Junefocusfinal lores

Delivered to Over 40,000 Homes and Businesses

• june 2013

• Martinez Events .............................................page 3• Bishop – Oasis in High Country .............. page 12• AHS Auto Repair Winners ........................ page 16• Meet the Grads ............................................ page 18

• Local CD Review ............................................ page 24• Home Plate Heroes ......................................... page 26• Rodgers Ranch ................................................. page 33 • Community Events .......................................... page 38

Martinez Farmers’ Market. Photos by SusanWoodPhotography.com

www.ourcommunityfocus.com June 2013

Martinez • 3800 Alhambra • 925.370.6382VISIT US: www.lesschwabmartinez.com

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At Wild Times Summer Science Camp, your young naturalist will marvel, laugh and learn with new adventures every day—live animal

encounters, fun science experiments, games, stories and crafts.

Weekly half-day sessions for ages 4–12.

Learn more and register today at www.wildlife-museum.org

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Each of the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Markets (PCF-MA) will be celebrating their anniversaries at dif-ferent locations this year. On June 23rd, the Mar-tinez Farmers’ Market will be hosting the event filled with a variety of special features to mark the occasion, including an enter-to-win sweepstakes with a Grand Prize of $2,500! There will be a photo exhibition of the farmers whose hard work and com-mitment bring fresh local produce to our weekly markets and a timeline banner showing the growth of the sustainable food-to-table movement, noting PCF-MA’s role its success over the last 25 years.

Other anniversary activities will include: free cake,

kids’ activities and arts and crafts, an appearance by Mr. Carrot at each

market, cooking demon-strations with the Cookin’ the

Market chefs, fun promotional giveaways such as recycled bags, pens, or mugs and lots of enter-to-win contests. To see a full list of anniversary locations, visit: www.pcfma.com.Martinez Farmers’ Market hours:Sundays, 10am – 2pm, Main Street at Estudillo Street: year-round.Thursdays, 10am-2pm, Court Street between Main & Escobar Street: till October 24, 2013.

Join us for the 7th An-nual King of the County BBQ Challenge & Music Festival on June 15 & 16 at the Martinez Marina Waterfront Park from 11am-6pm daily. A perfect way for the entire family to spend Father’s Day! Enjoy lip-smacking BBQ from the professionals at Back Forty BBQ, Kinder’s Meats and the new Smoke-house 10 (as recently featured on Dis-covery Channel’s BBQ Pitmasters TV show), as well as an amateur BBQ com-petition sponsored by Les Schwab Tires. BBQ competition spaces are filling fast; rules and application can be found on the event website at www.CountyBBQ.com. This is your chance to showcase your backyard barbequing prowess and earn amazing trophies, cash awards and bragging rights as King of the County!

Enjoy a vari-ety of Califor-nia’s top bands live on the Xtreme Scaf-folding stage: The RevTones,

ZenKali, Aces Up, Maxx Cabello Jr., The Big Jangle, Chris Gardner Band, Rockinghorse, Garageland Rodeo, Caroompas Room and BigCat Tolefree. Also, kid’s activities, rides, as well as arts & craft vendors, microbreweries & wineries. FREE parking & admission. Presented by US Shell Oil Products and hosted by the Martinez Chamber of Commerce. Be sure stop by the Home Depot booth for a chance to win the ultimate BBQ set-up! Forfulleventdetails,amateurBBQapplicationandvendordisplayinformation,pleasevisitwww.Coun-tyBBQ.comorcalltheMartinezCham-berat925.228.2345.

Pacific Coast Farmers’Market 25th Anniversary

7th Annual King of the County BBQ and Festival


juLIe SAYS

If you get butterflies in your stomach, put your foot in your mouth, or burn the midnight oil, we are in the same boat. It’s true whether we are spilling the beans, telling a fish story, or just putting in our two cents. Our speech is full to the brim with idioms. Idioms add nuance to our language and communicate in a way that literal words cannot. Sometimes vivid, some-times cutting or humorous, idioms allow us to expand our range of expression, often using fewer words but saying more. I have been working like a dog, really knocking myself out, and putting my nose to the grindstone to figure out a new word challenge. I believe I have finally hit the nail on the head or at least put my finger on something. So here it

is: write a paragraph of 100 words or less, using as many idioms as you can. The topic of your paragraph is completely up to you. You can describe a person, place or thing; talk about an experience such as sitting in traffic, attending a perform-ance, or participating in a business meet-ing; or you can draft an ad, jot down a short book or compose a movie review. The only rule is that your paragraph has to make sense. Entries will be accepted through June 30 and a winner will be announced in the August issue of Community Fo-cus. Please email your Idiom Challenge paragraphs to [email protected]. You may enter as many times as you wish. Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity and number of idioms used in a grammatically correct way. The

winner will receive four guest passes to Lindsay Wildlife Museum. If the win-ner is already a member, he or she will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend in the museum store. It’s really no skin off my nose if this challenge is not your cup of tea, but if you do choose to try your hand, I’m all ears! [email protected].

Here Comes the Idiom Challenge By Julie Ross

PuBLISHeRSBecky Coburn, Jennifer Neys,

Elena Hutslarinfo@ourcommunityfocus.comAMonthlyPublicationdeliveredtoover40,000HomesandBusinessesinPleasantHill,Martinez,Pacheco,

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COnTACT InFORMATIOn:Community Calendar:

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Phone: (925) 335 - neWS (6397)

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CITY OF PLEASANT HILL

Your Food,Your Community,

Your Farmers’ Market

Strawberries from Medina Berry Farm are in their peak season, and raspberries and blackberries are here too!Surprise somebody you love with a beautiful rose (or a few!) from Rose Lane Farm, a 5-acre backyard farm in Brentwood specializing in roses and heirloom vegetables.Blueberries are here! And Lone Oak Ranch has ‘em waiting for you.

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Hern Family Settled at HomeBy Chuck Nan

Aaron Recovering Rapidly From Injuries With memories, emotions and scars of the Boston Marathon terror-ist attack still vivid in their minds, the Hern family returned to Martinez on the last day of April to resume lives that were disrupted and impacted forever. Coming home by May 1st was the primary objective for the Herns because it happened to be Aaron Hern’s birth-day. Aaron sustained serious physical injuries as a result of the second blast at the marathon, but thanks to initial responders and the medical staff at Boston’s Children’s Hospital, Aaron was able to be home on his big day and is currently on a fast track to complete recovery. On May 1st the youngster turned twelve-years old, and he reached another milestone by having 86 staples removed from his left thigh after two surgeries. After a few days of decompressing at home, parents Alan and Katherine

made a public appear-ance before a significant number of local media outlets on May 3. Exuding great personal strength, they approached the session with poise and dignity in light of what was thrust upon them in the preceding days. Alan read a prepared statement in which he ex-pressed profound gratitude to the com-munity, businesses, local sports teams, friends and the many folks he didn’t know for their kindhearted outpour-ing of generosity and support over the weeks since the tragedy. Faced with a situation where she could have lost one or both of her chil-dren, Katherine spoke from the heart as a loving mother. She asked all to contin-ue to use prayer as a quest for strength. She asked parents to spend quality time with their kids by being involved in

their lives and activities, citing walks in the park, family outings and simple excursions. The mother of two put it in a nutshell when she said, “Listen to your children.” Aaron’s recovery process includes about six weeks of physical therapy. He is also nursing a punc-tured eardrum, which

will heal over time, and has short-term hearing loss in one ear. One week after he arrived home, he returned to Mar-tinez Junior High on a modified class schedule. Alan indicated that Aaron doesn’t really feel he deserves the significant amount of attention he has experienced. In Boston he was visited by First Lady Michelle Obama and members of the Oakland A’s. He was a guest of the Warriors during a playoff game and he threw out the first pitch at the A’s vs.

Giants game on May 29. Abigail Hern, 10, was with her father and brother waiting for Kath-erine near the finish line when the bomb exploded in their vicinity on the racecourse. She was not injured physi-cally, but was witness to the catastrophic mayhem and deadly scene that fol-lowed. At this point, the Herns are re-turning to normal life. It is clear that through their strength and resolve the family is healing by immersing them-selves in what they have done all along: work, school, sports and community activities with family and friends. Warriors’ head coach Mark Jackson summed up the Herns saying, “Aaron is a dynamic young man and he comes from a great family.” Perhaps, like the Herns, we all may never have an understanding of this or other heinous acts, but will come to find triumph in our noble will by knowing peace that leads to closure.

DRE #s — Don: 00971602, Norma: 00867031, :Erik 01891688

Don & Norma Flaskerud

Erik Flaskerud

RE/MAX Today

Don & Norma Flaskerud

Erik Flaskerud

RE/MAX Today

Don and Norma’s listings...

225 Devonshire, PH $700,000

249 Gregory Lane, PH $275,000

–

–

367 Civic Drive #7 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523�

Call now tohave your homefeatured here!

Visit them at www. .com

or email Donand

PleasantHillRealEstate

[email protected]

or [email protected] 925-676-5859

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Connolly & Taylor

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Tribute VideosPersonalized PrintingMemorial Websites

Funeral Directors925-228-4700

4000 Alhambra Ave. Martinez, CA 94553

Keeping the Tradition

Proud Sponsor of Martinez Chamber's King of the County BBQ & Music Festival

Proud Sponsor of Martinez Chamber's King of the County BBQ & Music Festival


Real estate updateBy Nathan Hitchcock

As I write this, my eight-year old daughter’s softball team just finished second in its end of season playoff series, narrowly losing the championship game by a single run. Despite coming up one win short of the whole enchilada, I could not have been more proud as I watched them line up on the field holding gleaming trophies over their heads, their little faces barely able to contain elated smiles. I know, I know, this is a real estate column, not a sports column. So why the heck are we talking softball? I confess. It’s in part so that I can publicly praise my daughter, her

coaches (one of whom I am honored and blessed to call my wife), and her amazing teammates for their wonderful accomplishments. But it’s also because the team’s journey this season holds an important lesson for anyone who is currently facing the daunting task of buying a home in our local real estate market. You see, the team’s season did not start out nearly as rosy as it finished. About half of the team had never so much as picked up a softball bat before and couldn’t tell you the difference between first base and the pitcher’s mound. Additionally, three of the four coaches had never coached before, and the one who had was not in charge. The result, not surprisingly, was two

lopsided losses to start the season. I suspect more than a few recent home buyers out there can relate to how the girls felt. Anyone who is or was in the hunt for a home this year more than likely has written several if not a dozen or more offers on homes, only to receive the dreaded “I’m sorry, but the sellers have chosen to go with another offer” call from their Realtor in response. Anger, frustration, hopeless-ness, fear, dread, and worse are all but inevitable feelings. So what guidance can these downtrodden buyers draw from my daughter’s softball team? With a posi-tive mindset, an enthusiastic attitude, and a dogged persistence, anything is possible. Rather than employing the traditional technique of berating the girls to watch the ball, bend their knees, and hustle, the coaching staff chose instead to cheer the girls on, celebrating every tiny accomplishment they could find. The girls responded

amazingly, ultimately becoming one of the powerhouses in their division. More importantly, they had fun and supported each other along their jour-ney together. In my entire real estate career, I have never had a client tell me as I handed them the keys to their new home that they wished they had bought “that other house.” Call it God’s will, fate, luck, or wherever else your beliefs lie, but without exception, every one of them felt in hindsight that it was meant to work out the way it did. The bumps in the road were simply experi-ences that better helped them realize what they truly wanted in their next home. So keep your chin up and a smile on your face and enjoy the journey. I promise you your next home is waiting for you out there somewhere. [email protected](925)825-1100.

WE ARE NOT #1... AND WE ARE PROUD OF IT.

“Nathan was

a dream to

work with. Very

professional,

hardworking

and easy

going. He put

our needs

before his.”Joe Resident 925.825.1100 • www.hitchcockrealty.com

Our goal is not to sell the most homes, it's to get YOU the most for YOUR home.

That comes with quality, not quantity. Call or click today and experience the difference for yourself.

You may have heard about the State of New York possibly ending up with the $40 million estate of a man who died without a will. While this may sound absurd, it is more common than you think. Almost every state, including California, has a provision in the probate code that if a person dies without a will and has no ascertainable heirs, their property goes to the state. This rule is called (I am not kidding) “escheat.” So what does happen if a person dies without a will? Well, the probate code describes exactly the order in which spouses and relatives receive the property of the deceased. These distri-bution schemes are far too convoluted to talk about here, but it is surprising how arbitrary they are. There is no provision in the code for the property of a deceased person to go to any en-tity other than relatives or the state. Without a will, there is no in-quiry by the probate court regarding what the deceased person would have wanted. The probate court simply fol-lows the code, and if no heirs can be

found, the property reverts to the state. In the case of the New York man, he was a holocaust survivor as well as a member of his local synagogue. He likely would have preferred that his property benefit his local community, but there is no allowance for this in the probate code. Proper estate planning is about maintaining control of your life as you age -- control over your property, personal affairs and medical care. The decisions the state makes for you may not be the same as the decisions you would make. Please call my office to talk about how to put your wishes into proper legal documents so that you can maintain control and not be left with whatever the state thinks is best for you and your family. DanielL.DuReeisathirdgener-ationresidentofContraCostaCountyandalicensedattorneypracticinginWalnutCreek.Hispracticefocusesonwills,trusts,probate,andestateplanning.He canbereachedat(925)210-1400orvisitwww.DuReeLaw.com.

THE LAW OFFICE OF DANIEL L. DUREE

WILLS • TRUSTS • HEALTHCARE DIRECTIVES POWERS OF ATTORNEY • PROBATE

925.210.1400

Estate Planning Attorney

Please call today for a complimentary consultation at my office or in your home.

1535 North Main Street, Suite 240 • Walnut Creek www.DuReeLaw.com

Complete Trust-based Estate Plans from $1,199

nY State May Keep All of $40 Million estate

By Daniel DuRee


Ambassador Meetings –Ifinterestedinattending,contactusat(925)[email protected].

june 15 & 16 - Father’s Day Weekend – 7th Annual King of the County BBQ & Music Festival.SaturdayandSundayattheMartinezWaterfrontParkfrom11am–6pm.FamilyFun,LipSmackin’BBQ,Ama-teurBBQCompetition,Rockin’Music,Arts&CraftsBooths,Kid’sRides&Activities,Microbreweries&Wineries.Vendorspaceavailable.Freeadmission&parking.Visitwww.CountyBBQ.comorcalltheMartinezChamberformoreinformation!

6/17 - Chamber Office Closed

6/20 - educational Series - Tips & Tech-niques for Building Your Business, present-edbyHarrietteHeibel,12pm-1:30pm.Doorsopenat11:30.CreeksideChurchMulti-Pur-poseRoom,444FigTreeLane(MorellotoMidhill),Martinez.Chambermembersfree,non-members$20,baglunchincluded.RSVPrequiredatleast2daysprior.CalltheCham-berofficeat(925)[email protected].

6/20 - Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting -4:00pm.HallClosetThriftStore,100Gla-cierDrive,Martinez.

Please verify schedule at www.martinezchamber.com • 925-228-2345MARTIneZ CHAMBeR OF COMMeRCe

Please verify schedule at www.pleasanthillchamber.com • 925-687-0700PLeASAnT HILL CHAMBeR OF COMMeRCe

6/7 - Ambassador Meeting - 8-9am.Pleas-antHillCityHall.

6/11 – Leadership Lunch -11:45-1pm.Maggo’sGrill,1250ContraCostaBlvd.,[email protected].

6/12 – Fundraiser for PH Chamber - 11am-9pmatRoundTable,716ContraCostaBlvd.,PH.

6/12 – Ribbon Cutting - 4:30pm.RoundTablePizza,716ContraCostaBlvd.,PH.

6/14 – Ribbon Cutting -9am.CornerBak-ery,35CrescentDr.,PH.

6/19 – Chamber Mixer -5-7pm.HyattHouse,2611ContraCostaBlvd.,PH.

6/20 – Board of Directors Meeting - 8-9am.PleasantHillCityHallCommunityRoom.

6/20 – PH Chamber Wine Tasting at Plaza Concerts -5:30-8pm.(3rdThurs-dayofJune,July,August&September).LocatedbetweenColdstoneCreamery&

SweetTomatoes,CrescentDrive,PH.

6/24 – Green Committee Meeting -4-5pm.BackFortyTexasBBQ,100CogginsDrive,PH.

6/24 – Governmental Affairs Committee Meeting -5:30–7pm.BackFortyTexasBBQ,100CogginsDrive,PH.

6/27 – Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting –5pm.HyattHouse,2611ContraCostaBlvd.,PH.

CALenDAR SPOnSOReD BY

Chamber Ribbon CuttingsColleen Callahan Insurance Services Wence’s Restaurant

Flaskerud Re/Max Office

Having been RE/MAX agents for 20 years, Don and Norma Flaskerud are honored to become brokers/owners of a RE/MAX office with their son Erik. Now they are close to their main clientele, the citizens of Pleasant Hill, and can invite other Realtors to work with them and enjoy all the benefits of working for RE/MAX in a very convenient locale. There is ample parking and easy in and out access. A conference room has already been put to use and they’re happy to make it available for your group; just give them a call! Don, Norma, and Erik invite you to stop in for a visit, a chat and a cup of coffee at their new office. 925-676-5859. 367 Civic Drive, Suite 7, right off Taylor Blvd.

Colleen Callahan Insurance Services is an independent insurance agency provid-ing high quality, personalized service for a variety of insurance needs. We research, ad-vise, educate and assist in planning all aspects of your insurance needs. For employers, we offer assistance designing, implementing, and maintaining employee benefits including: medical, dental, vision, disability, life, 401k, and voluntary benefits. For individuals and families, we assist in customizing life, medical, disability, and long-term care insurance. We’d love to help with your insurance needs. Visit us at 140 Gregory Lane, Suite 170, Pleasant Hill or call (925) 363-5433 and speak with Colleen, Kelly, Cary, or Aaron. We’re all here to help! www.callahaninsurance.com.

Since it’s grand opening in October, Wence’s Restaurant has offered a fresh and tasty variety of California Cuisine in Pleasant Hill! Wence’s is a family owned business where even the smallest details matter to ensure every customer is pleased with their food and dining experience and is eager to return. Friendly hosts, bartenders and serv-ers will provide you with impeccable service, while Chef Gerardo Wence and his highly skilled kitchen staff will prepare an outstanding meal for you and your family, friends and guests! Wence’s also offers catering services at your site and hosts private parties at the res-taurant for larger groups to celebrate special events. We host corporate events, fundrais-ers, birthday parties, reunions & weddings. Our banquet options allow us to accommo-date you with either a buffet style or a formal dining option for all occasions.1922 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill • (925) 566-8971, Email: [email protected].


Architectural Review CommissionJune 6, 20City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneSmall Community Room, 5pmContact: 671-5209

City CouncilJune 3, 17City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneCouncil Chambers, 7:30pmContact: 671-5229

Civic Action CommissionJune 5City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneSmall Community Room, 6:30pmContact: 671-5229

education CommissionJune 26City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneLarge Community Room, 7pmContact: 671-5229

Planning CommissionJune 11, 25City Hall, 100 Gregory LaneCouncil Chambers, 7:30pmContact: 671-5209

City Calendar of events

For Confirmation Visit: www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us

PLeASAnT HILL CITY BuZZMayor’s Message

Michael G. Harris, OD, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill “Summer-time,andthelivin’iseasy…” This line from the Broad-way hit musical Porgy and Bess certainly describes summertime in Pleasant Hill. Our city hosts a great lineup of special, easy livin’ summertime events during the next few months with plenty of fun for the entire family. Here are some highlights:Farmers’ Market (Saturday, May 4 – November 16) The farmers’ market, located in the downtown plaza (next to Jack’s Restau-rant), runs weekly on Saturdays through November 16 and features the freshest produce, baked goods, cooking dem-onstrations, and live music. Go to www.pcfma.com for more information.Sunset by the Lake Summer Concerts (May 26 – September 1) The Civic Action Commission hosts the 16th Annual Summer Concert Series on the lawn at City Hall. I hope you can join me for our annual family friendly and extremely popular concert series in the relaxed atmosphere and cozy confines by the lake at City Hall. (Yes, I know it isn’t really a lake, but “Concerts by the Lake” sounds a lot more summer-like and romantic than “Concerts by the Fishpond.”) The lineup this year includes lo-cal favorites Cover 2 Cover, East Bay MUDD, Zoo Station (U2 cover band),

and Dave Martin’s House Party. Local eateries will have food and treats for sale at each concert. For more details and the full concert schedule, check out www.pleasanthillconcerts.com. Downtown Plaza Concert Series (June 20, July 18, August 15 & September 19) This year, downtown Pleasant Hill is hosting concerts on the third Thursday of June, July, August and September in the plaza area between Sweet Tomatoes and Jack’s Restaurant. Each concert is from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The series fea-tures four of the most popular bands in the Bay Area with Cover 2 Cover on June 20, Fast Times on July 18, Dave Martin’s House Party on August 15, and The Fundamentals on September 19. The Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce will also host a wine stroll the evening of each concert. For more details, check out www.shopdowntownpleasanthill.com.Fourth of July Celebration Yes, you guessed it. This annual favorite will be held again on July 4. This year’s theme is “We the People – An American Melting Pot” with grand marshal and former City Manager Jim Alkire. Come early for the Firecracker 5K Fun Run, stay for the parade, fun and food in the park, and then return in the evening for an amazing fireworks display at College Park High School. For more information, go to www.phjuly4.com. (Here’s a riddle for the kids. Do they cel-ebrate a Fourth of July in England? Kids, when you figure it out, ask your parents if they know the answer.)

City news

Blues & Brews Festival (Saturday, July 27, at Pleasant Hill Park) If you like great music and adult beverages on a warm summer afternoon, the annual Blues & Brews Festival is the place for you. For more details and to purchase tickets go to www.bluesand-brewsfestival.com.American Iron Car Show(Sunday, August 11 in downtown Pleasant Hill) Bring your pre-80’s American car

and enter many competitions for great prizes. Or, just come for the show to enjoy music and food and vote for your favorite cars. For more details, see www.pleasanthillrec.com. Get more information about all these and other summertime activi-ties at www.pleasant-hill.net/festivals. I hope you enjoy these great summertime events. And don’t forget the sunscreen! (My sincere thanks to Martin Nelis, the city’s public information officer, for providing information in this column.)

This boat was for sale at the Citywide Garage Sale on May 18 &19. The owner received several offers for the vessel and was even presented with $5,000 cash from one potential buyer.

Citywide Garage Sale OnMay18&19,theCityofPleasantHillheldtheirfirstannualcitywidegaragesale,co-sponsoredbythePleasantHillCivicActionCommissionandRepublicServic-es.DuringAprilandMay,over170sellerswentonlineatPleasantHillGarageSale.comandplacedafreeadthatlistedtheiraddressanddescriptionofitemsbeingsold.Buy-erscouldbrowsetheadsandpickandchoosewhichyardsalestheywantedtovisit.Buyerscouldevenviewallthegaragesalelistingsonamap,zoomin,andclickonindividualyardsaleiconsformoredetails. AccordingtoAnneBaker,recyclingcoordinatorforRepublicServices,thecity-widegaragesaleconceptbeganinAntiochtwoyearsago.ShewantedtoestablishoneinPleasantHillsincethewebsitehadalreadybeendeveloped.ShecontactedPleasantHill’sPublicInformationOfficerMartinNeliswiththeidea,andhewasveryre-ceptive.HetookitonestepfurtherbyinvolvingtheCivicActionCommission. “Hopefully,workingwiththecommissionnowthattherelationshiphasbeenes-tablished,wecangofurthernextyearwithreuseideas,”saidBaker.Shefeltanaddi-tionalideanextyearmightbetohaveaReuseRoundUpeventshortlyafterthecity-widegaragesale,whereitemscouldbedroppedoffatadesignatedlocationandgiventolocalnon-profitorganizationsinPleasantHillandthesurroundingareas.

economic Development WiththeopeningoftheCornerBakeryon35CrescentDrivethismonth,theeco-nomichealthofPleasantHillstrengthens.AnotherboostwillbethegrandopeningofNordstromRackneartheSunValleyShoppingCenterthisSeptember.TheInNOutBurgeronContraCostaBoulevardopenedayearagolastMayandwasthe2ndhighestproducingstoreinanycitywithasinglestoreinCalifornia.“Thisinformationisbasedondatafromthe1stquarterofbusinessoperations,”saidKellyCalhoun,eco-nomicdevelopmentmanagerfortheCityofPleasantHill.“WegenerallyhearfrommanyofthelargernationalbrandorchainretailersthatthestoreslocatedinPleasantHillaretypicallythehighestperformersintheiroperations,”shesaid.AnewFacebookpagehasbeencreatedtoincreaselocalshoppinganddining,calledShopPleasantHill.Accordingtothepage,“ShopPleasantHillisaninitiativeoftheCityofPleasantHilltoencourageresidentsandvisitorstoshop,dine,stayin,andenjoyPleasantHill.”


MARTIneZ CITY BuZZ

City Calendar of events

When cities go through their budget process on an annual or bi-annual basis, they also review and adopt a five year Capital Improve-ment Program (CIP). In Martinez we have a two-year budget, so we consider our CIP every two years. The CIP program and budget con-tains priorities, descriptions, and fund-ing plans for all projects the city intends to construct within the next five years. The Martinez City Council held a CIP workshop last month and city staff pre-sented the proposed plan. To prepare for the workshop, city staff performed quite a bit of legwork. First, they con-ferred with the finance department to determine the fund balances available for capital projects. Next were a series of meetings with each department of the city for their input. The goals set at the recent city council retreat were also con-sidered. After the workshop, city staff makes adjustments from the input of the coun-cil and the public and presents a final project list to the city council for for-mal adoption. The CIP is then sent to the Planning Commission for review to make sure it is consistent with the city’s general plan, after which it is incorporat-ed into the 2013-2015 biennial budget. Over the last two years, the City of Martinez has completed many capi-

tal improvements throughout the city. Rankin Park and Tavan Field have been completely rebuilt. Major paving proj-ects have been completed including Main Street, Shell Avenue, Muir Road and Reliez Valley Road. One of the three major entrances into downtown Mar-tinez, Marina Vista, was completely re-built with new sidewalks, paving, un-derground utilities, lighting and street furniture, including a historical entry sign. At the city’s water plant the main raw water pipeline that carries water from the reservoir to the water plant was replaced and a maintenance dredge was completed at the marina. Projects that have been recom-mended in the 2013-2015 CIP include continuing upgrades to parks, the wa-ter system and paving; sidewalk re-placement; additional traffic signals at Alhambra Avenue at C Street, Arnold Drive and Pacheco Blvd.; downtown parking meter upgrades; and improve-ments to our public buildings (city hall, Amtrak Station, Senior Center and Cor-poration Yard). The final draft of the CIP will be before the city council for formal adop-tion on June 19. We welcome input to the CIP up to and including that meet-ing. If you have a capital improvement project that you would like to be con-sidered, please email City Engineer Tim Tucker at [email protected] or any member of the city council. You can find our emails on the city’s website www.cityofmartinez.org.

Mayor’s MessageRob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez

All City Meetings at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, Unless Otherwise Indicated. For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org

City news

City Council MeetingJune 5, 196:30-11pmContact: 925-372-3500

Design Review MeetingJune 12, 263-5pmContact: 925-372-3500

Planning Commission MeetingJune 11, 257-11pmContact: 925-372-3500

Zoning Administrator MeetingJune 5, 193-5pmContact: 925-372-3500

Main Street Matters BenjaminMoorePaintsisgoingtorepainttwentyMainStreetsacrossAmer-icaandMartinezisoneoffourCaliforniacitiescompetingforaMainStreetMakeover.IfMartinezwins,theywillpaint3blocksoftheMainStreet!Theirweb-sitestates:“MainStreetisapartofallourhistories,whichiswhyweshouldalltakecareofthem,preservethem,andworktokeeptheirbusinessesthriving.”Castyourvotebygoingtowww.paintwhatmat-ters.com.Onthemap,chooseCalifornia,thenclickon“Martinez.”You’llbeaskedtoconfirmyourchoicebyclicking“Votenow.”YoucanvoteonceperdaythroughJune30.Youcanrequestotherstovotebyusingthesocialmediabutton.YoucanalsocheckoutourDowntownMartinezFacebookPagewhereyoucanfindthepostandeasilyhitthe“share”button.BenjaminMoorewillbecompletingalloftheprojectsoverthenextyearwiththehelpoflocalretailersandpaintingcontractors.

Grad night Donations AttheMay15citycouncilmeeting,MayorSchroderpresenteddonationchecksforhighschoolGradNightintheamountof$500eachtoSaraStaffordandPhilPhilbrook,representingAlhambraHighSchool,andJessicaPacheco,representingCollegeParkHighSchool.Everyyear,thecitycouncilsetsaside$500forthetwohighschoolsfortheirGradNight,anall-night,drugandalco-hol-freecelebrationforhighschoolgraduatingseniors.“EverykidwhocomestoGradNightleaveswithmemoriesoftheirlastnightwiththeirclassmatesaswellasabountyofthingsfordormroomsandthingslikethat.Ican’temphasizeenoughhowimportantthiseventisandhowsafeitisforthekids,”saidPhilbook.GradNightforAlhambraHightakesplaceattheAHSCommons.CollegePark’sGradNighttakesplaceatCentreConcord.

Backyard Composting Workshops TheCityofMartinezishostingfreebackyardcompostingworkshopsandof-feringhighqualitycompostbinsfor$58.Compostingyouryardtrimmingsandfoodscrapsiseasy,greatforyouryardandgarden,kindtoourenvironmentandgoodforyoutoo.Savemoney,savewater,andconservenaturalresourc-es.Tofindouthowtoattendournextfreeworkshop,heldonSaturday,June22,from10amtonoonatCityHall,[email protected](925)372-3531.

Annual Fishing Derby Kidsaged5-12areinvitedtoparticipateSaturday,July6,from10am-noonforamorningoffreefishingattheMartinezMarina.Bringyourfishingrod;wewillsupplythebait!Everyonewhoparticipatesreceivesaprize.Aparentorguard-ianmustaccompanyallchildrentosignphoto/liabilityrelease.Pre-registrationisrequiredbyThursday,July3,toparticipate.Toregister,contactMartinezRecre-ation(925)372-3510.Spaceislimitedto40children.Nofishinglicenseisrequired.

Photo by Stahlberg

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Local photographer Tod Gomes of Pleasant Hill has had a successful pho-tography business in the Bay Area for over 12 years. He photographs family portraits of all sorts and specializes in sports-themed portraits, especially in-

action photography. Recently, Tod was featured in the May 2013 magazine is-sue of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), which showcased his talents in an educational article. PPA is the leading photographic organiza-tion in the country. Tod Gomes is one of less than 4.3% of professional photographers who are members of the Professional Photographers of America (not includ-ing amateurs or enthusiasts) in the state of California with the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) sta-tus. To celebrate this accomplishment, Tod is offering clients a once in a life-time deal for portraits created by Tod Gomes Photography. For more infor-mation on this offer and to view Tod’s portfolio, please visit www.todgomes.com. You can also call or text your questions to 925-787-1063.

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Part 5: Bishop - Oasis in the High Country Barely over an hour south of Mono Lake lies Bishop, a seemingly dusty cow town from out of a Louis L’Amour novel modernized with a casino, gas stations and fast food store fronts. However, don’t let first impressions shy you away from the hidden gem that is this little town. After making the big bend in the road, the town reveals itself more fully: modern motels, a great visitor center (an A-frame on the left), a wonderful breakfast waffle house and a premier temple to photography. Backpacking and camp-ing supplies and support options abound. On the outskirts of town are a great Native America Indian museum, a fine Thai food restaurant, amazing lakes, trout fishing, hiking trails, an ancient Bristlecone Forest, and a richly rewarding museum of western Americana and railroading. On the topic of what is closest to my heart - food - is a must-stop at Jack’s Waffle house for breakfast. Be prepared to take your turn, as it’s a popular place among both tourists and locals. For dinner, the Visitor Center staff was very fond of a res-taurant located at the little regional airport called Thai Thai. Though hard to believe, this small restaurant has garnered praise from folks all over the country for their fresh ingredients, a sophisticated menu and amazing flavors that reflect the per-sonal and award winning talents of the chef. I was there on a Wednesday night and was treated to an evening of soft New York-style club jazz by a sax player who

has worked the casino circuit from Vegas to Reno for years. Another must stop is the Great Basin Bakery at the south end of town (cinch your belt before entering.) The enthusiastic staff at the Visitor Center outlined an array of activities and ideas to fill a week’s visit. They can provide you with good maps and tips on visiting all points south of Bishop including Lone Pine, the Alabama Hills and Mt. Whit-ney. With their help, we visited a small yet well-designed Native American museum, lovingly prepared by members of the Pai-ute-Shoshone tribe. Check ahead because the museum has limited hours and staff-ing. The museum, though modest, is full of great historical information, artifacts and displays that beautifully educate the viewer not only about the local Indians but the nature of aboriginal life. Allow an hour to enjoy this wonderful museum.

Historic and Beautiful 395: A Town-by-Town SeriesStory and Photos by Christopher Vardas

North of town, a few miles along Highway 6 (where Highway 395 turns south), is a wonderful and extensive out-door complex called Laws Railroad Mu-seum and Historic Site. For a very nominal fee you can access old, historic buildings filled with examples of western Ameri-can life from the late 1800’s through the 1930’s, including a print shop, hairdresser, apparel, pharmacy, school, blacksmith, liv-ery, saloon and so much more. Addition-ally, friendly people will inform and direct you to fascinating active workshops, a static steam train display (you can go into the engine cab), locomotive oil and water tow-ers, century-old fire engines and so much more. The grounds are flat and easily ac-cessed by families and seniors alike. Bring water, good shoes and sunscreen and take frequent breaks under the refreshing shade trees. This is a great morning stop before

heading out for more high country ad-venture. Note: there are loads of wild rab-bits roaming the area. Despite their cuddly looks, they are not to be trusted with your fingertips! This is a must-bring-your-cam-era place that requires at least 2-3 hours to enjoy properly. Another gem worth a stopover is the Mountain Light Photography Gal-lery. Originally the photographic home of world-famous photographer Galen Rowell, the store front art gallery houses a collec-tion of some of the finest landscape pho-tography to be found anywhere. Worthy of any art museum collection, the work is a testimony to the passion of fine art photog-raphers who find and capture inspirational images from the Sierra Nevada and the area surrounding Bishop. This is a definite must-see. To the west, up Highway 168 from downtown Bishop, is an amazing array of high country lakes and landscapes to sat-isfy camper, fisherman, hiker and photog-rapher. South of Bishop, you can connect with Highway 168 eastbound to access the rare and magnificent Bristlecone Pine for-ests. Bear left up the Westgard Pass Road and left again up the White Mountain Road to the Schulman Grove Visitor Center and access the Bristlecone Pines. Check in town to make sure the road is open and, if you go, bring a jacket and hat, even in summer, as this is another high altitude destination. Did I mention sunscreen, too? ViewmoreofChristopher’sphotosatwww.VardasPhotography.com.


Cayenne Pepper Truffles

Watermelon and Sweet Red Onion Salad

INGREDIENTS1 pound semi-sweet, good quality chocolate, chopped12 ounces unsalted butter1 teaspoon cayenne pepper12 tablespoons heavy cream2 ½ cups powdered sugarMIXTURE1/3 cup powdered sugar2 tablespoons cocoa powder1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger DIRECTIONSMelt chocolate, butter and cayenne. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in cream and powdered sugar. Cover and chill overnight. Scoop truffles and roll into desired halls. Roll in topping mixture to coat truffles. Store in refrigerator until serving time. Yield: 3-4 Dozen

RASPBERRY ESSENCE12 ounces frozen raspberries1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (something with ripe fruit that’s good enough to drink)1 cup sugar1/4 teaspoon black pepperDRESSING6 tablespoons Raspberry Essence1/4 cup raspberry vinegar2 tablespoons finely minced shallots1 tablespoon honey1/4 cup safflower oil1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce1/4 teaspoon saltSALAD2 medium red onions2 bunches watercress3 pounds fresh watermelon, preferably both red and yellow1/4 cup fresh mint leavesFresh berries -- raspberries, blackberries, blueberriesDIRECTIONS In a sauté pan, combine the raspber-ries, wine, sugar and pepper. Place over high heat, bring to vigorous boil and boil until 2 cups remain. Immediately pour

the sauce through a medium meshed sieve, forcing all the pulp through the sieve by scraping it with a metal spoon. The sauce will last indefinitely in the refrigerator, but it may need to be thinned slightly with water before using. In a medium bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients, then taste and adjust the seasonings. Peel the onions, then cut into thin slices and separate into individual rings. Toss the onions with the salad dressing and marinate for two hours in the refrig-erator, turning over every 30 minutes. Remove and discard the woody stems from the watercress, then refriger-ate the sprigs. Cut enough watermelon into 1 to 2-inch cubes knocking away the seeds, to yield 8 cups. Cut the mint leaves into shreds and set aside. Just before serving, arrange a bed of watercress on six chilled plates -- or a single platter -- and top with watermelon. Arrange the onions attractively on top. Drizzle the dressing over the melon and onions. Garnish with the mint and fresh berries and serve at once.Yield: 6-12 servings

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Raspberry Beret Fresh raspberries were on my mind this month. Wine made from grapes offers a variety of flavors, including the flavor of raspberry, even though there isn’t a rasp-berry anywhere near the fermenters when the wine is made. Yeast is truly nature’s little miracle worker, creating brand new flavors from what the grapes give them. Of course, we do find wines made from a variety of fruits and vegetables that actually taste like their antecedents. As long as there is a sugar for the yeast to consume, you can make wine from it. A terrific place that makes grape wines is The Terraces at Quarry Vineyards in Napa, just off the Silverado Trail. I had the pleasure of meeting with Ryan Calder on a warm spring day, and we started our tasting with his new Rosé blend. The wine

is an ingenious blend of (white) Riesling grapes, early-picked Zinfandel, and saignée of Cabernet Sauvignon. Each component leaves its delicious footprint on the wine. The low-alcohol Zinfandel gives the wine an unmistakable berry quality; the Cabernet imparts a deeper tobacco, earthy quality; and the Riesling contributes the perfect high note of stone fruits like peach and apricot. Light and refreshing, this wine is a great partner for a starter of Watermelon and Red Onion Salad with tangy, spicy Raspberry Dressing. Cabernet Franc wines can also exhibit berry flavors, but the fruitiness is usually offset with black olives and rich soil. Maybe that sounds odd, but those dark flavors keep wine from tasting like alcoholic Kool-Aid. Bring out red fruit flavors in wine by drizzling grilled chicken with Leslie Stiles’

balsamic glaze (Pair Up, Feb 2010 www.LaSommelierre.com). Add mashed potatoes and roasted carrots to the plate and you have a super fast supper that is elegant enough to serve your most discriminating guest. For dessert, see if you can find wine made from fruits other than grapes. (If you can’t, a ruby port will substitute nicely). I happen to have had the fortune to come

across black raspberry fruit wine. Try the recipe for Cayenne Pepper Chocolate Truffles to nibble on while you sip the super sweet, concentrated raspberry flavor. Both are so intensely flavored, the smallest amount will satisfy your sweet cravings.So, go on. Pair Up! MariaTerryisaCertifiedSommelierandWineEducatorintheSanFranciscoBayArea.www.LaSommelierre.com.

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According to the College Board, for the 2012/2013 school year, the average cost of one year at a four-year public col-lege is $22,261 (for in-state students), while the average cost for one year at a four-year private college is $43,289. By starting today, you can help your children become debt-free college grads. The secret is to save a little each month, take advantage of compound interest, and have a sum waiting for you when your child is ready for college. The following chart shows how much money might be available for col-lege when your child turns 18 if you save a certain amount each month. But keep saving for your own retire-ment, too. Many well-intentioned par-

ents put their own retirement savings on hold while they save for their children’s college education, but doing so potential-ly sacrifices your own financial security. Located at 1330 Arnold Dr. Suite #249 Martinez, CA 94553. Securities and advisory services offered through FSC Securities Corporation, a registered broker-dealer member FINRA/SIPC, a registered investment advisor. Fixed and/or traditional insurance services offered through Gene A. Schnabel are not affili-ated with FSC Securities Corporation. Not NCUA insured - may lose value - no credit union guarantee. For more infor-mation contact Gene A. Schnabel, Retire-ment Solutions. at 925-370-3750 or 800-474-6655

Newborn $38,735 $77,471 $116,208 $154,9414 $26,231 $52,462 $78,693 $104,9248 $16,388 $32,776 $49,164 $65,55210 $12,283 $24,566 $36,849 $49,13214 $5,410 $10,820 $16,230 $21,64016 $2,543 $5,086 $7,629 $10,172Table assumes an after-tax return of 6%, compounded monthly. This is a hypothetical example and is not intended to reflect the actual performance of any investment.

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NYDC owner and studio director AJ Rogers has a passion for movement and rhythm he has nurtured since he was twelve. After taking his self-taught hip hop skills to new levels by pushing through a week-long “intensive” with So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Brian Friedman, and winning numerous awards from other notable choreogra-phers, AJ has emerged with more confi-dence, enthusiasm and dedication than his ripe young age of 23 would suggest. In July of 2012, AJ put his clear vision and wealth of practical experi-ence toward the opening of NYDC in Martinez. The center focuses on making the education of proper dance form and technique an enjoyable experience. Students study disciplines from begin-ning ballet to tumbling and competitive hip-hop in an environment that feels like family. Its two new studios boast beautiful sprung/lifted or “floating” dance floors, as well as a quiet space for homework, and parents are welcome to observe their children in class through two viewing areas without distraction or disruption. As a director, AJ feels fortunate that he has a healthy mix of both male and female students at NYDC; in fact, it tends to be more heavily weighted on the male side, which makes the center unique. He and his teaching staff have consist-

ent, common goals for NYDC students. “New You” refers to the idea that when you push yourself even a little bit for-ward, you become a new person. As 14 year-old Hailey Bower attests, “AJ - Thank you for pushing me until I am so sore I feel like my legs are on fire, until I can’t walk in the mornings, until I get bruises on my feet. Thank you for putting in time and making all of us at New You, new yous.” See NYDC dancers in action at their upcoming recital on Saturday, June 29, from 10am – 1:30pm at Mar-tinez Junior High School. For tickets please contact the NYDC office at [email protected] or call us at 925-293-4726, or look for them in the Martinez 4th of July Parade!

Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital (HVH) has again achieved the highest level of veterinary excellence follow-ing a thorough reevaluation by the American Animal Hospital Associa-tion (AAHA). Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital earned AAHA accreditation after a rigorous review of the hospital’s practice protocols, medical equip-ment, facility, and client service. The Pleasant Hill veterinary practice, first certified in 1994 and operating since 1976, is led by Joseph A. Thibedeau, DVM, Louisa M. As-seo, DVM, and Hospital Administra-tor Jane Thibedeau. HVH works with dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles, and rab-bits. They are open Monday through Friday, from 8am to 6pm, and on Saturday from 8am to 4pm. “I would like to congratulate Hill-crest Veterinary Hospital on vigilantly keeping up with advancements in veterinary medicine and adhering to the Association’s high standards,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP, who is AAHA executive director and CEO. “They are clearly committed to doing their very best, as evidenced by the hard work and effort they put into this voluntary process.” No practice is legally required to become accredited, but Hillcrest insists on continued re-accreditation. AAHA is the only organization

in the United States and Canada ac-crediting companion animal hospitals based on standards above and beyond state regulations. Accredited animal hospitals must adhere to more than 900 individual standards in 19 areas, including focus on patient care and pain management, surgery, pharmacy, laboratory, exam facilities, medical records, cleanliness, emergency serv-ices, dental care, diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology and continuing educa-tion. “We support our animal patients and their families with the best diag-nostic, medical, and surgical meth-ods, providing complete veterinary services for pets,” according to Dr. Thibedeau. The staff at Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital loves animals and considers them members of the family. Their slogan “The hospital with the family touch,” operates on this principle. Only the top small animal hospi-tals in the United States and Canada earn accreditation by AAHA. To maintain accredited status, Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital must continue to be evaluated regularly by AAHA. HillcrestVeterinaryHospital,locatedat2211MorelloAve.inPleasantHill,canbereachedat925-676-1909oronlineathttp://www.hillcrestvet.com.

new You Dance Center Hillcrest Veterinary HospitalIn FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS•In FOCuS

The Hillcrest team, pictured L to R: Krishna Tesar, Dan Howland, Julia Aplin, Heather Konefal, Dr. Joe Thi-bedeau, Jane Thibedeau, Dr. Louisa Asseo, Lauren Meneghetti, Christina Sands, and Rhonda Cayford. Not pictured are Liz Platt, RosaNeva Hiraga, Alexandra Hughes and Esmeralda Fitzsimons.

Dancers Jessica Caswell, Hailey Bower, Martin Koev & Director AJ Rogers


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The Alhambra High School team of Joey Exner and Ryan Geoffrey took first place in the Northern California Ford/AAA Auto Repair Championships, thus making Alhambra High the two-time champions. Ryan and Joey, both seniors, quali-fied for the state “hands-on” competition by taking a written knowledge test last February. Ten teams from Northern California and ten teams from Southern California qualified for the state test. The two boys, along with Automotive Tech-nology Teacher Brian Wheeler, had about six weeks to prepare for the competition, held at the Blackhawk Auto Museum in Danville on May 3. During the competition, each of the ten teams was given a faulty new Ford ve-

hicle and an hour and a half to diagnose the car and repair it. The issues varied, but many of the problems were electri-cal. Each team had the same basic tools and a “hood closing time,” which meant as soon as their car was repaired, they closed the hood and judges recorded the time. The cars did not get judged if they couldn’t make it across the finish line. “This was a startling year (because) there were only two teams that got their hoods closed and made it across the finish line; ours was the first,” said Wheeler. Northern California competes with Southern California simultaneously, and although a Southern California high school has come away victorious the past few years and moved on to the nation-wide finals in Dearborn, Michigan, it is

northern California Ford/AAA Repair ChampionsBy Jaki Jones

Alhambra High School that has been the Northern California winner for the past two years. Exner and Geoffrey each received $30,000 scholarships to the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Sacramento to further their automotive education. They will also have opportunities to go to some Ford trainings. The winners from last year’s competition are currently training at UTI. “There is so much in this for the kids. I told the guys who are up at UTI right now, ‘you’re going to go to college; it’s good you’re doing this and you can do whatever you want with your automotive career if you have a degree—make college your second stop,’” said Wheeler. Wheeler has 130 automotive stu-dents each year, including three classes

of freshman. “My goal is not just to get them through here and not just to have them work on cars, but to have careers. The electronics’ guys always do better than everybody else -- the guys who can diagnose the complex problems and fix them. I have great kids to work with and it’s a real privilege working here,” contin-ued Wheeler. In case you were wondering, Wheel-er has 24 young women taking his classes, evenly spaced from 9th through 12th grade. This is his fourth year teaching at Alhambra High School. He spent 30 years in the automotive repair industry. The Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition offers millions in scholar-ships each year to the best young automo-tive technicians competing at both the state and national level.

A dead battery is by far the biggest reason roadside services are called out. The best way to determine the condi-tion of your battery is to perform a load test. We offer this service at Hagin’s Au-tomotive. Give us a call if you have any questions about your vehicle. There are three common reasons why your battery could fail: 1) the lights, radio, etc. were left on; 2) its time is simply up. The life expectancy of a battery is 3 – 7 years, depending on it’s quality and operating condi-tions; 3) the alternator is not charg-ing the battery. Whatever your battery failure is caused by, you should have it

charged and load tested. If it fails the load test, it is time to replace it. To re-duce the risk of being stranded with a dead battery, you should have it load tested every oil change or every three months. You should also have the water level checked and topped off, although some batteries are sealed and can’t be serviced. Inspect for signs of corrosion at the battery post and battery cable terminals and, if present, have the cor-rosion cleaned off and install anti-cor-rosion pads on the battery post. Forhelpwithyoubatteryoranyothercarconcernspleasecallusat925-228-5115.

Is Your Battery Okay?Submitted by Hagin’s Staff

Ryan Geoffrey, Brian Wheeler, Instructor and Joey Exner. Photo by Ford/AAA Photographer


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Anthony Baleto, nick Burnham, Kevin Wildes, College ParkFrom PHBA t-ball to Cuesta College.

Congratulations!! Love, Your families.

Bryan j. McWatters, College Park Congratulations to you my son. We

have had an amazing journey and

cannot wait for many more amazing

years of your life. I love you and am so

proud of you. Mom

nelson Fisher, College ParkCongratulations Nelson. We are so

proud of you and all that you have ac-

complished at College Park. We are

excited to see what lies ahead for you

at HNU. Love always Mom, Dad and

Noah

Cody Teifel, College Park Cody, congratulations on your gradu-

ation!! We are very excited to see you

attain your goals in the years to come.

We love you and are very proud of

you! Love, Mom, Dad, Melissa & Knox

Devin Humm, College Park Here’s to you, Devin! We are so proud

of the young man you have become.

We know whatever you choose, wher-

ever you go, you will be successful.

We love you, Mom & Dad

Kelly Martz, College Park Congratulations Kelly! We are so proud

of you and your accomplishments.

May your experience at Cal Poly next

year be the start of the next successful

chapter in your life. Love, Mom, Dad

and Amy

Dakota Valdez, College ParkCongratulations on your success. We

are very proud of you. All our love,

Mom & Dad

Max Creamer, College ParkCongratulations Max! You’ve done the

hard work and now your opportunities

are endless. We are so proud of you.

Good luck at San Diego State. Dad,

Mom, Brett and Ryan.

nevada Huie, College ParkCongratulations Nevada we are so

proud of you! It has been a great joy

to watch you become the man you

are today. Looking forward to seeing

what life has to offer you!

Lucas Kelso, College Park Lucas congratulations on your gradu-

ation. You have found a path to suc-

cess regardless of what life has tossed

in your way. I am very proud of you

and the man you have become. Mom

& Tyler

Peter j. Schoemann, College Park Congratulations on your graduation

and cheers to your academic and

athletic success. Your commitment to

school, Falcons’ NorCal Champion

basketball team and Diablo Futbol

Club will serve you well as you move

on to CalPoly in San Luis Obispo.

Wilson jones, College ParkYour family is so proud of you, Wilson!

Pursue what makes you happy and

success will follow. “Change the World

and Think Differently.”

Grad Announcements


This is truly the end of an era as most of these boys have played together for years, citing that their favorite baseball memory was participating in the Coo-perstown tournament together at age twelve. Baleto, Wildes and Burnham are planning to play together then join teammates Acton, Martz and Utler at Cal Poly. (Utler is deciding between Cal Poly and San Diego). Hennessy is headed to NY for college. Hantos, and Tamaru are hoping to play for DVC where Demers will be studying and Bodishbaugh plans to “protect us from fires.” Good luck boys!

CP Baseball Grads

Friends, Always

Time to retire the CP baseball gear for these seniors: Back L to R: managers Tanner Utler and Jack Demers, Kelly Martz, Nick Burnham, Tommy Acton, Daniel Bodisbaugh.

Front L to R: Kevin Wildes, Nick Tamaru, Sean Hennessy, Stephen Hantos, and Anthony Baleto.

When people think about track and field, visions appear of runners, high jumpers, long jumpers, and throwers. However, visit any track and field event and far off in the distance you will see another more mysterious event taking place – the pole vault. This group of dedicated, and often overlooked athletes practices day in and day out with one goal – to jump higher and higher. It becomes a significant aspect of their life, as they realize they have joined a special group that begins to function more as a family than individual athletes. The College Park High School Falcons, led by their Coach Mr. Holland, are no exception. Here is what some of the vaulters have to say about the sport, their teammates and their individual goals. Jenna Carroll, a junior at College Park and first year pole vaulter, says she began vaulting because “it seemed thrill-ing and fun.” She reflects,“it lived up to my expectations and then some, because we have our little pole vault family now.” Jenna is joined by two other first-year female vaulters, Mayuko Butterfield and Katelyn Cunningham. Mayuko, a sophomore, agrees: “Our club is like a family.” She also added that vaulting is a very technical sport that re-quires an immense amount of concentra-tion and focus to improve. There is always more to learn about the sport. Kai Barnes, a sophomore and first year vaulter for the boys, describes the vaulting team as “the best group of friends I could ever ask for.” Kai has been a major

source of fresh energy for the team, and he is always working hard at practice to “get better and vault higher.” Tony Vasquez explains that “pole vaulting is a unique sport, and there is nothing else quite like it.” I agree with everything my team-mates have said about why they par-ticipate in this sport, however, there is something else that keeps me coming out to the “Pit” – breaking the school record of 14’8.5”, which was set back in the 1970’s. I’ve got 1 ½ track and field seasons left with the Falcons to accomplish this goal. So the next time you are driving on Viking Drive and see the lights on at the track, take a peak over the west side of the fence and watch the pole vaulters as they soar to new PR (personal record) heights and make their mark on the history books of College Park High School Sports.

CP seniors, friends since kindergarten at Strandwood Elementary, enjoy their pre-senior ball party. Back row: Lucas Kelso, Nick Burnham, Sean Ewing, Taylor Williams (began 4th grade Strandwood), Nicole Santos, Katie

Choiniere, Claire Alden, Hannah Webb, Dakota Valdez, Maddie Monahan, Savannah Roll and Alyssa Jordan.

Soaring to new Heights By TJ Tamura, College Park Junior

TJ training for DVAL, where he earned first place.

College Park High School senior Nelson Fisher signed an NCAA Division 2 letter of intent to play mens volleyball at Holy Name University.

He was the 4-year varsity starting setter for CP and played 5 years with Diablo Valley Volleyball club.

He will be majoring in Sports Biology.

nelson FisherSigns Letter of Intent

Photo by Janice Kelso


CP Track and Field Highlights

MPHFC united Takes First

Sabotage Wins u16 Titans Win Concord

Lady Bulldogs Take DFAL

HOMe TeAM

Congratulations to the Martinez-Pleasant Hill Futbol Club’s team United for tak-ing first place in the U14 girls’ division at Comstock Shootout on April 27 and 28 in Carson City, Nevada! United faced several strong opponents in their bracket and advanced to the championship game to face the Hawks, a South Tahoe Futbol Club team. The match was even until late in the second half when United scored and edged out the Hawks 1-0 to win first place. In the four games played, United scored eight goals while allowing only one. Congratulations to all United’s players and coaches.

Standing LtoR: Coach Ken Olmsted, Kelly Seto, Vanessa Hughes, Helena Contreras, Callie Johnson, Madison Dun-lap, Sarah Exner, Nikki Rucki, and Coach Ali Nikooei. Kneeling: Tatiana Nikooei, Madeleine Gorham, Abby Lee,

Caitlin Logan, Lindsey Alford, Josie Baca and Mackenzie Goulding. Seated: Taylor Smith and Mackenzie Duarte.

1st row: Meagan Jensen, Erin Moore, Bella Puljiz, Izzy Berkowitz and Isabella Hankin. 2nd row: Coach Jeff Foerste, Alyssa Walker, Rylee McCormick, Katie Foerste, Coach Bob Puljiz, Sloan Sullivan,

Victoria Gray, Jackie Brown, Jessica Miller and Coach Carl McCormick. Submitted by Lia McCormick.

AYSO select U12 girls Sabotage took first place at Comstock Shootout with 3 shutouts in the tournament. In the championship game they allowed just one goal, bringing them to a tie and having to go to PK’s to decide the winner. Goalie Victoria Gray blocked all kicks made by MDSA1, allowing no goals. Sabotage was triumphant with a score of 3-1.

Senior Kendall Stuscavage set two new meet records at the DVAL champion-ships. She ran the1600M with the record time of 5.08.21, and the 800 in a time of 2.22.24. She came in 3rd in the 400 with the time of 1:01.62 and anchored the win-ning 4 x 400 relay team with Olivia Ray, Erika Kemp and Victoria Miguel with

the time of 4:13.64. Kendall was awarded DVAL Girls MVP by the league coaches. On May 18, at the North Coast Sectionals (NCS), Kendall had personal best times and placed 3rd in the 800 meters with the time of 2:16.97 and 4th in the 1600 (5:02.01). Jamie Busby - a freshman, won the

The Lady Bulldogs had another suc-cessful season, boasting an overall record of 23-3-1 and 12-0 in league play. They had their sights on the North Coast Sec-tional (NCS) championships, having beaten Northgate 11-1 in their first playoff game May 21 and Carondelet 6-5 on May 24. Alhambra boasted some hitting power with a team average of .418 and a national ranking of 102. Junior shortstop Kylee Pe-rez ended the season with a batting average of .618, scoring 46 runs, 51 RBIs and 42 hits including 12 home runs. Bella Gonsalves had 38 hits, scored 38 runs and batted .458. Sophomore catcher Courtney Kelly, batted

.467 and had 31 RBI’s. Second-baseman Hailey Sparacino ended her junior year with a .407 average, with 35 runs, 28 RBIs and a team-best 12 doubles. Nicole Curry, .474, collected 12 home runs, 9 doubles and 44 RBIs. Erin Enke, pitcher (20-2, with a 1.03 ERA) contributed to the team averages, bat-ting .452 with 28 hits, 6 of them home runs, and 24 RBIs. Alhambra was seeded second in NCS behind number one Petaluma. They came up short, losing to Clayton Valley in the semi finals, 5-10 on May 29. The young Bulldog team will be sure to have another run at the NCS championships next year.

DVAL 3200M (11:52.88), and came in second in the 1600M in a time of 5:18.01. She placed 11th and 12th at NCS respec-tively. At DVAL, freshman Ray Jackson took 1st in the 100M (11.14), and 2nd in the 200M with the time of 22.78. Sophomore Mayuko Butterfield placed 1st in the triple jump (33.01.5), and 300M Hurdles (49.20) and placed third in the Pole Vault (height of 8’) at DVAL. She gained personal bests in all events at NCS, placing 9th, 12th and 10th respectively. TJ Tamura took first place at DVAL in Pole Vault with the height of 12’ and placed 5th at NCS with the height of 13’ 4 - his personal best.

The boys 4 x 400 relay team (Edgar Hernandez, David Phair, Parker Mason and Andrew Tabone) came in 1st at DVAL avenging regular season losses to Northgate and Clayton Valley, with their season best time of 3:33.64. Coach Llacuna remarked, “As coach I was pleased with the effort and the fact that many athletes set personal bests dur-ing the DVAL and NCS meets. It was my first year at College Park. Due to my late hiring we had no preseason, starting our training over 2 months after the rest of the league. It was a good foundation-building year and we look towards greater success in the coming years. I am already excited about next year.

The Titans took home first place medals from the Concord Cup May 19 and placed 3rd at the Davis World Cup on May 27.

Back row LtoR: Coach Allan Troche, Alex Ewing, Cole Hutslar, Tim Kennen, Ray Muhlenkamp, Dylan Nye, Lee Verrall, Owen Casebeer, Andrew Stone and Coach Susan Feierabend. Front row: Daniel Elerding,

Alan Hernandez, Dylan Troche, Michael Zamora, Jared Rayl, Elias Peters, Dakota Seidenspinner, Roarke Hadfield and Coach Molly Zamora. Photo by Nick Rayl.


DVC Swimming/Diving - Top Athletes in State

Tigers are ChampsPitch and Run Winners

AHS nCS Qualifiers

HOMe TeAM

The PHBA American League for 9/10 year-old boys division was loaded this year. With eighteen teams, it was the largest division in the league. Coached by Jim Pe-drotti, Damon Hansen and Guy Benedetto, the Tigers finished the regular season with a record of 7-7, earning the 9th seed in the championship tournament. In the second round, the Tigers beat the 15-0 Rockies in an amazing 2-0 game that featured great pitching and defense. The championship finals featured the Tigers vs. the Phillies in an-other good pitching duel that saw the Tigers come out on top 5-2. The Tigers’ pitcher, Dylan Fortini, appeared in every playoff game without giving up a single run. Both Jim-my Pedrotti and Brandon Crawford batted 4-9 during the playoffs, and defense was anchored by All-Star catcher, Miguel Ledesma. All the boys contributed during the 4-0 playoff run. Way to go Tigers! Story submitted by Jim Pedrotti. Photo by Kathy Pierce.

Congratulations to Alhambra High Track and Field NCS Qualifiers: Jack Rob-inson (High Jump) 5’10, placed 11th at NCS. Selena Haefke (Shotput) 30’4. Selena scored her personal best at NCS at 31’11, placing 8th. Allie Timbrell (1600) 5:08.33. Allie’s personal best was 5:06.49 set on April 27, for first at Sacramento Meet of Cham-pions. Kay Bromley (100 H) 17.47 and (300 H) 50.55, placing 9th at NCS in the 100 H with 17.28. Joel Timbrell (800) 1:59.41. Sires Ceasar (Shotput) 40’4. Ciazonne Foster, Harits Abdurrohman, Jose Gonzales & Keith Farwell (Mens 4x100 relay) 44.94, plac-ing 9th at NCS with a time of 44.52. Keith Farwell, Jack Robinson, J’Bari Bonner & Harits Abdurrohman (Mens 4x400 relay) 3:34.85.

The Diablo Valley College swim team hosted the Big 8 Conference Championship April 18-20 in Pleasant Hill. The Vikings won both the mens and womens titles, breaking a number of meet records in the process. On April 25, DVC competed at the CA Community College State finals in Los Angeles, which was comprised of athletes from 33 colleges. DVC women received second place and the men placed third.Standout athletes include: Monty Randall, College Park grad and DVC freshman, broke two Big 8 Champi-onship meet records in the 100 and 200-yard butterfly. At the State Championships Monty placed 1st in the 200 (1:50.11) and 1st in the 100 (48.40), narrowly missing the record of 48.13. Lee Ward, a sophomore, broke the Big 8 Championship record in the 200-

yard free, placed 1st in the 500 and 2nd in the 100. In the State Championship, Ward placed 3rd in the 500 (4:29.10), 3rd in 200 (1:39.48) and 8th in the 100 (46.69). Women’s sophomore swimmer Shaila Yoder broke a record at the Big 8 in the 50-yard breaststroke and placed 1st in the 100. At State she set a state record in the 50-yard

Pleasant Hill Baseball Association (PHBA) hosted a Pitch, Hit and Run competi-tion on Sunday, April 7 at Pleasant Oaks Park. The event was sponsored by Major League Baseball and was for boys and girls ages 7-14. PHBA presented awards to the winners of each age bracket on Sunday April 14 at the snack shack at Pleasant Oaks Park. Winners include Aiden Foster, Aidan Roe, Brianna Meredith, Megan Upshaw, Samuel Restuch, Aidan Payne-Kraus, Joey Alvazian, Ryan Bleeker, Olivia Lee, Amaya Lee, Nic Doorlay, Ben Roe, Ashley Rolan-delli, Marissa Raynor, Emma Woodworth, Gabbie Ferron, Evan Doorlay, AJ Speer and Leila Foster.

breaststroke with a time of 29:43 and placed 1st in the 100 (1:04.69). Sophomore Taylor Henry placed 1st in the 50 free and tied for 2nd in the 50 fly at the Big 8 event. At the State event, she placed 6th in the 50 free (24.67), 5th in 50 fly (26.46) and 7th in 50 back (27.97). Freshman Riley Hagan placed 1st in the Big 8 mens 50 and 100 free and 2nd in the 50 fly. Riley placed 10th in the 50 fly at

State (51.87). Hannah Voegtly, sophomore and YV grad, tied for 2nd in the 50 fly and placed 3rd in the 100 fly and 4th in the 50 back at the Big 8. At State, she placed 1st in fly (25.87), 6th in 50 back (27.88) and 7th in the 100 fly (58.83). The mens 400-yard medley relay team placed first in State (3:25.00): Mitchell Youhanna (FR), Lee Ward (SO), Monty Randall (FR), Riley Hagan (FR). Lady Vikings placed second in State’s 200-yard medley relay (1:46.97): Chris-sie Adarme (FR), Hannah Voegtly (SO), Shaila Yoder (SO), Taylor Henry (SO). Both DVC freshmen divers placed at the Big 8 and at State. Shelly Jones placed 2nd at the Big 8 in the 3 meter, 8th in State’s 3 meter, and 6th in the 1 meter. College Park grad Will Griffiths, placed 6th in the 1 meter at Big 8 and 15th and 14th at State’s 3 meter and 1 meter respectively.

DVC Women All AmericanChrisse Adarme, Alyson Haylor, Taylor Henry, Caitlin Hornbuckle, Shelly Jones (Diving], Jaymee Krochka, Lauren McCullough, Nadeen Nasaar, Katie O’Connor, Erin Ranahan, Emily Saccullo, Hannah Voegtly, Shaila YoderDVC Men All AmericanAustin Akre, Steven Gordon, Will Griffiths (Diving), Riley Hagan, Blake Hollis, Dominic Patterson, Montana Randall, Jacob Reynolds, Tyler Sayre, Nick Viana, Lee Ward, Mitchell Youhanna

Shaila Yoder Lee Ward


PAID ADVeRTORIAL

6th Grade 50-Yard Dash, Boys: Josh Chambers, 6.71, Girls: Charley Stoudt, 6.92. 100-Yard Dash, Boys: Josh Chambers, 13.29, Girls: Charley Stoudt, 13.29. 220-Yard Dash, Boys: Josh Chambers, 30.37, Girls: Charley Stoudt, 31.84. 440-Yard Dash, Boys: Angelo Fern-ando, 1:09.96, Girls: Julia Hagedorn, 1:12.7. 440 Relay, Boys: Kyle Crossman, Riley Noon, Ian Pascual and Jonathan Poff, 1:01. 68, Girls: Jasmine Brown, Julia Hagedorn, Jenna Jacoby and Sloan Sullivan, 1:02.61 – NEW RECORD. Mile, Boys: Mark DeBoer, 6:16.14, Girls: Olivia Bielskis 6.35:32. Shot Put, Boys: Elias Davis, 34’1.5”, Girls: Fabiola Salgado, 24’.5”. High Jump, Boys: Josh Cham-bers, 4’7” – NEW RECORD, Girls: Lindsay Simpson 4’0”. Long Jump, Boys: Kyle Bur-khart, 12’11”, Girls: Jasmine Brown 11’10”. Softball Throw, Boys: Ian Pascual, 186’6”, Girls: Megan Downing, 130’6”.

7th Grade50-Yard Dash, Boys: Arthur Pectoom, 6.24, Girls: Stephanie Neys, 7.07. 100-Yard Dash, Boys: Arthur Pectoom 11.78, Girls: Sophia Cervantes-Llamas, 12.79. 220-Yard Dash, Boys: Arthur Pectoom, 27.18, Girls: Sophia Cervantes-Ilamas, 30.06. 440-Yard Dash, Boys: Arthur Pectoom, 1:00.93, Girls: Sophia Cervantes-Llamas, 1:08.43 – NEW RECORD. 440 Relay, Boys: Anthony Al-corn, Armando Cruz, Jacob Eide and Jose Moreno, 56.83. Girls: Marlo Allen, Franc-esca Monti, Olivia Schmidt and Jazmin Schwab 1:01.56. Mile, Boys: Jacob Eide, 5:38.63, Girls: Annie Klopstock, 6:36.14. Shot Put, Boys: Zachary Wilson, 32’11”, Girls: Adriana Gonzalez, 29’1.5”. High Jump, Boys: Nicholas Bayley 4’8”, Girls: Sophie Harrington, 4’4” – Tied Record. Long Jump, Boys: Brian Solorio, 15’5”, Girls: Francesca Monti, 13’7.5”. Softball Throw, Boys: Dean

Pleasant Hill Middle School Track Meet The annual Pleasant Hill Middle School all-school track meet was held on May 15-17. Throughout the 3-day meet 8 records were broken.

Below is a list of the top winners in all 10 events. Congratulations to all the competitors!

Seventh graders Sophia Cervantes-Llamas, Francesca Monti, Sophia Harrington, Stephanie Neys, Mindy With and Maila Manlapeg, competing in the 100-yard dash.

Get ready for a SUPER SUMMER with CAMP SUPERSTAR!Are you looking for a fun, friendly and local camp for your children to participate in this summer? The Village Music School staff has a dynamic and engaging summertime arts program lined up right here in Pleasant Hill. All families throughout the community are invited to take advantage of this great time, an introductory camp that focuses on the performing arts: CAMP SUPERSTAR! Children aged 5-11 are welcome to join Village Center for the Arts for a no-experience-necessary summer camp full of music, games, arts & crafts, movement, theatre and more! Campers will have so much FUN creating, play-ing games and exploring the world of music and the arts in an all-inclusive, encouraging environment.Referral Special - Spread the Word! Village is offering a special promotion for anyone en-rolled in Camp Superstar who refers a friend to enroll. Campers will receive 25% off their half-day tuition for each friend they refer who participates in the camp. This offer has no limit; if a camper refers 4 friends who participate, that camper will receive complimentary tuition for a full week, half-day camp!

Camp Dates: (campers are welcome to attend one week or all three):

Session I: July 8-12 | Session II: July 15-19 | Session III: July 22-26Camp Times:

(campers are welcome to attend in the morning, afternoon or all day long!) AM 8:30am-Noon | PM 1pm-4pm | ALL DAY 8:30am-4pm

(extended care available for additional fee).Call 925-676-8400 or visit VillageCenterfortheArts.org to get more information about any of our programs or to REGISTER TODAY! Village Music School has been providing mu-sic education programs to the community for over ten years. Call anytime to inquire about private music lessons or any of the fun group classes offered at Village Center for the Arts.

Jones, 225’2” – NEW RECORD, Girls: Emily Ochoa, 131’10”. 8th Grade50-Yard Dash, Boys: Nick Lombardi 6.10, Girls: Lucy Murov, 6.76. 100-Yard Dash, Boys: Brandon Menjivar, 11.49. Girls: Lucy Murov, 12.36. 220-Yard Dash, Boys: Tre Brown, 27.83, Girls: Lucy Murov, 29.72 – NEW RECORD. 440-Yard Dash, Boys: Luis Macias, 1:00.42, Girls: Gabby Tambazidis, 1:10.09. 440 Relay, Boys: Sean Rigley, Luis Macias, Brandon Menjivar and DJ McIn-nis, 52.63. Girls: Caryssa Salling, Katie Christman, Priscilla Renteria and Cassie Silva 1:02.01. Mile, Boys: Reece Burkhart, 5:15.93, Girls: Gabby Tambazidis, 6:26.50. Shot Put, Boys: Colton Uribe, 39’.4”, Girls: Sarah Wehrer, 31’2”. High Jump, Boys: Tre Brown, 5’0”, Girls: Kayla Bingham, 4’2”. Long Jump, Boys: Sean Rigley, 16’7”, Girls: Gabby Tambazidis, 14’2” – NEW RECORD. Softball

Throw, Boys: Saul Montoyo, 246’10” – NEW RECORD, Girls: Molly Seibel, 178’4” – NEW RECORD.

now enrolling for juLY PeRFORMInG ARTS SuMMeR CAMP

Gabby Tambazidis readies herself for the mile.

Village Center for the Arts - 1720 Linda Drive Pleasant Hill, CA 94523


Recreation and Park updatesTeen Center Concert Series ready to ROCK! The walls of the Pleasant Hill Teen Center will be shaking on June 7 as Col-lege Park bands Brick and Sitting on the Floor headline the Teen Center Concert Series, starting at 7pm at 147 Gregory Lane. All ages are welcome! Tickets are only $5 and are available ahead of time at the Teen Center, but will also be sold at the door. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase at the snack shack. For more information on the Teen Center Concert Series, call the Teen Center at (925) 691-5645. It’s Family Camp Out Time! On Saturday, June 29, join the fun as Pleasant Hill Park becomes Camp Pleasant Hill. Enjoy your STAYCATION with time outdoors as you introduce your kids to camping. This is fun for the whole family with activities, crafts, campfire with s’mores, music and an outdoor movie at sundown. Snacks, dinner and breakfast will be available for purchase from the Teen Center snack shack. Check

in starts at 3pm on Saturday, June 29, with activities beginning at 4:30pm. For more information or to register visit www.pleas-anthillrec.com or call (925) 682-0896. PHR&PD participates in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson Tuesday, June 18, 8:00-8:30am – FREE! (pre-registration required). Join Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District, along with kids and parents at aquatic facilities across the county and around the world as they set a new Guin-ness World Record ™ for the largest simul-taneous swimming lesson ever conducted in order to spread the word that Swim-

ming Lessons Save Lives! ™ swimming is a life-saving skill for children and a vital tool to prevent drowning, the second leading cause of unintended, injury-related death for children ages 1-14. Research shows if a child doesn’t learn to swim by the third grade, they likely never will. The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ was created to serve as a platform to help local community aquatic facilities and the many different national, regional and state-wide water safety and drowning prevention organizations work together to tell this important story on a local and national level. Pre-registration is required. Check in begins at 7:30am at the Pleasant Hill

Aquatic Park Pool, 147 Gregory Lane. All students must be in place and ready to start the lesson at 8:00am in order to qualify for the Guinness World Record attempt. All students must have a signed aquatics liability waiver on file. Summer Fun at the Teen Center The Teen Center has a number of options for summer fun. The Xtreme Camp includes three trips each week full of adventure. This five-day camp also includes swimming and a weekly potluck BBQ. If you are looking for something a little more flexible, the Teen Center will have a Summer Drop-in Program Tues-day, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 1-5pm for a daily rate of $10. The Summer Drop-in Program includes all the amenities of the Teen Center (i.e., pool table, foosball table, games, Wii, computers) as well as swimming on Wednesdays. For more information or to sign up for the Xtreme Camp or the Summer Drop-in Program, call (925) 691-5645 or visit www.pleasanthillrec.com.

On Saturday, April 27, the Irvin Deutscher Family (IDF) YMCA celebrat-ed YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® with a free community event to encourage kids to get moving and living healthier. Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, took place at 1,900 YMCA locations nationwide to kick-start healthier behaviors throughout the summer, a critical out-of-school time for children’s health. Over 150 kids along with their parents participated in fun, active play and educa-tional activities such as pool games, family relay, yoga for kids and arts & crafts. Pleasant Hill Mayor Dr. Michael Harris and the IDF YMCA Board Chair started off the event with a Family Fun Walk. For more about the Y and its great programs for kids and families, please call 925-687-8900 or visit the Y’s website at www.YMCA–CBA.org.

YMCA Celebrates Kids


In the MixBy Paul Cotruvo, Cover2Cover

I can’t believe it’s the beginning of summer 2013! And when it’s time for summer vacations, there’s nothing better than throwing some music on in your car for the long ride or sitting in your backyard sipping your favorite beverage while waiting for the burgers to cook on the grill. This month I’d like to review some great new CDs that feature local musi-cians: a little something for everyone. I highly recommend any or all of these:1.SacredGroundby California Tran-sit Authority (CTA) In 1969, the band we now know as Chicago rocked the music world. Initially called Chicago Transit Author-ity, the band debuted its album by the same name before the City of Chicago’s transit company took legal action and the band renamed itself Chicago. Their specialty of fusing blues, jazz and rock was truly innovative. But as the years went by, the band went for more of a pop sound and, frankly, lost some of its distinctive and energized high-octane mix produced on their debut album. Original drummer Danny Sera-phine decided to put a band together called California Transit Authority and get back to that jazz/rock genre. He recruited accomplished guitarist/composer and former Walnut Creek resident, Marc Bonilla, whose co-producing and co-writing are front-

and-center throughout the project. Not sure how Marc finds the time as he also works on the hit show Justified, tours and records with Keith Emer-son (Emerson, Lake and Palmer), and also records his own material. Marc was also featured a few years ago on the very first Come Together show in Pleasant Hill. CTA is built on Sera-phine’s beloved music heritage of blaz-ing brass, taut funk, searing guitars, and adventurous musicianship. Danny and Marc’s second album, Sacred Ground, has all new original material and is everything they could have hoped for. The vocals are shared by Marc, Larry Braggs (Tower of Pow-er), and Will Champlin (son of legen-dary Bill Champlin of Sons of Champ-lin fame and Chicago singer for many years). Bill even shows up and delivers a knock out performance on the song “Full Circle.” Highlights are the title tune “Sacred Ground,” “I’ll Love You More Than You Ever Know” and Bon-illa’s “Staring at the Sun.” Get this one now! 2.GoldRushGoddessby Melody Walker Former Alhambra High School graduate Melody Walker, along with partner Jacob Groopman, describes their music as “Americali,” Americana music with a California twist. It’s a per-fect description of their music, which touches on bluegrass, folk, jazz and pop. This CD is a perfect blend of all those genres. Melody’s vocals are spot on and draw you in as she fills every

PAuL’S PICKS FOR june

word with drama and passion. Some of the highlights are “Gotta Write Love Songs,” an infectious lit-tle pure pop tune; “Stars Align,” a tune written by her father Brian Walker, another great local Martinez resident; and “Family Band,” a song which is like a great little bluegrass anthem and will have you singing at the top of your lungs in your car. My favorite song, though, is a remake of the Blondie song “Dreaming.” She slows it down to a great folk song. 3.TenderMercies by Tender MerciesTender Mercies is the side project of two members of the Counting Crows, guitarist Dan Vickery and local Walnut Creek resident and drummer Jim Bo-gios. The band actually goes back many years, when Dan met singer-songwrit-er Patrick Winningham at the Hotel Utah in San Francisco. The band’s de-but album was released last year with

rave reviews and is a throw back to the Neil Young Harvest period of the West Coast country-rock scene. But that’s not to say this album is a retread, quite the opposite. It is an uplifting modern alternative country album. I would say this album has a very laid back, honest feel to it and its sparse instrumenta-tion brings out the great songwriting. Some of these songs have even ended up being a part of the Counting Crows set list. Some of the highlights are: “Four White Stallions,” “Mercy,” “Angeline” and “Ball and Chain,” but overall, this album is great from start to finish. This would be a great road trip CD! Look for these albums at your local music store or you can download them at iTunes and other online services. Quote of the month: “It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine ... it’s summertime!” - Kenny Chesney

Dallimonti’s Restaurant

1932 Oak Park Boulevard, Pleasant Hill. 925-944-5224

www.dallimontis.com

• A Family Tradition Since 1982 • Open for Lunch & Dinner• Reservations & Take Out Available • Small Banquets Welcome

• Full Bar & Wine List • A Touch of North Beach in your Neighborhood

LIVE MUSIC EVERY SATURDAY FRIDAY KARAOKE NIGHT • GRAB THE MIC AND ROCK OUT

Come for the food stay for the music!

6/1 SolMates • 6/8 The Famous Three-O • 6/15 The Business6/ 22 The Shillz • 6/29 The Big Jangle (Paul Cotruvo's Tom Petty tribute band)

June 6: The Chris Cain Band, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm

June 8: The Famous Three-O, Dallimonti’s, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9:30pm

June 9: Zoo Station, Pleasant Hill Summer by the Lake Series, 100 Gregory Lane, 6pm

June 13: Frankie G & The Conviction, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm

June 13: Ken Cooper, Rocco’s Pizzeria, 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, 8pm

June 23: East Bay Mudd, Pleasant Hill Summer by the Lake Series, 100 Gregory Lane, 6pm

June 29: Delta Wires, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm

June 29: The Big Jangle, Dallimonti’s, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9:30pm

1918 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill 925-705-7065/7066 (PHONE) • 925-705-7067 (FAX)

www.kobejapanrestaurant.com

99¢ per piece of Sushi or Sashimi99¢ per skewer • $4.95 Sake Bomb for two

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CREEK MONKEYTAP HOUSE

WE CATER!Do you have a big event coming up?

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We Offer A Variety Of Fresh And Healthy Ingredients, Many Locally Sourced. Snacks Or Full Meals,

Pick Up, Drop Off Or Full Service.Starters • Salads • Sandwiches • Entrees • Desserts

For more information on our catering menu & booking details, please call General Manager Kevin Sharp

at (925) 250-6904 or Email: [email protected]

WE CATER!

[email protected] • www.CreekMonkey.com

Visit www.pleasanthillconcerts.com for all concert information. Sponsored by Pleasant Hill Civic Action Commission

Series SponsorsCity of

Pleasant Hill

ConcertSponsors

Jun 9... Zoo Station

U2 Tribute Band

Jun 23...East Bay MUDDFunk/R&B

Casey Strand

Chiropractor

FOOD & Funevery concert!

Sheila’sDaycare

On the lawn by the lake at Pleasant Hill City Hall Gregory Ln & Cleaveland Rd

LIVE Music

6-8pm!

Free!

May 26 Taqueria Los Gallos

Jun 9 Slow Hand BBQ

Jun 23 Steel Smokin BBQ

Jul 7 Covey Pizza

Jul 21 Zachary's Pizza

Aug 4 Kinder’s BBQ

Aug 18 Kinder's BBQ

Sep 1 Taqueria Los Gallos

The following restaurants aretentatively scheduled to sell food:

Jul 7...Spin Out

Jul 21...Bell Brothers

r

Aug 4...Dave Martin House Party

Aug 18...Cover2Cove

Sep 1...Gumbo Stew

Join us for all the concerts this summer!

Ice cream and shaved ice available

for purchase at all concerts!

WWW.COLDSTONECAKES.COM

‘Cold Stone On-Site'2013 Summer Tour

June 1st, 8th, 15th22nd & 29th

Pleasant Hill Farmers’ MarketCrescent Drive at the Downtown Plaza

June 9th Sunset by the Lake ConcertsZOO Station (U2 Tribute Band) - Pleasant Hill City Hall

June 14th Lafayette Concerts - Rock the PlazaAzure Moon

June 21st Lafayette Concerts - Rock the PlazaThe Floorshakers

June 28th Lafayette Concerts - Rock the PlazaThe Buzztones

June 20th Summer Concert SeriesMixed Nuts - Moraga Commons Park

June 23rd Sunset by the Lake ConcertsEast Bay Mudd - Pleasant Hill City Hall

June 24th Drew Gooden’s Celebrity Golf TournamentRound Hill Country Club - Alamo

June 27th Summer Concert SeriesBecause (Beatles Tribute Band) - Moraga Commons Park


THe GARDen

June boasts the longest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemi-sphere. Icelandic folk-lore says bathing na-ked in morning dew on June 24 will keep aging at bay, and if you are wearing pearls, the stone of health and longevity, you’ll be doubly blessed. Perhaps this is why young cou-ples worldwide tie the knot in June, or maybe it’s because June is named after Juno, the Goddess of Marriage. June brides make last minute, needless preparations, while June grooms dis-connect from the madness by getting inebriated, realizing that anything they do or say could be catastrophic at best and wedding-canceling at worst. These rituals can possibly be attributed to the ancient Celtic planting traditions, which revolve around massive amounts of food and drink for the masses, and lead to the current tradition of numer-ous weddings in June. It could always be the nice weather as well. Our summer gardens carry on these rituals by producing sweet con-fusions of tiny cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, all gangly on vines, with beans gaining length as we speak. Tiny peppers hide at ends of spent blooms, soaking up so much summer sun you can almost hear the rustle of laughter as the blossoms fall to reveal plump fruits. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries entice, abstractedly hang-ing off vines in a series of gentle curves, as we force ourselves not to pick, not just yet.

As solar heat and water provoke tugboat-sized vegetables, beneficial and mischievous pests both grow with a mob mentality in the garden. Lady bugs - good, snails - bad. We keep or-ganic in all our gardens, and my motto is the more you plant good stuff, the less trouble you have with weeds and pests. We have been told that Sluggo is good for snails and slugs because it is compressed wheat gluten that ex-pands in stomachs of mollusks. As for gophers, voles or moles go, you’re on your own. Start smart and if you are using boxes to grow gardens, cover bottoms many times over with chicken wire before adding dirt. This will al-most certainly keep out burrowing crit-ters, short of physical violence. We just learn to coexist with them and try to devour as much as they do, only quick-er. Happy gardening, and if you are not gardening, take full advantage of all the seasonal farmers’ markets open all over our valley right now for breath-taking, tongue tickling, almost as fresh as ours fruits and veggies that will keep you away from the doc. Enjoy all that the Diablo Valley and Northern Cali summer has to offer. I love corn frit-ters, so it is only natural to make zuc-chini fritters as well with your abun-dance of this crop. LesleyStilesisagraduateoftheCaliforniaCulinaryAcademy,sus-tainablecatererandschoolgardeneducator. [email protected],www.lesleystiles.blogspot.comandvisithernewwebsite:www.lesleystilesfoods.com.

Happy Summer GardeningBy Lesley Stiles

A School Garden By Jaki Jones

Zuchinni and Herb Fritters

Mix all of the above together and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and drop the batter by 2 tablespoons at a time. Cook until golden brown and flip. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately. Serves 4.

2 pounds of assorted squash, grated2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley½ cup crumbled feta cheese

2 eggs, beaten1 cup dried bread crumbs1 bunch chopped scallionsKosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients:

Directions:

When Jennifer Vanya saw a plot of land beside the library at Valhalla Ele-mentary two years ago, she knew it could be tamed into an organic garden. After speaking to the president of the parent club and Principal Marji Calbeck about the promise of an edible garden on cam-pus, Vanya was immediately given the green light and the Valhalla Edible Gar-den project was born. In the fall of 2012, the Valhalla Dads Network built the first three raised gar-den beds. The beds were filled with soil on Community Service Day last Septem-ber and seeds were planted in October, leading to an abundant winter harvest. This spring two additional beds, a three sisters mound and an irrigation system were added bringing in a little more than 350 square feet of working garden space.“My primary role in the garden has mainly been as a project coordinator, but at times I have hauled dirt, planted seeds, taught classes that stopped by to ask what is growing, and walked around the school handing out vegetables to the kids. I have no formal training as a gar-den coordinator, just my own life expe-rience and love of gardening,” admitted Vanya. Once the project had gained mo-mentum, a bounty of generosity from the community followed. “The most amazing part of the project has been the range of donations: everything from lumber for the garden beds and fence, plants, soil, and volunteer labor, to a grant from a private donor. We also

held a couple of small fundraisers which helped connect the children and parents at school to the project,” she said. The first crop planted last fall was harvested in February and included a va-riety of lettuces, winter greens and root vegetables. The vegetables were prepared by parent volunteers and samples were served to the entire school. “We made a salad from different lettuces and greens, we sautéed chard, arugula, cabbage, and beet greens with garlic, and one of the moms made the most extraordinary root vegetable latkes. It was such a huge team effort by the parents,” continued Vanya. May 1 was the official groundbreak-ing ceremony, revealing the irrigation system, picket fence (to keep the deer away), and two additional growing ar-eas primed and ready for a summer har-vest. An added benefit of the garden is the educational component; teachers can incorporate garden activities into their curriculum next fall. Vanya recommends that anyone in-terested in starting a school garden take advantage of the resources available such as the Contra Costa County Master Gar-deners and the California Department of Education. Social media and parent in-volvement is essential, and she is grateful to parent Stephen Hoeft for his dedica-tion as the co-creator of the garden proj-ect. “The garden is there to teach the children and give them a calm space to connect with nature, and that is surely a benefit to any school,” Vanya adds.

The official groundbreaking ceremony of the Valhalla Edible Garden project took place on May 1. Jennifer Vanya, Principal Marji Calbeck, Mayor Michael Harris, teachers and

community members were among those in attendance.


Oakmont Memorial Park on Memorial Day

OAKMONT MEMORIAL PARK Is Honoring Veterans with a

25% Discount on pre-need purchases for traditional

or cremation placement. (excludes opening/closing)

Through June 30, 2013 Contact: Thomas Corbett/Veteran Specialist

(925) 216-4785 or [email protected] DD-214 could be worth thousands!

Oakmont Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette with the landmark white towering spires of its “Inspiration Chapel” visible throughout the valley has long been known for the beauty of its hilltop location, magnificent landscape and spectacular views of Mount Diablo and the Briones Regional Preserve.

But Oakmont Memorial Park is more than a beautiful memorial garden, it is an integral part of the community and rec-ognizes its responsibility to serve. Open to the public 365 days a year, the Park spon-sors a series of events throughout the year which are fun, free and open to the public. Its most popular event is the Memorial

Community Focus 4.75”w x 5.375” h

Day Celebration honoring our American heroes. The free event featured interest-ing guest speakers, a helicopter flyover tribute, free barbeque and one of the most impressive American flag displays in Northern California. This moving display is a favorite of local Veterans and non-veteran families alike. Made up of actual Veteran Memorial burial flags and over four thousand individual Veteran marker

flags it represents just a portion of the thousands of America Veterans interred over the years at Oakmont Memorial Park. Families and the entire community were encouraged to experience the real and original significance of the day. For information about Oakmont Memorial or to schedule a no-obligation tour of the Park contact: Thomas Corbett, Community Service Representative at (925) 216-4785 or [email protected].

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I’m here for you and your Pets!

Suzanne Looker‘Your Pet Friendly Realtor’

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IT’S A SELLER’S AND BUYER’S MARKET

Photos by SusanWoodPhotography.com

County Connection Youth Pass The school year is almost over and summer is just around the corner. Follow-ing a decades-old tradition, The County Connection is offering a deeply dis-counted Summer Youth bus pass to help students get around during the summer. The 20-Ride Summer Youth Pass sells for $15 and is available now for youths age 6-18. Summer Youth passes are accepted on all County Con-nection fixed-route buses. County

Connection allows more than one person to use a single bus pass, making it easier for families with multiple children, or for those planning group outings. The pass is valid from June 9 through September 30, and is available through the mail, at most sales outlets, or online. For more information about this pro-gram, call Customer Service center 676-

7500 or visit www.countyconnection.com.


Pleasant Hill Senior Activities

Martinez Senior Activities818 Green St. (925) 370-8770

233 Gregory Lane (925) 798-8788

6/9 - Pancake Breakfast8am–11am.Thisdeliciousbreakfastincludespancakesortoast,sausage,eggs,orangejuiceandcoffee.Everyoneiswelcome.Cost:$3.50foradults/$2forchildren10andunder.Hand-madecrafts,perfectforgiftswillbeonsaleduringthebreakfast.

6/30 - Clarinet Fusion Performance.Doorsopenat1:30pm.Perform-anceis2pm–3:15pmfollowedbyalightbuffet.Clarinetfusionisauniqueensembleofalltheclarinetsusedinbandsandorchestras,andsomerarelyused.Theywillplayamixofclassical,concertbandfa-vorites,popularandpatrioticmusicforourenjoyment.Cost:$5mem-bers/$8non-members.CallCenterfortickets:(925)370-8770.Noticketssoldatdoorduetobuffet.

Bingo! - Ongoing 1-3:45pm.Thursdayafternoons.ComeplayBingoandbringafriend!Webeginsellingcardsat12pm.

7/12 & 7/19 - AARP Driver Safety Training Program(2consecutiveFridays).11am–3:30pm(witha30minutebreak).This8-hourclass-roomcourseisdesignedformotoristsovertheageof50tohelprefineexistingskillsanddevelopsafe,defensivedrivingtechniques.Cost:$12forAARPmembers/$14non-members.Checkwithyourinsurancecompanyfordiscountsgivenuponcoursecompletion.Classesfillup,calltoregisterearly:(925)370-8770.Givecheckspayableto“AARP”toinstructoronfirstdayofclass.

Hula for Exercise (NEWCLASS)Mondays-5:30-6:30pmandThursdays-10:30-11:30am.Basichand,footandbodymovementsofthehulasettoHawaiianmusicwillbetaught.Youwilllearnahulasongpersession.Wearcomfortableclothingandbringwater.RosemarieRamos,Hulain-structor,isfromHawaiiandhasover20yearsofdancinghula,perform-ing,teachingHawaiiancraftsandsharingheralohainthecommunity.ClassesheldatCenter.Fee$40(8weeks).CallCentertoregister:(925)370-8770.

Healthy Lifestyle Series 1-2pm (Wednesdays).A5-weekseriespresent-edbythePleasantHillWellnessCenterprovidesalltheinformationyouneedtofeelbetterfromnowon.Remainingclassesare:June 5 -Nutri-tionalSupplements&NaturalHealing;June12-MakingHealthyMenuChoicesWhileDiningOut;June19-StayingActive;June26-TheImpor-tanceofCoreStrength,Balance&Flexibility.Only$5fortheSeries.HeldintheSeniorCenterclassroom.Spaceislimited.Call925-798-8788topre-register.

6/11 - 6/25 - Basic Computer & You 10-11:30am (Tuesdays).Thisisahands-onexperiencewhereyouwilllearnbasiccomputerfunctionssuchashowtoturnonthecomputer,logon,navigatewithamouseandfindsoftwareapplications.Instructor:WalterSanchez.InthePHSeniorCentercomputerlab.Cost:$45/$40formembers.

6/13 - 7/25 – Yoga & Wellness 11am-12pm (Thursdays).Deepbreath-ingisbeneficialtothecardiovascularandimmunesystem.Bringayogamat&lightblanket.Wearlooseclothing.Instructor:MaxineDavis.InthePHSeniorCenterclassrooms.Cost:$75/$69formembersor$13drop-inperclass.*Noclasson7/4.

6/24 - Art of Impressionism Workshop 2-4pm.CreateartworkinthestyleofClaudeMonet,founderofFrenchimpressionistpainting.Additional$10artsupplyfeecollectedinclass.Instructor:JalehAlavi&BahramKhamjani.HeldattheSeniorCenterarts&craftsroom.Cost:$30/$26formembers.

I’m going to take a detour from earthquake preparedness and discuss fire prevention. This past winter, rainfall in central Contra Costa County has been 75% of the yearly average, and the fire season has started early. Homes close to open spaces are vul-nerable to the sparks and embers of a grass-fire. Three words to remember: remove, reduce, and replace. Remove weeds, dead grass, shrubs, and trees from the yards. Re-duce the density of plants and ladder fuels (i.e., those fuels extending from the ground to tree canopies). Replace hazardous veg-etation with less-flammable, irrigated plants or other low-growing ground covers. Many of us enlist our gas-powered lawn mowers into weed-cutting duty. Keep in mind that a spark thrown when a mower blade hits a grass-hidden rock is enough to start a fire, so be sure to remove rocks before mowing. Several easy and basic things we can do to reduce fire risk inside the house are: keep ignition sources like lighters and

matches out of reach from our curious children; install smoke detectors on every floor of the house and in each sleeping area; don’t overload wall sockets; and keep 5 lb. fire extinguishers charged and handy in the kitchen and the garage. If you do experience a home fire, get the family outside quickly and call 911. A home fire can easily double for each minute it burns. Once outside, NEVER go back inside for a pet or something you want to save. Almost everyone who attempts this is overcome by toxic fumes or acrid smoke and becomes a victim. Did you know that most home fires start in the kitchen? Yes, from stovetop grease fires. Many of us baby boomers have been taught from early on to use baking soda to extinguish this type of fire. “Where in the heck is the baking soda?” will be a likely harried thought. An easier and safer way to extinguish this type of fire is to slide a cookie sheet over the top of the pan – it’s handy, it’s fast, and you don’t have to rum-mage through the spice cabinet to find it.

Fire Safety for Summer By Jim Bonato, Pleasant Hill CERT Program Manager

Linda J. WeihofenReverse Mortgage Specialist

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Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with other oers.Restrictions apply. Valid and redeemable only when presented at a participating location. The UPS Store centers are independently owned and operated. © 2010 Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. Exp. 5/31/2013


Home Plate HeroesBy Brockton Brennan

We Specialize In One-on-One Personal Advice. We Care!

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Offers valid on most cars and light trucks at participating Meineke locations. Discounts apply to regular retail pricing. One offer per service per vehicle. Offers cannot be combined with other specials or warranty service. Coupons have no cash value and must be presented at the time of estimate. See the center manager for any additional details. ©2013 MCCCI

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TUNE UP SERVICESUPREME BRAKE SERVICE

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Per axle. Rotor labor included if applicable. Parts extra. Service must include any parts or service required to restore the system to proper operating conditions.

Additional parts & service available if needed at extra cost. Additional shop supply &/ or disposal fees may apply. Expires 5/31/13.

*Includes up to 5 qts standard motor oil and standard filter. Additional disposal and shop supply fees may apply. Special oils and filters are available at an additional cost. **Rotation service for vehicles with TPMS available at additional cost. Expires 5/31/13.

SUMMER MAINTENANCE

• Oil and Filter *

• 23-Point Inspection• Air Pressure Check

• Tire Rotation**

• Top off Fluids• Balance Check all Tires

INCLUDES:

$22995Plus Tax

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Additional parts & services, shop supply &/or disposal fees may be extra. Not responsible for low batteries that fail during testing. Code scan includes code read only. Fees will apply for diagnostic service. See manager for complete details. Expires 5/31/13.

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It’s a scorching hot Saturday afternoon at Pleasant Oaks Park in Pleasant Hill. Vol-unteer umpires Scott Allen and Chris Baker, dusty with infield clay and marking chalk, are seated at a picnic table beside the ball fields where each man, just minutes earlier, notched his seventieth game of the 2013 Pleasant Hill Baseball and Softball Associa-tion (PHBA) season. During the short respite before duty calls them to stand behind home plate for yet another two-hour youth contest, Allen and Baker, chief adversaries in a diabolical challenge called “Iron Ump,” relish a bit of camaraderie, along with a simple hot dog and soda – their only compensation for a full day’s work. What exactly is driving these guys to such an extreme feat of volunteerism? Well, it’s partly that PHBA’s new Chief Umpire promised a trophy and a hearty ham sand-wich (essentially bragging rights for a year) to the Iron Ump, the one who completes the most assignments. However, for both Allen and Baker, the motivation for their commu-nity service runs deeper.

“I’m making amends for a misspent youth!” chides Allen. “Seriously,” the father of three PHBA players continues, “I enjoy giving back to this community that sup-ported me when I was young, and where I’ve lived my whole life. Some people may think umpiring is a ‘thankless job.’ But, I don’t see it that way. The kids [players] really appreciate it. And occasionally they’ll even give me a compliment. I do this for the kids.” Baker, who previously served as Chief

Umpire, believes that PHBA’s brand of adult-volunteering not only provides a structured environment for the kids, but that it’s also good for The Game. “PHBA is an all-volunteer league,” explains Baker, who has also coached his two children. “Coaches, scorekeepers, grounds crew, cashiers at the snack shack – and umpires – are all in this together. The collaboration among neighbors and friends seems to breed tolerance, and so the kids are witnessing a good lesson.”

That’s not to say things are always peachy-keen. Recalls Baker, “Ok, so this one time, I rung up my neighbor’s son on a called third strike. Afterward, I mentioned that I’d like to come by to use the pool. My neighbor said maybe I should wait a few hours, because the little guy was still steamed!” So, how did these two men with such high ideals, get so caught up in a quest for a ham sandwich? “On Opening Day, Chris calls me and says that he did four games, and who’s going to catch him?” Allen says between big bites of his hot dog. “I told him, ‘See you at the finish line.’” Three months later, with the season nearing an end, Allen and Baker are tied at seventy games apiece. And neither expects the Chief to cut that sandwich down the middle. Slurping the last of their sodas, the two competitors rise from the picnic table and give each other a good-natured fist bump before walking back to their respec-tive fields, whereupon each simultaneously dons his mask and calls out, “Play Ball!”

Volunteer Umpires Chris Baker (left) and Scott Allen are locked in a battle for PHBA’s Iron Ump trophy – and a hearty ham sandwich. Photo Credit: Brockton Brennan


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Maureen Ingalls and her husband Fred have lived in Martinez since 1979. Son Mike is in the mechani-cal engineering field and daughter Kathleen is in physical therapy (Dr. Kat owns her own clinic in Kalispell, Montana). Today, Maureen enjoys a satisfy-ing career in real estate. Her familiar-ity with Martinez and Contra Costa County has benefited many clients. She has been a full-time professional real estate agent specializing in Mar-tinez properties since 1985. Her out-standing performance has placed her on top of the competition, earning her numerous awards and recognition. Her greatest reward comes from customer satisfaction and a job well done. In addi-tion to being a member of the Marti-nez Chamber of Commerce, Maureen keeps up with the constantly chang-ing field of real estate by attending seminars that offer advanced study in listing, selling, investment, taxes and more. She is a broker and has earned the designations of GRI (Graduate of the Real Estate Institute), CRS (Certi-fied Residential Specialist), SRES (Se-

nior Real Estate Specialist) and QSC (Quality Service Certified). As of this issue of the Community Focus, Mau-reen has sold 465 Martinez homes and countless others throughout Contra Costa County. Maureen is your advo-cate when you buy or sell real estate in Martinez. Throughout Maureen’s career, she continually updates her clients about the value of their real estate in-vestment. In turn, her clients know to trust her knowledge concerning the status of current real estate val-ues. They know she can accurately advise them on matters of home im-provements, the timing of real estate

purchases and property resale. Maureen will be the first to tell you that she is most pleased to re-

port increasing real estate values to her clients, but she also knows the dy-namics of real estate and how values can change! Knowing the local real estate market is one of Maureen’s per-fected skills! MaureenIngalls,CRS,GRI,SRES,QSCLicense#00894262BRO-KERAssociatewithRE/MAXAccord(925)370-1680

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John Vanni Jr. (JJ) is making an impact in the College Works Paint-ing (CWP) internship in the Norcal Division. In only a few months he has exceeded his peers and been noticed for entrepreneurial ideas by the CWP President. This internship has been of-fered for twenty years now, and JJ is the first to expand his business to com-mercial companies by painting the Nor Cal Courts warehouse in Martinez and working with real estate agencies.

JJ attends San Francisco State Univer-sity and is a hitting instructor at Mike Murphy Baseball. JJ’s goal is to take his experiences and customer service from baseball and apply it to his business. Reference letters from clients demon-strate to future firms and employers how hard he has worked for client sat-isfaction. JJ is excited to ensure you are hap-py with the result of a freshly painted house or business this summer. JJ will work with you to get the best price for the job now, while saving you money from weather damage in the future. Consultations for home and business owners are absolutely free with JJ and College Works Painting. If your house is in need of fresh ex-terior paint, please call College Works Painting at (888) 450-9675 and tell them you would like John Vanni Jr. to

manage the job. Or, you can email him directly at [email protected]. If you mention this article, JJ will give you an extra 2.5% discount in addition to the other discounts that come with the College Works Painting program. More importantly, you will have JJ’s person-al attention and he will ensure quality work from CWP painters at an excel-lent value.

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Read My Mind© Book Reviews by Michael G. Harris, OD

Hail to the Chief Every year, dozens of books are written about the presidents of the United States. Here are some recent bestsell-ers that caught my eye. “Politics make strange bedfellows.” That’s the first thought that came to mind when I read Ike and Dick: Por-trait of a Strange Political Mar-riage by Jeffrey Frank. These two fellows were definitely “the odd couple of politics.” If you’re old enough, you’ll remember Dwight D. Eisenhower as a great solider and hero of World War II. He was also the overwhelming choice for president in 1952 and 1956 with Dick Nixon as his running mate. I thought Eisenhower’s famous “I LIKE IKE” campaign buttons were very clever. They were so popular that my Dad made me “I LIKE MIKE” campaign buttons when I ran for eighth-grade class president. (I won, so they must have worked!) In contrast to Eisenhower as a widely loved and respected fatherly president, Nixon will always be remembered as “Tricky Dick,” a title he earned early in his political career. During his run for the US Senate, he hinted that his opponent was a communist even though he knew she wasn’t. He continued his “dirty tricks” as Eisenhower’s running mate and later during his presidency. In spite of the differences in their character, personality, and age - Eisen-hower was old enough to be Nixon’s fa-ther - Ike and Dick established a relation-ship that lasted until Eisenhower’s death in 1969. The many trials, tribulations, and triumphs of their “political marriage” make Ike and Dick thought-provoking reading for anyone interested in politics or US history. At a 1962 dinner honoring No-bel Prize laureates, President John F. Kennedy said, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of hu-man knowledge, that has ever been gath-ered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” This legendary

quote is our introduction to Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, Pulitzer Prize winning historian John Meacham’s recent bestseller. Is it possible that one man wrote the Declaration of Independence, founded the University of Virginia, and more than doubled the size of our country through the Louisiana Purchase? Jeffer-

son is even more remarkable because he was also a keen scientist, a noted inventor, a renowned architect, and the consum-mate statesman. But there were also fasci-nating contradictions in this Renaissance man. How could someone who pro-claimed that “…all men are created equal...” still own slaves? Meacham’s book gives us incredible insight into the genius of our third President. (If you want to learn about other fascinating presidents, read Meacham’s bestseller American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House and David McCullough’s Truman.) You can skip Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s books Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot and Killing Lincoln: The Shock-ing Assassination that Changed America Forever. I found nothing new or enlight-ening in either of these books. Perhaps the fact that I lived through the Kennedy assassination explains the lack of insight I got from Killing Kennedy. That doesn’t explain the lack of anything new in Kill-ing Lincoln, even though my wife claims I lived through that assassination as well. While these books may be factually ac-curate, they seem more like scandal rags than American history. If you enjoyed the movie Lincoln or want to really learn about the man most historians consider our greatest president, read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s bestseller Team of Rivals. Her portrayal of Lincoln during the Civil War and how he brought his rivals together to lead the country through the most perilous time in our history provides an amazing understand-ing of this great man’s heart and soul. Valuable lessons for today’s leaders!


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Rogers Ranch and the Importance of Historic Preservation in Pleasant Hill In 1868, when Patrick and Mary Rodgers moved to a wheat farm on 149 acres in what is now Pleasant Hill, they were one of nine families living and farm-ing in this area. Wheat was the crop of choice, but soon changed to grapes, nuts and fruit. The ground was fertile and ac-cess to Port Costa made shipping possible. The Rodgers Ranch site was eventually subdivided and converted to an almond farm. This lifestyle lasted until after World War II, when children of farmers sold their property to developers and living in suburbs became the good life. Housing was cheap and the air was clean. Neighbor-hoods were built in a year, grocery stores replaced farmers’ markets, fast food chains replaced home cooked meals, automo-biles replaced walking and riding horses, pharmaceuticals replaced herbal and home remedies, and consumerism replaced

recycling and living off the land. When the Rodgers Ranch property was in danger of being sold to a developer over 22 years ago, a group from the Pleasant Hill Historical Society preserved the site, giving the community a peak at architec-ture common during the 1800’s and school children a chance to experience life on a 19th century farm. The Rodgers Ranch restoration project, now on two acres, has evolved into the Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center. With help from the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District (the property’s current own-ers), the City of Pleasant Hill and commu-nity members, Friends of Rodgers Ranch (FORR) restored the farmhouse, which is now used for school programs and classes. It is also home to the Northern Califor-nia Unit of the Herb Society of America, which maintains an herb garden and hosts the annual “Herb Day” at the ranch. As interest in gardening increases, places to learn about gardening are needed. Master Gardener Marian Woodard and

husband John Mattheson have turned the open space on the hill into a large teaching garden and demonstrate techniques such as conditioning the soil and bio-dynamic farming. Several years ago, the wheat barn was dismantled and stored in containers on the property, but efforts to rebuild the barn are now in the works. Plans have been drawn to show how the original barn used to look from the outside -- in fact, the site is on the National Register of Historic Places and cannot be altered -- but the interior will be updated so the building can be used year-round. Once housed in the old School House on Oak Park Blvd and Pleasant Hill Rd., the Pleasant Hill Historical Society had to

move out when the building was con-demned. Items have been stored at Rodg-ers Ranch, City Hall, and storage areas, and we invite volunteers to help with sorting and categorizing materials. Classes offered at the Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center remind us to appreciate and nurture the land around us. Active members are needed to help with herit-age programs, site maintenance, historic preservation, construction, and fundrais-ing. With your help, we can preserve the history of Pleasant Hill and provide the community with a look into the past. Please contact us at [email protected] to see how you can help, or check our website www.RodgersRanch.org and become a member.

Photos by SusanWoodPhotography.com


Busy Year for Teen Council

MeF Announces Grants

2012 - 2013 MDeA Academy Awards

Martinez Education Foundation (MEF) is proud to announce that it recent-ly awarded grants in the amount of $104,054 to teachers and staff throughout the Martinez Unified School District. Schools receiving grants include Alhambra High School ($36,474), Martinez Junior High School ($15,298), Vicente/Briones High School ($5,197), Morello Park Elementary ($9,371), Las Juntas Elementary ($23,101), John Swett Elementary ($3,501) and John Muir Elementary ($11,112). Additional information about the grants can be found at MEF’s website at www.martinezedfoundation.com. MEF thanks and appreciates all of its donors and volunteers for their great support throughout the year and for enabling MEF to make our schools better!

The first annual Mt. Diablo Uni-fied School District employees’ Academy Awards dinner took place at Centre Con-cord on May 17. Over 200 people were in attendance, including such notables as Tom Torlakson, Mark DeSaulnier, and Su-san Bonilla. The event was sponsored by the Mt. Diablo Education Association (MDEA) and is the inspiration of MDEA President Guy Moore, who wanted to create an occa-sion that publicly celebrates and showcases the great work being done by the teachers and employees of the school district. Nomination forms were sent out to district employees two months prior to the event and reviewed by a nomination committee. Those sending the nomina-tions had to describe in 250 words or less

why they felt the nominee was worthy of the award. The committee received 108 nominations from 37 different sites. The committee chose three finalists for each category. “The finalists are simply a hand-ful of those worthy of recognition. We all do wonderful things for our students. The hope is that the Academy Awards will be-come a yearly event at which we can recog-nize more and more of the teachers, clas-sified employees, administrators and vol-unteers who make MDUSD an awesome place to work and attend school,” said Lau-rel Burns, MDEA Vice President. Twelve individuals were honored with awards in the following categories: Out-standing Volunteer, Gerry Barrera; Out-standing Leadership, Gwendy Longyear-Hayden, Delta View; Outstanding Clas-

Strandwood Staff Pictured LtoR: Heidi Beck, “Outstanding Administrator” Liz Kim, Mary Schuster, Amber McCaffrey, Kathy Hoffmann and Tracy Bartlett. Photo Credit: Laurel Burns

FPHE Thanks Its SupportersFoundation for Pleasant Hill Education (FPHE) is greatly appreciative of all their 2013 Annual Campaign donors.

The donors listed at www.fphe.org are invaluable for allowing FPHE to enhance educational programs within the eleven schools in the College Park HS feeder pattern.

FPHE speci�cally thanks the following businesses for their �nancial and in-kind contributions to FPHE during 2012-2013. Their generosity supports our schools and strengthens our community.

AIGBank of AmericaBank of the West

CCC Library, Pleasant HillChevron HumankindChipotle, Crescent Dr.City of Pleasant Hill

Coco Swirl, Crescent Dr.Coldstone Creamery

Community FocusCreative Marketing ArtsDallimonti's Restaurant

Daphne’s Greek CaféDéjà Vu, A Unique Boutique

DeVino’s Pizza & PastaFamiliar Images

FOG5 BandGrocery Outlet of Pleasant Hill

Hillcrest Veterinary HospitalHitchcock Realty

Hollis Banks, Face PainterIrvin Deutscher Family YMCA

Jack’s Restaurant & BarKohl’s

LUMBERYARD, The BandMacaroni Kid

Magoo's Grill of Pleasant HillMary Jane’s Kindergarten & Preschool

Massoni Day CareMazza Grill, Crescent Dr.MJ Studios Art & Music

Pasta Pomodoro, Crescent Dr.Paul Mitchell the School

Pete’s Co�ee & Tea, Crescent Dr.Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce

Pleasant Hill Coin and JewelryPleasant Hill Rec and Park

Proclaim PromotionsRay Andrews, Magician

RE/MAX Today, Don & Norma FlaskerudRepublic Services

Robert Half InternationalRotaract and Interact Members

Safeway, CC Blvd. & Patterson Blvd.Shaadzee Bakery & BistroSinful Bliss, Crescent Dr.

Slow Hand BBQState Farm Insurance, Matt Rinn

SW ContractorsSweet Tomatoes, Crescent Dr.

Togo’s, Crescent Dr.Trader Joe’s, Concord

UPS Store, Crescent Dr.Wence’s Restaurant

Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant

FPHE, a 501(c)(3) non-pro�t, works in partnership with the local community to enhance the quality of education and provide enrichment opportunities for students in Pleasant Hill public schools. To donate visit www.fphe.org or send a check to FPHE, P.O. Box 23851, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.

On May 23 the Pleasant Hill Recre-ation and Park District Board acknowl-edged the year long dedication and efforts of the members of the 2012/13 Pleasant Hill Teen Council. This year’s energetic group consisted of 25 students from a va-riety of schools in the area, including Col-lege Park and De La Salle High Schools and Valley View, Sequoia and Pleasant Hill Middle Schools. These students were selected through an interview process to work closely with the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park Dis-trict’s Teen Program. The students worked hard all school-year to plan, promote and implement programs, events and services for Pleasant Hill teens. Not only did they serve in an advisory capacity, they were one of the go-to groups to volunteer at over fifteen events in Pleasant Hill this year. The Art Jazz & Wine Festival, Trunk or Treat, Rodgers Ranch’s Expo and Com-munity Service Day were just some of the

events teens helped set up, work and break down. Teen council members also vol-unteered their time twice this year at the Senior Center doing “Get to Know Your Gadget,” a workshop that assists seniors with questions about different technology gadgets. This year’s council had some ex-traordinary experiences, including being an instrumental part in the grand open-ing of the new Teen Center in Pleasant Hill. They worked hard to bring innova-tive ideas for programs and events to their peers, including the new Teen Center Concert Series featuring local teen bands. Interviews for the 2013/14 Teen Council were held in May. Applications are available each March for the follow-ing school year, and all students, middle school through high school, are encour-aged to apply. For more information on the Teen Council, call Teen Supervisor Katrina Hunn at (925) 691-5645.

sified at a Site, Sandy Davis, Mt. Diablo High School; Outstanding Administrator, Liz Kim, Strandwood Elementary; Most Inspirational, Heidi Brown, Mt. Diablo Elementary; Creative Curriculum, Liz Manglesdorf, Sequoia Middle; Communi-ty Involvement, Jennifer Risken, Sequoia Elementary; Outstanding Classified Not at a Site, Debbie Hermens; Lifetime Achieve-ment, Dr. Verna Ogden, Sequoia Elemen-tary and Northgate; Student Advocacy, Charlie Litten, Foothill Middle; Teach-

ers of the Year, Shannon Prichard, Monte Gardens Elementary and Carissa Sugden, El Monte Elementary. Dinner was catered by Sunrise cater-ing and served by the students of Mt. Diab-lo High School’s Serendipity program. Stu-dents from various schools also showcased their vocal, musical and artistic talents, and all funds raised for the awards event be-yond those covering expenses will be used to benefit the arts programs within the school district.


I refer to “shrimp pos-ture” as the damaging body alignment in which our tail is tucked underneath us and we’re rounded forward like a giant “C.” Our spine is happiest when its three natural curves are honored (neck, upper back & lower back), and our core and other postural muscles are able to do their support jobs. Unfortunately, many of us are congealed into the unhealthy shape of a chair, whether we are sitting down or walking around town. In the United States, we begin our shrimp posture at a young age, by sit-ting all day in school at a desk. As adults, whether we are working a desk job, driving a car, or relaxing on the couch, we spend much of our day with our hips tucked underneath us, tor-so rounded forward, and head jutted

out. And although you may hear your mom’s voice in your head telling you to sit up straight, this nearly per-petual alignment eventually becomes our set posture, which wreaks havoc on our spine and joints. Technically referred

to as posterior pelvic tilt and kyphosis, shrimp posture does not benefit from the natural muscular balance and joint stability that comes along with a per-fect postural plumb line against grav-ity. Instead, it over-taxes our ligaments, affects the discs, aggravates nerves, and causes contractions in muscles that are forced to overwork. This can lead to pain and injury of the back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees and beyond. Fortunately, we can combat this posture. Build your core; find the right prop to support you behind the mid/low back while sitting; escape your chair every hour; and stretch areas that get tight, especially the upper back, hip flexors (front of the hip), and ham-strings. Do a quick check right now. Are you resembling shrimp scampi? Re-claim your humanity and give yourself a good stretch. TonyaMarieAmosisafullycerti-fiedPilatesinstructorwithover1000hoursoftraining.Formoreinforma-tion,contactpleasecall(925)680-4400orgotowww.AspirePilatesCenter.com.

Shrimp Posture - A Damaging Alignment

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By Judson Brandeis, MD HIPPA laws, incompati-ble electronic medical records, and busy schedules some-times make it difficult for physicians to work as a team on patient care. Despite cell phones, text paging, e-mail and other modes of modern communication, collabora-tion in health care seems to be getting more and more challenging. However, coordinated medical communication is precisely what is required to successfully manage patients with a cancer diagnosis. Caring for cancer patients requires treatment and diagnostics from doctors of different specialties. Surgeons perform biopsies and surgical removal of can-cer. Pathologists look at tissue samples to determine if cancer is present, and if so, what type and how aggressive it is. Radiologist read imaging studies like CT scans, MRIs and PET scans to look for abnormalities that might be cancerous. Medical oncologists determine the type of cancer and how far it has spread, then create a treatment plan, infusing chemo-therapy if necessary. Radiation oncolo-gists administer radiation to shrink or kill the cancer cells. It is challenging for all of these spe-cialists to simultaneously communicate about a patient and next to impossible to have the patient present and participate during this communication. I am pleased to announce that Pacific

Urology and Diablo Valley Oncology have developed a multi-specialty treatment planning approach for uro-logic cancers like prostate, bladder and kidney. We bring cancer specialists from dif-ferent disciplines together to review and discuss individual

patient medical conditions. Our integrat-ed group allows access to high-level, col-laborative cancer care, including clinical trials and cutting edge technology. After reviewing the patient’s medical history, we consider all possible treatment options and develop a recommended treatment plan. The patient is then invited to join the conference and ask questions. As a team and at no additional cost, we work with the patient to develop the most ap-propriate treatment plan. This is the only multi-specialty Urology Tumor Board in the Bay Area that includes the patient in the conversation. If you are interested in being con-sidered for our monthly Multispecialty Cancer Consultation, please contact the program coordinator, Leslie Wolfe at (925) 771-2622. Dr.BrandeisisaBoardCertifiedUrologistwithPacificUrology,withofficesinWalnutCreek,Concord,SanRamonBrentwood,LivermoreandAntioch.TocontactPacificUrology,call925-609-7220orvisitwww.PacificUrol-ogy.com.

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6/30/13

6/30/13


Pleasant Hill 4th of july Mosquito Season

Blue Devils Family Day

Meals on Wheels needs Your Help

The 4th of July is only a few weeks away and the Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission is working hard to ensure an entertaining day of celebration for 2013. The theme this year is, We the People – An American Melting Pot.Schedule of Events for Thursday, July 4th, 2013• 7:50am – 100-yard dash for kids 7 and under• 8am – 9th Annual Firecracker 5K Fun Run! Save money and sign up online! Encourage family and friends to come out early and participate. All registra-tion net proceeds support Pleasant Hill schools.9:30am - Parade Enjoy the hometown 4th of July parade. It gets better every year! The Grand Marshal for the 2013 parade is Jim Alkire. Jim was the Pleasant Hill city manager from 1970 -1988 and he and his wife Margie have lived in Pleasant Hill for over 40 years. Jim is an Emeritus member of the Pleasant Hill Community Foundation, a past presi-dent of Pleasant Hill Rotary Club, and

was on the original 4th of July Commis-sion.10:30am – 1:30pm - Party in the Park After the parade walk over to Pleas-ant Hill Park. Back Forty Texas BBQ will have food and beverages for sale, games and activities for the kids, music by Jinx Jones and the Buzz Tones to en-joy, and the watermelon-eating contest! New this year for the kids – Zorbs!6pm – gates open at College Park High 9:20pm (approx) – Fireworks The Fireworks show gets better each year! Slow Hand BBQ will return to provide food and beverages for sale. Cold Stone Creamery will also be on site to provide shaved ice, fried ice cream, and funnel cakes for sale! Local favorite, Cover2Cover will entertain the crowd again this year. Arrive early to set up your spot. Bring a blanket and jacket just in case. Visit us on Facebook: Pleasant-Hill-4th-of-July-Commission. View our schedule of events online at www.phjuly4.com. Want to volunteer? Ques-tions? Contact Allen Vinson at 938-2373.

With springtime came the seasonal kick off of sports like baseball, softball and spring soccer. Ball fields are once again teeming with players and fans from day until night. But as the ball parks come to life with competitors and spectators, they come to life with mos-quitoes as well. And this year the mos-quitoes are off to an early start. With this health risk in mind, the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District recommends any players or specta-tors attending practices or games within two hours of sunset (before or after) should wear repellent to deter mosquitoes that can make anyone of any age ill. Since 2005, 39 county residents are known to have contracted West Nile virus and two have died. However, researchers tell us the vast majority of

people who contract West Nile virus do not receive a doctor’s diagnosis, so the true number of West Nile virus patients was not known until 2012. The Cent-ers for Disease Control and Prevention published statistics suggests up to 1,902 Contra Costa County residents have

actually been infected with West Nile virus since the first known cases in 2005, but, for a variety

of reasons, they did not get tested for the dis-

ease. Remember

to dump or drain any amount of standing water because if there are fewer places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs,

there will be fewer mosquitoes in Contra Costa County, and that makes nightly ball games and other activities not only more fun, but more healthy as well. For more information, visit the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District website, www.contra-costamosquito.com.

On Saturday, June 15 the Blue Devils Family Day Preview will take place at Diablo Valley College. The program begins at 7pm and features the 15-time Drum Corps International World Champions Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps. Also includ-ed in the program are the Blue Devils B and Blue Devils C Drum & Bugle Corps. A special feature is the combined Brass/Percussion Ensembles. Ticket box office opens at 4pm and gates open at 5:30pm. General admission tickets are $10.00 and kids under 8 are free. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.bluedevils.org or by calling (925) 689-2918, ext. 0.For more information contact Gail Schultz at: (925) 689-2918 ext. 3007.

Two hundred fewer Contra Costa County home-bound elders will receive the daily nourishment they need from Meals on Wheels deliveries starting this year. Additionally, for the first time, the Meals on Wheels program has waiting lists of 70 or more homebound elders each day who need Meals on Wheels but can’t be served. Decreased funding and commu-nity donations are causing Meals on Wheels to significantly decrease the number of available meals and per-haps even reduce the number of daily delivery routes. Over 60% of Meals on Wheels Program funding comes from the charitable contributions by indi-vidual donors, foundation grants and

from the Meals on Wheels Program participants them-selves. Community contributions from individuals and charitable founda-tions are the largest

single source of support for Meals on Wheels in Contra Costa County and subsidize virtually all of the 365,000 deliveries to nutritionally at-risk homebound elders each year. Forinformationonhowyoucanhelp,contactPaulKraintzat:(925)335-3358oremail:Paul.Kraintz@hsd.cccounty.us.DonationstoMealsonWheelscanbesenttoMealsonWheelsofContraCosta,POBox3195,Martinez,94553ormadeviathewebsite:www.mealsonwheelsof-contracosta.org.


AnnouncementsContra Costa Interfaith Housing - The Busi-ness Advisory Board of Contra Costa Interfaith Housing is hosting a free Career Track Expo on Wednesday, June 26, from 10am - 2pm at the Concord Hilton. Our goal is to connect jobseekers of all levels with local hiring managers for present or future employment opportuni-ties. Bring your resume, interview and network. For more information contact Lynden Tripp at [email protected] or call: 925-944-2244

Clayton Theatre - Comedians Monique Marvez and Clayton’s own Kyle Fitzgerald are per-forming a fundraiser for the Clayton Theatre Company on June 14 and 15 at Endeavor Hall in Clayton. Monique Marvez, the Latina writer-performer, has a signature brand of humor captured in her very funny Showtime Special “Not Skinny; Not Blonde,” which debuted in March. Kyle Fitzgerald graduated from Clayton Valley High School and aspired to a career in the NFL. Instead of tackling large sweaty men, his foray into radio sales led him to be featured on “The Monique and the Man Show,” a job as an Internet sports commentator, and stand-up co-median. For more information visit claytonthe-atrecompany.com or call: 925-222-9106.

40 Years at Oak Park - Oak Park Christian Center will be honoring Pastor Bill and Lynette Mathews for 40 years of faithful ministry on June 9 at 9am and 11:55am (identical services), with a receiving line from 10:20-10:55am. Under the Mathews’ Pastorate, Oak Park has grown from a congregation of 50 to one of over 500, all while the Mathews raised 3 kids, including one with extra special needs. Now with two daughters married and five grandchildren, this Cal Berkley grad and his wife, a former elementary school teacher, are frequently asked, “How did you do it all?” Their quick, humble reply is, “With God’s enabling grace.”

4TH Annual Bike the Bridges - On Sunday, June 9, at the Historic Martinez Waterfront. Hosted by Special Olympics Northern Cali-fornia, this is an excellent opportunity for the community to support and fundraise for local Northern California Special Olympics athletes while bicycling the scenic 25, 65 or 100 mile ride through the local countryside and over the Carquinez and Benicia bridges. Riders and non-riders can enjoy lunch provided by Outback and a beer garden hosted by various breweries. Registration opens at 7am and the event runs until 4pm. To learn more or sign up to partici-pate, visit BiketheBridgesso.com.

Law Enforcement Torch Run - On June 25 from 7am to noon, cheer on your local law enforce-ment heroes as they carry the torch for Special

Olympics during a run from city to city-- Brent-wood to Pleasant Hill; Danville to Pleasant Hill; Pleasant Hill to Martinez to Benicia--culminat-ing in Davis for the Special Olympics Summer Games.

College Park’s 50th Reunion - Class of 1963, it’s time for your 50th reunion! The celebration will take place at the Pacheco Community Center on Saturday, August 17, from 6pm to 10pm and catered by Outback Steakhouse. Cost is $50/single and $85/couple. Mail checks to: Falcon Foundation, c/o 3129 Sonoma Valley Road, Fairfield, CA 94534. Deadline: July 15, 2013. For more information, email Jerry Pollard at: [email protected].

Vintage Fashion Show and Luncheon - On Saturday, June 22, a small group of local women will be hosting a vintage fashion show and luncheon with 100% of the proceeds donated to Central County Homeless Outreach. The luncheon will have a menu and formal setting right out of the 50’s. Guests are encouraged to wear 50’s and 60’s elegance…think Audrey Hepburn, hats and gloves and leave those poodle skirts and pedal pushers home! Cindy Vorte at Alley Cats is providing many of the vintage gar-ments in downtown Martinez. Eddie Toganon is donating music. Tickets are $25.00/person. For reservations or additional information call (925) 228-2233 or email Gay Gerlack at: [email protected]. To learn more about the Central County Homeless Outreach, visit: http://www.homeles-soutreach.net/.

Gregory Taboloff Performance - Gregory Taboloff performs fantasies from world-famous operas on Sunday, June 9, at 2:30pm at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd. The concert features Beethoven’s “Tempest” Sonata, Liszt’s Paraphrase of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and Transcription of Wagner’s “Tris-tan and Isolde,” plus Taboloff’s own fantasies on Bizet’s “Carmen” and Strauss’ “Fledermaus.” Wine and cheese will be served. Admission is $35. Call (925) 609-5918 for available seating.

Rodgers Ranch Round Up for ages 7-12 - “Farm to Table” on June 25: Learn what’s involved in growing and preparing meals in the 1800’s. Plant a garden, learn about composting, grind wheat, churn butter and make (and eat) pancakes. June 27: “Celebrating our Grand Ole Flag.” See how the national flag has changed over the last 200+ years. Make a flag, enjoy patriot games, stories, and crafts, and make ice cream. Sessions are from 9am-2pm. $40 per day, $5 sibling discount. Register for classes by calling 925-387-0158.

Pints for Prostates - This fundraiser will be held on June 13 from 6-8pm at Pyramid Alehouse,

1410 Locust Street, Walnut Creek. Sponsors are Diablo Valley Oncology, Pacific Urology, and Pyramid Alehouse. “Pints for Prostates” is a grassroots campaign that uses the universal language of beer to reach men with an impor-tant health message about their prostate health. Founded by a prostate cancer survivor who was diagnosed at the age of 48, this non-profit

campaign raises awareness among men about the need for regular health screenings and PSA testing. With a $25 donation, you will receive the ‘Pints Package’ which includes a custom beer glass, beer, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and raffle tick-ets. Space is limited so RSVP at 925-677-5041 or at www.DiabloValleyOncology.md/contact.

ABC SingersGet Involved in Your Community …ABS Singers- ABC stands for “Any Body Can”Patriotic & Military Songs Program - Come join our sing-along at convalescent and assisted-living homes. To participate, just come when your schedule permits. Call only if you need details; otherwise, just show up at 6pm!

Dates and PlacesJune 4 – Legacy Nursing & Rehab, 1790 Muir Rd, Mtz.June 5 – Chateau III, 175 Cleaveland Rd., Pleasant HillJune 11 – Stonebrook, 4367 Concord Blvd., ConcordJune 12 – Bayberry Convalescent, 1800 Adobe St., ConcordJune 18 – Chateau Poets Corner, 540 Patterson Blvd., PHJune 19 – San Miguel Villa, 1050 San Miguel Rd., ConcordJune 25 – Veterans Hospital, 150 Muir Rd., MartinezJuly 3 – Chateau II, then I at 2700 Pleasant Hill Rd., PH

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