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MAY 18, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

Rose Garden tiles honor veteransEvery week without fail, Louise Al-

bros husband Richard would arrive home with a bouquet of her favorite fl owers roses. Now in a manner of speaking, she is returning the favor.

My husband used to give me roses and now he will have something honoring him in the Rose Garden, said Albro. Now I feel like Im giving him the roses.

On Memorial Day, Albro will have the opportunity to view the commemorative tile in her husbands name at the Memorial Rose Garden in Brentwoods Veterans Park. Al-bros husband, who died 20 years ago, was a Marine who served during the Korean War.

Albro is only one of many local residents participating in the Brentwood Veterans Park Memorial Tile program, a fundraiser de-signed to assist in the completion of the third element of the park, and which offers an op-portunity for family and loved ones to honor and commemorate those who served.

Its been going really well, said Linda Stadlbauer, executive assistant with the City of Brentwood Parks & Recreation Depart-ment. When people hear about the pro-gram they agree that its a nice way to honor their loved ones.

The tiles are available to anyone who wants to recognize those currently serving or have served in the military. Albro liked the idea so much that she ordered a second tile for her brother David Sheals, also a Marine, who

currently lives in Sonoma County.I thought it would be a nice gesture

for my brother, said Albro. Hes such a great guy and has done so much for every-one. His tile will be side by side with my hus-bands, so Im happy about that.

Debra Galeys uncle Don Wilkins was

a Navy veteran and a Pearl Harbor survi-vor. When he passed away six months ago at the age of 91, Galey began searching for a way to commemorate her uncle and heard about the tile program.

I thought: this is it, said Galey. What a great way to honor him. My aunt

is thrilled and Im so glad they have a pro-gram like this for us to remember him.

Natalie Dimitri got the same idea when she learned of the citys memorial tile pro-gram. Dimitris father, longtime Brentwood resident and businessman Larry Lindsay, was an Army paratrooper who served three tours in Vietnam. Lindsay passed away last September at the age of 67.

I knew right away that this would be something nice to do for him, said Dimitri of the tile program. The reason my sis-ters and brother and I decided to this was because he was really proud of the time he spent in the military. He was a hero to many and he was our hero. He raised us all to be good little soldiers, and even though he wasnt one to appreciate seeing his name everywhere, I know he would appreciate the sentiment behind this.

Currently two of the three planned memorial phases of the Veterans Park are complete. The third and fi nal portion will be a quiet and contemplative area in the northwest corner of the park featuring white granite blocks, benches and shade trees. The city is working in conjunction with local veterans groups to raise $140,000 to complete the project. The tile project is part of the fundraising effort.

Tiles are still available for purchase. The donation amount is $100 per line. For more information and details on the pro-gram, call the Parks and Recreation offi ce at 925-516-5444.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

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PENDING

Loris Real Estate TipPredicting the Real Estate Market in 2012

The experts... the brokers... the investors... the bankers... a crystal ball...In my opinion, all have an equal opportunity to predict 2012/2013. The experts have been warning us as a REO listing agent to prepare for the tsunami of listings for the last 3 years... well, that never happened. Many investors and financial analysts quote history and how history is the best determining factor for future. The residential market used to be driven by you as the consumer, now we have thrown into the mix REO listings, Short Sale lender approvals, Investors, Bulk Sales and more buyers than available homes for sale.

Here is my prediction: Current inventory levels are down to the year 2005, when our pricing increased dramatically. Folks, its basic supply and demand! Inventory levels down, means this is a great time to sell. I have more traditional sales then I have had in 5 years. If you are thinking about selling, Id recommend do it now! Buying will take more patience, but the pendulum will swing back the other way and inventory levels will even back out! If you have any questions on real estate, please call for a free consultation on how I may be of assistance to you and your family.

Lori AbreuOwner/Broker

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by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 18, 2012

Neighbors help neighbor after home burns

Friends and neighbors are coming to the aid of a Bethel Island man whose three-story home was destroyed last Sunday in a $250,000 blaze that nearly burned a number of other homes as well.

Resident Tom Lucero said he was tak-ing a nap after doing some gardening last Sunday when he awoke to a room fi lling with smoke and fi re. Unable to use a front door blocked by fl ames, Lucero was forced to sprint through a wall of fl ames to escape through his kitchen with only the clothes on his back. In minutes, the entire house was ablaze.

We opened our door to an inferno, said neighbor Joni Fraga-Pratt, adding that spotty cell phone service on the island made calling for help diffi cult. I called 911 six times and got through on the sixth call.

East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Chief Hugh Henderson said the call came in from Taylor Place at 12:29 p.m. The fi rst engine arrived seven minutes and 24 seconds later, just in time to save David Viramontezs house next door.

My house was smoking, Viramontez said. Windows shattered, paint blistered and siding buckled on the building, and a plastic skylight on the roof melted.

Henderson said the Viramontez house and a motor home next door that was also damaged would probably have been lost had the response taken any longer.

The islands Station 95 is expected to be closed in July unless voters pass Measure S, a $197 parcel tax on the June ballot. The second-arriving crew, Engine 93 from Oak-ley, arrived 13 minutes after the fi rst alarm.

That was almost 2008 all over again, said Henderson, referring to a confl agration that destroyed two houses and damaged a third just down the street four years ago. This was a good save. Im really proud of

our fi refi ghters and the agencies that helped us. According to Henderson, the cause of Sundays fi re was undetermined.

Wind-driven fl ames ignited a row of 40-foot cypress trees, which fi lled the air with fl aming debris that began falling on houses downwind.

It was raining fi re, said Jeremy Cop-ple, an ECCFPD fi re captain who lives across the street and was at home with his

wife and 2-week-old daughter when the fi re broke out. Copple suffered burns to his wrist and ankle as he worked to put out numer-ous small fi res that broke out on his deck, gangway and neighbors docks, at times us-ing a bucket to carry water. The absence of fi re hydrants on the island forced fi refi ghters to rely on water tenders until the arrival, 20 minutes after the fi re began, of the district fi re boat piloted by Henderson. The boat helped protect exposures and pumped water to the engines working the blaze.

The fi re required the use of all six of the districts engines and several water ten-ders. ConFire and CAL FIRE moved up from Clayton and Antioch to cover empty ECCFPD stations. A total of nine medical calls came in to the district during the fi ght on Bethel Island, Henderson said.

The house, which Lucero was renting from family members, was not insured. Is-landers are hosting a fundraiser this Sunday, May 20 at Fraga-Pratts restaurant Tugs, 6201 Bethel Island Road . The $10 admis-sion pays for a beef dinner with beans, plus a green, potato or macaroni salad. The event features raffl es, live music and an opportu-nity to make a donation. For more informa-tion, call Tugs at 925-684-9800.

People keep saying Im alive, and I guess thats a good thing, Lucero said Monday, choking back tears. I just wish it had stopped with me. This is going to af-fect my aunt and uncle, too. They lost their whole house.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

Photo by Rick Lemyre

Tom Lucero of Bethel Island views a charred page of his childhood Bible, which was found amid the rubble of his three-story home, seen in the background. Lucero lost everything in a $250,000 re on Bethel Island last Sunday.

MAY 18, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A

Antioch, Pittsburg get ready for Relay

Residents of Antioch and Pittsburg are committed to fi nding the cure for cancer.

Already, 68 teams have raised more than $23,000 for the American Cancer Society (ACS) through the Antioch/Pittsburg Relay for Life and the event is still a month away. Los Medanos College will host the annual 24-hour walkathon starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 23.

Organizers are hoping to get 90 teams signed up by then. Weve really been try-ing to encourage anybody and everybody to come out and experience Relay if they havent, said event Co-chair Michele Little-fi eld. The morale has been incredible this year. Everybody is really excited for Relay.

Every year, throughout the nation, com-munities host Relay for Life events, in which teams raise money for the American Cancer Society through bake sales and other fund-raisers. The goal is to have at least one team member on the track for the full 24 hours.

Last year, more than 500 residents par-ticipated in the Antioch/Pittsburg Relay for Life, raising roughly $113,000. That money goes toward cancer research and prevention, but it also makes an immediate impact in the community. ACS provides services for people trying to quit smoking, offers cancer patients complimentary rides to and from visits to the doctor and helps low-income and uninsured people get treatment for the deadly disease.

Were just trying to get an awareness of

both of the communities to let them know that ACS is there, event Co-chair Judy Daw-son said, and we have a lot of wonderful ser-vices that are all free, paid for by donations.

The Relay emphasizes three stages: Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back. The event celebrates those who have defeated cancer, remembers those who have lost the battle, and fi ghts back by helping the ACS.

At the start of each event, cancer sur-vivors take the fi rst lap. When nighttime comes, the track is lined with personalized luminaria bags honoring those who have battled cancer.

Locals Relayers have been pounding the pavement, raising awareness and dollars. Recently, participants took to the streets to paint the town purple the offi cial color of cancer awareness. They decorated stretches of Lone Tree Way in Antioch and Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg with purple ribbons.

While the Relay addresses a somber subject, the event is full of fun. Throughout the day, local musicians take the stage to keep the walkers feet moving. There are also themed laps such as crazy hats or pajamas

and some teams go above and beyond to make it a great time.

On Saturday, In-Shape Health Club, 4099 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, will host a rummage/bake/craft sale fundraiser for Re-lay from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Teams who have already registered for a team can set up shop in the gyms parking lot, selling items to raise money. Littlefi eld said the fundraiser is also a perfect opportunity for newcomers to learn more about Relay and register a team for free.

Organizers have also planned a Bark for Life in August, so dogs and their owners can keep supporting ACS after the humans have participated in Junes Relay.

We are out in the community getting donations of food and other items that we need for a successful Relay, Dawson said. We are so happy that we are able to have our event, our Relay at Los Medanos College.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.Want to learn more about Relay for Life

or register a team? Visit www.relayforlife.org/antiochca.

Check out The Press Relay for Life vid-eos at www.thepress.net/pages/video_special.

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

Survivors and caregivers take the rst lap of last years Antioch/Pittsburg Relay for Life. This years event starts Saturday, June 23.

Press file photo

6A | THEPRESS.NET ARTS MAY 18, 2012

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Whenever I look at youI will rememberyour hard labor

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Kati Short is Poet Laureate of Brentwood.

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HOW SELLERS CHOOSE OFFERS? PART II get calls from buyers now and then

saying theyve written 10-12 offers with their agent and they want to fire them and use me instead because they are sure their agent is doing something wrong... Ill ask them if their agent is not telling them about properties, not returning calls, frequently not available to show properties, not looking out for the clients interests, etc. Usually thats not the case so I tell them their agent seems to be doing a good job for them. Its just tough right now because there are SO many more buyers than there are homes for sale. I thought it would help if I went over some general ideas about how sellers choose offers. Ill discuss regular sellers (those with equity), then short sales, and then bank-owned properties in a series of articles.

For regular sellers, usually their main concerns are price and terms. Price is obvious, the higher the better. There are some sellers who really care about who is moving into their home, so the buyers story matters, but for most sellers, the bottom line is the main con-cern. Although if the highest price offer is get-ting a loan, and the price is higher than recent

comps, there may be an appraisal problem. So if the second-highest offer is all cash, or has a big enough down payment where they can waive the appraisal contingency, they may get considered even though they arent the absolute highest. Terms are also important. If a buyer is asking for a lot of credits, that lowers the sellers net. Sellers are also concerned about how fast or how slow the transaction will close. Some sellers want a fast close, some want a longer close, others want to stay in the home after close of escrow. Of minor concern will be items that the seller wants to take or leave (fans, speakers, playstructure, washer/dryer, etc.). The more the buyer agrees with these choices, the more the seller will like their offer, even if they arent the highest. A good agent will ask the listing agent what is important to the seller, besides just the price. NEXT WEEK - SHORT SALES.

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Descendants of East County coal and sand miners of yesteryear cut the ribbon Saturday on the newly built Greathouse Portal and re-opened Visitor Center at Black Diamond Mines Regional Pre-serve. Joining the ribbon cutters, far left, is Supervising Naturalist Traci Parent, whose recently published Rose Hill: A Comprehensive History of a Pioneer Cemetery explores the fascinating history of the people who lived and died in the hills south of Antioch. According to Mine Super-visor John McKana, the current 800-foot mine tour, when its expansion is completed, will cover 1,150 feet and become the only underground portal-to-portal mining museum in California.

Portal party

Photo by Ger Erickson

MAY 18, 2012 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

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Congratulations to the following Adams Middle School students named to the Honor Society (3.70-4.0 grade-point average) and Honor Roll (3.30-3.69 GPA) for the third academic quarter:

HONOR SOCIETYSixth Grade: Rezahn Abraha , Andrew Agena, Jeremy Ahn, Natalie Alvarado, Noor Ansari, David Aranda, Julian Atalit, Aorzala Atmar, Kelly Balaban, Raener Baluyut, Alexander Barclay, Destiny Barnes, Brenden Barry, Morgan Blume, Inaya Bokhari, Jeremiah Botros, Kenneth Bough, Kaelan Bradley, Emma Brennan, Farrah Brown, Julianna Brown, Ian Buchanan, Brandon Buenting, Ian Busby, Marlene Caballero, Brandon Caldera, Matthew Campbell, Grace Carcot, Keegan Carey, Cameron Castano, Cecilia Castellanos, Noah Castellanos, Michelle Cereda, Ariya Chestnut Lockett, Angel Chika, Katherine Cook, Alondra Cruz, Joshua Cunanan, Sasha Curtis, Julia Daijogo, Sage Dalton, Erika de Guia, Ethan DeVera, Aleah Diaz, Citlalli Dominguez, Aidan Dunn, Jacqueline Duran, Samantha Dutcher, Stephanie Eatmon, Ashley Eslick, Reese Esteves, Joseph Farnsworth Jr., Sarah Feldman, Elizabeth Flores, Cooper Gable, Kevin Garcia, Susanna Garcia, Alysen Gerdes, Caleb Go, Eden Gonzaga, Ariana Gonzalez, Justin Gonzalez, Ali Gouhary, Chloe Green, Lizel Green, Joseph Guaragna, Garrett Guilliams, Brenda Gutierrez, Jacob Hair, Noah Hannan, Austin Harden, Ariq Hardiyanto, Cosette Heuer, Desiree Hinds, Brady Hoff , Joshua Holmes, Faith Hom, Taylor Hopkins, Danielle Hurt, Cameron Iacovoni, Fernando Ibarra, Jacob Jackson, Jeremy Jenkins, Devin Jensen, Jose Jimenez, Taylor Jobb, Lorenzo Johnson, Kyle Johnston, Makel Jones, Richard Kabasinskas, Emma Kaczmarczyk, Julien Karleskind, Grace Kim, Sarah Klinger, Katerina Korzhov, Gabriana La, Kristofer Land, Victoria Lasch, Jasmine Lee, Madison Leiser, Sarah Locastro, Margaret Magstadt, Caren Marciel, Luisa Martinez, James McIntyre, Sebastian Medina, Liliana Munoz, Scott Munson, Stephen Murphy, Oscar Murray, Jasmine Nam, Antonio Narez, Michael Obodo, Rinsolu Oisaghie, Raqibat Onipede, Victoria Peddie, Abigail Pena, Alea Pena, Kayley Phillips, Cole Preciado, Calissa Quilates, Sienna Quinlivan, Mackenzie Rapier, Tessie Robinson, Natalie Rogers, Dana Rolnik, Zak Rubio, Sadie Salaets, Cheryl Salgado, Isis Samuels, Victoria Santiago, Sophia Sarkis, Jose Saucelo, Sadaf Sharifi , Alexandria Sheehan, Trever Slous, Jessica Solis, Grady Spencer, Raelynn Sterlinski, Sean Stubo, Christian Tall, Pardeep Th ind, Matthew Tolero, Nathan Toralba, Tera Travis, Lauren Vanier, Ashley Viveros, Daniel Volta, Crystal Wallace, Mikaila Wegenke, Zachary Welker, Eryn Wheatley, Nora Whelan, Hasaan Williams, Sophia Williams, Xavier Williams, Chaz Wilson, Cheyanne Wilson, Eric Wisniewski, Anika Yoder, Syeda Zahra, Maria Zamora and Abdullah Zazi.Seventh Grade: Shaddin Abu Kishk, Nicole Adams, Katrina Aguirre, Maazin Ahmad, Allison Ahn, Dominik Ambriz, Alexandra Anderson, Kaylee Andrews, Neome Astudillo, Katrina Austria, Lauren Bayson, Josie Blubaugh, Caleb Bower, Patrick Bradley, Peyton Brock, Jonathan Brooks, Fallon Brown, Eduardo Camacho, Th ang Cao, Jonathan Caranto, Elizabeth Cardoso, Conner Cattaneo, Bradley Chamberlin, Anthony Chaube, Stone Churby, Jazmyne Clark, Loran Coleman, Cesar Contreras, Elizabeth Cook, Jenna Cummings, Alex Cunanan, Arean Cuspard, Tyler Dalldorf, Angelo DeJesus, Alexander DeRouen, Tiff any Do, Andrew Drees, Samantha Dunning, Savannah Duran, Jordynn Edison, Hannah Eelsing, Esmeralda Esperon, Marissa Espinoza, Jie Feng, Alyssa Filippelli, Hannah Fogelstrom, Meghan Fosenburg, Amanda Gann, Analisa Garcia, Anthony Gonzalez, Samana Gouhary, Bianca Granados, Grant Guilliams, Alysiana Halter, Jacob Hammel, Scott Hardesty,

Dean Harris, Caleb Hefner, Alanna Hines, Emily Hoyle, Aaron Jackson, Lauryn Johnson, Justin Jones, Matthias Karleskind, Isabella Klaus, Svetlana Korzhov, Alejandro Lara Agraz, Boyoung Lee, Miguel Leria, Kimberly Lett, Michael Leyva, Anjili Maharaj, Jasmin Malinis, Rachel Margolis, Robyn McCarthy, Jalin McGee, Jaynlin Miller, Parker Minchey, Ariana Monroy, Jenna Morford, Meredith Muller, McKenna Musket, Jullianne Nubla, Sarah Nunnink, Mikayla Olehy, Ma Oliquino, Marco Perea, Nicholas Perez, Cameron Perry, Jennifer Plate, Steven Plate, Christie Quinn, Cesar Quintanilla, Dominic Quintanilla, Anyssia Ramirez, Mariah Ransom, Isaih Regalado, Alexandria Renner, Juan Reynoso, Taylor Richins, Taryn Roloff , Esmeralda Rosales, Isaiah Ruffi n, Ariana Samimi, Briana Sanders, Catherine Satre,

Manminder Shergill, Joseph Shirk, Paul Simpson, Gabriel Smith, Jasmine Smith, Mireya Smith, Hamza Sultan, Blane Sweany, Samantha Tamondong, Ryan Taylor, Samantha Torres, Megan Vallee, Browen Van Steenwyk, Madeline Vanderheid Nye, Kaylie Varner, Jade Voong, Veronika Wallace, Heavenn Waller, Lyndsey Wernholm, Logan Whitmire, Wade Willet, Marissa Woerner, Trevor Worrell, Kassaundra Wright, Rachel Ybarra, Dominic Young, Nicholas Zell and Tricia Zhou.Eighth Grade: Danielle Absin, Noelani Akana, Matthew Allred, Hanna Althar, Ava Alvarez, Haaris Amirie, Melanie Anderson, Isabela Angus, Walid Ansari, Sarah Arriaga, Suryah Aryaei, Sounbol Azamey, Remy Bidmead, Sherikat Braimah, Joshua Brennan, Nicole Brennick, Victoria Bryan, Juliana Butalla, Desashan Butler, Emily Carcot, Kamren Carey, Corinne Carson, Stephanie Carter, Celine Castano, Antonio Chavez, Kevin Chen, Ugonnaya Chilaka, Christopher Cisneros, Derek Coley, Kayla

Cyphers, Mathew De La Gardie, Adeline Diaz, Gavin Diokno, Carlos Escobar, Jie Feng, Iris Fermin, Mason Fountain, Tesla Fox, Christine Fredrickson, Hillary Gallagher, Kereshma Ghani, Madelyn Greenway, Jannie Gutierrez, Geneva Hamilton, Daijah Harvey, Ethan Heinrich, Jacob Henebury, Donovan Hom, Lynzie Hudson, Chelsey Huezo, Kelly Hunt, Gianna Jenkins, Chandler Johnston Sweany, Bailey Kaczmarczyk, Ryan Kelley, Heather Kenney Mariano, Allie Klinger, Jennifer Landreth, Th ao Le, Nina Legaspi, Emma Linney, Toby Lloyd, Samantha Lord, Annalise Lyons, Danika Maligro, Joshua Martin, Summer Matthiessen, Hannah May, Nicholas Menjivar, Danielle Milton, Rebecca Moeller, Giti Mohmand, Seann Moser, Adrian Nario, Henna Nazari, Amanda Nguyen, Kevin Nguyen, Imaan Niazi, Megan OFarrell, Ayo Ogunfunmi, Victor Padilla, Kyle Padua, Sarah Palmer, Matthew Petures, Adriano Piazza, Gianna Policastro, Amy Probst,

Acclaimed at Adams

see Adams page 10A

10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION MAY 18, 2012

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Jhovanny Quintero, Sabrina Ramirez, Michael Renna, Vincent Reyes, Celia Rivera, Allison Rohlfs, Adam Saleh, Courtney Samuda, Olivia Sanabria, Angeliqua Sendis, Jagminder Shergill, Natania Silot, Madelyn Smith, Marisa Sorbello, Delaney Sparling, Zaion Stone, Katrina Sudweeks, Winnie Tam, Brandon Tatum, Hussain Taymuree, Kristyna Th ompson, Hannah Toelkes, Tianna Treichelt, Jonathan Trum, Erinn Vanier, Giulia Vardanega, Sydney Veuve, Joshua Watts, Shannon Wilson, Brooke Winham, Benjamin Withers, Lillina Woldemariam, Jake Wulf, Imraan Yusuf Sada, Sienna Zabroski and Sofi a Zamora.HONOR ROLLSixth Grade: Farris Abuaita, Sean Andrus, Ellyzha Astudillo, Beau Baddeley, Renae Baluyut, Zoe Belyea, Ryan Bradley, Connor Burris Zimmerman, Lauren Canada, Marcus Dawal Jr., Jorden De La

Gardie, Kayleigh Drumright, Jordan Edwards, Courtney Feldman, Kenneth Gardner, Jacqueline Goddard, Reymond Gonzalez, Cal Harris, Sarah Hary, Alyssa Heisler, Spencer Holden, Lashaun Jackson, Cushan Johnson, Shane Johnson, Katalina Johnston, Aiwin Lapuz, Faith Lawton Apodaca, Nicholas Legge, Serena Lopez, Amanda Lucay, Bailey Marbry, Emily Marfi a, Jonathan Ned, Alondra Olivarez, Emma Olsen, Ariana Perez, Sarah Prass, Scienn Publico, Janetzy Quintero, Regina Richburg, Vanesa Rodriguez Vega, Marissa Runge, Garrett Simms, Raya Syed, Nargiss Tarrar, Cristian Tatum and Ronald Yelder.Seventh Grade: Giovanni Alvarez, Julia Baird, Nathan Barsanti, Kade Bennett, Alexis Camarra, GianPierre Carrasco, Victoria Castillo, Jessica Caywood, Nasina Chambers, Miranda Cosgrove, Bryan Cowling, Tyler Dahl, Jasmine DeLao, Armin Delic, Jared Dexter, Ariadne Fajardo, Anthony

Ferras, Francesca Gesmundo, Sondra Gomez, Aaron Hanible, Danica Harris, Taylor Hawkins, Christine Hernandez, Alexander Hilsabeck, Julian Jackson, Shelby Johnston, Maxwell Jones, Ulisses Landeros, Camden Lile, Th omas Luckhardt, Avery Lyon, Hannah Margolis, Maya Marquez, Carrie Martin, Emily May, Diego Morales, Austyn OBrien, Ijeoma Okaforize, Andrew Patania Young, Alayna Phipps, Iliana Ramirez, Althea Reyes, Stephanie Rodriguez Juarez, Dylan Ruaro, Alicia Rubio, Diego Rubio, Maddy Samorano, Sarah Shaikh, Lyian Soria, Jared Spann Shaw, Jeremiah Stone, Karl Tio,Blake Tonkel, Matthew Townsend, Meghan Troy, Jared Van Vlack, Krista Volta, Dylan Vonderhaar, Amanda Wannamaker, Kavon Wise and Adele Wong.Eighth Grade: Nicholas Ahumada, Alla Al Hajjaj, Jessica Anderson, Sara Andrade, Jaymie Arnold, Oscar Baeza, Jacob Balaban, Jade Box, Vitaliya Buynevich, Bethsabe Camacho Dominguez,

Robert Campos, Austin Cauwels, Isiah Clement, Dillon Coggins, Keenen Colcord, Coby Cruz, Andy Cui, Kenneth Domingo, Charles Enriquez, Arturo Fernandez, Nia Foskey, Zachary Graffi , Sydney Haagenson, Miles Johnston, Ashley Juarez, Courtney Keck, Alexa Kennedy, John Ketchel, Uzair Khan, Winston Kim, Emily Kuzmicky, Alexia Larios, Haley Luke, Edward Mason, Brandon McClenathan, Antonia Melissare, Kevin Milam, Maya Montez, Cassandra Nardone, Amanda Needham, Kyleen Nelson, Victoria Neukirchen, Adan Ortega, Keegan Penso, Sierra Petrie, Mariah Platt, Nathan Putnam, Lyvin Reyes, Harrison Schwartz, Brendan Shea, Brianne Smith, Erin Soiland, Madison Stitzel, Ramisa Syed, Farwah Taymuree, Jayden Tolentino, Isabella Vargas, Julie Villanueva, Marcus Wallace, Katelynne Watts, Devin Whitmire, Kasidee Wiley, Autumn Williams, Kyrel Williams and James Wilson.

Adams from page 9A

12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 18, 2012

Retirement bene tsRetirement benefi ts in the ECCFPD

are managed by the Contra Costa Coun-ty Employees Retirement Association (CCCERA). The fi xed-benefi t system is a three-percent-at-age-50 (3@50) formula, which provides 3 percent of an employees average monthly salary over the previous 12 months worked for every year of employ-ment. Overtime is not used when calculat-ing the previous years salary for retirement purposes.

Therefore, an ECCFPD fi re captain earning $5,000 per month and hired at the age 28 (the average age at which public safe-ty employees earning 3@50 are hired, ac-cording to a study by CalPERS, the states largest public employee retirement organi-zation) and retiring at 50 would receive a pension of $3,300 per month, or $39,600 per year. The benefi t also provides a maxi-mum 3-percent annual cost-of-living adjust-ment (COLA).

By working until age 58, the same cap-tain could retire after 30 years of employ-ment, earning as much as 90 percent of his fi nal years salary. According to CalPERS, this occurs only 1 percent of the time. About 34 percent of all public safety employees, in-

cluding police and prison guards, reach 30 years of service.

The 3@50 (formula) is an industry standard now, said Contra Costa County Supervisor District III Mary Piepho. (EC-CFPD fi refi ghters) are underpaid as far as the Bay Area goes, but the 3@50 provides some level of competitiveness for the dis-trict to attract skilled and qualifi ed person-nel to serve the public.

Depending on their age when starting, employees in the ECCFPD contribute be-tween 13.7 percent (starting at age 21) and 20.20 percent (starting at age 49 or older) of their pension costs, the district paying the remaining 80 to 87 percent. As public employees, district employees do not pay Social Security taxes on wages, nor are they eligible for Social Security upon retirement.

District employees are eligible for re-tirement benefi ts after 10 years of service when retiring at 50, or at any age after 20 years of service.

Retirement benefi ts accrued but not yet paid for are known as unfunded liabili-ties. Due to retirement policies put in place during more affl uent times plus losses in retirement fund investments caused by the recession, and because pension amounts

ECCFPD from page 1A

see ECCFPD page 14A

PositionFire chiefBattalion chiefFire captainFire engineerFire ghter

ECCFPD base$126,670

88,11660,33657,08451,864

OT (avg.)$0

26,00024,50030,82018,300

Total ECCFPD$126,670

114,11684,83687,90468,164

ConFire base$156,729132,012110,22097,78888,740

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MAY 18, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 13A

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Marriage

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Marriage is such an interesting concept in its own right, defi ning marriage as a mort-gage and youve now offi cially dedicated an entire column to your cause.

Lets start with speaking generally and loosely of the post -World War II age demographic that purchased their fi rst home with their fi rst husband, or wife, and kept both until their dying day our grandparents, or great-grandparents (depending). Th ese individuals thought loooong term: no instant gratifi cation via the internet, cell phone, or other means of communication other than a land-line, postal service, or walk or ride your bike to your friends house. When they signed up for a commitment, it was a commitment. Th ese individuals married their spouse for the long haul and thought the same way with their mortgage30 years or more into a marriage and 30 years into a mortgagethey thought of fi xed products across the board. Statistically speaking, in 1950 the divorce rate was sitting at 1,070 per every 100,000 for men and 1,373 per every 100,000 for women.

Fast forward to 2010 and per infor-mation gathered via the US Census Bureau divorce rates have risen to 9,255 per every 100,000 men and 12,305 per every 100,000 women. Add that increase of eight percent on top of the fact that, as a nation, our foreclosure rate in 2010 was at a record high of twelve percent and it is not an opinion when stated, Commitment, in the form of a marriage or a mortgage, isnt quite what it used to be. Th at said, and aft er reviewing these facts, it is very

important to see the other side of the coin.With an eight percent divorce rate and

twelve percent foreclose rate it is easy to math-ematically determine that eighty-eight percent of both marriages and mortgages, in the long haul, last. In other words, there is still more than enough statistical data to support the idea of having both a good marriage and a good mortgage. Now, Im not a marriage counselor, but I am a nationally licensed Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO), and I can tell you that from my experienced MLO standpoint, Ive observed that communication is the key to a good mortgage. It is invaluable to discuss your loan term goals before jumping into any type of commitmentespecially one with such long term consequences, i.e., a mortgage.

When discussing the idea of purchasing a home, as with and, again, Im not a marriage counselor discussing the idea of entering into a marriage, it is important to regress to the thoughts and ideas of those before us. Can you live with this commitment for 30 years (or more)? is the question/conversation you should be having with your MLO. If the answer to this question is yes, than you have my blessing. If the answer is no, than I object to this relationship, and I seriously think that you should consider the reasons behind my objection, and then ask yourself again if you can live with your commitment for at least 30 years. As always, I welcome all questions and or concerns pertaining to real estate lending on my cell phone, 925-726-1444, or via email, tfreymortgages@yahoo.com.

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14A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 18, 2012

are fi xed, unfunded liabilities pose a major funding problem for nearly every public agency. As more employees retire, larger and larger percentages of the district bud-get will be consumed to pay off retirements. Approximately one-fourth of the ECCF-PDs budget now goes to pay unfunded li-abilities, a total that could reach as much as 50 percent in coming years.

Pension reform for new hires could in-clude reducing the percentage of salary used to calculate retirement, using three years instead of one to fi gure the salary used in the calculations. Raising the retirement age and/or reducing COLA increases could also be part of a revised pension formula, all of which will require years before it impacts

the districts bottom line, according to the countys website.

The ECCFPDs current contract with International Association of Firefi ghters Local 1230 was extended last month for a year. Negotiations are expected to re-open following the June vote. Local 1230 also represents ConFire employees, who last year took a 5-percent pay cut and dropped a future 5-percent raise. President Vice Wells, in announcing the ECCFPD exten-sion, said pensions are a signifi cant concern everywhere, and will be under discussion when talks resume.

Measure S does not include additional pay for fi refi ghters other than a maximum 2-percent COLA.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

ECCFPD from page 12A

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accolades. Antonio Hernandez, who wants to become a surgeon one day, was named Antiochs Youth of the Year.

Tuyen Mai will be the schools fi rst valedictorian; Cameron Jacobsohn the fi rst salutatorian.

Dozier-Libbey, which opened in 2008, has been a shining jewel for AUSD and a leader in the districts focus on linked learn-ing academies. Dozier-Libbey students receive a high school education with an emphasis on medical application. Senior English teacher Lisa Kingsbury who pre-viously taught at Antioch High School for 18 years said most students who attend Dozier-Libbey plan to study or work in the medical fi eld, whether as a doctor, nurse, pharmacy technician or several other voca-tions.

Dozier-Libbey is one of several linked learning academies at AUSD, such as the Deer Valley Law Academy and the Delta Academy for the Performing Arts. Acad-emy students believe they get a head start in the job market by being well-educated in their chosen fi eld before starting college.

If you set high expectations for students and support them in reaching those high expectations, they can do great things, Castro said. Thats one of the goals we had when we started this school: to increase the number of students meet-ing (college) requirements and increasing the number of students attending post-sec-ondary programs, and weve accomplished that.

As the success rates become more

evident, more school districts across the nation have opened linked learning acad-emies. According to a 2010 study by the University of Californias Career Academy Support Network, the number of state-funded career-based academies has grown from two in 1981 to 29 by 1990, 45 in 1995, 290 by 2000 and 500 in 2010.

Antiochs district plans to expand its offerings into media technology and en-vironmental sciences, hosted at Antioch High School.

At Dozier-Libbey and other linked learning academies, students learn the ba-sic curriculum of English, Math, Science and Art but from a career-oriented per-spective. For instance, when Kingsburys class read Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, students engaged in a debate about medi-cal ethics.

Seniors must write a medical or health-related research paper for their se-nior project, as well as create a fi ve-minute documentary.

While the students are eager to turn the tassels for the fi rst time, many of them are just as excited about May 31, when the community will be treated to a fi lm festival showcasing student documentaries.

The students want to show the fruits of their strenuous efforts. I had a lot of friends coming in my fi rst year, but I lost a lot of friends my sophomore year, because they saw that it was a lot of hard work, said senior Tatiana Lejarza, who plans to enter the Los Medanos College Nursing Program. Dozier actually pays off.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Grads from page 1A

16A | THEPRESS.NET MAY 18, 2012

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

Award Winning NewspapersHave you got something to say? Visit www.thepress.net and let your thoughts be known.

Insurance commissioner: vote Yes on S

Editor:As Californias insurance commissioner,

I am concerned that the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is facing serious budget shortfalls that could signifi cantly impact your homeowners insurance rates.

Measure S on the June 5 ballot will protect your current fi re protection service. Most insurancecompanies use a Public Protection Classifi cation program that evaluates key areas of fi re protection, including emergency communications, water supply and the fi re department (adequacy of equipment, suffi cient staffi ng, evaluation

of training, existence of automatic aid and geographic distribution of fi re companies).

Without Measure S, 50 percent of fi refi ghters will be laid off and three fi re stations will be closed. That leaves only eight fi refi ghters daily to service the 105,000 residents and approximately 6,000 service calls each year.

And if emergency response times go up, it could affect your Public Protection Class ratings and increase your homeowners insurance rates.

Measure S will give the fi re district the funding it desperately needs to maintain critical fi re protection. An annual parcel tax of $197 (just 50 cents a day) will ensure adequate fi re and emergency response services, and stop yourinsurancepremiums from skyrocketing. I urge you to vote Yes on Measure S.

Dave JonesCalifornia Insurance Commissioner

Measure S offers no real solutionEditor:

I am tired of reading all these scare tactics regarding Measure S. After years of inaction by the BOS and now the current commission, the tough decisions have not been attempted to correct the operational model and save cost.

Since the union came into the district, they have almost completely wiped out the paid on-call (POC) fi remen. I saw this when I was on the Transitional Fire Commission and it has continued going on for 10 years. I saw this with major arguments between the union and the POCs. The POCs in the past

were an integral part of the district. POCs are used throughout the U.S. very successfully and not just in rural communities. POCs are effi cient and save money.

No one has stepped up to restructure the pension program that is underfunded and taking up too much of the operational money that could be used for district operations. Ten years ago this was brought to the attention of the BOS and nothing has been done except dig the district deeper in debt.

Back in 2003, Cal Fire came in during the City Gate report and showed it could be effective in running the district while saving money. However, the union fought it, as they would have to go under Cal Fires work rules, and the union did not like it. The BOS, in my opinion, caved in to the union and decided not to pursue this cost-saving operational model.

We all know there is a fi nancial problem and the alarms having been sounding for many years. It is time to step up and make the hard decisions to restructure the district operationally and fi nancially. Then revaluate if and how much revenue is needed. Measure S makes no corrections and puts the fi nancial burdens on all us taxpayers. It is time to say to the commission and the BOS: do your job. Make the diffi cult decisions then lets talk about revenue increase.

As a Discovery Bay resident of 24 years, I believe Measure S does nothing regarding opening the station that was closed in DB or Byron. In fact, the plan calls for a new station in year fi ve and not reopening any of the stations that were closed. I can see no reason

to support the measure with those types of commission recommendations.

This reminds me of ObamaCare. We all agree that healthcare needs to be reformed but many believe what was passed a few years ago does nothing to solve the problem but add cost to the taxpayer. Measure S is the same. We need a real solution to our fi re district. Vote No on S.

Walter MacVittieDiscovery Bay

Support Jim Frazier in AD-11 RaceEditor:

I would urge voters in Contra Costa County to vote for Oakley Councilman Jim Frazier in the Assembly District 11 race.

Mr. Frazier, who is a Democrat, is the only Contra Costa County candidate in the race, which makes it vital our representation in Sacramento be local. He is vested in East County, whereas the fi ve other candidates are from Solano County and do not fully comprehend our needs and concerns.

As a Republican, I am breaking from my party line because Mr. Frazier received my support based on his merits. His local accomplishments in East County starts with his time on the City Council, where he helped balance our city budget while ensuring a 30-percent reserve for emergencies.

He worked with local hospitals to help bring a doctor to Oakley with the opening of La Clinca this past December. He helped bring the fi rst all-abilities playground to

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

see Letters page 18A

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

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Maintain current fire service modelby Kevin RomickMayor of Oakley

Recently there have been editorials, letters to the editor and blog posting against Measure S. One of the arguments against Measure S is that the fi re district is too top heavy. A claim, much like the rest, that is not

supported with any information, just a blanket statement.

The writers generally dont

disclose their specifi c background and experience in the fi eld of fi refi ghting. So here are some facts about the East Contra Costa Fire Protection Districts staff: Current staffi ng model: 48 personnel. Four stations staffed with three personnel. Two stations staffed with two personnel (Bethel Island and Knightsen). 16 captains. 15 engineers. 12 fi refi ghters. 43 total and backfi ll fi ve positions with overtime.

The team members of the each three-man engine companies in the ECCFPD

are charged with one, big job: put a fi re out as quickly and safely as possible. Be it from outside the building or inside with the fl ames, each person on that engine has specifi c responsibilities that require a unique level of training. Each three-man engine company in our district is composed of a fi re captain, an engineer and a fi refi ghter. Regardless of the title, all three will eventually play an important role at any emergency.

The fi re captain is the senior offi cer at the station and is generally responsible for the station. On the scene of a fi re, its the captain that evaluates the situation, locates the fi re, then decides which door, hallway or stairway should be used to reach the fi re with the proper amount of hose, establishes a command and draws up a plan of attack.

Once the battalion chief arrives on scene, the captain can then fulfi ll the fourth member position and become a backup fi refi ghter, to institute the two-in and two-out safety rule. The fi rst fi ve minutes determines the next fi ve hours.

The primary responsibility of the engineer at the station is the maintenance of the fi re engine and all tools and equipment

carried on that fi re engine. Once the alarm is sounded, they are in charge of driving the fi re engine and ensuring the safe delivery of the personnel and equipment to a reported fi re or emergency and the delivery of water to the operating fi refi ghting company.

The fi refi ghter occupies one of the most challenging and dangerous positions during the fi re. Their duties routinely take them in close proximity to the fi re and require a determined and experienced member. The fi refi ghter stretches the fi rst length of hose with the nozzle attached to the location determined by the captain.

Meanwhile, the backup fi refi ghter, the fourth on the scene (could be the captain, a battalion chief or a fi refi ghter from the second company on the scene) moves toward the fi re behind the initial fi refi ghter, providing physical as well as moral support. The major function of the backup position is to fl ake out the hose line while waiting for water and to facilitate the hose lines advance once it is charged.

Two stations in the district work with two-man engine companies. They consist of a fi re captain and an engineer. Their roles in this situation are similar to a three-man

company. The captain prepares the site, the engineer drives and prepares the hose lines. But they must wait for a second unit to arrive to begin applying water to the fi re. Safety rules dictate a two-in and two-out policy.

It generally takes fi ve engine companies to suppress a structural fi re. As each unit arrives, they all basically become fi refi ghters, assisting to put the fi re out as safely and quickly as possible.

Based on training and experience, everyone arriving to a fi re can be a fi refi ghter, but not everyone can be a captain or an engineer. So when that three- or two-man engine company rolls up to your house in the middle of the night, who do you hope is on that engine?

A yes vote on Measure S will not only ensure that the current service model stays in place, but every engine that leaves a fi re station will have a three-man engine company arriving on scene fi rst, and one member of this of this three-man team will be a paramedic.

In addition to his role as mayor of Oakley, Kevin Romick serves as a director for the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

GUEST COMMENT

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Oakley for special-needs children. He has also become a transportation leader in East County successfully fi ghting for over $166 million in funds to improve Highway 4 and the Bypass.

When it comes to the Delta, he is the only candidate who has actually fought for the Delta and invested time to protect our water interests most recently, he was appointed to the Delta Protection Commission.

Finally, his work in the nonprofi t area cannot be matched by any of the other candidates. He and his wife, Janet, created the Network of Care after his daughters death 12 years ago. The foundation provides food bags to parents of children who are in the

hospital so they do not have to leave their childs bedside recently they just hit 100,000 families fed.

Mr. Frazier also created the Friends of Oakley, which provided Christmas baskets (dinner and toys) to nearly 300 Oakley families this past year. They have also raised money in the past to provide Oakley teachers with gift cards to buy school supplies.

In a primary that will favor his Republican and Independent opponent, its vital Contra Costa County voters send in their absentee ballots and show up to the polls supporting Jim Frazier. I urge voters to put party politics aside and understand that the best representation in Sacramento for AD-11 is when we have someone local fi ghting for us.

I am proud to be supporting Jim Frazier

for Assembly District 11 and would urge other voters to also get behind Mr. Frazier.

Michael W. BurkholderOakley

Thank a teacherEditor:

Who would argue that teaching is not a demanding vocation? Consider, after all, the two greatest exponents of the art, Jesus and Socrates. One was crucifi ed, the other poisoned; both in the line of duty.

Not that it takes the ultimate sacrifi ce, though, to qualify teaching as a challenging line of work. Ask any parent, who play the ultimate teaching role, and theyll tell you. Kids dont readily absorb wisdom through their pores. That is why lecturing is mostly an exercise of in one ear, out the other.

No one size fi ts all. The best teaching employs multiple approaches, with the understanding that no two kids are facsimiles. Then factor into the equation the proven theorem that kids love to do the opposite of what you tell them and you can see the wisdom of the Socratic method. Showing is better than saying but the penultimate success comes from the art of suggesting. A practiced teacher pokes and prods self-discovery. Good teaching is, inthe end, doing. You might call teaching learning inside out.

Given, then, that even under the best of circumstances effective teaching is a tricky and nuanced proposition, imagine the dicey mission we now have at our doorsteps. In this global economy and age of lightning-fast information, teachers are asked to deal with kids who wire down when they enter the school portals. They are asked to keep this tech generation stimulated while producing

minds that seamlessly communicate, collaborate and thrive on critical thinking.

They face this already daunting task while asked to be equal parts disciplinarian, entertainer, coach, social worker, counselor, motivator, sociologist and statistician.

Strikingly, one elementary teacher was telling me that years back it was expected that you might have one or two problem kids in any given class, say a child suffering A.D.D. or maybe from a troubled home. Control issue, yes, but the juggling came with the territory.

Nowadays, the teacher reported, that classroom management factor typically runs six or eight or 10 kids, with gripping issues such as homelessness, parental unemployment, child abuse, family addictions, latch-key environments or stressed-out commuter parents. Thats a lot of fi res to put out.

Broken families? That phrase from another age that once stirred concern now sounds hopelessly old-fashioned in its lament. Facts are, more than half of marriages dissolve and some communities have born-out-of-wedlock rates at 70 percent. As backdrop, Antioch has seen a 250 percent increase in group homes and a 200 percent increase in foster homes.

Then throw into this mix the jolt of assimilating an explosive pace of urbanized migration and transiency; an increasingly permissive, materialistic, violent and instant-gratifi cation-addicted society; and a culture where the authority of teachers is casually questioned by students, parents and the ACLU alike. It spells an uphill battle.

Letters from page 16A

18A | THEPRESS.NET MAY 18, 2012

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Not to mention yearly pink slips and the No Child Left Behind pressures of test mania; nor the diffi culty of doing all of this in a state where classroom size and the staffi ng ratio of counselors, nurses, psychologists and librarians scrapes the very national bottom.

Tough gig? I say! On Tuesday, May 8, which is the California Day of the Teacher, we thanked these unsung heroes and heroines for what they do. Lets remember that a teacher in teaching our son teaches our sons son, that his or her infl uence has no end but ripples to the shores of eternity.

Walter RuehligAntioch

Thanks, Walkathon warriorsEditor:

Antioch Charter Academy II families would like to thank everyone that made our fi rst Walkathon/Silent Auction a huge success. All proceeds from the fundraiser directly support the kids, either through improved technology and classroom materials or enhanced science/math/music programs, etc.

In addition to raising much-needed funds, our K-6 kids had a fun afternoon of exercise on a sundrenched April 1.

Every communitys future lies in its youth, and their personal growth is dependent on a good school system that offers a safe and nurturing learning environment we have that at ACAII and we start out by thanking all the teachers and administrative staff for their selfl ess daily contributions.

Secondly, we are extremely grateful for the generosity that our community demonstrated, especially in these tough economic times, and we sincerely thank everyone who contributed by pledging money, donating raffl e/silent auction prizes, food or water on the day of the event. We strongly recommend you support the following local businesses for their commitment to our school and belief in our community as a whole:

GWF Power Systems; Antioch Lone Tree Dental; Bagel Street Cafe; Barnes & Noble; Bed Bath & Beyond; Big 5 Corp.; Black Bear Diner, Oakley; Brentwood Fine Meats; Celias Mexican Restaurant; Chilis Grill & Bar, Antioch; Contra Costa County Fairgrounds; Costco; Curves; Dancers Elite; Deer Ridge Golf Club; Delta Bowl; Delta Water; Dr. Kristin Mattingly; the Dubitsky family; Gymboree; In-N-Out Burger; Joni Malfi tano, Salon Vitor; Julie Huff Certifi ed Massage Therapist; Mimis; Panda Express; Paradise Skate; Rave Motion Pictures; Ricks on Second; Roddy Ranch Golf Club; Safeway; Schwinn City The Bicycle Shop; Shadow Lakes Golf Club; Skipolinis Pizza; Stick-It Gymnastics; State Farm (Blue Rock Center); Sutter Delta Medical Center; Tao San Jin, Slatten Ranch; Target, Slatten Ranch; Trader Joes; and Winco Foods, Inc.

Lastly, it would not have been possible without all the dedicated parent volunteers who enthusiastically assisted with setting up the walking course, marking the childrens lap cards and cheering them on, in addition to many other necessary behind-the-scenes tasks. Parent involvement was key to the Walkathons success and is key to our schools success. Thank you!

Antioch Charter Academy IIWalkathon Committee

Parents and Students

Letters from page 18A Ontis takes helm at KiwanisOakley resident and 19-year

Kiwanian Tom Ontis was chosen at a recent club meeting to lead the Brentwood Kiwanis Club for the 2012-13 year. Ontis served as presi-dent of the East Sacramento-Mid-town Kiwanis Club for two terms in the 1980s and 90s.

Im most proud of my perfect attendance over those 19 years, said Ontis. I added it up last year, and in all of my years in the Ki-wanis family, Ive attended over 2,200 meetings and that doesnt include visits to other clubs, or

projects.Ontis will assume the presi-

dency on Oct. 1. The Kiwanis ad-ministrative year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Im already working on my plans, and Kiwanis will rock this area. Youll see our distinctive K everywhere.

The Brentwood Kiwanis Club meets Friday mornings at 7:30 at La Fuente Mexican Restaurant on First Street, next to The Press building. All are welcome to join the group for breakfast.

20A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 18, 2012

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So when Gehringer Elementary second-grader Wesley Pullmann got his Flat Stanley assignment, the 9-year old didnt send Stanley to the usual places Grandmas house, AT&T Park or Disneyland. No, Wesley set his sights much higher. He addressed his Stanley to the residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in our nations capital.

My dad thought of the idea first, said Wesley of Stanleys coastal postal trip to the White House. And I liked the idea so I sent him. My sister didnt really think I would hear back and I didnt think I would either but we got surprised.

And how. Dear Wesley, wrote First Lady

Michelle Obama. Our family always enjoys having visitors to the White House. I am pleased to report that Stanley worked hard, listened care-fully and had a lot of fun exploring the house and meeting new people He even got an affectionate lick from our dog Bo.

It was very exciting, said Shan-non, Wesleys mom, of the illustrious inscription. My thought was that he probably wasnt going to hear any-thing back, so it was very, very nice when he did. It was a nice lesson for him have.

Wesleys correspondence with the Obamas included an autographed photo of the First Family, a separate picture of Mrs. Obama and First Dog Bo and a letter describing Stanleys adventures during his stay in Wash-ington, D.C.

Flat Stanley showed up to the White House ready to learn with a smile on his face, and I hope that you bring that same energy to your class-rooms and homes each day, wrote Mrs. Obama. Remember, with the right attitude and enough hard work, you can reach all of your dreams! Thanks again for sending Flat Stanley to visit the White House.

For Wesley, the pleasure was all his. It was fun. Im glad they wrote

back.To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Stanley from page 8A

Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net THEPRESS.NET | 21A MAY 18, 2012

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Heritage dominates league track meet

The Heritage boys and girls track and fi eld teams entered the Bay Valley Athletic League Championships Saturday at Deer Valley High as the favorites to take home league titles.

From start to fi nish, the Patriots didnt disappoint.

The boys team fi nished fi rst in seven events, amassing 175 points to capture its fourth consecutive league title. The girls notched 139.5 points, fi nishing fi rst in three events to secure their own league title.

The Pittsburg girls and boys teams both fi nished second, earning victories in the girls 800 and 1600 meters, 300-meter hurdles, 400-meter relay and pole vault competition.

The top six competitors in each of the meets 16 events will compete Saturday at the North Coast Section Tri-Valley Meet, held at Granada High in Livermore.

The Patriots were led by two-event win-ners sophomore Frank Kurtz (200 and 400 meters) and senior Clifford Obodo (110-me-ter hurdles and high jump).

Sophomores Zoey Millington (high jump), Sydney Berry (long jump), senior Kyle Thacker (discus), the 100-meter relay girls team, the 100-meter relay boys team and the 400-meter relay boys team also brought home

victories for Heritage.Freedom freshman Madison LaPierre

added an element of excitement to the meet when she unexpectedly won the 400 meters just 10 hours after she competed in a daylong dance competition.

The Freedom girls team fi nished fourth and the boys fi fth.

LaPierre later helped her 400-meter relay teammates Vanessa Espinoza, sophomore Sydney Gibbs and junior Mariah Walker to a second-place fi nish.

Juniors Lisa Tilcock and Joey Fajardo picked up the only other two victories for the Falcons when they swept the 3200-meter races.

We had some surprises, so were really happy about that, said Freedom head coach Glenn Briggs. We as coaches knew they had the talent, and they fi nally put it together for the meet today.

The Deer Valley boys team was in con-tention for second place all day, but was edged out by Pittsburg 80-75.

Senior Shawn Simms led the Wolverines boys team with wins in the long jump and 100 meters. Sophomore Nsimba Websters leap of 44 feet, 10 inches in the triple jump and LaVelle Hamlins time of 41.97 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles were also good enough for fi rst place.

Heritage senior Clifford Obodo clears a hurdle during Saturdays BVAL Track and Field Championships. Obodo will advance to the NCS Tri-Valley Meet.

Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.

see Meet page 23A

After sweeping both the boys and the girls swimming titles at the Bay Valley Athletic League Championship meet, Heritage is tak-ing aim on placing some athletes in state at the upcoming North Coast Section meet.

At the end of the regular season, the BVAL standings for the boys and girls mirror each other: Heritage took the top spot, fol-lowed by Deer Valley, Freedom, Liberty, An-tioch and Pittsburg. The Patriots also claimed junior varsity titles in both the boys and girls standings.

It was pretty impressive, Heritage head coach Craig Carson said about the BVAL Championships. We had a tremendous amount of best times ever. Most of them did their best times of the season. They peaked quite well.

At the BVAL meet last weekend at Heri-tage, Patriots sophomore swimmer Stephanie Vosicka earned victories in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races, helping Heritage win a league title.

Other two-event winners included the Patriots Ryan Barsanti (100 and 200 free-

style), Walker Thaning (100 backstroke, 100 butterfl y) and Haley Rose Love (50 and 100 freestyle). Deer Valleys Stanley Wu also placed fi rst in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard breaststroke.

An overwhelming amount of events were won by Heritage. Athletes such as Walk-er Thaning, Ryan Barsanti, Carter Haines, Zayd Othman, Ty Elder, Haley Rose Love, Madison Applegate, Rachel Allison and Er-ica Knudsen delivered strong performances.

Freedom earned key victories at BVAL from Sierra MacIntyre (200 individual med-ley) and the 200-yard freestyle relay team, comprising MacIntyre, Emily Pels, Emily Too and Emily Harris.

The Patriots qualifi ed six relay teams in this weekends NCS meet, and several other athletes will be competing individually. Bar-santi earned a No. 5 seed in the boys 200-yard freestyle race and a No. 9 seed in the 500-yard freestyle, Love a No. 2 seed in the girls 50-yard freestyle, Travis Cook a No. 9 seed in the one-meter diving competition and Applegate a No. 6 seed in the 100-yard butterfl y.

Love and Applegate are seeded No. 4

Swimmers prep for NCS events

Peter Sagan leads a pack of cyclists during Stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California, which rolled through East County on Tuesday via Marsh Creek Road and Camino Diablo. The Slovakia native crossed the nish line rst in Livermore. Attracting some of the best cyclists in the world, the Amgen Tour of California starts in Santa Rosa and nishes in Beverly Hills. Several spectators gathered along the route to cheer the cyclists on.

From Slovakia to Byron

Photo by Richard Wisdom

see Locals page 23A

by Kyle SzymanskiCorrespondent

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

22A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MAY 18, 2012

Zeroes lead to Heritage league title

The last time a team other than the Freedom Falcons won a Bay Valley Athletic League softball title, the oldest girls on the current team were in the early stages of el-ementary school and Heritage High School didnt even exist.

That era is over. When the North Coast Section playoffs begin, the once-upstart Heritage Patriots will enter as league cham-pions. While the Patriots are well-rounded, their league title can be summed up by a simple fact: If opponents cant score, they cant win. Entering Thursdays league fi nale at Deer Valley, Heritage and senior pitcher Lisa Rodrigues hadnt allowed a single run to a league foe, which accounts for the teams 9-0 record in BVAL play.

Weve all been pulling toward the same goal and coming together as a team, Rodrigues said. Even outside, we hang out together, so weve really come together as a family.

The Patriots arent new to success. They shared the league title with Freedom last year, and while the Falcons won the tie-breaker, Heritage did manage to defeat them in the playoffs.

Despite the playoff win in 2011, bring-ing the league title home was foremost in the minds of the Patriots entering the season. Its been 11 years Ive been counting, said head coach Ron Rivers. I think weve grown up. Weve grown up; worked hard.

Even in this game (a 14-0 win over Liberty), I had to remind myself: hey, youre up by 10. Get some other people in. The whole goal all year long was just focusing in on it.

Over the last few years, the Patriots have played the Falcons tough, often win-ning the fi rst game between the two teams. But inevitably, Freedom would answer by winning the second game, which not only evened the season series, but locked up the tiebreaker.

This year was different. True to form, Heritage did win the fi rst meeting between the two teams, 5-0 at home. But when the Patriots and Falcons met again at Freedom the following month, there was no Patri-ots letdown, as they completed the season sweep with a 2-0 win, effectively locking the league title up in the process.

We came out really focused that whole week, said catcher and leadoff hitter Malia Rivers. We were working hard in practice. Everyone was doing what they were sup-posed to be doing. We were just saying that this was our year.

Heritage takes its next step in the North Coast Section playoffs. The Patriots are hop-ing for a No. 2 seed, but that will be decided on Sunday. Regardless of their seeding, the Patriots know they have a long run in them.

We have to practice really hard and play really hard together, like we dont want to give up. We want to go all the way, junior fi rst baseman Ali Ramirez said. We have to step it up at practice and the games. No mat-ter who it is, we need to play like its the last game and give it our all.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

DV golf run ends at NCS

After a fourth consecutive year of holding the Bay Valley Athletic League golf title, Deer Valley saw its successful season end Monday at the North Coast Section Tournament of Champions.

The last BVAL team standing, the Wolverines delivered a competi-tive performance. Senior Jaskaran Sihota, who will attend Cal State Stanislaus next year, missed making the cut for the NorCal Champion-ships by only a few strokes.

The top four individuals at the NCS meet advanced the fourth-place golfer was Zach Smith of Amador Valley, who shot a 74 at Castlewood Country Club in Pleas-anton. Sihota carded a 77 on the day.

Robert Riel fi nished with an 83 for Deer Valley, Michael Uy an 87, Adam Sunga an 88 and Zach Du-puis a 90.

Foothill claimed the overall team title, Dublin placing second and San Ramon Valley third. Nick Rodgers of Montgomery shot a 72 to earn the top spot among individ-uals. Behind him were Jack Atwater of Branson and Justin Paglia of De La Salle, who each carded 73.

Heritage ace Lisa Rodrigues unleashes a pitch to an Antioch batter.

Photo by Justin Lafferty

24A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MAY 18, 2012

High school stars start college futuresA soccer star and one of the North Coast Sections

top wrestlers recently made their college choices offi cial.Last week, Heritage soccer player Nick Krahnke

signed his letter of intent to attend Menlo College. Krahnke this past season earned fi rst-team all-Bay Val-ley Athletic League honors and has also been an asset to the East Diablo Youth Soccer League Impact pro-gram.

Krahnke chose Menlo College for its academics and strong soccer program. Hell play center midfi elder for the Oaks and study business management.

Earlier this week, Freedom wrestler Roman Garcia signed on with Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Garcia placed sixth in the 126-pound bracket at the NCS tournament this season and is a two-time defend-ing BVAL champion.

Garcia, who has been wrestling since he was 6, set his sights on Arizona as an optimal setting for college. He felt right at home when he visited Grand Canyon University, and plans to study communications and digital media.

Both Krahnke and Garcia said theyre excited to branch out and start their new lives as college student-athletes.

Surrounded by friends, family and coaches, Heritage soccer player Nick Krahnke, above left, signed with Menlo College. Above right, with support from Fidel Garcia and Erica Gargalikis, Freedom wrestler Roman Garcia signed his letter of intent to attend Grand Canyon University.

Photos by Justin Lafferty

MAY 18, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 25A

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MAY 18, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 27A

make mistakes. You just have to keep going; keep practicing. Im just getting started. Theres so much that I want to do.

Preparing for fairEast County is well represented in the

4-H community. Brentwood, Knightsen and Delta-Diablo (Antioch and Oakley) 4-H clubs comprise more than 200 partici-pants. Not all 4-Hers participate in fair, but for many members, fair is the highlight of the 4-H experience.

Fair is my favorite time of year, said Brentwood 4-Her Hailey Call, 14. You work so hard on your projects, and fair gives you a chance to share your work with other 4-H members as well as the whole community.

Hailey has been in 4-H for four years. Since joining, shes participated in cook-ing and sewing groups, trained a horse and raised a rabbit. This year she plans to show her horse, and preparations are in full swing. Bathing, clipping and primping her horse have become part of the regular training agenda. While it takes consider-

able time and effort, Hailey enjoys the 4-H experience, which she shares with her sister Heidi, 9.

Like her sister, Heidi is involved in the Brentwood 4-H sewing group. She also raises rabbits and plans to show her bunny Paprika at fair. At the ripe age of 9, Heidi is a 4-H veteran with four years of experience. Last month she impressed judges at the County Fashion Revue with her hot-pink animal print skirt, which she sewed herself. She even made a matching skirt for her American Girl doll, which accompanied her on the runway.

I like 4-H because you learn a lot, Heidi said. Its really fun. I like all of the time with the animals, but I like to learn new things and be with my friends.

While the Call sisters prefer horses and rabbits, Ian Lasher, 15, is all about sheep. His fl ock currently boasts 12 sheep and one ram. He plans to showcase seven of the sheep at fair and take one sheep to auction.

Even though 4-Hers often form a bond with their animals, selling their livestock can turn a handsome profi t. Some 4-H ani-mals are bred for showing, while others are

raised to be taken to market. Sheep sell for about $5 a pound. Last year, Ian, a member of Knightsen 4-H, made $700 by selling a lamb at fair. That money, includ-ing other monetary awards he earned at fair, goes right back into his sheep opera-tion, which he calls Lasher Ranch Sheep Breeding.

People dont realize how much work goes into all this, said Ian, who keeps his sheep on his grand-mothers ranch in Oakley. Im here twice a day to feed them, but a lot of hours go into t r a i n -i n g . T h e n there s the money side of things. I pay for almost all of this myself. I buy the sheep, I buy the feed, the medi-cine whatever they need. This isnt just a hobby. Its a business.

Not too shab-by for a freshman in high school. Ian recently bought a ram, which he plans to breed with his show sheep. Hell keep some of the offspring and sell the others to 4-H mem-bers and other breeders. Like any business owner, Ian has faced setbacks. Last year, his prized ram was attacked and killed by dogs, which dug under a fence. The loss was hard

for Ian emotionally, b u t his mind quickly returned to his sheep operation and he began the search for a new ram he could mate with his sheep. He purchased one, which he named D.J., earlier this year and has been training it and pre-paring it for fair.

4-H from page 1B

2B | THEPRESS.NET EAST COUNTY LIFE MAY 18, 2012

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ON THE COVER: Clockwise from top: Local 4-H participants promote club activities at community events such as the Brentwood Holiday Parade; 4-H members display their achievements on their hats, which they proudly wear at fair. Pins highlight speci c achievements while stripes signify how long a participant has been a member; Angel Contreras and Bella Krassow of Knightsen 4-H work on pillowcases to be donated to local charities as part of the National Million Pillowcase Challenge; 4-H members raise livestock to sell at auction and use the money toward other 4-H activities, or save the money for college; 7-year-old Natalie Reimann designed and made this dress as part of her 4-H sewing group. She modeled the dress at the County Fashion Revue last month and will enter it at the county fair.

Knightsen 4-H member Ian Lasher tends to his sheep.

The 15-year-old owns 12 sheep and one ram and plans to showcase them at the county fair.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

When hes not taking care of his 4-H responsibilities, Ian is a member of the Liberty freshman volleyball team and Lib-erty Leadership. Hes also involved in many community service projects and hosts show-manship clinics to teach new 4-H members what it takes to succeed at fair.

Planning for the futureTufts University in Massachusetts

conducted a study following approximately 7,000 4-Hers during a fi ve-year period and determined that 4-H participants are more likely to succeed in school and life. The study found that 4-Hers are twice as likely than non-4-H members to advance to col-lege, 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behavior such as drugs, alcohol and crime, and 25 percent more likely to participate in community service.

While community service is a require-ment for 4-H participants, the amount of service hours is up to each participant. Karli Blach, 14, completed more than 100 hours of community service last year and documented it in her 4-H record book. In recognition of her service, Karli received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

In Brentwood 4-H, were always in-volved in something, Karli said. We or-ganize coat drives, we adopt families during the holidays, we participate in the Marsh Creek cleanup theres always a way to give back. And its not about getting a bunch of hours for your record book. It feels really good to make a difference in your commu-nity. Its something I would want to do even

if I wasnt a part of 4-H.Cierra Provan, a former Knightsen

4-H member and this years Contra Costa County Fair Queen, has gained signifi cant hands-on experience through the program, inspiring her to pursue a career in veteri-nary medicine. The Liberty senior is cur-rently an intern at Brentwood Family Pet Care and plans to go to community college before transferring to a Doctor of Veteri-nary Medicine college, such as UC Davis, where she hopes to specialize in large ani-mal veterinary care.

Cierra, 17, who has been involved in 4-H for 10 years, considers herself lucky to have jump-started her career through 4-H. She encourages parents to take their chil-dren to a 4-H meeting to expose them to the programs possibilities.

4-H is a great experience, said Cierra. Theres an activity for everyone. Its a great way to make friends and become involved. You might fi nd a new hobby or fi gure out what type of a career you want. 4-H allows young people to explore a lot of different areas while taking on leadership and com-munity roles. Its a rewarding experience that I would recommend to anyone.

To learn more about 4-H, visit the Contra Costa County Fair May 31 through June 3. To learn more about local 4-H groups, visit www.ca4h.org/join/county/index.cfm. For more general information about 4-H, visit www.4-h.org.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

4-H from page 3B

MAY 18, 2012 EAST COUNTY LIFE THEPRESS.NET | 3B

4-H members steer their pigs through the main show area at last years Contra Costa County Fair. 4-H members will also present steers, poultry, pocket pets, goats, horses, rabbits and sheep at this years fair. In the indoor exhibits theyll display their arts and crafts, gardening and other project entries.

Photo by Samie Hartley

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