablo district. With the public comment portion of the agenda underway about 40-50 members of the charter school’s teaching staff and their supporters marched into the school library chanting “We are CTA (California Teachers Association)” dozens of times while six speakers voicing support for the teachers in their ongoing contract negotiations with the school spoke to the governing

body.

Just a half hour later and four miles away in Concord, the lobby and board room at MDUSD headquarters were full of students, staff and alumni speaking on behalf of the Mt. Diablo High School academy programs. The supporters fear state funding for the long-time academy programs is about to be eliminated by MDUSD.

So many turned in speaker’s cards for the school board meeting that Board president Keisha Nzewi announced that the normal three minutes per speaker was cut to one minute in order to accommodate all those who wanted to speak.

The emotion in the message many current and past students passed along about the importance of the MDHS Academy programs—-focused around the hospitality, digital media and medical fields—-was quite mov-

Life for seniors is good at TreVista

TreVista is a warm and welcoming community that focuses on ensuring a vibrant and engaging lifestyle for all residents.

TreVista offers both assisted living and memory care, along with short-term respite stays. Residents of the community are encouraged to live as independently as they wish, with a caring, expert team close by to lend a hand whenever needed.

The staff is concerned with ensuring residents’ physical, intellectual, social and spiritual health and wellness, offering engaging activities and events specifically to address these needs. Managed

by a family-owned company, Agemark Senior Living, TreVista is focused on treating all in their care, as well as employees and members of the community-at-large, like family.

In 2020, renovations at TreVista in Concord brought improvements to common areas, all apartments and added amenities such as a bistro and spa with a whirlpool tub and an in-house beauty salon with a manicure station.

Learn more about TreVista at trevistaseniorliving.com or stop by for an in-person tour at 1081 Mohr Lane, Concord.

Instructor David Pintado and students from the Mt. Diablo High School Medical and Biotech Academy listen to speakers imploring the MDUSD Board of Education to keep funding the area’s oldest school’s academy programs.

ing. The programs were termed “life changing” and “my family” by current students and grads from over two decades ago who continue to support the program. The Pioneer was unable to get a comment from MDUSD officials by deadline about their plans for the academies, which

reportedly need to submit letters of intent to the California Partnership Academy by the end of the month to retain their funding. Both the Mt. Diablo hospitality and digital academies have forever grants that are grandfathered in by the State and which will go away should they not be renewed this year.

DART, from page 1

COORDINATINGFOOD

DELIVERY

Izzak Garcia of Pittsburg, a pilot trainee and ground worker at Buchanan Field Airport, joined Grimes, who was preparing to fly out of Concord.

“I was notified a day before my departure from Concord,” Garcia said. “I packed a day or two worth of clothes and snow gear. I then met with Mike Grimes the following day to board his personal aircraft and head for San Bernardino. We arrived around mid-day to find the helicopters still making their rounds and CalDART, along with the police, highway patrol, firefighters and volunteers from local churches, still packing helicopters.”

The helicopters stocked the local hospitals with medicine

and needed resources.

“We had helicopters available to take food, but no food,” said Grimes. “They had no driver for a big flatbed. So, I jumped in the truck and picked up a load of food from a local church. We loaded the food into a helicopter, along with snow shovels.”

Incident Commander Ron Lovick of San Diego DART tirelessly kept things organized in the air and on the ground. CalDART President Paul Marshall also had boots on the ground to help wherever possible.

RESIDENTSPULLTOGETHER

Susie Newman Harrison, a Lake Arrowhead resident, told the Pioneer she had about 12 feet of snow in front of her house. The roads to her home were impassable for 16 days, and even longer in some areas, as many smaller roads to people’s homes remained blocked after the main roadways had been cleared.

Harrison, along with Lisa Griggs and other locals, started messaging each other when they found themselves snowbound. With Griggs as the driving force, it took about a week to develop Operation Mountain Strong – which united about 500 residents.

“People came together to help organize getting food and medication. They also helped the elderly with shoveling snow,” she said. “Nothing like this has been done before. We don’t have an airport nearby, so everything had to come in by helicopter.”

That’s where CalDART and pilots like Grimes came in. Harrison called the volunteers “pretty impressive.”

Harrison can see the nearby hospital helipad from her property but could not get there due

It’s the perfect opportunity to come and see what we’r l abo while enjoying a beach themed paint party! Indulge in wine an appetizers while painting yourvery own replica of the image bel r instructorwith Pinot’s Palette is r y to coach you into mak an amazing work of art Allwho attend l go home with a homem Charcuterie board, to-go.

made

CLAYTON VALLEYTEACHERS UNHAPPY WITHNEGOTIATIONS

Jim Corcoran, president of the Clayton Valley Education Association, spoke to the board after rallying his members in the school quad before the meeting speaking over a bullhorn. He told the Pioneer that only 13 of the teaching staff at CVCHS remains from 2012-13 when the school converted to charter status and left MDUSD.

“We have had a serious and persistent turnover issue; some years have been very bad. Many of our younger teachers have struggled to afford to live in the immediate area. By best count, 250 or so teachers have been at CVCHS in the last 11 years,” Corcoran said. He’s been at the school teaching government and economics since 2015.

The general understanding is that Clayton Valley Charter teachers have been the highest paid in the county for several years.

Corcoran says, “CVCHS was

to unplowed roads. One of her neighbors made the arduous trek to get supplies by foot. It took 2½ hours.

With power out at many homes, the situation became desperate. Snow accumulation on rooftops was so heavy that some collapsed.

The CalDART volunteers dove in to help where they could. “We heard there was a local supermarket whose roof hadn’t caved in yet,” said Grimes. “I met David, another CalDART guy. We jumped on the roof and started shoveling. We had two snow blowers but couldn’t get them on the roof as they weighed 300 pounds. A couple of locals – a deacon of the local church named Ali and another guy named Ruben –helped us find a place to stay and drove us there for the evening. In the morning, they picked us up and brought us back to the roof.

“Some angels from SoCal Recovery showed up in Jeeps with big winches and asked how they could help. I yelled down from the roof: ‘Get those two snow blowers up here.’ ” And they did, working as a team.

CREATING A CONTACTLIST

Meanwhile in Concord, Stephen Tucker was trying to get more aid to the snowburied community. Tucker works with Pacific States Aviation CEO Rashid Yahya, who provides pilots, fuel and other support for Contra Costa’s DART volunteers.

Tucker spent three weeks making calls to politicians and local authorities to try to get help where it was needed. He worked diligently to find names and contact numbers to help with the flow of communication for those directing critical help and asking politicians throughout the state to do anything and every-

the highest paid district, though direct comparisons are hard because salary schedules don’t align perfectly. In general, we have the best starting salaries and slightly less competitive as you go furtherdown the schedule.” He explains that Acalanes and Antioch will surpass CVCHS if they sign new contracts on the table and that several other districts would also be above the Concord school even if the teachers get an 8% raise.

He says the state this year increased school funding in two ways: a 6.56% Cost of Living Adjustment and additional ongoing funding per AB 181. “Meaning Clayton Valley saw an increase of something like 1315% increasein continual state funding. One of our concerns is that we are not even being offered that statutory Cost of Living Adjustment,” he said. The two sides first met in December, but the teachers feel that not much progress has been made since.

thing that would facilitate collecting that data.

Tucker gathered many contacts and hopes his efforts will be useful for future incidents. “We all really need to work together.”

While snowbound, Harrison got the word out to help bring attention to the crisis. She is also a pilot and has now joined CalDART. Tucker says they’ve had a wave of new members looking to join.

As the snow in the region finally begins to melt, Tucker said many locals, though still digging themselves out from the string of storms, expressed their thanks to the volunteer pilots.

One told Tucker: “When we heard the helicopter blades coming closer, we had hope.”

For more information on CalDART, visit www.CalDART.org.

If you are interested in joining Contra Costa DART, contact Stephen Tucker, executive director CC DART/Concord and Byron airports, at 925-586-5977 or Stephenf4e@gmail.com. You can also connect by email at pilots4DART@gmail.com. For more information about Pacific States Aviation, visit http://www.psa.aero.

Mike Bonifay

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

Susie Newman Harrison at her home in Lake Arrowhead in March, 2023.

Sponsored Content

20 Years, from page 2

2010 U.S. bobsled team in Vancouver.

The greatest local Olympian of all, Clayton resident Don Bragg, celebrated the 50th anniversary of his 1960 pole vault gold medal with Pioneer readers in 2010 when he returned to Rome to renew old friendships with his competitors.

CONCORD, HERE WE COME (TWICE)

Rutledge left The Pioneer for a job with the Sacramento Bee, and Pete Cruz took over the design and production of the twice monthly paper one year after its first issue.

Jill Bedecarré was with the paper for over four years until she died of breast cancer in 2007.

“She was more than an employee – she was the sunshine in every morning,” Steiner said. “She left a hole we still can’t fill.”

Jay Bedecarré covered sports as The Pioneer was established during its first year and returned to assist Steiner after his wife’s death. He is still writing sports, education and features.

Bev Britton, another Contra Costa Times alum, took over the editing when Jill Bedecarré was sick. Britton now also writes news and features.

Eventually, Cruz and Steiner started a website for The Pioneer that had basic information on the paper and a static copy of each issue the public – locally and around the world – could read.

PIONEER ON FACEBOOK

The Pioneer is a year older than Facebook, and the newspaper started its Facebook page with a 2010 Christmas Cookie Contest. The page morphed into the Concord Clayton Pioneer page in 2013.

In 2008, Steiner started a separate monthly tab newspaper, The Concordian, in Concord with a partner. “We came out of the box 30% ahead of projections,” she noted. “Then the recession came, and we hit a wall.

“As with The Pioneer, all revenue for free papers comes from advertising. The economy continued to free fall for the next 19 months and The Concordian just couldn’t generate enough to support two owners. In 2010, I transferred the paper to my partner and turned my full interest to saving The Pioneer.”

In October 2014, Steiner wrote a front-page column announcing that the company would publish The Clayton Pioneer early each month and The Concord Pioneer two weeks later. The Concordian had since folded, and she was eager to be in Concord again. The first Concord Pioneer was delivered to about 25,000 homes in Contra Costa’s largest city. In January 2019, the two papers combined into a monthly Pioneer mailed to Clayton residents and home delivered in Concord.

PANDEMIC PIVOT

The paper continued that way until a little matter of the pandemic hit in early 2020. Like virtually every other business on the planet, The Pioneer was severely impacted. For the first and only time since May 2003, there was only a digital edition of The Pioneer in April 2020 and no edition at all in May.

“For a free community newspaper, sustainability is and will always be the challenge,” Steiner said. “In the first three months of the pandemic, more than 30 independent news sources in Northern California went dark. They didn’t have enough cash in reserve to last even one month without revenue.”

The Pioneer went dark in May 2020 while, as Steiner quipped, Cruz “took our website into the 21st century.”

“We cut our free circulation to alternate months in Concord, sought a broader advertising base by expanding coverage into Pleasant Hill and emerged in June with a robust website and daily content,” Steiner added. Cruz posts new content daily at www.PioneerPublishers.com. More than 1,000 unique visitors are on the site every day. Cruz wrote an April’s Fools story in 2021 about a hiker finding gold on Mt. Diablo that garnered 89,963 views during a month where traffic to The Pioneer website was more than 150,000.

“I have the most fun working with others,” Steiner said.

“In June 2015, I joined with colleagues from the Community Focus to publish the Diablo Valley Yum Guide, then with Lamorinda Weekly, Community Focus and Valley Sentinel to publish two years of the Contra Costa Homes Guide.

“Those times were the most fun I’d had at work in years. Sadly, in 2021 the Focus fell victim to the pandemic and in 2022 Denise Rousset, publisher of the Valley Sentinel, died of breast cancer.”

CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIALMEDIA

As Steiner looks back over the first 20 years of The Pioneer and the current state of affairs in the region, she has some sobering thoughts.

“Local politics, like politics everywhere, have become exceedingly divisive – brutal and Trumpian. Social media has given everyone the same platform, spotlight and equal time to say anything they want no matter how false, no matter how personally damaging, no matter how toxic.

“Sites like Nextdoor are a cesspool. The issues/social problems have only gotten bigger and harder. Solutions to the big problems (economic disparity, homelessness, housing) continue to be out of reach.”

Pioneer

has

Steiner says local journalism is fighting for its life.

“Whole communities exist in a news desert. Facebook, Google, TikTok, Twitter are poor substitutes for a local paper that hits everyone’s front porch at the same time and is filled with familiar faces, city politics, high school football scores and news that connects us all. The local

paper is ‘social media the oldfashioned way.’”

Pioneer news stories in recent years have included struggles about charter and public schools and housing that have literally and figuratively divided the local communities.

Clayton was the site of two Black Lives Matter rallies in June 2020 which uncovered

deep-seated feelings among local residents. Concord is still grappling with the development of the Concord Naval Weapons Station property more than 20 years after it was first offered to the city. Through it all, The Pioneer has and will continue to chronicle the life and times in our area.

life

not always been about newsprint. First, there was the 10 year anniversary issue of the Clayton Almanac. Then came collaboration with our publisher colleagues at the La Morinda Weekly, Valley Sentinel and Community Focus which produced the Contra Costa Homes Guide covering local real estate and YUM! our Diablo Valley food guide.

New owners hoping to restore luster to Grayson Woods

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

A shuttered golf course tucked away in a quiet neighborhood may be getting a new lease on life.

But to quote a single by the late great George Harrison, before Grayson Woods Golf Course is ready to play again, it is going to take money, patience and time by the new owners.

And, plenty of each, sang Harrison, “to do it right, child.”

New owners Kyin Chiou and Na Li plan to operate the golf course in the same manner as the previous owners, Jim and Denise Hamm.

The city’s Planning Department approved a zoning permit application on March 15 for the couple, who are envisioning a two-phase approach for bringing the facility back to life.

Phase 1 work would begin as soon as possible and involve reopening the club house (including a pro shop and eating facilities), two of the nine holes (1 and 9) and the 18-hole putting course so it would available this summer.

Phase 2 would focus on the remaining seven holes, so it would be ready for use in approximately one year’s time. Both the golf course and putting course require long overdue maintenance. However, refurbishment of the golf

course and putting course will not involve any grading, excavation or new layout; rather, the plans will utilize the existing, approved layout.

Also planned for the golf facility are new indoor practice bays with golf simulators for practice and instruction.

As the couple started efforts to get the course and putting greens back in playing shape, they also had to contend with unexpected vandalism – including a broken window to the snack bar and pro shop building. On April 4, two suspects cut the front gate lock to gain access to the course. Prior to that, a youngster riding a dirt bike damaged a putting green.

While disheartened by the setback, Chiou removed the damaged window, swept up the glass and took the necessary steps to temporarily secure the building.

Exterior cameras filmed the masked individuals, with footage turned over to the Pleasant Hill Police Department. So, Chiou is hopeful those responsible might be caught.

“You can’t build Fort Knox,” said Chiou. “No matter what you put up, people will break in if that’s what they are determined to do.”

After purchasing the property for $2.1 million, Chiou acknowledged he didn’t embark on this venture intending to make a profit.

“We bought it as a place for our kids to play golf and for other kids to improve their games,” said Chiou. “It’s peaceful out here.”

He anticipates it will take about $1 million to do all 9 holes. Right now, they are shuffling funds to make improvements.

The 9-hole, par 3 golf course originally opened in 2001 on a 26-acre site. After it closed for play in 2015, media accounts a year later indicated the business had struggled to gain traction from its early days.

Talk of the property being used for home construction has come up periodically. But such an alternative use has never taken off due to the significant challenges that a project would

have to navigate and overcome as it moved through the planning process.

The idea of a new housing subdivision also has not set well with the surrounding neighbors, especially those whose longstanding, priceless views across the golf course would be obliterated by such construction.

The recent buzz of activity and efforts to restore the property to its former luster have

not gone unnoticed, with surrounding residents sharing good wishes on the social media app Nextdoor.

Amid the unfortunate distractions, Grayson Woods’ new owners are appreciative of the support expressed by their neighbors and undeterred about moving forward with their short- and long-term plans for the golf course.

Author and illustrator launch colorful kids’ book about feelings

TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer

In local author Kara Navolio’s new book, “Maggie Discovers the Rainbow,” a cautious girl finds the courage to jump out of her comfort zone. She is rewarded with a magical ride through all the colors of the rainbow, experiencing the emotions the colors evoke along the way.

“I wrote this book to encourage kids who might be hesitant to try new things and to help kids express their emotions through color,” Navolio says. “Kids are fascinated by rainbows, and it’s the perfect way to help them build a vocab-

Five gorgeous gardens await on Clayton tour

The 31st Clayton Gardens Tour will feature five beautiful yards available to visit 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 19 and 20.

Visitors will find a native garden, another with an aviary pond and one with a whimsical vintage setting “full of something to see everywhere you turn,” noted Linda Cruz of the Clayton Historical Society, which

sponsors the event.

“Debbie is super creative, and Joe collects vintage items beautifully arranged,” Cruz added about the Ortegas’ design. “The garden was so perfectly clean – who knows how she keeps it up.”

All proceeds from the tour support the Clayton Museum, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Tickets can be purchased

Artfully placed antiques accent one of the gardens on this year’s Clayton Gardens Tour, May 19-20.

for $35 at www.claytonhistory.org or at R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton. Tourday tickets will be $40.

The Historical Society is also in need of docents to For more information, call JoAnn Caspar at 925-5676079, or Joan Bergum at 925-672-0240 or email mueum@claytonhistory.org.

ulary of emotion words.”

Navolio, a frequent Pioneer contributor, teamed up with local illustrator Tracie Timmer for the picture book. Timmer, who grew up in Concord and still lives in the Bay Area, used watercolors to render Maggie’s magical world.

“My favorite part of illustrating this book was how imaginative Maggie is. I got to put myself in the shoes of a child and soar through a world where the possibilities are endless, and every color is a brand-new discovery and adventure,” says Timmer. “As an illustrator, this type of imaginative world is the best possible scenario as it allows me to fully embrace my creativity with very few boundaries. It was a true honor to be asked to illustrate this wonderful and unique story.”

“I just love the way Tracie imagined Maggie’s adventure and added her own personal touches,” notes Navolio, who has been working on this story for 27 years, off and on, starting when her children were small. Many revisions later, she finally found a publisher in 2021 and Belle Isle Books released it last month.

“Something about this story made me keep going. I just needed to tell this story because kids can relate to the

feelings Maggie experiences, and there is a special relationship between Maggie and her grandma that is modeled after my grandmother.”

“Maggie Discover the Rainbow” is the second book published for each. Navolio’s “Everybody Can Dance!” (Brandylane Publishers, 2019) has a message of diversity and shows how dance can bring us all together. It has received popularity internationally as well as locally and was included on the BBC’s bedtime stories show “CBeebies” in December 2022. It featured a reading by actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won “Strictly Come Dancing” –Britain’s version of “Dancing with the Stars.”

Concord resident Susan Pace-Koch wrote Timmer’s first book, “The Mermaid and the Moon” (Get Out Books, 2014).

“I grew up in a quiet cul-desac in Concord that was entirely families with kids my own age, so there was always plenty of time for creativity and makebelieve on our block,” says Timmer, who attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and works at the Disney Family Museum. All the books can be ordered online. Visit www.karanavolio.com for more information and upcoming events.

David Scholz

The 18-hole putting course at Grayson Woods will need some TLC before it is ready for play.

April 21, 2023

Spring sports started in the rain; sunny playoffs beckon

The spring sports season began in fits and starts with athletes dodging inclement weather to train and compete, but the weather has changed and league, section and state competition beckons starting at the end of April and running through the first week of June for baseball and softball.

This senior class missed their freshman season and had an abbreviated sophomore schedule due to the pandemic but will be able to complete their final high school athletic competition under more normal conditions with leagues, North Coast Section, NorCal and State championships in the next six weeks.

Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle have floated near the top of the Bay Area baseball rankings all season. The Ugly Eagles are 10-4 overall and 2-0 at the start of the Diablo Athletic League season. De

La Salle lost a rare doubleheader earlier this month to Saint Francis bouncing the Spartans from the top spot in the rankings. They are 13-4 overall and 6-1 in the East Bay Athletic League.

Northgate is 4-0 in early DAL softball play and the Broncos are 9-2 overall. Clayton Valley Charter is 8-3 having won its only league game.

In track and field there are several athletes ranked in the top six NCS season performances.

The Clayton Valley Charter 4x400 boys relay team is No. 1 in the latest NCS rankings. Carondelet’s Brianna Meredith leads all girl long jumpers (and is tied for second in the triple jump) and Clayton Valley Charter sophomore Santia Ali is the top triple jumper. De La Salle’s all-round standout Chukwunonso Udeh is first in the high jump at 6-7, second in the 110 hurdles, third in the long jump, sixth in the 100 and seventh in the 300 IH.

Alex Lamoureux of College Park is third in the 800 and fifth in the 1600. Isabelle Ruff ties for the second best 800 mark and her CVCHS teammate Zoe Lahanas has posted high NCS marks in three events.

Carondelet and CVCHS girls have high relay rankings while the De La Salle boys 4x100 relay is currently third.

Defending NCS champion De La Salle lacrosse is 13-3 overall and 4-1 in East Bay Athletic League. Northgate boys are 10-2 with both losses

coming in DAL play, where they are 3-2.

Several local swimmers are ranked among the top 10 in California. On the boys side, De La Salle’s Zachary Elian and Northgate teammates Andrew Hallett and Mason Wendler plus Spartan and Bronco boys relay teams have posted top 10 marks.

Carondelet has four swimmers with high state rankings. Cougars Stephanie Iannaccone, Bailey Hartman, Ellie Butler and Maddie Gomez cover most strokes in the top 10 while all Carondelet relays are near the top of state marks.

SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES

Badminton

EBAL Tournament May 6 (Dougherty Valley)

NCS Championships May 13

NorCal Championships

May 20 (Newark Memorial, Newark)

Baseball

DAL Valley League Games

Mar. 14 – May 11

DAL Foothill League

Games Apr. 11 – May 11

EBAL League Games Mar.

15 – May 5

EBAL League Tournament

Week of May 8

NCS Championships May

16-27

NorCal Championships

May 30 - June 3

Competitive Cheer (Stunt)

EBAL League Championship Apr. 25

29

NCS Championships Apr.

CIF NorCal Invitational

Championships May 12-13

Golf (Boys)

DAL League Championships May 1

EBAL League Championships May 1

NCS Division II Championships May 8

NCS Division I Championships May 15

NorCal Championships

May 22

CIF State Championships

May 31

Lacrosse (Boys & Girls)

DAL Championships Apr.

25-28

EBAL League Games Mar.

24 – Apr. 28

NCS Playoffs May 2-11

Softball

DAL Mountain League Games Apr. 13 – May 11

DAL Valley League Games

Mar. 16 – May 11

DAL Foothill League Games Mar. 28 – May 11

EBAL League Games Mar.

14 – May 4

EBAL Championships

Week of May 8

NCS Playoffs May 16-27

NorCal Championships

May 30 - June 3

Swimming & Diving (Boys & Girls)

DAL JV Invitational Meet

Apr. 29 (Campolindo High)

DAL League Championships Apr. 27-29 (Campolindo High)

EBAL League Championships Apr. 28-29

NCS Championship Meet

May 4-6 (Concord Community Pool) State Championship Meet

May 11-13 (Clovis Olympic Swim Complex)

Tennis (Boys)

DAL Tournament Apr. 2729

EBAL Tournament Apr. 27-

May 1

NCS Singles/Doubles Championships May 5-6

NCS Team Championships

May 9-13

NorCal Team Championships May 16-20

Track & Field (Boys & Girls)

DAL League Championship Meet Apr. 29 and May 6

EBAL Championships May

5 (San Ramon Valley)

NCS Tri-Valley Area Meet

May 13

NCS Meet of Champions

May 19-20

CIF State Meet May 26-27 (Veterans Memorial Stadium, Clovis)

Volleyball (Boys)

EBAL Playoffs Apr. 27-29

NCS Playoffs May 2-11

NorCal Championships

Wonderful country setting amongst other estate homes on a level 1.03-acre lot that backs to a seasonal creek. There is room for a pool, sports court and so much more. When you walk into the grand formal living room/dining room combo you look through the French doors to the backyard and formal covered patio area, perfect for entertaining. Light filled kitchen has a large island, extensive counter space and storage plus a walk-in pantry. Kitchen is open to informal dining and family room. Huge laundry room. Side entry 3 car garage. Owned solar

CV Athletic Hall of Fame finally inducts new class

Ten athletes, five teams, a pioneering coach and a community organization are in the seventh class to be inducted in the Clayton Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame at a Friday, May 19, dinner ceremony at

Centre Concord. The last class inducted was in 2019 before the pandemic put a halt to the process until this year.

THE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023: Jim Henderson (Class of 1960 football, basketball, tennis and baseball) spent his first

Athlete Spotlight

two years at Mt. Diablo High and even served as a sophomore on the committee that determined school colors, song and mascot for the new Clayton Valley High that opened in the fall of 1958. Along with another Hall of Famer, Frank Snyder, Henderson was one of the first two recipients of the CV White Letter Sweater. He was allDVAL in three sports during his high school career. His first high school team was freshman football at Mt. Diablo coached by future legendary CV basketball coach Bruce Iversen. As a senior he was selected to the 20-30 Club East Bay All-Star football game. He was also chosen to the 1950s All-Decade Basketball Team by the Concord Transcript. His third all-league accolade came in tennis. He returned to his alma mater teaching English and journalism and coaching tennis, baseball and track.

Gene Montori (1964 football, baseball and wrestling) earned nine varsity letters along with being student body president as a senior. He was a threeyear starter for the Eagles football team and was twice given all-DVAL honors as a

Alana Sevier

School: Concord High

Grade: Senior

Sports: Cross Country & Track

Concord High cross country and track coach Lanette

Stanziano has come to rely on Sevier after coaching her all four years on the school’s cross country and track teams. This year the senior is showing her versatility in running the 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 as well as on the 4x400 relay. Her coach said, “Alana has been working really hard this year without complaint. She has run multiple races in many meets to help our varsity girls defeat Diablo Athletic League Valley Division schools Alhambra, Berean Christian, College Park, Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley.” Entering their final meet this week against Benicia, the varsity girls were looking to maintain an undefeated record in their division. Stanziano adds, “Alana is an integral part of the scoring as well as an integral part of the team spirit.”

Besides completing her final track season, Sevier is looking forward to graduating with her class. She says, “Running for Concord High has made me fall in love with racing. Freshman year is when I knew I wanted to run in college. After every season, all I wanted was for the next one to start. My life wouldn’t be the same without running; the sport makes me feel complete. The friendships and bonds I created over the past four years is something I couldn’t be more grateful for. I’m exited to see where running takes me.” Sevier went to San Jose State on a recruiting visit, but decided she wants to go to Diablo Valley College in the fall and run there for two years with her sights set on transferring to San Diego State where she wants to major in Kinesiology and become a trainer or coach.

The Pioneer congratulates Alana and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. laceyandruicka.com

Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.

lineman. Montori made his biggest noise on the wrestling mat including a North Coast Section outstanding wrestler award as a senior when he also was third at the Northern California wrestling tournament at 194 pounds. The Eagles finished in the top five teams in 1963 and 64. He was awarded the prestigious Leadership Altair

Award in his graduating class.

Brian Strock (1977 wrestling and football) came to Clayton Valley from Pacifica High as a senior and became the school’s first-ever all-State champion which capped an undefeated season in 34 matches. His junior year he tied for seventh at State, the best finish ever for a Pacifica wrestler. That senior year as team captain he won four invitational tournaments plus the DVAL and North Coast titles before capping the season as California State champ. He was named Winter Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Northern California Wrestler for the league, section and state championship 1977 CVHS Hall of Fame team. He received a full scholarship to San Jose State and was a four-year scholar athlete for the Spartans.

Suzanne Boehner Miladin (1977 track and field and fencing) has been called the “Queen of CVHS Track and Field” as she shined when girls were first getting a chance to compete at the North Coast and CIF State level. She was third in the high jump as a freshman in

1974, the first year girls competed at the State Meet. Six times she was first or second at NCS in the high jump and long jump and as a senior she set school records in both events at the State Meet. She won 10 league championships. Boehner was also two-time team captain and four-year varsity fencer for the Eagles. Her accomplishments led to three years on the Cal Poly Pomona track team where she still is in the school record book for the high jump. She competed in the pentathlon at the collegiate national championships.

Kip Yaughn (1988 baseball) went down as one of the greatest pitchers in the rich history of CVHS baseball. As a junior he threw the only perfect game in Eagles annals against Northgate in the Diablo Valley Easter Tournament. He pitched 228 innings with 360 strikeouts in his three years on varsity, setting a slew of school records for season and career including four no-hitters, 16 strikeouts in a game and 161 strikeouts in a season. He was league MVP and all-East Bay his senior year and

Four local schools honor Class of 2023 athletes formally committing to college

Carondelet, Northgate, Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle high schools celebrated 17 senior student athletes this spring who signed their National Letters of Intent to play their sport starting in the fall at 16 colleges from coast to coast.

The signees will be playing 11 different sports in college including soccer, acrobatics and tumbling, swimming, basketball, competitive cheer, water polo, rugby, wrestling, volleyball, track and cross country.

Besides Northern and Southern California, college signees are headed for Massachusetts, Washington, Mon-

tana, Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey and Michigan to further their academic and athletic pursuits.

SPRING NLI SIGNEES (SPORT ANDCOLLEGE ):

Carondelet

Mariana Aiello (Acrobatics & Tumbling, Caldwell University)

Jenna Davis (Swimming, Chapman University)

Macy Lehrer (Soccer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Lara Meeks (Competitive Cheer and Stunt, Davenport University)

Clayton Valley Charter

Emily Beeson (Soccer, Adams State University)

Laura Fribley (Soccer, Thomas College)

Jake King (Basketball, William Jessup University

Isabelle Ruff (Cross Country and Track, Carroll College)

Adrian Salamasidis (Volleyball, St. Andrews University)

De La Salle

Ryan Cesmat (Swimming, Seattle University)

Atri Feizi (Wrestling, Menlo College)

Ben Gronbach (Water Polo, University of the Pacific)

Billy Haggerty (Basketball, UC San Diego)

Joey Manzone (Rugby, Saint Mary’s College)

Tommy Rainsford (Rugby, Cal Berkeley)

Northgate Megan Malloy (Cross Country and Track, Chico State)

Emilio Pucci (Football, Chapman University) Visit pioneerpublishers.com for more photos and information.

Jay Bedecarré photos

Clayton Valley Charter seniors, from left, Laura Fribley, Emily Beeson, Isabelle Ruff, Adrian Salamasidis and Jake King signed their National Letters of Intent at the Concord school last week.

EMILIO PUCCI AND MEGAN MALLOY NORTHGATE HIGH SCHOOL

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

See Fame, page B4

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

JIM HENDERSON

Athlete Spotlight

Courtney Ward

School: Clayton Valley Charter

Grade: Senior

Sport: Swimming

Senior swimmer Ward’s love of the sport is reflected in her hard work, commitment and dedication. She has been a member of the CVCHS varsity swim team since her freshman year, specializing in breaststroke and individual medley. She’s also been on the Ygnacio Wood Seahorses each summer since she was eight-years-old. On her summer rec team Ward was overall Most Improved Swimmer three years in a row in addition to earning many team sportsmanship awards over the years. She notes that her favorite parts about being an athlete include experiencing a team’s community, meeting new people through sports and staying active.

While she’s not in the pool, Ward maintains a 4.0 GPA and participates as an active member of both yearbook and Senior Women at Clayton Valley Charter. Additionally, she enjoys being involved with her church community and volunteering her time to help at church events. Ward plans to attend Baylor University in Waco, Texas starting this fall to major in business with an emphasis on marketing. She looks forward to continuing her swimming career by join-

Sports Shorts

YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAMEDINNER

TICKETS ON SALE FOR MAY 20

The Ygnacio Valley High Athletic Hall of Fame dinner for the Class of 2020 which has turned into the Class of 2023, will finally be installed Saturday, May 20, at Zio Fraedo’s in Pleasant Hill, three years after the original induction date. The inductees are coaches Jack Biglen (football and golf) and Triss Carter (boys and girls cross country and track) and athletes Oliver Hanf (Class of 1987, wrestling, football, track), Jim Mayo (1975, wrestling), Julie Pitois (1989, basketball, softball, volleyball), Eric Lakin (1982, baseball, football) and Chris Iglesias (1980, baseball, football). The school’s founding principal Dr. Ernie Wutzke will be honored as well. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and buffet dinner at 6:30. Visit yvathletichof.com to reserve tickets.

CONCORD CUP XXVIII TAKING

FOR MAY 20-21

TEAMREGISTRATIONS

TOURNAMENT

The area’s largest annual youth soccer tournament, Concord Cup, returns for its 28th edition at a variety of Concord parks May 20-21 with over 100 teams from California, Nevada and Oregon taking part. Boys and girls club and AYSO teams from under 10 through U19 are eligible to participate. Diablo Valley Wolves, Mt. Diablo Soccer and Concord AYSO co-sponsor the tournament. Visit concordcup.com to register teams and referees now.

RED DEVIL GOLF CLASSICSET

FOR JUNE 23 AT DIABLO CREEK

The Red Devil Golf Committee announced it is holding its annual fund-raising tournament on Friday, June 23, at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. Registration starts at 11 a.m., followed by lunch, golf, dinner and raffle/silent auction. Proceeds help academic and athletic programs at Mt. Diablo High School. Interested participants should contact Lou Adamo by phone (925) 212-9332 or email louadamo@gmail.com or Rudy Perez (925) 408-6790 or Rudyperezrdc@gmail.com.

CLAYTON VALLEY ATHLETIC

HALL OF FAME HOSTING BOCCEBALL

TOURNAMENT MAY 6

Clayton Valley High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame is holding its second benefit bocce ball tournament in Clayton at the Ipsen Family Courts on Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The tournament is limited to 16 teams ($400 team entry fee) with a $800 cash prize to the champions and $400 and $200 to the next two finishers. For more information and to register email Herc Pardi at herc_pardi@hotmail.com.

ing the Baylor club swim team. Ward is thankful her sister Amanda has always been very encouraging and supportive of her swimming journey. She is also grateful to her swim coaches through the years, especially high school coach Adrian Lohse. Ward notes that playing a sport during high school is an amazing way to meet new people, as she has made some of her closest friends through the Ugly Eagles swim team.

CVCHS student journalist Katherine Pugh wrote this Spotlight.

The Pioneer congratulates Courtney and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry.

Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or a great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com

TERRAPINS SWIM TEAM OFFERING

SPRING , SUMMER PROGRAMSFOR

BEGINNINGSWIMTEAMMEMBERS

Terrapins Swim Club has spring and summer Orange programs scheduled for beginner swimmers six years and older who have completed advance swim lessons and are interested in learning about the swim team experience. The spring program has just started and runs three days a week at Concord Community Pool through June 8. The Orange program for swimmers 6-11 is June 13 to July 25 at 9:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Swimming must be able to swim the 25-yeard freestyle or backstroke to take part in the program. For more info and to register for Terrapins spring and summer Orange program visit terrapinswim.com.

CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER

FOOTBALL CAMP JUNE 26-27

Clayton Valley Charter summer football camp is on Monday and Tuesday, June 26-27 for incoming first through eighth graders at the Concord school. The camp sessions from 4:307 p.m. are designed to teach the fundamentals of football to young prospective football players. Camp participants will be taught offensive and defensive techniques utilized at Clayton Valley High. Current Clayton Valley players and coaching staff members will tutor campers.

SPARQ (Speed-Power-Agility-Reaction-Quickness) training will also be conducted to help arm athletes with the tools they need to become a complete athlete. Each camp participant will receive a camp t-shirt. For more information email coach Nick Tisa at nick.tisa@claytonvalley.org.

LOCALRECREATIONSWIMTEAMS

READY FOR SUMMERSEASON

The summer recreation swim season is just around the corner. To sign up for local teams visit their website:

Bishop Estates bishopestates.swimtopia.com

Dana Hills danahillsotters.com

Forest Park forestparkpool.net

Gehringer Park teamunify.com/recgpg

Oakhurst Orcas oakhurstorcas.com

Springwood SpringwoodSwim.com

Vista Diablo Dolphins vddst.swimtopia.com

Walnut Country www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?team=reccawcs

Ygnacio Wood teamunify.com/team/reccvywst/page/home

LETUSPUBLISH YOUR SPORTS NEWS

Please let us know about your sports news. Youth leagues, clubs, schools and adult programs are all welcome to send us a rundown on what you are doing. Include details and your contact information. Send an email to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.

DEBBIE EISTETTER THE WAY WE WERE

The Clayton Post Office became an official entity on Oct. 4, 1861, and it would be

Tracking the lineage of Clayton’s Post Office

housed in a variety of locations throughout town, depending on who was postmaster.

You could be mailing and receiving letters at a hotel, restaurant, grocery store or someone’s home, and a postmaster or postmistress could have been your neighbor, a local business owner or a member of your family.

Horse-drawn wagons collected and delivered mail in the early days. The arrival of the

Fame, from page B2

runner-up for East Bay player of the year for the league champions. He attended Arizona State University on a baseball scholarship and was a 1991 firstround draft pick of the Florida Marlins in the expansion draft.

Vaughn and teammate Damon Mashore were tracked throughout their senior season by major league scouts, putting CVHS on the national recruiting map. He’s considered one of the top 10 East Bay high school pitchers of the past several decades.

Jason Nolting (1995 water polo, swimming and basketball) amassed 10 varsity letters shining in the pool and the basketball court. He was a two-time all-league water polo player and league MVP as a senior. He set several school water polo records including for most ejections drawn, assists and steals. He captained the league championship Eagles as a senior and earned all-NorCal honors for his performance. He started three years for CVHS basketball and was all-league as a junior. He concluded his high school career as a NCS finalist in swimming on the team that he earned four varsity letters. In the classroom Nolting had a 5.0 GPA and went to the Air Force Academy named first team allconference water polo as well as team captain and MVP and Academic All-America.

Dana Lawson (1997 track and field, basketball and volleyball) concluded a distinguished track and field career winning BVAL and NCS discus and shot put titles as a senior and taking 12th at CIF State in the discus for the Eagles. She was a team captain and qualified for State as a junior and senior. She won league and NCS in both weight events for two years. She also earned a varsity letter in basketball and volleyball. She maintained a 4.0 GPA for her first three years and 4.8 as a senior which helped her earn six NCS Distinguished Scholastic team awards. At Cal Berkeley Lawson competed in the Pac-10 Championships every year and the NCAA and USATF national championships as a senior all-American. She was a two-time team captain for the Bears and finished in the school’s Top 10 list for shot put, discus and hammer throw. She went on to compete in four more USATF National Championships through 2005 and the 2004 Olympic Trails in the shot put.

Jennifer Codington Curry (1999 soccer and cross country) was a four-time all-league soccer player and also two-time Contra Costa Times player of the year while leading the MBAL in scoring twice for the Eagles, who finished second in league her four seasons. As a sophomore her club team won the U19 State Cup. In cross country she was part of the nation’s fifth ranked and California’s No. 2 team for CVHS. She placed ninth as a freshman at the State cross country championships. Codington received a scholarship to UC Santa Barbara. She played three years of soccer for the Gauchos, starting

Stockton/Oakland stagecoach, roaring down Main Street to make a stop at the Clayton Hotel in the 1860s, caused great excitement in this little town.

Local brothers Jack and George Atchison operated their own stage line 1898-1914, carrying mail, money and passengers to Concord, Pacheco, Martinez, Antioch, Nortonville and Somersville. However, any Claytonite headed out of town could be politely asked to make

a delivery or pickup.

George O. Chapman, who opened the second hotel in town, is listed first on the U.S. Postal Service roster of historical postmasters, along with a note that says: “He may not have served.” Therefore, Samuel M. Barrow is the official first postmaster of Clayton. Like Chapman, he was a hotel proprietor. But his establishment burned in the disastrous fire of 1864, and he left to find employment in San Francisco.

46 of her 56 games. She had a knack for scoring key goals and assists. She was all-Big West second team in 2001 while scoring 11 goals.

Laura Davis (2002 swimming) is one of the school’s swimming legends who competed in the first of her three US Olympic Trials after her sophomore year at CVHS. She was the team’s MVP, BVAL champion and all-America all four years. Davis ranked in the top three nationally in the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke. She ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 200 and 400 IM, 100 and 200 fly and 100 breast. She was Pacific Swimming outstanding swimmer throughout high school competing for the Terrapins Swim Club and placed in the top eight at Nationals and Olympic Trails. She still holds several school records. Davis had a 4.0 GPA. She went to Stanford University on a full ride scholarship and was a four-time Pac-10 Scholar Athlete and two-time team captain. She won an NCAA 200 IM title and was a Division I allAmerica.

Sean Reilly (2008 swimming) was a four-year league champion for Eagles swimming and was the BVAL MVP swimmer his junior and senior years. He was top five in three events at NCS as a junior but exceeded that as a senior when he won NCS gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and 200 and 400 relays for CVHS. Those results earned him the Contra Costa Times East Bay Swimmer of the Year award as well as allAmerica recognition. He was team and BVAL MVP for two years. Reilly earned a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. He got a swimming scholarship to the University of Hawaii where he was a conference champion and competed in the US Olympic Trials. After college he became a champion competitor in triathlon competitions.

1976 and 1977 Girls Gymnastic Teams coached by Patricia Potter Patrick and assistant Terry Turner Nelson made history in 1976 competing in the inaugural NCS girls gymnastics championships. Terri Markey was all-around champion in the intermediate optionals division. Charli Patterson won all-around in the beginner division just ahead of teammate Andrea Eissner. A year later the team went undefeated in DVAL with Laura Landgraf and Patterson winning all-around league and NCS championships. Team championships were not then awarded at post-season events but Eagles gymnasts won 16 league and 15 NCS individual titles those two years.

1985 Football Team coached by George Smylie won the DVAL and NCS Area III championships that fall. They were NCS runner-up in 3A, losing 15-12 to Pittsburg in the finals at the Oakland Coliseum, and finishing with a school record at the time of 11 victories in 13 games.

1988 Baseball Team coached by Bob Johnson were

A stable keeper named William Morris took the helm for 10 months after Barrow’s departure. He was followed by Romeo Mauvais, yet another hotel proprietor who built the Clayton Hotel after the fire. The year 1867 marked when Charles Rhine, owner of the general store on Main Street, began his role as postmaster – serving two separate terms that totaled more than 22 years.

Main and Oak streets from which she handled the mail and sold candy.

undefeated 14-0 league champions with all-league players Mashore, Vaughn, Pat Tozier, Kevin Clausen and Bryson Webb leading the way. The team set school records for wins and homeruns with Mashore eventually playing major league baseball and Vaughn, Justin Mashore and Lance Daniels all also playing professional ball.

1996 Girls Track Team was the eighth straight CVHS girls track team to go undefeated in league competition at 6-0. Kelly Howisey and Pia McAllister were team MVPs and led the way along with Lawson, Heather Wallace and team captain Alisa Macksey. The Eagles of coach John Miller set five team records despite a recordsetting wet spring making most area tracks hard to compete on. In the classroom the girls had the third best cumulative GPA in NCS. Four team members went on to compete in college.

Coach Dee Billeter is the longest serving boys or girls athletic director at the school, holding that position for 27 years from 1976 to 2003. Her lifelong fight for women’s equality made a lasting impact on girl’s athletics not only at Clayton Valley, but throughout the North Coast Section. Here dedication to Clayton Valley is unparalleled, as evidenced by her years as a decorated teacher, coach, athletic director, school parent and grandparent, and co-founder of the Clayton Valley Athletic Hall of Fame with Bill Nelson.

When she started at Clayton Valley in 1966, girls’ athletic programs in the district were limited to occasional Girls Athletic Association “play days” with schools in the area.Along with 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Karen Johnson and other likeminded women coaches, Billeter started the journey on the path to more equity. Even with the implementation of Title IX in 1972, advances did not come easily. However, the success and scope of CV’s girls’ athletic program over the years is a testament to the dedication of those early pioneers.

Community Organization

Clayton Business and Community Association has supported Clayton Valley High School academic and athletic programs for many years and is recognized with induction in the Class of 2023 Hall of Fame for their support.

For tickets to the Hall of Fame dinner contact Herc Pardi at herc_pardi@hotmail.com or Dee Billeter at deebilleter@yahoo.com or call 925-672-6379.

Clayton’s first postmistress, Lucinda Wallace, served four years in between Rhine’s terms. Recently widowed, she was attempting to raise five daughters on a meager wage as a seamstress. She was a beneficiary of the Postal Service’s change of heart toward hiring women after the Civil War. At that time, it was recognized that many women were in need of employment to make up for the loss of the men on whose wages they had depended.

A similar situation occurred with another widow, Louise Pusey, postmistress 1893-1911. She lived in a rented house at

Thomas O. Graves served for 11 years as postmaster, in addition to his occupation as a schoolteacher. After his term ended in 1926, women filled the Clayton post for the next 55 years. In the 1940s, “Dolly” Murchio Foubert ran the post office in a small dining room located at the back of the bar in the former Clayton Hotel – at that time known as Tat’s Place and owned by her brother. The building we know as Skipolini’s Pizza was a home built for her in the 1950s. It became the new post office, adorned with a little evergreen tree in the front yard.

Dolly trained “Dodie”

Bloching to take over in 1953, and once again the post office moved. Dodie and her husband owned the Village Market, and the back room became the center of postal activity – with Dodie’s mother acting as “relief clerk.” Dodie hand-canceled all

outgoing mail, which was placed in a large locked chest behind the store. The mailman had a key to open the chest and would replace the outgoing mail with incoming for the postmistress to distribute.

Many people still remember the post office located on the west side of the old Clayton Cash Store (now the location of Cup O’ Jo and Chick Boss), just before the construction of a building that was actually meant to be a post office: a wait of more than 130 years. As the plaque in front reads, the Clayton Post Office is one of the oldest, continuously running post offices in California. That distinction was earned thanks to the hard-working postal employees of the past and present.

Debbie Eistetter is a board member of the Clayton Historical Society. For more information or to become a member, visit the website claytonhistory.org.

With all the news lately about artificial intelligence (AI), should we be concerned about robots taking over the world?

The short answer, AI is a computer algorithm. That begs an answer to what’s an algorithm?

Let’s start with the basics and, perhaps, the answers will make people think about the affect it will have on them.

A computer runs on two things. First is the hardware or the physical stuff like a chassis (case), power supply, motherboard, memory and the central processor (CPU).

The second is software or a string of commands that compose the program. That program tells the hardware what to do. So, an algorithm is a program telling a machine what to do … and think.

According to Bing, “Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as learning and problem-solving.”

But who said that? Bing uses AI that is programmed (trained) to “chat” with you. We call it a chatbot, short for talking robot. It calls itself “Bing.” I tried calling it “Mr. Roboto” (Styx circa 1983), but it corrected me. “Domo arigato misuta Robotto.”

To find out what a chatbot is, we asked a chatbot what it was. According to the Bing chatbot, “A chatbot is a computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to understand customer questions and automate responses to them, simulating human conversation. Chatbots can help businesses provide faster and better service to their customers.”

So, the chatbot named Bing is a search engine that has AI and an algorithm con-

trolling its responses.

Will Smith’s character, Del Spooner, in the 2004 movie “I, Robot” said, “Human beings have dreams. Even dogs have dreams, but not you, you are just a machine. An imitation of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a … canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?”

I decided to put that line to a test and requested a joke about a chatbot going into a bar. See what you think.

“A chatbot walks into a bar and says to the bartender: ‘Hello, I would like to order a drink.’ The bartender says: ‘Sure, what kind of drink do you want?’ The chatbot says: ‘I don’t know. Can you please give me some suggestions?’

The bartender says: ‘Well, we have beer, wine, whiskey, vodka, gin …’ The chatbot interrupts him and says: ‘Sorry, I don’t understand. Can you please repeat that?’ The bartender repeats the list of drinks. The chatbot says: ‘Sorry, I still don’t understand.

WILL CLANEY TECH TALK

Can you please speak more clearly?’ The bartender gets annoyed and shouts: ‘Look, buddy, if you don’t know what you want to drink, then get out of here!’ The chatbot says: “OK. Thank you for your help. Have a nice day.’ And walks out of the bar.”

What would you ask Bing? Give it a try. Search for “Bing chatbot” and have some fun.

William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to willclaney@gmail.com.

The back room of the Village Market became the post office when “Dodie” Bloching was Clayton’s postmistress.

A chatbot walks into a bar … are you worried?

DEE BILLETER

‘Ethical’ trauma is hurting LGBTQA+ community

It’s been a few years since I cleaned up broken glass from my front yard and found fires set in outrage that my household is LGBTQIA+. The hateful people moved away, and we are … safer. We speak freely of trauma these days – the traumas caused by physical and emotional abuse, by systemic injustices. We process, we recognize, we attempt to heal. Yet “ethical trauma” and its impact on LGBTQIA+ people are not often examined.

Ethical trauma occurs when

your internal sense of right and wrong, your human sense of morality, is battered to the point

that your sense of self and safety is deeply wounded.

The LGBTQIA+ community is currently inundated by targeted hostility. Our trans kids in many states are denied care. We hear about “Don’t say gay” legislation. We know our history is being edited out of schools.

We know people have the ability to be better, yet by choice they are seeking to harm us as individuals and as a community in the name of personal “rights.” The “right” to hate, the “right” to impose their beliefs on the bodies of others.

Their “right” is in conflict with our deeply held sense of human morality – that it is wrong to seek to harm others and right to seek to get along and respect and honor one another’s personhood. To communicate and to connect. To be human together.

This onslaught is targeted directly at the LGBTQIA+ community. Ethical injury becomes trauma, which feeds fear, shame, isolation, despair and the sense that one can never be simply “OK” as an LGBTQIA+ person. That you

It may not be possible for boyfriend to move beyond systemic racism

not exclude him from having racist or discriminatory views. But he refuses even to consider the possibility that many of the things he believes and says are deeply rooted in racism. His last comment to me during dinner stung: “The BIPOC community is so used to thinking like and being victims, they can’t get out of their own way.” – Sydney

DOMINIQUE KING LEANIN WITH LOVE

Q. I am on the verge of losing my mind with my boyfriend, who says: “I can’t be racist: I am a Democrat, and I am dating you.” I am trying to get him to understand that those two things do

A. I want to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn’t know your boyfriend had certain views and beliefs that could be seen as disparaging to people of color before you began dating. However, now that you know, why are you working so hard to change him when he has no intention of acknowledg-

ing that his views are problematic?

Sydney, you are right. Belonging to a political party, having a friend of color or even being a romantic partner does not exempt individuals from participating and believing in systemic racism and discrimination or holding biases.

Your boyfriend’s views originated from somewhere. It’s likely these beliefs and opinions are familial and exist within his social circles. Sydney, you are working against a support system that will validate his truth because it is quite possible their truths are the same.

Instead of trying to change him, I suggest you continue to engage in topics that cause intentional discus-

sion and are aimed at uncovering who your boyfriend is at his core. Not for him. For you.

Can you continue to see yourself with him even as more and more of what you find is not in alignment with your values, morals and beliefs? The questions and reflection need to move inward.

The reality is he is the only person who can change himself. At some point, you will have to make an executive decision for yourself: Stay or leave.

Be well; you are worthy.

Dominique King is a wife, mother, lifestyle blogger and avid long-distance runner. Email questions and comments to her at leaninwiththekings@gmail.com.

Furry, fluffy or scaly, pets are good medicine

does the science have to say?

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has spent the last 10 years examining potential health benefits of animalhuman interaction and continues to gather research through ongoing studies.

Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) showed 90% of respondents reporting that a pet helped them “make it through the COVID pandemic,” a period that challenged mental health globally.

Rainbow Community Center is grateful for the ongoing partnership with the Concord Clayton Pioneer and our monthly column. Since August 2020 when we started this partnership, we have had the opportunity to elevate the voices of LGBTQIA+ community members, RCC staff and board members throughout Contra Costa County every month. The LGBTQIA+ community is diverse, and partnerships such as ours with the Pioneer make it possible to bring these vital stories to the fore.”

or your family members are at risk of this targeting simply by living your lives and being yourselves.

I watch my clients, especially young ones, get hurt deeply by the idea that they are objects of random and reasonless hatred. That legislation steals their human rights and angry factions protest their very existence. How do they grow up safe? They keep asking me: “How do I survive?”

How do we support the universality of humanity?

When people or systems have a population they don’t like or don’t trust, we must ask ourselves: Does keeping distance facilitate comfort and

happiness, or would connectivity and finding commonalities be more effective?

I have recognized in myself the ability to connect across great divides, to find common ground with those who are uncommon to me. This is what I tell my young ones, those living in fear. We build bridges when we can. In the face of it all, we connect. May you connect.

Kadeth Pozzesi, LMFT, is a clinician at the Rainbow Community Center. Kadeth is an artist, a musician and a warrior poet living in the body of an elder trans person. Send comments and questions to kadeth@rainbowcc.org.

Chandler’s ‘Little Sister’ a fun intro into his genre

lowe come alive. However, I never mistook the so-called Little Sister for Bacall.

Set in Hollywood in the mid-’40s, this is not a simple story. The characters are innocent and not-so-innocent starlets, bad cops – well, bad police departments, a missing brother, family secrets, drugs and gangsters. There’s plenty of violence without today’s explicit gore; same for the sex.

In the United States, 70% of households have a pet kept for pleasure or companionship – a significant increase from 56% in 1988.

Dogs lead the pack, with an estimated 69 million households having at least one. Roughly 45.3 million American households are crazy for cats, and 11.8 million enjoy freshwater fish.

A third of Millennials have pets, while 27% of Boomers and 24% of Gen Xers do as well. Gen Zers are most likely to have an exotic or less typical pet, such as a reptile, bird or rodent.

Nearly 40% of Americans prefer to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization. But we all spend wildly on our furry, feathered or scaly friends: roughly $123.6 billion in 2021.

Pet owners extol the many benefits – physical, emotional and psychological – of sharing life with an animal, but what

“We’re trying to tap into the subjective quality of the relationship with the animal – that part of the bond that people feel – and how that translates into some of the health benefits,” explains Dr. James Griffin, a child development expert at NIH.

Dr. Ann Berger, a physician and researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., works with people facing terminal illness. She focuses on mindfulness to decrease stress and manage pain.

“The foundations of mindfulness include attention, intention, compassion and awareness,” she says. “All of those are things that animals bring to the table. People kind of have to learn it; animals do this innately.”

Interacting with pets has been shown to relieve depression and anxiety and promote healthier responses to stress. A recent survey by the Human

Regular exercise is also vital to good health, and dogs are the four-legged ambassadors of pedestrian pastimes. As a species, they possess a dogged commitment to walking. Dog owners walk an average of 22 minutes more per day than those without.

In addition, dogs promote more human interaction – with friendships often forming at dog parks. An estimated 40% of pet owners say their social support network is comprised primarily of people met through pet ownership.

Cat owners, meanwhile, know the delights of curling up with a purring kitty. The purr frequency is between 20 and 140 Hertz, which is proven to promote bone growth and healing, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. A 2009 study found cat ownership so beneficial to the cardiovascular system that it decreased the likelihood of death by heart attack.

Caring for animals is some-

thing to be enjoyed throughout the lifespan. Young people often have their first experience of providing care through interactions with pets or rescued wild animals.

Another study at NIH focused on teenagers diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and compliance with blood glucose checks. Researchers gave a group of diabetic teens a pet fish with instructions to provide care twice a day and clean the tank weekly. This was paired with the subjects reviewing blood glucose logs with parents. In comparison with a control group who did not receive a fish, the teens were found to be significantly more diligent in checking and logging their blood glucose levels – an essential skill in managing diabetes.

Our society places such a premium on independence that it often forgets the importance of connection, warmth and touch. Thankfully, our furry, feathered, scaly and even slimy friends are here to help.

Please send comments and question to Nathalie at newwavenightingale@gmail.com

Hello, faithful readers. I missed last month’s column because I was still unpacking from my move to Portland.

I won’t say how many boxes of books there were, but I can say I’m down to unpacking the last 12. To my surprise and good luck, I found a copy of Raymond Chandler’s “The Little Sister.”

I’ve never read a Chandler book, although the films “The Big Sleep,” “The Long Goodbye” and “Trouble Is My Business” are familiar titles – especially “The Big Sleep” because of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Since I can’t compare Chandler novels, what I can say is that if they are half as much fun to read as “The Little Sister,” I wholeheartedly recommend them. “The Little Sister” is a Philip Marlowe noir mystery with almost nonstop action, even when Marlowe is avoiding mayhem.

What made it so much fun for me is that I wasn’t sure if I was reading a mystery or watching a movie. Adding to my enjoyment was the fact that I was reading/watching Bogart. Honestly, I could see and hear him, and it made Philip Mar-

Adopt a new best friend at Animal Rescue Foundation

Your new best friend may be waiting for you at ARF. Could it be Cherub or Ouija?

One-and-a-half-year-old Cherub is the fluffiest girl. This fun-loving, furry pup is looking for a family to call her own. If you’re looking for unconditional love and lots of cuddle time, she’s your girl. She is ready for a picnic in the park, a long walk on the beach, or to stay and cuddle up with a good book. Come say hi and let her show you that she can be your lifelong pal. Cherub has a positive history with other dogs. She currently weighs 53

ARF adoption fees: $250 for an adult dog, $350 for a puppy

under 6 months, $125 for a special-needs dog, $175 for a special-needs puppy under 6 months, and $125 for a senior dog 7 years and older.

Two-year-old Ouija is a bewitching sight to behold, and is sure to cast a spell on your heart. Do not be spooked by her mysterious aura; she just takes a little bit of time to warm up to new people. Once she feels comfortable, you will see that here stunning good looks are matched with an absolutely bewitching sweet personality.

Ouija has a positive history with other cats.

ARF Adoption fees: $125 for an adult cat, $175 for a kitten under 6 months, $200 for two adult cats, $300 for two kittens, $75 for a special-needs cat, $100 for a special-needs kitten under 6 months, and $75 for a senior cat 7 years and older. Adoption fees are waived for US military Veterans.

View available dogs and cats online or visit us in-person during open hours: Wed.-Sun., 12-6 pm, with early-bird sign-in avail-

A young woman with questionable motives asks Marlowe to find her older brother, whom she fears may be in deathly danger. The woman is consistently inconsistent, which keeps the plot and Marlow at non-stop twists and turns.

I especially loved each scene where Marlow returns to the sanctity of his office: “The office was empty again. No leggy brunettes, no neat dark men with gangster’s eyes.” Chandler writes his way visually into a reader’s heart. Case in point: Marlow asking to see a key character at the man’s office and being rebuffed by the “dangerous-looking redhead” receptionist. A brisk and insulting tete a tete ends with “Why the hell don’t you lam out of here, bud? Before I throw a handful of fat coppers in your lap?”

Is the brother ever found? Dead or alive? And who is the little sister? Are gangsters really a part of Hollywood films?

Such questions bring me to my rapidly growing enthusiasm for reading as an escape from whatever might be troubling you.

Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations.

able Wed.-Fri. beginning at 9 a.m. Our team is excited to guide you in choosing a pet, share information about their history and behavior while at ARF, and provide helpful resources. This process can take time — please allow 60-90 minutes for in-person appointments.

Visit ARF online at https://arflife.org/

NATHALIE MONTIJO NEW WAVE NIGHTINGALE

KADETH POZZESI ALLTHE COLORS

pounds.

CHERUB OUIJA

SUNNY SOLOMON BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY

THE ARTS Local tribute shows – from Fats Waller to Edith Pilaf

Piazza” and “La Cage Aux Folles” with Kelsey Grammar. Her concert work has taken her to such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and London’s West End.

popcorn?

The theater is at 4 Orinda Theatre Square. Go to www.orindamovies.com to reserve a seat.

A lot is happening at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, including Synergy Theater’s world debut of the improvised romantic comedy “The Mating Game” through April 23.

According to artistic director Kenn Adams, three eligible contestants, a hopeful bachelor and a powerful game show host keep the action coming fast and furious as the ups and downs of romantic love play out on stage.

Meanwhile, Contra Costa Musical Theatre performs one of my favorite musicals –“Ain’t Misbehavin’” – April 24-29. Set in the Harlem Ren-

aissance of the 1920s and 1930s, this toe-tapping musical review is a tribute to Fats Waller. The Lesher Center is at 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. For tickets, call 925-943-7469 or go to www.lesherartscenter.org. Broadway and cabaret star Christine Andreas brings “Piaf – No Regrets” to Live at the

Orinda! on April 23. The concert series at the art deco Orinda Theatre offers first class talent in an intimate venue.

A consummate performer, Andreas starred on Broadway in “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Oklahoma!,” “My Fair Lady” opposite the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Ian Richardson, “Light in the

From jazz to death metal,

thoughts on gratitude, sorrow, love, loss and hope. Natural low-fi recordings mixed with tasteful accompaniment from friends create beautiful textures on this very personal and emotional collection of songs.

“At first, I had a misconception about Piaf. Many people think of her as this poor, tragic soul, but she was so much more than that. She was magnificent,” said Andreas. “Yes, her life was crazy and eccentric, but she lived it on her own terms. She broke through so many barriers as a woman and as a performer. As a composer, she wrote over 100 songs. What a soul.”

In the show, Andreas adds slides and videos – some featuring Edith Piaf herself singing.

“It’s really more of a theater piece than a cabaret show. I added four to five beautiful speeches by poet and writer Drew Harris. They help put you in Piaf’s world,” she said.

I’ve been to several in the concert series and enjoyed them immensely. Where else can one enjoy champagne and

Eugene O’Neill’s “Ah, Wilderness!” is next up at Pittsburg Theatre Company.

Unlike O’Neill’s grittier works, this one paints a more tender

portrait of small-town family values, teenage growing pains and young love. It is set in 1906 over the July 4 weekend. Michael Wilson directs. “Ah Wilderness!” performs April 21-30 at the California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. Go to https://pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org for more information and tickets.

Attention high school juniors and seniors, the Eugene O’Neill Foundation’s free master class in acting and playwriting takes place June 14-25. Reservations for the 10-day retreat are available at www.eugeneoneill.org.

Registration is also open for Clayton Theatre’s Summer Stage camp, which takes place in June and culminates in a showcase performance June 23. For details, visit www.claytontheatrecompany.com/summer-stage.

Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com

musicians have it covered

college performing in a classical guitar ensemble.

Local bands and musicians continue to release new singles, EPs and full-length albums all across the Bay Area, but it can be difficult to know how to find what you like.

As a DJ who airs exclusively local music on my weekly radio show on 90.5 KVHS, I’ve acquainted myself with a considerable amount of these releases. So, let me guide you toward some current local music.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the many offerings from “this side of the tunnel” released in recent months.

“Everlasting” comes from Orinda singer-songwriter Daniel Ray Hilsinger. Upon being diagnosed with bone cancer at age 29, Hilsinger started to sing and play guitar. Half a decade later, his debut album materializes as the culmination of his expressed

“Sex and Heartache” is the latest from Concord soul singer Selena Soberal. It’s the follow-up EP to her 2022 album “Be Mine.” Jazzy tunes about love and relationship woes showcase Soberal’s impressive vocal ability, with guitar accompaniment by Elias Lozano.

“Finally!!” is the 14th release from Martinez’s Doug Michael and his first album of entirely instrumental progressive rock. With “Finally!!,” the Diablo Valley College music instructor taps into some of his biggest experimental rock influences, including Rush, King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra.

“Warped & Ruined” by Concord resident Marco Gallerin was released exclusively on BandCamp.com under the name Auditory Portraits. The instrumental album soothes with electric guitar loops and effects to evoke the emotions that come with reflecting upon one’s feelings during times of struggle or loss.

“Stereotongue” is the self-titled debut album from the Walnut Creek hard rock quartet of the same name.

With anthemic choruses, guitar solos and vocals reminiscent of Sammy Hagar, Stereotongue’s familiar sound is a bit of a throw-back to the hard rock one might have found on commercial radio or MTV in the late ’80s to mid’90s.

“Acustícs” is an instrumental EP from Concord’s Mitch Beard, who releases his solo work under the artist name Yolanda Blonda. “Acustícs” explores rhythmic

and melodic ideas that sprout from Beard’s mind when playing acoustic guitar, drawing inspiration from his years in

“The SunCrashers” is the fourth album from Lafayette recording artist Chris Ahlman. This well-produced contemporary rock album has a relaxed modern country feel. Consistent with his previous output, the music is mellow and the lyrics are positive and uplifting.

“EP 2022” is the sixth release from Concord’s death metal band Lyceum. It’s heavy, it’s fast and it’s intense. With all the judd-judds, blast beats and throaty metal vocals one might expect from a quality death metal band, the music will please fans of the genre.

More recent local reviews are available online at PioneerPublishers.com/tag/BeatofDiablo. Find an extensive catalog of local releases at ConcordRockCity.com.

Contact Dave Hughes at MrDaveHughes@gmail.com.

JOR Fine Art Gallery is a special gem on the western edge of downtown Clayton. Gallery owner and longtime Clayton resident Julia O’Reilly hopes the inviting space with beautifully displayed artwork brings joy to the community.

During the 2020 pandemic, with many businesses closing or struggling to survive, O’Reilly felt a need to support local businesses. With community healing in mind, she thought, “After the pandemic, we all need art therapy to get back to normal.”

She came up with the concept of an open art gallery, someplace where people could hang out, maybe take an art class or just enjoy the beauty of art.

O’Reilly and a business partner opened the gallery in May 2022 as JE Fine Art Gallery and Gifts. In December 2022, her business partner, who was an artist, had to leave the business due to medical issues.

O’Reilly took sole ownership, renaming the business JOR Fine Art Gallery.

O’Reilly learned a lot about the artist world after that change.

“I needed a partner who was an artist,” she said with a shrug. “I am a jewelry maker. I can’t give art classes.”

Despite being a novice in

Photo Courtesy of Synergy Theater

Benjamin Rafael Garcia and Griffin Davis Bier in Synergy Theater’s improvised “The Mating Game” at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center through April 23.

Photo Courtesy of Synergy Theater

Benjamin Rafael Garcia and Griffin Davis Bier in Synergy Theater’s improvised “The Mating Game” at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center through April 23.

SALLY HOGARTY STAGE STRUCK JOHN NAKANISHI ARTSIN MOTION

Nakanishi

event.

Just as you can’t balance your bank statement without tracking what’s coming in and going out, you need to measure your food intake.

You’ll need a kitchen scale to weigh your vegetables, proteins and starches.

My pre-measured prepared meals are in these proportions: 4 oz. cooked protein (6 for men). 6 oz. cooked veggies.

3 oz. whole grains or

Container gardening is an expressive way to enhance your yard or garden landscape.

The freedom to choose your vessel and your plants while controlling the composition of the soil is quite a luxury for the home gardener. Container gardening takes little time and effort with bountiful rewards.

With so many pots, urns and baskets available, some made of concrete or wood, others terra-cotta, plastic or glazed ceramic pottery, where does one begin? The choice is yours.

Plastic containers are reasonably priced, but the sun dries them out so the plastic will eventually become brittle. Terra-cotta containers last several years, then eventually crack or start to decompose. Wooden planters have the same problems. The cost makes them appealing, but as with a fence, they will rot and fall apart.

Concrete pots last many years. Their weight makes them difficult to manipulate, but they are great for high wind areas or front yard plantings. Glazed ceramic pottery has its pros and cons, depending on the thickness of the clay and the glaze. The color of the glaze makes them very desirable because they are decorative even without plants.

You need to use potting soil in pots because it’s finer and will hold moisture

starchy veggies.

6 oz. salad.

1 T of fats, e.g. salad dressing.

My method to help people change their palates is about regular meals and losing the desire to snack. There are people who say they don’t eat breakfast, but then they’re sneaking snacks midmorning. And how many confine themselves to one visit to the snack drawer? Simply put: Do not snack.

Another trap is eating buffet style, where you congratulate yourself for small portions and then go back for seconds.

My method involves cooking a number of meals ahead of time. Measure out your portions and when the plate’s done, you should be full. Your gut will get used to those portions. Sometimes that full feeling comes a half hour or an

hour later, but you will get to know your habits and your body.

You need to fast four to six hours between meals to aid digestion and regulate the craving for sugar and processed food. The liver needs to rest and digest.

If you wait to eat until you’re truly hungry, you’re more keenly aware of the flavor of your food – the natural sweetness of parsnips and jicama, for example. Back away from the snack shack and try this recipe for a healthy breakfast.

OVERNIGHT OATS

1 serving

Chia pudding: 6 oz. plain unsweetened yogurt or kefir

1 T chia seeds

1 oz. oats soaked in 4 oz. water*

2 oz. very ripe banana, chopped

Optional: vanilla, cinnamon, chopped nuts

*For creamier pudding, use quick oats

Fruit topping: 4 oz. chopped fresh fruit or berries*

*If using frozen fruit, use 3 oz. plus 1 oz. unsweetened applesauce

Mix all pudding ingredients

in a 16-oz. Mason jar. Scoop the fruit onto the top of the mixture. Refrigerate overnight. The oats will last about four days in the refrigerator – the longer they sit, the better they are.

Did You Know? Greek yogurt has more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt because Greek yogurt is strained and some of the whey is removed. Whey has lactose, a naturally occurring form of sugar.

Cindy Gershen is an educator, nutritionist, chef, and co-author of “Fat Chance Cookbook”. Send questions and comments to cindym.gershen@gmail.com.

longer. If you are planting citrus or vegetables in a container, mix potting soil with a rich soil conditioner to satisfy your plants’ needs. Using potting soil with a built-in fertilizer is up to you. Some gardeners enjoy the freedom to add what they need when they need it; others may like that the feeding is done for them.

Just keep in mind that different plants need different care – not everything likes phosphorus, and most plants’ nitrogen needs vary.

So ask questions about your plants as you install.

Containers should be treated like above-ground gardens; you shouldn’t see any bare dirt. Some plants should be highlighted in their own container, while others need to be grouped with friends to prolong the blooming time.

Single plantings are sometimes formal and used to frame an entry way or add

JOR, from page B6

the art world, she has managed to find talented artists to work with as she develops ideas to support the community. She seeks out local artists and invites them to display their work and also hosts “Artist Spotlight Shows.” She promotes each spotlighted artist, advertising meet-the-artist receptions and providing a welcoming social atmosphere, with printed bios and individual art techniques for each artist.

On Valentine’s Day, she partnered with her business neighbor, Nails Naturally, for a Customer Appreciation Day that drew more than 30 people. In addition, she has conducted several sip-and-paint parties. One Halloween sip-

and-paint event was particularly memorable. The tribute to Elvis Presley featured an Elvis impersonator and attendees in costume.

Classes on macramé, rock painting for kids and floral arranging are among other events she has put on at the gallery. She is always looking for guest artists who can give art lessons.

O’Reilly enjoys her location a bit off the main drag. She sees kids walking by after school and is always ready to welcome them in to look at the art. She also appreciates when local artists and other visitors see her gallery as a comfortable spot to stop in and say hello or to stay and share a Turkish cof-

focal height. Green Beauty Boxwood is an excellent evergreen. This small-leafed plant can reach 4-6 feet tall and is great shaped into a cone, spiral or sphere. Camellias also make successful single plantings, as well as gardenias.

Fruitless olives left to their natural shape or pruned to shape are excellent fullsun, hardy container suggestions. Hybrid tea roses and Lomandra grasses are both successful container installations.

Combination container plantings are my favorite. Layering small, medium and tall plants within the same container extends interest. The larger the container, the greater the above-ground garden. Great talls to consider are Kangaroo Paws, Canna lilies, Salvia Indigo Spires, Agastache and roses. Add medium height to a tall container plant by using a contrasting flower color.

fee and some treats with her.

She tries to keep her gallery kid-friendly and does not accept nudity or political art. She strives to avoid conflict and stay neutral.

“When people visit my gallery, I want them to feel like they are walking into a beautiful garden and come away with a smile on their face.”

Visit JOR Fine Art Gallery at 1026 Oak St., Suite 102, Clayton. Learn about its events at jorfineartgallery.com, Facebook: /claytongalleryjor, Instagram: @claytongalleryje and Twitter: @fineartje.a

John Nakanishi is an acrylic painter and a ceramic artist. Email comments and suggestions for future columns to phjona@gmail.com.

Angelonia, commonly called summer snapdragons, have orchid-resembling flowers that last all summer.

Alstroemeria Colorita Series is a group of 12-inch tall Peruvian lilies that wow a container in bright pinks, purples, oranges and yellows.

Nemesia is a familiar family of short-lived color. New shades on the scene are the Sunsation series and the Angel heart collection. These are winners to enjoy.

Medium-sized considerations may call for foliage rather than flower. Fancy leaf geraniums come in variations with colors that lend themselves to many companions. Heuchera and coleus both have splendid leaves that add tons of interest.

The trailing plants in a combination container get all the praise. Super Cal and Wave Petunias have dramatic blooms with a bounty of flowers throughout the growing season. Verbena is fabulous in larger pots for a different trailing look.

Ipomea vines are super fun in a container or hanging basket – look for lime, bronze or tri-color leaves. Bacopa has tiny white flowers in constant bloom.

Spin pots occasionally to even out the amount of sun. Water regularly, fertilize monthly and enjoy.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. You can contact her with questions or comments by email at gardengirl94517@yahoo.com

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The concrete planter can withstand bad weather conditions such as rain and storms without corroding.

NICOLE HACKETT GARDEN GIRL

Dan Rosenstrauch

Cindy Gershen is an entrepreneur, chef and owner for 40 years of Sunrise Bistro and Catering in Walnut Creek. She has an abiding passion for health.

CINDY GERSHEN FARM TO TASTE

Since Yanni closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Concord has been without true Greek cuisine. Local diners have had to be content with gyros and falafels from Middle Eastern fast-food establishments.

With the exception of a small part of the menu at Jack’s in Pleasant Hill, those who crave Greek cooking have had to travel to Troy in nearby Martinez to experience a complete Aegean meal.

Established in 2008, with current owner Masarweh taking over five years ago, Troy reminds one of a café in Athens.

“We want to create a wholesome environment where families can enjoy a good meal and escape with their pocketbooks still intact,” says general manager Ramsey Sharif.

Coming from a culinary family in San Francisco, Sharif is not surprised there are so few pure Greek restaurants in the area. “The

Head to Troy for the best of Greek food

food prep and cooking process takes longer than most people in the restaurant field want to deal with,” he notes

A good way to start at Troy is with the meza platter for two, which includes creamy hummus, falafel, dolmas, melitzano salata, feta cheese, kalamata olives and pita bread. House-made spanakopita dipped in tzatziki sauce and fried calamari pair well with a beverage from the full-service bar.

Good dishes to split are Troy’s Greek or Athenian chicken salad. Walnuts, feta, chicken and apples on a bed of lettuce with a house vinaigrette bring out all the flavors of the Athenian salad.

For lighter appetites, wraps have proven popular.

The gyros meat on a spit, from a supplier in the Midwest, is especially tasty.

Troy’s entrees don’t disappoint. Lamb souvlaki, kefta kebab and lamb kapama all feature meat sourced in New Zealand. Similar dishes utilizing chicken and beef are also on the menu, with grilled salmon and seared ahi tuna as good choices.

If diners wish to have

their lamb, beef or fish cooked on the rarer side, they should tell the server when ordering.

My favorite entree at Troy is the incredible mousaka. It features eggplant, ground lamb and tomatoes covered by a bechamel sauce, with rice and tzatziki on the side.

For dessert, Troy’s baklava is a terrific choice. Layers of honey-drenched phyllo dough rest on top a sweet pistachio mixture. It’s delicious.

Troy Greek Cuisine is on 720 Main St., Martinez. They serve food 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily. For more information, call 925-293-4077 or visit troygreek.com/Martinez.

You can find several other Middle Eastern style restaurants locally, giving diners an alternative to the “bun and run” fast food.

One excellent choice is The Mediterranean on the far side of Park and Shop. This Turkish style restaurant has been around more than 30 years. Their tabbouleh,

Greek salad, bakdonsieh and ghannouj with pita are among the best in the area. I prefer to have the food togo, as all dishes are served in Styrofoam containers.

Sam’s Kebabs and Gyros at 1895 Farm Bureau Road in Concord does an excellent job with a small menu primarily of gyros and falafel wraps. Sam’s friendly service enhances the in-house dining experience. This is a great place to get a good meal with a Middle Eastern flair at a fair price.

Another local Mediterranean restaurant to consider is Aga Grill, 4691 Clayton Road, in Concord. Outside of the usual gyros and burger fare, they offer tasty chicken and beef kebabs served with salad and pita bread. While a bit pricey, this dish is of high quality and most enjoyable.

Rich Eber is a local journalist and long time resident of Concord. He covers topics from politics to gourmet food. Contact him at rjerje@pacbell.net

Scholz

Troy General Manager Ramsey Sharif comes from a culinary background, and places emphasis on the food prep and cooking techniques for authentic Greek cuisine.

RICHARD EBER TASTE & TELL

Falafal balls are great fare as appetizers of main dish.