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May 21, 2021
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Warriors, Minutemen nicknames may be removed at Concord, Ygnacio Valley highs JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
While the Mt. Diablo Unified School District has grappled with perhaps the most difficult 14 months of its existence due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now just over a month into having students return to campus on a limited basis two afternoons a week, the district’s new superintendent and governing board is discussing changing the mascots of Ygnacio Valley and Concord high schools. Ygnacio Valley began in the fall of 1962 and the school athletic teams have had Warriors as the mascot since then. Concord High opened four years later with the Minutemen as their nickname. A teacher new to Ygnacio Valley is leading a charge along with some of her students to “get our school’s Native [American] mascot/logo/name changed.” At Concord High, the principal had a discussion with some of her teachers over a year ago when the idea was brought up that “Minutemen” refers to only one gender and the symbol holding a rifle is not reflective of the school in the third decade of the 21st Century. New MDUSD superintendent Dr. Adam Clark included both issues during his report at the April 28 board Zoom meeting. Clark told The Pioneer, “Our primary focus is leading our students through the remainder of this challenging year. The mascot conversation is long overdue, and it is time to ensure that all students, staff and community members feel comfortable with images at our schools.” Board president Cherise Khaund cites AB 30, the 2015 California Racial Mascots Act, which states that “the use of racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team names, mascots, or nicknames in California public schools is antithetical to the California school mission of providing an equal education to all.” She said, “The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in education. We as a school district should listen carefully to student concerns, especially if they feel unwelcome or unsafe on our campuses.”
See Mascots, page 7
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Next issue, June 18, Deadline, June 7
Concord names three companies to apply for cannabis licenses BEV BRITTON The Pioneer
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Concord High’s Minuteman mascot is portrayed on the school marquee on Concord Blvd. and signs in the adjacent parking lot, while the Ygnacio Valley Warriors mascot headdress is on the scoreboard at Richard Ryan Stadium. Discussions have come up during this pandemic-challenged school year to remove the mascots, which have been associated with each Concord school since they opened in the 1960s.
Bike Concord advocate Ardrey honored as two-wheel champion DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent
If the abundance of ethnic restaurants was the yardstick for a community’s vitality in the 1980s, Smitty Ardrey believes bicycle riding is the barometer today. Concord’s relatively flat topography adds to its appeal among the two-wheeling persuasion, whether it’s for recreation or transportation. To ensure folks keep rolling along, Ardrey offers repair services and education through the Tamara Steiner/The Pioneer Bike Tent and Bike Kitchen Happy to have a permanent location for the Bike Kitchen at backed by Bike Concord. Because of his efforts, the MetOlympic High, Smitty Ardrey, center, shows Diablo Valley College student Circe Wetherington and Olympic High sen- ropolitan Transportation Comior Peter Fajard how to remove the handlebars on a bike mission and other local agencies that needs repair. crowned him this year’s Bike
Champion for Contra Costa County. As the 2021 honoree, Ardrey received a Tailgator brake light and water bottle from Mike’s Bikes, a bicycle-only membership for 24/7 roadside assistance from Better World Club, a laminated set of San Francisco map cards from the Association of Bay Area Governments and a cycling jersey from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. VARIETY OF TWO-WHEELED PURSUITS
Ardrey caught the bug for riding early. Like most youths armed with a Schwinn Stingray and its iconic banana seat and high handlebars, he had a desire
See Ardrey, page 4
The City Council gave the go-ahead for CoCo Farms and Infinity Concord to apply for cannabis microbusinesses licenses at the April 13 meeting. The council also selected Medusa Delivery to be the city’s first non-storefront retailer that’s not part of a microbusiness. Continuing the arduous process, the council will interview candidates for up to three storefront retail business licenses on May 25 and 26. “Some of my colleagues wanted to go faster, but I think it’s very important that we’ve had this very thorough process because we still have some community members that still have concerns about cannabis storefront and non-storefront,” Councilmember Carlyn Obringer said.
TOP RANKING FOR COCO FARMS Senior planner Coleman Frick said 19 of 21 applicants advanced to the evaluation and scoring phase, with five reviewed on April 13. After hearing the four microbusiness presentations, all five council members said CoCo Farms was their top pick. They cited a strong business plan and extensive parking at the 2366 Stanwell Circle location. “CoCo Farms is by far in the best interest of the city,” said Councilmember Edi Birsan. “It seems to have the biggest buck for the city. I think it has the biggest intent, and I think it will have the most positive impact.” CoCo Farms plans a microbusiness with storefront retail, manufacturing and distribution. The company already has facilities in Rio Vista and Antioch and will soon expand to Vallejo. “One thing that’s important for us is that whatever community we’re operating in, it’s a
See Cannabis, page 2
Clayton Community Church home at last TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer
After a 25-year search and two false starts, Clayton Community Church finally found a place to call home when the Clayton Planning Commission unanimously approved their plans for a 13,000 square foot building on 4.4 acres high on the hill adjacent to Mt. Diablo Elementary School at the April 27 meeting. The project had no trouble sailing through the planning commission despite objections from the neighbors. “It was a clean project and met all the requirements of the Clayton zoning codes including setbacks, building heights and parking,” vice-chair Terri Denslow said after the 5-0 vote. There were no significant environmental issues, and the commission adopted a Mitigated
Negative Declaration and a Tree Replacement Program.
NEIGHBORS FEAR TRAFFIC Residents closest to the church fear the increased traffic will cause even greater congestion in their small neighborhood which is already subject to gridlock twice a day during pick up and drop off at the elementary school. “We plan our doctor appointments and trips out around school hours,” Charmetta Mann told the Pioneer after the decision. Mann’s family originally settled the property in 1870. “None of the neighbors want this.” Because school hours are during the week and the church operation will mainly be on Sundays, the traffic patterns won’t collide, commissioner Ed Miller noted prior to the final vote. “Traffic going to the church
The front of the new Clayton Community Church was designed to blend with the ranch style homes in the small neighborhood it faces.
will be heading straight into the church parking lot, not queuing up in a long procession.” The church’s 160 parking spaces will be available for school event overflow and parents can use the church driveway for turnaround which will help move things through a little faster. CCC pastor Shawn Robinson was jubilant. “It’s been 25 long years,” he told the Pioneer
in an interview following the um and theater. However, the meeting. “We just want a perma- high construction cost for two bridges and a run-in with the nent place to do God’s work.” Alameda whipsnake sent that THIRD TIMES A CHARM plan packing. This is the third attempt at The church then turned its finding a permanent home for attention to downtown Clayton. the church. In 2006, when mem- In a surprise move the next year, bership was over 600, the church the church purchased the 1.7made an offer on 19 acres on acre lot adjacent to their adminMarsh Creek Road with plans to build a worship center, gymnasiSee Church, page 9
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