MAR 17 The Pioneer 2023

Museum exhibit time travels back to Clayton’s ‘golden days’

In the new exhibit “Life in Clayton 1850-1870” at the Clayton Museum, curator Nancy Niemeyer shines a spotlight on ordinary people doing ordinary things.

“I’ve always been fascinated with how ordinary people lived at various times in history, because I think that’s really relatable to most people. I just found it so interesting, and I thought other people might as well. It’s the most fun part of history to me,” Niemeyer says.

She calls the 1850-1870 timeframe Clayton’s “Golden Age.”

“It’s also the height of the Gold Rush, so it’s about seeing how people in California lived then,” she says.

This is her second exhibit for the museum, after curating the farming display last year. She began working on “Life in Clayton” during the early days of the pandemic, noting it was something she’d always wanted to do.

See Museum, page 10

Clayton Council torpedoes CBCA 2008 master event agreement in stunning move

Oktoberfest. The BBQ Cook Off. Christmas with Mrs. Claus. The Art & Wine Fest. Those events are synonymous with the community of Clayton, bringing thousands of visitors to town each year. But these events – sponsored by the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA) –could fade off into the sunset in the near future.

In a controversial move that even surprised some City Council members, the council corralled enough votes March

Concord gives $7 million to non-profits with many left off list

The City Council allocated $7 million in one-time federal money to 22 local non-profits on March 7, with Councilmember Dominic Aliano acknowledging there was “not enough money, a whole lot of need and a lot of good causes.”

“We distributed the dollars that we thought were the biggest impact for the city of Concord on how it was going to help our community through COVID relief,” said Aliano, who sat on the Ad Hoc committee with Mayor Laura Hoffmeister.

The two pored over 1,500 pages of documents and conducted interviews with all but one of the 70 applicants requesting $34.4 million through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Only projects and programs that benefit Concord’s residents were considered.

7 to terminate the long-standing operating agreement between the city and the CBCA, effectively eliminating what the community organization receives in fee waivers, rentals and other city services for its 3 annual festivals.

In a 3-1 vote – Councilmember Holly Tillman was on a planned vacation – the council followed the lead of Mayor Jeff Wan, who added the item to the agenda the previous Friday without the usual protocol of announcing it as a future agenda item at the end of the previous council meeting. Such notice allows city

Arraignment set in Ladwig cold case

Utah resident James William Grimsley’s extradition to California began the longawaited legal process in a nearly 30-year-old cold case in the death of Terrie Lynn Ladwig. He had an initial court appearance in Contra Costa County Superior Court on March 6, with a formal arraign-

ment scheduled for March 20 to answer the lone charge of murder.

After being booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on March 4, Grimsley appeared in court to hear and acknowledge the charge contained in the warrant issued by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, but no plea was entered. The murder charge carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Grimsley, 55, a truck driver, is believed to have been working in the Concord area at the time of the December 1994 killing.

BODY FOUND IN CONCORD APARTMENT

Born Larry Earl Thompson Jr., Terrie was transitioning to a female. Media accounts at the time of the slaying noted she was preparing to have gen-

der-reassignment surgery.

Steven Ladwig, Terrie’s spouse of five months, discovered her beaten and strangled body in the couple’s Sunset Pines apartment on Adelaide Street in Concord. Ladwig was not considered a suspect. Ladwig was a petty officer

stationed at the Bangor, Wash., naval station, where he served as a submarine crew member. Ladwig reportedly rushed back to Concord after Terrie reportedly called him on Nov. 28, 1994, to let him know someone was trying to break down the door of the residence.

There were no signs of forced entry, and Lt. Sean Donnelly noted they do not believe the banging on the door was related. A Concord police lieutenant on patrol found Terrie’s car about 1.5 miles away on Detroit Avenue; there was nobody in the car.

BREAKIN THE CASEIN 2022

Fast forward to the summer of 2022, when this cold case started thawing as a combination of key factors, including DNA, led Concord investigators to start narrowing their

staff and councilmembers time to prepare any needed supporting documents, said Councilmember Peter Cloven.

Councilmember Kim Trupiano and Vice Mayor Jim Diaz, both CBCA members, voted with Wan to terminate the agreement.

“This action is not a reflection on the great work done by the CBCA, but rather it is a result of an effort to ensure the city is reimbursed for the cost incurred when events are held,” Wan posted on his blog after the meeting, which was packed with nearly 100 CBCA supporters and others who were stunned by the situation.

‘AMBUSHACTION’

Cloven called the move an “ambush action” in his postmeeting summary to the community. “Mayor Wan showed his character and lived up to the disgraceful campaign tac-

Aliano and Hoffmeister separately scored each applicant out of 100 points: 30 for general application review, 25 for partnerships and funding, 20 for community benefits, 15 for organizational capacity, and 10 for goals and objectives. City staff then compiled a funding list based on the total scores.

“We had more funds requested than we had available – even with the top scores. So, we had to go back and readjust,” Hoffmeister said. “It was a tough situation.”

Those ranked at the top of the final funding list were:

1. Bay Area Crisis Nursery, $75,000.

2. Friends of Camp Concord, $180,000.

3. White Pony Express, $200,000.

4. Cancer Support Community/SF Bay Area, $50,000.

5. Community Youth Center of Concord, $1.5 million. Monument Impact, which was No. 17 on the committee’s list, also received $1.5 million. See accompanying chart for the full funding list.

Tamara Steiner

Nancy Niemeyer crafted a doll in period style to include in her exhibit,“Life in Clayton 1850-1870,” at the Clayton Museum. The museum is open Wed. and Sun., 2-4 p.m. at 6101 Main St., Clayton.

Councilmember Peter Cloven was the lone ‘no’ vote in a 3-1 decision that terminated the city’s 2008 agreement with the producer of Clayton’s three annual festivals.

Correspondent

New food column helps you change what’s on your plate

Editor’s note: In her new column, chef Cindy Gershen will help change your palate and give you another chance at good health.

I’m on a mission to break people of the sugar and processed food habit in the kitchen and the fast food habit in our culture. I am an entrepreneur, the chef and owner for 40 years of Sunrise Bistro and Catering in Walnut Creek (it’s now owned by my son Joe). I taught culinary and nutrition sustainable business practices at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord for a dozen years. I have many ideas about making your kitchen a simple and healthy place, concepts that

went into a book in 2014, “The Fat Chance Cookbook, More Than 100 Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes to Help You Lose the Sugar and the Weight.”

I am developing web-based and live cooking classes to help the many people who want to make healthy changes and don’t know where to start. When people learn to cook healthier meals without processed foods, they find their palates changing within a couple of weeks. Their longing for sugar starts to go away.

The idea is to reduce the incidence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in our culture. I will teach you how to protect your liver, feed your gut and clear your mind –right from your own kitchen.

It’s time to go back to school. This is the class everyone missed in childhood. Go on this journey with us. I am going to take everything I taught in the classroom and share it with the community.

If you are reading this article, you are becoming a stu-

dent. Everyone is welcome in this healthy class. Here’s your assignment: Read the article every month and try the recipe.

By doing so, you are helping to develop the cookbook “Another Chance,” coming out next spring. Let us know how you’re doing at cindy@cindygershen.com.

EGGPLANT LASAGNA Makes 3-4 servings per eggplant

1 large eggplant

8 oz. prepared marinara sauce Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

For filling:

4 oz. defrosted chopped spinach

8 oz. ricotta cheese

2 oz. shredded Jack cheese

2 oz. shredded Parmesan

1 T fresh minced garlic or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Cut eggplant in ½-inch slices. Place slices in a bowl with salt water and soak for 5 minutes. Put slices in frying pan with 2 inches of salted water; pan-fry until fork tender.

For each serving, weigh out 5 ounces of eggplant slices and 4 ounces of the ricotta filling. Take the 5ounce portion of slices and stack with ricotta filling in between each slice. Spread 2 ounces of marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.

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

Cal DART locals come to the rescue in snowbound San Bernadino

Local members of Cal DART (Disaster Airlift Response Team) mobilized when they heard reports of folks trapped in the massive snowfall in southern California. Volunteer pilots and staff ferried thousands of pounds of supplies by helicopter to those blocked by the snow. The rescuers also pitched in to help dig out buildings whose roofs risked collapse from the snow’s weight.

Concord hires consultant, launches community group to tackle homelessness

KAREN JENKINS Correspondent

City leaders took a major step toward finding solutions and support for the city’s homeless and unsheltered when they hired a consultant and established a diverse community group to come up with an action plan.

The council voted Feb. 14 to pay Thurmond Consulting up to $187,000. The Sacramento-based firm has more than 25 years of experience providing Department of Housing and Urban Development funded services and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations and government agencies, including the cities of Roseville and Woodland and Yolo County.

The newly formed Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group has a council mandate to “guide future city efforts and investments related to responding to the impacts from and the needs of the city’s unsheltered population, using data and fact-based information,” said Jennifer Ortega, the city’s Community Relations manager.

HOMELESSNESSIS NO. 1 ISSUE

The nine-member group includes two council members; a representative with lived

experiences of being homeless; representatives from organizations that provide homeless, mental health, substance and veterans support services; as well as a Concord resident and a Concord business owner. Councilmember

Laura Nakamura will chair the group, with Vice Mayor Edi Birsan as vice chair.

The city’s focus on addressing homelessness followed community input that ranked the issue as the top concern.

“We conducted a survey in January 2020 and asked people what the biggest issue is that they would like to see the city address. Homelessness was No. 1,” Ortega said.

“Homelessness is one of the most urgent issues facing our region,” Concord Mayor Laura Hoffmeister said. “I am proud of Concord’s commitment to undertaking this vital work and to develop a comprehensive set of strategies that we can utilize to make a difference for our community.”

MEASURE V AND ARPA FUNDS

Money for the consultant and implementation of the group’s recommendations comes from a one-time fund of $5.4 million. Of that, $2.4 million is from Measure V, a onecent use and transaction tax residents approved in 2020,

Ladwig, from page 1

focus on a person of interest.

“We had the physical, forensic and interviews, and ultimately we were able identify this person, Mr. Grimsley, as the person responsible,” said Donnelly.

He declined to go into detail about the forensic evidence except to say: “All the evidence we found was in Terrie’s apartment.”

A local judge’s signing of the arrest warrant this past January was a relief to those who had brought the case to the court, because they believe they had probable cause to make the arrest.

Donnelly called it “a step in the right direction” toward bringing “closure” to her loved ones.

“We want justice for Terrie, who was murdered at such a young age,” he continued.

WIDEINTEREST

IN THE CASE

Donnelly lauded the thorough job of Concord Police officers and detectives at the time of the killing, long before

current detectives dusted off this case to take another look at the evidence.

Among them was the late Det. Mike Warnock, who reportedly offered a theory that someone had reacted violently after finding out that Terrie Ladwig was biologically male. Such has been a defense strategy involving more recent homicide cases linked to transgender victims.

“As resources and time allow, we look back at these cases and we put fresh eyes on them. We are continuously looking at a number of cases as resources permit and seeing if something was there,” said Donnelly, adding: “We were able to zero in on Mr. Grimsley.”

Grimsley’s January arrest prompted renewed headlines in the decades’ old case, with a wide range of media outlets –from mainstream news to LGBTQ+ outlets to even specialized entities like a trucker publication – picking up the story.

and $3 million is from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Ortega said.

The working group will first meet at 6 p.m. March 22 at the Concord Senior Center. Ortega said they will seek community input and meet monthly, continuing for no more than 12 months.

“The council and the community have said they want the project expedited,” she said, adding that the group could have a recommendation to the council as early as October. Concord resident Dr. Kelly Beatty said she fully supports the city’s efforts to address homelessness.

“As I’ve driven to work over the past several years, I’ve noticed just looking around on the streets there are many, many more homeless,” said Beatty, a practitioner at Pinwheel Pediatrics on East Street.

“This is disheartening to me, because I truly believe homeless people need help. I’m very glad to hear that Concord is addressing this,” Beatty noted. “It’s going to be good for the homeless population, and it’s going to be good for the community.”

Residents can get more information and sign up for a homeless response email list at https://www.cityofconcord.org/103 6/Homeless-Strategic-Plan.

CASEDELAYS ‘NOT UNUSUAL’

A public defender has been assigned to Grimsley. After his arraignment, a date will be set for a preliminary hearing and the prosecution will lay out its case.

Grimsley was arrested in Salt Lake City in a joint operation with the Contra Costa County FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Safe Streets Task Force of Salt Lake City.

The lengthy delay in Grimsley’s extradition from Salt Lake City was “not unusual,” according to Deputy District Attorney Satish Jallepalli. There is an application process that must be followed, and then it goes before a judge to review. There’s also a court calendar in another jurisdiction to take into account.

When Grimsley was taken into custody in late January, a bail of $1 million was set. Defense counsel may argue for a lower bail amount during the arraignment hearing, but the DA will argue bail should at least remain at the current level. That will be up to the judge.

Hoping for compromise on $7 million for non-profits

When the Concord City Council decided to put $7 million out of its $19 million American Rescue Plan Act funds (federal pandemic money) into a category for non-profits, this was after considerable outreach and input from the community.

I proposed that it go to the Community Services Commission, which is traditionally a political-free zone, and we would respect what they decided. This was rejected 4-1. The second idea of having all five councilmembers go through the decision process was also rejected.

Instead, it was decided that there would be an Ad-Hoc committee of two councilmembers to do all the interviews, research, discussion and the like and come to the council.

After months of work and three days of direct interviews and subsequent discussion,

they went over 70 applications and recommended 22. What that means is that 48 nonprofits were disappointed –not a good look for anyone in politics.

The companies that were turned down cover the whole range of services, dealing with tragedies as well as preventive care to avoid them.

Under the Brown Act, the

remaining three councilmembers are prohibited from discussing the issue with the Ad Hoc committee in their months of work – or anytime. With high needs and limited funds, this was a recipe for problems.

On the one hand, any councilmember wants to do something for their favorite non-profit as well as balancing what is best for the community. That’s the exact pressure the Ad-Hoc committee was under.

On the other, after appointing a group to do a deep dive on the totality and specifics of the applications, how do we respect that work that we delegated them to do?

If we were to go over every single line item and decide in a night what to do, why then did we assign it to an Ad Hoc group – only to ignore their work? Likewise, we could not duplicate the interview process and discus-

sions that the Ad Hoc committee did.

As an attempt at a compromise, I offered that we take $350,000, which was 5% from all the recommended 22 groups, and assign one-third to each of the three councilmembers who were not on the Ad Hoc. That would be $116,666+ to distribute as they individually saw fit.

This was a way to give to various needs that were not addressed by the Ad Hoc, while at the same time respecting their work on the 22 others. This was especially important because two of the three non-Ad Hoc members expressed that they had four to six of the 48 declined that they wanted to help.

Personally, I fully expected that the Rainbow Community Center would get a substantial amount of the $350,000 –with maybe $150K going elsewhere here and there.

Concord council fails the LGBTQIA+ community

tion receiving funds, and the council’s prioritization and lack of equity in the process.

On March 7, the Concord City Council discussed and voted on the allocation of $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to nonprofit organizations.

The Ad Hoc Committee –comprised of Mayor Laura Hoffmeister and Councilmember Dominic Aliano – proposed awards to 22 organizations. None of those funds were designated to the LGBTQIA+ community. The council rejected Rainbow Community Center’s request for $270,604 to sustain and expand our life-saving services to Concord LGBTQIA+ youth and family members. Numerous residents spoke in person, via Zoom and in written comments about the need to rectify this exclusion. The public raised legitimate issues and questions about the Ad Hoc recommendations that went wholly unaddressed, including concerns about a highly questionable organiza-

Parents of queer and trans children opened their hearts to councilmembers about how lost they were when their kids came out. They shared how they were terrified of their LGBT children’s depression, self-harming and attempts at suicide. They courageously spoke their truth and advocated for funding for Rainbow Community Center’s programming and services, which offered to them, in the words of one parent, “a lifeline” for their family.

Hoffmeister, Aliano and Councilmember Edi Birsan ignored their constituents’ testimony. Birsan proposed an ultimatum – one even he admitted was arbitrary –which he tried to force on Councilmembers Laura Nakamura and Carlyn Obringer. Birsan, impatient with their questions and comments, cut off discussion and seconded the motion Aliano raised: to accept the Ad Hoc Committee recommendations in their entirety. Collectively, these three individuals did nothing to heed the urgent call for support.

ARPA, from page 1

RAINBOW SUPPORTERS RALLY

The 3-2 vote came after some council members and residents expressed concerns about organizations not being funded – including the Rainbow Community Center (RCC), the Unity Council preschool programs and the Terrapins competitive swim team.

Denisen Hartlove, who has two transgender children, was the first of many to speak during public comment about how RCC supports LGBTQ+ youth and their families.

“They offered acceptance and support groups for (my child), and resources and a community for our entire family that enabled us to move forward together,” Hartlove said.

“LGBTQ+ children remain at risk in so many places, even in our own community. The RCC provides invaluable help. Sadly, however, these efforts cannot be offered without financial support,” added Hartlove, who sits on the RCC board.

In an interview after the meeting, Councilmember Carlyn Obringer cited “the very passionate parents talking about the life-saving support that their youths have had from the center” as a reason why she voted against the committee’s plan.

“I felt that was new and

compelling information that we definitely should have taken into consideration,” Obringer said.

Councilmember Laura Nakamura, who also voted no, told the Pioneer the council failed to “discuss and deliberate in public, to be inclusive in the consideration of alternatives and to negotiate compromises.”

BIRSAN’S PLANREJECTED

Before the council vote, Vice Mayor Edi Birsan suggested taking 5 percent of the $7 million – or $350,000 – and letting him, Nakamura and Obringer indiscriminately allocate a third each. The idea died for lack of a second, and Birsan said he would “respect the intense work” done by the Ad Hoc committee.

In a Facebook post after the meeting, Birsan called himself “a long-time supporter of RCC” and said it was “a lock that Rainbow would get a major chunk” of the funds under his proposal.

In response, Hartlove said Birsan chose expediency over his duty to serve the residents.

“You have some nerve espousing support for your constituents and then refusing to take the time needed to come up with a well-considered solution for them. You are

After the community waited eight months for the committee’s delayed recommendations, the council spent only 30 minutes deliberating. The events surrounding the $7 million ARPA allocation amounted to a disturbing misuse of power and profound disregard for public opinion.

Rainbow has a longstanding history of largely onesided support for the Concord City Council. Councilmembers routinely make public appearances at our events, issue city proclamations about and to us, raise flags with us during Pride month and make various other requests at opportune times to appear inclusive.

If the council holds our work in such high regard, why did they ignore the call for a share of once-in-a-lifetime federal dollars they had at their disposal? Symbolic support is appreciated, but without actual dollars in accompaniment, it is performative allyship intended to bolster their image.

We are tired of being tokenized and marginalized by our own city government. We demand genuine allyship.

At a time of unprecedented attacks on our

a false ally. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

ARPA is a $1.9 trillion federal COVID-19 stimulus package, of which Concord received more than $27 million. The city is also spending

For more about the Concord council’s vote on non-profit funding, see Page 1

LGBTQIA+ youth, the Concord council missed a tremendous opportunity to make a significant impact on the mental health and wellness of our most marginalized communities. Rainbow is committed to making the councilmembers aware of their mistake to ensure that it is not made again in the future.

We are deeply grateful for the many folks who sincerely care about and show up for the LGBTQIA+ community and our allies in Concord. Please donate to support our work at www.rainbowcc.org/give.

Kelly Ferguson (she/her) is the director of development at Rainbow Community Center. As a biracial femme lesbian, Ferguson is passionate about racial equity, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and her work within the nonprofit sector. To learn more about how you can advocate for Rainbow Community Center, contact her at kelly@rainbowcc.org or 925-6920090, ext. 5.

money on support for the unhoused, small businesses and city projects.

Councilmember Edi Birsan delves into the failure of his 5% “compromise” plan for non-profits, on this page.

Concord ARPA Grant Recipients

Unfortunately, the compromise was rejected even after I informed the council that the alternative would be that the full 22 recommended would be voted in without adjustment.

We can play out “what ifs,” but the reality is that given a straight choice, the compromise was turned down. So, congratulations to the 22 and I am very sorry for the 48, but I tried to get something going to you

Sponsored Content

For more about the Concord council’s vote on non-profit funding, see Page 1

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

Evaluate your home’s ability to weather the atmospheric rivers

I have talked to so many folks who have lived here 30, 40, even 50 years – and all I hear is how these rains are downright historic.

It’s a wonderful time to get up on the mountain and hike, bike … heck, we even saw some cross-country skiers biking up recently. It’s also a terrific opportunity to see how our homes hold up to some historic weather.

Start by checking for leaks.

First, turn off all the water in the home. This includes faucets, toilets, the dishwasher and washing machine. Then check your meter immediately. Wait about two hours and check again. If the meter reading is higher, you have a leak. Check faucets for drips and for leaks under all sinks. Finally, check your roof for broken or missing shingles. If you can’t find the leak, you may want to consider an inspection.

This is also a great opportunity to clean your gutters and downspouts. Once the rains end, check your gutters for debris. These winds have also been a bit historic. Check connections from gutters and downspouts and ensure that there is proper water flow. Also

SCOTT DENSLOW ASKTHE EXPERT

consider stone or plastic leaders to draw drain water away from the home.

Finally, don’t forget to check those smoke and CO2 alarms. Let’s all celebrate the rains, as they should help with potential wildfires and will produce a lovely wildflower season. They also provide us all with such a unique opportunity to truly see how our homes can stand up against the elements.

Scott Denslow is the owner of Safe at Home Inspection Service. He is an InterNACHI and ASHI certified inspector who has 73+ five-star ratings on Yelp. Contact him at scott@safeathomellc.com. For more info visit www.safeathomellc.com.

EDI BIRSAN PULSEOF CONCORD

New Mount Diablo trail connects Knobcone Point to Riggs Canyon

On March 29, Save Mount Diablo (SMD) will officially open the Knobcone Point to Riggs Canyon trail connection.

This section of trail winds through the upper 560 acres of Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch, through one of Mount Diablo’s wildest areas. It travels from Balancing Rock and Knobcone Point, to Cave Point, to Windy Point and Riggs Canyon.

Before the proliferation of cattle fencing, the trail was available to the public ranging all over the mountain. But it’s been nearly a hundred years since it was legal.

The 1.25-mile trail will considerably expand the amount of open space available to explore on Mount Diablo’s southern hills. It will effectively fully connect Rock City and Mount Diablo to Riggs Canyon, Morgan Territory and Los Vaqueros via publicly accessible trails.

Curry Canyon is the final missing major canyon entrance to Mount Diablo. Curry Canyon Ranch has more than nine miles of fire roads, most of which will continue to be closed for now, while SMD works with California State

Parks to transfer much of the property to the park.

Currently, Mount Diablo State Park visitors must climb in and out of four canyons from Rock City to Riggs Canyon. Going forward, they can follow a ridgeline with spectacular views.

Right now, state park staff must leave the state park to reach Riggs Canyon. Opening the ridgeline fire road on SMD’s property will solve this access and management issue.

In preparation for the grand opening, SMD’s staff and volunteers have been installing

infrastructure, including access gates and informational signage. They have also been removing dead material to minimize fire risk in the area. Getting rid of dead and scorched plants in this area will encourage new growth of native and endemic wildflowers and chaparral plants this spring.

This project has been a decade in the making, in the works since SMD acquired the 1,080-acre Curry Canyon Ranch property in 2013.

Curry Canyon Ranch contains what was the largest remaining unprotected canyon on Mount Diablo’s main peaks. It harbors distinctive habitats, including knobcone pine forests and a mile of rocky cliffs.

“Thanks to our terrific supporters, staff, partners and volunteers, like our Trail Dogs, Save Mount Diablo has created and opened a number of public trails the last two years,” said Ted Clement, SMD’s executive director. “All these trails we have built are portals that allow the public to enter nature and be transformed for the better.”

The highly anticipated Knobcone Point trail connection will further open up opportunities to enjoy Mount Diablo’s majestic views and wilderness.

Visitors will be immersed in the knobcone pine forests after which the area is named and stunning sandstone rock formations. They may see golden eagles and songbirds fly overhead.

A trail opening ceremony will take place on the property at the Knobcone Point gate near Balancing Rock at 11 a.m. March 29, weather permitting. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at Curry Point in Mount Diablo State Park on South Gate Road for the approximately two-mile hike. There is a $10 park entrance fee, and parking at Curry Point is limited.

After the ceremony, staff will lead a hike to the Riggs Canyon gate. The hike from the Knobcone Point gate to the Riggs Canyon gate is 1.25 miles. In the event of heavy rain, the trail will still be opened to the public on March 29, but the ceremony will be canceled.

SMD is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, watersheds and connection to the Diablo Range.

To learn more, visit www.savemountdiablo.org.

Scott Hein

Rocky cliffs in the Knobcone Point area of Save Mount Diablo’s Curry Canyon Ranch.

Map by Roxana Lucero

Save Mount Diablo Map showing the new trail segment.

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From drought to deluge: A perspective on our local water

finding new and creative ways to trim your water use to meet our community’s state-mandated conservation goals. We gratefully appreciate every drop you saved.

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

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By Ernesto A. Avila, P.E. Contra Costa Water District, Board President

The last few years have been challenging on many fronts, including multiple years of drought that were met with mandatory calls for conservation. I want to acknowledge all of you in

Some positive news: this year has brought promise to our near-term water supply. The Governor has not yet officially lifted the Executive Order regarding the drought emergency; however, the state’s snowpack is well above average, reservoirs continue to fill, and storms are adding to the snow and rainfall counts.

While we’ve seen plenty of rain (and even snow on Mt. Diablo!) locally, conditions at Lake Shasta and the mountains above that reservoir are closely monitored by

CCWD to get a sense of the amount of water we will have available to serve customers. Why? Your drinking water originates primarily from rivers feeding Lake Shasta. When water released from Lake Shasta flows into the Delta, CCWD pumps it into our system.

What is happening with water supply this year? Initial indications from water regulators are that CCWD will receive adequate supplies to meet the needs of customers for the upcoming year. In anticipation of the state also lifting drought mandates, CCWD is initiating steps to put its drought management plan to rest, including ending the temporary drought surcharge.

While this is great news for the near-term, we must continue efforts to strengthen our ability to manage challenges with a changing climate bringing more significant extremes of longer dry periods and shorter, more intense, wet periods. CCWD is working on modernizing facilities and expanding resources through alternative water supplies and interagency partnerships to ensure reliable water service for today and tomorrow. Learn more about CCWD and upcoming work at ccwater.com

Reach Ernie Avila via the Board Secretary at 925-688-8024 or by using the contact form onccwater.com

By Dennis Dorando

There was an article in the February Pioneer regarding Assembly Bill 378, which Tim Grayson is authoring, that will allow a path for the public to purchase “specialty” license plates similar to those produced in the 1950s and 1970s. As a late 1950s classic car owner, I oppose this bill. I bought my classic plates at a swap meet. They were slightly rusted and had dents in them. I sent them off to one of the few people on this

planet who restores them, which cost me about $400. When I received them back, they looked brand-new. Vintage plates are not easy to find, and that is what makes them valuable. If you do find them in good shape, they aren’t cheap. The reason our classic cars are “classic” is because you don’t typically see them every day. From the wide, white wall tires to the license plates, they are unique. If anyone can just purchase a set of classic-looking license plates, it makes our

Letters to the Editor

Termination of CBCA agreement vindictive

Mayor Wan should be ashamed of his piss poor handling of the agreement between the City of Clayton and the CBCA, as should Vice Mayor Diaz and Council member Trupiano. To expedite this item to the agenda with a total lack of preparation, factual figures, and a plan shows a total lack of respect to an organization that has supported our community since 1984. The handling of the agreement termination was a total display of ignorance, inexperience, and vindictiveness. Again, all three of you should hang your head in shame for the sh** show you hosted at the last city council meeting.

With that said I will continue to serve our community through honorable organizations like the CBCA.

A.J. Chippero Clayton resident

Supporting rental discount for CBCA

Editor’s note: Roxanne Pardi, managing director of the Clayton Theatre Company (CTC), sent this letter to the Clayton City Council. It has been edited to fit our format.

On behalf of CTC, I want to thank the City Council for approving the 80% discount of the non-profit rate for the rental fees of Endeavor Hall that has been in the Master Use Agreement with the city since we began CTC in 2012. We would not be able to continue without this discount.

I try to stay out of politics, but I’m going to express my thoughts regarding the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA) possibly receiving only a 50% discount on the Clayton non-profit rate

real classic plates common –and no longer unique.

I cannot tell you how many times I have overheard people at a car show point at the license plates and say: “How cool are those plates?” Well, they aren’t going to be so cool when the same style of plates is on, say, a 2019 Toyota.

What makes something valuable, and this goes for license plates, is supply and demand. The more supply of these 1950s and 1970s plates that comes on the market, the

less demand there will be for original classic plates, and this will devalue our original plates.

I mean why buy $400 classic license plates, when you can get the same look for 40 bucks?

This bill takes advantage of classic car owners by providing the public what we consider a reflection of the time and style and making it run-of-themill.

Dennis Dorando of Concord is a collector with particular expertise in classic Corvettes.

vs. the 80% discount granted to all Clayton non-profits that fall under the $150+K threshold.

CBCA should continue to receive the 80% discount. All the money raised goes back into our community. Since 1984, the group has donated more than a million dollars to schools, college scholarships, team sports, the library, CTC … too many to name.

I’m asking on behalf of CBCA and the citizens of Clayton for the City Council to do the right thing and keep CBCA at the 80% discount of the rental rate.

Roxanne Pardi

Clayton Resident

Cost cuts won’t do it

...If we approach this issue [new taxes] from the lens of fiscal sustainability, making sure that we can do the critical functions that we need to do as a city, I think we get support [from the Clayton community for a new tax]. Spoken by Mayor Jeff Wan, from the 9/21/21

Since this time Mayor Wan has proposed incremental cost cutting measures that will not have substantial impact on fiscal sustainability and he has refused requests from fellow council members to conduct a thorough review of impactful ways to reduce costs, increase revenue and improve continual staff turnaround. Now he is looking to the CBCA to solve the city’s budget issues in yet another attempt to create a perception of fiscally responsible action. I hope the community will join myself and others to hold Mayor Wan accountable to seeking real and impactful solutions and not political and social media theater aimed toward an allvolunteer non-profit that has sought to support the com-

munity and businesses when the city has not had the resources to do so.

Terri Denslow

Past Chair, Clayton Planning Commission

Former CBCA Treasurer Clayton Resident CBCA Needs Help

I recently found out that the members of the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA) are the ones who organize all the incredible events that take place each year in our town, and they do it quietly and with little recognition. CBCA is a non-profit that relies on hundreds of volunteers to plan these events for the enjoyment of our community, and any money they raise gets donated back

into the community. In 2008, an agreement was signed between the CBCA and the City of Clayton making these events more accessible to plan, and their partnership has been an absolute success. However, at a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Jeff Wan and Councilmembers Kim Trupiano and Jim Diaz voted to terminate this agreement without presenting any facts as to why. Without this agreement, it could jeopardize the events in our town and reduce the amount of donations the CBCA so generously gives back. Please voice your concerns to Mayor Jeff Wan and ask him to rectify this. The CBCA needs our help!

Lisa Browett Clayton Resident

‘Classic’ plates shouldn’t be brand-new

Obituaries

Merry Lou Pelletier

July 1, 1950 – Feb. 7, 2023

Merry Lou Pelletier of Clayton became an angel at the age of 72 on Feb. 7, at home surrounded by loved ones. Merry grew up in Walnut Creek, graduating from Del Valle High School. She continued her education at Cal State Hayward, earning a degree in accounting. She met the love of her life, Gary Pelletier, in Walnut Creek at the age of 18 and the two were married for 52 years. They have three daughters whom they adore: Nicole Judd (Parker), Noelle Gould (Rich) and Natalie Wray (Austin). She was an amazing grandmother, lovingly called Mimi, to her five grandchildren, Jayden Gould, Noah Judd, Ryan Judd, Lily Wray and Hanna Wray, all whom she cherished. Throughout her life, she welcomed many other kids into her heart and home. The city of Clayton will not be the same without

Richard Edward Purdue

Oct. 12, 1957 – Feb. 21, 2023

Merry. She touched many lives as a city employee for 12 years and an active member of Clayton Community Church, serving faithfully as an elder and passionate prayer leader. Her big smile and open heart will be missed by so many. There will be a Celebration of Life, at 10 a.m., March 25 at Clayton Community Church, 5555 Clayton Rd., Clayton. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association or your favorite charity in her honor.

Dennis Olson

Jan. 27, 1939 – Feb. 15, 2023

Dennis’s passion was golf. He started playing when he was 13, and was a scratch golfer in his twenties. He played and won many golf tournaments over the years.

Dennis was a longtime member of PMGA. For the last 25 years, he was employed by Oakhurst Country Club.

Dennis was a 27-year resident of Clayton.

Richard Edward Purdue “REP,” passed away peacefully on Feb. 21, surrounded by friends and family after a long battle with cancer. He was 65.

Rich touched many lives with his outgoing personality and kind spirit.

Rich was born to Rosemary Powers and Robert L. Purdue. He grew up in Kinnelon, N.J., and graduated from Neuman Prep High School, where he played soccer and baseball, and wrestled.

He attended Purdue University and earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering. He also played soccer for the Purdue Boilermakers, where he had the distinction of having his name on the front and back of his jersey –a fact that he was eager to share with a twinkle in his eye. He continued playing soccer for various teams up until five years ago.

Rich began his civil engineering career in Milwaukee. He earned and maintained the distinction of being a Professional Engineer (P.E.).

As a licensed P.E., Rich traveled the world tackling the most difficult engineering challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and the South Pacific, among other locations. He was the consummate professional who held others to his own high standards but was quick to recognize those who succeeded in meeting them. He spent his last 20 years as the engineering manager for Gilbane Building Co./ITSI Gilbane Co., where he provided global construction and environmental services

to support the needs of the U.S. government and the Department of Defense. His career ended too soon due to his illness.

Rich was an avid A’s and Ram’s fan, and you could always find him on Sunday watching football. He loved playing bocce in downtown Clayton. His team, “Throw Pallino First,” was named after him and his legendary antics. Rich did not try to blend in.

Rich loved taking his family on vacations to the Jersey Shore. One of Rich’s favorite pastimes was going to the local Clayton Club Saloon to visit with his friends and play a game of pool, or two. He would often regale his audience with stories of his fictional pirate heritage that contrasted greatly with his unwavering devotion to his family and friends. Rich was always the one who would be there to help anyone in need. He will forever be loved and missed by all who were lucky enough to know him.

Rich was predeceased by

his beloved parents. He is survived by his loving significant other and companion, Julie Rogers; his devoted children, Ashley Lim (Phillip) of Concord, Vince Purdue (Megan) of Clayton and Brandon Landry of Clayton; and his four grandchildren, Elliot, Cora, Kara and Julia. He is also survived by his six brothers and sisters, Bob Purdue Jr. of Morristown, N.J., Jeanne Hantson of Jefferson, N.J., Donna Purdue of Lake Hopatcong, N.J., William Purdue of Wrentham, Mass., Michael Purdue of Hopatcong, N.J., and Stephen Purdue of Bangor, Penn.; as well as many nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invited to a funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday, March 31, at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 2, at the Clayton Club Saloon, 6096 Main St., Clayton. Family and friends are encouraged to come and share fond memories and stories.

Virginia Evelyn Mott Taylor Loveless Lapworth

May 28, 1940 – Feb. 14, 2023

marry on June 11, 1960, and she received her associate’s degree from Taft College in 1961.

Dennis was born in Forest City, Iowa Jan. 27, 1939 and passed on Feb. 15, 2023 at his home in Clayton. Dennis came to California when he was 3 years old. He lived in Contra Costa County most of his life with some years in Castro Valley. Dennis attended the El Cerrito Schools, became a barber, served in the Army Reserves and spent most of his career as a driver and sales for Svenhard Bakery.

He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years Amelia, sons Mark and Kevin Olson, grandson Aiden, stepsons Eric and Andy Otto, and cousins and nieces in Iowa. He was the best husband, father, Son. Services were held @ Queen of the Heaven in Lafayette followed by a Celebration of Life. Donations can be made to Hospice of the East Bay who were supportive during his final days along with caregivers Teresa, Fernando and Michelle.

Denise Joy Brown

June 23, 1952 – Jan. 19, 2023

Woman’s Club, Clayton Valley Little League and her church, Holy Cross. She enjoyed making cards, playing cards, serving tea, watching sports and shopping – all with different friends. Denise and Gary loved to spend time in Half Moon Bay, Pismo Beach, Calistoga mineral baths, Kauai and especially with their grandchildren.

Virginia “Ginger” Evelyn Mott Taylor Loveless Lapworth, 82, died after a brief illness on Feb. 14in Concord. She was called to heaven on this date as she was finally at “home,” surrounded with love and ready to continue her journey of taking care of Ron and John.

Ginger was born on May 28, 1940, in Taft to Alfred A. Mott Jr. and Dorothy Mott. She attended St. Mary Catholic School and Taft High School. It was during her years at Taft High School that she met a lifelong friend, Carolyn Furtney, and her high school sweetheart, Ronnie “Rabbit” Taylor. She was crowned the queen of the Christmas Ball and he was named MVP during their senior year together. They would

Ginger and Ron were married for 14 years and had three children together, Steve Taylor, David Taylor (Robin) and Karen O’Leary (Kevin) and her love for Basset Hounds began. Their marriage ended in annulment.

Ginger married John Loveless in December 1976. They both enjoyed their time together in Camarillo working at Siemens Solar and many boating adventures with friends in the Sea Ray Boat Club and being a member of St. Mary Magdalen Parish.

John and Ginger would retire together and move to their dream home in Anacortes, Wash., where Ginger’s love of baking pies, cooking and entertaining continued. Ginger was a faithful parishioner of St. Mary Parish and became a member of the Garden Club, Crones Group and the Birthday Club. They

CBCA, from page 1

tics displayed during the recent election,” he said. “None of the character traits of our ‘Do the Right Thing’ motto were modeled in this action.”

enjoyed every moment of their time together in Anacortes, and the friends made during this time speak of their willingness to help others. Their time together ended in 2010 when John passed away of ALS.

It was with the love and support of the Anacortes community that she was able to continue her journey and meet and later marry Anacortes resident Don Lapworth in 2013. Their brief marriage ended with Don’s passing in 2015.

As things became more challenging, Ginger made the decision to be closer to her children, brother Charles Mott and soul sister Carmen Needham, moving to Concord, where she was welcomed into Montecito and the St. Bonaventure Catholic community.

She enjoyed many of the activities that Montecito had to offer; the time spent with friends and loving staff were the moments she would

TALLYING CBCA CONTRIBUTIONS

remember most. Heartfelt thanks to Elaine, Michaela, Maria, Stephanie, Rosario, Mercy and sweet Nadia for making the last years of Ginger’s life filled with comfort, support and love.

The joy of Ginger’s life was her family, including her beloved Basset Hounds. She is survived by her brother, children, grandchildren, Carly (Jason), Brad (Brittany), Joe, Jack, Caitlin, Mark, Jack, Jared and Adam and her great grandsons, Reese and Shay.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 8, at St. Mary Parish in Anacortes, Wash., with the rosary beginning at 9:30 am. Her final resting place will be with John at the Tahoma National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in Ginger’s name to Golden Gate Basset Rescue, PO Box 4958, Petaluma, CA 94955 and/or Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.

Denise Joy Brown, loving wife, mother of two and grandmother of five, passed away at the age of 70 on Jan. 19.

Denise Joy Wing was born on June 23, 1952, in Martinez to Les and Doris Wing.

Denise grew up in Concord, graduated from Concord High School, and attended Diablo Valley College and Sacramento State. She was a dental receptionist full or part-time for more than 30 years. On March 23, 1974, she married Gary Brown. They raised two sons, Scott and Troy.

Denise enjoyed volunteer work with Clayton Valley

She was known for her beautiful smile, positive attitude and great sense of humor. Denise was fun to be around.

Denise was preceded in death by her parents, Les and Doris Wing. She is survived by her husband, Gary; her sons and daughters-in-law, Scott and Kerrie and Troy and Heidi; five grandchildren, Casey, Aidan, Hayden, Jordyn and Teagan; her brother, Dennis; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. March 26 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1092 Alberta Way, Concord. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Denise’s name.

Interim City Manager Ron Bernal, a former city manager in Antioch, said that nothing he read in the city’s charter indicated that an item needed to be noticed at a prior council meeting. However, many speakers on the subject – 17, all against termination –referred to that long-standing practice and the fact that Wan broke it with such a controversial proposal.

Cloven also said at the meeting that the agenda item wording only specified that the council “consider termination” of the agreement, with no provision for renegotiating the document. That means CBCAsponsored events could be in jeopardy if any new city proposal proves cost prohibitive.

‘UNFAIRANDRIDICULOUS’

While the shaky city budget seems to be at the heart of the matter, the divisive character that has prevailed in Clayton since the 2018 election and

reared its head again in 2022 was on full display. Ed Hartley, an active CBCA member and the moving force behind CBCA’s downtown bocce park, called the move “a cheap shot.’”

“We raise money for the city, and we give it back to the community,” he said. “This move is unfair and ridiculous.”

Amy Callaghan, a 30-year Clayton resident and frequent event volunteer but not a CBCA member, called the move “a terrible and unethical way to govern.”

Cloven’s comments on the dais underscored that, stating that the staff report had no spreadsheet or evidence of expenses or profits CBCA events brought to city coffers.

“It’s incomplete.,” he said. “I need data to make this kind of decision.”

What was also incomplete was the council itself, as Tillman was known to be out of the country. She frequently votes against Wan’s proposals. Trupiano and Diaz typically follow Wan’s lead, giving them a clear 3-2 majority on the council anyway.

The bad blood on the council and voting blocks aside, many people were confused by the lack of budget information provided. According to accounting collected from city consultant A. J. Chippero, who was to help promote the city-sponsored Concerts in The Grove, CBCA donated $162,942 in 2018 for community benefits, much of which went to city uses and events, such as the Concerts in The Grove. The largest donation was 36% –more than $58,600 – to student scholarships.

In 2019, the CBCA donated $150,584, again with the largest chunk going to scholarships and 3%, or a little more than $4,500, going back to the city. The pandemic shut down most of CBCA's big-ticket events in 2020 and 2021, but in post-pandemic 2022, the three events grossed a whopping $828,000. The club has earmarked $175,000 for donations back to the community.

Wan contends that while direct labor costs for police and maintenance are paid under the agreement, overhead

costs such as staff time and use of city facilities were waived. This includes rental of The Grove park, temporary use permits, noise permits, special event permits and street closure fees that amounted to $7,500 per event. There was no documentation or support for this number.

While that seems like a steep amount for a small city like Clayton to subsidize, the biggest chunk of that would be for the rental of The Grove, more than $3,000 for a weekend event. CBCA leadership say the club has never rented The Grove – it is simply fenced off for safety, but still open to the public. City data will back that up.

The vote to terminate the operating agreement with CBCA without first renegotiating is not sitting well with many Clayton residents, and already there are talks of a recall election. That may never materialize, but the residents may be forced to also accept that neither will some of their beloved events.

Visit the Pioneer’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/concordclaytonpioneer for developing information.

Concord works on affordable housing from multiple angles

Affordable housing is one of the top concerns and issues facing the state, Bay Area and Contra Costa County cities, including Concord. I thought I would share with you some of the things Concord has been doing to help address this important issue.

Concord has a long history of supporting affordable housing through the construction of multi- family complexes, inspection programs addressing habitability issues, homeowner rehabilitation assistance to preserve the city’s aging housing stock, and programs that assist lowincome residents with purchasing a home or maintaining their rental housing.

The city’s affordable housing efforts are targeted to private development projects that provide housing to those families earning between 30% and 120% of the Contra Costa area median income. This income level is set by state law.

LAURA HOFFMEISTER CONCORD MAYOR

City-funded assisted affordable housing complexes are monitored to ensure that affordability standards are maintained.

Here are some of the city’s accomplishments: Released a Notice of Funding Availability in spring 2018. This made available $14 million in city affordable housing funds and allocated $7.8 million to Resources for Community Development for construction

of a 62-unit affordable housing development on Galindo Street.

Enacted an Affordable Housing Inclusionary Program for its home ownership projects. In the last five years, the city has collected nearly $2 million in affordable housing in lieu fees, which will support future affordable housing efforts. The city’s Housing Account balance, which includes the in-lieu fees, is currently $7.4 million. These funds will support future affordable housing efforts.

Two projects are currently under consideration for these funds.

Approved 1,138 housing units (not yet constructed).

Of these, 590 are affordable housing units, primarily multifamily units and most within a short walking distance from BART and downtown Concord. An additional 375 housing units are in the pipeline and seeking approval from the

city; at least 64 are affordable housing units. Many of these projects can be viewed on the city’s interactive development map at https://concordgis.ci.concord.ca.us/DevViewer/.

Maintains a list and interactive map of affordable housing complexes. There are 23 apartment complexes that provide 1,796 affordable units. For details, go to https://www.cityofconcord.or g/424/Affordable-Housing.

Updating the Housing Element of the General Plan for 2023-2031. This must be submitted to the state. It contains policies and programs for meeting the current and future housing needs of all income levels in a community. The city must demonstrate it can accommodate its housing need of 5,073 housing units – 1,292 will be affordable to extremely low or very low income households; 744 will be affordable to low

Clayton mayor explains change to CBCA agreement

our activities to enhance fiscal sustainability.

In 2008, the city of Clayton entered into a Master Use Agreement with the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA). Under the terms of this agreement, essentially all fees established by the city’s Master Fee Schedule for events held in town were waived.

This included fees for temporary use permits, street use, noise permits and all fees associated with using The Grove park. This fee waiver applied to the annual Art & Wine Festival, Oktoberfest, tree lighting and, later, the Rib Cook Off. Direct support costs for things like police services, maintenance services and use of certain city equipment like barricades and cones were still being charged on a cost recovery basis.

While this may have been appropriate at the time of execution, in our current environment, we need to ensure we are doing an exhaustive review of

The City Council recently took action to terminate and renegotiate the agreement with the CBCA. This action is not a reflection on the great work done by the CBCA, but rather it is the result of an effort to ensure the city is reimbursed for the costs incurred when events are held.

It is fairly routine for cities to charge a fee for use of its facilities, and Clayton is no different. We have a Master Fee Schedule that outlines the fees associated with the various uses of city resources.

While direct labor costs for police and maintenance were paid under the terms of the agreement, overhead, other staff time and the cost for use of city facilities were waived. This includes things like the rental of The Grove park, temporary use permits, noise permits, special event permits and street closure fees.

In aggregate, based on our current fee schedule, these fees could sum to approximately $7,500 per event. But with the agreement that was executed in 2008, the CBCA was exempted from paying these fees that

make the city whole for its costs. I maintain and will reiterate that the CBCA is a fantastic organization that adds a tremendous amount of value to the residents of Clayton. By hosting several events throughout the year, they are able to use the income generated to donate back into the community.

In the past, the CBCA has generously donated not only to local non-profits and businesses, but also to schools, scholarship programs, and directly to the city for things like benches, the Grove gazebo, and sponsorship of events, among other activities. These are great things, but they should not exempt someone or a group from paying their fair share in order for the city to recover its costs.

The commitment I made when re-elected was that I would not seek any tax increase without first exhausting all options to reduce expenses and increase efficiencies – raising taxes should be a last resort. Right now, the effort is focused on cost reduction through efficiency and elimination of unnecessary work, including efforts relating to energy efficiency, discontinuing service

income households; 847 will be affordable to moderate income households; and 2,190 will be affordable to above moderate income households.

Established plans for the Naval Weapons Station redevelopment. This will include 12,200 housing units, of which 25% are to be affordable, or about 3,050 units.

Negotiating on former Coast Guard property. The federal government sold its

58-acre, former U.S. Coast Guard housing site on Olivera Road for future residential development. The city is negotiating with the new owners about the amount of affordable housing to be included in their project plans. The property needs to be rezoned, among other land use actions. Direct your questions and comments to the mayor at 925-6713158 or Laura.Hoffmeister@cityofconcord.org.

State of the City review from PH General Plan to district elections

Pleasant Hill offers a superior quality of life, as evidenced in our community engagement and the many community events the city sponsors.

Since the first Shelter in Place orders were issued in March 2020, we have all adapted how we do business.

We wore masks, got vaccinated, tested when necessary and did our part to get our community back to some resemblance of normal. While COVID-19 is not eradicated, it is now part of our daily lives and will likely be here for the next 5 to 10 years.

The pandemic was probably the first time that many residents heard of Contra Costa Health (CCH), as the department quickly went into action to help protect our most vulnerable residents, support local nonprofits with personal protective equipment, provide PCR

contracts that don’t provide sufficient benefits and even closing City Hall to the public one day per week to provide staff time to focus.

On the revenue side, we have begun a more robust analysis of our investment portfolio to ensure we are achieving the best possible yields in this high inflationary market. Later this year, we will be examining the city’s Master Fee Schedule to ensure the amounts being charged reflect the costs incurred for various services.

When it comes to fees, one thing stood out, and that was the agreement between the city and the CBCA.

As a result, the council voted to terminate the existing agreement effective July 1, 2023, and to renegotiate a new agreement. This provides sufficient notice, aligns with the city’s fiscal year so budget planning could incorporate any relevant changes, and provides enough time such that a new agreement could be reached with CBCA so that we can maintain efficient operations of the city, and the city could recoup its costs.

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

Contra Costa Health altering COVID-19 response

testing across the county and develop a plan to make the vaccine accessible to as many residents as they could.

Contra Costa Health is a unique department that runs the county’s public health department, maintains the public hospital, has a county health plan (Contra Costa Health Plan, CCHP) and is a Medi-Cal provider. This means the department can develop strategies with direct feedback from those implementing the work.

During the height of the pandemic, CCH focused on its role as a public health department and served residents in the county regardless of their insurance status. This allowed CCH to offer testing across the county, distribute 3 million vaccines, provide thousands of PCR testing and self-testing kits, and prescribe COVID-19 treatments for those testing positive.

The department’s hard work was highlighted when Contra Costa County was recognized as having the second-lowest rate

of COVID-19 deaths among large counties in the country.

Now that the emergency orders have expired, the countyrun vaccination sites will close on March 31 and CCH will return its focus to serving CCHP members, Medi-Cal recipients and uninsured residents. CCH will provide nocost testing at our 10 County Health Centers, a 24/7 advice nurse, vaccinations, immunizations and treatments for COVID-19.

A key goal of the CCH COVID-19 winddown plan is to ensure that those without insurance continue to have the same access to services as is granted to insured individuals.

CCH’s Equity Mobile Team will continue to partner with community-based organizations to hold pop-up clinics in areas with hard-to-reach residents. These pop-ups are an important part of CCH’s commitment to equity in care.

All Contra Costa County residents, regardless of affilia-

tion with CCH, can request free at-home testing kits online at bit.ly/home-tests, by calling 833-829-2626 or by visiting a CCH health center or your local library. Vaccinations and boosters are available through your local pharmacy, or you may contact your health-care provider.

I know the pandemic has been a very trying time. As we move into this new phase of normalcy, I hope COVID-19 becomes less of a factor in our daily lives and continues to be treatable.

For more information on Contra Costa County’s COVID-19 response or to locate a County Health Center, visit www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/ or call 1-833-829-2626.

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

On Feb. 28, I delivered the State of the City address to the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, residents, community leaders and partners. The address showcased the fine state of our city.

Here are some of the highlights.

First and foremost, our city finances are strong. We maintain healthy reserves and have made prudent investment in our infrastructure. The combination of Measure K tax revenue and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allowed the city to complete a major overhaul of its storm drain system and implement an aggressive repaving schedule of residential streets in multiple neighborhoods.

On March 4, I led the Opening Day Parade for the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association. Nearly 1,800 kids from Pleasant Hill and surrounding communities marched along Boyd Road and Patterson Boulevard to the Pleasant Oaks ball fields for Opening Day ceremonies. Hundreds of parents and baseball fans cheered us on.

The Pleasant Hill City Council will hold a study session at 7 p.m. March 20 at City Hall to review the Draft 2040 General Plan. At this important meeting, the council will provide feedback to be incorporated into the draft document. Your input is important, too. Please take the time to educate yourself about the General Plan by attending this meeting or go to pleasanthill2040.com for more information.

Off the Grid returns April 5. Come and enjoy great food and family fun as the street is lined with food trucks featuring a variety of cuisines. The gathering of food trucks can be found on Trelany Road 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays. This event is a particular favorite of mine.

See Flaherty, page 10

Grayson introduces 21 new bills in twoyear legislative review

For every two-year Legislative session, a member may introduce 50 bills.

This allows us to focus on a wide berth of issues, both big and technical, to help make our state a better place to live for all Californians. This year, I have introduced 21 bills.

As a critical response chaplain for the Concord Police Department, I have spent more than a decade working directly with first responders. I know first-hand the stresses they carry and the sacrifices they make.

In the past, I have authored legislation to support firefighters by making effective mental health services more accessible, and this year I’m working to continue that support. My bill AB 700 would establish the California Firefighter Cancer Prevention and Research Program to help us examine carcinogenic exposure, identify the biological mechanisms that cause cancer in firefighters and to ultimately reduce the incidence of cancer among California firefighters.

I’m proud to have the California Professional Firefighters sponsoring this bill and will be working hard to help reduce the risks firefighters

face while protecting our communities.

Our housing and affordability crises are undeniably dire, and I’ll be prioritizing addressing these crises again this year. California averages fewer than 100,000 new units per year, and our state has never, in any year, produced more than 20,000 new affordable homes.

In order to simply keep pace with existing demand, which is not enough to address the crisis, we need to build 180,000 new housing units a year, including 80,000 units affordable to lower-income households. We will never reach these goals if

See Grayson, page 10

JEFF WAN CLAYTON MAYOR

KEN CARLSON COUNTY SUPERVISOR

TIM GRAYSON 15TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

TIM FLAHERTY PLEASANT HILL MAYOR

Flaherty,

Concord celebrates Womens’ History Month

Finally, and perhaps most significantly, I reported that on Jan. 19 the city received a letter from Shenkman & Hughes, a law firm in Southern California known for bringing litigation under the California Voting Rights Act. The letter alleged that the city was in violation of the act and should change to by-district elections for councilmembers.

The City Council considered this matter at the March 6 meeting. After receiving public comment both against and in favor of district elections, the council decided to proceed with district elections. We set in motion the process whereby the districting will be accomplished within 90 days of March 6.

The city will schedule four public hearings at which public input will be taken on districting. District elections would begin in the November 2024 general election.

Pleasant Hill is a welcoming, tolerant and inclusive city committed to diversity. The City Council is unwavering in its commitment to serve and protect all our residents, and district elections are expected to advance that goal.

Watch the State of the City address at www.pleasanthillca.org/stateofthecity.

Email questions and comments for Mayor Flaherty to tflaherty@pleasanthillca.org

from page 9 Grayson, from page 9

we don’t pass measures to bolster production.

This year, I’m authoring and co-authoring a number of housing bills, including AB 281, which will help prevent costly delays in the post-entitlement building process and reduce barriers to housing production; AB 434, which will ultimately help reduce the cost of new housing development; and AB 821, which will help to facilitate desperately needed housing development and ultimately provide greater consistency and clarity with local government’s zoning ordinances.

It is my hope that with these bills, and others that I’m working on, the Legislature can make a serious impact on reversing our housing crisis and ensuring Californians can afford to continue to call our state “home.”

I’m also re-introducing two bills that Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year. AB 39 would regulate cryptocurrency – an emerging financial product that is not issued or backed by the government – in order to give the industry necessary regulatory clarity to innovate responsibly and establish protections for consumers. AB 52 would provide a state tax credit for manufacturers purchasing equipment in order to allow the industry to attract new investments, generate growth and, ultimately, create more high wage jobs for Californians.

Both of these bills have received overwhelming support from my colleagues in the past, and I’m hopeful that this year we’ll see them signed into law.

If you’d like to learn more about the bills above or other legislation I’m authoring, please contact my Concord district office at 925-521-1511.

issues, talking to the people and working with the people. She is a favorite of the community.

Laura Hoffmeister, the longest-serving council member, has accomplished many actions for the people through the years. Her mother, Georgia, worked for the city of Concord for years and set an example for her daughter to serve the people.

As we observe Womens’ History Month this March, many of the wome who have shaped Concord’s history come to mind.

Colleen Coll served on the City Council for 15 years in the 1980s and ’90s, following in the footsteps of her father, a high-powered lawyer and mayor/council member.

During Coll’s tenure, Concord was in the heart of development. She was monumental in bringing child care into the light and the Brendan Theatre into action.

Most recently, Coll was asking the council to vote no on Seeno as developer for the former Naval Weapons Station. Some say Laura Nakamura surprisingly beat Tim McGallian for a council seat because she said no to Seeno.

Another current councilmember, Carlyn Obringer, is credited with studying the

Vivian Boyd, an educator and president of the Concord Historical Society, is leading the growth of the Heritage Center where the Galindo home and Concord Museum and Event Center (the Masonic Temple) are located.

Sister Mary Grace, executive director of East Bay Services for Developmentally Disabled Adults (DDA), received a grant from Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to build the first DDA housing project. Another of her accomplishments was acquiring the historic Adobe building and transforming it to a wellness center.

Carolyn Lehmer Anderson is the owner of a secondgeneration automobile dealership. She has been active with the Chamber of Commerce and Concord Rotary.

June Bulman was the first woman elected to the Concord City Council and the first

female mayor. She helped established the Lime Ridge Open Space and the first outdoor Vietnam War Memorial Hill in Newhall Park, where 34 trees are planted to honor the soldiers that Concord and Clayton lost in the war.

Betty Martin Barnes, an executive secretary for the construction firm Martin Brothers, was a major donor to the Historical Society. The Event Center Hall is named after her. By the way, the stage

in the hall housed a harmonica concert for our pride and joy, Dave Brubeck, when he was just 6 years old.

Ruth Galindo, who taught Spanish at the one and only Mt. Diablo High School her entire career, donated her house to the Historical Society. It is open for tours 1-4 p.m. the first and third Sundays of the month. Galindo was a founding member of the Historical Society, established in 1970 to help save

many of the city’s historical buildings.

Charlotte Ballinger was also a society founding member. A mailman was quoted as saying “Who are you, a celebrity? Never have I delivered so many Christmas cards to one person.” And with a twinkle in her eye, she said: “Well, I was an elementary school teacher and music teacher, and a mother advisor to the Rainbow Girls for 60 years.” After her husband died in 1953, she went back to teaching for 19 years.

Lastly, but certainly not least, is Bertha Romaine, principal of Mt. Diablo High 1917-1948. She applied as a mechanical drawing teacher and was appointed principal right away. She was wellrespected and loved by the students and community.

I have given you a snippet of some women who could all have their own stories about their roles in Concord’s history. As we honor women this month, I hope you’ll take a minute to think of these women’s contribution.

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.

For most people, the word “exercise” carries an emotional impact.

The range of responses to the idea of exercise – from sheer pleasure to abject misery – is an interesting study in contrast, but I want to aim for the majority of Americans who fall somewhere in between.

While it is universally accepted that some amount of exercise is good for just about everyone, the trick becomes finding the right fit … to be fit. The Department of Health and Human Services provides some basic guidelines as a jumping off point, which amounts to moderate aerobic

activity such as brisk walking or noncompetitive swimming for 150 minutes per week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running or dancing (as if no one is watching).

This guideline, while helpful as a baseline, is not “one size fits all.” Each person has unique needs, tolerances and goals. It bears reminding that you should always consult a provider prior to beginning an exercise program, especially if exercise has not been a consistent routine.

To achieve maximum benefit, exercise intensity should be at least moderate with as much vigor as one can safely handle. The goal for most reasonably healthy adults is to raise the heart rate to the ageappropriate target zone. To determine that, I need to briefly drop into the math rabbit hole.

Museum, from page 1

Through the California Digital Newspaper Collection, especially the Contra Costa Gazette, she had ample historical information to create wallmounted displays with stories and photos – but she was short on actual artifacts.

“The problem with trying to come up with things to illustrate a period in history that was that long ago is that there just isn’t much there. I did the research and tried to find things that probably would have existed back then. For instance, I made a cloth doll in the style of what an 1860s mother would make for her daughter,” she says. “And there is a display case with items that

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illustrate things like cooking, food, toys, some photography.”

Visitors can also see what women’s underwear would have looked like in that era. “I think anybody who watches things like ‘Gone with the Wind’ wonders what is under those dresses. We have a 3-D model showing the corset, the hoop skirt, the split drawers.”

“You know, those hoop skirts were very dangerous,” says JoAnn Caspar, vice president of the Clayton Historical Society. “They would catch on fire sometimes, or they would knock kids over when they turned around.”

ARTISTICINSPIRATION

Curating for the museum showcases the artist side of Niemeyer, who had a 25-year career as an agricultural biologist for the county.

“Costuming, jewelry, colored pencil drawings – pretty much any kind of artwork you can imagine, I’ve probably done it at some point or another,” she says, adding that her

First subtract your age from 220 to arrive at the maximum number of times your heart should beat per minute during exercise – or your maximum heart rate. Then find your resting heart rate by counting how many times your heart beats per minute when you are at rest. This is best done at a very relaxed moment, such as first thing in the morning upon waking. It will generally fall between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Take your pulse with your index and/or middle fingers on the thumb side of your wrist but do not use your opposite thumb. It may take a minute to find the pulse, but rest assured it is there.

When you have that number, calculate your heart rate reserve (HRR) by subtracting your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate. Next multiply your HRR by

knowledge of period clothing comes from dressing up for the Dicken’s Fair at the Cow Palace.

She emphasizes the importance of focusing on day-today life instead of key historical dates. “Most museums skip the fun stuff – what songs were people playing, what they did for fun. This is the fun part of history that they never, ever cover in your history classes.”

Niemeyer just can’t talk about the exhibit without using the word “fun.” Neither can Caspar, who noted that it drew in “a ton of people” on the last Sunday of February.

“There’s a lot about the medicine, what they ate. There is a lot of reading – but it’s interesting reading. I like it a lot,” says Caspar.

TALES FROM THE SHADYSIDE

Niemeyer tells of a doctor who set up shop in Clayton, claiming to be able to cure all illnesses using electricity. “Unfortunately, I think nobody was really impressed. He stayed only about six months before heading back to San Francisco.”

0.7 (70%) and add your resting heart rate to this number. Then multiply your HRR by 0.85 (85%) and add your resting heart rate to this number as well. The difference between these last two numbers is the target zone.

If your heart rate is above the target zone and you are not an elite athlete with a coaching staff, it is wise to reduce the intensity. If your heart rate is not entering the target zone during exercise, consider increasing the intensity.

Maintaining a commitment to regular (best daily) exercise may be daunting to busy, overextended Americans. It is, however, an investment that will pay off over time.

The phrase “move it or lose it” is more than just an aphorism – it is a fact. Having spent a considerable amount of my career in acute and

And then there was a wedding scam.

“A long-time bachelor was very attracted to this lady from San Francisco. He had some female friends determine if she was interested in marrying him. She said yes. They had a big pre-wedding meal at Joel Clayton’s house and everybody donated food. Then she got up and said, ‘Oh, actually, I’m already married and I never got a wedding feast, so I just wanted to have one.’ ”

For Niemeyer, the exhibit shows that human nature

post-acute care settings working with debilitated, sick patients, I can state without hesitation that the more fit and limber an individual presents going to the hospital (for any reason), the better the outcome tends to be.

Of course, the chief benefits of exercise are to maintain and improve the quality of life, but staving off illness, dementia and depression are wonderful side benefits.

In the East Bay, we are gifted with breathtaking landscapes and proximity to incredible beaches for hiking. The trick is finding fun and fulfilling activities that raise the heart rate, then carving out time and making them a priority.

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

doesn’t really change. “I hope that people will come see it and realize that people in the past were like us – they just had different living conditions. I think it will offer insight into how people lived back then.”

“Life in Clayton 1850-1870” will run through the rest of 2023. The museum is open 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays at 6101 Main St., Clayton. For more information on the museum and the Historical Society, visit claytonhistory.org.

Photo courtesy of Concord Historical Society

Charlotte Ballinger was a founding member of the Concord Historical Society and long-time teacher.

Calculate your exercise target zone, then get out there and make it happen

NATHALIE MONTIJO NEW WAVE NIGHTINGALE

CAROL LONGSHORE YESTERYEAR

SPORTS

Carondelet soccer wins first ever repeat NCS championship

6 MOREPLAYOFF PARTICIPANTS

Six other local teams were in the playoffs and five of the six won at least one playoff game.

On the boys side, De La Salle defeated San Ramon Valley 2-0 in the Spartans opener but lost by the same score to Danville’s other team Monte Vista which went on to win the Division I title.

Ygnacio Valley won a pair of games to reach the Division II semifinals before losing to Richmond 3-1.

Northgate won one game but then lost to eventual champs Bishop O’Dowd in the D-II quarterfinals.

Mt. Diablo was the fifth local boys team in the tournaments and the Red Devils also won their opener before losing in the Division IV quarterfinals.

College Park also won its first game before going out in the girls quarterfinals of Division I. Northgate was seeded seventh in girls Division II but lost its firstround game.

Basketball seasons end in disappointing ways for local teams

Carondelet suffered losses in the championship game of the North Coast Section soccer playoffs three successive times from 2016-2018 but since then coach Amy Apodaca’s Cougars have won three titles in the past four NCS finals, including this year’s brilliant three-game shutout sweep in the Section playoffs.

The top-seeded Cougars beat long-time East Bay Athletic League rivals Monte Vista 3-0 in the semifinals and second seed San Ramon Valley 4-0 in the finals of this year’s tournament to go back-to-back NCS champs for the first time.

The Cougars have now won seven NCS championships, behind only

Monte’s Vista’s nine titles and San Ramon’s eight overall since the girls playoffs began in 1982.

The season did have a final heartbreak as St. Francis of Mountain View broke a scoreless tie late in the championship game of the CIF Northern California tournament to hand the Cougars a 1-0 defeat in the season finale. It was the same score and result to St. Francis that ended Carondelet’s season a year ago.

All three losses this season for the Cougars were by a 1-0 score. They won every game when scoring more than one goal, a team streak dating back to 2019.

EAGLESSEASONENDSATSEMIS

Clayton Valley Charter boys maintained the top spot in North Coast

Section rankings for a good part of the season and the Ugly Eagles were rewarded with the No. 1 seed in the Division I soccer playoffs after going undefeated in the regular season.

However, coach Guillermo Jara’s team fell short in the NCS semi-finals for the second year a row, this time by surrendering a lead when Vintage of Napa overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to beat the Concord school 2-1.

Six days later, top seed and eventual champions Davis eliminated CVCHS from the NorCal Division I playoffs in the opening round.

Jara’s teams the last two years met the same fate as the 2011 and 2012 Ugly Eagles who lost back-to-back NCS semi-final games, both to eventual champ De La Salle.

Shiloh West Equestrian Center

Castro

When the playoffs start in any sport at any level there’s one truism— at the end there’s only one champion and every other playoff team ends their season with a loss.

While that is true, the final lose can be more painful for teams with high expectations to move along in the playoffs than for others who are just happy for the opportunity to extend their season and reward the players for their effort.

Adding another layer to the finality of things and how the final loss is processed concerns how exactly the final game played out. When a team loses a close contest, perhaps in the final moments of the final game, it can be especially agonizing.

See Basketball, page 12

This 105 acre property in Castro Valley is permitted for 135 horses. Features include 2 covered arenas, 4 outside arenas, covered eurociser, covered round pen, pastures, trails, beautiful triple wide plus 2 double wides and 2 apartments for full time live-in help. Full facility list upon request.

House wanted in Clayton

I have a buyer who is looking for a home in Clayton. The ideal home will have 4+ bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms+ With views and a pool. And, if updated, can purchase around $1.5. And as always, if you are looking for country property reach out. I have several coming on the market this spring.

6200 Center Street Suite E, Clayton

Presented

Photo courtesy Carondelet athletics

For the first time ever, Carondelet has won back-to-back North Coast Section soccer championships, the sixth and seventh in school history as the top-seeded Cougars scored 12 goals and allowed none to sweep to another Section title.

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

Pete Cruz photo

Junior James Moore helped spearhead Clayton Valley Charter to a second straight NCS championship.

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

5 local seniors named winter sports league players of the year

Four local soccer athletes and one basketball player, all seniors and each from a different school, were named most valuable players when the Diablo and East Bay athletic leagues announced their winter sports all-league teams.

Lauren Kenney was the EBAL player of the year for the Carondelet soccer team, which won league and North Coast Section championships before losing a heartbreaker in the CIF Northern California championship game.

Marco Jara led Clayton Valley Charter boys soccer to the No. 1 ranking for much of the season as the DAL Foothill offensive co-MVP. Amanda Walker won the same honor for College Park girls in the DAL Foothill Division.

Angel Diaz was the defensive MVP for Concord in DAL Valley Division soccer.

Leniyah Fulsom was coMVP of the DAL Valley Division basketball season for Ygnacio Valley.

Diablo Athletic League (local schools), Carondelet and De La

Salle soccer, basketball and wrestling athletes getting all-league honors):

BOYS BASKETBALL

DAL Foothill: 1st team – Elijah Perryman (Clayton Valley Charter); 2nd team- Jake Andrus (Northgate), Jake King, James Moore (CVC), Connor Moore (College Park); Honorable Mention – Julian Plaza (CVC), CJ

Agulles (NG)

DAL Valley: 1st team –Deshawn Williams (MD), Jermaine Patton, Loyal Morris (Ygnacio Valley); 2nd team – Anthony Foster (Con), Todd Taum Jr. (Mt.

Diablo), Antonio Kellogg Jr. (YV); HM- Evan McKnight (YV), Charles Mathis III (MD)

DLS: 1st team – Alec Blair; 2nd team – Billy Haggerty; HMEvan Wells

GIRLS BASKETBALL

DAL Foothill: 1st team- SooJin Berry (CVC); 2nd team – Tade Scheid (NG); HM – Hana Neuman, Amelia Schrag (NG), Sophia Groce (CVC)

DAL Valley: Co-MVP – Leniyah Fulsom (YV); 1st team- Natalie Dance, Makayla Powell (MD), Nyela Pete (CP); 2nd team – Misa Le, Sabrina Strode (CP), K’is Brooks, Sa’rye Starks (YV); HM –Jorena Olivar (MD), Ciara Quesada (Con), Taylor Ochoa (CP)

Carondelet: 1st team – Keisha Vitalicio; 2nd team – Jamie Kent, Allie Cummins GIRLS SOCCER

DAL Foothill: Co-MVP Offense - Ananda Walker (CP); 1st teamErika Upson, Hailey Halford (CP), Jules Colchico, Sarah Burkes (NG), Luz Hernandez (CVC); 2nd team – Kaitlyn Crossman, Helana Ban (CP), Abigail Schumann (CVC), Sarah Cantiago, Keira Lund (NG); HM- Brooke Rickenbacher, Emily Beeson, Amanda West (CVC), Reagan Thomas, Suhani Singh, Sophia Fulp (NG),

De La Salle Spartans, Clayton wrestlers Cooper, Talmadge shine at North Coast Section

Liliana Bailey, Jacklann Bellamy, Mikka Sopenoff (CP)

DAL Valley: 1st team –Josephine Kremin, Samantha Checke (Con), Paola Castro (MD), Kimberly Rubio, Indigo Whiteley (YV); 2nd team – Hannah Morrell, Mikayla McKenzie (Con), Miranda Serna (MD), Nanci Garcia, Dulce Isidro (YV); HM – Sofia Lopez, Yarnet Munoz, Dayana Ramirez, Lopez (Con), Delismar Colmenares, Alina Martinez (MD), Katie Steindorf, Karen Bonifacio, Hirana Chevez (YV)

Carondelet: Player of the Year – Lauren Kenny; 1st team- Maddie Buckley, Joy Casselman, Chloe Casselman, Lizzie Vranest; 2nd team – Victoria Alessandrini; H – Kaya Durkee, Riann Juroff

BOYS SOCCER

DAL Valley: Defensive MVP –Angel Diaz (Con); 1st team –Nicholas Silva, Leo Grubesic (CP), Daniel Guerra (Con), Jared Gallegos (MD); 2nd team – Jack Fox, Gabo Sekel (CP), Jairo Gutierrez, Cristofer Cabrera, Fernando Pina Hernandez (Con), Alejandro Sanchez (MD); HM – Moises Acevedo, Carter Emerick (CP); Osmar Hernandez (Con), Armando Banales (MD) DAL Foothill: Co-Offensive MVP - Marco Jara (CVC); 1st team - Alex Braginsky, Chase Caldwell, Nolan Martin (CVC),

Marchis

Ronald Lopez (YV), Nicholas Rowalt (NG); 2nd team - Skye Megyesi, Will Caranza (CVC); (YV), Blayne Ballard, Nate Greenberg (NG), Emilio Martinez, Jonhi

Chavez; HM – Cooper Whitten, Colin Farley, Giovanni Negrette (CVC), Antonia Ceja, Timoteo Rivera-Gonzalez, Alan Garcia (YV), Mateo Gonzalez, Lucas

Lesieur (NG) De La Salle: 1st team– Lucas

Pfister; 2nd team – Matthew Rjecki; HM - Cooper Kennedy, Hudson Merritt, Leo Bravo, Mateo

BOYS WRESTLING

DAL: 1st team – Dakota Buelna, Miguel Ruiz-Dare, Matt Northrup (CP); 2nd team – Aydin Bagley (NG), Selichi Naddy, Quentin Artis, Jose Ortiz (Con) , Calin Capra, Reyes Ruiz, Oliver Saelao, Zach Marshall (CP); HM –Srivanth Chennupatti, Devin Mallory (CP); Antonio Pucci (NG), Steve Marin (CVC), William Carlson (Con) , Jadrey Robinson (MD) DLS: 1st team - Manuel Martir, Caleb Tatad, Giovani Cuevas, Carlos Vazquez, Gavin Fernandez, TJ Arvizu, Atri Feizi, Stefan Bakiev, Cooper Cazares; 2nd team – Joshua Perez, Omar Torres; HM – Franklin Enkhmandakh, Rolando Sanchez

GIRLS WRESTLING

DAL: 1st team-Abbi Cooper, Sara Bolcerek (CVC), Savannah Talmadge, (NG), Ayaka Naddy (Con), Emma Diaz (CP); 2nd team – Avery Seidenspinner, Loreili Labao (CP), Danica Heine, Rebecca Fletcher, Hailey Lu, (NG), Samantha Salcedo (YV), Jaelene Ibay (MD), Aaimya Brown-Webster (Con); HM – Yoshiye Longley, Sara Gomez (CVC), Blake Powers (NG), Violet Sheehan, Myia Weiler (CP)

De La Salle wrestling continued its impressive streak of North Coast Section championships when the Spartans of coach Jon Clark won their eighth successive team championship last month to go with an earlier capture of the NCS dual meet title.

The local wrestling power has now captured 13 of the past 14 team championships and won four individual Section weight titles at the 2023 finals. De La Salle sent a total

of seven wrestlers to the State Meet in Bakersfield where senior Gavin Fernandez earned a podium spot in fifth place at 152 pounds to go with his fourth place showing a year ago.

Joining Fernandez as NCS champions were Manny Martir (106), Atri Feizi (138) and TJ Arvizu (160). Carlos Vasquez, Franklin Enkhmandakh and Caleb Tatad also qualified for state by finishing in the top three of their weight classes.

Teammates Giovani Cuevas and Stefan Bakiev were fourth at NCS, just missing out on a

state berth.

Northgate’s Savannah Talmadge took fourth at NCS a year ago and moved up to second this year while qualifying for the State Meet at 101 pounds after being ranked No. 1 in Northern California at 106 late in the season.

Abbi Cooper from Clayton Valley Charter, like Talmadge a Clayton resident, won NCS at 106 pounds this year after taking the 111-pound championship last year as a freshman, making State for a second successive time.

Photo courtesy De La Salle

Photo courtesy Clayton Valley Charter soccer MARCO JARA – CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER

Photo courtesy Ygnacio Valley

LENIYAH FULSOM - YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH

Photo compliments Concord High ANGEL DIAZ CONCORD HIGH

I love a good thriller, and no one is better at writing them than Agatha Christie. To see one of her most famous mysteries, check out Clayton Theatre Company’s “The Mousetrap,” running through April 1. No foolin’.

The longest running play of all time, “Mousetrap” has been thrilling audiences since Nov. 25, 1952. The perfect treat for amateur sleuths everywhere, it tells of seven strangers snowed

Head over to Endeavor Hall to get caught up in ‘Mousetrap’

in at a remote countryside guesthouse who discover a murderer in their midst.

La Tonya Watts directs the cast of eight: Nathalie Archangel, James Bradley Jr., Kevin Coren, Ron Craven, Bill Dietz, Deborah Huaco, Chip Renner and Peggy Scalise.

For tickets, go to www.claytontheatrecompany.org.

There is still time to catch B8 Theatre’s world premiere of Jacquelyn Priskorn’s “Andela,” which runs through March 19.

In this comedic story, Priskorn tells of Jordan, who has a bad cold when the messenger angel Andela arrives to tell her she is carrying more than just a virus – she is also carrying a divine child.

In collaboration with B8, Priskorn developed her new

work from a one-act to a fulllength play full of comedic moments and messages of love and hope. While the ending doesn’t quite work and the character of the pediatrician is a bit too over-the-top, this new show has lots of potential as it creates a modern miraculous birth story.

Becky Potter directs a fun, fast-paced show featuring an excellent cast, with Brittany Nicole Sims as Jordan and Marissa Clarke as her wife. Pam Drummer-Williams creates a charming Andela, who often dissolves into giggles as she discovers one human foible after another.

Vince Faso gives the perfect understated performance as the author Scott English, with JanLee Marshall using her considerable comedic skills as Dr. Krissi.

Alternating in the role of English is Jason Berner, and Asha Sundararaman understudies the female parts.

“Andela” performs at the Concord Historical Society, 1928 Clayton Road. Go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e /andela-by-jacquelyn-prisko-

rn-tickets-543320615587 for tickets.

Race, class and friendship collide in Lynn Nottage’s “Sweat.” The Pulitzer Prizewinning play gives a searing portrait of friends who have shared their lives while working on the factory floor. When layoffs and picket lines chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other.

Center Rep’s “Sweat” runs March 25-April 15 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. Call 925943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org.

Playwright Nicole Gluckstern imagines the San Francis-

co Bay Area as a series of small islands rising out of the water in her radio play “The Forever Wave,” currently airing on a variety of radio stations through March and possibly into April.

It’s 2070 and the violent storms up and down the West Coast have resulted in a king tide that turned the Bay Area into an island chain with a loose collective of encampments on the highest ground.

Two narrators guide the action as the various hilltop dwellers go about their lives in this new world punctuated by voices from the past, including indigenous inhabitants and shipwrecked mariners.

“The Forever Wave” can be heard on Alameda’s KACR and San Francisco’s KSFP, BFF and Radio Valencia. For a complete listing of broadcast times and station access, go to https://estrellasuerteproductions.com/forever-wave/. A map of the new Bay Area created by Gluckstern, Brian Stokle and “Burrito Justice” is also available.

While the broadcasts are free, donations are gratefully accepted at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ the-forever-wave-a-radio-playtickets-499900534957.

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

Pandemic prompts pet projects for Fiona Hughes

Some artists spend their entire lives pursuing art, while others come from varied and diverse backgrounds. Fiona Hughes is one of those artists who ended up in the art world after pursuing a number of career paths.

From being in the diplomatic service, to a voice-over artist, to running public relations for high-tech companies, Hughes has traveled the world – hardly staying more than five years in any particular place. But when the pandemic hit, in-person public relations meetings and international conferences were placed on hold, and Hughes discovered she had time to get back to her first love: creating art.

While sheltering in place, Hughes found time to paint, and word spread that she was commissioning pet portraits. Hughes admits that her love of animals is her biggest inspiration. She warmly expresses that “it’s an honor to memorialize someone’s treasured pet, and especially meaningful if it has passed on.”

Her goal is to capture each animal’s unique spirit and, in particular, its expressive eyes. “If the eyes aren’t right, then nothing else about the painting is,” says Hughes, who gets a lot of joy from receiving positive comments from her patrons.

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Hughes also found enjoyment working on large murals of oceans and landscapes, and she was able to sell these and other paintings at local gallery shows. She decided to produce a series of videos and webinars on marketing artwork online. Art has now become a big part of her life.

Hughes jokingly points out

that she has brandished a paintbrush throughout most of her life. She tells of the time she repainted the front of her grandmother’s antique dresser with some red nail polish that was left too close to her playpen. By the time she was a teen, Hughes was recognized as a talented artist and received requests from friends for portraits of beloved pets.

In her late teen years, she was ready to venture out artistically, so she moved to Holland and spent four years studying many of the Dutch masters. She was also inspired by visits to great art galleries of Europe.

Hughes likes to use acrylics, oils, clay and even fabrics. Though she finds watercolors the most challenging, it is her current favorite media.

“Watercolor keeps you on your toes with its many variables,” according to Hughes. “So much depends on the dampness of the paper, how much water is on your brush, how diluted the paint is.”

Hughes became a Clayton resident more than 30 years ago. She married into a Clayton family and found the city to be a wonderful community where she could settle down and raise a family. She gets inspiration from a large and vibrant local artist community, whether it’s socializing at a reception at the JOR Fine

Arts Gallery in Clayton or attending a meeting of the Concord Art Association.

She has recently begun painting utility boxes for local cities, finding it very satisfying to bring color and life to those drab, sterile boxes. We are looking forward to her work as one of the artists involved in the city of Concord’s upcoming third round of utility box paintings.

Whether it’s large abstracts or cute pet portraits, you can view Fiona Hughes’s art at JOR Fine Art Gallery in downtown Clayton or at petprojects.net.

John

is an acrylic painter and a ceramic artist. Email comments and suggestions for future columns to

Nakanishi

phjona@gmail.com.

Clayton resident Fiona Hughes painted pet portraits while sheltering in place during the pandemic.

FIONA HUGHES

JOHN NAKANISHI ARTSIN MOTION

SALLY HOGARTY STAGE STRUCK

Potter Photos

JanLee Marshall is the wacky pediatrician, with Brittany Nicole Sims as a pregnant woman carrying a divine child and Vince Faso as author Scott English in the world premiere of “Andela” at B8 Theatre in Concord.

Natalie Archangel plays femme fatale Miss Casewell in Clayton Theatre’s “The Mousetrap,” playing through April 1.

Photo by Lisa Keating Elizabeth Carter directs Center Rep’s production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Sweat,” running March 25April 15 at the Lesher.

More local singers heading to Todos Santos Plaza

Still, CCC is spending their own time and money to put on a few more live music events. CCC volunteer and local musician Brian Vandemark has performed at both Todos Santos music series in different music projects and offers this point to consider:

DAVE HUGHES THE BEAT OF DIABLO

For the third consecutive year, Singer Songwriter Sundays will return to Todos Santos Plaza this spring.

The original music showcase is run by the lockdown-born coalition of local music advocates known as Concord Couch Concerts (CCC).

It’s worth mentioning that Concord already has a very successful annual live music series in the same park. Now more than 30 years strong, Music & Market draws people in by the thousands. The groups are mostly some of the Bay Area’s best tribute acts playing music that attendees find familiar. In recent years, the lineup has included a smattering of “Local Music Nights” across the fourmonth-long weekly series, often allowing homegrown Concord bands to finally have their moment on the big stage downtown.

“Concord is home to a lot of very talented musicians, many of whom have not had an opportunity to perform at Music & Market. Our songwriter series has been inclusive in nature, having avoided repeat acts through the first two seasons, and gaining draw with each show.”

With five fresh acts in April, the CCC team hopes to continue this trend of avoiding repetition, thereby increasing opportunities for people who’ve felt shut out of their chance at the downtown stage over the years.

There’s no doubt that some local musicians are appreciating the newfound access to the monumental downtown landmark that is the Todos Santos stage. In between songs last April, songwriter Warren Dreher of the UnConcord told those in attendance “I have been a singer songwriter living in Concord for many years and have always wanted to play on the stage here at Todos Santos.”

That sentiment is shared by some who’ve only lived here a handful of years, as April performer Kate Ramsey (of Kate

& Kristen) notes:

“Kristen and I moved to Concord from the Midwest just before the pandemic to further our music careers in California. We frequented Todos Santos park often to do yoga, play music and stay sane when everything was shut down. We always dreamed of being on that stage with a real concert –not just busking with our masks on while watching the skaters. And now our dreams are being fulfilled.”

Others value the intimacy of the lazy Sunday in the park. With mostly mellow music coming from the stage, local artists and crafts on display and for sale, and small groups of friends gathered in the grass or strolling around the

Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day honors legendary Mister Rogers

Readers offer their memories of show’s impact

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

Although Fred Rogers died in 2003, his legacy lives on each March 20 through Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day.

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was a staple of children’s television for more than 30 years, offering a simple message of kindness wrapped in a sweater and sneakers. First broadcast in Canada in 1962 and then soon after on public television stations across the United States, the show welcomed children of all ages into Mister Rogers’ neighborhood and home with the opening theme song, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.”

Ahead of the special day to honor this television icon and the philosophy he extolled to his young audiences, the Pioneer invited readers to offer reflections on his legacy on a Facebook posting. Hundreds weighed in – most with a simple thumbs up or a heart.

“My son didn’t have a father in his life,” said Shari Sheldon. “He loved watching Mister Rogers. He said he was his friend.”

Ileana Meraz noted that her granddaughter loves Daniel the Tiger in memory of Mister Rogers – “very sweet.”

Ernie Velilla recalled growing up watching Mister Rogers. “I learned some really good things from that show when I was just a lad,” he said.

KINDNESSABOVEALL

A few readers commented on the show’s oddness, with its “creepy puppets,” but even they could not argue with its enduring value.

“His message of kindness was timeless,” said Debbie Magliano.

“I do believe in kindness among neighbors, and I wish it were more prevalent today,” stated Kimberly Calkins Ingalls.

Jeanette Larsen Fernandez

too loved watching “this gentle show every day.” She went on to say how impressed she was with Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Rogers on the big screen.

“He did Mister Rogers justice,” said Fernandez.

LIVINGINTHEORDINARY

The final episode of the Emmy-awarding show aired on Aug. 31, 2001, but it continued in weekday reruns.

Rogers died in February 2003 of stomach cancer at age 74.

By fall 2008, his program was slated to be available for airing once a week for broadcast markets around the country. PBS estimated that in May 2008, 63 percent of its member stations carried the show, covering 79 percent of American TV households, according to the Pittsburgh PostGazette.

“(The program) seemed to exude a certain mood, this certain spirit wherever it was playing,” Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, said in a 2018 interview with NPR.

“Even though it was aimed at kids, it affected anybody else that was within hearing distance of that extraordinary voice and the extraordinary things he said. But, when I say extraordinary, they were not out of the ordinary. They were extraordinary in their absolute ordinariness. He had this idea that you didn’t condescend to the very young and

park, it’s a very relaxed vibe. “I truly appreciate the ‘home-grown’ qualities of the Singer Songwriter Series,” says

performer Mel Bearns. “It draws a listening crowd that is appreciative and hungry for new music.”

Joshua James Jackson offers another motivation for keeping this unique music series going:

“Live music has always been a community-building activity to me, and there’s nothing more valuable than community. Concord Couch Concerts represents a concerted effort to bring local songwriters, musicians and music fans together,” says Jackson, one the artists performing April 2.

Jackson believes that an emphasis on original local music is essential to connecting with one’s community.

“Original music is so important because people hear their experiences reflected in the work of artists they share community with, or even that they live near geographically … or maybe they share some values or experiences with the creator. Local original music helps the listener to understand who they are and their place in the world.”

Singer Songwriter Sundays will occur 2-4 p.m. on the first Sundays of April, May and June. The free events are open to the public and familyfriendly.

Find additional information at ConcordCouchConcerts.com.

Contact Dave Hughes at MrDaveHughes@gmail.com.

Adopt a new best friend at ARF

Adopt a new best friend at ARF in Walnut Creek. View available dogs and cats online or visit ARF in-person: Tue.-Sun. , 12-6 p.m., with early sign-in available on weekdays beginning at 9 a.m. Our team is excited to guide you in choosing a pet, share information about their history and behavior, and provide helpful resources.

One-year-old Grits is the champion of playing. This adorable pup loves to go outside and sniff, exploring the world around her. She is the kind of dog that will be there to greet you with a smile on her face, ready to lick yours at a moment’s notice. Grits is a little love bug who loves attention and playing. She wants to be in your lap if she can fit. Be the one to give this sweet girl a loving home. Grits has a positive history with other dogs. She 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 and older.

Ten-month-old Cholula is a total cutie pie who will melt your heart with his sweet charm. He might be slightly unsure at first, but once he feels the magic of the touch of a human hand, he practically turns into putty. It’s such a joy to watch him flop over and blissfully rub his face on the floor in a display of pure happiness as he purrs. Cholula is a

gem who will wiggle his way into your heart within minutes, and he hopes into your home as well. Cholula has a positive history with other cats.

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

POOL, DARTS, LIVE MUSIC and GOOD FOOD

that you could explain things to them,” Thompson continued.

HELPINGHEAL THECOUNTRY

Before his passing, the nation was rocked by horrifying images on 9/11. And, just as they had done countless times before, children and adults alike could again find comfort from Mister Rogers. He produced four videos in the studios where “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was filmed, and they were released on the first anniversary of the tragedy.

On the 10th anniversary, People reported on how Mister Rogers helped a devastated nation to grieve and the message he had for parents. He said that although it may be difficult, it’s important to have open conversations with children in order to help them feel safe.

“I’m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe. And to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods,” Mister Rogers added.

Robin Bayes, for one, won’t soon forget him – or his signature song that was a soundtrack for generations of children.

“I’ll always have that voice in my head,” said Bayes. “Welcome to my neighborhood. You certainly don’t hear that anymore.”

Mon - Sat

am to

Sun 10 am to 1:30am (during football season)

March/April Line-Up

Fri, Mar 17 . . St. Patrick's Day and Vinnie's Bar 21st Birthday

Sat, Mar 18 . . Ancient Mariner, Electric Funeral & Smoke

Sun, Mar 19 . Indie Band Bro Brocean

Fri, Mar 24 . . DJ Exel

Sat, Mar 25. . PTK band after the Brewfest

Sun, Mar 26 . Indie Band Blue Moxies

Fri, Mar 31 . . DJ Exel

Regular Weekly Schedule

Sunday - Corn Toss Open Tournament 1:30 p.m. ($10 to play). Indie Rock Bands at 7pm (no cover)

Monday - Open Mic Night hosted by Joey Nunez and Vince Lay (no cover)

Sign-up by 8:30

Tuesday - Country Line Dancing with DJ Delta Dave (no cover) 8pm

Wednesday - Karaoke With DJ SolRok (no cover) 8pm start time

IndieSundays

7pm

Sat, Apr 1 . . . TBA

Fri, Apr 7 . . . DJ Bobby Raw

Sat, Apr 8 . . . Latin Night

Fri, Apr 14 . . DJ Bobby Raw

Sat, Apr 15 . . Radiokeys, Mama Foxxy & the Whiskey Gypsy Rebels, & Transcending Lawrence

Sun, Apr 16 . Moonshine Bandits Pour Decisions Tour Featuring Charlie Farley, Brandon Hart & Tiger Shade

Fri, Apr 21 . . AXIS - Tribute to Arena Rock

Sat, Apr 22 . . Planting Seeds Annual 420 Show

Fri, Apr 28 . . Chronic Vitality

Thursday - Salsa & Bachata Dance lessons from 7-9 p.m. with instructor Lorans Latin Dance Academy from 9 p.m. on is open dancing with Latin DJ Tonee Salsa/Bachata/Merengue/ Reggaeton ($10 cover after 9pm)

Saturday - Aces Cracked Poker League (free to play) 1pm

Downtown Concord, 2045 Mt. Diablo St. between Salvio and Pacheco Ample free parking is available in the Salvio Street garage.

925-685-9515 www.vinniesbar.com

Marta Van Velzen

Concord residents Fred Hersom, left, and Mel Bearns perform original music at one of last year’s Singer Songwriter Sunday

Fred Rogers Productions

Mister Rogers laces up his trademark sneakers during the first episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

GRITS CHOLULA

Fuji’s sushi and other Asian fare a buffet worth sampling

Concord.

The most prominent places to dine include:

China Wall. This huge restaurant features a large selection of Chinese dishes that have been served to a couple of generations of Concord families.

All-you-can-eat restaurants have always been popular with diners.

So-called chuckwagon eateries, featuring abundant meat, starches and desserts, have been a mainstay in the local culinary scene. But except for the Golden Corral Buffet and the highend Brasas do Brazil steakhouse, unlimited portion faire has shifted to Asian cuisine in

Ohgane Korean BBQ and Gen Korean BBQ House. These two restaurants feature cooking devices at each table that allow patrons to prepare their own food. This format has proven to be a major success for young people on dates and those who want some excitement when going out to eat.

Shabuya. This Japanesethemed restaurant at the Veranda utilizes a hot pot format. For each person, a vessel is filled with broth. Then thin slices of meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles, etc., are added. A large selection of dipping sauces enhances flavors to suit individual palates.

Fuji Sushi Buffet. Despite being hidden behind Buffalo Wild Wings on Diamond Boulevard, Fuji Buffet has found increased popularity by word of mouth since opening last year.

Fuji does not serve so-called “gas station sushi.” Despite a

fixed per meal price for everything from exotic rolls to nigiri (slices of fish) to tempura, the restaurant utilizes premium ingredients. They even offer soft shell crab in melt in your mouth spider rolls. Everything is included for the same price, except beverages and tip.

During my visits to Fuji, I sampled a wide variety of seafood, including unagi (eel), saba (mackerel), tobiko (flying fish roe), maguro (tuna) and sake (salmon), just for starters. At local high-end Japanese restaurants, ordering two or three of these items costs about the same amount as a full meal at Fuji.

Fuji’s format is much different than most buffets. Diners can select sushi items, rolls and nigiri from a slow-moving carousel. Workers prepare custom rolls in the center of the revolving apparatus sometimes referred to as a Sushi Boat.

At the helm of the sushi buffet is Dee Sinh Ly. He started his first restaurant with this format some 30 years ago, catering to the UC Davis campus crowd. Ly explains his formula for success: “We count on large volume, small margins and eliminating waste to make our business prosperous.”

Another thing Ly does is negotiate a large volume with seafood suppliers on a weekly basis “to keep our costs in check.”

Customers who like their sushi “well done” can find menu items that don’t involve raw fish. One such option is the veggie dragon roll, which features tempura yam, broccoli, green bean, cucumber and avocado.

When diners are filled up with raw fish, Fuji serves hot main courses. Especially noteworthy is the shrimp and vegetable tempura. Other favorites

include fried oysters, sesame chicken and grilled salmon teriyaki. I also enjoyed the grilled Hamachi Kama (yellowtail collar).

After consuming all of this wonderful food, one cannot resist the desert course of fried banana and sesame balls. I was so full it was difficult to clear these tasty treats from my plate. After dining at Fuji Buffet, return visits are guaranteed. They are open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch and 5-8:30 p.m. for dinner each day at 2090 Diamond Blvd., Concord. For more info, call 925-822-3043. Between Fuji and other Asian all-you-can-eat restaurants in the vicinity, hungry diners have abundant choices.

Start your garden wish list with fruit trees and berries

Eating out of your garden is healthy and convenient.

Late fall, I planted six-packs of red chard, Dinosaur and Siberian kale. The repetitive yields have kept me harvesting new heads about every month. It makes me eat more greens and saves me money on groceries.

Bunches of organic chard can cost $4.99 each, while my $4.99 six pack has given me about 18 harvested bunches –and they are still producing. The kale has been equally successful, and the leaves make a great base for my morning juices.

With spring approaching, folks are already asking about summer vegetable installations – when to start seeds or when are the tomato starts are coming into the nursey.

Summer vegetables need the overnight temperatures to be consistently close to 50 degrees, therefore, we are still a few weeks away from tomato plant-

ing time. However, early spring is a good time to install stone fruit trees, leafy greens and other cool season vegetables, grape vines and berry plants.

STRAWBERRIES THAT CAN’T BEBEAT

Strawberries are super successful raised bed and container installations. Homegrown strawberries are so tender and sweet – significantly better than any grocery strawberry, which

has been grown for shape, transportability and shelf longevity.

Install strawberry plants with soil built with sandy loam and rich with organic matter, like earthworm casting, bat guano and sea kelp meal. You may need to mix a couple types of soil to achieve this result. I never use soil with built-in fertilizer. I prefer to add my own fertilizer as the plant needs. Choose various selections of strawberries for better crosspollination.

Plant blueberries of different types, as well. Jewel, Misty and Emerald selections are all heavy producers that set fruit in winter areas with less chill, like 200-300 hours needed. Many blueberry plants need heavy chill hours for production, so be careful when considering varieties.

Blueberry plants need to be planted in slightly acidic, rich soil, and they prefer a site with

only half a day of sun. Blackberries and raspberries grow like vines, and they will need some type of support. Most selections have thorns, so consider that when planting.

GO FORTHE GREENS

Salad greens, kale, spinach and chard can be planted now, too. They should be installed this time of year in places that get morning sun, or half a day’s afternoon sun. Many of these greens take only 40 days to harvest if planted from starts, so you will be enjoying the rewards of your planting soon. Herbs such as thyme, parsley, cilantro, chives, sage and rosemary can also be installed this early. Sugar peas and green beans can be planted now. Install your vegetable starts into rich composted soil and use vegetable fertilizer every month for best results.

MORE FRUIT FOR THE TAKING

Now that our soil is wet, it is a great time to dig some holes for stone fruit trees or table grapes. Peach, nectarine, plum, apple and apricot are

successful plantings locally. Cherry and apple installations sometimes need crosspollinizers for fruit production, so keep that in mind when considering selections. Peaches and nectarines can be prone to leaf blight and may need dormant spray applications. Most stone fruit trees will need three years to settle in before production becomes reliable.

Grape vines take up lots of room, so consider planting to train over an arbor or pergola. The fruit will hang down for easier picking. Fruit trees and grapes need to be regularly fertilized to hold the flowers and grow the fruit.

Go ahead – grow what you like to eat.

Fuji Buffet general manager Joe Deng displays some of the menu options.

Photo credit: Canadian Food Focus Plant strawberries in spring or fall based on your growing zone. In-ground gardens, raised beds, and containers are all excellent growing areas.

RICHARD EBER TASTE & TELL

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

NICOLE HACKETT GARDEN GIRL

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