NEW inside
No ICE aid from local law enforcement IT’S YOUR PAPER
www.concordpioneer.com
GUY SWANGER
POLICE CHIEF
City combats cut-through traffic from Clayton Road
March 24, 2017
I have been asked by no fewer than two dozen people this past month about immigration. I have taken time to listen, address rumors, explain and engage in discussions with a variety of groups and individuals concerned about immigration enforcement. The topic is real and not going away. The genesis of this moment of trepidation for our communities is
the recent national directives regarding enhanced immigration enforcement. And the request from the President to have local law enforcement aid in immigration enforcement magnified this problem. The fear and mistrust it is creating among our community members is disheartening. The national rhetoric regarding immigration is without a doubt impacting our communities. I
know this is an emotional topic. It ranges from strong feelings about immigration officials working with law enforcement to fear among our immigrant community members of even going to the store. I know there are some who believe immigration laws should be strictly enforced and others who believe it is a misguided act that does significant damage to the fabric of
925.672.0500
our community. I want to be clear. The Concord Police Department does not and has not enforced immigration laws. We do not and will not participate with any federal agency for the sole purpose of detaining or arresting persons for the sole purpose of their immigration status. Our core mission is protecting our residents and the community and
International opera singer gets real with Meadow Homes kids
to be successful we need to work with all of our community members, regardless of their immigration status. But I want to impress upon everyone that we will enforce the laws of this city and this state equally, regardless of one’s immigration status. Concord Police have worked hard for several See Chief, page 8
From the desk of...
LAURA HOFFMEISTER
MAYOR
‘Happiest Place on Dirt’ marks 50th anniversary The city has placed new limits on Clayton Road to thwart through traffic on smaller streets during commute hours.
At the request of residents, the city of Concord is working to reduce the number of nonresident vehicles traveling from Clayton Road through neighborhoods near Treat Boulevard during the weekday morning commute. New signs on Clayton Road prohibit westbound left turns and/or eastbound right turns from 6:30-9 a.m. weekdays at the following intersections: La Vista Avenue, Cape Cod Way, Bel Air Drive and Marclair Drive.
See Traffic, page 9
FIFTH-GRADE STUDENTS AT MEADOW HOMES ELEMENTARY gather around Carla Dirlikov Canales during the singer’s visit to the school last month. BEV BRITTON Concord Pioneer
When Carla Dirlikov Canales visits Meadow Homes Elementary School, it’s like opening night at the opera. The excited students
gather in anticipation of the performance, which this time included the internationally acclaimed mezzosoprano singing a verse from “Carmen” in French. Canales also guided budding thespians through a “Lion King” rehearsal and taught
the students words she had learned in her travels – such as “snack” in Chinese and “love” in French. “She has such a gift for ‘getting little’ and relating to kids at their level and with their interests,” says Ursula Leimbach, public informa-
tion officer for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. “They had lots of questions for her, including where she had been around the world,” Leimbach adds. “She would point to places
See Opera, page 9
B-17 Bomber thrills at Buchanan Field PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
PILOT JOHN BODE STANDS IN FRONT OF THE ALUMINUM OVERCAST, a restored 1945 B-17 bomber that made a stop in Concord recently. It is one of only 11 B-17s still flying today and the pride of the Experimental Aircraft Association.
As I was flying in the Aluminum Overcast, a B-17 World War II bomber on a brilliant spring afternoon, buzzing the Mt. Diablo foothills, the cities of Concord and Walnut Creek and the Benicia Bridge, I was struck by one thought: How would it have felt to be a 19or 20-year old soldier squeezed into one of these for hours, facing a known enemy and an uncertain outcome? Especially after I was becoming airsick in the tight, rumbling quarters after only 15 minutes? Still, I was a lucky passenger that day, part of a press junket on a 25-minute flight that was highlighting the plane’s visit to Concord’s Buchanan Airport that week-
end. And despite the rumblings of the plane’s engines – some of my colleagues wore earplugs – and the rumblings of my stomach, the flight, and the plane itself, were magnificent. The Aluminum Overcast – so named in honor of the original wartime Aluminum Overcast because pilots of two smaller planes flying beneath it as an escort said the B-17 was so big it felt like it was cloudy outside – is just one of just 11 B-17s still flying today. It is the pride and joy of the Experimental Aircraft Association, which sponsored the tour to Concord and to other cities across the U.S. The majestic plane has a wingspan of 103 feet, 9 inches and is 74 feet 4 inches long. It weighs a whopping 36,135
See Bomber, page 9
If you are one of the thousands who stayed or worked at Camp Concord, you are invited to sign up for the 50th anniversary celebration Aug. 11-13. The weekend will include archery, canoeing, kayaking, a dance, campfires, skits and a special “50 Years of Camp Concord” slideshow. More than 100,000 campers have enjoyed the city’s beautiful summer sanctuary in South Lake Tahoe. That’s roughly the population of the city of Concord today. Here’s a walk down memory lane: breakfast at Pope Beach, beanie weenie night, cattle trucks, Friday night dances and counselors helping everyone with skits and campfire performances. Many “firsts” have been experienced at Camp Concord: first time a camper traveled outside of Concord, saw Lake Tahoe, went rafting or horseback riding, sat around a campfire, or made a friend outside of his or her neighborhood. One of the camp’s unique features is that counselors come not only from Concord but also from countries around the world. Campers may have met staff from more than 20 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Hungary and South Africa. Camp Concord, which sits on 29 acres of U.S. Forest Service land, has been the host site for a variety of special youth camp programs providing the opportunity for thousands of children with special health needs to enjoy nature
See Mayor, page 9
Inside
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Community . . . . . . . . . . .2
From the desk of . . . . . .8 School News . . . . . . . .14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Performing Arts . . . . . .16