Antioch Press_09.04.09

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 9, No. 36 Including Nearby Communities www.thepress.net September 4, 2009

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

THIS WEEK

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

A whoosh on the water

A local water ski racer wouldnt let a little thing like a broken leg stand in the way of a world championship.

Page 1B

Calendar ..........................23BClassifieds ........................15BCop Logs ..........................18AEntertainment ................10BFood .................................12BHealth & Beauty ...............6BMilestones .........................9BOpinion ...........................17ASports .................................1BTalk About Town ..............5AWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

Lowdown on spiffing up See where the next Neighbor-hood Cleanup event will be enhancing Antiochs environs.

Page 3A

Photo by Gary Augustino/In-Flight Camera

Phillip Garrido is facing 29

felony counts for alleg-

edly kidnap-ping Jaycee Dugard 18 years ago

and holding her in a back-yard complex

at his East County prop-

erty, above.

The annual Marsh Creek Cleanup Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at seven locations along Marsh Creek and its tributaries, where volunteers will clean trash and debris from nearly 15 miles of creek. Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed (FOMCW) conducts this event in partner-ship with the cities of Oakley and Brentwood, the East Bay Regional Park District and the California Coastal Commis-sion.

Cleanup organizers look to build on the success of last years event, when more than 600 vol-unteers turned out to remove approximately 8,500 pounds of debris from the creek the largest cleanup ever. More than 1,000 pounds of trash was re-cycled. This is an event that

promotes community service while helping create an inter-est in the local watershed, said Diane Burgis, coordinator of Friends of Marsh Creek Water-shed. Folks see what gets into the creek from the storm drains, and cleaning up the creek helps motivate people to keep the creek from getting dirty again. This is an event that you see whole families doing together its a real feel-good event!

Marsh Creek Cleanup is a part of the California Coastal Commissions California Coast-al Cleanup Day that also boast-ed its biggest cleanup last year, when more than 63,000 volun-teers cleaned up just under a million pounds of debris from creeks, rivers and lakes through-

Rolling up the sleeves, cleaning up the creek

see Creek page 22A

Garrido gave tip to thwart kidnappers

Prior to being arrested on charges that he kidnapped Jaycee Dugard, held her captive in a seedy backyard compound in East Con-tra Costa and fathered two children by raping her, Phillip Garrido of-fered a local child-safety advocate some advice on how to keep chil-dren safe from kidnappers.

Janice Gomes is an Oakley resident whose National Com-

munity Empowerment Program has been teaching local kids about avoiding stranger danger for more than two decades. For the last 15 years, she has been a print-ing customer of Garrido, whose delivery of one particular job about fi ve years ago is now a chill-ing memory.

He did some fl yers for us, a fact list on how to keep kids safe from kidnappers, Gomes said this morning. He said, You know, youre missing something

here. One thing parents do wrong is they let their kids walk to the bus stop alone. They shouldnt.

Garrido allegedly snatched Dugard from a South Lake Tahoe street in 1991 while she was wait-ing for the school bus.

Getting ideas from people she encounters isnt unusual, Gomes said, adding that Garridos sug-gestion for the tip sheet was a good idea. I didnt know he was talking from fi rst-hand experi-ence.

Gomes said she had visited Garridos house on business sev-eral times over the years, but she never saw anyone other than Garrido: Nothing was ever out of place inside the home. The fur-niture was old fashioned, she said, consistent with the fact that it was actually Garridos mothers house. Still, said Gomes, some things were notably absent: I did noticed that there were no family pictures, no

by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

see Advice page 22A

Press file photo

A volunteer adds trash to a growing stack of debris collected during last years Marsh Creek Cleanup. This years event is scheduled for Sept. 19.

Homefront bolstered The upcoming Freedom Walk will provide an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of 9/11.

Page 8A

SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

Jennifer Jost keeps the wine owing as Paul Wren enjoys the eve-ning ambience at Hannah Nicole Vineyards brand-new winery in Brentwood last Saturday. The members-only event which featured tours, live music, good food and, of course, good wine marked a new beginning for East Contra Costa: the areas rst winery to open since Prohibition brought winemaking to a halt in 1920. Han-nah Nicoles next event: the fourth annual Grape Stomp and of cial Grand Opening Saturday, Sept. 12.

Pouring it onThe next installment of the Antioch Police

Departments Neighborhood Cleanup Pro-gram takes place Saturday, Sept. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers should meet at Eagleridge Park, located at 4200 Eagleridge Drive, where theyll receive instructions and equipment. The targeted area is within walking distance. Bar-ring inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events will be scheduled for the fi rst Saturday of the month and will target business and commercial areas as well as residential.

The Neighborhood Cleanup Program is a collaborative effort of United Citizens for Bet-ter Neighborhoods, community volunteers, the

Antioch Police Department Crime Prevention Commission, Neighborhood Watch Program, the City of Antioch Community Development Department, Neighborhood Improvement Ser-vices, and the Public Works Department.

In the words of an Antioch Police De-partment press release, Collectively, We, everyone who works and lives in the City of Antioch, can make a difference and improve the quality of life. Its our community and its our chance to make a difference Neighbor-hoods free of trash and refuse are inviting, and a clean community instills a sense of commu-nity pride.

Next cleanup set

Sopranos Nova and Susanna Jimnez and their piano, cello and violin accompaniment form an award-winning vocal ensemble that combines classical and contemporary styles. In their return to Antioch, Bella Sorella will debut musical arrangements by acclaimed composer, arranger and Bella Sorellas new music director Ed Goldfarb.

East County music lovers can experience the magic of Bella Sorella at the El Campanil Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25; $22 for seniors (62 and over); and $10 youth (under 18).

Bella Sorellas ethereal music, magnetic stage presence and remarkable personal story has earned them acclaim and recognition through-out the United States and abroad. Performing music that spans more than 300 years and seven

languages, Bella Sorella has dazzled audiences in live performances and on television and radio.

Trained at the renowned New England Con-servatory of Music in Boston, the duo breaks the soprano mold. Bella Sorella is young, beautiful, charming and has voices to match. Their person-al story is as compelling as their voices are beau-tiful. They have been best friends since their fi rst days at college, and they married brothers, hence the name Bella Sorella, or Beautiful Sister.

Bella Sorella was named the 2007 Vocal Group of the Year at the 17th annual Los Ange-les Music Awards in Hollywood and the 2007 In-dependent Vocal Group of the Year by the Hol-lywood F.A.M.E. Awards at the world famous Whisky a Go Go.

For tickets and information, call 925-757-9500 or visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

Bella Sorella returns

Photo by Ger Erickson

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

Except for a few charred trees and a noticeably reduced inventory, theres little evidence of the four-alarm blaze that cost Chris Rockenbaugh more than 80 percent of his auto dismantling business. But thats all to the good for the owner of Brentwoods Con-tinental Pull-N-Save, who just 30 days after surviving arguably one of the largest fi res in recent memory, has offi cially re-opened for business.

Our inventory is still at a minimum, but repairs are being made to the fences and gravel is being put down, and were working through it, said Rockenbaugh. But Ill tell you: I dont wish this on anyone. To be com-pletely wiped out business-wise is tough. But well survive.

The fi re is believed to have started around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 19 in some tall weeds west of Continental in the 6300 block of Brentwood Boulevard, and then jumped to Rockenbaughs 5-acre yard fi lled with disas-sembled autos. Gas tanks in the hollowed-out cars, 55-gallon drums and nearby tires might have contributed to a series of explosions that sent thick black smoke into the night sky. By the time the blaze was out, two mobile homes were destroyed and 50 residents evacuated.

Ive never had a fi re like this, said Rockenbaugh. The wind was blowing and it was just devastating. The yard was totally full at the time. It (the fi re) destroyed nearly

everything.Rockenbaugh maintains that theres no

question that the fi re started behind his prop-erty, and that any fi nes meted out will not in-clude his business.

We were not fi ned for anything and we wont be, said Rockenbaugh. There is no dispute about where it (the fi re) started, and everyone at the city (Brentwood) has been very supportive.

Louis Kidwell, chief building offi cial for the City of Brentwood, said Rockenbaugh has met all of the citys requirements for re-

opening, including past requests for cleanup and disposal of items on the property.

Hes (Rockenbaugh) complied with everything we asked of him and so hes ready to go, said Kidwell. Wed been asking him to make some changes on his property for eight or nine months and hed begun to make some prior to the fi re, but now hes been able to make them all and things out there look great.

Trying to put the incident behind him, Rockenbaugh has been busy restocking his auto yard and preparing for a grand re-open-

ing celebration in a few weeks.People have been coming in asking me

when we are opening and I tell them right now, said Rockenbaugh. In another three or four weeks well be fully graveled and fully stocked and then well have an offi cial re-opening. But were open now; people are welcome to come and see that were still here. Were survivors.

Continental Pull-N-Save is located at 6240 Brentwood Blvd. and open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more infor-mation, call 925-240-5906.

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

Continental rises from the ashes

Left, despite a spectacular re that destroyed its inventory, Brentwoods Continental Pull-N-Save has re-opened, albeit with a smaller inven-tory for now. Above, the storage yard at Brentwoods Continental Pull-N-Save looked nothing like this after a July 19 re destroyed hun-dreds of partly dismantled cars. Continental is already back in busi-ness, however, and will soon be adding inventory.

Photos by Ruth Roberts


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TALK ABOUT TOWN Have an item? [email protected] opening of the bids for Brentwoods new civic center might have been good news to city of cials, seeing as how the bids came in far below as much as 36 percent below what was expected. But thats not the only reason for scal feelin good. Last month, Standard and Poors issued Brentwood an AA Rating for its economic health. The second-from-the-highest rating, rare for a city Brentwoods size, means the inter-est rates of the bonds the city will issue to build the civic center will be low, saving the city millions of dol-lars over their lifetimes.

If youve ever been pulled over by your friendly neighborhood peace of cer for an apparently trivial in-fraction such as a broken tail light, keep in mind: the of cers attention to minutiae can lead to fascinating discoveries. On OHara Avenue at Central Boulevard in Brentwood re-cently, an of cer thought a certain vehicles registration tabs looked a little funny. So the of cer stopped the driver and discovered that well, take a wild guess:A. The registration tabs were false.B. The driver was DUI.C. The driver was under the in u-ence of a central nervous system

stimulant.D. The driver was in possession of a concealed rearm.E. All of the above.You guessed it.Minor infraction the gift that keeps on giving.

Antioch Animal Shelters Volun-teers 4 Volunteers Pet Event fundraiser last weekend turned out to be a great success, as more than 30 animals found homes with loving families. The event, aimed at raising awareness for the shelter and its programs, also raised nearly $800.

In case you havent heard, District 10 congressional candidates John Garamendi (D) and David Harmer (R) will most likely face each other in the run-off election Nov. 3. The open congressional seat became available in June when Represen-tative Ellen Tauscher (D) was con- rmed as U.S. State Department Un-dersecretary for Arms Control and International Security. Thus ends one of the most crowded elections 14 candidates in recent memory. Those of us at the Press are even more excited about the fact that, at least for now, the barrage of press releases from the wannabe senators

will now slack off.

While most stores are beginning to assemble their Halloween displays, the decorations at Bailey Rentals & Hardware in Brentwood are a bit behind the times. While the patriotic decorations (the ones left over from the Fourth of July) on dis-play in the side yard along Central Boulevard are tting as next week marks the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 the rabbit in the race car is out of place. The lone Easter decoration has been there since March and shows no sign of speeding off, taking the longest pit stop in the history of bunny mo-tor sport competition.

In case you were wondering: the Brentwood Parks and Recreation offices havent left town, theyve just left the building. The build-ing next to City Hall, to be precise. Theyve moved on over to the Tech Center, 101 Sand Creek Road, next to the Los Medanos College Brent-wood Center. The old offices will be torn down to make room for the new civic center, but theyre still eager to serve, and theyre at the same phone number, too: 925-516-5444.

Compiled by Press Staff

SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 RECREATION THEPRESS.NET | 7A

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LOSE, THEN RENT YOUR OWN HOME BACKWhen I meet with distressed homeown-

ers who are facing imminent foreclosure, sometimes they ask if the bank will agree to rent back to them after the foreclosure. They reason that they are already there, they like the home, the kids are in school in the neigh-borhood, and theyd be willing to pay market rent. I have been politely pointing out to them that banks are not in the business of being property managers, and in many cases, it is a violation of their federal banking charter for them to hold properties as rentals.

Well, guess there is egg on my face now, because some banks are doing exactly that! This is not exactly widespread, but I have heard of lenders who are offering to rent to the ex-homeowner at market rent. This is most common if the loan is held by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, two of the largest hold-ers of mortgage loans in the United States.

Seems like some lenders have figured out that if they were to actually dump all their bank-owned properties on the market at once, it would basically crater our real estate values

for a few years. So they are issuing foreclosure moratoriums like crazy, and then extending them. But that is putting serious negative pressure on their bottom lines since they are receiving no income at all during this period. Converting it to a rental will at least get them some income coming in the door.

Most of the leases that I have seen from lenders are on a month-to-month basis, and they do reserve the right to offer the property for sale. So if the lender does decide to sell the property at some point in the future, they can. The prior homeowner at least gets some breathing room without having to face fore-closure AND moving out at the same time. And the neighborhood benefits from not hav-ing another vacant property with a dead lawn. Youll have to check with your own lender for their policies in this regard.

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

Press file photo

The Diablo Shores Pro Am Tournament drew thousands of spectators and par-ticipants to last years event in Brentwood. This seasons competition kicks off Sept. 11 and runs through the Sept. 13.

For the past eight years, Greg Badal has been quietly organizing one of the na-tions largest pro water skiing events right here in Brentwood, and this years forum is shaping up to be more of the same.

We had about 5,000 people come out last year and were expecting even more this time, said Badal, who directs the proj-ect with his wife, Debbie. Every year its gotten bigger and better.

The Diablo Shores Pro Am Tourna-ment, sponsored by Dublin Toyota and Dub-lin VW, will splash into Brentwoods Diablo Shores Lake the weekend of Sept. 11-13, fea-turing top-notch competition from some of the worlds best water skiers including world record holder Karina Knowlen and more than $70,000 in cash and prizes. Pro-ceeds raised from the event benefi t the Brent-wood Police Activities (PAL) program.

The tournament is free to the public, and offers a unique opportunity for rec-

reational skiers to mix and mingle with professionals in a low-key, relaxed setting; something most venues dont offer.

What is unique about this is that its a pro am event with families and profes-sionals in the same venue, said Badal. We attract beginners all the way to the profes-sionals. Its a nice weekend.

New this year to the tournament will be a legends division, showcasing such world-class skiers as Andy Mapple, Carl Roberge, Bob and Kris La Point and Lucky Lowe. New to the event is a live Web cast throughout the weekend.

For Badal, the event is all about good will, sporting competition and champi-onship exhibitions. Were just trying to promote the sport and do it in a very fam-ily-friendly, no-alcohol venue, said Badal. We invite everyone to come on out, bring your lounge chair and a blanket and enjoy the weekend. Its a lot of fun.

For more information, visit www.diabloshores.com or call 925-997-9914.

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Homefront gets helpMembers of the organization Operation

Homefront, along with the families of military servicemen, are holding the fourth annual September 11 Freedom Walk next Friday at the Somersville Towne Center Mall. The walk is a tradition aimed at refl ecting on and remembering the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

In charge of the event is Josie Monaghan, a military mom who devotes her time and energy to motivating and encouraging the

community to support military servicemen and the families they leave behind. Those interesting in taking part of the event may register at the main entrance parking lot at 5:30 p.m. Opening ceremonies begin at 6 p.m.

Operation Homefront is asking for tax-deductible donations to go toward helping our servicemen. Visit www.antiochmilitary.com or e-mail Josie Monaghan at [email protected].

Keglers roll for the recordOn Saturday, Sept. 5, Brentwoods

Harvest Park Bowl will join more than 3,200 bowling centers across the nation in celebrating National Bowling Week. Harvest Park invites the community to be part of history and take part in an effort to set a new world record for the most games bowled in a single day. The event features raffl es, games, music and fun. All participants will receive a commemorative certifi cate.

We are proud to celebrate a great year for bowling and to thank all of the

people who have supported our center, said Harvest Park Bowl Manager Sherry MacKenzie. We invite bowlers of all levels and ages to stop by and join in the festivities.

Harvest Park Bowl is offering a special price of $1 per game and $1 for shoe rentals 1 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 5. Snack bar specials will also be available.

For more information about National Bowling Week and bowling in general, visit www.bowl.com or www.gobowling.com.

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Headaches, Neck Pain or Jaw Pain (TMJ)

Bothering You?Neck pain and headaches

can be very disabling and can signifi cantly alter a persons normal pattern of living. Simple things like reading the newspaper, cooking, driving a car, and/or looking down when feeding a baby, can become almost intoler-able. Canceling plans for the day or saying no to vacations can be very disheartening and oft en occurs because of severe neck pain and/or headache making these activities simply, no fun. Th e cause of the headaches associated with neck pain and dysfunction is usually due to the compression caused by the tight neck muscles squeezing the upper three nerve roots in the neck region, resulting in radiating pain into the head. Frequently, light and noise sensitivity, as well as nausea, can accompany a severe headache, which only adds to the activity limitations associated with neck pain. In fact, there are many experts who feel most headaches, even migraines, stem from the neck or are at least are very closely related. Since neck pain aff ects approximately two thirds of the population at some point during their lifetime, it becomes clear that headaches, in the absence of neck pain, are quite uncommon.

Another interesting and lesser-known relationship is the jaw (frequently referred to as the TMJ) and its association with neck function, especially the upper cervical vertebrae, as well as headaches. Th e muscles that move the jaw/TMJ are largely innervated by the 5th cranial nerve, also called the trigeminal nerve. Several studies have found that when stimulating structures innervated by the trigeminal nerve, neck and/or jaw pain was created. Similarly, patients with jaw prob-lems (TMD) oft en report neck pain. Th e neck is always moving when we chew, yawn, talk, and clench our teeth. In fact, all of these every day activities result in jaw, head, neck motion extending from the base of the skull and fi rst cervical vertebra (C1) and continues down through the entire cervical spine. Th is was investigated in a study where the relationship between neck symp-

toms, jaw function and pressure pain sensitivity in a trigeminal nerve innervated region was observed aft er a spinal manipula-tion was applied to the upper neck vertebrae. Here, 37 female patients with neck pain were randomly as-signed to 1 of 2 groups (1, receiving upper neck manipulation; and 2, the non-manipulation group) and, before and aft er treatment, exams of mouth opening and pressure pain levels were measured. Th e group receiving the upper neck manipulation showed a signifi cant increase in active mouth open-ing motion as well as improved pressure pain tolerance compared to the non-manipulation group. Th is study is very important as many people suff er from neck pain, headaches and TMD. In order to properly treat these patients, one must focus on multiple regions, not just the neck area. It has been demonstrated when we bite down, there is a corresponding tighten-ing of two important muscles in the neck and upper back region. Similarly, studies show relaxation of muscles in the neck, upper back and TMJ aft er spinal manipulation to the neck is applied. Injuries to the TMJ are common but oft en not pursued by patients as oft en theyll say, my jaw clicks and snaps but I dont think about it much.

If you, a friend, or a loved one are struggling with neck pain, headaches, or TMJ/jaw pain, we will properly assess your condition and administer the appropriate care that is required. We also coordinate services with other health care providers when necessary. Th is recommendation may repre-sent one of most signifi cant acts of kindness you can give to those that you truly care about.

You may be a candidate for chiropractic care for neck pain, jaw pain, or headaches! For a free no-obligation consultation and highly specifi c evaluation call

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In response to a Brentwood teachers idea to let the public know what supplies are needed in the classroom, the Press has launched a new Teachers Wish List sec-tion of its Web site, thepress.net.

We have approximately $100 for the classroom (for supplies) for the entire year, said Katie Bartling, a fi fth-grade teacher at Krey Elementary. Thats not very much, and as you can imagine, its all consumable and disposable stuff, so once its gone, its gone.

Now, those who would like to help ease the school-supplies crunch have an easy way to do it. By clicking on the News menu on the home page, readers can ac-cess the Teachers Wish List link. Scroll to the bottom of the page and youll see all local school districts listed. Click on your district to see a list of the teachers whove submitted requests.

Parents, community members and

local businesses are invited to purchase items of their choosing from the list of districts and school sites. Donated items should be dropped off at the chosen school site, clearly marked with the teach-ers name and grade.

In order to get their list included or updated, East County teachers should e-mail their list to the Press at [email protected].

Teachers wish lists now online

10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

LMC students digging anthropology

Most classes at Los Medanos Colleges Brentwood Center take place indoors, but if youre taking general anthropology with Liana Padilla-Wilson, youd better be wearing good shoes.

While most students are taking notes and listening to lectures, Padilla-Wilsons students are canvassing Marsh Creek, which fl ows behind the facility, conducting an archeological dig. Theyre searching for evidence to help identify the type of people who live and have lived in the area. No item is too small. Everything has signifi cance.

The students are fi nding all kinds of things, from toys to shells, Padilla-Wilson said. There is no such thing as trash dur-ing these digs. Everything plays a part in telling the story of what life is like in this area. Even the food wrapper from McDon-alds helps give us clues about the people in the area. Wrappers illustrate the diet of the inhabitants, while toys help defi ne what play means to this group of people.

So although it might not take a genius to understand why there are empty soda bottles and snack wrappers near a college campus, 50 years from now these items would be signifi cant indicators of life at the site.

Thats what Padilla-Wilson is trying to show her students. Rather than keep-ing her students cooped up, shes letting

them explore the fi eld of anthropology with hands-on experience. The students learned the principles of an archeological dig during the fi rst week of class, and then Padilla-Wilson took her class to the creek to see what they could fi nd.

Using paintbrushes and garden spades, the students dig around, hoping to uncover objects that might shed light on the culture that lives in the area. Theyre

essentially studying themselves, but that doesnt detract from the fun.

The students have had such an enthu-siastic response to this program, Padilla-Wilson said. They get really excited about coming out here and digging around in the dirt hoping to fi nd some type of treasure. They get really competitive about it, too. They compete to see who can fi nd the most unique thing. We fi nd a lot of rocks and

plants, dead bugs, but theyre also fi nding tennis balls and pieces of cloth. Its up to them to fi gure out what all these things say about the people who live here.

Students bag and tag each item they decide to keep as part of their investiga-tion. Padilla-Wilsons class will go out to collect artifacts several times during the semester, and ultimately write term papers about their investigations and announce their fi ndings.

The community is also getting in-volved in the ongoing exercise. Padilla-Wilson said people who walk the Marsh Creek Trail stop to observe her class at work and sometimes even pitch in. Last week, Padilla-Wilson said a passerby was out bird watching and took a few minutes to help students identify species of birds based on its feathers.

Its so exciting when people stop by and ask questions, Padilla-Wilson said. The students really like interacting with the people who pass by in the mornings. They like sharing what theyre fi nding.

Padilla-Wilson is conducting a simi-lar exercise at the Pittsburg campus, where students conduct their fi eld work near the lake behind the main campus.

Sophomore Arryn Crow of Antioch dug up leaves and feathers. She also found a Lego, a jump rope and a mouth guard. Finding the mouth guard was really gross,

Los Medanos College professor Liana Padilla-Wilson offers guidance as student Kyle Kekic, left, searches for artifacts during an archaeological dig along Marsh Creek, which is located behind LMCs Brentwood campus. The dig is part of Padilla-Wilsons general anthropology course.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see LMC page 11A

SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 11A

22 888882008

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but it says a lot about the area, Crow said. There are a lot of athletes here, so maybe someone was jogging around the lake and this fell out of their bag. Who knows?

There are a lot of kids who walk around the lake with their parents, so that explains the toys were fi nding. And the feathers are from all the ducks and geese that live at the lake. It all comes together like a puzzle.

Like her students, Padilla-Wilson be-gan her college education at LMC. She took anthropology as part of the general education curriculum and fell in love with it. She spent years in the fi eld, but returned to LMC fi ve years ago as a part-time in-structor.

Now a full-time faculty member, Pa-dilla-Wilson is trying to inspire her stu-dents, introducing the archeological dig component to the class this semester to help students get a better understanding of what anthropology is all about.

Crow plans to transfer St. Marys Col-lege to complete her degree in anthropol-ogy just like Padilla-Wilson. Another one of Padilla-Wilsons students, Noah Hirsch, a sophomore from Antioch, said he took one of her anthropology classes last spring and enjoyed the class so much that changed his major to pursue the social science.

I was pre-med, but then I took the class, and I really liked this side of science, Hirsch said. Anthropology isnt about fi nding out what things are made of. Its more abstract. Like when you fi nd some-thing during a dig, you dont want to just

know what it is, but you want to know how it got there and why people used it. You want to know who used it. Its like solving a mystery.

Padilla-Wilson said based on the re-action of her students these fi rst weeks of class, shell bring the archeological dig ex-ercise back next semester. She also hopes the increase in student enrollment in her classes results in more class offerings for the anthropology department, as the col-lege currently only offers three types of an-thropology courses.

LMC from page 10A

Photo by Richard Wisdom

Anthropology Professor Liana Padilla-Wilson, right, and LMC student Kyle Kekic examine an item of interest during a recent dig near the schools Brentwood campus.


Its a Matter of LawBy Barbara A. Frantz

DONT DIE BEFORE YOU READ THIS.Once my clients have accumulated

wealth, they usually want to protect what they have worked so hard for. Every marketer also knows that they have accumulated that wealth, and they are bombarded by phone calls, free dinners, seminars, and letters with promises that this is the solution. My clients often ask me if they really need a living trust and will it protect their assets? They want to know if the do it yourself kits for $799 really do protect them, or if they need to spring for the $2500 to $3000 average for a living trust written by an attorney. And then some are told that their living trusts will cost $25,000 plus, and that makes no sense to them whatsoever.

So what is a living trust and what is its purpose? Originally, living trusts were created to avoid probate. So what is probate? Probate is the legal procedure before a court to finally and once and for all settle an estate. So what is an estate? It is the stuff that someone has accumu-lated during their life time. It includes bank accounts, real estate, investments, personal items, debts, promises, anything that is associated with a person at the time of their death.

First I tell them that a living trust cannot by itself protect their assets from attack. While it is a deterrent, it is not a substitute for good insurance and pos-sibly a corporation or LLC. If the claim is large enough, a good litigation attorney

will be highly motivated to force payment from the trust.

Second, I tell them that the most common error people make is to form the trust, but not fund it completely. That is, if you dont put your home title in the name of the trust, that asset is still hanging out there in the wind. I also recently had a case in which everything was in the trust except for one bank account. The estate had to probate that one account.

So whats so bad about probate? First of all, as in the case above, an attor-ney gets a minimum of 2% (its a sliding scale based on the value probated) of the estate being probated whether they have a lot or as little as completing a few forms. It adds up quickly. The process can take several years to complete and in the meantime, the assets in the probate are frozen.

In the next articlewhat do you really need to be protected, an estate plan, a living trust package, or just a will?

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The information above is not a substitute for seeking legal advice. Barbara Frantz, local resident for 16 years, has 32 years of legal expe-rience, offering proven solutions for business owners to increase revenues and achieve their long range goals. For a free special report on Sources of Business Plans, please call the office at 925-516-1617 or email Barbara at [email protected]. Law Offices of Barbara A. Frantz, All Rights Reserved

Sheriffs annex opens

Residents, local offi cials and county law enforcement gathered last week to celebrate the grand opening of the Discovery Bay Sheriffs annex.

Sheriff Warren Rupf welcomed the public to the new offi ces, located next to Aladinos Pizza on Discovery Bay Boulevard, and thanked residents for their ongoing support and commitment to community safety.

The evidence is that this town, at least on this issue, has come together in all ways, said Rupf. Thank you to each and every member of the community for their hard work. This facility represents all that is good with Discovery Bay.

Rupf also welcomed Supervisor Mary Piepho, and thanked her and the entire Board of Supervisors for their role in getting the offi ce opened.

Its an honor to be here to help dedicate this facility, she said, offering praise for the

Sheriff and the dedicated partners in the community that helped bring it about.

Rupf also thanked the Hofmann Company for its donation of the offi ce space, as well as Resident Saves volunteers Gary and Edie Rubin and Elizabeth Munoz. Rupf commended community members Terri Everheart, Greg and Nancy Knoksen and Diane Stevens for their donations of offi ce furniture, appliances and a child safety identifi cation system, respectively. The child safety system was christened during the event and dozens of IDs were created.

The printer and CD discs for the safety system were provided by Sasville Properties a donation owner Chris Sasville was only too happy to supply. Were happy to help, he said. We welcome them (deputies) here with open arms. We have a great community and were glad to see them here.

The grand opening was also an opportunity to offi cially introduce the towns


see Sheriff page 13A

Supervisor Mary Piepho, left, and Sheriff Warren Rupf of cially welcomed the public to the new Discovery Bay Sheriffs annex during last weeks grand opening celebration.

Photo by Ruth Roberts


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Ken Turnage, his family, friends and chamber ambassadors cel-ebrate after cutting the ribbon at the newly remodeled K2GC building at 309 E. 18th St. in Antioch.

Sweet swish of scissors

Photo courtesy of Martha Goralka

two new resident deputies, Byran Michaud and Mark Spaulding, as well as Crime Prevention Specialist Tony Fontenot, The only guy without a gun, but that doesnt make him not important, quipped Rupf.

According to Lt. Mike Burton, the man in charge of the Sheriffs Offi ce presence in the area called Delta Station, which includes Discovery Bay, I think this was a nice turnout and Im thrilled that Discovery Bay has a place they can be proud of.

The grand opening was co-sponsored by the Sheriffs Offi ce, Supervisor Piepho, the Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Discovery Bay Community Services District (CSD).

On behalf of the business community, I would like to thank you (Sheriffs deputies) for all the efforts they do to take out the bad guys and make it our community better, said Chamber President Chris Steele.

CSD President Ray Tetreault agreed. Its a great celebration and a good turnout, he said. This is certainly a positive event.

The resident deputies, crime prevention specialist and additional patrol car were paid for with P6 zone funds more than $500,000 per year earmarked for enhanced police services and collected from residents living the specialized P6 tax areas.

This is a wonderful thing, said Piepho during the event. Im glad to see the town fi nally getting the services they deserve.

Food and beverages were provided by the Sheriffs Posse, Aladinos Pizza, the Boardwalk Grill, Discovery Bay Steak House and Safeway.

Sheriff from page 12A

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

School is in Session

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Did you know that fear and greed are the two most compelling and determining emotions of the human species? And, for the most part, when logic doesnt compel, fear is the motivating factor? To quote Warren Buff et, considered by many the best investor of the 20th Century, Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fear-ful. With that said, many people are fearful of the future, which makes now the perfect time for fi rst time buyers to do their homework and research home ownership in our local real estate market.

Brentwoods population has more than doubled in the last eight years (2000-2008) in-creasing 117%, per the California Department of Finances report of Population Estimates prepared by Daniel Sheya. Th e next city in Contra Costa County to come close to such a growth spurt, in Mr. Sheyas report has been San Ramon with an increase of 32% respec-tively a stunning 85% diff erence. Th at being said as of August 8, 2009 eager buyers had been waiting in line, camping out eight days to solidify a purchase of a certain developments latest phase in San Ramon.

No one is exactly sure where the bottom is real estate wise, but with people camping out eight days, logically we have to assume were pretty close. Again, using very sound logic, even if home prices continued to drop fi ve or so percent, thats very close to your standard real estate commission (with commissions be-

ing six percent) and shouldnt be a determin-ing factor in the least for anyone jumping into the market.

However, one factor that should receive a huge chunk of a potential buyers report cardespecially with the Brentwood Union, Liberty Union, Antioch and Oakley Unifi ed offi cially back in full swing...are the local schools. Whether you are a fi rst time buyer or an investor, local school performance is very important, for in the long run either your childrens education and/or your re-sale value, are going to be directly aff ected by a districts performance. To put it in perspective, last year Brentwoods new (2005) high school, Heritage High School, earned an Academic Performance Index (API) growth of 33 com-pared to the states target for the school of 5. Combine that with Heritages score of 7 on the API Statewide Rank of one-hundred similar schools across the state versus the average score of 3 (ranked by parent education, pov-erty, student mobility, and student ethnicity), and you have an A+ for schools.

Put that A+ for schools with an already historically impressive interest rate market and amazingly low prices per square foot and you have to ask yourself, how many more statistics before logic overcomes my fear!

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

SEPTEMBER 4. 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 15A

RUTH N. BUZZARDAttorney & Counselor at Law

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729 First Street #D Brentwood 516-7459

Transplant recipient grateful for support

Although doctors hoped to release 14-year-old Ally Jenkins from the hospital this week, the Oakley teen remains in intensive care following her double lung transplant two weeks ago. Despite her fragile condi-tion, Ally was able to post an entry this week on a blog her mother Vickee has been maintaining through the ordeal.

On Aug. 30, Ally wrote: Hi everyone, this is Ally. I want to thank everyone for praying for me and thinking about me. I want to come home NOW. I really hate it here, and I miss all my friends. I get really sad, and I hate that this happened to me. Im trying to stay positive and work really hard to come home, but I get so tired and frustrated. I wish someone would just come kidnap me and get me the heck outta here.

I dont know why this happened to me, and right now its hard for me to be thankful, but I know this happened for a reason, and I know I will try to help others someday.

Ally went on to write that her friends have been keeping her informed about all the fundraisers and events that commu-nity members and local business have held to help pay her medical bills, and she ex-pressed her gratitude to everyone who has helped out. While she knows dozens have posted get-well messages on the guest book at CaringBridge.org, she hasnt been able to

prepare herself to read them just yet.One day I will read everything in here,

but for now, it kinda hurts to read all this, Ally wrote. I really hope you all will keep praying for me because things just seem so hard right now, and it feels like its gonna be forever to get home. I love everyone and thank you!

Ally also expressed the desire to get back to school, where shell be a freshman

at Freedom High School. She received her fi rst homework packet this week to help her begin to catch up on what shes missed since being admitted to UCSF in July.

Vickee said on Tuesday that it would probably be another two weeks before Ally is discharged from the hospital, and that the family would remain in San Francisco to up to six weeks while Ally continues out-patient treatment.

Since her transplant, Ally has been able to get up and walk around to regain her strength, but shes had trouble keeping food down. Vickee wrote that Allys deter-mination to get out of the hospital seems to be fueling her in place of actual nourish-ment.

She told me today she will continue to fi ght even though her body tells her to give up, Vickee wrote Tuesday night. Through all her complaining, she realizes theres al-ways going to be someone who has it worse than she does. And she told me again today that she will keep looking for the good that will come out of this.

And in her darkest moments, when shes crying, worrying, suffering, and tell-ing us no, I just cant do this anymore, she composes herself and raises the I love you sign with her fi ngers.

Ally was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in July. The disease, which impacts blood fl ow from the heart to the lungs, has no cure. The only recourse was to transplant a donors lungs, which she re-

ceived on Aug. 18.Ally learned about the 12-year-old do-

nor this week and has expressed interest in meeting the family of the girl whose passing gave her a second chance at life.

She wants to meet the little girls fam-ily, Vickee wrote. I hope so much they are receptive to the idea. I pray for that fam-ily every day, and I hope you all do as well. Not a day goes by that Jeff (Allys father) and I dont recognize that could have been us donating to another family. Jeff and I are becoming advocates for more people to be-come donors, and I hope all of you do too. Our daughters life was saved by the gener-osity in someones grief.

While Ally has the support of family and friends, as well as the community at large, she recently had the opportunity to meet Carrie Shellhammer of Woodland, Calif., who received a double lung trans-plant at UCSF six years ago. Shellhammer has met with Ally several times, and Vickee said these meetings have meant so much to her daughters progress. Shellhammer has been able to provide Ally with insight based on her personal experiences that have given Ally hope.

I can tell Ally things will get better, and she looks at me like I dont understand, Vickee wrote. And shes right. I dont know what shes going through. But Carrie does. Im so appreciative of her for being here.

To follow Allys progress, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/allyjenkins.

Ally Jenkins receives a visit from Carrie Shellhammer, who, like Ally, also re-ceived a double lung transplant at UCSF.

Photo courtesy of the Jenkins family

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 17A

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

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

The time to speak up is fleetingThose who doubt that changes to the Delta are

coming need only look as far as Sacramento, where there are currently fi ve pieces of legislation known as the Delta Bill Package on the Senate fl oor. This bundle is believed by many to be the fi rst step toward securing Gov. Schwarzeneggers hoped-for legacy of a peripheral canal,

which would forever change the fragile Delta ecosystem.

But just because the plan has already built up a head of steam doesnt mean the game is

over. If Delta residents dont make more noise very soon, however, it will be.

Schwarzenegger is on the record as saying he supports a canal as a way to restore the Deltas strained resources, and has enacted plans to construct the $3 million to $3 billion (depending upon which agency you ask) project under the Endangered Species Act.

Northern Californians have come late to the governors party, but southern Californians have been there all along and are organized, focused and driven. For months now, supporters have been steadily campaigning for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, a proposal that according to the Department of Water Resources Web site, is to provide for the conservation of at-risk-species in the Delta and improve its reliability as the hub of the states water supply system.

In a matter of weeks, construction on the 2-Gate

Fish Protection Project which is part of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan will begin along Connection Slough and Old River near Discovery Bay. The PR blast is that the automatic gate project is a rerouting trick to protect the spawning Delta smelt from committing suicide as they swim into the water pumps on Old and Middle rivers in Byron.

According to the entities involved the State Department of Water Resources, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and the Southern California Metropolitan Water District this automatic gate system will save the smelt. Proponents also claim the gates will help preserve the struggling Delta ecosystem and sustain the 1,000 miles of waterways for generations to come.

Boaters in East County are naturally concerned that the emergence of the fi sh gates will tax their ability to motor in and around the Delta, but there are many who contend the real issue is not about restricted recreation, but rather restricted water fl ow, and if Northern Californians dont start speaking up and soon they will have little recourse.

The good news, however, is that there has been some movement in East County to stop or at least plug a hole in the looming canal, including the recent Million Boat Float protest to Sacramento. Organizations such as the Contra Costa Water Agency are also fostering awareness by speaking before small groups and organizations.

And, if you believe the pollsters, opponents are making some progress. A recently released survey

conducted by EMC Research on behalf of Restore the Delta, states that more than half of the 800 registered California voters contacted by telephone were opposed to a canal after being given some additional information, including some basic facts about the canal and the Delta, the report read.

But the truth is that the governor doesnt need the publics blessing to build the canal; only the votes of his handpicked blue ribbon committee. Conversely, it is also true that there is little likelihood that one of the components of the canal the 2-gate project can be stopped.

Still, there are ways to make a difference. Environmental public hearings will be held, and those are powerful places for people to stand up and lend their voices to the process. Public outcry might not stop the ERIs from going through, but they can be shaped into a better compromise, or at the very least, a less-horrible outcome. There are also multiple lawsuits already underway on behalf of farmers and local water districts and its probable that additional suits will follow.

Delta dwellers might not be able to change what is already in motion, but that shouldnt stop them from being counted and soon.

For more information on the canal and 2-gates project, go to www.restorethedelta.com. or www.calsport.org, where you can also click on a link to post comments to local legislators.

EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITORInside look at teachers life

Editor:I was in line at the grocery store today

and I couldnt help overhear a conversation between the two women behind me in line. They were apparently very unhappy with one of their childrens teachers, and were saying some pretty unkind things about her.

Im a teacher, and I listened, but I didnt say a word. Id like to say a few now, though. What is a teacher anyway? Most people think we are those lucky people who get all that time off, and work that really short day, and get to have tons of fun working with children all day long. They

are partly correct, but Id like to share a few teacher facts with you.

First, we do consider ourselves lucky that we get to work with your kids for a liv-ing. Its what we do, and its what we love or we wouldnt show up every day with a smile on our face and a hug for your child. But we are more than that. We patch them up when they get that skinned knee or those blisters on the bars.

We spend huge parts of our day fi xing the wounds that hurt far more, the ones in-fl icted with words. We hug them when they cry because something happened at home that they just dont know how to process. We dont, either, but we care so much that when they hurt, we hurt too. When they are hungry, because they had no breakfast, we make sure we have food in our room for them to eat.

We skip our breaks and work with kids in our room who are struggling academi-cally or emotionally. We skip our lunch breaks to eat with our students who need that time with us for a hundred different reasons. We do instructional intervention after school to try to boost those children who need our help academically. We do it because we care.

Our paid day ends at 3:30 p.m., but if just once, you drive by your childs school at 5 p.m. youll see that most of us are still here, working hard, without pay. We come in on weekends to catch up on correct-ing the mountains of papers that must be

scored and entered into the computer grade book. We run copies for the next week, plan, and organize.

Its time away from our own families, but we have to do it in order to be ready for the next week. Our families are not happy about it, but eventually, they give up arguing and realize it just comes with the job. We do it because we care. We stay late to conference with you, because you cant, for whatever reason, take time off to come in on our time. We come back voluntarily for evening activities and performances. We are the ones you see at the soccer fi elds, baseball games and dance classes with the huge bag of papers that we are correcting madly while trying to be there for our own kids too.

We take work with us on vacations and spend thousands of dollars a year out of our own pockets to buy the things we need to make your childs experience the best that we possibly can. And, for all of this, we do not get compensated fi nancially. Remember, our paid workday ended at 3:30. There is no such thing as overtime in teaching! We dont think twice about any of it, though, because we do it because we care.

As for all that time off, I dont think most people know that we are paid for the 180 days your child is in school plus four teacher workdays per year. Our nine-month check is then chopped into 12 smaller ones so that we have income when school is not

in session. So you see, we are not paid for the time we do not work. That is probably the biggest misconception out there!

I guess all Im asking is that the next time you are about to do some teacher bashing in a public place where anyone can hear you, please try to remember that we work very hard for your children. We do the best that we possibly can, often without pay, but we do it because we care.

Marie WirthBethel Island

With sincere gratitudeEditor:

The entire Gursky family would like to express our gratitude to the community for the outpouring of support and comfort we have received to help us through our loss. Roy loved and respected his commu-nity, and it is so clear that the community returned this by the response our family has received. With sincere gratitude, Lynn Nathan and Adele, Stephen and Sarah Barry and Kathy Michael and Belinda and all the little Gurskys!

Lynn GurskyBrentwood

Seeing health care through different lenses

Editor:I am a transplanted Canadian who

has had plenty of personal experience with

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

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18A | THEPRESS.NET SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police departments.BRENTWOODAug. 24, 7:59 a.m. An unidentifi ed person stole a vehicle from the driveway of a resi-dence on Lynn Drive.Aug. 24, 1 p.m. A driver stated that while stopped at the intersection of Balfour Road and the Highway 4 Bypass, a driver from a pickup truck stopped beside him, got out and kicked the right rear tail light lens of his vehicle, breaking it. The victim believed the act was due to him not allowing the other driver to merge into the lane.Aug. 24, 6:33 p.m. A resident of St. Andrews Drive requested documentation regarding his estranged wife removing property from their house.Aug. 24, 9:24 p.m. A subject contacted on the report of a disturbance on Orchard Drive was found to be intoxicated. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility.Aug. 25, 1:46 a.m. On Shady Willow Lane, a subject was reported to be in violation of a restraining order.Aug. 25, 2:30 a.m. An unidentifi ed person left obscene messages on the voicemail of a resident of Anjou Parkway.Aug. 25, 3:15 a.m. A subject prowling around a residence on Pippo Avenue, in an attempt to contact the resident, threw a rock through the front window. He was tracked down at his residence, arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Aug. 25, 8:24 a.m. On Woodfi eld Lane at Nancy Street, an unidentifi ed person point-ed a handgun at another person and de-manded certain items. The victim managed to fl ee the scene.Aug. 25, 8:41 a.m. On Lone Tree Way at Empire Avenue, a subject stopped for a mechanical violation was found to be unli-censed. The vehicle was stored.Aug. 25, 12:07 p.m. An unidentifi ed sub-ject attempted to gain personal information from a resident of Prato Street. When the victim asked to speak with a supervisor, the subject threatened to shoot at her house.Aug. 25, 12:31 p.m. A resident of Sycamore Court received annoying phone calls from an unknown person in Jamaica.

Aug. 25, 1:12 p.m. On Lone Tree Way at Smith Road, a subject stopped for vehicle code violations was found to be driving on a suspended license. He was cited and his vehicle was towed.Aug. 25, 5:34 p.m. Two subjects entered a business on Lone Tree Way and placed a bot-tle of alcohol into a large purse. A customer confronted the subjects and they walked out of the store with the purse. When they saw the customer writing down the license plate number of their vehicle, they handed him the purse, which contained the stolen alcohol along with one of the subjects ID. They fl ed in the vehicle.Aug. 25, 8:26 p.m. On Brentwood Boule-vard at Second Street, a subject contacted during a traffi c stop attempted to run from the police offi cer. He was arrested and re-leased to his parents on a juvenile affi davit.Aug. 25, 10:28 p.m. An unidentifi ed person broke into a residence on Thornhill Lane and stole a laptop computer and jewelry.

To view the Brentwood Police Depart-ments public logs on the citys Web site, visit www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/department/pd/reports/index.cfm.ANTIOCHAug. 25, 2:55 p.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Police Department responded to the report of a stabbing at Live Oak High School on F Street. Faculty at the school stated that the victim was a student and that the inci-dent had occurred after school hours. The victim, a 16-year-old male, was taken im-mediately by paramedics to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek and is expected to live. The victim and suspect are members of rival gangs. The suspect was identifi ed as 17-year-old Claudio Vasquez of Antioch. On Aug. 26, investigators served a search warrant at Vasquezs home, but he was not located. A warrant was issued for his arrest. On Aug. 27, Vasquez turned himself in to the Antioch Police Department.Aug. 25, 10:20 p.m. Offi cers on foot in the area of Rossi Avenue heard the revving noise of an engine and found a male sub-ject sitting on a motorcycle in a yard of a house, revving the engine repeatedly. As the offi cers approached, the subject 20-year-old Antioch resident Robert Kelly tried to drive away, riding unsteadily on the side-

walk. Offi cers called to Kelly to stop so they could address the municipal code (loud en-gine noise) and vehicle code (driving on a sidewalk) violations, but Kelly tried to drive past them. As Kelly passed slowly by, one offi cer grabbed Kellys shirt to stop him and he fell off the motorcycle, but was not in-jured. Further investigation indicated that the motorcycle had been reported stolen out of Pittsburg. Kelly was also found to pos-sess a small amount of methamphetamine. He was booked at County Jail on auto theft and drug charges.Aug. 29, 11:46 p.m. Offi cers responded to the report of three subjects armed with handguns and a man armed with a shot-gun at 500 W. Fifth St. The subjects fl ed the scene in a white sedan, which offi cers lo-cated and followed to the foot of G Street, where it turned into a dead-end parking lot. When offi cers activated their emergency lights and ordered the occupants out of the car, the driver drove the car directly at one of the offi cers. The offi cer jumped out of the way and fi red on the car. The car struck the offi cers patrol car, exited the parking lot and crashed into a barrier on G Street. The three occupants fl ed the scene on foot. After an extensive search, a suspect believed to be a passenger was found running from the area and was arrested. The driver ap-parently was injured but at the time it was not known if it was from gunshots or the accident. Police searched the area for ap-proximately two hours with K-9s and the Contra Costa County helicopter. Offi cers eventually located a subject, believed to be the driver, hiding in blackberry bushes near the railroad tracks near I Street. The subject had sustained at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he is list-ed in stable condition. The third subject was not located.

For information on law enforcement in Antioch, visit www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citygov/police.OAKLEYAug. 24 A subject was found in posses-sion of drug paraphernalia on East Cypress Road at Main Street.Aug. 24 Two arrest warrants were issued on Live Oak Avenue at Placer Drive and on the 2000 block of Rubens Way.

Aug. 24 A report of driving under the in-fl uence was made on East Cypress Road at Main Street.Aug. 24 A building on the 300 block of Lakespring Place was vandalized.Aug. 25 Vehicles were stolen on the 100 block of Calla Court, the 1700 block of Teresa Lane, and on Brownstone Road at Main Street.Aug. 25 A vehicle accident caused prop-erty damage on the 1000 block of Neroly Road.Aug. 25 A vehicle was burglarized on the 600 block of Heathrow Drive.Aug. 26 Subjects were charged with driv-ing under the infl uence on Empire Avenue at Meeks Lane, on Main Street at Vintage Parkway, and on Frank Hengel Way at Ibis Drive.Aug. 26 An animal was found poisoned on the 400 block of Clearwood Drive.Aug. 26 A subject was charged with pos-session of a weapon on school grounds on the 1100 block of OHara Avenue.Aug. 27 A resident of the 200 block of Merlot Lane was hospitalized.Aug. 27 An incident of driving under the infl uence was reported on Main Street at Oakley Road.Aug. 27 On the 500 block of Fourth Street, a subject was the victim of battery. Aug. 28 A vehicle accident resulted in mi-nor injuries on the 100 block of Douglas Road.Aug. 28 A boat was burglarized on the 2100 block of El Lago Drive.Aug. 29 A subject was found in possession of marijuana for sale on the 2000 block of Main Street.Aug. 29 A subject was found in possession of dangerous drugs on the 1500 block of Port Way.Aug. 29 Subjects were charged with being under the infl uence of drugs on Alder Drive at West Cypress Road and on the 400 block of Bristol Court.Aug. 29 Grand theft took place on the 1800 block of Concannon Road.Aug. 30 An armed subject opened fi re in an occupied dwelling on the 1600 block of Pecan Lane.Aug. 30 A burglary was reported on the 3700 block of Frank Hengel Way.

COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS A resident of Sycamore Court received annoying phone calls from an unknown person in Jamaica.Aug. 25, 12:31 p.m., Brentwood


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the Canadian health care system. When the program was proposed there were cries of socialism, fears that all the doctors would leave the country, etc. Now, all the Canadi-ans I know are pleased with the single-pay program.

My husband and I had all four parents grow old, become sick and die at ripe old ages in Canada. They were treated with excellent care right to the end. My mother-in-law had two knee replace-ments, an individually made leg brace, and three pacemaker surgeries in her 70s and 80s. These folks fi nally passed away with their nest eggs intact, no spending down required.

My cousin, in her 70s the last fi ve years of her life, had heart surgery, double hip replacement, cancer surgery and three series of chemo. My brother-in-law was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000 and has been in treatment ever since. He is now 82.

Prescription medicines are much cheaper even when imported from the U.S. Somethings wrong with this picture. I have seen no evidence of lets kill Grannie. Im sure its true that some Canadians have sought medical care in the U.S. for various reasons. At the same time, Americans are increasingly traveling to India for heart sur-gery and other serious operations because of the much lower costs for work done by equally well-trained physicians.

My daughter has lived in Germany since 1972. She and her husband and one son are medical doctors there. They are

happy with the system even though they are not as wealthy as some of their Ameri-can counterparts.

As for the claim that America has the best care in the world, I suggest check-ing the Internet for Health Rankings by Country. The U.S. is 43rd, according to the World Health organization. Its easy to understand why the insurance companies are worried. The U.S. is really their last remaining kingdom.

Louise JensenBrentwood

New park will be better than everEditor:

The Brentwood Art, Wine and Jazz festival was another huge success! Con-gratulations to everyone who put so much hard work into this effort.

During the event, I talked to some people who thought City Park would be going away when the Civic Center is built. As mayor I was pleased to tell people about the plans for the redesigned and renovated park. Yes, it will be closed for a while during construction, but will come back as a bigger and better park than before.

Some of the new features include: A history walk that is full of new artwork and tells the public the Brentwood Story A beautiful new fountain and plaza with lots of new seating and new mature palms A redesigned childrens play area Arcade spaces that will provide shade and event space

Letters from page 17A

see Letters page 20A

20A | THEPRESS.NET SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

A public plaza south of the Community Center Built-in lighting and sound for concerts and movies A new, built in performance area New landscaping and pathways New restrooms open to the public New barbecue area with sinks An entry arbor which will be the perma-nent home for Bill Webers The Farmer statue

For more site plans and design concepts, visit the citys Web site, www.ci.brentwood.ca.us, and click on the Civic Center icon.

Robert TaylorMayor, City of Brentwood

Insiders take on wildfiresEditor:

I used to fi ght fi res for the National Park Service in California. Please under-stand that some wildfi res are natural occur-rences that happen as part of the natural cycle. Other fi res are often started by local people in the area that benefi t whenever a fi re breaks out bus drivers, caterers, hotel operators, etc. Yes, this really does happen.

When offi cials tell you to vacate your homes, please be aware that homes that have a higher dollar value than others will be the priority for fi refi ghters. A word of advice from someone that has fought these fi res: if it were me I would never leave my home until I was dragged kicking and screaming by police.

Why? Because, unless I were a wealthy

homeowner, no one would care about my home. I would stay and protect my home instead of my home being ignored by fi re-fi ghters who have been directed to protect the second homes of millionaires who can afford to rebuild.

This is not the fault of the fi refi ghters, who are very brave and will do whatever it takes; it is a result of the priorities set in Sacramento by the power brokers.

Bill WeberDiscovery Bay

Criminalize pay spikingEditor:

Pay spiking has become a very serious problem for todays taxpayers. If spiking is not prohibited soon, the fi nancial outfall will be catastrophic. In fact, it may be too late already.

While a special independent district al-lows or may even assist in the act of spiking, the result is burdened by citizens not even in that district. This means my tax dollars in East County may pay for a spiked pension in a special district in West County. This is a scam and a pyramid scheme that costs mil-lions of dollars not planned for by our non-suspecting government leaders who plan budgeting. The people at the end or bottom of this pyramid will either receive a lower pension than expected or a new tax will be assessed to all citizens of the county/state to cover the unforeseen cost.

While I do not know if a new tax can be forced on all of us when the pension money runs low due to this scheme, I do know people will fi nancially suffer severely.

I expect it to be either less public services or much lower than expected pensions when this train derails.

Like all pyramid schemes, a few reap huge benefi ts while the many suffer. What really adds to the disgust of spiking is when department heads or commissions encour-age and conspire. These acts help ruin the public pension system. Unlike the private sector, where you can only draw whats in the pension pot, the public sector guaran-tees the pension payments.

The government has made scams by pyramid along with other types of fraud illegal. It also has made conspiracy and gift-ing public funds illegal. It is time our state legislatures create a real no-nonsense law that prohibits pay spiking. The law should include criminal penalties, fi nes, jail time and restitutions for this act. In addition, penalties and fi nes should extend to those who assist or conspire to spike pensions.

John A. GonzalesKnightsen

Make council listen to citizensEditor:

We (the residents of Knox Lane and surrounding area) are writing this letter in regard to the proposed Cedarwood estates subdivision.

Discovery Builders is proposing to build 34 tract-style homes on a parcel of 14.95 acres in the middle of a long-estab-lished neighborhood of 1-acre ranchette homes. The property was formally three 5-acre parcels, one of which was an almond orchard. Back in March of 2007, Discov-

ery Builders/Seeno Co. came in and bla-tantly tore out 162 trees without a permit. Six of these trees were protected heritage trees. They claimed this was a miscommu-nication between company and workers. (Havent we heard that one before?!)

Now they are proposing 34 fl ag lot-style homes in an area of already existing ranch-style homes all on one acre. Density for this area is 1.1 to 2.3 homes per acre. They could easily erect one home per acre but choose to put just under the maximum allowed.

The residents of the area strongly op-pose this maximum density fl ag lot plan and have addressed several City Council meetings with our concerns to no avail. The current plan is in violation of many of the citys own residential guidelines.

We will again address the council at the next meeting, and hopefully this time we will be heard. We are tired of the coun-cil listening only to developers and not the citizens of Oakley.

Please come and show your sup-port for your fellow neighbors at the next council meeting. The next development they plan could be right in your front yard! Help keep the small town feel of Oakley alive. We dont want to be another Antioch or Brentwood!

Robert and Julie FierrosMike and Leslie McKinnon

Mike and Kim PedroA.J. and Kathy Mosley

Mike and Pat TaysRon and Andrea Paris

Letters from page 19A


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A Sheriffs deputy locks a gate surrounding the East County home of Phillip Garrido, the alleged kidnapper of Jaycee Dugard, who once offered a local child-safety advocate advice on keeping kids safe from people like him.

Photo by Kevin Bartram

out California. The Coastal Commission has been working to steadily expand the effort; data gathered from cleanups in the past few years reveal the need to con-tinue this expansion. Of the debris found on Californias beaches, 60 to 80 percent originates from inland or urban areas and washes out to the ocean.

California Coastal Cleanup Day is

among the largest of many efforts that the state undertakes to safeguard our coast and ocean, said Eben Schwartz, Statewide Director of the Cleanup. The key to the success of the Coastal Clean-up Day, though, is the dedication of the volunteers who give their time and effort to this cause. Cleanup volunteers not only help remove debris from our states beaches and waterways; they take away a powerful message of the need to prevent pollution year-round.

Marsh Creek Cleanup is funded in part through grants awarded by the Cali-fornia Department of Conservation and the Contra Costa County Stewardship Grant administered by the Watershed Project. An REI grant has provided the funding for many of the expenses related to the Creek Cleanup Day effort.

Without REIs generous support we wouldnt have been able to take on this very important project, said Bur-gis.

Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Wa-ter, a major sponsor and partner of the California Coastal Commission, donat-ed water for the Marsh Creek Cleanup as well as all other cleanup efforts par-ticipating with the California Coastal

Cleanup Program.CG Roxane LLC, producers of

Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, is proud to be a sponsor of California Coastal Cleanup Day, said Ronan Pap-illaud, president and CEO of CG Rox-ane LLC, which has made environmen-tal stewardship a priority in its company business model. Working together with partners such as the California Coastal Cleanup Program will help to continue to beautify and preserve the state of Cal-ifornia. FOMCW has also recognized the Brentwood Press and the Monthly Grapevine for their generous sponsor-ship of the event.

Due to economic constraints, the Cleanup event in Brentwood has been scaled down this year, eliminating the traditional lunch and celebration. There will be four cleanup sites in Brentwood: Creekside Park on Crescent Way off of Balfour Road Central Boulevard across from the Dainty Center Bristow Middle School The end of Rosebrook Terrace next to Ron Nunn School

Brentwood residents are encouraged to download the volunteer waivers on

www.fomcw.org, which includes maps to show which sites are closest to where residents live or go to school.

Creek Cleanup Day in Oakley hopes to expand by offering activities following the cleanup. There will be three Cleanup sites in Oakley: Creekside Park on Creekside Way off of Laurel Avenue The Cypress Avenue Bridge The Delta Road Bridge

Oakley residents are also encour-aged to download volunteer waivers from the city of Oakley Web site, www.ci.oakley.ca.us, or at www.fomcw.org. Volunteers are encouraged to show up at the Creekside Park site.

Groups are asked to pre-register by downloading waivers and calling Diane at 925-325-2908. Waivers will be collect-ed, volunteers will be assigned sites and provided supplies. Groups are asked to pre-register before Sept. 10, if possible.

Volunteers are needed to help orga-nize the event ahead of time and to help with set-up, break-down and registration of volunteers on the day of the event. Please contact Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed at 925-325-2908 or visit www.fomcw.org.

Creek from page 1A

TV. Everything looked like a set.Gomes also witnessed strange behav-

ior similar to what others have reported since the case broke last week. Sometimes in the middle of a conversation, she said, Garrido would burst into song. Once, a couple of years ago, he also boasted of having recovered from his past excesses of prostitution, pornography and masturba-tion, Gomes said. He never mentioned kidnapping.

Garrido also bragged to Gomes that his story would one day be told, and that it would amaze people. He said, The FBI is going to learn theres more to schizophre-nia than they think.

In a related development, Allison Jacobs, the UC Berkeley Police offi -cer who, along with fellow offi cer Lisa Campbell cracked the Dugard kidnap-ping case, will be honored by her home-town of Brentwood for her role in blow-ing open the bizarre East County case

that has gripped the world.Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor said

Tuesday that city offi cials and police were helping protect Campbells privacy as the crush of global media descending on the area hunts for stories.

The city will be doing something very special for her, Taylor said, adding that the public is encouraged to turn out for the event at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, Sept. 8, before the regular City Council meeting. Shes very excited that her city would do some-thing. Lets pack the place.

Jacobs has been quoted in news reports as sensing something about the girls that wasnt right about the two young children who accompanied Garrido to the Berkeley campus to make arrangements for an event he wanted to hold. Garrido introduced the 11- and 15-year-old girls as his daughters.

A call to Garridos parole offi cer led to the revelation that Garrido had no daugh-ters of record, resulting in his arrest. He faces 29 felony charges in connection to Dugards kidnapping.

Advice from page 1A


LEGAL NOTICESNOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission of the City of Brentwood will, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the nor-mal course of business permits on September 15, 2009, hold a public hearing to consider the following application:An application for an amendment to a conditional use permit to revise the master sign program for Empire Crossings, located south of Lone Tree Way, west of Empire Avenue and surround-ing the ARCO gas station (APNs: 019-040-058 and 019-040-059).

Applicant: JSJ Electrical Display Co.

Said hearing will be held at the City Council Chambers, 734 Third Street, Brentwood, California.Further information may be obtained from Assistant Planner Tim Nielsen [(925) 516-5151 or [email protected]] in the Community Development Department of the City of Brentwood, 118 Oak Street, Brentwood, California 94513.Before any court challenge of Planning Commission decisions, you are required to appeal the decision to the City Council no later than the time period provided under the Citys Municipal Code. In addition you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Brent-wood Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.Brentwood Press No. 02-1273Publish Date: September 4, 2009

On Aug. 4, Becky Lance of Oakley took her daughter Jennifer, 13, to the Jonas Brothers Concert in Sacramento. Jennifer, an eighth-grade student at Delta Vista Middle School, has been waiting a whole year to see the Jonas Brothers in concert. Her concise review: The best concert ever! I was so close to the stage! In all her excitement, Jen-nifer even remembered to take along her Hometown Weekly Newspa-per. Sounds like it was a lot of fun!

Seen at the big gig

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The 18U and 16U Diehard Baseball Club teams kicked off the fall season in style, taking the fi eld at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex in Sunnyvale recently and playing some inspired baseball.

In their second tournament together, the 18U Diehard team pulled off an unexpected victory in the Twin Creeks Wood Bat Cham-pionship. Led by manager and former Major League ballplayer Tony Walker, Diehard went 3-2 over the weekend and won the champion-ship game 7-4, reversing a 3-2 decision from Saturdays pool play game. The winning pitcher was Tim Authaus; Chili Gutridge earned the save.

Outstanding pitching and timely hitting was the recipe for the 18U squad all weekend long, and another highlight was a combined no-hitter thrown by Jordan

Antioch Press_09.04.09

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