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March 18, 2022
LAFCO gives final approval for critical East County Fire District annexation to CCCFPD
www.PioneerPublishers.com
Move over Gordon Ramsay, Mt. Diablo High’s Cindy Gershen is cooking on TV JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer
Contra Costa County’s Local Agency Formation Commission gave the final go ahead for the annexation of East County Fire Protection District to the greater Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The unanimous vote ended the underfunded district’s decades long struggle to find an adequate, sustainable revenue stream. CCCFPD will complete the operational and administrative consolidation of the two entities by July 1. CCCFPD will absorb East County’s firefighting staff, support staff, facilities and equipment, and the newly merged organization will provide improved fire and emergency services to the more than 128,000 residents of eastern Contra Costa County. “Annexation together with the allocation of Measure X funds, will double the number of stations serving East County residents, with additional stations opening as soon as this summer,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis. Station 55 in Oakley will reopen immediately followed by two new Measure X funded stations in Brentwood within the next two to three years. The eastern part of the county should have nine stations to be adequately protected says ECCFPD’s Steve Aubert. It is currently limping along with three. “(Annexation) has rightly been characterized as a historic achievement, resolving service deficits that have plagued East County for decades,” Burgis said. “Response times will improve, fire apparatus will arrive with a paramedic on board, and slowly but surely, improved ISO rating will help residents and businesses save money on annual fire insurance,” said Brian J. Oftedal, President of the ECCFPD Board of Directors. Residents in some of the more remote areas of eastern county have been faced with skyrocketing costs for fire insurance, if they could get it at all. While the two districts already work very closely on mutual aid assignments across current borders, each maintains separate operations, training and administrative functions, annexation will allow for achieving economies of scale by bringing the separate operational entities under one administrative structure.
Next issue, Apr. 15, Deadline, Apr. 4
Jay Bedecarré
“Farm to Taste” is a new weekly TV show filmed at Mt. Diablo High School co-hosted by culinary arts teachers Rose Stein (left) and her mother Cindy Gershen (right). Last week’s show featured Dr. Robert Lustig as the group spoke about the ills of sugar and healthy eating habits for America’s youth while cooking a delicious, healthy meal on camera.
Mt. Diablo High School teacher and long-time local restaurateur Cindy Gershen loves teaching her Mt. Diablo High School students how to cook and eat healthy foods. She’s now expanding her passion for educating young and old alike on eating healthy with a television show called “Farm to Taste,” co-hosted by her daughter and fellow culinary arts teacher Rose Stein. The fifth episode was recorded last week in her classroom on the Concord school’s campus with two special guests, pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig from UCSF and Mt. Diablo Unified School District director of food services Dominic Machi. While Chef Cindy and the others prepared a luncheon menu including stuffed salmon, stuffed bell peppers, Romanesco, leeks and fresh seasonal fruit for dessert, the
See Cooking, page 7
The Heroes Among Us
Volunteer ‘hooked’ on clean up DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent
Hero is a word often bantered about these days, almost to the point where its true significance has been diminished. But what else would you call individuals who are willing to crawl out of warm beds in the early morning hours on the first Saturday of each month to pick up trash? Alex Diaz, a resident of North Concord near Hillcrest Park, has been doing it since 2016 – when he got “hooked” after participating in a cleanup put on by his Neighborhood Watch group. Since then, he has mobilized a dedicated crew of volunteers to join him in tidying up their little corner of planet
Earth, specifically targeting the streets and underpass areas around Highway 242 near Solano Plaza. “Almost every time our group is out picking litter, someone gives a honk, thumbs up or a ‘Thank you’ in appreciation of our efforts. Those small gestures of support go a long way to keeping our group motivated,” said Diaz, who has seen their numbers slowly climb over the years. Diaz praises Stephen McCaffree, Dea Smith, Carlyn Obringer, Daniel Zarazua and Jason Pfister, to name a few, who are rising early for the cause. “Unfortunately, the amount of trash seems to be outpacing our group’s growth,” he added.
A NEVER-ENDING EFFORT The variety of trash he sees never ceases to amaze him, noting they have picked up every wrapper imaginable. “I had no idea that Swisher Sweets came in so many different flavors,” Diaz mused. The group takes photos of larger items, such as abandoned furniture left “for free” on sidewalks, and submits them to the Concord Public Works Department for pick up later. Reflecting on the experience, Diaz pointed to the “before and after” as being extremely satisfying. “To arrive at an area that is totally trashed and leaving it looking nice and clean feels great,” he said. But for all the inroads he
See Hero, page 7
David Scholz
For six years, Alex Diaz has spent a Saturday morning every month cleaning up his North Concord neighborhood
County raises penalties for illegal dumping Pile after pile of illegally dumped garbage, construction debris, old mattresses and abandoned furniture line the county’s scenic routes from Clayton to Brentwood Marsh Creek, Morgan Territory, Deer Valley and Camino Diablo Roads are among the more familiar sites. Dumped debris and trash is not only ugly, it’s an environmental nightmare and threatens not only the wildlife and waterways but the economy and quality of life of the entire community. “In East County alone, the Public Works Department cleans up more than 15-cubic yards of illegally dumped trash each week,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis. Burgis hopes stiffer penalties and better surveillance will
convince dumpers that the recycling and disposal fees are cheaper than the fines. Recently Burgis and Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) introduced a state bill that
would drastically increase the penalties and the pain level for illegal dumping. AB2374, aimed primarily at commercial offenders will raise the maximum fines from $3000 to $5000 for the first
conviction, from $6000 to $10,000 for the second and from $10,000 to $20,000 for the third. And if money isn’t enough incentive to pay the disposal and recycling fees, illegal dumpers will have to pay for the cleanup and could lose their business license. But higher penalties alone won’t curb illegal dumping unless the dumpers are caught. “It’s a question of investing in cameras, license plate readers, and personnel; prosecuting offenders; and educating the public,” Burgis said. Late last year, the CC Sheriff ’s Department received a grant to purchase more surveilCC County lance cameras for the area Supervisors hope higher penalties and more surveillance from Marsh Creek/Morgan cameras will discourage illegal dumping in the county’s un- Territory to Deer Valley and incorporated areas. Camino Diablo. The project is
currently out to bid. Residents in the area are fed up with the illegal dumping and have lobbied hard for more cameras. Morgan Territory resident Kelly McDougall said she and another neighbor were considering sponsoring the cameras on their own. “I’m glad to hear the county is following up on this.” If you see someone illegally dumping, call the Sheriff ’s Office ASAP, 925.646.2441. Without endangering yourself, try to get the license number. To report existing dump piles, use the Contra Costa Mobile Citizen App which you can download in the App Store. Tamara Steiner and Pamela Michael contributed to this story,
Postal Customer ECRWSS PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA 94517 PERMIT 190
Page 2
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
March 18, 2022
Supervisors may rename Kirker Pass in light of rancher’s alleged massacre KAREN JENKINS Correspondent
Contra Costa County supervisors could start the process as early as summer to change the name of Kirker Pass Road after accusations that its namesake, James Kirker, killed more than a hundred Native Americans while working in Mexico in the 1840s. Kirker, the subject of the historical scrutiny, was a mid19th century Contra Costa County rancher who hailed from Ireland, immigrated to Mexico and then spent a few years here before dying in 1852 or 1853, according to historians. The 4.5-mile Kirker Pass Road connects to Ygnacio Valley Road at the intersection of Clayton Road in Concord, meandering through rolling hills and ending at Highway 4 in Pittsburg. The rural road is an inter-regional route for thousands of vehicles a day, including 1,200 trucks, according to a 2018 Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
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DETAILS ABOUT 1846 RAID On Feb. 8, Board of Supervisors members announced their intention to explore the name change after Daniel Kelly, a retired San Francisco social worker and an Arizona State master’s student in history, brought the issue to their attention. Kelly had previously written an opinion-editorial published in a Bay Area newspaper about Kirker’s purported killing of 130-170 Apache men, women and children in an 1846 raiding party in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, whose District 4 includes
Karen Jenkins
Contra Costa County supervisors are looking into a name change for Kirker Pass Road, which continues east from this intersection where Ygnacio Valley Road meets Clayton Road in Concord.
Kirker Pass Road, initiated exploration of a name change. Mitchoff said she learned of Kirker’s alleged past when Kelly contacted her office prior to the February supervisors’ meeting, and that the information in his later article took her by surprise. “Until the op-ed, however, I wasn’t aware of all of the horrible actions attributed to Kirker,” said Mitchoff. “That is when I immediately contacted Supervisor (Federal) Glover and asked him if he wanted to join me in pursuing a name change.” Glover, whose District 5 includes Pittsburg, told Mitchoff he wanted to look at the process for changing the road name. Mitchoff said she has received some feedback by voicemail and seen some social media responses to the board’s decision to explore the name change. “The negative comments
revolve around 1. more pressing needs for an elected body to be dealing with (homelessness, mental health concerns, potholes) and 2. revisionist history,” she said. ‘DUE DILIGENCE’ Amber Lineweaver, a high school teacher who commuted over Kirker Pass Road for 10 years, supports the name change if the story is true. “I have no love for the name ‘Kirker Pass.’ If he did what is alleged, spend the money – change it,” said Lineweaver, who lived in Antioch before becoming a Clayton resident. Businessman Lenny Catanzaro of Lenny’s Barber Salon, located at the southeast corner of the Kirker Pass Road and Clayton Road intersection, weighed in on the allegations as well as the process for a name change. “I’m sure there has to be some due diligence to find out
if and where it happened,” Catanzaro said between clients at the salon. He added that the county should consider any impacts to property values in the area, and that residents near Kirker Pass Road should have a say in the decision. “I would take a poll of residents within a five-mile radius and find out their feelings on a name change,” Catanzaro said. Mitchoff said there will be an opportunity for public input. “Supervisor Glover and I are awaiting an estimate of the cost associated with any name change,” she said. “There will be public hearings, but I don’t see that occurring until at least summer, if not into the fall, because of the work that will be required: contacting property owners, working with the cities of Concord and Pittsburg and any other work needed.”
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*Ranking is from CCAR MLS based on sales & listings combined by units & volumes, sales by units and volume and listings by units.
Concord/Clayton Market Update CONCORD
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2267 Huron Dr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $835,000 4818 Boxer Blvd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $655,000 1131 Sunrise Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,550,000 5488 Roundtree Dr #E. . . . . . . . . . $455,000 1566 Glazier Dr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,030,000 1835 Noemi Dr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $775,000 1889 Brownwood Ct . . . . . . . . . . $1,005,000
SF . . .1136 . .1075 . .2880 . . .973 . .1794 . .1062 . .1748
Terrific Black Diamond Duet! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 Baths,
approx. 1939sf with inside laundry and an attached 2 car garage! Great location, close to downtown, trails, golf course, and community pool & playground. $900,000
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Beautiful home in sought after Colony Park neighborhood.
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BED/BATH DATE . .4/2 . .2/11/2022 . .3/2 . .2/14/2022 . .4/3 . .2/15/2022 . .2/1.5 .2/17/2022 . .3/2.5 .2/18/2022 . .2/1 . .2/22/2022 . .3/2 . .2/25/2022
CLAYTON
PRICE
1101 Whispering Pines Rd . . . . $1,505,000 201 Condor Pl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $800,000 1210 Russelmann Park Rd. . . . $1,400,000 1519 Ohara Ct . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,035,000 1043 Kenston Dr. . . . . . . . . . . . $1,275,000 1028 Feather Cir . . . . . . . . . . . . . $949,000 4008 Hummingbird Way . . . . . . $1,300,000
SF . .2436 . .1554 . .2013 . .1739 . .1761 . .1638 . .2481
BED/BATH
DATE
. . .4/2 . . . .2/4/2022 . . .3/2.5 . .2/7/2022 . . .4/2 . . .2/11/2022 . . .4/3 . . .2/11/2022 . . .4/2 . . .2/15/2022 . . .3/2.5 .2/17/2022 . . .5/3 . . .2/23/2022
March 18, 2022
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
Page 3
County continues hone mental health crisis response program PAMELA MICHAEL Correspondent
Contra Costa County has announced the next phase of its A3 (Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime) behavioral health crisis initiative that will allow trained mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls, rather than – or in some cases, in addition to – the police. A3 is currently a pilot program with limited hours of 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. It is designed to deliver safe, timely and effective care to county residents who are experiencing behavioral health emergencies. The program will expand over the next 18 months to a 24/7, fully staffed operation that will dispatch teams of first responders to mental health emergencies. A3 is mostly funded by the half-cent Measure X sales tax that voters passed by a wide margin in 2020. The tax revenue will help provide the county with multiple teams of first responders, as well as follow-up care for those in crisis.
appropriate, peer counselors and others will then be dispatched. Law enforcement personnel will only accompany them if deemed necessary.” The goal is to have help on scene in 15-20 minutes. “With a new cadre of trained clinicians on staff, we’re hoping that some of these emergencies can be deescalated on the phone,” Pierce noted. EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INPUT A3 is the result of a two-year, community-based effort from a team of health professionals and providers, police and fire agencies, county supervisors and officials from 19 Contra Costa cities, as well as patients and family members with lived experience of mental health struggles. Their
recommendations informed the design of the program, which is already being recognized as a model for other communities. Concord Mayor Dominic Aliano has great hopes for the new program. “A3 is the future,” he predicted. “We’ve seen a rising need for behavioral health services, especially since COVID. A3 is a program that will adapt with the times, and we are looking forward to its success.” The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors has demonstrated its support for the program in a big way, allocating an initial $5 million from Measure X revenues and $20 million a year thereafter. “A3 has been a high priority of the Board of Supervisors,” said Supervisor Candace
In Memoriam
This Memorial Day remember those who gave their lives serving their country
Andersen of District 2. “After seeing several tragic situations in our county where someone in a mental health crisis became violent, police were the first on the scene and despite their best efforts and training to diffuse the situation, injuries or loss of life took place, we knew we needed more.” Twenty-five percent of all individuals killed in policeinvolved shooti%ngs since 2015 had a known mental illness. Much of the impetus for A3 was the 2019 death of Miles Hall of Walnut Creek. The young Black man with mental health problems was killed by police who were responding to a call for help from his family. The A3 Community Crisis Hub call center is named after him.
Cpl. Victor Thole
Honor them with a special message in The Pioneer. Submit by May 9, online: PioneerPublishers.com/ Remembering Include Photo or Flag, Name, Military Branch, Dates of Service and up to 30-word Message
US Marine Corps. Served in the South Pacific Jan. 1941-Jun 1945 With our deepest gratitude for your honorable service.
De La Salle mock trial team places third in county championships
In Memoriam messages will appear on our website, social media page and in the May 20 issue of The Pioneer $75
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Chad Pierce, acting chief of Crisis Services for the county, told the Pioneer he is enthusiastic about the new program. “One in five U.S. adults have behavioral health issues, which are the third most common cause of ambulance calls nationwide,” he said. “A3 will offer a more coordinated and collaborative response to these crisis calls than in the past.” Pierce said the new system will employ cutting-edge technology to triage calls that come into 911 or the new A3 Miles Hall Crisis Hub (833-443-2672). “Clinicians will decide what level of response is appropriate,” he reported. “Teams that include mental health professionals, substance abuse counselors, if
Photo courtesy De La Salle High School
COLLABORATIVE RESPONSE
De La Salle High placed third in the Contra Costa County Mock Trials championship held virtually in January and February for the second straight year with 16 high schools, including Carondelet, taking part. The Contra Costa County Office of Education announced the results at a February awards ceremony where California High was presented with its fifth successive championship sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Top seeded De La Salle defeated Dougherty Valley in the consolation trial. De La Salle’s team included, front row from left, Yianni Dedes, Alex Eby, Gabe Tang, Jaden Fong; back row, Pierre Jolin, Malcom Caminero, Michael Giorgi, Tyler Laymon, Aidan Christen and attorney coach Mike Appel. Not pictured, Trevor Pico.
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Heather Donovan | 3 Bd/3 Ba | $TBD
Michelle Gittleman | 2 Bd/1.5 Ba | $530k
Kelly McDougall | 5 Bd/3.5 Ba | $1,695K
Lynne French Team | 2 Bd/1.5 Ba | $399K
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925.768.0352 michellegittleman@yahoo.com
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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been veriAll verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. fied. All measurements and square footage are approximate.
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Page 4
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
March 18, 2022
Local Druids’ Circle helps variety of community groups Serving our Local Community since 1977
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YESTERYEAR
Back in 1942, the Concord Naval Weapons Station was developed, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, car makers switched to making war materials and 26 countries agree to create the United Nations. And, the Mt. Diablo Circle 170 of the United Ancient Order of Druids was instituted. Launched in February 1942, the group of 34 included families, husbands/wives and mother/daughters. Many were Italian with names like DeBenedetti, Ginochio and Cereghino. There are now 122 who help keep the circle active. The Druids were from Ireland and migrated to Italy many years ago. Through the years, they came to the United States and spread across the nation. They call each group a circle, and the Concord Circle has been involved in the
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Grand Circle of California. Many members have become the Grand Arch Druidess of the state. Each year, they recognize those in need and give gift certificates that enable families to purchase food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Five years ago, they were able to help more than 400 families. They also donate to Meals on Wheels, Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association. Concord groups that have been recipients of their generosity include the Crisis Center, George Miller Center, Battered Women and the Concord Historical Society. Scholarships are another
your windows is a good place to start. Inclement weather has brought about debris and dirt, but the milder conditions provide an opportunity to brighten your view. SCOTT DENSLOW Meanwhile, get ahead of the heat by replacing filters ASK THE EXPERT in your air conditioner. Plan to change filters each month Vibrant colors and warmer temperatures are sig- until the weather cools again. Once it’s above 65 degrees, nals that it’s time for spring turn the AC on to ensure cleaning. that it’s blowing cool air. If Washing the exterior of
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there’s a problem, you can be at the front of the repair line – before HVAC companies become swamped. In the yard, rake any vegetation and lay mulch in flowerbeds and beneath shrubbery to protect against summer heat. It’s also a wonderful time to reseed the lawn and to check your sprinklers. Operate each station sequentially and ensure that each sprinkler head is upright, facing the correct direction, free of clogs and not being blocked by vegetation. Then run a full cycle to verify that everything operates correctly. Water pooling or low pressure could be a sign that underground pipes are cracked or leaking. 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.
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Carol Longshore has been a Concord resident since 1950. She is a community leader and past president of the Concord Historical Society. Send comments and suggestions for future topics to editor@pioneerpublishers.com.
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important factor for the circle. By pooling their money with sister and brother circles since 1952, they give 10-20 students scholarships each year. I was fortunate to attend the 80th anniversary celebration of the Concord Circle on 2/22/22. I enjoyed the camaraderie of women and men who have been friends all their lives and have the same philosophy of giving back to their community and serving the less fortunate. Congratulations Circle 170 and thank you for all you do for Concord.
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The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
Letters to the Editor ARPA funds for the arts
which the arts are an important part. We are asking the We are writing today on behalf of all the Concord arts city to please consider the nonprofit organizations in our Concord arts nonprofit sector in their ARPA funding decicity. The arts sector was one of the hardest affected during sions. The arts foster joy and a sense of belonging- bringing the Covid-19 pandemic- the first industry to be shut down us all together to heal after the and one of the last to reopen. pandemic. Please let the City We suffered more than a year Council know you support the and a half of being complete- arts in Concord with a letter to ARPA@cityofconcord.org ly closed with no Sylvia Amorino, Solo Opera, work/income, jobs lost, proArtistic Director gramming cancelled, and JanLee Marshall, B-8 Theater, donations/grants diminished. Artistic Director It has come to our attenJohn Nakanishi, Concord Art tion that the City of Concord Association, President has been awarded American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help organizations Questions about Clayton’s that were disproportionately proposed parcel tax impacted by the pandemic. I read with interest the artiThe funds are also meant for cle in the Pioneer (Feb. 8, tourism/ travel/culture for 2022) about the City Council
considering a $400 assessment for each parcel in Clayton. I am under the impression that we have about 4,000 homes in Clayton. If this is correct, and with a $400 tax, this would generate $1.6 million each year. With the shortfall of $672,366 in 2023 (according to the Pioneer), we would have $927,634 excess. Each of the subsequent years, until 2028, we would have sufficient funds to cover the shortfall. Not until 2028 does the shortfall exceed the proposed tax, but with more than $2 million reserve carried forward from the five previous years. I understand there is also currently a $5 million reserve. The proposed tax is excessive. Herb Yonge, Clayton
Page 5
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By Gloria Bruce, MCP, Executive Director at East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO) After years of work, the Concord City Council is moving forward to transform the Concord Naval Weapons Station into a vibrant part of our community. Housing costs and homelessness are two of the greatest challenges in the East Bay, and utilizing this public land is a valuable opportunity to address these problems. Concord First, the City’s chosen master developer, has signed up for a big challenge. Our member organizations build affordable homes with the same materials, quality finishes, and skilled union labor as more expensive homes, but we use specialized processes and funding to ensure affordability while contributing to overall economic growth. As mission-driven housing providers, we want the community to understand the process and ensure that
the full benefit of this opportunity is realized. So, we are writing today to share with you a bit about what we know from decades of regional experience, including 15 years of advocating and advising on the Base Reuse Project. Did you know, the project already has a requirement that 25% of the homes will be affordable to people who make less than 80% of the area median income? That’s more than 3,000 homes - a visionary commitment to house Contra Costa residents. These homes will be affordable, for example, to an elderly couple living on social security or a single mother with children. Hundreds must be set aside for people currently experiencing homelessness, which, in the best practices of experienced developers, helps people stay stably housed when paired with supportive services and integrated with the neighborhood. For this mixed-income community to take shape, the developer will have to identify or contribute funding to start
20 Malibu Ct. Clayton
piecing together a complex array of funding sources. A project usually must have some local funds to be competitive for state grants or federal tax credits that are set aside for affordable housing. That’s why committing to affordable housing and making a plan early on is important. The City and County’s affordable housing funds are limited, so Concord First’s contribution of land and some funding will be critical to the project’s success. The details of how homes are built matter a lot when we create affordable housing. To meet the city’s goal of a “world-class project” the homes and the plan need to be done right. For example, less than 5% of homes nationwide are accessible to people with mobility difficulties who need accessible design to safely move through their homes, and disabled people are much more likely to be low-income. Affordable apartment homes are often built as
See Bruce, page 7
League of Women voters keeps a watchful eye on democracy SUZAN REQUA Special to the Pioneer
With the Ukrainians’ courageous battle against the Russians for their people and their democracy, we are reminded of how critical it is to keep our democracy healthy with factual information and a fundamental belief in the rule of law and representative government. We are also learning how critical local journalism is as a foundation of informed and active participation in local government. The League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley (LWVDV) protects the right to vote by providing opportunities to build community participation in the democratic process. In sharing our activities, our advocacy and our voter services volunteering opportunities, we invite you to participate with us in Central, South and East Contra Costa County. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. You may already know of our all-volunteer voter services supporting voter registration, facilitating candidate forums and informing voters through pros & cons explanations of
state ballot measures. Our online Voter’s Edge (in English and Spanish) is particularly useful to help voters learn about local candidates and measures. Voter’s Edge is a free service for all candidates to submit information about their priorities, education, experience, endorsements and more. In this critical local election year, we are intent on promoting and facilitating strong, informed voter participation. LWVDV partners with the Contra Costa County Elections Department, the League of Women Voters West Contra Costa and Contra Costa Television to provide candidate roundtables, where voters can learn about candidates in a moderated setting. We are non-partisan and do not support political candidates nor political parties. Issues are not partisan. The league’s advocacy work is issue-based. We arrive at our positions based on careful study and input from our members in communities across the country. We never derive our positions from politicians, and even when candidates or parties support the same issue, we never endorse candidates or parties. Issues may evolve over the years, but our responsibility will always be first and foremost to the voters. Our league is fully committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in principle and in practice.
We engage communities in promoting positive solutions to public policy issues through education and advocacy. We have an active Action/Advocacy Committee, which meets monthly to discuss local issues. When the league has a position, we may advocate for or in opposition to an issue. We watch to see that democratic governmental bodies protect the citizens’ right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings and making public records accessible. Education activities include our Community Conversations events, with YouTube videos available afterward on the LWVDV and Contra Costa County Library websites. Recent topics have been racism as a public health crisis, accessing mental health services, homelessness and the first year of the Measure X sales tax. We are 102 years old. LWV was formed to educate and support millions of new voters. Join us as we begin our second century. Check the LWVDV website at https://my.lwv.org/california/diablo-valley to become a member, donate or learn more about what we have been doing and our advocacy opportunities. Check out the LWVDV YouTube Channel for recordings of recent Community Conversations.
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The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
March 18, 2022
Career prosecutor challenges Becton for District Attorney
PEGGY SPEAR ELECTION
2022
For years, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office operated like a well-oiled machine, considered the “gold standard” by many in the state. It touted a 90% conviction rate and developed mutual aid practices with nearby counties to apprehend criminals. That continued even during the three turbulent years of Mark Peterson’s reign, as he fought misconduct violations and eventually resigned. His strong, seasoned staff of deputy DAs kept rolling along, including the now famous Paul Holes. A SHIFT IN POLICIES Things changed, however, when Diana Becton became the first woman and Black to be elected as Contra Costa DA in 2018. Brash, confident and willing to take risks, the former trial judge took the office in a different direction – one that some have called soft on crime,
nationally: On one side a DA others have called sexist (She meanor conviction rate has faces a lawsuit for not promot- who wants to find other probeen drastically reduced to ing qualified women.) and one grams to help those accused of 50%. that has seen the loss of more crime, such as those cities who PROGRAMS TO than 20 deputies due to retire- want to defund police departCOMBAT CRIME ments. In the opposite corner, ment or taking other jobs. Beyond misdemeanors, As Becton seeks reelection, an experienced prosecutor who she has a challenger from with- “wants to protect the victims,” many county residents are scared by the “smash Knox says. in in what is becoming the and grab” robberies In an emailed political race with the greatest that plague area malls, question and answer implications for the county. including the notoriDeputy DA Mary Knox has interview, Becton disous Nordstrom melee spent her entire 37-year career putes the claim that in Walnut Creek last crime is on the rise, in the Contra Costa DA’s December. citing a study that office, and on the homicide Knox says that team since 2007. In a 1½-hour showed in 2020 that she has a threeinterview with the Pioneer, the Contra Costa County pronged plan to candidate lamented the loss of was only one of the MARY attack that sort of three largest counties experience, what she calls the KNOX crime, including a “easy” stance Becton is taking in the state where gun “mutual aid” conhomicides on misdemeanor cept that should be employed went down. crimes and the disthroughout the Bay Area to Knox counters mantling of several strategically shut down access with the fact that in programs she helped routes for potential retail tar2018, 58 major to create to solve gets to intervene and prevent crimes were solved, crimes. crime before it happens; preand in 2019, under “I never thought I vent the use of freeways as Becton, there were would be a district “crime corridors” by using two. attorney, but some“I can’t stand by license plate cameras; and disthing has to change,” DIANA rupt the use of social media and watch what is Knox says. BECTON as a tool to plan and profit happening,” Knox The veteran DDA from the crimes. says. spearheaded such proFor her part, Becton insists As a life-long Democrat, grams as installing cameras on Knox said she was hopeful, as she is not “soft on crime.” county freeways to help catch In a written response, she most in the district attorney’s freeway criminals and “getoffice were, that Becton would said: “I understand that everyaway” vehicles and brought together different jurisdictions be successful. “Regrettably, she one in our county deserves to to help catch violent criminals has been the opposite,” Knox feel safe in our homes and communities. That’s why we notes. from other counties commitfocus our important resources She says Becton’s lack of ting crimes in Contra Costa. on combating violent crime experience and “incompeand supporting victims, includDIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES tence” has led to a significant ON PUNISHMENT ing co-leading the FBI Safe drop in conviction rates. For In some ways, the race Streets Task Force addressing decades, that rate was more reflects what is going on violent gang crime throughout than 90%. Now, the misde-
of crime and youth and addressed racial disparities. I am committed to keeping our communities safe, leading the DA’s office with integrity, and administering justice in a fair and transparent manner.” Responding to claims that there has been a mass exodus from the DA’s office, she is quite adamant: “Simply put, this is false.” Becton did not address Knox's claims of more than 20 attorneys leaving under her tenure, yet she attached a chart that showed 27 retirements or resignations since she took over in 2018. Instead, she countered, "The Contra Costa County DA’s Office's hiring practices have not changed except to enhance and increase our diversity. We are typical of any DEBATE OVER other DA’s office and law firm STAFFING ISSUES in that we have a robust sumWhen asked what Becton mer program to make sure we considers her three major have a strong pipeline for talaccomplishments while in ent and future district attoroffice, she answers with broad neys." strokes. But Knox is frustrated “For the past four years, I about the loss of “hundreds have been proud to lead a of years” of experience. “It staff of more than 200 peowouldn’t have happened were ple, which includes attorneys, it not for the culture of the investigators and victim witoffice under the current disness and support staff, and trict attorney.” oversee a budget of $49 milLook for this race to take lion. I have held those who on a life of its own as we inch harm our residents and our closer to the June 7 election. communities accountable, launched new policies to prePeggy Spear is a journalist and vent crime and focused on frequent contributor to the Pioneer. treatment and prevention, Email questions and comments to increased support for victims peggy.spear@gmail.com
the county and coordinating the resources of federal, state and local law enforcement on violent crime.” Knox said she helped create those programs, and it irks her that Becton is taking credit for them. Becton continues in the email: “That’s also why we established a Cold Case Homicide Unit to pursue justice for the victims and families of unsolved murders and why we worked hard to eliminate backlog of untested sexual assault kits, launch a Human Trafficking Unit and are prosecuting those who commit hate crimes.” Knox says that it was her idea to start the Human Trafficking Unit, taking the lead in making it happen.
Immediate action needed to address homelessness Editor: As part of our Election 2022 coverage, the Pioneer poses one question a month to local candidates running in the June Primary. This month, we asked the supervisor candidates what their first steps will be in addressing the needs of the county’s homeless population. Debora Allen did not submit a response.
for quick response 4. We need to change our approach to those that are dysfunctional because of the over lapping issues of addiction and mental illness to have detention in appropriate facilities. 5. A real focus on preventing homelessness is needed. As a society, we need to have a real conversation. We must decide if, as many have EDI BIRSAN advocated, we are going to take The unhoused represent a the approach of “Get Help or serious problem to all of us Get Out”. What say you? not just on a level of KEN CARLSON Over the last two years the compassion but also of state budget has seen significant sursafety and p l u s e s quality of despite prolife issues. jections of There shortfalls needs to be based on a substanthe pantial change EDI demic. With in the poliBIRSAN these surcies. pluses the 1. We need to secure land KEN Gover nor to set up organized safe CARLSON has allocatencampments while better ed signifihousing is transitioned 2. We need to secure safe cant funding to housing, parking for those that are in homelessness and behavioral health. I will direct county staff their cars 3. We need to expand our to aggressively seek every dolshelters throughout the county lar available in state funding
and grants and specifically allocate it to increased supportive, transitional, and affordable housing opportunities we can create. I will create public/private partnerships to build supportive and transitional housing providing opportunities for the unhoused. It is imperative that we create housing that has support services onsite that meet the needs of our unhoused population. We must partner with our nonprofit partners to increase housing opportunities and great services to our unhoused neighbors. ROXANNE GARZA There is so much the County can do and that I will push for once elected. According the to the Measure X Community Needs Assessment, Contra Costa needs 32,000 affordable rental homes to meet demand from very-low-income and extremely-low-income residents. This low-income housing scarcity, and the resulting dramatic rise in rents, is a leading cause of homelessness. As a member of the Measure X Community Advisory Board, I supported the statement that, “solving our housing crisis is beyond the scope of the rev-
enue to be generated by the sales tax, but these revenues could be used as County matching funds to ROXANNE leverage GARZA new State funding for affordable housing production and preservation, and to alleviate homelessness”. I will work to coordinate the service of the county with the on-the-ground experiences of city residents who are unhoused. We must treat the unhoused residents with dignity and not “sweep” their shelter without offering alternative housing. CARLYN OBRINGER A. Upon entering office, I would create a task force to leverage as much public and private dollars to jumpstart housing production. For example, I am currently involved with many initiatives underway to address homelessness and housing in Contra Costa County, including the All Home Regional Action Plan,
the Plan for Accelerating Transformative Housing, and the Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition’s “Yes In God’s Backyard” efforts. In Concord, I am leading initiatives to assist the unsheltered, that include a full-time Coordinated Outreach Referral Engagement Team, a behavCARLYN ioral health OBRINGER
clinician, and a “homelessness czar.” Unfortunately, there is a lack of connectivity between these city and county initiatives, even though much of the developable land is located in cities, and most of the resources to address homelessness, behavioral health, and substance abuse, are received by the County. I would continue my collaborative leadership and partnerships between cities, private sector, and the County to streamline these processes to better serve our community.
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update, add or delete any other software you have installed at any time. You trust the AV software to protect the very assets you hold most dear, like privacy, security and anti-intrusion. But you may never know if a foreign government ordered Kaspersky, or other companies linked to Russia, to add spy software to the AV. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) like ours is not perfect, but having eyes that are more technical on the subject gives users a more comprehensive and safe approach to the issue. Our company is actively perusing alternatives, because the software we use, while not in Russian hands, could be a future target of these maniacs.
We are sourcing only U.S.made AV and you should as well. As a public service to residences of Contra Costa County, we are offering a free technical review of your AV software. We use a remote system to access your computer and examine your security, so you don’t need to bring in your computer. If you need to change your AV software to a better product, or switch to SentinelOne, we can help. For more information, visit https://www.sentinelone.com or call 925-672-9989.
Cooking, from page 1
experience with students having learning and behavioral problems in the classroom following brunch and lunch due to their dietary choices. Gershen opened Sunrise Bakery and Catering 41 years ago in Walnut Creek. Now called Sunrise Bistro and Catering, Gershen’s restaurant was founded on the strength of her grandmother’s pastries. During that time, Gershen gained and then lost over 100 pounds and the menu evolved as she “realized that sugary and processed foods (even homemade ones) were no good for her, her family or the community.” Her daughter Rose also lost 50 pounds with mother and daughter educating themselves about nutrition and healthy cooking. They dropped the pounds and started spreading their message to those around them. Gershen has taught at Mt. Diablo since 2010 in the school’s renowned International Hospitality and Tourism Academy, which operates Serendipity Restaurant utilizing many ingredi-
ents grown in its on-campus garden. She has 100 of the 300 Academy students in her classes each year teaching them about sustainable hospitality, food and nutrition, and business management. She considers her teaching position at Mt. Diablo “a calling, not a job.” Machi mentioned that MDUSD’s 47 schools are part of “Eat Real” and is aiming to be a “food producing school district.” He says the national organization currently works with 213 districts around the country to provide kids with real food access and education. Coming out of the pandemic he hopes to have salad bars back on local campuses next year. He is also a proponent of the non-profit Growing Healthy Kids, a gardenthemed nutrition education curriculum developed at Oregon State University. Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark says, “Healthy food contributes to a strong body and sharp mind. MDUSD is proud of the efforts of so many to ensure students have healthy food choices.”
quartet discussed healthy eating habits and how sugar and sport drinks, in particular, have caused the rise in American’s obesity. Dr. Lustig, who met Gershen in 2008 when he was speaking at John Muir Medical Center Concord across the street from Mt. Diablo High, is a leading expert on childhood obesity. A four-man professional crew stationed in front of the attractive kitchen set in Gershen’s classroom in the MDHS Home Economics Building, filmed the 30minute program using two cameras. Following post-production work, a day later the latest episode was posted on its “Farm to Taste” YouTube channel. Theresa Harrington, MDUSD communications officer, says Contra Costa Television edTV channel launched the first program in a new 10-week series Feb. 9. As technical and production details are finetuned the YouTube channel will livestream new shows weekly at 1 p.m. Wednesdays. Gershen and her students raised the money for the first 10 shows and are seeking sponsors to continue the series. The topic of childhood obesity and the ills of
consuming too much sugar were presented in a casual conversational manner with Gershen especially interjecting lighthearted moments in the discussion of such a serious topic. Discussing complex scientific reasons for the way sugars react in the human body, Lustig and Gershen used simple phrases to drive home their points such as “change the food, change the future” and “show me what you eat, and I’ll show you what you are.” Lustig came to public prominence in 2009 when one of his medical lectures, “Sugar: The Bitter Truth,” became popular on YouTube. He is professor emeritus of pediatrics in the UCSF division of endocrinology. He is also director of their WATCH program (Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health) and president and co-founder of the nonprofit Institute for Responsible Nutrition. Gershen provided the recipes for Lustig’s “The Fat Chance Cookbook,” a follow up to his 2013 New York Times bestseller “Fat Chance.” Gershen and Stein mentioned their firsthand accessible homes connected with transit that residents need to reach promised amenities schools, sports fields, and a new regional park. This new community is next to the North Concord BART Station, so it should be designed to give residents - disabled or company, showed up to lend a not, lower-income or triplehand. digit earners, white, Black, or Sixteen volunteers, including brown - every incentive to two small children of the Fiacre hop on the train. We can build staff armed with trash pickers the homes we need, prevent and bags, scoured the neighborhood around Solano Plaza. Diaz, who works in the financial services sector, hopes this firm’s random act of kindness becomes contagious in the area’s corporate community.
Bruce, from page 5
Hero, from page 1 and his merry band have achieved, to watch it revert to its prior state is a gut punch. “Seeing an area get trashed within days of cleaning it up is really disheartening. Plain and simple: I really wish people would stop trashing our community,” said Diaz. “I wish people really understood that the Swisher Sweet wrapper they toss on the ground ends up getting washed into storm drains and ultimately ends up polluting our Bay.” RECRUITING MORE VOLUNTEERS
Still, the 40-year-old Diaz presses on to get the word out to bring others on board. He tapped the talents of friend Steve Pate, who came up with the idea of starting the Clean Streets-Concord Facebook group. “In my defense, trying to get people to pick up trash on a Saturday morning isn’t exactly most people’s idea of a good time,” Diaz joked. However, the outing on the first Saturday of March was particularly uplifting for Diaz. His regular small group of hearty souls got a dramatic boost as nine members of the staff of Fiacre, a Concord
William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to willclaney@gmail.com.
PAYING IT FORWARD As part of the cleanup effort in recent years, Diaz also started training a vine to scale a wall in the area of Grant Street and Overhill Road to help deter graffiti vandalism. Diaz didn’t know how many coats of paint now cover the wall, but his green thumb appears to be working. Others like Diaz are taking steps to beautify and care for their little corners of the world, such as Gabbi Cerezo, who hosts a monthly cleanup at Meadow Homes Park. Time will tell if Diaz’s efforts inspire more residents around Concord, Clayton and Pleasant Hill to roll up their sleeves to fight the blight in their neighborhoods. But one can only hope. And hope is a good thing.
and reduce homelessness, and ensure connections to transit to keep Highway 4 less congested for current and future residents. In April, the City Council has the opportunity to hold Concord First to high standards; and Concord First has a chance to partner with non-profits, make their vision real with a financial commitment, and do affordable housing right.
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The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
March 18, 2022
From the desk of...
Concord mayor calls for input on meeting housing needs My parents moved from San Francisco to Concord in 1989 seeking a better quality of life. They wanted a community where they could afford to buy a house with a yard and plenty of space for my sisters and me to safely ride our bikes through the neighborhood and run around with our friends. Back then, Concord was considered a “bedroom community” – families lived and played here but commuted into larger city centers for work. Over the last 30 years, Concord has evolved into a vibrant city with many more
business centers and local jobs, as well as popular restaurants and shops that are a destination for residents and visitors alike. It is still a desirable place to live, but it isn’t the bedroom community it used it be. We have a mix of housing types with higher density properties throughout the city, including in our downtown and near our BART stations. Like other cities throughout California, however, we simply do not have enough housing to meet the demand – especially for lower-income households. Every eight years, Califor-
Resident participation needed in Pleasant Hill’s general plan update mandatory GP elements, the Housing Element must be updated every eight years and is subject to review and approval by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Major components of the Housing Element include a housing needs assessment, the identification of sites for housing at all income levels, a MICHAEL G. HARRIS review of constraints to housing, and updated policies and PLEASANT HILL programs to carry out the MAYOR goals of the updated element. The Housing Element is a Just as our country cannot coordinated and comprehenfunction without a constitusive city strategy for supporttion, cities cannot function ing safe, decent and affordwithout a General Plan (GP). able housing in the communiJust like the constitution, ty. which is updated with amendIn early 2021, the Associaments, the GP is updated on a tion of Bay Area Governregular basis so it continues to ments provided the city with a express the mission and goals draft Regional Housing Needs of our residents. Unlike the Allocation, which determines Constitution, the GP requires the number of housing units input from all members of for which the city must desigour community. nate appropriately zoned land. The GP is local governThe city must demonstrate ment’s long-term framework that there is sufficient land for future growth and develavailable to accommodate the opment. It represents the housing need. community’s view of its To get broad public input, future and expresses commu- the city has hosted a Housing nity goals. It contains the aspi- Element Workshop, an interrations and polices upon active webinar, and multiple which the Pleasant Hill City General Plan Advisory ComCouncil and Planning Committee meetings to provide mission will base land-use information and clarity on this decisions. Typically, a GP is complex issue. designed to address the issues The next steps are to finalfacing the city for the next 20 ize a preferred land use alteryears. native that includes potential The GP is made up of a housing sites to satisfy collection of “elements,” or requirements of the Housing topic categories. The state Element and to complete all currently requires nine eleGP draft elements. ments: land use, circulation, We want your involvement housing, conservation, open in this process. To find out space, noise, safety, environmore about the General Plan mental justice and air quality. update and be part of the Communities may include conversation, please visit other elements that address www.pleasanthill2040.com. local concerns, such as economic development, commuEmail questions and comments nity character and urban for Mayor Harris to design. mharris4ph@gmail.com Pleasant Hill adopted its current General Plan in 2003. I chaired that GP committee. While the existing GP is serving the community well, the city has initiated an update to refine the plan, address Gov. Gavin Newsom and emerging trends and changes the Department of Housing to state law, consider new and Community Development issues and remove completed (HCD) recently released the measures. The city intends Statewide Housing Plan, a this effort to result in a comroadmap to solve our housing munity-driven plan based on production and affordability the desire of the residents for crisis. the next 20 years. I know that these issues, We started the General along with our growing homePlan update in 2019, with lessness crisis, are incredibly progress occurring throughimportant to our Bay Area out the year. While the pancommunity, so I wanted to demic delayed some progress, take a moment to share my work continued – including initial thoughts on the plan updating the GP Housing and the data. Element in spring 2021. The housing situation in The state requires every California is undeniably dire jurisdiction to include a Housfor renters, homeowners and ing Element as part of the prospective buyers alike. The General Plan. Unlike other
nia cities are required to update the Housing Element, which is a state-mandated plan for how we meet our housing needs. Based on a Regional Housing Needs Assessment, Concord must plan for an additional 5,000 housing units for 2023-’31. Our planning team launched the Housing Element update last summer, with the intention of finalizing it in early 2023. The primary focus is to ensure decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing for current and future residents. It contains goals, policies and programs to provide adequate housing for Concordians at all income levels. As a renter, I understand how challenging it is to find and keep affordable housing. Over the last 30 years, wages have not kept pace with the cost of living in California, which is why it is so much harder for people my age to
the needs of our current and future residents. We need housing that works for everyone. One key element of this process is community feedback. I realize that the city has requested a lot of feedback recently on everything from investing federal funding to redistricting, but hearing about your housing needs is even DOMINIC ALIANO more vital. Our team hosted a few CONCORD MAYOR Town Hall meetings last fall buy a home today than it was and is conducting a digital survey through March 31. You for my parents when they can access the survey in Engmoved to Concord. lish and Spanish through the When I talk with family members and friends who are project website at concordhousingelement.org. now leaving the Bay Area, I The information gathering hear a common theme: They will continue with one more are looking for a community where they can afford to buy a Town Hall meeting, noon-2 p.m. Sunday, March 27, at home. Updating Concord’s Hous- Todos Santos Plaza. Community members can learn more ing Element to address the about the Housing Element current situation is critical to producing and protecting the update, have conversations with the project team, provide kind of housing that meets
input and feedback to help the City Council make wellinformed decisions and find out how to participate as the update continues. Spanish translation will be provided. Updating the Housing Element is a complex process that relies on a number of data points. Community input is a significant component, and we want to know that our community has had a chance to weigh in. We know that Concord needs more housing at all affordability levels. Through this process, we will create an action plan for how to get there. If you would like to receive email updates about the Housing Element, please subscribe at concordhousingelement.org. Email questions and comments to the mayor at Dominic.Aliano@cityofconcord.org
Clayton council continues to refine potential tax measure PETER CLOVEN
CLAYTON MAYOR
(police, parks, etc.). While Clayton has an approximate $6 million reserve, budgeting into that reserve is unsound fiscal policy that cannot be sustained; those are not ongoing revenues. Why Didn’t We Know? As discussed during a recent council meeting, prior councils saw future financial deficiencies but didn’t want to be premature in requesting funds. While no City Council wants to ask for additional General Fund revenue, the alternative outlook does not allow Claytonians to have the services needed to remain a viable, thriving city. All City Council members are unified in their desire to find a revenue measure that meets our city’s financial needs. Parcel tax amounts mentioned (e.g., $200 per parcel or $400 per parcel) are preliminary, as we are working with our consultant to gain an appropriate amount and tax vehicle that are acceptable to our residents in order to cover any future shortfalls. We will find a solution in the next couple months to present to you. I assure you that you will be informed with a unified message that brings clarity. I hope you will participate in the discussions at future council meetings.
Thank you for your engagement with last month’s front page Pioneer article about a revenue measure for November’s ballot. The feedback in my email and voicemail has been tremendous, with the primary questions being “Why can’t we just tighten our belt before raising taxes?” and “Why did we not know about this before it became urgent?” These are tough questions that deserve honest answers. Why not tighten our belt? In review of past City Council conversations, the council has always sought to live within its means. While our revenues grow at approximately <2% per year, our expenses have grown at approximately 4% per year. Past city councils have adjusted budgets to meet annual revenues. Clayton’s staff (administrative and police) are paid 20-30% below comparable nearby cities. This has caused recent turnover, which led to challenges to ongoing city services. Finding talented staff is difficult ACCESSING and expensive. Labor ‘BALANCING ACT’ accounts for more than 65% The interactive planning of our annual General Fund tool “Balancing Act” is availcosts. Reducing staff is not able for public input through realistic without significant April 3. reductions in city services Balancing Act is a great
tool to start more engaged conversations with residents about the Housing Element. Please take the time and submit your ideas to the city. I personally noted parcels that were not included on the map and submitted them to staff for consideration. If you have ideas for parcels
not included, I encourage you do the same at housingelement@claytonca.gov. As always, please contact me directly with your questions or comments at peterc@claytonca.gov or 925-673-7320.
County government works better when citizens get involved ernment is simply by having your voice heard by your elected officials. Whether that is through contacting the Board of Supervisors directly or by providing comment in our public meetings, speaking your views is a critical element of public participation. One small silver lining of the pandemic is that remote KAREN MITCHOFF meetings of the Board of COUNTY Supervisors offered the public a great deal more access to SUPERVISOR share their perspectives. Instead of traveling to a meetPublic participation in goving in person, folks could call ernment of all levels is at the or Zoom in to share public cornerstone of our democracomment. cy. When the Board of SuperI am pleased this month to visors returns to in-person share information about how meetings in our Board Chamyou can get engaged with the bers on March 29, Zoom and process of Contra Costa telephone options will remain County government and the available to the public – keepopportunities available to lend ing that important virtual door your experience and expertise. for participation wide open. The first and most fundamental way to engage in govSee Mitchoff, page 9
Delving into the new Statewide Housing Plan
TIM GRAYSON
14TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT top five most common occupations in California pay less than the wage needed to afford a home, and the
median sales price of a singlefamily home has soared to a record high of $827,940. Homeownership continues to move further out of reach for many Californians. As a result, 67,000 renters in Contra Costa County pay more than 30% of their household income toward rent, and 35% of Contra Costa owner households with a mortgage are in the same boat. There is also a statewide issue of inequity. Nearly twothirds of Black households are cost-burdened; 40% of young adults in California live with their parents; and 70% of low-income families cannot
afford their homes. The list of how California’s housing and affordability crisis is affecting its residents goes on and on. The HCD plan lists several causes for this crisis, including housing segregation and racial exclusion, fees on development, local jurisdictions shirking their housing responsibilities, and convoluted entitlement and regulatory schemes. In the East Bay, we have certainly felt the burdens of large cities like San Francisco not doing their part to approve new affordable housing developments – placing additional pressure on our already strained market.
But there is some good news in HCD’s plan. I am proud to say that my work in the Legislature, along with that of my colleagues, has had an impact on some of the key barriers to housing production. With the help of San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, Habitat for Humanity, Silicon Valley at Home and more, we have passed laws to lower fees on new development, strengthen enforcement of housing laws and streamline housing approvals. I am particularly excited to
See Grayson, page 9
March 18, 2022
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
Page 9
Plant now to enjoy best of summer veggies
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
It’s vegetable and herb planting time. Tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers can safely be installed now that the evening temperatures have stabilized and are on the rise. Tomatoes are the most sought-after veggie installation. When advising folks on what types of tomatoes to install, we ask a lot of questions about what they want to do with their tomatoes. Are you looking for the heavy, fleshy varieties? Are you interested in juicy varieties for sandwiches? Do you make
sauces, or like to pick and eat straight from the plant? Early Girl is the most popular selection. It’s early ripening, successful and very tasty. Early Girl gives huge crops of 4-6-ounce tomatoes. They only take 55-65 days after flower sets to ripen, making them some of the earliest tomatoes you’ll enjoy. San Marzano Roma style tomatoes are for those who love to make tomato sauces. They have meaty flesh, fewer seeds and thinner skin than other selections. They are pearshaped and bright red when ripe. Plants grow 36 inches tall and wide, and fruit should begin to ripen after 75 days. All Roma style tomatoes are susceptible to blossom end rot so you need to work agricultural lime into the soil prior to planting. The lime will increase the calcium and magnesium in the soil, which will curb the blackening at the bottoms of your tomatoes.
Garden photos by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash.com
Grayson from page 8 announce that because of my bill, AB 1483 (2019), HCD included a first-in-the-nation 10-Year Housing Data Strategy in this year’s plan. The strategy will guide the state’s development of a comprehensive and accessible data platform that will help citizens, researchers, activists and policymakers to understand the depth and complexity of our housing crisis. Despite the real progress made in the last few years, we have a long way to go. HCD found that we must plan for
more than 2.5 million homes over the next 8 years, and no less than 1 million of those homes must meet the needs of lower-income households. We are never going to get there with a business-as-usual approach. That’s why I am continuing to fight for stronger housing laws this year. I’m partnering with the California Association of Realtors to keep homes in the hands of California families and out of Wall Street portfolios (AB 2170), working with State Controller Betty Yee and
Mitchoff from page 8
For tomato lovers interested in heirloom varieties, Cherokee Purple has been rewarding and productive. The bi-color, purplish-red fruit is sweet and fleshy. Brandywine tomatoes are also a good producer that ripen 90 days after flower. Sun Gold tomatoes are a favorite cherry style tomato. Kellogg’s Breakfast is a gigantic, orange tomato with beefsteak flavors. People have a passion for pepper plants, too, because they are extremely successful in both beds and containers. Many boast of great yields that last into the early days of fall. Hot pepper favorites are the jalapeno, habanero and Fresno chilis. Sweet favorites include Italian Marconi Red, shishito and banana. Standard pepper installs are the bell pepper family in all its many colors, including the ancho poblano, which is great grilled or stuffed, and the Anaheim, which lends its mild flavor to rice and chicken dishes. Peppers do not take up that much room in your raised bed, with most reaching 18-24 inches tall and wide. They are also easy to grow in containers. There’s more to squash than zucchini. Soft-skinned favorites are summer or scallop squash members, yellow straight and
Treasurer Fiona Ma to rethink the way we coordinate our affordable housing financing agencies (AB 2305), and teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to fight for homeownership in the state budget. I look forward to working with the governor, my colleagues and anyone else committed to California’s success to finally turn the corner and set us on a path to a future where every Californian has a stable, affordable home. Reach Assemblyman Tim Grayson at (925) 521-1511. Visit or write the district office 2151 Salvio Street, Suite P, Concord, CA 94520
large countywide openings that you can view and apply for at the above link. Submit The best way to find infor- civic responsibility is by join- applications online or return to the Clerk of the Board of mation about and participate ing a county board or comSupervisors, County Adminisin upcoming Board of Super- mission. In District 4, I have tration Building, 1025 Escobar visors meetings, as well as four current openings to be meetings of other county appointed by my office: Coun- St., 1st Floor, Martinez, CA committees, is by exploring tywide Bicycle Advisory Com- 94553. I encourage everyone to our agenda center at mittee, Assessment Appeals get involved in our local govhttps://www.contracosta.ca.g Board District 4 Alternate 3, ernment. Whether it is by ov/4664/Board-MeetingLibrary Commission District 4 speaking about your views or Agendas-and-Videos. This site Alternate and Aviation Adviby lending your time and has videos of past meetings, sory Commission District 4 expertise, our county and published agendas and the Seat. community is better for your dates of upcoming meetings. Application forms can be participation. For questions Within each linked agenda, obtained by calling the Clerk about how to get involved, you will find information of the Board of Supervisors call my office at 925-818-2679 about how to participate in at (925) 655-2000 or at person, on Zoom or by https://www.contracosta.ca.g or email supervisormitchoff@bos.cccounty.us. phone. ov/6408/Boards-and-ComKaren Mitchoff is Contra Another excellent way to missions-Database. Costa County District IV participate and exercise your There are also several atsupervisor.
crook necks. Hard-shelled squash lasts for months in the pantry and is simple to grow with proper irrigation. Acorn ‘Table Queen,’ Delicata and Butternut squash are impressive looking in your garden, productive yielders and flavorful. Cucumbers are mysterious in the garden. Some years they are productive and other years they are a bust. However, we keep trying. Lemon and Armenian cucumbers are the two most popular selections. The lemon is a great personalsized cucumber, and the fruit is mild. The Armenian cucumber is massive. Peel this selection and remove the seeds, and it’s perfect for cucumber salads. Diva is a productive selection of Persian-style cucumbers that is easy to grab and munch. Install vegetable plants into well-amended, rich, replenished soil. Once planted, work
a granular, organic tomato/veggie fertilizer into the soil. Make sure your fertilizer has calcium to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers. Use granular fertilizer every six weeks. Between granular feedings, apply water-soluble fertilizer depending on the plants’ stage. Give young plants something with more nitrogen, while flowering or fruiting plants should have something with a bloom focus. 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
Please join Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael G. Harris for his 2022 State of the City address to community leaders, local businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profits, students and others devoted to Pleasant Hill. $45 per person. For reservations, please visit: www.pleasanthillca.org/mayortickets or call (925) 687-0700
Visit PleasantHillChamber.com for more details
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March 18, 2022
Developers want new trial for Pittsburg’s Faria project KAREN JENKINS Correspondent
Developers of a residential project proposed for unincorporated land south of Pittsburg have filed a motion for a new trial following a Feb. 10 Contra Costa County Superior Court ruling that halted the plan because of an inadequate environmental report. The long-planned proposal calls for 1,650 homes on 606 acres in the unincorporated hills south of Pittsburg. Last month’s court ruling denied Discovery Builders Inc. and Faria Land Investors LLC from proceeding with the Faria/Southwest Hills project that the Pittsburg City
Council approved unani- units the night of the (2021 Pittsburg council) presentamously in February 2021. tion without any kind of C HALLENGE FROM SAVE environmental review.” MOUNT DIABLO The court noted inadeThe court decision came quate information for 150 after Save Mount Diablo dwellings, as well as unad(SMD), a land trust conserva- dressed water supply and air tion organization in existence quality impacts. for 50 years, launched a legal “They had many opportuchallenge to the project. nities to correct their misSMD said the development takes, and they didn’t,” would involve extensive grad- Adams said of the environing on hillsides, ridgeline mental report. “They were development and impacts to trying to call it a master plan the East Bay Regional Park without a plan. The courts District’s Thurgood Marshall said ‘No.’ ” Regional Park. Seth Adams, SMD’s land NEW HEARING MARCH 24 conservation director, called In a motion filed Feb. 24, the environmental report the developer is asking “for a “egregiously bad.” He said new trial in the case challengthe developers “added 150 ing the city’s environmental
If the project is approved, the city of Pittsburg would annex the county land.
Photo by Cooper Ogden
The Faria/Southwest Hills development in unincorporated Pittsburg goes back to court March 24, after the Contra Costa County Superior Court ruled against the plan last month. The land overlooks the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.
review of the Faria project to looked when it ruled that the have the court reconsider evi- city’s environmental review dence that it may have over- fell short in three relatively minor respects,” said Louis Parsons, president of Discovery Builders. A spokesperson said a court date has been set for March 24. “Once all the evidence is considered, Discovery is confident that the court will find that the city’s environmental review is comprehensive and focus on as you work toward satisfactory,” Parsons said. your goals: • Lying on the mat no matter the location. Follow us on Facebook • Jumping in on their own when the mat is in the tub. Make sure there is a nonslip mat in the tub for this step. • Interacting with grooming tools willingly. • Brushing your pet with the non-bristle side and being handled. Handling is especially important for birds.
Training your pet to enjoy bubbles and brushes smell of lavender and soft massaging touches come to mind. These are all tools to STEPHANIE help us relax. Try to have a ZABLAH-KRUGER similar mindset when setting BEYOND THE LEASH up the environment for your pet. Whether you have a long Use lavender scents to or short-haired cat, rabbit or reduce stress and play calming dog, every pet will need to be music on almost any app on groomed and bathed at some your phone. Spotify specificalpoint. ly has playlists to help reduce Birds don’t hate baths, but stress in dogs and cats. they will need their flight Prevent slipping or sliding feathers trimmed periodically. in the tub by placing a nonI’ll start with ways to make slip mat on the bottom, makbrushing and bath time a little ing the bathing process a lot less awkward, followed by less scary. Have a designated training steps to teach your area where you will perform a pet that grooming isn’t all that brushing session and associate bad. all good things in that area. You can also smear a spreadSETTING THE STAGE able treat along the edge of When I think of a spa, low the bathtub or use a silicone lighting, candles, calming lick-mat with some peanut music, warm towels, oils, the
butter or cream cheese on it as a treat while they’re in the tub. For bunnies, try pureed apples, carrots or bananas. Use a calm voice and a soothing, massaging touch. Our animals feed off our energy. If we bring an aura of stress and chaos into the picture, our animals become stressed as well. GOING TO THE MAT Mat training is an essential tool that you can use to your advantage. All good things happen on the mat, which can be transferred to the tub to help promote a calm environment. Place grooming tools around the mat and gently introduce your pets to the necessary equipment. Here are some “reward points” to
‘A SECOND CHANCE’ Adams called last month’s decision “a major victory” for Pittsburg’s hills and for preserving “open space, habitat for wildlife and the community’s scenic views.” Anticipating a counter to the decision, he said that after correcting environmental documents, the Pittsburg City Council could approve the project. “They have a second chance to make it better by protecting the ridgeline and neighboring regional park.” Developers are confident the project will go forward. “The General Plan for Pittsburg designates this area for residential; Pittsburg’s Planning Commission recommended approval of this project; the City Council unanimously approved this project by a 5-0 vote; and local residents approved inclusion of this land within Pittsburg’s Urban Limit Line for development of homes when they approved Measure P,” Parsons said.
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SPORTS & LIFESTYLE March 18, 2022
Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 The Arts . . . . . . . . . . .B5
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Clayton Valley Charter boys basketball makes history as local schools tally 5 North Coast Section championships JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
Clayton Valley Charter High School has a distinguished basketball tradition going back to its early years with Hall of Fame coach Bruce Iversen and his rosters of standout players topped by Bob Thomason through the recent past when coach Eric Bamberger and CVCHS had the top seeded team in North Coast Section. But none of those teams accomplished what secondyear coach Frank Allocco Jr. and his Ugly Eagles boys did this month. And that’s win a North Coast Section championship. Clayton Valley Charter defeated Dougherty Valley of
San Ramon 76-71 to capture the Division I title and etch their names in the school history books. Ugly Eagles basketball was joined by De La Salle wrestling and Carondelet basketball claiming NCS titles. The Spartan and Cougar soccer teams also won Section soccer titles for a large haul of hardware by local schools. More history was made locally when Mt. Diablo High girls basketball, knocked out of NCS Division V in the semifinals, gained a berth in the Northern California playoffs for the first time ever and coach Ronnie McGee’s team won its NoCal first game before being eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Photo courtesy Carondelet High Athletics
Carondelet won its second NCS championship in the past three Division I Section tournaments with a 3-0 victory over EBAL rival California.
CLAYTON VALLEY BOY HOOPSTERS NO. 1 CVCHS finished fourth in the super competitive Diablo Athletic League behind Campolindo, Miramonte and Northgate, all of whom were placed in the six-team NCS Open Division playoffs. Campo won the DAL and NCS championships before losing in the Northern California championship game last week. Allocco says, “I am so proud of how much this team has trusted me and the process throughout the challenges of the pandemic and also us losing some games early in the season. [Note: The Ugly Eagles lost three of their first four DAL games.] “They never wavered and trusted that we would play our best basketball when it mattered, and we certainly had a great run culminating in a section championship. This team has set the standard that all future Clayton Valley basketball players will strive to reach!” The 76 points Clayton Valley Charter scored in the NCS championship game were the most they tallied all season as Allocco has brought the same defensive-minded philosophy his father used to win State championships at both Northgate and De La Salle. Following their NCS title, CVCHS was placed in Division I at NorCals as the 14th seed. They lost a heart-breaking 43-37 overtime game to third seed and eventual finalist St. Ignatius of
Photo courtesy CVCHS Athletics
Clayton Valley Charter 2021-22 basketball is now part of the Concord school’s sports history after the Ugly Eagles won the school’s first-ever North Coast Section boys championship for coach Frank Allocco Jr. (second from right).
San Francisco after a spirited rally in the fourth quarter by the Ugly Eagles forced the extra period. The only other CVCHS basketball team to win a Section title was the 1997-98 girls who were Division II champs. De La Salle and new coach Marcus Schroeder were second in the regular league season, won the East Bay Athletic League tournament and were seeded second in the Section’s Open Division. They lost the NCS championship game 51-50 to Campolindo after leading 31-25 at halftime. The Spartan then fell in the opening round of the NorCal Open Division 57-52 to
Archbishop Riordan of San playoffs in a December tournament, but the Monarchs turned Francisco. the tables on the Concord CARONDELET TEAMS school last week at NorCal with REIGN IN NCS strong first and third quarters for Carondelet basketball won the margin of victory. Sierra two games as the No. 1 seed in Canyon then routed Mitty in the NCS Open Division including a State championship game last 20-point win over EBAL rival weekend. San Ramon Valley in the chamCarondelet soccer missed pionship game. That moved the out on a league title to archrival Cougars into the NorCal Open Monte Vista, but the Cougars Division where they defeated won their second title in the past Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills in three NCS tournaments by the Regional semi-finals before defeating surprising 12th seed falling to Archbishop Mitty of California of San Ramon in the San Jose in the finals. finals 3-0. Monte Vista was The Cougars of coach Kelly Sopak handed Mitty its only loss See Winners, page B3 of the season before the State
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March 18, 2022
Four local wrestlers claim NCS titles while De La Salle wins 7th straight Athlete Spotlight Jordan Woolery School: Clayton Valley Charter High Grade: Senior Sports: Softball, Basketball Softball coach Dave Cooney has nothing but positive things to say about his senior standout Woolery. “Jordan is not only a tremendous athlete, she is an amazing person. I look forward to our conversations, whether it be about softball or life in general. She shows up every day with a smile on her face ready to compete. Jordan has a relentless work ethic. Some days she continues to practice long after her teammates are gone. We have been very blessed to have Jordan in our program these past four seasons.” Woolery has played both basketball and softball since entering Clayton Valley Charter, earning a spot on the varsity softball team four years and varsity basketball team the past two years. Woolery has been on the Athletics Mercado club softball Gold team, based in Southern California, for the past couple of years. She was named the No. 1 softball player in the nation by MaxPreps and nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year twice. Her skill, work ethic and determination have contributed to her athletic success. As a child, Woolery played soccer, basketball, volleyball and softball. As she grew and matured, Woolery realized that softball was her main sport and the one she enjoyed the most. She believes that playing multiple sports growing up was the best way to increase her athleticism and help her improve in softball. Woolery originally played basketball in middle school to make friend and quickly fell in love with the sport. Because she was coming from a small middle school, she did not know many people when she started high school. This resulted in Woolery launching herself into the worlds of her new school’s basketball and softball programs to make new friends. Woolery says her favorite part about being an athlete and being able to represent Clayton Valley Charter is the relationships she has created with her coaches and teammates. She loves the atmosphere of playing the sports she loves alongside her best friends. She currently maintains a 4.5 GPA, is an avid participant in the Senior Women Club, and is an officer of the Black Student Union Club at CVCHS. Woolery will be attending UCLA as a highly touted softball recruit for the Bruins. She verbally committed to her lifelong favorite team UCLA when she was in eighth grade! She would like to thank her best friend since preschool and softball and basketball teammate Jackie Alday for always pushing her to be the athlete and person she is today. She also thanks her friend group and says that she is incredibly lucky to be surrounded by some of the best people who give her the support she needs to be successful. Woolery notes that the most important thing to remember as an athlete is to stay true to yourself and remember that your sport doesn’t define you as a person. “As athletes, we are often caught up in the idea that our success on the field or court is what makes us who we are, but we are much more than our athletic abilities, success and failure.” CVCHS student journalist Katherine Pugh wrote this Spotlight. The Pioneer congratulates Jordan and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. laceyandruzicka.com Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.
JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
After a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic, De La Salle High was right back on top of the podium when the Spartans completed a triple play of the North Coast Section dual meet, East Bay Athletic League and NCS Championships last month led by 120-pound individual champion Bobby Cuevas, who won his second straight Section meet title. Three other local wrestlers joined Cuevas as NCS champions. Freshman Abbi Cooper of Clayton Valley Charter won the 111-pound title at the Section girls championships after being seeded fifth and her senior
schoolmate Andre Dargan won the 145 boys title. The fourth local champ was Northgate’s Angelo Esposito at 170. Cuevas, Dargan and Esposito all won as the top seeds in their weight class. De La Salle overwhelmed the field of 96 schools at the NCS Championships with 318.5 points, nearly doubling the total of runner-up and tournament host James Logan of Union City. Led by Esposito, Northgate was 13th and College Park 23rd. Cuevas won at 120 pounds this year after he was 106 titlist in 2020 and third at 106 as a freshman in 2019. Dargan was third at 132 pounds two years ago while Esposito was third at
160 his sophomore year before missing out on post-season league, section and state competition last year when COVID-19 shut down those meets. At the CIF State meet in Bakersfield the week after the NCS finals, De La Salle had two wrestlers on the podium while finishing 16th as a team in a field of 276 schools. Junior Gavin Fernandez (third at NCS) was fourth at State for the top finisher among the nine Spartans who qualified with a top three finish at NCS. DLS heavyweight Aidan Roe took sixth at State after placing second at NCS. De La Salle’s 12th NCS championship in the past 13 tournaments featured second-
place finishes by Atri Feizi (132), Matthew Pierce (182) and Stefan Bakiev (220) and third place for Caleb Tatad (106), Manuel Martir (113) and Collin Sweeney (160). Also racking up points for DLS were Franklin Enkhmandakh (fifth at 145), Fernandez Flores (sixth at 170) and Nicholas Sherlock (seventh at 195). Other local finishers at NCS were Northgate’s Tony Hernandez (fifth at 106), Calen Capra of College Park (eighth at 152) and Concord High’s Jose Ortiz (eighth in heavyweight). Clayton freshman wrestler Savannah Talmadge of Northgate High followed up her 103-pound Diablo Athletic League championship with a fourth place at NCS.
Mt. Diablo High basketball standout signs first-ever college commitment Mt. Diablo High’s girls basketball team had unprecedented success and they achieved another first following the season when outstanding guard Yasmine Garett became the first female basketball player from the Concord school to sign a letter of intent to play college basketball. Garrett committed to Evergreen State College (Division I NAIA) in Washington, where she will join her sister Sha’nece, a sophomore guard on the Geoducks. The Red Devils senior said she is excited for the opportu-
nity to play at Evergreen State. Head coach Jackie Robinson stated, “We are excited to have signed a player of Yasmine’s skill set to join our family. She is a perfect fit for our program. We love how hard she plays, and her competitive spirit sets her apart. Looking forward to next year!” Garrett and her Mt. Diablo team recached the semi-finals of the North Coast Section Division V playoffs and the quarterfinals of the Northern California tournament capping an historic 24-6 season for coach Ronnie McGee’s squad.
Jay Bedecarré
Terrapin swimmers have a blast at Phoenix Winter Invite in first full team travel meet
Photo courtesy Terrapins Swim Team
After a two-year hiatus, the Terrapins Swim Team had a blast at the 2022 Phoenix Winter Invitational last month. It was their first full team travel meet in a long while and the USA Swimming team from Concord racked up numerous best times filling up the finals session each night. The team accumulated 3226.50 points for second place overall. The Terrapins were led by high point winners 9-10 girl Marina Didenko, 11-12 boy Morgan Wendler and 15-18 boy Mason Wendler. Terrapin swimmers posted many new Junior Olympic and Far Western qualifying times and a few new Senior Sectional cuts.
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March 18, 2022
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Spring sports looking to complete their first full season in three years 2 (Lone Tree Golf Course, which both start their league Antioch) schedules next week. EBAL League Championships With generally dry weather May 2 (Hosted by Foothill HS) No group of high school in the area, all the games, tour- NCS Division II Championships athletes has been more impact- naments and meets have taken May 9 (Valley of the Moon, ed by the pandemic than those place as scheduled this season. Santa Rosa) NCS Division I Championships who take part in spring sports. May 16 (Lone Tree Golf BADMINTON Their 2020 season stopped Course, Antioch) almost before it started and EBAL League Games Mar. 1 – NorCal Championships May 23 April 21 then last school year, along (Berkeley Country Club) EBAL Tournament April 30 (San with all their fellow athletes, CIF State Championships June 1 Ramon Valley they had a truncated season NCS Championships May 14 (San Gabriel Country Club) squeezed in among all other (Division I Newark HS; DII Washington Hs, Fremont) high school sports in the first LACROSSE (BOYS & GIRLS) NorCal Championships May 21 half of 2021. DAL League Games Feb. 21 – (Independence HS, San Jose) Apr. 22 So that means this year’s DAL Championships Apr. 26-29 seniors only had a freshman EBAL League Games Apr. 1-29 BASEBALL season that seems so long ago NCS Playoffs June 1-10 DAL League Games Mar. 10 – in 2019 to have experienced May 12 league championships and EBAL League Games Mar. 23 – SOFTBALL post-season North Coast SecMay 6 DAL League Games Mar. 15 – tion, Northern California and EBAL League Tournament Week May 12 of May 9 State competition. At least they EBAL League Games Mar. 22 – May 5 have these upcoming events to NCS Championships May 17-28 aspire to, unlike the Classes of NorCal Championships May 31 - EBAL Championships Week of June 4 May 9 2020 and 2021 who were NCS Playoffs May 17-28 deprived of those once-in-aNorCal Championships May 31 COMPETITIVE CHEER lifetime memories. June 4 (STUNT) Since very few freshmen in DAL League Games Mar. 4 – any sport are talented and/or Apr. 25 SWIMMING & DIVING lucky enough to reach post- EBAL League Games Mar. 18 – (BOYS & GIRLS) Apr. 22 season varsity levels in their DAL League Dual Meets Feb. 28 first year, it is safe to say that EBAL League Championship Apr. – Apr. 18 26 EBAL League Dual Meets Mar. over 95% of all spring sports 18 – Apr. 15 athletes are aiming for their NCS Championships Apr. 30 (Freedom HS, Oakley) DAL JV Invitational Meet (Mirafirst ever taste of those compe- CIF State Invitational Champimonte High) Apr. 23 titions from late April through onships May 13-14 DAL League Championships Apr. early June. 28-30 (Campolindo High) By the end of this week EBAL League Diving ChampiGOLF (BOYS) league play will have begun in DAL League Matches Feb. 28 – onships TBA (Carondelet Aquatic Center, Walnut Apr. 28 the Diablo and East Bay athletCreek) ic leagues for almost every EBAL League Matches Mar. 3 – EBAL League Championships Apr. 28 sport. The lone exceptions are Apr. 22-23 (Dougherty Valley EBAL baseball and softball, DAL League Championships May
JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
HS, San Ramon) NCS Championship Meet May 57 (Concord Community Pool) State Championship Meet May 13-14 (Clovis Olympic Swim Complex)
TENNIS (BOYS)
DAL League Matches Mar. 10 – Apr. 26 EBAL League Matches Feb. 24 – Apr. 26 DAL Tournament Apr. 28-30 EBAL Tournament Apr. 28 – May 2 NCS Singles/Doubles Championships May 6-7 (Division I Heritage HS, Brentwood; DII Santa Rosa HS) NCS Team Championships May 10-14 (James Logan HS, Union City) NorCal Team Championships May 17-21 (Broadstone Sports Club, Folsom)
TRACK & FIELD (BOYS & GIRLS)
DAL League Meets Mar. 9 – Apr. 20 DAL Frosh-Soph Meet Apr. 23 DAL League Championship Meet Apr. 30 and May 7 NCS Tri-Valley Area Meet May 14 (Freedom HS, Oakley) NCS Meet of Champions May 20-21 (Dublin High) CIF State Meet May 27-28 (Veterans Memorial Stadium, Clovis)
VOLLEYBALL (BOYS)
DAL League Games Mar. 1 – April 28 EBAL League Games Mar. 1 – April 28 NCS Playoffs May 3-12 NorCal Championships May 1721
Winners, from page B1
LJ Majarucon School: Concord High Grade: Senior Sports: Baseball Concord High baseball began its Diablo Athletic League schedule last week. Majarucon and his senior Minuteman teammates are in the midst of what they hope will be their first full slate of games since 2019 as both their sophomore and junior seasons ended with abbreviated schedules during the pandemic. His coach Matt Harrod says, “LJ has been a four-year varsity starter at a multitude of positions. Quiet and unassuming, LJ is the embodiment of commitment and work ethic at practice. Never complaining, he attacks the task at hand and is always open to coaching.” He played youth baseball for the Concord Patriots and Diablo Longhorns leading into his Concord High career. This season Majarucon started the year with two winning starts on the mound and is playing strong defense at shortstop and centerfield when he is not pitching. His bat has been sizzling as well. After earning second team allDAL honors as a freshman there were no awards presented the past two years. The senior says, “I feel great representing my team and showing how great our program is. I have high hopes for our program in the future and would like to see new faces and people playing for this team in the future.” Away from the diamond, Majarucon plays violin in the Concord High orchestra. Following graduation this spring, he plans to get his associates degree and then pursue a degree in aeronautics. The Pioneer congratulates LJ and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. laceyandruzicka.com
stunned by 16th seed Granada of Livermore in the first round. At NorCals, coach Amy Apodaca’s Carondelet lost to seventh seed Saint Francis of Mountain View in the Open Division opening round.
Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.
DE LA SALLE SOCCER CLAIMS 14TH NCS SOCCER TITLE
Photo courtesy De La Salle High Athletics
De La Salle now has 14 North Coast Section soccer championships after the Spartans defeated Montgomery of Santa Rosa 2-1 in the section finals. The Spartans then won their first game ever at NorCal Regionals.
top division and won its opener 4-3 in overtime over Sanger. Their semi-final game also ended tied after regulation and overtime. Watsonville defeated the Spartans 7-6 in a shootout to move on to the championship game.
Coach Derricke Brown says, “The team embraced the struggles from the early part of the season and came together as a family because of that rough patch. This group truly enjoyed spending time with each other and really that is the
dream scenario for any group that I work with. It was an amazing year on the field because of this – another EBAL title, our 14th NCS championship and the first NorCal regional win for the program!”
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S p ort s Shorts SPRING SOCCER FOR CONCORD AYSO
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Concord AYSO will offer a Spring Soccer Program running from Mar. 26 through May for Playground (3-4 years old), 6U through 14U. Registration is open. Complete information for all age groups is available on the Concord AYSO website ConcordAYSO.org.
Junior Optimist Baseball League is taking registration for boys 4-9 and girls 4-10 for its spring season. JOBL started in 1963 and plays all its games at the JOBL Complex in North Concord. Visit their website at joblconcord.com or email info@joblconcord.com for more information and to register.
BEGINS THIS MONTH
CLAYTON SHARPSHOOTER BARELY MISSES REPEAT ELKS HOOP SHOOT NATIONALS
Jackson Ramirez fell one shot short of first place in the 11year-old Elks Hoop Shoot Region 7 finals. His best mark of the year with 23 of 25 free throws was one less than the Nevada champion’s 24 that propelled that representative of the Silver State to the Hoop Shoot Nationals in Chicago. The loss ended his winning streak of 17 consecutive free throw contests including the 2019-20 championship (which was completed virtually in 2021). The Clayton youngster prefers to shoot last but was selected to go first in the Region 7 finals held at the end of February in Las Vegas.
SPRING BASEBALL SIGNUPS
MDSA SPRING LEAGUE OPENS THIS MONTH
Registration is open for Mt Diablo Soccer Association’s spring season. The program is for boys and girls ages 4-18. The 12U and older divisions are co-ed. The season begins Mar. 26 and end in May. For more details and to register visit mdsoccer.org.
CONCORD CUP XXVII COMING BACK MAY 14-15
After being canceled the past two years, the area’s largest annual youth soccer tournament, Concord Cup, returns for its 27th edition at a variety of Concord parks May 14-15. Boys and girls club and AYSO teams from under 10 through U19 are eligible to participate. Diablo Valley Wolves, Mt. Diablo Soccer and Concord AYSO co-sponsor the tournament. Visit concordcup.com to register teams now.
RECREATION SWIM TEAMS TAKING SIGNUPS
Local recreation swim teams are now taking signups. Visit our website pioneerpublishers.com for details
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De La Salle is a perennial soccer power in North Coast Section, winning six successive championships from 2009-14. Since then, the Spartans had won only one title while taking second three other times. That streak ended with a 2-1 win over 2020 (most recent) NCS champ Montgomery of San Diego last month. In the NCS semi-finals a second-half goal gave DLS a 10 win over DAL league champions Clayton Valley Charter. DLS went to the NorCal playoffs as the third seed in the
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March 18, 2022
My girlfriend’s debt is stopping me from proposing
DOMINIQUE KING
LEAN IN WITH LOVE
have never paid or offered to pay her debt, but I do not want to go into our next phase of life worrying about paying her debt. I have tried to have conversations with her. She either accuses me of calling her a gold digger or counters that debt should not be a reason to not propose if I love her. What are your thoughts? – Uncertain in Concord
Your concerns are valid. Lack of communication and I have been with my girl- finances sit in the top five reafriend for three years. I am sons for divorce. Wanting you 27, and she is 26. We are and your partner to be in a taking steps toward marbetter financial situation riage, but financial issues before contractually being keep me on the fence when bound in matrimony is both it comes to proposing. an act of love and fiscally My girlfriend had subwise. stantial debt before we met The conversations we and is not financially avoid in a relationship are usuresponsible. Her expectaally the ones that should be tion of being a stay-athappening openly and often. home mom means her debt Tell your girlfriend you want will become my responsibil- to set aside time to discuss ity once we get married. I areas of concern. Be clear on
A fervent call for kindness in reflecting on life, loss and love On Nov. 20, 1983, I was 10 years old and cozied up for an evening of TV watching as “The Day After” premiered. It was at this moment I developed the fear that the United States was poised on the brink of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. This two-hour sci-fi drama felt real and inescapable. I lived in communities in the Midwest where people were actively building bomb shelters into the earth, along with lesser financed options for “safety” and families all around purchasing gas masks. Growing up in the ’80s was all about riding bikes without helmets, not wearing seatbelts and the ever-present awareness that we could at any moment be thrust into a global nuclear conflict. I rode on bikes and in cars with no fear, but the concern of World War III with the Soviet Union was part of me on a cellular level after viewing these two hours of horror without any family conversation. Nearly 40 years later, I would never consider getting into a car without seatbelts or riding a bike without protective gear, yet I still feel my fourth- through seventh-grade self not knowing how to physically protect myself from something as incomprehensible as war. I haven’t felt this way since watching that movie in ’83. Now the imagery and accounts are accessible and reportable every moment on innumerable news outlets and from people directly via social media. Do we rise up to fight like the Ukrainian people? Protest and put sanctions on oil? Cry? Pray? We know people are fighting for their freedom and so much more needs to be happening with relations and policy. I think of this quote from Ian Maclaren, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” What battle are you fighting or noticing being fought around you? The last day in February, I attended a candlelight vigil in San Ramon for a 15-year-old trans man who took his life. I looked into the hearts and eyes of his parents and sibling, having never spoken before at such a gathering and about someone I did not have the privilege of meeting. I knew how important it
KIKU JOHNSON
ALL
THE
COLORS
was to be there. To show up. To be visible. To speak for our LGBTQI+ communities. So many of us wrestle with mental health, especially our young people. How does one make sense of the world, given these difficult times? Our Rainbow Community is also grieving the life of John Haberkorn, an elder, voice and leader in our community who passed from lung cancer. He had been a longtime supporter of our LGBTQI+ community. Our queer elders like John have been looking toward our emergence on the other side, from when the Bay Area was a center of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for several decades to the current COVID pandemic. And we are still fighting both battles. I am brought back to the writer and social justice activist adrienne maree brown and one of her Emergent Strategies, “Small is good, small is all (The large is the reflection of the small).” As we watch the unfolding of the war from our seemingly safe distance in the West, we can all take a moment to think about the battles small and large we are fighting every day. We are all living aware and, I hope, striving to stay aware. Start small today. Be kind. Tell someone in our life that you love them. Reach out to our young people and our elders in all our communities and connect. Ask them questions. Engage one another. Let’s continue to co-create a world where the large becomes a reflection of our love. We love you, Max. We love you, John. Kiku Johnson is Rainbow Community Center’s executive director. As a man of color and trans experience, Kiku has invested his life engaging and elevating youth and adult voices of marginalized intersectional identities. Send questions and comments to kiku@rainbowcc.org.
what you want to talk about and ask her if there is anything she would like to go over. The goal is to communicate candidly and with love. This discussion is not one-sided or an attack. I implore you to write your thoughts down and encourage your girlfriend to do the same. When you are clear on your thought process, you are less likely to let emotion run the conversation.
You are not obligated to pay your girlfriend’s debt or enable her irresponsible spending habits once married. However, you are in a relationship, and working together is undoubtedly a requirement. What you can do is suggest she find a financial advisor, money management classes, maybe even help her work on a budget. Giving your girlfriend these options supports her ability to address and
change her behavior. In addition, her commitment to making progress will show you her intent on building a future with you. You are at a pivotal and vulnerable place regarding your relationship. Putting on blinders to stay in a holding pattern without change will cause you to resent your relationship. Love is not just something we say. It is an action. Your girlfriend has a
responsibility to take action and help get you both to a place where marriage is an option. Sadly, if that is not her goal, you are both wasting your time. Be well; you are worthy. Dominique King is a wife, mother, lifestyle blogger and avid long-distance runner. Email questions and comments to her at leaninwiththekings@gmail.com.
A touching look at ‘Death,’ ‘Desire’ and more they’re called autobiography or memoir. Roberts’ penning the life she lives and the way SUNNY SOLOMON she lives it is not as personal as we might think. She leaves BOOKIN’ WITH room for all of us. Her words SUNNY give comfort as often as they move us into corners of dis“Animal Bodies, on Death, comfort for her and, if read Desire, and Other Difficulhonestly, sometime for ourties” is written by a very brave selves. Not all her experiences woman for a very brave read- are singularly hers. er, female or male. The first three pages of It’s a book about living, “Animal Lives” have brief perdeath and everything in sonal and philosophical definibetween. The “Other Difficul- tions of the word essay. The ties” of the title is the everylast definition says it all: “A thing in between and the grit story is a papier-m�ché carnaof Suzanne Roberts’ latest tion; the essay is a spotted book. purple orchard on your table. The uniqueness of “AniThe one whose name you mal Bodies” is that the author don’t know. The one that presents her essays as stories, looks fake but is real.” not philosophical musings, not Along the way of our own journalistic gleanings or mem- lives, the events we live ories vivid or not, although through, the people we leave, they certainly are all of those. the people who leave us, the When we say the word dreams dashed or recovered, “stories,” most think fiction. the acts of cowardice or bravIf the stories are personal,
ery, the injuries forgiven or held fast, are more than a writer’s journal entries, they are stories – each one proof that we are among the living animals who inhabit the earth and our bodies. Roberts tells her stories in no particular chronological order. A more current event will often lead back to a ground-breaking experience that paved the way forward. Those past events can be painful, enlightening or humbling; the author does not flinch in her determination to know which. Depending on the age of the reader, the author’s sexual exploits may bring an array of responses. For those of us whose early teen years included nothing more dangerous than Spin the Bottle or Post Office, Roberts’ youthful experiences may raise eyebrows or cause outright jealousy. The death of Ilyse Kus-
netz, poet and dearest friend of the author, brought me to tears more than once. How she dealt with her mother’s dying and death should touch all of us, whether our mothers are living or not. And her telling of the loss of a friend, not from death but from a growing apart, reflects one of life’s more difficult truths likely shared by many. “Animal Bodies” may not be an easy read, but it is one I whole-heartedly recommend. In addition, it gives me another chance to endorse publications by university presses (like U of Nebraska Press) that no longer limit their output to academic subjects. When browsing in a bookstore, do not pass up university presses. Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’
HBO’s pirate comedy ‘Our Flag Means Death’ flounders Everyone loves pirate stories. From silent films to Errol Flynn in “Captain Blood” and Pirates of the Caribbean and its many sequels, as well as more unusual takes on the genre such as “Muppet Treasure Island,” the adventurous lives of pirates capture our imagination. HBO Max’s new offering “Our Flag Means Death” springs from the story of reallife pirate Stede Bonnet in the early 18th century. Unlike most pirates, Bonnet came from nobility and had money and land. Bored with noble life, he decided to leave his family and become a pirate. But he wasn’t an especially good one, and after a short career, he was captured and hanged. Since the elements of his story seem like fertile ground for a comedy, I had high hopes for the series. David Jenkins, who also created the understated but amusing “People of Earth,” is behind this show. Taika Waititi has an executive producer credit, directs some episodes and plays Blackbeard in the series. Because Waititi’s famous name was thrown around in early promos, I expected something fun and offbeat like his “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” or “Jojo Rabbit.” I was disappointed. The first three episodes of “Our Flag” streamed in early March. I tried hard to enjoy it, but unfortunately, it’s just not very funny. A few good laughs occasionally drift by, with lots of attempts at humor that fall flat in between. A good TV series needs at least two things to get me hooked: a plot that keeps me hungry to find out what happens next and at least one major character whom I care about. “Our Flag” fails on both accounts. As Capt. Bonnet, Rhys
Darby is the butt of many jokes. The so-called gentleman pirate’s aversion to violence and lack of knowledge about captaining a ship is supposed to be amusing. We get a glimpse of his humanity when he reads bedtime stories to the brutish, illiterate crew, but mostly he just comes off as a privileged rich guy with no purpose except to play at being something he’s not. One character that shows promise as a sympathetic figure is a crew member named Oluwande (Samson Kayo). He has much more skillful awareness than his shipmates or captain and offers helpful advice to Bonnet in private. Bonnet even comes to him for advice after realizing he might need to know something about fighting handto-hand. The camera often cuts to Oluwande shaking his head or rolling his eyes, yet he genuinely appears to want to help Bonnet succeed. But at least in the first three episodes, Oluwande doesn’t have enough screen time to carry the show. Other characters, such as Leslie Jones of “Saturday Night Live,” have potential for comedy, but the script doesn’t give them enough material to shine. As far as plot, there isn’t much. Bonnet flails his way from one mildly funny situation to the next, but his disastrous attempts at pirating aren’t enough to make me eager for the next episode. I may watch one or two more to see if the show digs a little deeper for comedy treasure but will keep searching for a good comedy. HEAD FOR ‘BLACK SAILS’ If you’re in the mood for a more standard (and better) pirate series, try “Black Sails.” This high-seas epic ran on the STARZ channel starting in 2014 and didn’t get as much
attention as it deserved – because who on Earth ever watched STARZ? “Black Sails” builds up a detailed backstory for the classic novel “Treasure Island.” It combines a mixture of pirates from real-world history with characters from the Robert Louis Stevenson novel to explain how and why the treasure got buried on Treasure Island in the first place. Its creators intend the series to end where the book begins. The portrayal of both fictional and historic characters may be too complicated for some. But as we get to know Capt. Flint (fictional), Charles Vane (real), Anne Bonny (real) and Billy Bones (fictional), the drives and dreams that eventually lead to the buried treasure become more meaningful.
DON PEDRO CRUZ
STREAMING TV
Even when characters come into conflict with each other, it’s sometimes hard to know whom to root for because you can sympathize with the motivations of each. “Black Sails” has all the expected pirate story elements, with lots of unexpected twists and in-depth exploration of the characters’ lives to invest viewers in their stories. You can stream all four seasons on Hulu. Feel free to binge through it or make it last a while. You can send comments to pedrocruzpioneer@gmail.com
March 18, 2022
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
Page B5
T H E ARTS
Local troupes ready to reopen with a song and a dance
SALLY HOGARTY
STAGE STRUCK As the Omicron variant recedes and hospitalizations decrease, the local theater scene comes alive – and inperson – once again. Let’s hope this time it continues, and a new variant does not cause another rash of canceled shows. To help us all keep a positive attitude, singer and actress Laurie Roldan brings her upbeat cabaret concert to Antioch’s El Campanil Theatre March 26-27. “Laurie Sings a Song for You” features Roldan sharing personal stories and memories as her lovely voice sings a plethora of well-known Karen Carpenter melodies. I was fortunate to hear the concert when she first performed it at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center in November 2021, and I’m thrilled that she is now taking it to other venues. Skillfully directed by
In this month’s show, Roldan will weave her life story with Carpenter’s music and include audience singalongs and more. “I am dedicating these two shows in loving memory of my incredibly talented friend, co-writer Don Huntington, who passed away in January,” Roldan said. A well-known figure in the Delta area, Huntington was the former editor of 110 Magazine and an active Rotarian. A portion of the concert proceeds will be donated to the Village Community Resource Center, an organization were Huntington and his Photo courtesy of Laurie Roldan wife volunteered. Anita Colotto, left, Charlotte Jeffries, Clarisse Nichole, LauThe show takes place at rie Roldan and Stephanie Hill will perform a cabaret conthe newly renovated El Camcert filled with Karen Carpenter tunes March 26-27 at panil Theatre, 602 W. 2nd St., Antioch’s El Campanil Theatre. Antioch. For tickets, call 925757-9500 or go to www.elcamRachel Robison, the review songs have a message that fits paniltheatre.com. includes the incredible talents in with my life.” Walnut Creek’s Lesher of music director/pianist Roldan thrives on using Center is keeping busy with a Brett Strader along with Dilmusic to inspire others and variety of musical and dance lon Vado on drums and Pat has recorded the inspirational presentations. From “The Tinling on bass. This formida- album “Even That,” created ABBA Concert Experience” ble trio does more than justice to comfort those going (March 19) to Contra Costa to Carpenter’s music, remind- through difficult times as well Wind Symphony’s “Myths, ing me just how much I love as helping relieve stress. Legends and Epic Tales” these tunes. The singer has been a (March 20) to Performing Guest vocalists include guest artist at many special Academy’s “The Music Man Anita Colotto, Stephanie Hill, events and has appeared as a KIDS” (March 24-25) to CaliClarisse Nichole and Charlotte soloist with symphony orches- fornia Symphony’s “French Jeffries. tras throughout California. Impressions” (March 26-27) “I’ve always really resonat- She has often been seen on and Diablo Ballet’s 29th ed with Karen Carpenter’s local stages such as Playhouse anniversary performance music,” said Roldan. “Her West, Tri-Valley Rep, the Wil- (April 7), there is something lows Theater, Diablo Light for everyone. Opera and Contra Costa For a complete list, go to Musical Theater. She and her www.lesherartscenter.org. husband, Dan Roldan, also If you love radio plays, perform concerts of bestcheck out Four-Eyed Jacks loved show tunes and stanproduction March 18-20 at dards for senior centers and Martinez’s Campbell Theater, retirement communities. 636 Ward St. Grab some
Notes from the Underground
ARTS Photo: Marta Van Velzen
DAVE HUGHES
THE BEAT OF DIABLO “The minute the last one stops, I can’t wait for the next one,” the host says into the microphone ahead of the opening performance. “It’s just so cool.” Our host is Peter Baron, a local artist dedicated to showcasing live jazz improvisation. After the 2019 closure of his Walnut Creek club Impulse Room, he’s continuing this passion more privately through a labor of love called “Underground Jazz Theater.” I was fortunate to attend a recent “Backyard Improv” event. The music series started in Peter’s neighbor’s backyard during lockdown but has
moved indoors for the winter. Most recently, it was in the shipping dock area of an unoccupied office building. “If it’s your first time coming, this is how this works: Unscripted. Unrehearsed. And no known songs. The musicians don’t even know who they’re playing with until they show up.” Peter introduces the band, and for the next 90 minutes, the audience is treated to spontaneous performances ranging from blues rock to soulful funk and mellow cool jazz. From start to finish, the audience is enthralled with the music unfolding before them, occasionally yelping out a cheer or erupting into applause for an impressive solo or intense crescendo climax. They pass a basket around to help cover costs during the final performance, which is met with a standing ovation. Guests mingle and peruse the featured artwork as the event wraps up. I finally talk with Peter, who is beaming with energy
See Beat, page B6
Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre is the site for the March 25 Pan Theater Improv Comedy Show.
Photo by Rosselyn Ramirez
Diablo Ballet Company will offer a 29th anniversary program April 7. Shown here are dancers Raymond Tilton and Jackie McConnell in “Cinderella’s Wedding.”
aRt Cottage a hidden gem in Concord
JOHN NAKANISHI
Peter Baron addresses the audience of the Backyard Improv #19 ahead of the afternoon’s first performance. The music series started in a neighbor’s backyard during lockdown but moved to the shipping dock of an unoccupied building for the winter.
refreshments from the snack bar and enjoy the magic of old-time radio shows when sound effects were created by Foley artists with lots of strange objects Go to www.campbelltheater.com. Or you can enjoy theater games, a poetry reading, a foreign film trailer and an improvised 10-minute play when Pan Theater Improv Comedy Show hits Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre at 8 p.m. March 25. For more information, go to www.townhalltheatre.com. Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com
IN
MOTION
Nestled in a quiet neighborhood just blocks from Concord’s Todos Santos Plaza, a cozy art oasis beckons you to visit. The aRt Cottage, owned and run by FROgard Schmidt in a charming, unassuming cottage, is not your typical art gallery. The aRt Cottage holds bimonthly exhibits, featuring groups such as the Concord Art Association, Lamorinda Arts Alliance, Las Juntas~East Bay Artists Guild and Contra Costa Plein Air. But the aRt Cottage is also an active teaching studio, serving art students from 4 to 83 years old. Classes include ceramics, acrylic painting, watercolor, three-dimensional sculpture, drawing and papiermâché. Fro has no regular class schedule; instead, she arranges classes and monthly workshops by interest and student/instructor availability. Fro describes her teaching process an emergent curriculum, “where the person emerges and their art emerges. It is their idea and they use their heart, their mind and their hands as a vehicle to get to the finished product. I am only there to cheer them on, answer their questions and help them in the process of making art.”
Her teaching style is certainly working. “I like that when I do art, I express my feelings to others,” says Isla, age 8. Sofia, age 14, enjoys the “free-flowing” nature of Fro’s classes “It gives me space to be creative in my own specific style.” A new addition is the Tiny House Gift Shop that offers arts and crafts from local artists. There is also a lending library of art books as well as a free Community Book Box on the street. Surrounding the cottage is a beautiful garden tended by Fro and friends. Fro first used the aRt Cottage in 2011 as a personal work space for her art. Within a couple months, the bungalow became a regular meeting place for some Diablo Valley College art students who would critique each other’s artwork. With the students’ art on the cottage walls, Fro invited the public to the first cottage exhibit, “On the Wall.” She worked hard on the little fixer-upper, not just creating a space for art but developing an artist community. Fro states that all the repairs and renovations “became my biggest art project ever.” Many friends were there to offer advice and support. “It seems like everyone had a part in it, either by making suggestions or bringing me things that I could use for the future,” Fro notes. As Fro puts it so well, “This is a place where all are welcome to make art, view art and learn about art. After all, it is called aRt Cottage, with the capital R, for a reason. It is not MY Cottage or YOUR Cottage. It is R Cottage.” I hope you will find the time to visit Concord’s hidden gem of an art gallery.
John Nakanishi
Sofia and Lulu enjoy a class by FROgard Schmidt at the aRt Cottage.
The aRt Cottage, at 2238 Mt. Diablo St., Concord, is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. For more information, call 925-9563342 or visit artscottage.blogspot.com.
John Nakanishi is an acrylic painter and a ceramic artist. When he isn’t creating art, he coaches competitive soccer. Email comments and suggestions for future columns to phjona@gmail.com.
Page B6
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
March 18, 2022
The stalk market: Where has all the California asparagus gone? vested 58 million pounds of asparagus in 2007 on 20,000 acres. That fell to just more than 20 million pounds of production from 8,000 acres in 2016, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Acreage is even less now.
DEBRA MORRIS
FARMERS MARKET Many Californians look forward to a lovely plate of fresh steamed or roasted asparagus each spring. Once called “the king of vegetables,” asparagus has become harder to find in the Delta’s fields. Thousands of acres of asparagus used to cover the Stockton-Brentwood area with soft green spears every spring, but urban sprawl and other crops have stealthily replaced them. In the last 20 years, California’s asparagus acreage has plummeted. At the turn of the 21st century, California growers were farming more than 36,000 acres of asparagus. In 1995, Contra Costa County harvested 20,000 acres of asparagus. In 2017, that figure dropped to a mere 1,300 acres. Another way to look at it is that California growers har-
EDGED OUT BY IMPORTS It is said that the crop has declined so drastically because imports have made it almost impossible for local farmers to financially compete. Even the California Asparagus Commission has suspended its operations. This decrease in acreage began with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that took effect in 1994. Until that time, growers were able to get a premium for their high-quality California asparagus. With NAFTA in place, the difference between California’s labor costs and its strict safety regulations and those of Mexico’s has had a major impact on the asparagus market. NAFTA was replaced in 2019 by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which has continued to exacerbate the problem. “Asparagus is a laborintensive crop, and it’s hard to be competitive,” says Barbara
Once cut, the sugars in asparagus begin to break down and become starchy so get it fresh from a local farmer.
become even more costly to grow because there is very little to no ground water reserves. Under the state’s new Groundwater Management Act, agriculture is required to adhere to a strict “sustainability plan” for pumping in dry years. Growers of California asparagus have had to become more conscious of their production and growing methods to be even remotely competitive. Growing and harvesting asparagus has had to become more efficient, even though it still has to be hand-harvested, hand-sorted and hand-packed. Farmers cut back in the fall and winter to avoid the growth of asparagus fern production as it goes into dormancy. Farmers also used to flood the fields in spring, which is not common anymore.
and we hope asparagus will spring back with increased awareness of its value to California agriculture and the local economy. Other compelling reasons to save dwindling asparagus acreage include supporting the farmers who still want to grow it and offering asparagus to customers who want to know where their food is grown and whether it is safe to eat. There are no better climate or soil conditions, plus California growers have a deep knowledge of growing asparagus, so don’t give up on California-grown asparagus just yet. Farmers still have difficult choices ahead, but as long as we continue to buy asparagus grown in California to support them, we may continue to see fields of asparagus growing in Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Salinas and other areas of the state for years to come. Thank you for supporting your local asparagus growers where quality, freshness and safety are unsurpassed. You’ll find the best California asparagus at your local farmers market.
Cecchini of what was once Cecchini & Cecchini Farms in Brentwood. “Perfectly good Delta asparagus is getting chopped up and tilled under.” The Cecchini family has grown asparagus since the 1930s but sold the land and moved their operation to Urban Edge Farm. Another local asparagus grower, Roscoe Zuckerman of Zuckerman Farms in Stockton, relies heavily on direct-toconsumer farmers market to sell his product. Local farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes and restaurants make up more than half his business. “It’s the only way we have of breaking even,” Zuckerman
WATER-HEAVY CROP Asparagus requires, on average, nearly 260 gallons of water per pound. With an almost constant drought in California, Delta asparagus has
STAGING A COMEBACK One strong element that has California asparagus ahead of any other country is the state’s standards of production and food safety regulations, which are among the most stringent. You may pay more for California asparagus, but the superb quality, flavor and safety of the state’s asparagus is a strong selling point. The Concord Farmers Market is in Woody Guthrie once sang Todos Santos Plaza Tuesdays & about “Pastures of Plenty,” Thursdays. See ad page 6 for hours.
surrounding area was lacking, and still is, anything in the way of jazz clubs … or even other clubs that focus on like a recharged battery. The a show, not a party. This is original music. The same first thing I want to know is one of the reasons why the cover and tribute bands move why he insists on the “under- musicians dig this. (Attenaround to the same clubs,” ground” element of the dees) are there to focus on laments Peter. “This side of show. Why not offer this them.” the tunnel needs to do more more publicly? Peter doesn’t see a local for musicians.” “One of the problems I home for jazz improv that’s For now, his focus is on have always had with bars open to the public coming to keeping the Underground and restaurants is that the fruition, citing how most music is secondary,” he tells people in our region generally Jazz Theater going, which he sees as a culmination of varime. “It’s mostly an aftershy away from supporting ous efforts from over the thought, or it’s a party experi- new original music. years, including his own ence. The Backyard Improv is “Walnut Creek and the
artistry as a painter. “The incorporation of my art is a big part of it,” he says. “I often use paintings as the idea behind a song. Many times, the painting name becomes the song title. I describe what it means and describe a vibe to the band for them to capture the mood of the painting.” What Peter has built is something to behold. I understand and appreciate his desire to keep this showcase underground, but another
part of me is screaming: “People gotta see this.” So, what do would-be performers and audience members have to do to get an invite? Peter reassures, “It’s simple. They just have to reach out to me via Peter Baron’s Jazz Network (a public Facebook group), and I will be happy to invite them.” For more on Peter Barron and his Underground Jazz Theater, visit mindofanartist.com. A more
Beat, from page B5
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says. “They give us the opportunity to communicate the freshness of a local-grown product that is harvested the day before market, compared to asparagus that has traveled thousands of miles and is a week old before it hits market shelves.” Once asparagus is cut, the sugars begin to break down and the flavor becomes starchy. That’s why it’s important to get freshly cut asparagus from a local farmer.
detailed account of this underground experience can be found at pioneerpublishers.com/tag/beat-of-diabo/. Correction: Last month’s column stated that Tom Davis manages bookings for the UnOriginals. In fact, Timothy Garry manages bookings for the group. He can be reached at timmygmusic@live.com. Contact Dave Hughes at MrDaveHughes@gmail.com.
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