Discovery Bay Press_12.31.10

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N a t i o n a l A w a r d W in n in g N e w s p a p e r s www.thepress.net Your Hometown Website Vol. 8, No. 53 YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER December 31, 2010 FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A Online Now! www.thepress.net Your Hometown Website The first step in helping the homeless is getting a grip on their numbers. Counting on us go to news/WebExtras! The AAA is offering drinking drivers free New Year’s Eve tows and rides home. Towing the Tipsy go to news/press releases There’s always room on our website for our readers’ favorite viral videos. Shadow puppets go to multimedia/videos Plus: Calendar ............................ 15B Classifieds ......................... 10B Entertainment ................... 8B Milestones .......................... 6B Outdoors ........................... 15A Sports ................................... 1B D iscovery Bay Daisy Troop 30918 donned Santa smiles and holiday hats during a recent Christmas caroling session at the Lone Tree Convalescent Hospital in Antioch. The kindergarten and first-grade girls had so much fun performing for the residents, they’re planning to make it a holiday troop tradition. Now that’s the spirit of the season! Dazzling Daisies Photo courtesy of Jacquelyne Ganem It’s the positive aspects of a community that often go un- noticed. There are those who say that’s especially true of Discov- ery Bay. “Sometimes in this town you hear about only the negative stuff, and I think it’s important that the community hear about all the positive things that are taking place,” said Discovery Bay General Manager Rick Howard. “And there are a lot.” Take, for example, this year’s upgrading of the community’s landscaping department, the ar- rival of the town’s revised web- site, the approval by the Com- munity Services District (CSD) board to create a new basketball court in Regatta Park, and the installation of a new state-of- the-art water well. “It’s been a good year,” said Howard. “We’ve touched in some capacity nearly every as- pect of Discovery Bay, and it will continue that way into the future. We have lots of things going on that will benefit everyone. “From an accomplishment standpoint, some of the things we have taken on this year have been fairly noticeable, such as the landscaping projects and the removal of the equipment at Cornell Park in anticipation of the new play structure. Those things are easy to see.” But there have also been some changes – and challenges – not as easy to spot. “The water meters is a hot- button topic, as is the commu- nity center, and I think they will (both) get some attention this year,” said Howard. “At least one board member has asked to turn up the heat on the community Town looks ahead to positive 2011 see 2011 page 18A by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer Timeless hours editing preverbal dominoes Not so fast, A.D. 2010. Before you take your final bow and stride off stage, your pres- ence is required at the podium. One more item remains on the awards ceremony agenda – something to do with Dubious Distinction. I’ve seen sparkling copy grace my desk this year, from fabulous phraseology to hard- hitting headlines. But as a word junkie I crave the bloopers. Those grammatical gaffes, syn- tactic slapstick and logical lapses that stumble across my computer screen provide welcome decompression from the stress of editorial deadlines. Hey, I’ve even caught one or two before they made their way into print. So brace yourself for the 2010 Blooper Reel Awards for the weirdest wordcraft never to have reared its ugly head in the pages of the Press: MOST PICTURESQUE TYPO Award Second Runner-up: This year’s event con- cludes with the crowing of the new queens. First Runner-up: The four-golfer scram- ble format includes Closets to the Hole. And the award goes to: Since opening its doors in 2009, the restaurant has been wow- ing thongs of customers. UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT Award First Runner-up: Thank you for your timeless hours of help. And the award goes to: Assisting him were scores of residents recruited as volunteers. GOD BLOWS A GASKET Award The Delta was further threatened by the damning of the rivers. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS Award First Runner-up: Citizens and non-citi- zens residing in cities other than Antioch … And the award goes to: The driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with the roadway. WE DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS Award The nursery donated a tree and soil for 10 families, which were planted on Saturday, March 27. GIVE US A MINUTE TO WORK THIS OUT Award by Ger Erickson Copy Editor see Timeless page 18A While doing some of my spring cleaning, my doorbell rang. Winner of MOST SOPHISTICATED HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY EVER Award Goodbye, 2010 Like most of you, we at The Press enjoy easing our way out of the old year before rushing pell-mell into the new. So we invite you to join us in taking a brief glance back at what the year 2010 has wrought. The stories we’ve chosen for this retrospective aren’t necessarily the most important, just the most interesting or unusual – stories we’re proud of. We’re privileged to be a part of your life, and hope to continue that relationship for many more years. We also hope 2011 will bring you the peace, happiness and prosperity that might have eluded you or your loved ones during the travails of 2010. Whatever the new year brings, we’ll go through it together. Thanks for sharing with it us, and enjoy our final issue’s meander down memory lane.

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Transcript of Discovery Bay Press_12.31.10

  • Natio

    nalAwardWinning Newspapers

    www.thepress.net Your Hometown Website

    Vol. 8, No. 53 YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER December 31, 2010

    FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

    Online Now!

    www.thepress.netYour Hometown Website

    The first step in helping the homeless is getting a grip on their numbers.

    Counting on usgo to news/WebExtras!

    The AAA is offering drinking drivers free New Years Eve tows and rides home.

    Towing the Tipsygo to news/press releases

    Theres always room on our website for our readers favorite viral videos.

    Shadow puppetsgo to multimedia/videos

    Plus: Calendar ............................ 15BClassifieds ......................... 10BEntertainment ................... 8BMilestones .......................... 6BOutdoors ...........................15ASports ................................... 1B

    Discovery Bay Daisy Troop 30918 donned Santa smiles and holiday hats during a recent Christmas caroling session at the Lone Tree Convalescent Hospital in Antioch. The kindergarten and rst-grade girls had so much fun performing for the residents, theyre planning to make it a holiday troop tradition. Now thats the spirit of the season!

    Dazzling Daisies

    Photo courtesy of Jacquelyne Ganem

    Its the positive aspects of a community that often go un-noticed. There are those who say thats especially true of Discov-ery Bay.

    Sometimes in this town you hear about only the negative stuff, and I think its important that the community hear about all the positive things that are taking place, said Discovery Bay General Manager Rick Howard. And there are a lot.

    Take, for example, this years upgrading of the communitys landscaping department, the ar-rival of the towns revised web-site, the approval by the Com-munity Services District (CSD) board to create a new basketball court in Regatta Park, and the installation of a new state-of-the-art water well.

    Its been a good year, said

    Howard. Weve touched in some capacity nearly every as-pect of Discovery Bay, and it will continue that way into the future. We have lots of things going on that will benefi t everyone.

    From an accomplishment standpoint, some of the things we have taken on this year have been fairly noticeable, such as the landscaping projects and the removal of the equipment at Cornell Park in anticipation of the new play structure. Those things are easy to see.

    But there have also been some changes and challenges not as easy to spot.

    The water meters is a hot-button topic, as is the commu-nity center, and I think they will (both) get some attention this year, said Howard. At least one board member has asked to turn up the heat on the community

    Town looks ahead to positive 2011

    see 2011 page 18A

    by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

    Timeless hours editing preverbal dominoes

    Not so fast, A.D. 2010. Before you take your fi nal bow and stride off stage, your pres-ence is required at the podium. One more item remains on the awards ceremony agenda something to do with Dubious Distinction.

    Ive seen sparkling copy grace my desk this year, from fabulous phraseology to hard-hitting headlines. But as a word junkie I crave the bloopers. Those grammatical gaffes, syn-tactic slapstick and logical lapses that stumble across my computer screen provide welcome decompression from the stress of editorial deadlines.

    Hey, Ive even caught one or two before they made their way into print.

    So brace yourself for the 2010 Blooper Reel Awards for the weirdest wordcraft never to have reared its ugly head in the pages of the Press:

    MOST PICTURESQUE TYPO AwardSecond Runner-up: This years event con-

    cludes with the crowing of the new queens.First Runner-up: The four-golfer scram-

    ble format includes Closets to the Hole.And the award goes to: Since opening its

    doors in 2009, the restaurant has been wow-ing thongs of customers.UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT Award

    First Runner-up: Thank you for your timeless hours of help.

    And the award goes to: Assisting him were scores of residents recruited as volunteers.GOD BLOWS A GASKET Award

    The Delta was further threatened by the damning of the rivers.

    WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS Award

    First Runner-up: Citizens and non-citi-zens residing in cities other than Antioch

    And the award goes to: The driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with the roadway.WE DONT WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS Award

    The nursery donated a tree and soil for 10 families, which were planted on Saturday, March 27.GIVE US A MINUTE TO WORK THIS OUT Award

    by Ger EricksonCopy Editor

    see Timeless page 18A

    While doing some of my spring cleaning, my doorbell rang. Winner of MOST SOPHISTICATED HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY EVER Award

    Goodbye, 2010Like most of you, we at The Press enjoy easing our way out of the old year before rushing pell-mell into the new. So we invite you to join us in taking a brief glance back at what the year 2010 has wrought.

    The stories weve chosen for this retrospective

    arent necessarily the most important, just the most interesting or unusual

    stories were proud of.

    Were privileged to be a part of your life, and hope to continue that

    relationship for many more years. We also hope 2011 will bring you the peace, happiness and prosperity that might have eluded you or your loved ones

    during the travails of 2010. Whatever the new year

    brings, well go through it together. Thanks for sharing

    with it us, and enjoy our nal issues meander down

    memory lane.

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 3A

    Delta weeds create tangle of troubleThis article was originally published

    on July 23, 2010.

    Its called egeria densa, a delicate-look-ing Brazilian waterweed commonly found in pet stores and home aquariums. Known for its fast-growing, robust properties, the attrac-tive green weed with the exotic name has be-come an increasingly unpopular visitor to the aquatic backyards of Discovery Bay, leaving some residents fearing for their property val-ues and recreational lifestyles, while prompt-ing local offi cials to look to state governance for some help.

    This is a volcano ready to erupt and we need to diffuse it, said Jeff Conway, district manager of Reclamation District 800, the organization that operates and maintains the areas levees. This is the worst year Ive seen in 13 or 14 years, and I dont see it getting any better next year. We need to get it managed and under control.

    Responding to the outpouring of com-munity concern over the increasing preva-lence of the egeria densa this year, Discovery Bay General Manager Rick Howard said the CSD plans to send a letter to the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) on behalf of the town.

    The CSD became involved as a result of resident complaints about the mass of aquatic weeds that seem to have plagued a great num-ber of bays and waterways in Discovery Bay

    this summer, said Howard. While the (CSD) board does not have direct authority over the subject, they are in a position to advise and provide input to other local agencies. Quality of life is an important issue for this board and their proactive approach to this issue is consis-tent with that principle.

    Although the presence of the ergia densa is not new to Discovery Bay, this years per-fect storm of temperature, water and sunlight has caused the prolifi c underwater weed to expand its reach, clogging area bays and wa-terways. And what was once a fairly manage-able problem, handled by simply pulling the seaweed out by the roots, has taken on a life of its own.

    Its a huge problem thats only getting worse, said Discovery Bay resident David

    Koch, who works a few months a year remov-ing the ergia densa for area residents. Once the seaweed gets within the range where it grows across an area like, say, Cabrillo Bay, then everything in there dies. We fi nd cats, birds and all kinds of things in there. Every-one is frustrated; the weed has killed the en-gine in our barge many times. Its worse this year than ever before.

    Some residents stymied by the ongoing problem have begun to take matters into their own hands, dumping chlorine and rock salt into the bays in the hopes of stifl ing the ten-drils of weeds.

    A lot people are doing it more and more, said Koch. Its a huge nuisance. Ev-eryone wants to be safe and help the environ-ment, but at the end of the day, if they have

    to keep looking at crap in the bay, they dont always make the wisest decisions. Its frustrat-ing for everyone.

    There is, however, a treatment product call Sonar, which kills the weeds but is en-vironmentally friendly to the water and its inhabitants. The catch is that the pesticide is not only expensive (approximately $1,000 to $1,500 per acre per application); it requires a permit, making the product unavailable to residents.

    Because Rec 800 is a government agency, it has obtained the appropriate permits to obtain the sonar pellets but not the dollars. In May, Rec 800 began treating the small, 90-acre lake (which it owns) with sonar pellets. So far, the treatment appears successful.

    The challenge now, said Conway, is convincing the DBW that the open water-ways throughout Discovery Bay warrant the agency stepping in; something it does only on an urgent basis, such as unblocking navi-gational routes or removing obvious safety hazards.

    Ive been talking with the Department of Boating and Waterways and it looks like were going to have a meeting soon to discuss options, said Conway. Im cautiously opti-mistic we can get something done; they seem very willing to help.

    I wish we had the money to go out there and do it ourselves. This year is over, but next year is going to be just as bad, if not worse. Its a huge, multi-faceted problem thats not going away.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    Egeria densa is a growing concern for residents in Discovery Bay who are ght-ing the proli c weed for space in the Delta.

    Photo courtesy of Rec 800

    by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

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  • 4A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Dogs4Diabetics is a girls best friend

    This article was originally published on May 7, 2010.

    These days Ashley Bogdan is known around Adams Middle School as the girl with the dog.

    Everyone wanted to come up and touch Bria and pet her, especially at first, said Ashley, 13. But now theyre getting used to her and its not such a big deal.

    Bria is a medical alert assistance dog trained by the Dogs4Diabetics foundation, and seven weeks ago the Labrador retriever found a new home with Ashley and her family in Brent-wood.

    The transition has been really easy, said Ashleys mom Stacey. Very smooth. Shes already like one of the family.

    Ashley was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and it was during her initial stay in the hospital that the Bog-dans learned about the Dogs4Diabetics organization. Trained to alert when a diabetic goes low a term for a drop in blood sugar dogs like Ashley are able to recognize through their sense of smell when their human partners expe-rience a dip in their sugar levels; often before the owners recognize the signs

    themselves.In Ashleys case, where shes re-

    quired to check her blood sugar several times a day and administer insulin as needed, Brias arrival has been not only a comfort to the young teen, but a re-lief to her parents as well. I admit I was skeptical at first, said Jeff, Ash-leys dad. But it really works. Dogs are about 400 percent more attuned to smell than humans, and shes (Bria) been amazing.

    When Bria senses that Ashleys levels are dropping, she picks up the brightly colored material attached to her collar called a bringsal which tells Ashley that she needs to check her blood sugar. Shes (Bria) caught me (going low) a few times, said Ashley. It really works.

    Still in her training period, Bria will alert during the day, but hasnt yet graduated to nighttime duty. The Bria is Ashley Bogdans new constant companion. The Labrador was trained by

    the Dogs4Diabetics organization, which teaches dogs to recognize and alert owners when an insulin-dependent diabetics blood sugar levels drop.

    Photo by Ruth Roberts

    by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

    see Friend page 16A

    I just love her. I can hardly remember what it was like before she was here. Shes made this all a lot easier.

    Ashley Bogdan

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 5A

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    This article was originally published on Jan. 29, 2010.

    Henny and Penny will need to wait two more weeks to fi nd out if theyll be allowed to stay in a residential neighborhood in Brent-wood, or if theyll need to start a search for a new home from scratch.

    The City Council Tuesday, absent Coun-cilman Erick Stonebarger, deadlocked 2-2 on whether to relax zoning ordinances to allow chickens but not roosters to be kept on lots of less than 20,000 square feet. Council-men Chris Becnel and Bob Brockman voted in favor of reducing the lot size required for keeping three chickens to 6,000 square feet, as long as the coop was at least 5 feet from the property line and 15 feet from neighboring structures. Councilman Brandon Richey and Mayor Bob Taylor voted to keep the current standards, resulting in a tie and automatically moving the issue to the next meeting for a tie-breaking vote by the full council.

    With their diaper-clad chickens pres-ent, Kimberly Kennedy and her 12-year-old daughter Alexa watched as numerous speak-ers spoke in favor of the change, which would make it possible to keep chickens on more than half of Brentwoods residential proper-ties, according to an estimate given by Becnel. Only about two percent of the citys residential properties meet the current requirements.

    Proponents of the change cried fowl

    at assertions made in letters and e-mails op-posed to the change. The benefi ts of backyard chickens, they said, included educational op-portunities for children, a step toward more healthful slow food nourishment, an eco-nomic benefi t similar to the Victory Gardens of World War II and a link to Brentwoods agricultural roots.

    Backyard chickens seem like a perfect way to preserve the past while allowing the community to reap the benefi ts, said Stacey Van Hook.

    Other speakers said chickens were no worse than other domesticated birds, made little noise and slept at night, and did not pose the problems of odor, fl ies and fecal pollution presented by dogs. Claims that chicken-keep-ing would devalue properties werent true, some said, pointing to the fact that the birds are allowed in numerous other Bay Area cit-ies such as Pleasanton, San Ramon and Oak-land, where property values are higher than in Brentwood. Still others said worries that

    chickens would attract predators were over-blown, as dogs, cats and outdoor pet food dishes are worse in that regard.

    No one spoke against the change dur-ing the meeting except Richey, who cited per-sonal experience living next door to chickens. He said neighbors concerns were absolutely verifi ed. Chickens belong on farms and dont belong in our neighborhoods.

    The meeting was punctuated with chicken jokes and laughter, and included a tongue-in-cheek query from Becnel as to whether Taylor, who donned a turkey suit in a fundraising pro-motion last year, could be objective making a decision about poultry. He also said that If the major problem we have is whether or not we allow chickens, I think were doing pretty well. I dont think they are a major threat to the health and safety of Brentwood.

    Brockman said he didnt believe neigh-boring chickens would be bothersome. Its the roosters that are the jerks, he said.

    Following the meeting, Taylor explained his no vote by saying that, as a former farmer, he had plenty of experience with chickens.

    I have raised them, and sometimes chickens have issues, he said. They could pose a problem for code enforcement to keep tabs on how many birds were on a property, and cause trouble should they get out and run loose, getting into traffi c (he stopped short of saying they might try to cross the road) and being chased or eaten by dogs. I love chick-ens, but they belong in agricultural areas, he said.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    Vote leaves chicken leftoversby Rick Lemyre

    Staff Writer

  • 6A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Delta YMCA files for bankruptcyOakley donators out $1.8 million

    This article was originally published on March 23, 2010.

    The Mt. Diablo Region YMCA which includes Oakleys Delta Family location has fi led for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and Y offi cials are saying there will be no res-titution for the $1.8 million raised in commu-nity donations for the now defunct expansion at the OHara Avenue site.

    There wont be any refunds, said Rick Callaway, YMCA board of director chair-man. If accounting has sent out any (re-fund) checks, they shouldnt have. If we had money, wed still be rocking and rolling; thats what people dont understand.

    YMCA offi cials announced last month that a continued downturn in the economy and a drying up of donations had caused the organization to close its Oakley and Clayton sites. On April 16, the organization announced it would be transferring the op-erations of its Pleasant Hill facility to the Berkeley-Albany YMCA, which will also take over some of the Mt. Diablo regions childcare facilities, but none of the Oakley programs. The last day for childcare in the

    Ys Oakley facility will be June 3.The Berkeley-Albany YMCA is better

    positioned to take this on, said Fran Gallati, president and CEO of the Berkeley-Albany YMCA. Were optimistic; our goal is to impact more kids and families and to do it in a more sustainable, long-term way. Were a pretty disciplined Y (Berkeley-Albany) and intent on achieving our goals.

    In the wake of the site closures and re-cent bankruptcy announcement, plans for Oakleys 25,000-square-foot expansion at the OHara Avenue site were subsequently shelved, leaving city offi cials to question Cal-laways claim that there will be no refunding of the communitys donations.

    Im not quite sure where we go at this point, said Oakley Mayor Pat Anderson. But I will say that I fi nd this very diffi cult

    to understand or accept. We will open com-munications, we will do whatever we can, but we will not let this go. Im just incredibly dis-heartened.

    Oakley Union School Superintendent Rick Rogers, who pledged $5,000 to the ex-pansion program, said he is not necessarily surprised by the developments and doesnt expect to see his contributions returned.

    It was made in good faith at the time and its disappointing, but I think it is more unfortunate for the community because the idea was that it was a donation that was go-ing out to the community, said Rogers. But will I trust the Y again? Of course not.

    Callaway said that despite the commu-nity pledges of $1.8 million, only $788,000 was actually collected for the Oakley expan-sion project, and because the Y had already spent $1.8 million on improvements such as utilities, paving and architectural drawings, there is no money left over to return.

    We spent more than we took in, said Callaway. I have talked with Pat (Anderson) and everything I ever told her and the (city) council was what I was told. It is what it is; there is nothing illegal, immoral or unethical going on.

    Perhaps, said Oakley City Manager Bry-an Montgomery: We dont agree that there is $1.8 million worth of an investment there. All those improvements were in the ground before any of those donations were solicited and received and those donations were for the new facility. The city will need to pursue our

    interests through the bankruptcy trustee.Brentwood bankruptcy attorney Jim

    Price echoed Montgomerys sentiments, say-ing that that the City of Oakley will most certainly be listed by the courts as creditors owed, but added, They will likely have to just get in line with everyone else.

    Also in question for Oakley is the status of the three modules at the OHara Avenue site that were used as temporary facilities for the Y until the planned expansion was com-pleted. Anderson said that Y offi cials had originally said that the YMCA owned the portables, and that it was the organizations hope that they could leave at least one of the buildings on site for the citys use. Now Cal-laway is saying that the modules are encum-bered by fi nancing and will mostly likely be-come a part of the bankruptcy proceedings. In the meantime, the city is left in limbo, un-able to utilize the property it owns possibly until the courts render a judgment.

    We are trying to fi gure out where we can go and what the process is, said Ander-son. Its incredibly frustrating; we can see it (the property) but we cant touch it.

    Anderson added that she is fearful these recent develops are just another chap-ter in what looks to be an ongoing saga: I believe this is just going to get deeper and deeper as things develop. The walls are diffi -cult to climb but we will scale every one. To see that property just sitting there it aches. Its not right.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

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  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 7A

    Advertisement

    2010 RECAPHome prices in East County are about the

    same as they were at the start of the year. They bumped up a bit around the time of all the tax credits, then softened right when they expired, but since then theyve drifted back up to about where they were in January. So home sellers hoping for big price increases and home buyers hoping for another steep decline were equally frustrated.

    Inventory is climbing, while the number of homes closing escrow is going down, but pendings are rising. So this is a bit of a mixed message. I think its due to fewer bank-owned homes on the market, and more short sales. Short sales tend to fall out of escrow more frequently than bank-owned homes, so thats why the pendings are up while the closings are down. It also has a lot to do with the tax credits pulling home buying activity forward into the early part of the year.

    Nationally the big real estate stories are still shadow inventory and the legal problems associated with foreclosures (robo-signing, cant find the note, etc.). In a nutshell, we all

    know there are a LOT of homes that really should be on the market as bank-owned homes, but the banks either wont, or cant foreclosure for one reason or another. The average time to foreclose is still climbing, while people stay in their homes for free. This cant continue forever, but so far, almost every government magic bullet program has been a dud. Short sales continue to get better and easier (relative to two years ago, when they were a nightmare). Im guessing that next year the bank-owned homes will continue to be released at a measured pace. I still encourage anyone who is in trouble on their home to apply for a loan mod (even if youve tried before) and if that isnt successful, try a short sale. Most of the time a short sale is better than a foreclosure, and right now the lenders seem to want to avoid foreclosures, so the window of opportunity is still open.

    If you have questions on this or any other real estate topic, call me at (925) 240-MOVE (6683). To search the MLS for free and view virtual tours of homes for sale, go to: www.SharpHomesOnline.com. Sharp Realty

    The City of Brentwoods Housing Division is accepting a limited number of waitlist applications from income qualifi ed families who are interested in purchasing an aff ordable single-family home under the Citys First Time Homebuyer/Aff ordable Housing Program. Applicants must be fi rst time homebuyers, qualify as low income and have a good credit score (NO EXCEPTIONS). Waitlist may close at any time. Applications are available at the Com-munity Development Department, 118 Oak Street, Brentwood during normal business hours or on line at www.ci.brentwood.ca.us. For more information please contact Sylvia Elias, Housing Division (925) 516-5305.

    City of BrentwoodAff ordable Housing Information July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011Maximum Aff ordable Sales Price (Rounded to nearest $1,000)

    ------------------------------ Dwelling Unit Size --------------------------- 3 BDRM 4 BDRM 5 BDRMLow Income Dwelling Unit $160,000 $173,000 $186,000

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    Entry deadline is January 7 (or the fi rst 18 entries)All Proceeds go to:

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    Chili Cook-Off Entrance Fee $30 FREE For Dessert Contest

    Mail or drop off at the Brentwood Press248 Oak St., Brentwood, CA 94513

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    More than a half-dozen public agencies descended on Knightsen earlier in the month to help corral a wayward sea lion that ap-parently wandered into town more than a mile from the near-est Delta waterway. It was later discovered that the sea lion had suffered irreparable brain damage from eating sh contaminated by toxic algae blooms in the waters, and was euthanized.

    Wayward sea lion

    Photo by John Gonzales

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  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 THEPRESS.NET | 9A

  • 10A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

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    This article was originally published on Jan. 29, 2010.

    About 350 people came together on Sunday for a rare glimpse into the sometimes opulent, sometimes shadowy past of the Byron Hot Springs, also known as the top-secret World War II prisoner interrogation center called Camp Tracy.

    The occasion was a visit to the former resort by Army Maj. Alex Corbin, author of the book The History of Camp Tracy: Japanese WWII POWs and the Future of Interrogation. The guest of the East Contra Costa Historical Society (ECCHS) and the Tracy Historical Society, Corbin reveals how the former resort, whose natural sulfur springs and mud baths attracted celebrities such as Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and Mae West in the 1930s, was put to another use in the 1940s: gently wresting military secrets from Japanese soldiers and sailors in an operation so secret that its existence was virtually unknown until just a couple years ago.

    Corbin, a military intelligence offi cer whose duties have included helping to clean up Iraqs Abu Ghraib prison following the 2004 prisoner abuse scandal, discovered the existence of the Camp Tracy operation while doing research for his masters thesis. Painstaking research through declassifi ed

    materials and a nationwide hunt for former soldiers stationed there uncovered the fact that, unlike the harsh coercive tactics used in Iraq, the work at Camp Tracy utilized kindness, friendliness and cultural understanding to glean important information about Japanese morale, ship armaments and military installations.

    Threats and physical coercion were not necessary, Corbin told the crowd gathered in the rubble-strewn lobby and peering down from the second-fl oor balcony. Courtesy and kindness overcame the most reticent prisoner.

    Also on hand was 94-year-old former Lt. Al Nipkow of Walnut Creek, an interrogator at Camp Tracy. This is very traumatic for me, he said. Its been 70 years since I served here, and to come back to this shell is unbelievable.

    Nipkow said he was never given specifi c orders to keep the camps operation a secret; knowing it was top secret was enough to make those who worked there clam up. Some of the eight living Camp Tracy veterans, in fact, were still reluctant at

    fi rst to talk about their experience, Corbin said.

    When they did start talking, they spoke of their admiration for the Nisei, American-born descendents of Japanese immigrants who worked hand-in-hand with their Caucasian counterparts to question

    the POWs. Corbin said many of the Nisei

    worked while their families

    languished in i n t e r n m e n t camps, yet still did their duty to their country.

    T h e c a m p s i n n o v a t i v e t a c t i c s included the preparat ion of home-cooked meals by Japanese chefs, allowing POWs to use the resorts spas

    and mud baths, and placing electronic eavesdropping devices throughout the building while housing prisoners two to a room (sometimes with a Nisei pretending to be a

    by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

    see Secret page 18A

    A part of the crowd of 350 spills out of the former main building

    of Camp Tracy, the once-and-future Byron Hot Springs

    resort.

    Photo by Richard Wisdom

    Secret world of Camp Tracy revealed

  • Dont let your business be invisible online.

    Are you a business owner? Do you know if consumers are nding your website? Do you even have a website or an online presence? Having a website and online presence is critical for

    business success in todays technology-driven world. However, being invisible on the world-wide web can quickly lead to lost business revenue!

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    Come to the beautiful downtown of ce location of the Brentwood Press to learn the Five Best Ways to Make your Business Visible Online.

    Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 634-1441 by Monday, January 10, 2011 to secure your spot for one of the FREE training sessions.

    If you are unable to attend one of the above dates/times but are interested in learning more about improving or creating on-line visibility for your business, contact [email protected] to schedule a personal training visit.

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    DECEMBER 31, 2010 THEPRESS.NET | 11A

  • 12A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

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    Garin celebrates fabulous 40th birthdayThis article was originally published

    on May 7, 2010.

    Brentwood is the place for me; Brent-wood has some history, sang the members of the Garin Choir during the elementary schools spring carnival, but whether they knew it or not, the students were making some history of their own.

    The student performance was just one of the many highlights during Garins 40th Birthday Bash held last Friday. In honor of the Brentwood Elementary School Districts third school, local dignitaries and school of-fi cials past and present shared their favorite Garin memories with an audience of more than 200, while students of all ages mingled with their teachers and mentors, talking about the good old days.

    Forty years old, mused former Garin Principal Betty Dailey. Isnt it fabulous 40? Isnt that the saying? Well, Garin School, youre still in your prime. Happy birthday, Garin!

    Well-wishers enjoyed carnival games and a barbecue dinner provided by the Brentwood Rotary Club. Guests were also treated to a plethora of photo collages of Garin memo-ries as well as photo albums that included class photos from the past two decades.

    When Garin opened its doors in 1970, it consisted of only four classes, and Bill Bristow served as principal. Bristow passed away last

    year, but his daughter Judith Arata told the audience that he would love to have seen the celebration.

    This school was the fi rst school my father built in his administration, and he was ever so proud of the innovative design and thought that went into the actual building, Arata said. At the time, it was quite something for Brent-wood, and I was fortunate enough to be in the fi rst class that attended Garin. I celebrate 40 years with you. My brother attended Garin, and his daughter now attends Garin, and we are so thankful that the tradition continues with Stacy Joslin and her fi ne staff.

    Joslin, who has been the principal at Ga-rin for three years, said she was honored to be part of the Garin legacy and looks forward to the future. But before they embraced the fu-ture, birthday bashers took a moment to travel into the past, as the Garin time capsule, cre-ated by Wanda Grosecloses 1984 fi fth-grade class, was opened after being sealed for nearly 26 years. Groseclose was joined on stage by a dozen of her 1984 students who helped bury the time capsule on the outskirts of town on Payne Avenue, where Groseclose used to live, which is coincidentally now owned by the Bris-tow family.

    All those years ago, who would think that the future held this for us? Groseclose told the audience. This is one of the greatest days of my life to see all of these former stu-dents of mine. Theyre all my children as far as Im concerned. That was the kind of teacher I was. I was the mother type more than any-thing else. So I really do love all these people

    who are up here with me today and I am so grateful for this opportunity to see them all. Some of them came up from L.A. Some of them came down from Oregon, and all places in between.

    Grosecloses husband Clark and Brent-wood Mayor Bob Taylor, whose son Paul was in Grosecloses 1984 class, peeled off the masking tape that was meticulously wrapped around a metal garbage can to reveal a trea-sure trove of memories that delighted and surprised Grosecloses former students. A Mi-chael Jackson poster, a Tom Jones eight-track, and a Care Bear were among the artifacts stowed away in the capsule. Students also re-discovered a Cabbage Patch Doll, a BeeGees backpack, a Burger King crown, an Avon

    catalog and two Rubiks Cubes. Newspapers, magazines, tennis shoes, hair barrettes and a class photo album were also found inside.

    More than 40 items had been carefully packed in the capsule, but Groseclose con-fi ded that she was glad one item was not in-cluded: My husband is so relieved because we lost a little dog about this time (when we buried the capsule), and he is so glad it wasnt in there!

    Joslin announced that Garin students will be assembling a 2010 time capsule, but the date and location of its burial have yet to be decided.

    To view video highlights of the 40th Birthday Bash and a photo slideshow, visit www.thepress.net.

    Carlos Ortega covers his face in surprise as he and members of his former fth-grade class look through a photo album they found in the time capsule.

    Photos by Samie Hartley

    by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 13A

    Since we started publishing photos of people Seen with The Press in various locales 10 years ago, weve received hun-dreds of submissions from all over the world featuring our paper and the great folks whove carried it with them on their travels. Weve been Seen with readers on every continent in-cluding twice in Antarctica but this year we got our very rst submission not featuring a human when Oakleys Mark Hollister discovered a wolf spider apparently horning in on the action. For those of you whose photos havent run yet, hang in there. Well get to them all eventually.

    Seen in the Animal Kingdom

  • 14A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Maiocco finally takes down his shingle

    This article was originally published on Feb. 19, 2010.

    Dr. Hugh Maiocco sits in a comfort-able leather chair chatting with a visitor in his Brentwood living room, his broad, ever-present smile accessorized by his sparkling eyes. Outside the picture window to his right, green grass and fl owerbeds are bor-dered by a phalanx of tall trees ringing the property and serving as a visual barrier be-tween his homes rural setting and rapidly encroaching suburbia.

    But the shift from neighboring farm fi elds to next-door dwellings isnt the only change taking place in the Maiocco house-hold. After more than a half-century of practicing medicine in East County, helping health care make the transition from house calls to hospitals, Maiocco has fi nally hung up his stethoscope.

    I didnt want to retire, but the com-puter shot my legs out from under me, said the 83-year-old Maiocco. His unique meth-od of keeping hand-written records had served him well, but he admits it was simply no longer appropriate for the times.

    But while bits and bytes might have been his downfall, they stand as perhaps the only thing he failed to master. Described as a Renaissance man by one of his dear-est friends, the late Bill Bristow, Maiocco the athlete won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in track at the 1952 Pan American Olympics. As an artist, his paintings earned him an exhibit at the San Francisco Art Fes-tival. As a psychologist, he was schooled at New Yorks Bellevue School of Medicine, and as a philosopher he spent a week at a Buddhist monastery in Shasta. During World War II, he took a month off of work to teach himself electronics and passed the Navys Radar program entrance exam with fl ying colors. He even owns a patent for a simplifi ed system of music that eliminates the half-step progression represented by the black keys on a piano.

    Maiocco says his lifelong yearning to learn stems from wandering away from his New York home and getting thoroughly lost at the age of 6. Rather than panic, he carefully reviewed his surroundings and how he had gotten there, and eventually made his way back.

    It turned out that fi nding my way home that day was a seminal life-chang-ing experience because it taught me a fundamental lesson about the nature of knowledge acquisition, Maiocco wrote in a recent magazine article. Studying many disciplines would also prove handy when he began practicing medicine in Brentwood in 1957.

    Ensconced in a small offi ce with doctors Abe Kaplan and Charles Duffy, Maiocco and his colleagues were forced by circumstances to treat virtually every kind of malady, as there was no other medical care for miles around. They needed to be versed in neurology, pediatrics, trauma and internal medicine. They delivered ba-bies, set fractures, had to understand that a neck injury might actually be a stress-related condition, and even once treated

    a case of leprosy. Calls could come at any time Maiocco and his little black bag once made 27 house calls on Thanksgiv-ing or even arrive on his doorstep.

    One time the doorbell rang and there was a man whose throat had been cut in a fi ght, he recalled. We had to in-tegrate our families into what we did.

    Maiocco speaks proudly of his fam-ily, especially Carol his wife, whom he met in New York and for whom he took the long way home from school just for her company and a cup of hot chocolate. I could not have done any of this without Carol, he said. She is the family glue.

    Hes also proud of his daughter Ruth, a championship swimmer in school and fearless sandlot football player who now lives in Escalon; and his son Robert, a na-tional champion sprinter in college and a Stanford grad, now living in Florida.

    He also maintains strong relation-ships with his friends, including Kaplan, with whom he has enjoyed breakfast ev-ery Tuesday for more than 40 years and plays tennis every week.

    Professionally, however, Maiocco is

    proudest of having helped so many people for so long, and helped to usher in an era of modern health care in East County.

    We were pioneers; we were isolated, he said. There were no specialists around here then. The isolation, however, also helped them become better doctors.

    We saw everything, he said. We had tremendous freedom because there was no one else.

    Maioccos contributions to area medicine go beyond his role as a coun-try doctor. He was a founding father of Delta Memorial Hospital, ran immuniza-tion clinics, served on the County Men-tal Health Board and as chief of staff at Pittsburg Hospital. He worked as the fi rst family practitioner in Brentwood for John Muir, helping bring the John Muir Medi-cal Center to the city. A few years ago he joined Muirs staff, and it was from Muir that he retired last month.

    When I was with Muir, I was in heaven, he said. They let me keep work-ing on paper, gave me a wonderful nurse. I was able to continue concentrating on being a doctor.

    Kaplan said the community will miss Maiocco a great deal: I think its a pity hes retiring. The kind of doctoring he did is important. You talk to people, not a computer. People would wait two hours to see him and they didnt mind, as long as they got to see him. Its a real loss and it didnt have to be.

    For his part, Maiocco said his only re-gret is that he hasnt written a book about it all. Hed like to document his adventure through life, and hed like to spread the word about the cure for the one thing that causes him the most pain.

    People have not found the fi re of love to weld together the opposites of humankind, and therefore they continue to kill each other physically, emotionally, spiritually, even culturally, he said. The answer is always love. Find the friendly answer, and do what love tells you to do.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    by Rick LemyreStaff Writer Hugh

    Maiocco stands by one of the paintings once shown in a San Francisco Art Festival show. The pioneer East County physician retired last month after more than a half-century of practice.

    Photo by Rick Lemyre

    Brentwood captures Playful prize once again

    This article was originally published on Aug. 27, 2010.

    Brentwood has once again captured national attention by being named a Playful City by the non-profi t group Ka-BOOM! The program honors cities that prioritize play and ensure that children are healthy by providing the time and space for play.

    Of the 118 cities nationwide to earn the designation, San Francisco and Red-wood City are the only others in Northern California.

    This is our joy, said Park and Rec-reation Department Director Craig Bron-zan. Just thinking of all the facilities weve

    built, and then seeing the community use them, and then having an outside agency recognize what we do, it doesnt get any better than that.

    Mayor Bob Taylor said hes proud

    that Brentwood is setting a good example for others.

    Through the Playful City USA pro-gram, other communities across the coun-try will now look to Brentwood as a role model, he said. These cities and towns will examine our best practices and look to replicate them in their communities. I take a tremendous amount of pride in knowing that what were doing here in Brentwood will improve the lives of not only our chil-dren, but children elsewhere as well.

    Each of the 2010 Playful City USA communities demonstrated creative com-mitments to the cause of play, KaBOOM! CEO and co-founder Darell Hammond said in a press release announce the award. A primary goal of Playful City USA is to encourage cities and towns to share creative ideas, concepts and programs in an effort

    to increase play opportunities for children. Brentwood offers the community a unique opportunity with its Wellness Policy, a community-wide aspirational goal which promotes physical activity and education as the benefi ts of living a healthy lifestyle.

    An extreme misconception exists in our country that play among children is a luxury when, in fact, its an absolute neces-sity. For decades this notion dominated our actions, and we continue to see the dam-aging results: a monumental lack of play spaces for children and skyrocketing child-hood obesity rates. Brentwood refused to adhere to the status quo and realized all children deserve a municipal commitment to the cause of play. Playful City USA communities serve as beacons for the rest of our nation that an investment in chil-dren is an investment in our future.

    by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 15A

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    Senses set adrift in ocean of greyThis article was originally published on Jan. 22, 2010.

    Dont get me wrong. Anything this hazardous to a motorists health shouldnt be treated in solely rhapsodic terms. But a confession is in order: Ive got the foggiest notion.

    East County folk are treated to microclimates of fog as varied as Northern Californias microclimates of grape growing. When the tsunami of marine layer batters Mt. Diablo and fl oods its foothills, when tule reeds adorning the Delta shoreline are veiled in vapor, when wizened sycamores drift wraithlike in and out of tendrils of mist along Marsh Creek, some of us leave our ignition keys on the kitchen counter, bundle up and take a stroll in the neighborhood. Others

    turn the key and head for the hills.Last Saturday I awoke to fi nd my Brentwood

    neighborhood sleeping snugly beneath a blanket of grey. Curious about the blankets breadth and depth, I threw together my hiking gear, brewed a thermos of weapons-grade coffee and struck out for Round Valley Regional Preserve. My goal: the parks summit, 1,220 feet above sea level, where an archipelago of boulders protrudes from a sea of grasses, and the skeletal limbs of a bent blue oak I call Old One frames the high ridges of Morgan Territory and twin peaks of Mt. Diablo.

    From the look of the parks parking lot, I wasnt the only maven of murk in town. A handful of hikers, cyclists and horseriders were lacing, gearing and saddling up for East Countys Annual Unoffi cial FogFest.

    Long before I reached the summit it was clear that the brand of grey gripping the region was no tule fog rising from the reeds; it was an inversion fog a big ol cloud stooping to our level, pancaking an enormous swath of real estate. When I got to the top, that evocative panorama Id been banking on was choked in fog harder to see through than lead lingerie on Lois Lane.

    Inversion fog can hang around with the persistence of an annoying party guest especially when above it hang sheets of altostratus preventing the Sun from burning it off. That was the state of the sky the morning of Saturday, Jan. 16.

    Normally, the higher you rise into the atmosphere, the more the temperature falls. But in an inversion, the higher you rise, the more the temperature rises with you. Warm air overrides cool. And absent that normally warm air rising from the surface and stirring the lower atmosphere, the inversions cool surface air leaves the lower atmosphere unmixed, stable, fogbound for a long time. Sprinkle the surface with moisture from earlier rain and fog, and voil! Youve got yourself all-day grey.

    I had perched on Round Valleys peak many times and knew what to expect: a view 15 miles north to the Solano hills; Mt. Diablo eight miles west; the Ohlone Wilderness beyond Livermore, 25 miles south; and the Sierra Nevada Range 100 miles across Central Valley. But when I arrived at the summit on that misty morning, my fi rst impression was disorientation, as if Id been teleported into downtown San Francisco on a busy workday but could hear only silence. The vista that morning was the visual equivalent of a soundproof booth. I commandeered the boulders and from my grand altitude saw nothing beyond 60 yards.

    As the hours passed and the haze began to dissipate, the spidery veins of oak branches spilling down the summits north slope came into focus. Above, the Suns faint disc slipped in and out of view like the searchlight of a ship inching its way into a fogbound harbor. The wind freshened and the high ridges of Morgan Territory three miles southwest materialized above the roof of rippling grey. Northwest, Diablos deep blue peaks began breaking through the gloom. Ah, fi nally.

    And then, just as abruptly, the vision vanished. Fog fl owed over the summit like a tide, drowning the horizon. I had caught sight of an achingly sharp-edged shore beyond a formless ocean, and just as swiftly it had been snatched from me. Was it real or had I dreamed it?

    I stayed a while in the silence and stillness, hoping the pale wafer of Sun would reappear, hoping the northwest breeze would scatter the fog from the summit, hoping to reaffi rm the existence of that dark and distant shore. But another notion, perhaps a wordless voice from Old One, told me the vision Id been given was suffi cient for a day for a lifetime. It was more than enough to have seen less

    than enough. I tipped my hat and turned my back to the tree, disappeared into the fog and began my descent toward the cool and lucid air of earth.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    Viewed from the summit of Round Valley Regional Preserve, inversion fog descends to reveal the ridges of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve.

    Photos by Ger Erickson

    TAKE ITOUTSIDE

    GERERICKSON

    Fog condenses to form droplets on twig tips of the blue oak known as Old One.

  • 16A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

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    ability to wake up at night and alert is the final lesson for Bria and will come within the next few weeks. For now, the Bogdans continue to wake Ashley up themselves at night to check her levels.

    Nighttime monitoring is especially important, because a hypoglycemic episode can lead to unconsciousness or even a coma if not treated quickly. Nighttime alerts are the last thing to come, said Carol Edwards, program director for Dogs4Diabetics. How to teach a dog to wake up to a smell is like us waking up when we smell something like a pot of coffee brewing.

    What happens is that when some-one goes low, the brain jumps into ac-tion and dumps a bunch of chemicals into the blood stream, which emits odors. The first of those comes through the breath and then it begins to seep through the pores and thats what alerts the dog Its amazing. Every time I see it, its still miraculous to me.

    And to the Bogdans.I told Ashley that when she was

    diagnosed (with diabetes) something good would come out of all this, said Stacey. And in many ways the experi-ence has been priceless. The camarade-rie with other families that we have met through the program has been wonder-ful. I tell Ashley that now she is an am-bassador for the organization, and she really is.

    Founded in 2004, Dogs4Diabetics is a nonprofit organization that pro-

    vides trained dogs to families free of charge. The dogs are received from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael and retrained for diabetic alert work as well as other organizations, including Tony LaRussas Animal Rescue Foun-dation. The cost of training each dog is approximately $25,000 and is paid for through private and corporate dona-tions.

    Dogs are matched with their own-ers through a series of training sessions and general compatibility. Its about matching personality and dog with lifestyle, said Edwards. Every person is different, just as every dog is differ-ent. Generally speaking, Labs seem to have the best temperament for this kind of work, although I suppose any dog could do it. But as a rule, Labs have a good work ethic. They like to be with humans and they like the job.

    For the Bogdans, life has changed a great deal over the past few months, and most of it has been for the good thanks to Bria. They say that a dog is mans best friend, said Stacey. Well, in our house we say that a dog is a girls best friend, and she (Bria) really is.

    I just love her, said Ashley. I can hardly remember what it was like before she was here. Shes made this all a lot easier.

    For more information on Dogs-4Diabetics or for volunteer or donation information, call 925-246-5812 or visit www.dogs4diabetics.com.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    Friend from page 4A

    Brentwood re ghters with the help of countless passing mo-torists once again led the charge to support Jerrys Kids in the Fill the Boot campaign bene ting the Muscular Dystrophy As-sociation. Requesting donations on local street corners last week, the re ghters collected a whopping $21,787, outpacing the second-high-est effort from Walnut Creek, which collected $12,617. Altogether, the men and women of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1230 raised $61,800, beating last years total by more than $14,000. Above, re ghter Tom LoCoco and a pair of colleagues pass the boot at Empire Avenue and Lone Tree Way. Congratulations to everyone involved in collecting and donating.

    Beneficent boots

    Photo by Richard Wisdom

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 THEPRESS.NET | 17A

    Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

    Winter Tire Pressure

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    According to Motor Trend magazine you lose about 1 pound per square inch, or 1psi, in tire pressure for every 10 degree drop in outside air temperature: the colder the weather the fl atter the tire. In our case it isnt the molecules found within our tires that will be constricting, its the guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae for any would-be home buyers. From December 13th forward new guidelines will be in place that can positively, or negatively, aff ect ones ability to purchase a home. First, the good news

    Gift funds will now be allowed for all conventional purchases. Previously gift funds were only allowed through an FHA loan, which is why the FHA product has been so prevalent in east Contra Costa County. Many fi rst time buyers could not save for their down-payment, but could make their projected mortgage payment. Now, those same buyers can look to conven-tional fi nancing as a very viable option as the funds for their down payment can 100% be a gift for conventional fi nancing as well. Great you say! Dont get too excited, onto the bad news

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    Before attempting to steer through the real estate world this winter make sure to check in with your trusted Realtor and lend-er. As a change in tire pressure this winter will aff ect your ability to safely navigate the road, a change in lending guidelines will dramatically aff ect your ability to purchase a home.

    If you have any real estate lending related questions or concerns, dont hesitate to write me at [email protected] or call me directly on my cell phone, (925) 726-1444.

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  • 18A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY DECEMBER 31, 2010

    The Press Newspapers are adjudicated in the the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and the Delta Judicial District

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    prisoner) to encourage conversation, which was then recorded.

    Corbin said he is sometimes asked if the Camp Tracy tactics would have worked in Iraq.

    My thoughts are that if you start off at (a severity of) one, you can always ramp up, he said, noting that his thoughts were his own, not necessarily those of the Army. But if you start at 10, you cant expect to start getting nicer and expect to get information. I think (the Camp Tracy methodology) would really help a lot in our current endeavors.

    The events hostess was historian Carol Jensen, an expert on Byron Hot Springs, who conducted tours of the building and

    grounds. The ECCHS garnered nearly 50 family memberships, something Jensen said showed the keen interest that abounds in far East County history. The Hot Springs, which are fenced off most of the time, will most defi nitely be the scene of another such event in the future.

    As for that future, the current owner of the Hot Springs, Dave Fowler, was on hand at a meet-and-greet event at Byrons Wild Idol following the event. Hes developed plans to rebuild the original hotel and return the site to its previous splendor. The project, however, is currently stalled at the county level, seeking permits.

    To comment or view the slide show and video of the Camp Tracy event, visit www.thepress.net.

    Secret from page 10A

    Above left, a photo taken secretly during World War II from a guard tower at Camp Tracy shows two soldiers enjoying some outdoor recreation. Above, Maj. Alex Corbin, right, shares a laugh with 94-year-old Al Nipkow during a presen-tation on the former POW interrogation center Camp Tracy, where Nipkow worked and about which Corbin has written a book.

    Photo by Richard Wisdom

    Photo courtesy of Carol Jensen

    center project and push the subject mat-ter forward. I think there will defi nitely be some movement on this soon.

    The board will also be meeting in an informal setting on Jan. 22, which will provide an opportunity for them to estab-lish their goals for the new year, which will help drive budgetary policy as well. They will also discuss what they want to do in terms of parks, upgrades at the treatment plants and the water meter issue.

    From all perspectives, 2010 was a year of transition for Discovery Bay, including the arrival of a new general manager and landscape manager, changes on the Com-munity Services District (CSD) board and the development of a new 10-year master

    water and wastewater plan. The plans, when complete, will give the CSD board and staff a top-to-bottom overview of the towns systems, including an opportu-nity to see how the towns infrastructure is handling its current demands and what stress any future development might put on the community in terms of necessary upgrades.

    The new wastewater master plan, said Howard, will also offer a more com-prehensive look at whats happening with the 12-year-old system, and where it will go in the future.

    We should have both master plans completed by late winter or early spring, and that will provide us with an extensive assessment of the facilitys infrastructures,

    what our level of comfort is currently, and where are going from here, said Howard. Its a huge accomplishment.

    And one of the towns biggest accom-plishments in 2010, according to CSD President Kevin Graves, came in the form of a new addition to the town staff.

    I think one of the best decisions we made this year was the choice of our new general manager, said Graves. He has good ideas, works well with the staff and is helping to bring our growing and changing town to a whole new level. I think weve accomplished some important things this year and Im looking forward to the future with optimism and hope. Its going to be a good year.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    2011 from page 1A

    Second Runner-up: If you thought this last budget cycle was bad, this next one has no promises of being any better, if not worse.

    First Runner-up: Dont miss out on your discount by registering early.

    And the award goes to: The treatment could be signifi -cant in the battle against weight loss.YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN Award

    Second Runner-up: Unique, one-of-a-kind pieces First Runner-up: We have maintained a safe environ-

    ment and plan to do so going forward in the future.And the award goes to: Times have changed in the last

    fi ve years.GETTING MIGHTY RESTRICTIVE Award

    The facility presents a seminar for seniors on falls and how to prevent them from 5:30-7 p.m.SURELY YOU DIDNT MEAN THAT Award

    The nonprofi t organization helps disadvantage chil-dren ages 7 to 17.TYPOS THAT ACTUALLY WORK Award

    Second Runner-up: The silence was almost defi ning.First Runner-up: Keeping up with items that collect

    into piles makes cleaning and moping a breeze.And the award goes to: I decided to bring this rouge

    organization under control.LIGHTNING-FAST POLICE WORK Award

    A subject was contacted during a traffi c collision on Second Street.MOST BLATANT RACIAL PROFILING Award

    A black boys BMX bike was found on the sidewalk.NOT EASY TO VISUALIZE Award

    Second Runner-up: About 700 residences came out to the concert.

    First Runner-up: What has changed is todays reces-sion-minded economy.

    And the award goes to: Reascend the moneys we have already paid.BEST MALAPROPISM Award

    Second Runner-up: As most of my equity is in my home, its been a disparaging month.

    First Runner-up: Maybe youre fatigued, have a head-ache and chock it up to too much sun or beer.

    And the award goes to: To exasperate the situation ITS A SQUEEZE Award

    First Runner-up: Exhibit spaces (10x10) are avail-

    able for $30.And the award goes to: The thief entered multiple

    backpacks in the locker room.MOST AMBITIOUS CLAIM Award

    Learn all you need to know about being the best ten-nis player ever.MOST DYNAMIC OPENING SENTENCE Award

    Hello, not that all, or any of you, for that matter, want to hear from me, but IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Award

    Second Runner-up: I am not going to allow people to tell stories about what the truth is.

    First Runner-up: These are criminals who want to hide behind the race card, which is tumbling down one after the other like a row of dominoes.

    And the award goes to: But fear not. I did fi nd a solu-tion, a fi x, a magic potent, the preverbal silver bullet.MOST SOPHISTICATED HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY EVER Award

    While doing some of my spring cleaning, my doorbell rang.WORST CARNIVAL ATTRACTION EVER Award

    There will be a concussion stand at the event.

    Timeless from page 1A

  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 THEPRESS.NET | 19A

  • 2B | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Freshman sports saved for this yearThis article was originally published on Aug. 6, 2010. The goal of raising $48,000 to save freshman sports in

    the coming school year has been reached, according to Jeff Kurtz, one of the leaders of the fundraising effort.

    Liberty Union High School District (LUHSD) offi -cials might make it offi cial at their next board meeting, ac-cording to Gene Clare, LUHSD assistant superintendent.

    The board and Superintendent Mr. (Jerry) Glenn have indicated that because theres such a good effort by the parents and the community that at this point, theyll take formal action later, but all indicators are that freshman sports will be here this school year, said Clare.

    About two-thirds of the goal had been reached as of Sunday, said Clare as he watched Liberty High School Principal Tim Halloran get repeatedly dunked in a tank to raise money at a daylong event sponsored by Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill. But fundraising proceeds from a variety of businesses that were tallied Monday at the district offi ce put the effort over the top.

    Bill Lohr, a co-owner of Tailgaters, donated the res-taurants proceeds on Sunday along with money from the dunk tank, a silent auction, raffl e and other activities. A variety of other East County businesses have also donated some of their profi ts to the cause.

    Theres 600 kids in jeopardy of not being able to play sports, said Lohr on Sunday. Thats 600 kids with nothing to do after school. ... Sports are important; keep them out of trouble.

    In addition to keeping kids out of trouble, sports help bond them with their schools community, according to Clare. Freshman sports is the lead-in for the young peo-ple; connects them up with high school, he said. Its ex-

    tremely important for young people to get connected and get involved in activities such as sports their freshman year, so they have a good four years of high school. It connects them to the high school experience.

    In between dunks, Halloran cited the motivation that sports provide for kids to keep up their studies or risk losing eligibility to participate. A lot of students, a lot of athletes, do better in school with sports just because they have to maintain grade point average, he said. So they generally get better grades. If thats the reason they come to school,

    thats what gets them to school.Scheduled to follow Halloran in the dunk tank were

    Heritage Principal Andy Parsons, Freedom Principal Eric Faulkner and Assistant Superintendent Eric Volta. The fundraiser included student athletes battling in a hot-wing eating contest.

    Donations are still being accepted for this and other educational programs in the district. To make a donation, go online to www.educationwins.org, the Web site of the LUHSD Educational Foundation.

    by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

    It took a small village of local businesses, sports boosters and directors to save freshman sports. From left are John Ambrose, Scott and Ryan Richardson, Jeff Baxter, Pat Cruickshank, Jill Reynolds, Bill Lohr, Josh Aldrich, Linda Matteri, Jeff Kurtz, Keith McKnight, Karen Rarey, Eric Metz, Christine McKnight, Aaron Meadows, Diann and Jon Lei, and Janet Hannigan.

    Photo by Richard Wisdom

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  • DECEMBER 31, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 3B

    Sponsored by Black Bear DinerTHE PRESS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

    Olajuwon GarnerOlajuwon Garner, a junior guard on the Deer Valley varsity basketball team, scored 25 points and dished out a season-high six assists in a 93-78 victory over Skyline last week. Garner is averaging 19.8 points per game this season.

    Black Bear Diner is happy to award a Gift Certifi cate worth up to $15 to Athletes of the Week. Certifi cates must be claimed at the Brentwood Press, 248 Oak St. in Brentwood.

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    Splitting the uprights

    This article was originally published on Nov. 12, 2010.

    Gianna Lucido always wanted to fi nd a spot on Antioch Highs varsity football team. A spot on Freedom Highs team ended up fi nding Trisha La Fleur.

    Lucido, daughter of Panthers head coach John Lucido, grew up in a football-centric household. Not caring much for the powder-puff version of the game, she earned a spot on the freshman football team as a cornerback and kicker. The senior worked her way up to Antiochs varsity team this season at the same time her father was named head coach.

    Lucido took over the kicking job from Dallas Butterfi eld, her former teammate on

    the girls soccer team.As soon as I got to high school, I saw an

    opportunity and I took it, Lucido said. Ive always been in the stands, watching it and looking up to people, but now its a whole new experience, actually being out here.

    The Thursday before Freedoms season opener, the teams starting kicker became in-eligible. Falcons head coach Kevin Hartwig was scrambling for a reliable substitute. Junior receiver Jordan Willis told Hartwig about his friend, a soccer player who had no gridiron experience, but an incredible leg.

    That Monday, Hartwig was introduced to La Fleur. After a short but impressive try-out, the 4.0-GPA sports medicine student be-came Freedoms kicker.

    She didnt miss, Hartwig said, recalling that tryout.

    For the full story, visit www.thepress.net.

    Antiochs Gianna Lucido, left, and Freedoms Trisha La Fleur have taken different routes to becoming their teams starting kicker.

    Photo by Kyndl Buzas

    by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

  • 4B | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Deer Valley golf is a family affair

    This article was originally published on Oct. 15, 2010.

    Deer Valley Highs 2010 varsity girls golf season will mark the end of an era. Senior and No. 1 player Haley Edwards graduation will end a decade of dominance at Deer Valley, where she or a member of her family has been the teams top player.

    The situation is more unique than usual because of the head coach, Andria Edwards. Coach Edwards is the mother of Alexis and Ashley, who graduated in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Alexis went on to play golf at Brigham Young University and Ashley is a junior at Oregon. Andria is also the aunt of sisters Brittany and Haley Edwards. Brittany graduated Deer Valley in 2009 and Haley is set to graduate in 2011.

    Its a great feeling, coach Edwards said. Ive watched my own daughters and Ive watched my nieces grow and to handle things in a mature way. Its been a joy. Its nice to see them develop. Its not one clone right after the other. They all have different things that they need to work on.

    The coach identifi ed Alexis as the most athletic of the group, due to her prowess in softball, as well. She said Ashleys strengths are her patience and her touch on and around the greens, which enables her to save good scores on bad holes. Brittany was the most te-nacious of the four, picking the game up late compared to most players at her skill level. Haley was described as the one with the most natural ability, having played since seventh grade.

    Theyve all contributed to someone that theyve worked with, said the coach of her

    daughters and nieces. Theyve been able to express themselves with their teammates, and help them out. It hasnt just been the Edwards dominance; theyve been part of the team.

    Haley has been the leader of a Wolver-ines team that is 7-0 this season and as of Monday possesses a 54 game winning streak, dating back to 2007.

    While Haleys graduation will bring an end to her familys dominance of East County golf, her coach can already see her infl uence, as well as that of her sister and cousins. The Edwards girls knowledge of golf helped the coach tutor lesser experienced players on how to manage games. As coaches are not allowed to actively coach their players during matches, Haleys input has been valuable. Haleys heir apparent is sophomore Taylor Coover, the teams No. 2 player. Her scores are already close or equal to the current No. 1, and the coach detects Haleys infl uence on her.

    The last in line, Haley has been a domi-nant golfer but her athletic ability is not limited to golf. She had also been a swimmer for most of her life but stopped after her sophomore season to focus on golf. Additionally, after she played middle school volleyball, varsity head coach Lou Panzella tried to persuade her to play for his team. She decided to follow in the footsteps of her family and play golf.

    Speaking of her fascination for the game, Haley said, Its always different; you never have the same lie or the same putt. You never have the same anything. It just has a lot of ups and downs.

    Haleys hope is to follow Brittany to Southern Utah University, where she would major in advertising and minor in photogra-phy, while also playing golf. Brittany is cur-rently a sophomore and one of the Thunder-birds top players.

    To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

    by Michael DixonCorrespondent

    Bell takes toll on Lions

    This article was originally published on Nov. 19, 2010.

    Freedom Highs varsity football team came into Fridays Bell Game needing a vic-tory against Liberty to have a shot at making the playoffs. When the dust settled at the Li-ons Ohmstede Field, the Falcons got that win decisively, prevailing 49-10.

    This was our season it was make or break. We had a good week; we came out pre-pared and had a complete win, said Falcon coach Kevin Hartwig. Beating your rivals fi ve years in a row, thats great, thats hard to do. I feel happy for the seniors.

    The Falcon offense struck on the fi rst play when senior running back Timazray Shepherd took a screen pass from sophomore quarterback Dante Mayes; 75-yards later, after weaving his way through the Liberty defense, Shepherd was in the end zone and Freedom led 7-0.

    Liberty junior kicker Kyle Rainsford cut the Freedom lead to 7-3 with a fi eld goal. That was answered when senior running back Damora Cooper fi nished the ensuing Falcon drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.

    Liberty senior running back Shawn Vasquez scored on a 42-yard run sandwiched between two more Freedom touchdowns one when sophomore fullback Tyler Saude

    recovered his own fumble in the end zone, the other when Mayes hit junior receiver Stephen Rodriguez on a 20-yard touchdown strike.

    Trailing 28-10 and driving at the end of the fi rst half, any hope Liberty entertained for a comeback was demolished when senior quarterback Devyn Parsons injured his ankle. Lions head coach Nate Smith said it could be a broken bone, but he wasnt sure at the time.

    That was a big blow to us., said Smith. We knew all year that that was the one guy that we couldnt afford to lose.

    Mayes also completed his fi rst 11 passes and was 16 of 19 for the game. Shepherd was lethal as a receiver out of the backfi eld, catch-ing four passes for 107 yards. Cooper was steady as usual, running for 98 yards.

    It feels great just coming in here with my seniors. I did it for them, said Mayes of his four-touchdown performance.

    In his fi nal game, Parsons was seven of nine for 117 yards before being knocked out. Libertys win-loss record (3-7, 1-4) was nearly identical to last years, yet the improvement was obvious. But Smith feels his team needs to take another step. We started to learn how to compete in the BVAL this year, he said. Now weve got to learn to really be a force. I dont think weve learned to fi nish things in the BVAL yet.

    The Falcons fi fth consecutive Bell Game victory gives them a 9-4 overall series lead.

    For video highlights, visit www.thepress.net.

    Freedom head coach Kevin Hartwig holds the Bell Trophy as Falcon players celebrate their victory over the Lions.

    Photo by Kyndl Buzas

    by Michael DixonCorrespondent

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  • 6B | THEPRESS.NET MILESTONES DECEMBER 31, 2010

    Irene FurgursonIrene Cuba Furgur-

    son, a resident of Antioch and lifelong resident of Contra Costa County, passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec.12 surround-ed by her loving family.

    Born on Sept. 4, 1927, Irene is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Everard Corky Fur-gurson; fi ve children, Linda Pico, Patricia Ricketts and Nancy Byrns of Antioch, Gary from Charlotte, N.C. and Steve (Maureen), from Brentwood; and sister, Julie McCullough of Pittsburg. She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, fi ve great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Her parents, Ralph and Louise Cuba, and sisters Edith Tonso, Frances Vetrano and Margaret Chase predecease her.

    Irene lived her life through her children and grandchildren, whom she loved and cherished with all her heart. A special thank-you to niece Kathleen and nephew Dr. Randy Clarke for all their support.

    Dorothy M. BettencourtFeb. 10, 1934-Dec. 15, 2010

    Brentwood resident Dorothy Bettencourt went home to be with the Lord at the age of 76 surround-ed by her family. She spent 20 years as a teachers aide at Brentwood Elementary School before her retirement.

    Dorothy is survived by her husband, Norman W. Bettencourt; children, Julie (Tim) Jacobs and Jeff (Heather) Bettencourt; and her four grandchildren, Haley, Nicole, Cole and Danielle.

    A Rosary was held on Monday, Dec. 20 fol-lowed by a Visitation at the Chapel of Callaghan Mortuary in Livermore. Mass of the Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Livermore, followed by burial at St. Michael Catholic Cemetery, also in Livermore.

    In lieu of fl owers, the family respectfully re-quests memorial donations in Dorothys name be made to a local charity of your choice.

    Merlin Jerry Ann JeffriesBrentwood resident

    Merlin Jerry Ann Jeffries, 77, went to be with the Lord on Dec. 15 in the home of her grandson in Lakeport.

    Merlin was born on March 30, 1933 to parents Charles J. Mangrum and Donna Hamilton Mangrum, both of whom pre-ceded her in death. Also preceding her in death were her daughter, Lynda Sue Krul; son, Jack Williams, Jr.; brothers, Charles Mangrum and Damon Man-grum; and sisters, Syliva Sharp, Reba Green and Ruth Casey.

    She is survived by brothers, Lowell Mangrum

    and Kenneth Mangrum; sisters, Julia Cowdrey, Carolyn Lewis and Jan Morris; grandson, Steve Krul (Aimie); and great-grandsons, Tyler and Colby Krul. She lived with and was loved and cared for by Robert Jeff Jeffries.

    She loved the Lord and was loved greatly by her church, family and friends. She took care of others, loved with all she had and will be incredibly missed.

    A viewing was held on Dec. 23 at Brentwood Funeral Home. Merlin was laid to rest at Memory Gardens, followed by a service at Bethel Island Church.

    Anthony (Tony) Joseph SilvaApril 22, 1934-Dec. 16, 2010

    Discovery Bay resi-dent Tony Silva, 76, passed away on Dec. 16 with his family by his side at his home in Discovery Bay.

    Tony was born on April 22, 1934 in Hayward to Antonio Silva and Nora Perry Silva and resided in Hayward much of his life. Tony attended Hayward High School before joining the U.S. Navy in 1953. After four years of service, Tony started his career with the City of Hayward, working in the water department and retiring as a supervisor after 36 years of service.

    Following retirement, Tony moved with wife

    Carla to Discovery Bay. He was an avid boater, and even sailed a small sailboat from Emeryville to Beth-el Island. He also took periodic trips to Colorado, where he served as a river guide for rafting trips down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. In addition to his love of the water, Tony enjoyed golf-ing and was an active member of Discovery Bay Seniors Men Golf Club. He was also a member of the Discovery Bay Corvette Club, the Discovery Bay Yacht Club and the Discovery Bay Country Club.

    Tony is survived by his wife, Carla; stepchildren and children, Kim Evans, Tom Geocaris, Jennifer Putnam, Chuck Geocaris, Vicky Parra, Nancy Silva, Cathy Silva and Anthony Silva; brother, George Silva of Castro Valley; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

    Tony was known for telling it like it is and had a great sense of humor and wit. While his exte-rior was sometimes gruff, on the inside he had a heart of gold and will be greatly missed by everyone.

    Friends and family are invited to celebrate Tonys life at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club on Sun-day, Jan. 2 from 2 to 5 p.m. Mass will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church in Byron on Monday, Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. Internment will follow at Union Cemetery in Brentwood.

    An online memorial is available at www.dig-nitymemorial.com, on which friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Tony.

    OBITUARIES

    Arrivals

    Proud grandparents Richard and Lisa Tullis would like to welcome the newest arrivals to the family: Lillyana Kay Vizcarra, daughter of Cheyenne Tul-lis and Jay Vizcarra of Bethel Island, and Delilah Nicole Barnes, daughter of Kenny and Dana Barnes of Brent-wood. Lillyana was born on Sep