JUL 16 The Pioneer 2021

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July 16, 2021

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With community support, Boys & Girls Clubs launch Concord summer camp KAREN JENKINS Correspondent

CONCORD, CA – Spirits soared as high as the colorful parachute that kids played with at Cambridge Park on July 9, as community and business leaders gathered to celebrate a new free outdoor summer camp.

The Summer Pop-Up Camp is free to Concord children and takes place 9-11 a.m.

Fridays at the Lacey Lane park off Monument Boulevard.

More than 50 children have enrolled in the camp, which requires registration with Boys & Girls Clubs of Contra Costa.

The nonprofit organization runs the camp, long planned by city leaders and made possible with community donations.

Organizers hope to find a permanent site to continue this first step.

Nearly two dozen leaders, including city, business, state and elected representatives, joined staff and board members of the Martinez-based Karen Jenkins organization to recognize the Kids enjoy parachute games on July 9, the third Friday “Pop Up” summer camp mornings for Concord children. The Boys community accomplishment.

See Camp, page 5

The facility is no longer a “dry” shelter, barring anyone under the influence from the premises. This was once a huge barrier to many needing the shelter. Current policy does not require complete abstinence, but alcohol and drugs are strictly prohibited at the facility.

The shelter is far more than just a place to crash for the night. The service center, which opens in August, brings together all the resources needed to transition from homelessness into permanent housing. Medical services, respite care, employment services, 12-step meetings, mail services and a warming center are available to both shelter and non-shelter individuals.

How many homeless are on Concord streets is a mystery. There is a huge disconnect between the “official”

See Homeless, page 5

See Events, page 5

Renovated Concord homeless shelter reopens with privacy, pocket park and a place for pets CONCORD, CA – Making the $1400 rent payment every month for their small Concord apartment was a juggling act for Laurie Goodwin, 60, and her significant other, both on disability. “We’d use his check for the rent and mine for everything else,” Goodwin said.

It was a struggle, but they were getting by. That is, until she got lung cancer and he died suddenly of a blood clot.

Alone, aging, sick and with no money, Goodwin was homeless. She spent the next two years in a Concord motel, the county’s temporary homeless shelter set up under the Concord Project Homekey program during the pandemic.

Eugene Hampton, 54, is an artist. Like Goodwin, he is on disability. Recently pardoned and released from a Kansas prison and seeking something better, he made his

What’s Inside Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Directory of Advertisers . . . .7 From the Desk of . . . . . . . . .8 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Next issue, August 20, Deadline, Aug. 9

Tamara Steiner

Concord Homeless Shelter site supervisor, Willy Vega, is flanked by residents Eugene Hampton, left, and Laurie Goodwin. Both have been approved for permanent housing after spending months to years homeless

way to Concord and the same makeshift shelter where Goodwin lived.

When the newly renovated Concord Shelter and Service Center opened June 24 after being closed for over a year during the pandemic, Goodwin and Hampton were both

among the first residents transferred in. Within days, all 64 beds were full.

Funding under a federal C.A.R.E.S. grant replaced the former open dormitory with private “sleep stations” and rooms for couples and individuals with special needs.

“This is the only shelter in the county that accepts couples and multi generation families,” said Michael Fischer, County Health Services Administrator, during our recent tour of the facility.

Privacy is a chief concern, and the women’s and men’s sleeping quarters are on separate sides of the building.

“Male coming in,” Fischer announced as we moved into the women’s quarters. Neat little cubicles, each with a bed, a desk and chair, USB charging port and a chalk board had high windows to maintain privacy but still allow for safety checks by the staff.

Resident facilities include modern bathrooms and showers, laundry room, microwaves and community room. Individuals with pets can keep them in the kennels in the back next to a “pocket park,” a little welcome green space in all the asphalt and concrete.

STAFF The Pioneer

Among the first things to shut down when the pandemic encircled the globe last year were events. Public gatherings officially received the greenlight to return from Governor Gavin Newsom and health officials last month and now your favorite concerts, festivals and other public events are finally starting to come back.

This month, long-established traditional local events are starting up, helping the public regain the sense of community which comes along with the entertainment, food and beverage, relaxation, camaraderie, fun and experiences that are integral to events.

Both Clayton and Concord begin their free downtown evening music series this week.

Concord’s Thursday Night Music & Market is back in Todos Santos Plaza with a weekly concert (6:30 – 8 p.m.) and Farmer’s Market (opening at 4 p.m.) scheduled every Thursday through Sept. 30.

Concerts in The Grove return to Clayton with five Saturday performances through early September starting this Saturday at six o’clock with Carnaval, A Tribute to Santana. Former Mayor Howard Geller started the concert series in 2008 and has booked and MC’d the shows from the beginning. He had all 10 acts booked for 2020 before the pandemic hit and has five of those bands slated for this year’s shows and the other five will kick off the hopefully full 2022 schedule.

Sadly, not all of your favorite events will take place in 2021. Among those that are missing for a second year are the Contra Costa County Fair, Clayton Art and Wine Festival, Clayton BBQ Cookoff, Clayton Oktoberfest, Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival as well as the first half of the Concord Pavilion season.

The financial ramifications to chambers of commerce, community organizations and even government entities of

& Girls Club of Contra Costa started the Friday summer camp with help from community businesses, organizations and the city of Concord, and plans to continue the program into the fall.

TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer

After 16month hiatus, events are back this summer

Kara Kohler ready for her 2nd Olympics JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

The Concord-Clayton area will have a representative competing in the Summer Olympics for the fourth Olympiad since 2004 when Clayton’s Kara Kohler takes to the water near central Tokyo for her first race in the women’s single sculls on July 23.

Kohler won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the women’s quad boat for America while her fellow Claytonian Kristian Ipsen won

bronze the same day in synchronized 3-meter diving for the USA. Ipsen also represented the county four years later at the Rio Olympics in the 3m men’s springboard.

Starting the string of local Summer Olympians was Erin Dobratz a bronze medalist in synchronized swimming at Athens in 2004. Kohler and Dobratz graduated from Clayton Valley High. Dobratz went to Stanford, as did De La Salle High grad Ipsen, while Kohler went to Cal where she first took up rowing.

Concord resident Mariya

Koroleva was half of the American duo in synchronized swimming at London and Rio. Ireland’s single sculls reigning World Champion Sanita Puspure will be one to watch along with New Zealand’s Emma Twigg, Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig and Kohler in Tokyo. Kohler finished behind Lobnig and ahead of Puspure at June’s World Rowing Cup II in Switzerland.

Should Kohler proceed as expected in the Tokyo Olympics single sculls she will

row July 23 in heats, July 26 in the quarterfinals, July 28 semifinals and July 30 in the final medal race.

Kohler wasn’t selected by USRowing for the Rio Olympic team and the next year she switched to single sculls. She finished fourth and then third at the World Championships in 2018 and 2019, respectively. She did not compete again in international rowing until World Cup II last month. She won the Olympic Trails in February with a convincing showing over a large field of scullers.

Photo courtesy USRowing

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July 16, 2021

Crisis Center launches capital campaign to purchase building KAREN JENKINS Correspondent

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After 17 years of providing assistance to thousands of residents in need, the Monument Crisis Center is seeking some assistance of its own: donations to help the nonprofit organization purchase the Concord building that has been its home for the past seven years.

The center, located at 1990 Market St. and before that on Monument Boulevard, has helped more than 15,000 lowincome or at-risk families with food, education, employment and social services since it formed in 2003.

Executive director Sandra Scherer explained recently that the initial rental agreement for the 12,600 sq. ft., two-story building tucked behind the Concord Park & Shop center did not include a purchase option. The opportunity unexpectedly emerged in early spring, and now the center has launched MCC@Home – a capital campaign to raise money for the purchase.

“The hope was that we would someday be able to buy this and own our building. For us to be able to be here for the long term is a dream come true,” Scherer said.

According to Scherer, the effort has already resulted in “individual donations ranging from $5 to $100,000,” as well as larger contributions from community and family foundations.

meeting rooms; a kitchen for training courses and use by the center; space for activities, education courses, tutoring and study rooms; and children’s reading rooms. A community campaign was successful in funding the renovation, she said.

Tuesday, July 6, was businessas-usual for food distribution at the bustling center. A staff member warmly greeted people on the cool breezy morning, alternating seamlessly between Spanish and English in welcoming them to the multi-service assistance center. A steadily moving line snaked past colorful signs taped to the building’s windows announcing free services such as wi-fi hotspots, unemployment resources and income tax preparation to the food distribution area.

Alexis Stanley, the center’s community liaison coordinator for corporations, high schools and volunteer groups, joined the staff after graduating from San Francisco State and then working for about 10 years in local city, parks and recreation. She took a break from distributing food to share her insights into the impact of the center’s planned purchase of the building.

“To know we are stable and more of a fixture allows for people to know we are here for good. It’s grounding,” said Stanley, who grew up in Concord and volunteered for the organization.

INCREASED NEED DURING THE PANDEMIC VARIETY OF FREE SERVICES Scherer remains in awe of In 2013, the staff oversaw a renovation of the building, pre- the outpouring of support from viously a furniture store, that local organizations, groups and created a 2,000 sq. ft. pantry; individuals who have rallied

Karen Jenkins

In existence since 2003, the nonprofit Monument Crisis Center is seeking public support in purchasing the twostory building on Market Street in Concord that the organization has rented for the past seven years. From left, volunteer Barbara Dallosto, Executive Director Sandra Scherer, volunteer Gloria Rios and Operations Manager Yolanda work in the center’s food pantry July 6 preparing for food distribution that takes place three mornings a week.

behind the center in the past and present, especially at the start of the pandemic 16 months ago when families in need increased about 400 percent in one week.

On March 16, 2020, the day before local and statewide shelter-in-place orders, the center served 84 families for food distribution. By the end of the week, representatives of about 325 families arrived for food and support.

Although the center did not allow volunteers onsite during the height of the pandemic, Scherer relishes the fact that the volunteer spirit continued with neighborhoods, faith groups and individual donation drives. A local church held a drivethrough donation event and then delivered “truck after truck

after truck,” a total of 10,000 pounds of food.

“It would send shivers down your spine,” she said of the community’s outpouring of support. “We know and value our volunteers – we’re built on volunteers.”

Reflecting on her 17 years with the center, Scherer added: “The biggest joy has been how people come together, an intergenerational volunteer effort including families with toddlers, high school and college students, neighbor helping neighbor.”

To support Monument Crisis Center’s MCC@Home campaign, go to monumentcrisiscenter.org/mcc-home.

For more information on the organization, visit monumentcrisiscenter.org.

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July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 3

Coolest place in Concord has to be the Meadow Homes Spray Park KARA NAVOLIO Correspondent

CONCORD, CA – On a recent weekday afternoon at Meadow Homes Park, a dozen children splashed and giggled as they cooled off and tried to aim the sprayers at each other.

Others waited for buckets of water to fall on them.

Some wore swimsuits and others were fully dressed, perhaps not expecting to find a watery wonderland so close to home. Parents and caretakers watched over them from comfortable spots in the shade.

Karla Rodriguez, a Concord mother, said her 3-yearold Alayna loves the park.

“The water is warm, and it’s perfect for a hot day. We took her to Waterworld, but the water was so cold that she didn’t like it. And this place is free.”

The small park, located at Detroit Avenue and Sunshine Drive, is the perfect community gathering spot for warm

Three-year-old Alayna Rodriguez of Concord enjoys the Monument spray park for the first time.

summer days. In addition to sports field with a gravel track the spray park play area, there where all ages can get some are separate play structures for exercise. kids 2-5 and 5-12 and a large The park also offers sever-

al built-in chess boards and two shaded group picnic areas for family gatherings or parties. The large areas can be reserved at www.cityofconcord.org/picnic.

Meadow Homes Park got its play structures and spray park in 2017 after a community effort by parents and members of the Central County Regional Group to push the city for more amenities at this popular Monument neighborhood park. The effort took four years and $1.1 million. It included improvements to Meadow Homes Park as well as Ellis Lake Park.

The water splashes from 12-6 p.m. every day during the summer at the spray park.

Once school starts again in August, it will run 3-6 p.m. on school days and 12-6 p.m. weekends until the last Sunday in September.

Some days, you may even find ice cream vendors ready to help cool everyone off.

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Local builder Seeno one of three vying for Naval Weapons Station project BEV BRITTON The Pioneer

Local builder Seeno and two other companies have submitted proposals to be the new master developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) housing project.

Applicant Brookfield Development, based in New York, has more than 70 active development and redevelopment sites ranging from offices and retail to homes. City Ventures out of Southern Califor-

nia focuses on housing construction in the state’s coastal urban infill neighborhoods.

The Seeno application is in combination with Discovery Homes, the Lewis Group of Companies and California Capital Investment Group.

According to Guy Bjerke, Concord’s director of base reuse, they are the only applicant that has built previously in Concord. Discovery Homes is currently selling units at the Willow Terrace Townhomes on Enclave Place.

City staff is working to cre-

ate a summary matrix of the applicants. “We’ll be releasing it to the City Council and public in late July. And then everyone will see it at the same time, council included,” Bjerke told the Pioneer.

“If there were a lot of applicants, the council would choose which ones to interview. Because there’s only three, in all likelihood, the council will interview all three.

And that will probably be in late August,” he added.

Last year, the council ended an Exclusive Negotiating

Agreement with Lennar/Five Point after the developer could not meet the city’s requirements for local union labor contracts on the $6 billion project.

Bjerke said the new Request for Proposal included 135 pages of specifics that the city wants to see in the project.

The next developer must adhere to the city’s Concord First policy, which requires 40 percent of construction labor be local hires and payment of prevailing wages on all construction.

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Page 4

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July 16, 2021

Two men in Concord break 50-year-old world record Serving our Local Community since 1977 A crowd gathered in Todos Santo Plaza, July 10, to cheer the moment when Chuck Walker and Mike Hartshorn set a new world record after spending 10 days on a teeter totter.

PETE CRUZ The Pioneer

Two men in Concord set out on a quest with a lot of ups and downs. Chuck Walker and his good friend Mike Hartshorn wanted to break a world record that Walker himself set 50 years ago.

Walker was 18 when he and Stan Johnson, age 20, set the record for longest consecutive hours riding a teeter totter.

It was 1971 in Sacramento and the young men decided to make the attempt after seeing another attempt in southern California. They got a local hamburger chain to sponsor

the event and built their own teeter totter.

The ambitious pair spent 216 consecutive hours rocking up and down and set a world record that stood for 50 years. Writers on the popular TV show “The Brady Bunch” used their story as

See Record, page 7

Birsan aims for county board BEV BRITTON The Pioneer

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“A lot of the things that I really want to do, there are limits from a city perspective,” Birsan said, naming housing, economic development and health services as key issues. “They affect all the cities, and this is a platform where I can make things better all around.

“Look, we can only do so much for homeless in our community,” he added. “The big lift is from the county side. After all, half the budget for the county is health services.”

Karen Mitchoff has held the county post since 2011, but Birsan said she told him she will not run in the June

2022 election. The district includes Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and about threequarters of Walnut Creek.

However, redistricting based on the 2020 Census could change the boundaries.

“I can’t imagine that they would divide Concord. In fact, I’m not in favor of them dividing any city,” Birsan said, noting that he’s pushing that philosophy with his political connections.

Birsan lost in his first bid for the Concord council in 2010. He was elected in 2012 and reelected in 2016 and 2020 – running unopposed last November.

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He also thinks it’s important for Concord to have an advocate at the county level as the city redevelops the former Concord Naval Weapons Station in the coming years.

“I want to make sure we have a united front to get things in like the college district and the tournament fields we want to put up there,” he said.

After Birsan’s announcement on Facebook, many residents wrote words of encouragement.

“What I’ve noticed about you is you are for the people and always have time to meet with anyone that has new ideas or needs help or direction to make Concord a better place to live,” said Pat Baker Lechuga.

Arturo Fernandez called him “the county leader we deserve,” adding: “Hope we can get a somewhat comparable replacement on City Council, though.”

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July 16, 2021

Camp,

from page 1 “This is a little more than a ribbon-cutting for a summer camp,” said Michael Dunn, CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Contra Costa. “We’re here, and we are going to change lives.”

Dunn described the camp as a “safe place for all Monument kids to come have fun, learn and make new friends.

This is such an important experience for kids, especially after a year and a half of distance learning.”

INSPIRATION FROM ALIANO Dunn drew laughs describing a force behind the plan as “a man in a long trench coat” who arrived at the Martinez center more than two years ago, introducing himself as newly elected Concord City Councilmember Dominic Aliano.

Now the city’s vice mayor, Aliano later acknowledged his role as a visionary. “When I got elected, I asked, ‘What are we missing?’ It was more recreational opportunities for children. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I got in touch with the Boys & Girls Club.”

Aliano pointed to the cohesive effort from city leaders, including the Parks and Recreation Department and donations of $25,000 each from Marathon Petroleum and the Concord Police Officer’s Association.

“They were here in a heartbeat and wrote a check. These are the people they serve.

These are the people we serve.

It’s a win-win for everyone,” Aliano said. “These are the kind of relationships we need to extend services to people who need them.”

State Sen. Steve Glazier thanked all of the organizers.

“This really matters, and it has made a difference,” he said.

EXPANDING YOUNG MINDS The end of the short ceremony marked the start of the camp day for about 25 children, who arrived for a morning of fun.

“It’s been a treat to work with the young kids,” said Alicia Marazzani, a youth program manager who leads the organization’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) programs for middle school kids during the regular school year.

As she organized canvas and paint supplies, she described the previous weeks’ activities: making solar ovens one week and “fireworks” from Alka Seltzer tablets, paint and film canisters the next.

“We have to be really flexible and prepared to do an activity with all ages of kids,” she said before joining coleader Jasper Ormeo in unrolling a large colorful parachute that immediately drew in the enthusiastic kids.

Tara Kopp, district staff member for U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, praised the efforts.

“They do incredible work, especially to expand and provide this opportunity for kids,” Kopp said. “It’s been a difficult year – this is important to keep people connected.”

Development director Rebecca Barrett called the program a first step into Concord for the Boys & Girls Clubs, with a next one already planned.

“This is only the beginning.

I hope we can really grow this.

We’re looking for brick and mortar,” Barrett said.

“Stay tuned for an actual grand opening,” she added, “hopefully coming soon – January 2022 – a permanent center in the Monument Corridor.”

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 5

CCWD asks for voluntary water conservation DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

Thanks to strong voluntary conservation efforts in the past, local residents won’t face strict water rationing – unlike others around the Bay Area.

The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) board implemented a 10 percent voluntary reduction in use on July 7, as the panel endorsed a Stage 1 water shortage level.

CCWD spokesperson Jennifer Allen said there is no timeframe for if or when required rationing would be imposed. This is in stark contrast to other Bay Area jurisdictions, where officials wasted no time imposing strict bans on water usage.

Allen said Contra Costa residents have “a good track record” of complying with voluntary conservation during the last drought several years ago. The next twomonth billing cycle will be a good indicator of how well residents are doing this time around.

While appealing for everyone to conserve, the district will also access water stored in Los Vaqueros Reservoir to help meet demands. For years, CCWD customers have paid for things like the reservoir’s expansion to ensure water reliability and availability.

Los Vaqueros currently is about 77 percent of capacity.

The Delta supplies water to

the reservoir, making it unique compared to other Bay Area communities.

CCWD has a contract with the federal government to receive water through the Central Valley Project (CVP). Initial allocations provided in April 2021 indicated that CCWD would have adequate water to meet all customer needs, which are 10 percent to 15 percent below demands seen prior to the 2014-’15 drought.

Since April, contractors like CCWD learned that much of the anticipated inflow to rivers from snowmelt was instead absorbed by the dry ground.

CCWD was informed in May that its water allocation would be reduced, with the district

only receiving enough supply to meet public health and safety needs.

Due to the reduced allocation and to preserve available water supplies, CCWD plans to use water stored in its Los Vaqueros Reservoir in addition to voluntary conservation to meet customer needs.

“Our customers are efficient water users and wise investors in water storage,” said Lisa M. Borba, CCWD board president. “Asking customers to voluntarily conserve about 10 percent is appropriate in a year this dry. Without the water stored in Los Vaqueros for drought supply, we would be having a different conversation.”

As part of the board’s July

action related to the water shortage, they decided that provisions adopted during the last drought will remain in place to prevent any wasteful use of a precious resource.

According to Allen, any resident found in violation will first be issued a warning notification. She noted this tends to motivate the homeowner to get back in compliance.

But if an offender repeats, a $250 fine can be levied.

Another offense can raise the fine up to $500. The cost of the amount of water wasted will be tacked onto that fine.

For more information on resources and rebates available for customers to reduce their water use, visit ccwater.com/drought.

Las Vegas pair wants to renovate 286 units at Coast Guard Villages for immediate rentals STAFF The Pioneer

The current dearth of midrange housing and the condition of the units at the former Coast Guard property in North Concord have a pair of Las Vegas developers feeling optimistic in their initial $58 million plunge into the local real estate market.

“These 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units are ready to go right now; they are ready to rent immediately,” Eddie Haddad told the city council at a pre-application study session June 23. Haddad and Georges Maalouf are partners in Q Villages LLC, the limited liability company that submitted the winning bid for the 59-acre surplus site in March.

“Everyone is building to

luxury standards and smaller units,” Haddad told the Pioneer prior to the study session. “No one is building to middle of the road. This is an opportunity to bring those larger, family units to the community right away.”

Since securing the site, initial work includes assessing the utility infrastructure with PGE and the Contra Costa Water District and reviewing three oil pipeline easements that run between the two villages. Work on long overdue landscape maintenance is currently underway.

Because the original units were not built to state or local codes, it has been long assumed there might be health and safety issues involved in renovating.

“The city has been told the units are unusable, that people can’t live there,” Councilmem-

Events, from page 1 canceling large festivals and fairs are far reaching. Several organizations in the county said a third year canceling their annual events—-which for some provide the bulk of their revenue—might make their very existence problematic.

John Rubiales Jr. is in his second stint at president of the Clayton Business & Community Association. He says his organization has not been able to make annual donations of over $150,000 for scholarships and support of community efforts in Clayton in 2020 and 2021. “Our board held off from making donations to make sure we are fully prepared to operate once the pandemic ended. We have been very, very careful to be ready for the time we can put on events again.”

He says Halloween and the December holidays may offer opportunities for CBCA to host events this year. “We have dedicated committees with volunteers who work very hard for months planning each event. They are already targeting the 2022 Art & Wine Festival in late spring.”

KIDFEST RETURNS IN SEPT. Bay Area KidFest was a casualty of the pandemic last May and this year’s 31st KidFest has moved to the Sept. 46 Labor Day Weekend at Mt. Diablo High School in downtown Concord. The popular entertainment, food, rides, attractions and activities that have made KidFest the longest running family event in the East Bay will be back for kids of all ages to enjoy.

The first Pavilion concert of the season is this Sunday For more information on the with Spirit West Coast 2021 Summer Pop-Up Camp or other featuring Christian music artist Chris Tomlin. Among the programs, visit bgccontracosta.org. other headliners in the season running into October are Alanis Morissette, King Crimson,

Megadeath, The Black Crowes, Maroon 5 and TLC. A handful of Pavilion shows scheduled for earlier this season have already set 2022 dates.

JAZZ IS BACK IN CONCORD Speaking of the Pavilion, Visit Concord is again honoring the city’s legacy of ongoing appreciation of jazz with a five-day, live celebration Aug. 4-8. The Concord Jazz Festival began at Concord Neighborhood Park on Concord Blvd. in 1969, providing the impetus for the construction of the Pavilion where the annual event continued for decades.

In 2019 Concord celebrated the Jazz Festival’s 50th Anniversary with a monthlong celebration at various venues around the city. This year’s event features five days of jazz performances at The Veranda, Concord Tap House, Music & Market concert Aug. 5 at Todos Santos Plaza and capped with a concert at the Concord Historical Museum.

Among the other large area events taking place this fall are the 25th Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival Sept. 18-19 and the Walnut Festival (without a parade) Sept. 23-26.

The Pleasant Hill Art, Wine & Music Festival will not be held for the second October in a row and the sponsoring Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce intends to move to May dates starting in 2022.

Also not happening for the second time is Pleasant Hill Blues and Brews this month.

The first indoor event this year is Contra Costa Con 2 this Sunday at the Hilton Concord.

Performers from “Star Wars” and the “Power Rangers” are featured guests along with a socially distanced ballroom full of collectibles, toys, Lego, comics, art, apparel and more.

There’s also a family-friendly

ber Laura Hoffmeister said.

“There will be a lot of (public) misconceptions.”

Haddad said only a few of the units have issues with some small areas of asbestos and lead paint that are easily remediated.

Due to the existing General Plan land use designation and the existing zoning designations, a General Plan Amendment and Rezoning will be required whether there is redevelopment of the site or renovation of the existing units.

Prior to the recent sale, the city had submitted a bid to the GSA for $15 million with the expectation that DeNova Homes would develop he property as high-density housing in accordance with the city’s Specific Plan. The bid was rejected.

The council is not in favor

of the developers’ plan to renovate all existing units immediately and delay until far in the future any high density redevelopment that would help the city meet its affordable housing needs.

Instead, they see a phased approach with the renovated 206 apartments in Victory Village available for rentals for a predetermined time period while Quinault Village is redeveloped now to high density standards. Redevelopment of Victory Village would then follow when there is a timeline for the Concord Naval Weapons Station development.

“We share the vision of higher density,” Maalouf said.

“It’s just a timing issue.”

Whatever the developers’ plans are, Councilmember Carlyn Obringer wants to see

“robust community engagement” before any zoning change is approved.

She is also concerned with transparency and affordability.

“What is market rate?” she asked. “This is important information for me.”

Haddad was reluctant to commit.

“Six months ago, it was in the range of $2800-$3200,” he said.

Other considerations include whether Concordians and specifically veterans, will be given preference for the affordable units, PLA agreements with local labor and open space plans.

The partners have not yet submitted an application.

The city has considerable discretion in reviewing the project.

Cosplay Costume Contest with cash prizes.

Most traditional 4th of July parades and fireworks were canceled and the three local Oktoberfest’s in Clayton, Concord and Walnut Creek will not be held this fall.

radio) was scheduled for 20 minutes but was twice stopped when small fire spots broke out in the dry grass and hillside surrounding the venue. They were quickly extinguished and the show ended up lasting 40-45 minutes.

Social media was filled with complaints from Pavilion neighbors and attendees about traffic, fire safety and noise.

Tim McGallian spearheaded establishing the 4th of July Celebration at Mt. Diablo High in 2014 after the Singing Flag show ended a 25-year run.

Now as mayor of Concord McGallian led the effort to hold fireworks at the Pavilion this year when the pandemic made the traditional event impractical. Decades ago, the outdoor Pavilion annually had a symphony orchestra concert on the 4th that culminated with fireworks under the Pavilion roof and limited aerial displays.

McGallian understood the

“concerned emails and calls” which came into City Hall in advance of the July 4th event.

He explained, “We determined that the Pavilion was the most appropriate and safest place for the largest group of people to tailgate, picnic and enjoy fireworks within COVID-19 restrictions. Everything that happened was prepared for. We halted the show for the two small fire sports out of an abundance of caution.”

Word around the festival world is that turnouts at the first events coming back this summer have far exceeded expectations and even past years. The public is thirsty to enjoy themselves once again with family, friends and complete strangers, just like they’ve done for many years at their favorite events.

See pioneerpublishers.com with information on upcoming list of local events.

FIREWORKS AT PAVILION ON THE 4TH The Concord Fireworks show on the 4th of July was moved from Mt. Diablo High to the Pavilion and there were more fireworks than expected.

The show was formatted like a drive-in movie with admission limited to 1000 cars parked in every other space to allow for social distancing. The soldout event opened at 7 p.m. for families to be able to picnic, play cornhole and toss around footballs before the main event at 9:30.

The fireworks show synced to music (received over FM

GROVESIDE BISTRO Join us all summer for good vibes & relaxation

Wednesdays: Live music by Margaret Niles

Saturdays: Date Night & Live Music 5-8PM

Thursdays: Family Night-Kids under 10 eat FREE

Sundays: Gourmet Brunch 11-2pm & Live Music

Wine & Beer Tasting & Gourmet Fondue for 2. 4PM7PM

All you can eat pasta $20 & Summer Entrée Salads $15 Drop-in entertainers & libations 4PM-7PM

Fridays: TGIF Happy Hour 4-6PM, Dinner 5-8PM

Housemade Sangria & Beer $5, Ceviche $5

Dinner Package for 2- $75 (or ala carte) & music 5-7PM

Famous Beignets, Bottom-Less Mimosas & Beermosas $20

Lunch 11 AM-2 PM Weds-Fri, Noon-2PM Saturday

Text (650) 518-1598 for reservations 6101 Center St., Historic Clayton Village

(925) 693-0310

GrovesideClayton.com

Page 6

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

July 16, 2021

Chamber celebrates Mazda ribbon cutting at first in-person event

MELISSA REA

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary business association where businesses foster relationships to increase economic vitality, give back and become a part of the community.

Here are a few examples of how the chamber supports businesses and the community: Ribbon cuttings: New businesses can invite city staff and chamber members to a ribbon cutting at the establishment to

welcome them to the chamber and community. Recently, Concord Mazda relocated its dealership within Concord and celebrated with a ribbon cutting and in-person tour of the facility. Ribbon cuttings are a great way to bring people into an establishment and share what makes your business unique.

Business trainings/workshops: The chamber invites businesses and agencies to present information regarding new programs, trends, laws, etc. so members to stay up-todate on local topics. We are also offering online training for businesses to current with requirements, such as antiharassment training.

Networking opportunities: The chamber holds various networking opportunities throughout the month at different times of the day to allow members a platform to grow their networks. Our monthly events include First Friday Coffee, Women’s Networking

post job openings, events they are hosting, news releases and deals they are offering to the community. Our hope is by including this information on our website, we can help our business community thrive and spread awareness. Social media is also an important avenue to help promote a business. The chamber will share jobs, deals and more on its social media platforms as well.

The chamber not only encourages business development, but also community support and awareness. If you would like more information, please call 925-685-1181, visit Mayor Tim McGallian snips the ribbon for Concord Mazda’s ribbon cutting at their recently www.concordchamber.com or stop by relocated dealership. Ribbon cuttings are just one way the Concord Chamber supports the office at 2280 Diamond Blvd., and celebrates businesses, both new and old.

Suite 200 in Concord.

Group, Government/Economic Policy Committee Meeting and the Business After Hours Mixer. Throughout the pandemic, we did not miss a beat and held each event virtually. As we move forward,

we are going to adopt a plan ness exposure as much as posMelissa Rea is the Director of with some in-person events, sible. Through the chamber Operations and Marketing for the some virtual and some hybrid. website, members are able to Chamber of Commerce.

Web presence: In a digital world, it is important to not only keep up with your competition, but also increase busi-

Once again into the breach

WILL CLANEY

TECH TALK

Bill Gates, the co-founder and visionary for Microsoft, once quipped about Windows95, “640K* is more memory than anyone will ever need.” Windows specifications have undergone many transformations since that time, so it should not surprise you that changing specifications are a common occurrence with Microsoft products.

Windows 10, the much ballyhooed software operating system, was the end all operating system (O/S) with its flexibility, agility and security.

This upgrade was supposed to last ten or more years. Do you remember the giant push to get everyone on the planet on the infallible Windows 10 ver-

sion? It was one of the largest software upgrades in history.

Here we go again.

Time to shuck Windows 10 and move on to Windows 11. It will be the greatest operating system in history, borrowing some functions from Windows 8 and 10, with a whole set of new functions designed for Windows 11, and peeling several Windows 10 apps that did not age well.

Windows 11 will be requiring a much more powerful and secure computer equipped with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and a recent generation CPU. If you have an Intel CPU 8th generation or newer you can skip the TPM upgrade because your CPU has a special built in TPM-like module. A good service technician can test your existing computer to see if it qualifies for the free Windows 10 to Windows 11 O/S upgrade.

We say “free” meaning the program, Windows 11, will not cost anything for your upgrade. Purchasing a new computer with Windows 11 installed will still incur costs for the software.

Q. My daughter is very serious-minded and is younger than the Millennials. She definitely has home ownership on the schedule after finishing her last year of college and finding a good job. How do the prospects look for a young woman like her?

Windows 11 will be requiring a much more powerful and secure computer equipped with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and a recent generation CPU.

Testing, hardware upgrades (TPM), and fixing your existing programs that fails to conform to the new security requirements of will cost you about $250.00.

Upgrading will begin about August of this year but no firm date has been set by Microsoft yet and is subject to change without notice.

Now go do the right thing, ask your computer dealer/salesperson if you are ready for the Windows 11 upgrade. If they don’t know or if it isn’t, bolt for the door.

Remember to backup your data before you attempt the upgrade. This is shaping up to be a particularly difficult transition, seek professional help. * One gigabyte is 1000 kilobytes (k) of memory.

Most consumer computers today run between 4 and 16 gigabytes.

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.

Was this spring really windier than usual?

Over the last several months, the most popular weather-related statement I’ve heard from local residents is: “This the windiest period I’ve ever experienced in the Bay Area.”

I have to admit that I share that feeling, but will data support that perception?

As anyone with a weather app on their phone or computer can attest, there are many locations in Contra Costa County that report current wind conditions. Even with all this available data, verifying our perception is difficult.

The main problem is that very few wind stations have been reporting data for more than a few years. It takes many years (15-30) to collect enough data to make meaningful statistical comparisons.

Since wind data are very sitespecific, cobbling together a dataset from multiple sites will not produce credible results.

Fortunately, the Concord Airport weather station (station ID=CCR) has a long period of records. Even though that station reports hourly wind data, only the daily and monthly values are readily available to the public.

In a simple attempt to evaluate recent wind data in a historical perspective, monthly wind speeds records were reviewed. Specifically, the CCR average wind speeds for the months of April, May and June 2000 to 2021 were ranked from highest to lowest.

The results of this comparison won’t surprise many.

For the combined threemonth period, the average wind speed at CCR ranked the highest (windiest) for the 22-year period. For the individual months, April ranked No. 1, while May and June ranked third and fourth highest, respectively.

The obvious question that comes from this analysis is:

Gen Zers hope for easier market when its time to buy

Why has it been so windy this year? CCR data also provide some clues.

CCR daily wind direction data from 2021 indicate that persistently strong sea breeze conditions accounted for a majority of the local high wind events. Sea breeze winds strengthen when several meteorological factors combine.

The interaction between the jet stream and the marine layer of air near the California coast is of primary importance. When jet stream is active, meaning that highand low-pressure systems move in a steady stream across the Pacific, the depth of the cool marine fluctuates in response.

Deep marine layer conditions increase the surface pressure gradient between the cool coast and the hot Central Valley, and sea breeze winds strengthen in response.

A quick inspection of weather maps indicates that active

WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS jet stream conditions have persisted since the beginning of spring.

Another factor contributing to the coast-inland pressure gradient is sea surface temperature. Cooler ocean temperatures generate larger pressure gradients and stronger winds. Monthly data show coastal ocean temperatures have been cooler than normal all this year.

Concord Airport wind data support the contention that the persistent winds we’ve recently experienced could be a once-in-a-generation occurrence. It appears that an abnormally strong sea breeze is the root cause of the blustery conditions.

Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist retired from PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com

A. As the Millennials satisfy the need or want of home ownership, we call your daughter’s group Gen Z. They are, in general, more serious-minded about their futures. A survey by Realtor.com says that 40 percent of Gen Zers say they plan to purchase a home in five years. I hope it won’t be such a competitive market by the time they can save for a down payment. Three-quarters of the Gen Zers aren’t planning for a long-term rental situation.

According to the survey, Gen Zers are the first generation of digital natives to plan to buy, but they aren’t quite ready to take the leap.

As with any generational transfer, we can expect home-buying and selling trends to shift as Gen Zers make their way into the market.

According to the report, the segment is currently prioritizing education and building a strong financial foundation. Most do not yet have the job security or funds necessary for purchasing a home, but they are working on it.

Other interesting results of the survey: Half of future homeowners said the No. 1 barrier is job stability.

45 percent of those surveyed are already saving toward buying a home.

49 percent of future Gen Z homeowners see themselves living in the suburbs.

19 percent plan to live in a rural area.

LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ANSWERS

home shoppers are seeking.

Garages, large backyards and space for pets always rank high on buyers’ wish lists, but those features have grown in importance.

A Realtor.com survey highlights that the pandemic has elevated our relationship with family as well as the need for our home to serve multiple purposes, especially the ability to work remotely.

As a result, we are placing a premium on the need to accommodate extended family, along with features like a home office and broadband internet.

Here are the top 10 home features that have become a priority because of the pandemic: 1. A quiet location, 28 percent.

2. Updated kitchen, 25 percent.

3. Garage, 24 percent.

4. Large backyard, 24 percent.

5. Outdoor living area, 20 percent.

6. Space for pets, 18 percent.

7. Updated bathrooms, 19 percent.

8. Home office, 17 percent.

9. Broadband internet capabilities, 17 percent.

10. Open floor plan, 16 percent.

In the survey, 65 percent say they will consider extended family when they get their next house, either for visiting or living part time.

Q. As we come out of The need for a short the pandemic, what are commute time and homes the top priorities for with smaller square footage today’s homeowners? I am decreased in importance planning to get back into from prior surveys. Only 9 trying to find a house that percent indicated a short suits me, but some of my commute was a priority, and wants have changed.

4 percent were looking for smaller square footage. This A. As we return to a was down 11 percent and 8 “new normal,” buyers are percent, respectively, from coming out of pandemic life early March 2020 – prior to with different priorities when the pandemic. it comes to their next home.

The COVID pandemic Lynne French is a Realtor with ushered in a new way of Compass Real Estate and captain of the thinking about what “home” Lynne French Team. Contact her at means, and that is influenclynne@lynnefrench.com or 925-6728787. ing much of what today’s

July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 7

Obituary P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design, Website, Social Media B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor, Calendar Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports Editor, Schools Editor S TAFF W RITERS : Jay Bedecarré C ORRESPONDENTS : Bev Britton, Karen Jenkins, Kara Navolio, David Scholz,

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Record, from page 4 inspiration for an episode titled world, Chuck Walker decided “The Teeter Totter Caper.” he wanted to do something to bring smiles to people. Walker RETURN TO GLORY said “I spent so many years Fast forward to 2021. After remembering that record as a a tough year getting through the goofy stunt. I began to recall pandemic with the rest of the how much fun everyone had,

Edward R. Combs October 12, 1940 – June 1, 2021 Edward R. Combs, 80, of Clayton died June 1 at his home with his family at his side.

He was born Oct. 12, 1940, in Geneseo, Ill., the son of William E. and Esther M. Garrison Combs. He was educated in Cambridge schools and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1958.

He received a bachelor’s in accounting from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, in 1965.

Edward married Carol Ann Roush on Sept. 3, 1966, in East Moline, Ill. He was employed from 1965 to 1980 by the U.S. Army Audit Agency. His job took him and his new bride to Kaiserslautern, West Germany, in 1966. In June 1969, he and his family returned stateside to East Moline. The growing family returned to

Frankfurt, West Germany, from 1971 to 1974. Upon returning to the United States, he continued to work as an Army auditor on the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Ill., until 1980.

Edward then moved his family to Concord and accepted a position at the U.S. Oakland Army Base as an auditor, and he continued to move up the civilian ranks in the government. He received a high security clearance in 1986 and went to work for the U.S. Marshall Service and eventually the Department of Justice.

In 1988, he moved his family to nearby Clayton.

Edward retired in 1995 from the Department of Justice as the supervisory auditor for San Francisco Regional Audit Office after 29 years of dedicated service.

His hobbies included road

trips with his family, European travel and listening to music.

He is survived by his wife Carol; children, Kathleen (Dave) Haugan of Coon Rapids, Minn., Steven (Katrina) Combs of Concord, Douglas (Jennifer) Combs of Harvest, Ala., and Deborah (Judson) Baker of Dallas, Ore.; half-sister Catherine Van Dam of Cottage Grove, Minn.; and grandchildren, Aimee (Neil) Gilbert, Erik Haugan, David Haugan, Jonathan Haugan, Michael Combs, Emily Combs, Ashley Combs, Rachael Campbell, John Campbell, Tyler Combs, Christina Campbell, Eleanor Combs, Justin Combs, Joshua Baker and Madelyn Baker. He also is survived by great grandchildren Summer and Gabriella, sister and brotherin-law Christine and Thomas Roush, and nieces and

nephews, Erica (Matt) Westphal, Michael (Mari) Roush, Rebecca (Will) Hunter and Allison Roush. His parents preceded him in death.

Funeral services were held June 26 at the Cambridge Chapel of Stackhouse-Moore Funeral & Cremation Services.

The Rev. Tim Snart officiated.

Burial was in Rosedale Cemetery, Cambridge.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Autism Society of America.

Online condolences may be expressed at stackhousemoore.com.

New curator will continue Clayton Museum’s unique perspective Clayton Museum must meet certain criteria before it can become a part of our collection. The foremost priority it a strong connection to past residents of the Clayton area: the indigenous Miwok people, the Joel Clayton family, other pioneering families, long-time residents of the city or objects dating 1850-1950.

DEBBIE EISTETTER For example, a desk/bookTHE WAY case on display belonged to WE WERE the Stranahans, who arrived in the area from New York in the 1860s. It was found in a The key to the Clayton storeroom on the old ranch Museum’s interesting and meaningful exhibits is a cura- and is believed to have been constructed in Clayton using tor with a passion to present redwood harvested in Santa historical items of an area as “belongings” and not just arti- Cruz.

Eleanor Graves Pettitt, facts. whose family inherited the Typically having a degree ranch from the widowed in history, art, archaeology, Sarah Stranahan, donated the museum studies or another desk. Also called a “secretary,” related field, a curator also it is an example of “cottage” must possess organizational furniture. skills and be detail-oriented.

Items like the Stranahan Research to determine the desk are part of the museum’s identity and authenticity of permanent collection and have items requires careful bookbeen recorded on a computer work and in-person interviews. A creative touch is criti- program called Past Perfect. cal when arranging an exhibit They are categorized as in a way that will interest and objects, photos or archives and each is assigned a number instruct viewers. and described in as much An object offered to the

detail as possible with physical appearance, size and the people and stories associated with it being just a few examples of how to capture its unique characteristics.

Our treasured curator of the Clayton Museum is retiring, and we will be searching for someone having the skills to guide us on our mission to “research, collect, record, preserve, display, borrow, share and interpret local historical ber. We can’t save everyone,” information and memorabilhe said. “Lots of people ia.” Could it be you? would go crazy in a room.”

Clients come to the shelter through the Coordinated Outreach Referral Engagement team. “Referrals are based on need and vulnerability like health and age,” Vega said. “And on a motivation to do better.”

Hampton and Goodwin have both been approved for permanent housing and are waiting for the keys to their apartments. They will continue to be neighbors in the same complex.

“We save the ones we can,” Birsan said.

Homeless, from page 1 number and the estimates by those who serve the population. The number from the last Point In Time count in 2020 is 165. Councilmember Edi Birsan scoffs and mentally doubles it to account for those missed in the count.

“I’ve done that count before and I know at least half are missed,” he told the Pioneer.

Willy Vega, site supervisor at the shelter, estimates “5,000-6,000” are homeless in Concord.

Birsan says that is far overestimated.

“I’m not sure what is gained by inflating the num-

especially the kids. Do it again?

Surely my kids and grandkids would get a kick out of it as well, after all, they’ve been hearing about it all of their lives.”

The new teeter totter was designed for comfort but in order to break the record they would have to stay on it for 10 days (with short bathroom

A cornet from the Clayton Silver Cornet Band sits on the bookshelves of the Stranahan desk at the Clayton Museum.

Come to the museum and see our curator’s latest exhibit on Derbyshire, England, where Joel Clayton was born and the area that today boasts a stunning national park.

Debbie Eistetter is a board member of the Clayton Historical Society. For more information or to become a member, visit claytonhistory.org. The Clayton Museum is open 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays at 6101 Main St..

Admission is free.

Computer Problems

breaks allowed). The attempt started July 1 on the Todos Santos Plaza stage in downtown Concord.

On July 10, Walker got the chance to relive the experience of breaking the record again, cheered on by friends and family and a curious Concord crowd.

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Page 8

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

July 16, 2021

From the Desk of...

Summer concert series a sign of good things to come Happy summer, Concord.

I hope you enjoyed a festive 4th of July. My family, friends and I certainly did out at the Concord Pavilion.

It was a great kickoff to an exciting schedule of in-person events happening throughout the city, both in the downtown and at the Pavilion.

As I have said many

times in this column and elsewhere, these last 16 months have been incredibly challenging – personally, professionally and otherwise.

Our businesses and our residents have suffered. Sixteen months later, we can finally say that we really have turned the corner.

Our citywide vaccination rate is 60 percent fully vacci-

Be vigilant – prevent a tragic drowning safety barriers – you can keep children in your care safe.

California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) created a list of helpful tips. First, please remember that supervision of children around water is not “normal” supervision, where a child can be checked on every couple of minutes.

Rather, an adult must have TIM GRAYSON direct sight of a child around 14TH ASSEMBLY water at all times. When children are in or around a pool, DISTRICT spa or other bodies of water, As we seek opportunities CDPH recommends assigning to cool off and have fun out- a “water watcher” to keep the doors during the summer child in direct sight, and then heat, it is so important that relieve the watcher every 20 families be mindful of the minutes or so. dangers of water visits.

Another important The San Francisco Chroni- reminder, especially for homecle recently covered the tragic owners with pools, is to drownings at Lake Berryessa. always look first in the pool or The regional director for spa if a child is missing. Every American Medical Response second counts in an emerNapa reported that they gency water situation. received 22 emergency medFinally, keep things that ical calls Memorial Day week- children can climb on, like end alone, compared to 90 chairs, away from pool fences emergency medical calls all of and gates, and place rescue last year. equipment, such as a safety One particular swimming ring, near a pool or spa. danger is that people often All of these tips and more don’t realize how tired they can be found at cdph.ca.gov. can be after spending the day After an incredibly chalin the sun and that they can lenging last year, we all become exhausted while deserve to make happy memswimming much quicker than ories with our friends and they expect. loved ones. This summer, let’s Children 1-4 years old are join together to make a comat a particular high risk of mitment to not allow any drowning, which takes the drownings to occur in our lives of more California todcommunity by educating ourdlers than any other kind of selves on water safety, enclosaccident. ing our home pools and spas As any parent knows, kids with safety barriers and being can be incredibly active and mindful whenever around curious, and they learn new water. skills every day. Witnessing If you would like to learn this growing curiosity and more about safety tips or be growth can be one of the connected to additional most exciting parts of parent- resources, please call my Conhood, but it’s also a reason cord district office at 925-521why parents must be especially 1511. concerned about drowning incidents. One day a child may Reach Assemblyman Tim suddenly learn how to open a Grayson at (925) 521-1511. sliding door to the yard, or Visit or write the district office open a gate surrounding a 2151 Salvio Street, Suite P, Conpool. cord, CA 94520 By combining two methods – adult supervision and

nated. The state has lifted mandates and restrictions, and our businesses are finally allowed to operate at full capacity.

This is cause for celebration. The city has reopened its facilities and, more importantly, has scheduled a number of community events to bring residents and visitors together for family fun that we haven’t seen since the summer of 2019.

I am so proud to announce that Music and Market – our traditional Thursday night event in Concord’s “living room” – is back as of July 15. Zydeco Flames kicked off the series, which continues for 12 weeks until the final evening on Sept. 30. Our city

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This is a charity tournament that will raise money for nonprofits such as First Tee, the Concord Historical Society and the Concord Junior Giants. I invite you all to participate. More information will be forthcoming.

I truly am excited to celebrate our community reopening with you. Please join us for an upcoming city event and stay tuned for more information about opportunities to connect with me, my City Council colleagues and our city staff over the coming months.

Mayor Tim McGallian can be reached at 925.671.2489 or email Tim.McGallian@cityofconcord.org

Another unfair housing bill headed for Assembly vote Senate Bill 9 (SB9), which I wrote about in the March 2021 Pioneer, has made it out of committee and is headed for a vote on the Assembly floor.

To recap, SB9 requires a local government to ministerially approve a housing development containing two residential units in single-family residential zones. It further requires a local government to allow a developer to convert an existing single-family home into a duplex as well as allow an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and a junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU) to the same parcel.

The bill requires a local government to ministerially approve a single-family lot split, creating two lots, and allowing the construction of one single-family home, one ADU and one JADU on each lot – for a total of up to six units on a parcel originally zoned for one single-family home.

Even with current modifications, those in Clayton gov-

ernment are opposed to this bill. I have met with Assemblymember Tim Grayson to discuss this bill, and others like it, and the need to allow cities to continue maintaining local control to ensure our neighborhoods stay intact and not be subdivided into residential chaos. Grayson is scheduling meetings to discuss modifying the bill to benefit small, nearly built-out cities like Clayton, but time is running out. Please consider voicing your opinion to Grayson at https://a14.asmdc.org.

RETURNING TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS

As we carefully come out of the pandemic, government agencies will be moving back to in-person meetings. Clayton will host the return of face-to-face Mayors Conferences in November. This will be a golden opportunity to show off Clayton’s hospitality and charm to mayors from all around the county, and we are looking forward to it.

Your City Council will also head back to Hoyer Hall soon. We have been enthused by the on-going public attendance and participation at our virtual council meetings and want this to continue as we return to the council chamber. To that end, we are exploring the tech needed to allow those who wish to continue attending our meetings virtually.

This may take some time to accomplish, so please consider attending the meetings in person when you can.

Clayton is better with informed and involved citizens.

CARL “CW” WOLFE

CLAYTON MAYOR sponsors, but concert organizers have foregone asking our local businesses to help fund this year’s event due to the pandemic’s economic impact on them. Your donations will be a big help.

Know that the money you donate goes directly toward funding the 2022 concert series.

This year’s concert dates are July 17 and 31, Aug. 14 and 28, and Sept. 11, all beginning at 6 p.m. For more information on the schedule or how to make a taxdeductible donation, please go to www.claytonconcerts.com.

Enjoy!

GROOVIN’ IN THE GROVE Finally, July 17 sees the return of our Concerts in the Grove series. Nothing says “Clayton” more than these summer concerts, and we are thrilled to have them back.

The Clayton Business & Community Association Send questions and comments (CBCA) and Republic Serv- to cw@claytonca.gov, or call (925) ices have returned as primary 673-7324

Measure X advisory board will help decide how to serve the community Last November, the voters approved Measure X, a half-cent sales tax levied countywide (exempting food sales).

This sales tax is projected to bring roughly $80 million

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well with farm-fresh produce and hot food vendors to keep us all well fed through the night and beyond. My kids are always up for some kettle corn.

In addition to the concerts, we are working on scheduling a movie night in Newhall Park for early August – stay tuned for more details.

One of our city traditions TIM MCGALLIAN that I have been sorry to miss the last two years is the CONCORD MAYOR for annual mayor’s golf tournastaff has worked hard to book ment held at the city-owned facility, Diablo Creek Golf an incredible lineup of acts that will keep you rockin’ and Course. Although it’s typically held in May, we’ve canceled rollin’ all summer long. two spring events due to And this may go without COVID. This year, we’ve saying, but the Thursday rescheduled it for Friday, Oct. evening farmers market is back in Todos Santos Plaza as 22.

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a year to support a variety of services and needs across the community – and the community is helping to provide input and insight into the critical areas where these funds should be targeted.

To provide a venue for this input and consideration, the Board of Supervisors approved the creation of a 17-member Community Advisory Board to recommend funding priorities of annual revenue received under Measure X funds. The county supervisors appointed 10 members (two per supervisorial district) and seven at-large appointees.

These members represent a broad variety of backgrounds and voices from a great many parts of the county.

The charge of the Measure X Community Advisory Board (MXCAB) is to oversee an annual assessment of community needs, focusing primarily on the priority areas identified by the needs assessment that accompanied Measure X on the ballot: emergency response (fire/medical), health care, safety net services, preventative care, affordable housing,

KAREN MITCHOFF

COUNTY

SUPERVISOR and support for early childhood, youth, families and seniors.

Upon formation, MXCAB identified the following vision statement: Contra Costa County will have the necessary funds to invest in and sustain a robust system of care and the social and public services necessary to support a vibrant community and ensure that all county residents have equitable opportunities to thrive.

MXCAB meets weekly over Zoom at 5 p.m.

Wednesdays and is open to the public. Each week, issue experts, county staff, nonprofit leaders and impacted community members partici-

pate in a panel on a different topic, followed by a Q&A by MXCAB members and then open Q&A with members of the public. Those issuebased meetings will continue until July 28, at which point the advisory board will meet to develop draft priorities to forward to the Board of Supervisors during their scheduled meetings on Aug. 4 and 11.

To join the Zoom meetings, use the meeting ID 811 7676 9191. Alternatively, you can dial 888-278-0254 with conference code 468751 to call in.

The MXCAB process will occur each fiscal year and will be crucial in helping identify the areas of need in our communities and bringing creative strategies for leveraging the taxpayer dollars in the best way possible.

I encourage members of the community to observe and provide input on this process, and please contact my office at 925-521-7100.

Karen Mitchoff is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to Mitchoff at supervisormitchoff@bos.cccounty.us

July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 9

MDUSD, local schools anticipate full on-campus learning Mt. Diablo Unified School District plans for reopening its campuses with full-time instruction is moving forward although state regulations on issues such as face coverings and social distancing in the classroom and other school facilities have not all been ironed out weeks before the opening day of instruction Aug. 12.

Superintendent Adam Clark begins his second year in charge and recently told a podcast with Concord Mayor Tim McGallian, “For the fall, what parents can expect is that their students will be invited back to school - every student, five days a week, all day.”

However, he said the district is still awaiting final guidance regarding mask requirements and other details from the governor’s office and the California Department of Education, as well as from Cal OSHA for employees. “But even with three-foot distancing, we are still confident we can fit all our students in our classrooms every day, all day,” Dr. Clark said.

The district plans to return with a traditional school day, including before and afterschool programs including enrichment opportunities, sports teams and extracurricular events. However, the district is awaiting guidance on school assemblies, he added.

“Clearly, this is going to

look different at different sites because different schools have different programs,” he said.

“But overall, it is going to be full speed ahead for providing basic support and also providing those extra-curricular activities that our students have missed out on over the last year-and-a-half. We’re really excited about providing opportunities for our students to reengage with their classmates on sports teams, in clubs, in drama departments and through other things like that.”

MDUSD students who do not wish to return to campus can sign up for the Virtual Academy, which will be a distance learning model. Dr. Clark said about 40 families have

this can be done through various positions. We are currently offering a $1500 hiring bonus for our Paraprofessional/ Instructional Assistant positions.”

MDUSD’s new public information officer Theresa Harrington encouraged interSCHOOL DISTRICT OFFERING ested people to visit $1500 BONUS FOR NEW HIRES rebrand.ly/mdusdhiring1 for MDUSD is hiring for a complete details on available variety of both classified and positions and the $1500 bonus certificated positions. The Dis- program. trict currently has 112 openings for special education assisSCHOOL BELLS TO RING SOON tants one month before the The first day of school for new term begins.

The District sent a letter to 2021-22 term is coming soon: Carondelet & De La Salle all District families which read in part, “We are looking for begin Aug. 11.

Clayton Valley Charter individuals who are passionate about making a difference in starts Aug. 10.

Contra Costa School of the lives of our students and

opted for this option so far.

The district does not intend to offer hybrid learning in the fall.

However, students who initially opt for distance learning will have opportunities to return to campuses full-time later in the year, should they so desire.

Before the Blue Devils marched into Concord, there were the Martinettes CAROL LONGSHORE

YESTERYEAR

While celebrating the 4th of July with friends, I learned that two of them were Martinettes – the very beginning of the Blue Devils.

Many of you may be familiar with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, which used to be the Concord Blue Devils until so many of them came from all over America and the world.

In 1948, Bill and Martha Martin dreamed about starting a drum corps. Acting on their

thoughts, Bill became the drum instructor and Martha designed innovative drills.

They had lead “soldiers” to work out field competition programs. Between 1948 and 1951, the drummers won numerous parade awards.

They used the prize money to buy two tenor drums, and Bill taught two talented brothers, Hugh and Tom Brown, how to play them. They also learned to twirl mallets and taught the bass drummers and cymbal players to twirl.

As you can imagine, the Martinettes were on their way to success.

Ed O’Malley owned a drum shop and with his help,

Martinettes founders Bill and Martha Martin stand with daughter Cookie and son Terry.

they shellacked the cat gut snares and added snare releases so the drums could play Latin rhythms. It is believed that the corps was the first to add a cowbell to the mix.

Voila, a new sound.

My friends Barbara Buscaglia Strelitez, Dee Durante Yount and Cookie Martin were members of the first Martinettes Girls Drill Team. Many on the team were Martha’s dance students. The reason was simple: Majorettes won trophies and drill teams won money.

The Martinettes won all but one competition they entered. The biggest was the California state championship.

Although they lost the first competition, they went on to win in 1953, ’54, ’55 and ’56.

Bill Martin had won 49 firstplace parade awards, and the group was proud to be able to display the California state championship flag.

It was quite an honor to have both Martinettes groups represent the state of New Jersey in the Lions Club international parade in San Francisco. The delegation was dismayed when they saw their representatives were kids but were astonished at the quality of their performance and

Any production method has to be cost-competitive, operate on a large scale and be environmentally clean.

Very little natural hydrogen is found around the world, so it needs to be separated from other molecules. There are many methods to achieve this, and they are identified by assigning a “color.” The most STEPHEN GOURLAY common large-scale process is steam methane reforming SCIENCE BYTES (SMR), which is used to proever, it burns very hot and duce hydrogen for making produces greenhouse gases ammonia fertilizer and in when mixed with air for com- hydrocracking to break down bustion. heavy petroleum for fuel.

Another way to transform However, it also produces hydrogen into a useful form carbon monoxide and CO2. of energy is a fuel cell. This Hydrogen produced by this technology has improved method is called “gray” hydrogreatly over the past decade or gen. so and is now the leading A process called carbon choice for transportation capture and storage (CCS) can applications. Fuel cells are like reduce the amount of greenbatteries that never need house gas released. Hydrogen charging. You just need a produced by this method is source of hydrogen, and it is “blue” hydrogen. totally clean when used in a A fairly recent method fuel cell. Water is the only called methane pyrolysis only byproduct. And don’t forget, produces solid carbon but has there is virtually an infinite not been developed for large supply of this stuff. scale use yet. This is how we As with any fuel, one has get “turquoise” hydrogen. to deal with storage, transport One more general producand production. All three tion method is to split water present challenges, but prointo hydrogen and oxygen. duction is the most dominant. There are several ways to do

FORMER SUPERINTENDENT MARTINEZ TAKES HELM OF VALLEJO CHARTER SCHOOLS Dr. Robert Martinez lasted less than a year as MDUSD Superintendent before being terminated in the early days of the pandemic last year. He was recently introduced as the new superintendent of Griffin Technology Academies in Vallejo. Martinez took over the position July 1. He has spent 32 of his 35 years in education in Solano County.

Griffin Technology Academies is comprised of four charter middle and high schools serving diverse, primarily low-income students.

Founded in 1999, GTA schools serve over 1,300 students.

While with MDUSD, Martinez spoke out against Clayton Valley Charter High School when the Concord school was seeking a renewal of its charter at the Contra Costa County Office of Education in 2020.

Tech

Wanted

Courtesy of Dee Duarte Yount

This early photo of the Martinettes includes Barbara Buscaglia Strelitez and Delores (Dee) Durante Yount, second and third in back row, and Cookie Martin, at left in front row.

overjoyed to take home the two huge first-place trophies.

By the way, they were entered in the adult classification.

The Martinettes performed for a lot of functions, but their favorite was at the Shriners’ Crippled Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. The performance was on the lawn, and the kids watched through their windows.

Bill and Martha disbanded the corps after winning the state title in 1956. They turned it over to Tony Odello, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars

The many colors of hydrogen I had been following the development of a “hydrogen economy” out of the corner of my eye, but I was caught flatfooted when a friend asked me: “What’s the difference between green and blue hydrogen?”

I didn’t know it came in colors. So, I dug into this question and found out that hydrogen does indeed come in “colors.”

And not just two.

Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe and one of the main ingredients of organic molecules and water. Particularly over the past couple of decades, it has been considered a possible fuel.

It is important to note that hydrogen is not a source of energy, but a conveyor of energy – just like the electricity that comes into your house. In both cases, there is a primary energy source where the energy or fuel originates and is converted to another form, transported and converted again for use.

As a fuel, hydrogen has several appealing characteristics. It has a high energy to mass ratio. Two pounds of hydrogen has about the same energy content as six pounds of gasoline. Initially, hydrogen was considered for use as a substitute for gasoline. How-

Performing Arts begins Aug. 11.

MDUSD begins Aug. 12 for its kindergarten through 12th grade sites.

Most parochial and private schools in the area begin between Aug. 10 and Aug. 23.

this, but the most common is by electrolysis – where an electric current is passed between two electrodes.

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can provide the electricity to produce “green” hydrogen. Electrolysis can also be achieved using nuclear power. Then we get “pink” hydrogen.

There is a lot more to the hydrogen story than I can go into here. It’s a hot topic, and government and industry are investing heavily in development. I think I’ll keep a closer eye on this in the future.

Our own Berkeley Lab is partnering with other national laboratories to develop the technology to enable the use of hydrogen. For more info, check out https://energyconversiongroup.lbl.gov/news/art icle/moving-hydrogen-technologies-forward or www.hydrogen.energy.gov.

Steve Gourlay is a career scientist with a PhD in experimental particle physics. He recently retired after working at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, CERN (the European Center for Nuclear Research) and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Send questions and comments to him at sgpntz@outlook.com.

became the sponsor. After losing the 1957 championship, they asked Bill to return to teaching the drummers, now the Blue Devils, which he did.

They added glockenspiels, which Martha taught, allowing melodies to join the sound.

The corps returned to winning the state titles.

The rest is more history, but the first Martinettes Girls Drill Team members are still entertaining friends and family with their stories.

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Carol Longshore has been a Concord resident since 1950. She is a community leader and past president of the Concord Historical Society. Send comments and suggestions for future topics to editor@pioneerpublishers.com.

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July 16, 2021

The Pulse of another beginning EDI BIRSAN PULSE OF

CONCORD Emerging from the scars of the pandemic and the shadows of the tombs of

600,000 of us, including some of my friends and no doubt some of yours, we have a new beginning.

As with most beginnings, we are reminded that while each wave may have its starting pulse it is part of the great ocean of movement that propels us forward. Locally. we have before us a host of things great and small that we will focus on and see where the tide takes us.

The homeless: We do not have “a” homeless problem, we have many problems dealing with homelessness. Likewise, the search for solutions is complicated by everyone’s wants, needs, willingness and costs. Will the new structure of the shelters and expanded outreach teams make an impact?

The base: We have three new contenders whose first public interviews will be Aug.

‘Quiet Place’ sequel provides a lesson in silent suffering Since I saw “A Quiet Place” in the theater, it made sense to do the same with John Krasinki’s pandemicdelayed sequel.

The new film could have had a limited release earlier, however, Paramount believed so fervently in the importance of seeing it in a full theater that Krasinski did a 60-second spot that airs before the film thanking the audience for watching “A Quiet Place 2” how it was meant to be viewed.

The film opens with flashbacks to the initial day of the attack by the aliens with super hearing. Anyone who saw the first film knows the tragedy and despair that eventually befell the intrepid Abbott family. That knowledge creates tension from the outset, even as father Lee (Krasinski) simply goes about his mundane day.

After we briefly meet the sequel’s new hero Emmett (an

enigmatic Cillian Murphy), young Marcus Abbott’s Little League game gets interrupted by crashing meteorites carrying the predators from hell.

This 15-minute sequence is a major highlight of the film.

Once “A Quiet Place 2” jumps to present day, there is a harrowing scene as the family tries to find what could be a group of people. Unfortunately, the subsequent 60 minutes suffers from pacing issues.

A main problem is that the sequel keeps its character count just as low as the first film. With a mere four actors and a baby, there is not a lot of chances for meaningful dialogue. Multiple conversations repeat the same argument about whether they should go somewhere else.

Another concern is the use of jump scares. Certainly, I was startled each time, but these creatures are scary enough that Krasinski should

have been able to generate more situational fear.

The final 15 minutes ramp up the suspense again with effective back-and-forth cuts between characters. The abrupt ending leaves much to be desired, but surely “A Quite Place 3” will make up for it. BSUMMER TV RECOMMENDATIONS

“Mare of Easttown” (HBO): Kate Winslet has never been better as haggard grandma/detective Mare. A bevy of fully realized characters populate this sublime limited series that is as much about solving a murder as it is about family dynamics.

“Your Honor” (Showtime): This aired last winter but is definitely worth seeking out. In his best role since “Breaking Bad,” Bryan Cranston plays a judge whose son hits and kills the son of a mob boss (Michael Stuhlbarg

21. Locals and Wall Street, newer developers and generational will all be on display.

What will they be able to do with the project?

The Coast Guard Villages: The Feds finalized the sale, and the buyers are going into the refurbishment phase to get the 286 units on the market as fast as possible.

This could be the first offering of major numbers of three- and four-bedroom

apartments in more than a decade.

Redistricting: We have a Constitutional requirement to adjust representation based on raw population numbers of all residents regardless of age, status or even if they are Dodger Fans with cats. The political knives may be out in force and battle with Communities of Interest. Concord’s city districts will be reviewed as well as the county supervisorial districts and every special district, such as a school district, that has subsections.

More recently drawn districts, such as the Mt. Diablo Unified School District one done last year, may not need changes but simply reaffirmation.

Road repair: Finally, we have a funding plan that will improve the rating of our roads over the next five years with almost $140 million in JEFF MELLINGER repairs and replacements. Not everyone will be happily surfSCREEN SHOTS ing this wave because with 311 miles of roads, there is always at his finest). What would a those that are not reached fast father do to protect his son?

What would another father do enough or even splashed a litto avenge his? The suspense is tle.

Crime: With an increase in palpable from start to finish.

The 202ONE Olympics crime across the country and with an election year coming, (NBC and affiliates): The world’s best athletes finally get the issues of community safety, accountability, deterrence to compete on the biggest stage at the end of July in Tokyo. Swimming, gymnastics and track & field highlight America’s best hopefuls.

Watch for the return of baseball/softball, plus the debut of skateboarding, surfing and rock climbing.

Jeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord.

Email comments to editor@pioneerpublishers.com.

ARF welcomes community back to adoption center adopted. Our lab/pittie keeps us entertained with his goofy personality and living on a ranch keeps him entertained and always exploring.”

We’ve learned a lot over the past year and a half, and we’re adjusting our approach to help the animals we rescue thrive.

Most of the animals have been through a lot of changes before arriving to our campus. Usually, they need medical care or extra TLC. They thrive with our volunteers, and fostering helps our adoption team learn more about the animals in a home environment.

Additionally, adoptions by appointment created a more efficient process with personalized attention for our adopters and their family’s needs throughout the entire adoption experience. As a result, ARF will continue scheduling

appointments in addition to our traditional walk-in adoptions.

We recommend that interested adopters submit an inquiry online at arflife.org/adopt to begin a conversation with an adoption counselor and schedule an appointment to meet potential furry family members.

We hope to see your smiling face on our campus soon.

ARF’s campus at 2890 Mitchell Dr., Walnut Creek, is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Adoption hours are noon-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

To view available animals online, learn more about adopting from ARF or sign up to foster an animal, please visit arflife.org.

Elena Bicker is the Executive Director of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. She can be reached at (925) 2561ARF (1273)

Meet the ARF Adoption stars Looking for a furry friend during this trying time?

Good news — ARF is now offering a no-contact, virtual adoption process. If you see an animal you’re interested in on our website, just fill out an online inquiry form. Once your inquiry has been received, you will be added to our virtual adoption queue.

Five-year-old Randall is a wiggly goof that loves to stick close by his favorite people. Randall would do best in a home with lots of space and an active

family who can provide lots of love and fun activities to keep him busy. He may bit a bit shy at first, but warms up quickly with some nice treats and gentle petting. Randall has a positive history with other dogs and currently weighs 53 pounds.

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).

Send your suggested neutral questions on these or other topics to EdiBirsan@gmail.com.

The views contained herein, where stated or misspelled, are the fault of Edi Birsan individually and are not reflective of any organized or governmental body. (They are sometimes not overlapping concepts.)

‘Tahoe Jade’ mixes mystery with California history

P ETS

it’s the compassion of our community that shines the brightest.

ARF wouldn’t be able to keep ELENA BICKER families together and save lives without supporters like you.

ARF NOTES ARF’s team rapidly adapted during the shelter-in-place order Walking the halls at Tony La in March 2020 to connect more Russa’s Animal Rescue Founda- than 1,600 dogs and cats with tion (ARF) is starting to feel a loving families. The majority of lot more normal these days. those animals were adopted When California reopened through an entirely virtual on June 15, our team was process, meeting their new famthrilled to welcome the public ilies for the first time during back to our Walnut Creek cam- socially distanced, pick-up pus. There is nothing better appointments. than hearing children laugh at One adopter explained the kittens’ antics or witnessing the decision to adopt during the joy of a couple as they swoon pandemic. “My partner and I over their newly adopted dog. were hesitant doing an adoption We even held our first in-person without interacting with the animeeting with our incredible vol- mal first, but ARF was wonderunteers. ful in providing us with as Life as we knew it changed much information as possible due to the coronavirus, and as I before we officially adopted our reflect on the past 16 months, pet. We are so happy to have

and effectiveness will echo on down the months. We will have the story of drones in police service and the introduction of a proactive, local Mental Health Response Team to try to prevent crisis, as well as the enhancement of similar emergency response teams for active crisis events.

Political stuff: Will we move to electronic reporting locally or continue to massacre large numbers of trees with paper reporting? Will there be another call for a directly elected mayor or a change in the reporting periods that puts us out of sync with the state?

Through all of this, the Pulse of Concord will be taking your views into our surveys and echoing them out so we can have a glimpse of the range of views in our diverse city.

Two-year-old Shakira is a gorgeous, long-haired tuxedo cat whose affection is hard to resist. She is easygoing and makes friends with everyone she meets. This precious gal is ready for her fur-ever home!

ARF Adoption fees: $100 for an adult cat, $150 for a kitten (under 6 months), $150 for two adult cats, $250 for two kittens, $50 for a special-needs cat, $75 for a special-needs kitten (under 6 months), and $50 for a senior cat (7+ years).

Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are making a difference.

For more information see website, www.arflife.org, or call (925) 256-1ARF.

SUNNY SOLOMON

BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY

I read Todd Borg’s latest Owen McKenna mystery, “Tahoe Jade,” so quickly I didn’t even have a chance to take it to the pool.

As in all Borg’s mysteries, the prologue tells of the first murder. But this murder happens more than a hundred years ago to a young Pony Express rider killed for his horse while on his way to deliver mail to Lake Tahoe.

Among the letters he carries is one from President Abraham Lincoln to Gov. Elect Leland Stanford. Even an amateur sleuth knows that the Lincoln letter and its mysterious contents bode more importance than the deceased rider.

Nothing in Borg’s writing should go unnoticed. In Chapter One, we meet and greet our stalwart ex-SF-copnow-private-investigator Owen McKenna and his longtime girlfriend Street Casey, along with his constant four-legged companion, Spot. The Harlequin Great Dane is affectionately known as “his largeness.”

The reader should remember this as we watch Street demonstrate her parkour finesse to McKenna. (Parkour is a sport defining the skilled beauty of running over boulders.)

Just before the chapter ends is the expected call for help from a soon-to-be client: “Please don’t hang up!

Please hear me out. I’m not crazy!”

Here are the first facts: New client Jade Jaso has

received a work-related death threat.

Jade’s mother died when she was young and came from a long line of female Chinese ancestors named Jade.

Jade’s father is Basque and raised Jade on his own; he recently died from a fall at their property in Christmas Valley on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe.

More facts slowly emerge.

At McKenna’s suggestion, Jade spends the night at a motel and her house is broken into, leaving evidence of a search for something.

Jade owns three horses, one of which is a prized thoroughbred purchased by her father when its owner, a jailed felon, could not pay the horse’s boarding fees.

This allowed Jade’s dad to buy it under the California equine lien foreclosure process.

After a warehouse fire, a fellow firefighter is killed under questionable circumstances, and Jade, now retired from the Sacramento Fire Department, believes the threat on her life is related.

Add to all this a neighbor who leaves the area to attend a Buddhist retreat in China, the now questionable death of Jade’s father, Pony Express reenactments, historical facts of stolen Chinese carvings and a long and strong trail of female abuse.

Then throw in a nearfatal aerial hunt for the surprising kidnapping of Jade and her horses.

Borg’s arsenal reaches deeper than firearms. California history, literary-connected characters, cultural traditions, and an overriding interest in women and their place in this world make “Tahoe Jade” a summer must-read.

Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’

July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 11

SPORTS

High school sports gear up for “normal” seasons

Fall

Winter

Spring

High school sports will be back to its usual fall, winter and spring sports schedules when the 2021-22 school calendar begins next month. Local schools will resume traditional schedules in the East Bay and Diablo athletic leagues that culminate with league, North Coast Section, Northern California and CIF State competition. Local athletes from Berean Christian, Carondelet, Clayton Valley Charter, Concord, De La Salle, Mt. Diablo, Northgate and Ygnacio Valley high schools can only dream that this school year will be unlike the past 16 months when the pandemic created havoc for all school activities, including sports.

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

In less than a month, high school athletics in California will begin the 2021-22 school year schedule with sports split into three seasons much as they have done for decades.

That is, except for the unprecedented past 16 months when the pandemic wiped out the spring 2020 schedule and then caused abbreviated competition for all sports last term condensed into the first half of this calendar year.

New North Coast Section president Louis Rocha, principal of Antioch High, says, “We plan on returning to full seasons of fall, winter, spring sports seasons with post-season playoffs. Of course, we will monitor the COVID-19 case rates per county and follow the health and safety guidelines of the CDPH. “ Barring a surge in cases, athletes and teams in the traditional fall sports will begin practices and then competition next month leading to a renewal of NCS playoffs and culminating with Northern California and State championships in many sports.

Both the East Bay and Diablo athletic leagues modified schedules to minimize health and safety issues in the short seasons each sport held during the first half of this year.

Those short seasons ended without NCS championships.

EBAL commissioner Leo Lopoz of De La Salle and his new DAL counterpart Mark Tran from Ygnacio Valley have released 2021-22 schedules that bear a familiar look before the pandemic struck in March 2020.

The EBAL decided to split its 2020-21 sports schedules geographically with Alameda and Contra Costa member schools playing within their county lines to minimize health concerns. Now the league schedule reverts to its normal format with all schools, including De La Salle and Carondelet, playing in one division.

The lone exceptions are football and wrestling which have Mountain and Valley divisions separating EBAL schools into separate competitive divisions.

Clayton Valley Charter is in the EBAL for football and also badminton, which is not offered in the DAL.

CVCHS joins other local schools Northgate, Ygnacio Valley, Concord and Mt. Diablo in the DAL, which has Foothill and Valley divisions in all sports to provide competitive equity.

FALL SPORTS

Lacrosse (Boys & Girls) DAL League Games Feb. 21 – Apr. 22 DAL Championships Apr. 26-29 EBAL League Games Apr. 1-29 NCS Playoffs June 1-10

Nov. 2 DAL Division Championships Oct. 28-30 EBAL Championships Nov. 4-8 NCS Team Championships Nov. 9-13 NCS Singles/Doubles Championships Nov. 15-16 NorCal Team Championships Nov. 16-20

Softball DAL League Games Maar. 15 – May 12 EBAL League Games Mar. 22 – May 5 EBAL Championships Week of May 9 NCS Playoffs May 17-28 NorCal Championships May 31 June 4

Cross Country (Boys & Girls) DAL Center Meets Sept. 29 and Oct. 20 DAL Championships Nov. 6 (Hidden Valley Park, Martinez) EBAL Championships TBA NCS Championships Nov. 20 Volleyball (Girls) (Hayward High School) DAL League Games Sept. 7- Oct. CIF State Championships Nov. 27 21 (Woodward Park, Fresno) EBAL League Games Aug. 24 – Oct. 21 Football DAL League Games Oct. 8 – Nov. NCS Playoffs Oct. 26 – Nov. 6 NorCal Championships Nov. 75 16 EBAL League Games Oct. 8 – CIF State Championships Nov. Nov. 5 19-20 NCS Playoffs Nov. 12-27 NorCal Regional Championships Water Polo (Boys & Girls) Dec. 3-4 DAL League Games Sept. 22 – CIF State Bowl Games Dec. 10-11 Oct. 27 Golf (Girls) DAL League Matches TBA EBAL League Matches Aug. 17Nov. 7 DAL League Championships TBA EBAL League Championships Oct. 18 NCS Division II Championships Oct. 25 NCS Division I Championships Nov. 1

Athlete Spotlight Paige Landstrom Club: Dana Hills Swim Team Age: 18 Sport: Swimming Landstrom is well known for succeeding in both the pool and with her academics. She has been swimming competitively since she was six-yearsold for several teams, including Dana Hills, Walnut Creek Aquabears and Clayton Valley Charter High. During Landstrom’s high school career she earned a place on varsity all four years and competed for the Aquabears during the offseason for two years. During her junior and senior years, she decided to put her main focus into excelling for Dana Hills after high school season.

Landstrom loves the swimming atmosphere because everyone is supportive of each other no matter what, despite competing against teammates and even best friends. Speaking of friends, Landstrom is ecstatic that she’s swimming her final season with good friend Caela Hetherton. The two college freshmen

NorCal Championships Nov. 8 EBAL League Games Jan. 4 – Feb. CIF State Championships Nov. 17 11 EBAL Championship Feb. 12 Tennis (Girls) NCS Playoffs Feb. 13-26 DAL League Matches Sept. 9 – NorCal Championships Mar. 1-5 Oct. 26 EBAL League Matches Sept. 2 – State Championships Mar. 11-12

have “good swim birthdays,” meaning they’re both swim-age 18 this summer and able to swim together for the last time after missing many milestones last year due to COVID. A large amount of the success Landstrom experienced in the sport was due to her exceptional coaches throughout the years, most notably, Serge Victor. Landstrom says that she wouldn’t be the swimmer she is today without him and that he taught her not only how to improve, but to also take swimming more seriously.

Landstrom holds several individual and relay records at Dana Hills, Concord City Meet and at a few other pools. The relay team of Landstrom, Kaylie Walker, Erica Du-Long and Gianna du-Long broke a 25-year-old CVCHS 200-yard freestyle relay record in 2018. During Landstrom’s high school swimming

Soccer (Boys & Girls) DAL League Games Dec. 7 - Feb. 10 EBAL League Games Dec. 14 – Feb. 10 NCS Playoffs Feb. 16-26 NorCal Championships Mar. 1-5 CIF Boys State Championships Mar. 11-12 Wrestling (Boys & Girls) DAL League Dual Matches Jan. 5 – Feb. 2 EBAL League Dual Matches Jan. 5-27 DAL Championships Feb. 11-12 DAL Championships TBA NCS Dual Meet Team Championships Feb. 5 NCS Championships Feb. 18-19 State Meet Feb. 24-26 (Mechanics Bank Arena, Bakersfield)

SPRING SPORTS

EBAL League Games Sept. 2 – Badminton Oct. 28 EBAL League Games Mar. 1 – DAL Division Championships Oct. April 21 27-29 EBAL Tournament (San Ramon NCS Playoffs Nov. 3-13 Valley) April 30 NorCal Tournament Nov. 17-20 NCS Championships May 14 CIF State Championships May 21

WINTER SPORTS

Basketball (Boys & Girls) DAL League Games Jan. 4 – Feb. 11

career, she achieved the seventh fastest 100 backstroke time in school history.

In 2019, Landstrom was awarded the City Meet Swim Championships highpoint award in 15-18 A Division. In addition, Landstrom has won the Devil Mountain Pentathlon six times in her age group including this summer. Dana Hills has awarded Landstrom the team high-point award in her age group three times. After losing her senior swim season to the pandemic, Landstrom is excited to be able to swim for Dana Hills this summer. Since this will be her last year competing, she’s hoping to achieve some personal bests, but to also have fun and cherish the last few meets she’ll be able to swim. Landstrom is attending San Diego State University with plans to major in public health and minor in psychology. She maintained a 4.0 GPA both semesters of her first year in college and earned a place on the dean’s list. She enjoyed meeting new people at SDSU and can’t wait to hopefully have a more normal college experience next year.

CVCHS student journalist Katherine Pugh wrote this Spotlight.

Baseball DAL League Games Mar. 10 – May 12 EBAL League Games Mar. 23 – May 6 EBAL League Tournament Week of May 9 NCS Championships May 17-28 NorCal Championships May 31 June 4 Competitive Cheer (Stunt) DAL League Games Mar. 4 – Apr. 25 EBAL League Games Mar. 18 – Apr. 22 EBAL League Championship Apr. 26 NCS Championships Apr. 30 CIF State Championships May 67 Golf (Boys) DAL League Matches TBA EBAL League Matches Mar. 3 – Apr. 28 DAL League Championships TBA EBAL League Championships May 2 NCS Division II Championships May 9 NCS Division I Championships May 16 NorCal Championships May 23 CIF State Championships June 1

The Pioneer congratulates Paige and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.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.

Joe Ronco 925-872-3049 Over 35 years Clayton/ Concord resident Lic#844344

Swimming & Diving (Boys & Girls) DAL League Dual Meets Feb. 28 – Apr. 18 EBAL League Dual Meets Mar. 18 – Apr. 15 DAL JV Invitational Meet (Miramonte High) Apr. 23 DAL League Championships Apr. 28-30 (Campolindo High) EBAL League Diving Championships TBA (Carondelet) EBAL League Championships Apr. 22-23 (Dougherty Valley) NCS Championship Meet May 57 (Concord Community Pool) State Championship Meet May 13-14 (Clovis Olympic Swim Complex) Tennis (Boys) DAL League Matches Mar. 10 – Apr. 26 EBAL League Matches Feb. 24 – Apr. 26 DAL Tournament Apr. 28-30 EBAL Tournament Apr. 28 – May 2 NCS Singles/Doubles Championships May 6-7 NCS Team Championships May 10-14 NorCal Team Championships May 10-14 Track & Field (Boys & Girls) DAL League Meets Mar. 9 – Apr. 20 DAL Frosh-Soph Meet Apr. 23 DAL League Championship Meet Apr. 30 and May 7 NCS Tri-Valley Area Meet May 14 NCS Meet of Champions May 2021 CIF State Meet May 27-28 (Veterans Memorial Stadium, Clovis) Volleyball (Boys) DAL League Games Mar. 1 – April 28 EBAL League Games Mar. 1 – April 28 NCS Playoffs May 3-12 NorCal Championships May 1721

Page 12

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

July 16, 2021

De La Salle’s ESPN game with East Coast powerhouse tops prep football schedule

Athlete Spotlight

Jeremiah Musoke Club: Liberty Gymnastics Age: 9 Sport: Gymnastics Musoke discovered gymnastics on YouTube. Intrigued by watching a video of a girl performing backflips, he started teaching himself gymnastics, using his bed for a mat, and quickly fell in love with the sport. Determined to advance his skills, Musoke phoned Liberty Gymnastics Training Center in Concord to ask about taking classes. He spoke with gym co-owner Joe Van Gogh, who invited the sevenyear-old for a visit. Two years later, Musoke is now a Rec 3 gymnast and a fixture at Liberty, who inspires everyone around him with his dedication, passion for gymnastics, love for helping others and upbeat disposition. Liberty’s boys optional team, comprised of much older and more experienced gymnasts, has adopted Jeremiah as an honorary team member and pitched in to purchase him a team workout jersey.

“Jeremiah is a natural leader,” says Liberty Gymnastics coach Brandon Kim. “From making sure everyone lines up properly, to offering suggestions and positive feedback, Jeremiah works for the success of his classmates as well as his own success.” Team coach Cole Stevenson adds, “Training with Jeremiah has always been fun. He’s hard working, respectful and always helpful. His classmates love him because he’s a nice kid and very encouraging to others.”

“Gymnastics has helped Jeremiah blossom as a person,” says his father, Ron. “Gymnastics has taught Jeremiah the importance of hard work, discipline and respect, and has helped him discover how much he enjoys helping others.

He has become much more self-confident, too.” Musoke enjoys trampoline and playing basketball and football. He is also an avid reader and especially enjoys the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series and books about animals. Getting ready to start fourth grade at Monte Vista Elementary next month, Musoke is a budding social media star, with over 1,500 followers on his @minibeastboy.xt TikTok account that showcases his gymnastics skills. He has big plans for his future that complement his big smile and personality: Jeremiah wants to be an Olympic gymnast and a surgeon. This summer he’ll be able to watch the world’s best gymnasts starting next week at the Tokyo Olympics.

The Pioneer congratulates Jeremiah and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.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.

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

De La Salle will host St. Frances Academy of Baltimore Oct. 1 in a nationally televised game on ESPN, highlighting the local high school football calendar this fall.

De La Salle has finished in the top 25 nationally nine times since 2010, the only school in America to do so.

The Spartans have played in every California State Bowl championship game since the CIF bowl series started in 2006. St. Frances didn’t play football last year during the COVID-19 shutdown but was top five nationally in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Because the pandemicshortened fall 2020 season actually took place in spring 2021 without any playoffs in North Coast Section or State Bowl games, Clayton Valley Charter is still technically defending State 2-AA champion based on the Ugly Eagles bowl game victory in December 2019.

CVCHS has been reclassified to Division I this season based on competitive equity.

The team has won NCS D-II four times since 2012.

The two Concord powerhouses will conclude their regular season Oct. 5 at De La Salle. The NCS playoffs return starting Nov. 12-13 with the semi-finals Nov. 1920 and championship weekend Nov. 26-27. The Northern California Regionals are Dec. 3-4 and State Bowl games Dec. 10-11.

“We are excited to have Friday night lights back next school year,” De La Salle

ZEKE BARRY DE LA SALLE

High School Vice President for Athletics Leo Lopoz said in announcing the Spartans 2021 fall football schedule.

“We have an extremely competitive schedule that consists of quality local, state and nationally-ranked programs.”

FALL FOOTBALL PRACTICE BEGINS AUG. 9.

The Spartans are scheduled to open their season on the road at St. Mary’s of Stockton on Aug. 27. The following week, the De La Salle home schedule begins with a non-league game against Monterey Trail-Elk Grove Sept. 3. The next two weeks, the Spartans travel to Mountain View to take on Saint Francis Sept. 10, followed by a home game against Cathedral Catholic of San Diego Sept. 17.

After a bye week, the marquee game of the season takes place against St. Frances at Owen Owens Field. The Maryland school is featured in a four-part documentary from HBO Sports

by Emmy®-winning executive producer Michael Stra-

han. St. Frances is 10th and De La Salle 17th in pre-season national rankings by MaxPreps.

St. Frances is three-time Maryland Class A state champions. Senior quarterback John Griffith is committed to Bowling Green and leads the Panthers.

The final non-league game of the season will have De La Salle hosting Sacramento area powerhouse Folsom Oct. 8.

De La Salle was 6-0 in the abbreviated spring season, its first undefeated season since 2014, coach Justin Alumbaugh’s second in charge.

The Spartans have won 28 consecutive Section titles and the team has not lost a game to a California team from north of Fresno since 1991, a total of 316 games.

The team will be replacing four-year quarterback Dorian Hale and Bay Area Player of the Year Lu Hearns, who will be playing for the Cal Bears.

Among the top-rated players this season are senior wide receiver/defensive back Zeke Berry and lineman Beau Tagaloa.

Clayton Valley Charter will play four teams who had undefeated records last season including De La Salle, Turlock, Monterey Trail and Liberty of Bakersfield in the Honor Bowl Sept. 11 in Brentwood.

League games in the East Bay and Diablo athletic leagues run for five weeks from Oct. 8-Nov. 5. DLS and Clayton Valley Charter are in the EBAL Mountain Division. In the DAL, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Berean Christian, Ygnacio Valley and Northgate are joined by College Park in the Valley Division.

2021 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES Note: Ygnacio Valley and Concord non-league schedules not complete.

Clayton Valley Charter (Div. 1)- 8/27 at Turlock, 9/3 at Del Oro-Loomis, 9/11 LibertyBakersfield (Honor Bowl) at Liberty Brentwood), 9/17 Stellar Prep-Hayward, 9/25 at Monterey Trail-Elk Grove, 10/8 at California-San Ramon, 10/15 San Ramon Valley, 10/22 Amador Valley (Homecoming), 10/29 Monte Vista, 11/5 at De La Salle.

Concord (Div. 4)- 8/27 Dougherty Valley-San Ramon, 9/3 TBA, 9/10 Tokay, 9/17 at Deer Valley, 10/8 College Park (Homecoming), 10/15 at Ygnacio Valley, 10/22 Northgate, 10/30 at Berean Christian, 11/5 Mt. Diablo.

De La Salle (Div. 1)- 8/27 at St. Mary's-Stockton, 9/3 Monterey Trail-Elk Grove, 9/10 at Saint Francis-Mountain View, 9/17 Cathedral Catholic-San Diego, 10/1 St. Frances Academy-Baltimore, 10/8 at Folsom, 10/15 California-San Ramon, 10/22 at San Ramon Valley, 10/29 Amador Valley, 11/5 Clayton Valley Charter.

Mt. Diablo (Div. 4)- 8/27 at Lathrop, 9/3 at Albany, 9/10 American-Fremont, 9/17 at Dougherty Valley-San Ramon, 9/24 Oakland Tech, 10/8 Ygnacio Valley (Homecoming), 10/15 at Northgate, 10/23 Berean Christian, 10/29 College Park (Senior Night), 11/5 at Concord.

Northgate (Div. 3)- 8/27 at Deer Valley, 9/3 Ukiah, 9/10 at Las Lomas, 9/17 Bethel-Vallejo, 9/24 at Rodriguez-Fairfield, 10/8 Berean Christian (Homecoming), 10/15 Mt. Diablo, 10/22 at Concord, 10/29 Ygnacio Valley, 11/5 at College Park.

Ygnacio Valley (Div. 6)- 9/3 St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo, 9/24 at Bradshaw ChristianSacramento, 10/8 at Mt. Diablo, 10/15 Concord, 10/22 College Park, 10/29 at Northgate, 11/5 Berean Christian.

Concord Swim Championships, Terrapins, Pentathlon swim meets return this summer JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

Early on, swimming was considered a relatively safe sport to participate in during the peak times of the COVID19 pandemic. Last summer’s recreation and competitive swimming seasons were nonetheless canceled, so hearing the starting buzzer going off and crowds cheering at pools throughout the area again are welcome sounds of summer.

That return to normalcy was tempered by the cancellation for the second year in a row of the Far Western Championships scheduled at Concord Community Pool. The host Terrapins Swim Club has arranged for a seven-team Summer’s End Invitational in the Concord pool July 28-Aug. 1 when Far Westerns were scheduled. The Terrapins expect 600-800 swimmers will take part in the USA Swimming meet.

The 54th Concord Swimming Championships will not be at its usual home of Concord Community Pool. The July 23-25 meet next weekend featuring 10 teams will be held at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek.

There should be about 1000 swimmers from 10 teams at City Meet including perennial champion Dana Hills plus Forest Hills, Forest Park, Gehringer Park, Oakhurst, Pleasant Hill Dolfins, host Springwood, Vista Diablo, Walnut Country and Ygnacio Wood. DHST will be seeking it 28th Concord City Meet championship since the Otters won their first A Division title in 1992.

The meet schedule at

Photo courtesy Terrapin Swim Team

Davidka Skov, Mason Wendler, Diego Castaneda, Donovan Swann and Aden Li combined to break three long-standing Pacific Swimming relay records competing for the Terrapin Swim Team in a recent three-way meet. The new records came in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay.

Northgate includes the individual medley on Friday evening, July 23, with butterfly, freestyle and medley relays on Saturday.

The meet concludes Sunday with breaststroke, backstroke and free relay.

The weekend after City Meet the 60th Contra Costa Swimming Championships return to Acalanes High in Lafayette in the summer recreation season finale. Dana Hills has finished in the top five nine straight times at County while Forest Park won the most recent B Division County title in 2019.

DEVIL MOUNTAIN PENTATHLON WELCOMED 11 TEAMS The 26th Devil Mountain Pentathlon titled Staycation 2021 hosted by Dana Hills Swim Team last month in Clayton was the first large meet in

the area in nearly two years.

Sun Valley Rays of Lafayette edged Springwood Sprinters 43-41 in the team scoring.

The host Otters are not included in the team scoring because Dana Hills always has the largest number of swimmers entered at their home pool. In the unique Pentathlon format, each boy and girl swims five races in a day with their cumulative time accounting for individual placings.

Local swimmers taking 1st or 2nd overall: Girls: 6 & under- 2. Talie Barbano (DH); 7-8 – 1. Ava Cottam (DH), 2. Cole Branich (DH); 9-10 – 2. Alexa Malsom (SP); 11-12- 1. Maddie Bautista (DH), 2. Harper Lanpher (DH); 13-14- 1. Maya Canada (SP), Gianna Kougios (DH); 15-18- 1. Paige Landstrom (DH).

Boys: 6 & under- 2. Ben-

nett Malkovich (YW); 7-8- 2.

Preston Forney (DH); 9-10- 1.

Ian Meyer (DH), 2. JJ Westbrook (DH); 11-12- 1. Preston Marks (DH); 13-14 1. Marcus Manuel (YW).

TERRAPIN RELAYS SMASH 3 PACIFIC SWIMMING RECORDS The Terrapins recently swam in a three-team championship meet with the Pleasanton Seahawks and Livermore Aquacowboys that featured races in the 25-yard short course pool Friday and Saturday and then switched to a long course 50-meter format on Sunday. The local USA Swimming team had an outstanding meet but none better than the TERA 13-14 boys.

Aden Li, Mason Wendler, Diego Castaneda, Davidka Skov and Donovan Swann

See Swimming, pg 13

July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Page 13

Heirloom vegetables and fruits a link to the past DEBRA MORRIS Pacific Coast Farmers Market

The flavor of a ripe heirloom tomato in mid-summer cannot be surpassed, and many people look forward to their superior quality and taste every year.

A big slab of Cherokee Purple or Brandywine tomato in a sandwich or on a salad tops the list of summer favorites. And an heirloom Charentais melon with a bit of prosciutto is a summer flavor bomb.

Heirloom plants include those that are at least 50 years old, but many are much older.

For centuries, farmers have collected seeds from their best-performing and most delicious crops and saved them for future planting – thus preserving their quality, flavor and hardiness.

These fruits and vegetables differ from hybrid (or conventionally grown) plants because of their age and method of pollination. Heirlooms rely on open pollination by insects, birds and the wind to produce seeds. This ensures that heirloom seeds produce plants that are true to type: Each plant will have the same size, growth habit, color and flavor as its predecessor.

Heirlooms come from seeds that have been selected for intense flavor, tenderness and visual appeal. They are harvested at peak ripeness, rather than underripe for transport. As a result, they are more perishable but have a superior taste. It’s important to note that you should never refrigerate tomatoes because it diminishes the texture and flavor.

Here’s a look at some popular heirlooms: Tomatoes: Common types

J&M Farm of Gilroy is among the producers offering heirloom tomatoes at the Concord Farmers Market.

with long histories include Brandywine (pinkish red), Cherokee Purple (deep reddish-purple), Green Zebra (striped light and dark green) and Jubilee (yellow).

Summer squash: Pattypans (rippled edges), Fordhook zucchini (medium green), Eight Ball or Globe (round) and Yellow Crookneck (bulbous yellow with narrow neck) are all old varieties.

Eggplant: Black Beauty (deep purple), Rosa Bianca (mottled pink/white), Long Purple (long narrow purple) and Casper White (white and narrow) are some of the colorful heirloom eggplants.

Melons: Netted Gem (netted rind), Charentais (cantaloupe-like) and Garden Lemon (bright yellow oval) offer amazingly sweet flavor and gorgeous colors.

PEAK RIPENESS At the Concord Farmers Market, local growers offer a wider range of heirlooms that they pick at peak ripeness.

They also sell a range of varieties not found elsewhere.

Bautista Ranch coming from Stockton has amazing heirloom tomatoes like Green Zebra, German Pink, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple.

J&J Ramos of Hughson will

Swimming, from page 12 combined to break three long- 14 boys broke the Pacific standing Pacific Swimming record in the 400-yard freestyle relay records. The TERA 13- relay with a time of 3:15.27 for

Photo courtesy Devil Mountain Pentathlon

There was a strong local flavor to the top finishers in the Devil Mountain Pentathlon 13-14 girls age group. Swimmers and their placings were, from left, Stella Marks (DHST 6th Place), Abigail Adent (DHST 3rd), Thea Jeffress (DHST 4th), Clair Mohrland (DHST 7th), Maya Canada (Springwood 1st), Gianna Kougios (DHST 2nd) and Molly Lind (Sycamore 8th).

Not pictured, Lily Palma (Sun Valley 5th).

have Charentais, Ambrosia and Juan Canary heirloom melons to enjoy. FT Fresh out of Fresno offers Black Beauty heirloom eggplants and heirloom summer squash such as Eight Ball and Pattypan.

Heirloom fruits and vegetables provide a glimpse into a time when crops were grown for flavor and valued for their hardiness. Visit your local farmers market and find a taste of summers’ past.

SIMPLY DELICIOUS CAPRESE SALAD 2 large heirloom tomatoes of different colors Salt and pepper 6-8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil Fresh basil leaves Slice tomatoes thickly and salt and pepper to taste. Plate alternately with mozzarella cheese slices. Sprinkle basil leaves over the tomatoes and cheese, more or less to taste.

Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Visit pcfma.org/eat for more great recipes.

The Concord Farmers Market is in Todos Santos Plaza Tuesdays & Thursdays. See ad page 15 for hours. the quartet of Wendler, Castaneda, Li and Skov. Swann replaced Li in the 200 free relay and the team finished in a record time of 1:28.77. Finally, the 200-yard medley relay of Li, Wendler, Castaneda and Swann clocked 1:38.53 for a third Pacific record.

The 13-14 Terrapin boys also posted many individual best times as Castaneda and Wendler hit seven best times, Christian Ceja six, Li and Dominick Maffei four, Swann and Skov three, and Finn Cleary two personal bests.

A trio of TERA breastrokers also hit major breakthrough swims by hitting firstever CA/NV Section championship times in the 200-yard breast, which qualified them for the Summer Section meet in Roseville. Sofie Curran (16), Haylee Wong (14) and first-year competitive swimmer Brooke Koller (14) posted Section times.

Cheryl’s greatest passions are her faith and family. Her parents raised her and her brother in Clayton where she currently resides and enjoys deep roots.

When not working, Cheryl loves to spend time with her family: 4 children, 2 daughters-in-law, a son-in-law and 6 beautiful grandchildren who fondly refer to her as their Mimi.

Having a love of the outdoors and adventure, Cheryl enjoys travel and day trips. She also has an appreciation of our local parks and trails and loves hiking Mt. Diablo—one of her favorites!

Using a wealth of knowledge accumulated during her 30+ years in the real estate profession and personal development, Cheryl dedicates herself completely to client satisfaction. With a strong business acumen, Cheryl has built a business foundation that supports her ardent interest in helping others achieve their goals. Her compassionate understanding of people and the importance of family are the principal drivers in Cheryl’s efforts to find the best community in which to raise your children.

Cheryl has a genuine love of community and strives to be involved in supporting and contributing to local charities in-need and international missions.

Primarily, Cheryl protects her clients interests and places the utmost importance on building personal trust, striving to be thought of as her clients “Trusted Advisor in Real Estate.” Many of Cheryl’s clients have become lifelong friends and she continues to provide real estate services to their family, and friends.

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World Class Service Exceptional Paint Jobs

• Texture Matching • Interior Exterior Painting • Cabinet Painting • Color Consulting • Wood Refinishing • Digital Color Renderings • Power Washing When we started the process to get the exterior of • Exterior Cleaning our house painted, the ginormous color wheel as well as the various contractors we interviewed threw • Drywall Repairs

us in a loop. Whit’s painting stood out, not only for their prices but for their approach through every single phase of the job.

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Page 14

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

Interiors Panache, Inc.

6160 Center Streeet, Suite F, Clayton, CA

July 16, 2021

TH E A R TS

Curtains rise and spirits lift as live theatre returns We are a full-service design firm and licensed general contractor offering: •Design Consultations •Remodels, Kitchens, & Baths

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Office: 925.672.7920 email: carol@interiorspanache.com www.interiorspanache.com Follow us @interiorspanache on instagram

WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS

Maks and Val promise a genuine and heartwarming show that will take your SALLY HOGARTY emotions for a ride and have you laughing, crying and STAGE STRUCK then laughing again as they inspire and entertain at 8 Who couldn’t resist a par- p.m. July 24 at Walnut ody of low-budget 1930s Creek’s Lesher Center for detective movies? the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. If that describes you, Maks is a Latin ballroom don’t miss “Bullshot Crumdance champion, choreogramond” – a Plotline Theater pher, Broadway star (“Burn Company/Onstage Reperto- the Floor,” “Forever ry Theater partnership com- Tango”), actor and producer, plete with misplaced British just to mention a few of his heroism, villain Otto Von talents. He first appeared on Brunno and his evil mistress television as one of the proLenya. fessional dancers on season As usual, Brunno (Robert two of “Dancing with the Marcus) and Lenya (Melynda Stars.” He continued for 17 Kiring) are up to no good. seasons.

This time, they kidnap ProHis brother Val is a 14fessor Fenton (John Blytt) to time U.S. National Dance get his formula for making Champion and two-time synthetic diamonds. But they World Dance Champion. As didn’t count on his daughter a classically trained violinist, Rosemary (Erin Hurley) call- Val has performed at ing Capt. Hugh Crummond Carnegie Hall and Lincoln (Jacob Henrie-Naffaa) to res- Center. In 2018, he released cue her father. Lots of sillia memoir, “I’ll Never ness and fun to be had, espe- Change My Name,” which cially with Blytt playing not detailed his life, career and only the professor but also experience as an Eastern six other characters.

European immigrant.

Randy Anger and Matt For tickets to “Maks & Davis direct the production Val: Stripped Down Tour,” at Martinez’s Campbell The- visit lesherartscenter.org or ater, 636 Ward St., running call 925-943-7469.

July 23-Aug. 15. For tickets, go to campbelltheater.com or call 925-350-9770.

Are you ready for the “stripped down” tour? Now that I have your attention, it isn’t what you might be thinking, but rather deeply personal storytelling and breathtaking dancing experiences courtesy of the Chmerkovskiy brothers.

Photo by Karen Almond

Festival Opera showcases award-winning composer and pianist Jack Heggie’s “Triptych” at the Lesher Center on Aug. 13 and 15.

Festival Opera celebrates its 30th anniversary season with the world premiere of “A Jake Heggie Triptych,” featuring award-winning composer and pianist Jake Heggie. Directed by Mark Foehringer and conducted by Bryan Nies, with members of the Festival Opera Orchestra, the opera features singers Carrie Hennessey, Diana Tash, award-winning actor Curt Branom and FesPhoto courtesy of Rich Schwab tival Opera general director A celebration of life will take Zachary Gordin. place Aug. 28 for Kathy McThe triptych includes “At Carty, who died June 2. the Statue of Venus” with

Photo courtesy of Maks and Val Chmerkovskiy

Maks and Val Chmerkovskiy bring their “stripped down” show featuring intimate storytelling and dynamite dance routines to the Lesher Center on July 24.

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libretto by Terrence McNally, “Camille Claudel: Into the Fire” and “For a Look or a Touch” with librettos by Gene Scheer.

Most people are familiar with McNally’s award-winning plays, musicals and numerous television and film scripts. But the multi-talented writer not only collaborated with Heggie on the libretto for “At the Statue of Venus” but also the libretto for “Dead Man Walking.”

Unfortunately, this prodigious talent died from complications of COVID-19 on March 24, 2020.

“A Jake Heggie Triptych” takes place 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13 and 2 p.m. Aug. 15 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. To secure tickets, call 925-9437469 or go to festivalopera.org.

A celebration of the life of Kathy McCarty will take place Aug. 28. McCarty died on June 2. For information, please email sallyhogarty@gmail.com.

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

www.safeathomellc.com

STEPHANIE LOPEZ 925.305.9099

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For Lease: 340 Saclan Terrace — Clayton Pristine, move-in ready home at end of quiet cul de sac in the desirable Black Diamond community. Exquisite 3 bed, 2.5 bath floor plan with natural light throughout. Remodeled kitchen with granite counters, walk-in pantry and oak floors. Bright, open living room has gas fireplace and soaring ceilings. Upgraded, custom plantation shutters. Enjoy lovely rear yard and evening walks around charming downtown and walking trails. $3,500/month

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July 16, 2021

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

With some trees, the more trunks – the merrier

NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL

Multi-trunk trees provide an excellent opportunity to create vertical interest in a landscape or garden. This shape lends itself to a slope or hillside, where the legs can be appreciated.

When people consider trees, they usually have a standard tree shape in mind – which is the trunk and head shape. This can work well, but in some cases, the more natural shape of a

multi-trunk tree can be a better choice.

Lagerstroemia, commonly called Crape Myrtle, is a superior tree choice for our Clayton Valley landscapes and gardens. Crape Myrtle thrives in our hot, dry summer climate. They aren’t picky about the condition of our sticky clay soil and are very water-wise once established.

They have showy flowers during the heat of the summer, and several varieties have exceptional fall leaf color. As the Crape Myrtle matures, its bark peels away to reveal a smooth, polished trunk.

Dynamite is an extremely popular color of Crape Myrtle. The Dynamite blossoms are a deep, blue-based red – perfect for garden lovers who are tired of too much pink. The fall color of Dynamite is a deep burgundy.

Page 15

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DYNAMITE CRAPE MYRTLE

Dynamite will reach 15-18 feet tall and almost half as wide. It is a stunning focal point selection.

Twilight is another superb Crape Myrtle that works for someone needing a smaller grower. Zuni will reach 8-12 feet tall and again about half as wide. This variety has a

Pool, Patio, Gifts & Gardens 6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton Hours: Tues-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-4, Closed Monday Family owned and operated since 1983

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Mt. Diablo inspired latest utility box art LISA FULMER

ARTS

IN

MOTION

Today I will share the story behind the fourth (and final) utility box painted for the Concord Art Association’s “Celebrate Concord” public art project in partnership with the city.

Karen Giorgianni and Janice Davis teamed up to design a beautiful, 360-degree panoramic view that celebrates our local flora and fauna. Their box sits at the corner of Salvio and Galindo streets, in front of Skipolini’s Pizza.

“The inspiration for my two panels comes from my love for Mt. Diablo and the surrounding watershed. I’ve lived here for over 40 years,” says Giorgianni.

She started painting about six years ago after a career of teaching young children.

“My classroom lessons about local animals and plants came into play for this project,” she explains. “I included only those flowers native to California in my design, as well as birds seen every year in and around Mt. Diablo. While our actual vista is imaginary, it features recognizable local habitats.”

Davis wanted to express the beauty of Concord’s open space on her two panels.

Family Care aregiver Education Series

Lisa Fulmer

Artist Janice Davis teamed with Karen Giorgianni to design the Mt. Diablo-inspired art utility box at the corner of Salvio and Galindo in downtown Concord.

“I really appreciate the majestic valley oaks that spot our hills. These trees are a familiar sight for cars speeding by on the freeways and on Kirker Pass Road,” she says.

“Black cows grazing, another familiar sight, are always fun to paint, along with the hikers who enjoy our many trails every day.”

The outer shell for the utility box was new, so the city set it up near the stage in Todos Santos Plaza for painting days.

The artists got to experience life in the plaza as they never had before.

“It was fun to paint among the interesting locals who hang out there. I even got a free lecture on the mathematics of trees,” says Davis. “A man comes to give free hair-

cuts to those who need it. We watchedbaptism in the fountain, children at play, seniors visiting with each other and dogs being walked. We had some very interesting conversations with so many different people.”

“It was definitely an enriching experience,” Giorgianni adds.

Visit the Donate page at concordartassociation.com for a full list of sponsors who funded this year’s Utility Box Public Art Project.

Lisa Fulmer is a mixed media artist, Concord Art Association board member and founder of MadeinConcord.com. She also consults with local artists on self-promotion and personal branding.

If you’re carring for an elderly family member, r, Hope Hospice is here to help h with a free education series, s now offerred as interactive e webinars on n Zoom. Recordin ngs of past eventts are avvailable on our w website, too.

Thu ursday, y, August 12, 10 –11:30 a.m.

“Norma al Aging Ve Versus Signss of Dementia” As we age, our bra ains and our bodies u undergo changes, o including some de ecline of memory and d cognition. Where do we draw the line b e between normal effec cts of aging and more serious symptomss that should be evalu uated by a doctor? Ho ope Hospice’s Hospice s dementtia specialists will offer insight in this webin nar.

Thurssday, y, September 9, 9, 10–11:30 a.m. g With Dementia: Dem “Living mentia Basics” Since dementia drramatically changes th he ways that individua als think, perceive, an nd communicate, caring for a loved one witth dementia presents unique challenges. Participants will gain a basic understand ding off the ways in w which dementia can and behavior, behavior and learn about the nature impact the brain a and progression o of dementia and the vvarious diseases and conditions that can produce its sympto oms.

Register in adva ance HopeHospice.com/family | (925) 829-8770

Page 16

The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com

July 16, 2021

Sponsored Content

The City of Clayton Proudly Presents

Concerts in The Grove 2021 ck Welcome Ba July 17

CARNAVAL — The Santana Tribute July 31

Aja Vu — The Music of Steely Dan & Chicago

Saturdays 6 to 8:30 pm Downtown Clayton

CARNAVAL - The Santana Tribute - This outstanding Santana tribute band meticulously reenacts the wide repertoire of Santana material that includes well-known songs as well as some of the more obscure B-sides that never made the charts. Dance along while a full band, including horn section, completes the Latin rock sound we've come to know and love. @carnavalsantanatribute Aja Vu - The Music of Steely Dan & Chicago celebrates the best of Steely Dan and Chicago from “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Hey 19” to “Saturday in the Park” and “25 or 6 to 4,” performing the music with pure love for the harmonies and classic horns of the original recordings. www.ajavu.com

August 14

The Cocktail Monkeys bring high energy and serious fun to each and every performance playing classic rock, modern pop & R&B covering artists such as: Blondie, David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Heart, No Doubt, Maroon 5, Queen, Pink, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Bruno Mars, Elle King, Katy Perry, Joan Jett and more. It’s no doubt there is something for everyone—a memorable experience. www.thecocktailmonkeys.com

August 28

Forever Rod From southern California. It doesn’t get any better than this. Pitch perfect, flashy Rod, backed by acoustical, nylon-stringed classical guitars and mandolin replicates Rod Stewart’s sound and is fronted by a lead singer that looks like and delivers like only Rod Stewart. Bring your dancing shoes. www.foreverrod.com

The Cocktail Monkeys

Forever Rod

September 11

East Bay Mudd

Do you know what evil could be lurking in your crawlspace?

SCOTT DENSLOW

ASK

THE

EXPERT

A customer recently hired me for a foundation inspection after noticing unusual cracking in the walls and ceilings of the home.

As a normal part of every foundation inspection, I visually survey the crawlspace in

addition to measuring the relative elevation of the home using specialized tools to assess any foundational shifting. While inspecting this crawlspace, I found an unrelated leak due to wear and tear on the plumbing system. This issue was a quick fix. But if unnoticed for too long, it could have led to pervasive mold growth.

Generally speaking, people get a home inspection during escrow and then the crawlspace goes untouched for several years. Good preventative maintenance is to have a crawlspace checkup every 3-5 years.

During this review, an inspector should be on the lookout for plumbing leaks, wear and tear on foundational

Garden, from page 15 dark grayish-purple flower and yellow fall leaf color.

Tuscarora is a bright pink blooming Crape Myrtle that will reach 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide.

All these Crape Myrtles are available as tree shapes, but it’s the multi-trunk shapes that really shine in the landscape or garden.

Do you remember the tiny, bright pink blossoms of the Western Redbud multitrunk trees this spring?

These trees reach 16 feet tall and about 10 feet wide. The California natives are perfect in our Clayton Valley climate.

Western Redbud is one of the earliest blooming trees

around these parts. You will see them along walking paths and hillsides. If you include one in your Clayton Valley landscape, be careful not to love it too much. These trees need extraordinarily little water and never need to be fertilized. Autumn is the best time of year to install a redbud, but don’t plant near grass.

Smoke Bushes make great multi-trunk ornamental trees.

They have an oval leaf that is the color of the red leaf Japanese Maple. This tree will reach Crape Myrtle heights of 14-16 feet tall and about half as wide.

This blooming tree gets its name from the grayish

East Bay Mudd - This dynamic nine-piece band has been thrilling audiences for years with their upbeat, powerful take on Classic Soul, Funk and R&B classics. This horn-heavy, funkinflected, rhythm & blues ensemble will rock you back to the best of Tower of Power, Chicago, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and more. With a soulful, dynamic lead vocalist, a tight four-piece horn section and a solid rhythm section, this band is a great finale for our concert season. www.eastbaymudd.com

supports, damage cause by rodent intrusion, insulation and/or duct work issues, potential mold growth and so on. These problems can start off small and be relatively inexpensive to address, though more often they go unnoticed until compounding into larger and more expensive repairs.

I see the latter all too often, even though it’s avoidable with a regular preventative maintenance schedule.

Scott Denslow is the owner of Safe at Home Inspection Service.

He is an InterNACHI and ASHI certified inspector who has 59 five-star ratings on Yelp.

Contact him at scott@safeathomellc.com. For more info visit www.safeathomellc.com.

See ad, page.14

flowers that look like smoke billowing above the leaves.

During fall, the leaves turn shades of scarlet and orange.

Arbutus Marina is another excellent multi-trunk tree that is so beautiful. This evergreen is a California native. Arbutus has exceptional cinnamon-colored bark that peels away to expose smooth, mahogany legs. Use Arbutus in a raised bed or a hillside application to fully appreciate its features.

Looking at multi-trunk trees at a nursery can be confusing because they start out looking like bushes. Ask questions to make sure you are getting what you want.

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

Get great service & great rates

For more band information, go to www.ci.clayton.ca.us or www.claytonconcerts.com • Chairs, blankets, tables must be attended until 4 pm concert days.

• Please, NO glassware, BBQs, water balloons, beach balls or “silly-string.”

• Please clean up before leaving. This is your park — help keep it clean & safe.

Welcome back to The Grove Due to the impact of Covid on our local businesses, we have not asked them to sponsor the Concerts this year, so please be generous in your donations toward our Concerts in The Grove 2022 season

Tim McGallian, Agent Insurance Lic#: 0E43228

6200 Center St Ste A Clayton, CA 94517 Bus: 925-672-2300

Please patronize our local businesses $$ THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS $$ Your donations are the primary source of funds for next year’s “Concerts in The Grove.”

Tax deductible donations may be sent to Clayton Concerts in The Grove c/o City of Clayton, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton, CA 94517

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Individual premiums will vary by customer. All applicants subject to State Farm® underwriting requirements

Walking to The Grove is recommended as parking is limited in the downtown area.

State Farm Bloomington, IL, 2001875

You know I’m always here with Good Neighbor service. But I’m also here with surprisingly great rates for everyone.

Call me for a quote to see how much you can save. You might be surprised.