Oakley Press_01.01.10

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 10, No. 1 Including Surrounding Communities www.thepress.net January 1, 2010

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

TO ALL OURPRESS READERS

ePress easy! Flip the online pages.Browse the pages of the Press just as they appear in the hard copy at www.thepress.net. See page 7A.

Opponents of the proposed Delta 2-Gates project won the battle if not the war last week when the Obama administration called for the delay of the controversial test plan to save the Delta smelt.

Were excited that they are slowing it down, but Im not super surprised, said Mike Guzzardo, publicity chairman for the Discovery Bay-based group San Francisco Bay and Delta Foundation (SFBDF). Its a minor victory, but were happy.

The Federal Interim Act report, released Dec. 22, promises a stronger working relation-ship between state and federal agencies as it pertains to Californias drinking water and the declining Bay-Delta environment. The 23-page report also calls for, among other items, a re-evaluation of the scientifi c process and cost ef-fi ciency behind the proposed 2-Gates program.

Federal agencies have undertaken inten-sive review and permitting efforts on this project in recent months, reads an excerpt from the re-port. As the reviews have proceeded, it has be-come clear that the project purpose could most

expeditiously be advanced by fi rst proving (or disproving) the underlying hypothesis that must be established for the 2-Gates project to be effec-tive as a potential water supply enhancement.

The 2-Gates project is a fi ve-year, $80 mil-lion, experimental program designed to save the Delta smelt by rerouting them away from the water pumps on Old and Middle rivers in Byron.

The project is a joint venture by the State Department of Water Resources, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and the Southern Cali-fornia Metropolitan Water District, and would implement the installation of gates at Old River

between Holland Tract and Bacon Island, plus a Connection Slough between Mandeville and Bacon Island. The automatic gates would be closed at various times of the year for as much as 20 hours per day, depending on fl ood tides.

Over the past few months, local groups and organizations up and down the Delta have lob-bied for a halt to the gates project. In Discovery Bay, the SFBDF was able to extend the public comment period on the project, and eventually hopes to force the Bureau of Reclamation to provide an Environmental Impact Report for the Discovery Bay and Delta regions.

Members of the SFBDF also met recently, along with Congressman Jerry McNerney and Supervisor Mary Piepho, with the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation to discuss the 2-Gates project.

Clearly this was all already in the works (the plans to delay the project) before we had the meeting, said Guzzardo. But it was still good (to meet) and it was a good fi rst step to-ward local government and citizens working together to fi nd a solution.

Pete Lucero, public affairs offi cer for the

Obama orders delay in 2-Gates planby Ruth Roberts

Staff Writer Were excited that they are slowing it down ... Its a minor victory, but were happy.

Mike Guzzardo, publicity

chairman, San Francisco Bay and Delta Foundation

see 2-Gates page 18A

Ally Jenkins, third from left, in back, returned home to Oakley in October after undergoing a double lung transplant. Her story appears this week on Page 5A as part of the Press annual Looking Back retrospective.

Looking Back

Press File Photo

Petition blocks housing project

The Committee to Stop Rose-wood, comprised of more than 100 Oakley residents, has success-fully obtained enough Oakley vot-ers signatures to put a temporary halt to the proposed Rosewood Es-tates housing project off of Laurel Road.

Of the more than 2,250 signa-tures collected in 52 petition book-lets in a period of three weeks, 1,925 were valid signatures of registered Oakley voters more than 10 per-cent (1,400 signatures) of the regis-tered voter population needed for the petition to be legitimate. Now that the petition has been validated by the Contra Costa County Elec-tions Division, the Oakley City Council must either rescind its Oct. 13 decision (to rezone 13.9 acres

from a general agriculture district to a planned development district to accommodate the proposed 76-unit Rosewood Estates housing project) or put the decision before the people in a special election.

Committee to Stop Rosewood Chairman Brad Nix said while hed like the decision to go before the people, he expects the council will withdraw its decision and visit the topic at a later date.

Personally, Id love to see an election and let the people of Oak-ley make the decision, he said. That way the people are truly heard, but the council is scared of that because they know what will happen if the people get a chance to vote. The people dont want high-density homes in Oakley. The public is overwhelmingly in

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see Petition page 18A

Calendar ..........................19BClassifieds ........................13BCop Logs ..........................15AEntertainment ................18BFood .................................10BHealth & Beauty ...............8BMilestones .........................7BOutdoors ...........................8ASports .................................1BWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

As weve done with the rst edition of the year for a decade now,

this week the Press looks back at some of the stories that graced

our pages over the last 12 months. As

always, the selection isnt meant to suggest what were the most

important, but to provide a sampling of what went on in the

year just past.

As always, we consider it our privilege to

have been a part of life around here and

hope that 2010 brings prosperity, peace and happiness to all our readers. Thanks for sharing with us, and

enjoy this stroll down memory lane.

FAREWELL 2009

JANUARY 1, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 3A

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Bank owned 3 bdrm 2.5 ba. 1741 sf two story home. Tile entry, carpet in the living room and hardwood floor in the family room with fireplace. Hardwood goes into cute country style kitchen. $155,000

Bank owned 3 bdrm 2 bath, 1200 sf single story home. In nice court location.

Bank owned 3 bdrm 2 ba. 1,053 sf single story home. Nice front yard and back. Kitchen has nice counter tops and cabinets with stainless steel appliances. Once listed, this will go fast. Coming Soon

Home on 3.5 acres, barn, plus approved conditional sub-division map by city of Oakley for two 1 acre parcels to be split off. Almost 1200 sf of living space, featuring 3 over sized bdrms, and 2 ba. Priced at $349,000

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Private and secluded, yet close to everything. Across from Bristow School w/views of Mt. Diablo. Ranch home w/3 bdrms, 2 ba., 2,397 sf on 11.57 acres. Great for farmer or check w/city for subdvsn opport. $2,000,000

0 E Cypress Road, Oakley 760 Minnesota Ave, Brentwood

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This article was originally published on Oct. 30, 2009.

The Brentwood City Council joined the County Board of Supervisors (BOS) and the Oakley City Council in voting Tuesday to provide local control over fi re protection in far East County.

By a 4-1 vote Councilman Bran-don Richey dissenting the Brentwood council approved the creation of a locally based governing board for the East Con-tra Costa Fire Protection District (EC-CFPD).

This is the necessary next step for us to get the kind of resources needed to protect our population and protect our fi rst-responders, resident Steven Smith told the council prior to its vote.

The new board will consist of nine members chosen proportionally accord-ing to the population of the areas within the district. Four will come from Brent-wood, three from Oakley and two from the unincorporated areas of Knightsen, Bethel Island, Byron and Discovery Bay. The ECCFPD is currently run by the BOS in Martinez.

The district was created in 2002, con-

solidating the Bethel Island, East Diablo and Oakley-Knightsen fi re protection dis-tricts into one district to serve all of far East County. Because it is comprised of what used to be volunteer districts, the district receives only 7 percent of the property tax paid by its residents, while fi re districts elsewhere in the county get about 12 percent. As a result of the un-der-funding, ECCFPD engines have only two fi refi ghters aboard instead of the industry standard three, and neither is a paramedic. Wages are also higher in other areas.

In casting his no vote, Richey said the BOS was simply handing the problem off.

The Board of Supervisors has been able to pass the buck on inadequate fund-ing to the (new) fi re board, he said. I ap-plaud the amount of work that has gone into this, but I cant support it. I cant look a fi refi ghter in the eye and say, Ive got your back.

Other councilmen said they agreed that the supervisors were ducking the problem, but felt the issues of funding, staffi ng, paramedic training and wages would never be solved in Martinez.

I dont think the county was ever go-

Locally run fire board approved

by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

see Fire page 10A

Turning 10 with a bangThis article was originally published on July 10, 2009.

With fi reworks, parades and barbecues going on all over Contra Costa County, folks celebrating the Fourth of July had plenty of choices of events they could attend. Those who

stayed in Oakley were glad they did.We thought about going to

Antioch, or maybe to the (USS) Hornet (in Oakland), but we didnt want to fi ght traffi c, so we didnt, said Oakley

Thousands gathered at Freedom High School to watch the reworks spectacle celebrating the Fourth of July and Oakleys 10 years of cityhood. For more pho-tos from this event, visit thepress.net.

Photo by Rick Lemyre

see Bang page 10A

4A | THEPRESS.NET LOOKING BACK JANUARY 1, 2010

888-703-68588100 Brentwood Blvd.www.billbrandtford.com

from our family to yours.

Happy Happy New Year New Year

Radio photography fries editors circuits

Sometimes things are so bad, theyre good. Had Rocky Horror Picture Show been less campy, would it have achieved its cult status? Doubtful. Would American Idol be a winner without its wobbly throat-ed wannabes? Cmon.

The same is true for words. The gram-matical gaffes, syntactic slapstick and logi-cal lapses that stumble across my computer screen provide welcome decompression from the stress of editorial deadlines. Hey, Ive even caught one or two before they made their way into print.

So brace yourself for the 2009 Blooper Reel Awards for the weirdest wordcraft never to have reared its ugly head in the pages of the Press:UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT Award

Second Runner-up: A vehicle was stolen without the victims knowledge.

First Runner-up: A woman reported that her daughter ran away from home with-out permission.

And the award goes to: As one of the nations premier photographers, his work has been featured in print, television and radio.

INTRIGUING TYPO AwardSecond Runner-up: She also met some

of the cast from the Broadway show Mary Poopins.

First Runner-up: The nursery will be hosing a complimentary class at 10 a.m.

And the award goes to: Marital arts dem-onstrations will feature world champions in forms and weapons.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU GUYS ON? Award

An off-duty deputy spotted a trailer that had been reported stolen by the Califor-nia Highway Patrol.

SOUNDS OK TO ME AwardGinger Bread House Fund Razor

GUINNESS RECORD FOR TOWING Award

A driver was stopped for expired regis-tration and found to be unlicensed. The ve-hicle was towed for 30 days.

REVISIONIST HISTORY AwardRichie Unterberger presents rare re-

cordings and fi lm clips of the Beatles, from the days before their fi rst record contract to just before their breakup in the late 1960s at the Antioch Library at 7 p.m.MOST IN NEED OF A HYPHEN Award

Members of the police department have increased their efforts in the area of intoxi-cated driving enforcement.

MOST IN NEED OF A SEMICOLON Award

Dont drink and drive, slow down, and drive safely.MOST IN NEED OF A COMMA Award

The Singers performed 19 tunes starting with New York, New York.

WORST SERVICE ORGANIZATION EVER Award

Second Runner-up: A donation will support a foundation for the prevention of childhood obesity and local schools.

First Runner-up: Volunteers make sure that there is at least one gift for each child, which will be wrapped prior to distribution.

And the award goes to: Its efforts have led to the virtual eradication of polio as well as literacy, clean water, health, hunger and disaster relief programs.

GIVE US A MINUTE TO WORK THIS OUT Award

Second Runner-up: I cannot thank all of you so much.

First Runner-up: She was an unsung heroine and voted Citizen of the Year.

And the award goes to: Injustice any-where is a threat to injustice everywhere.

DRIEST SENSE OF HUMOR ON RECORD Award

I cant believe Ive been here for 25 years! I love interacting with our wonderful staff, she quipped.

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN AwardSecond Runner-up: With a unique sound

all their own

First Runner-up: We have to do some-thing to change the future direction of where this is headed.

And the award goes to: We proved to the nay-sayers who said it couldnt be done that it could be done.

GETTING MIGHTY RESTRICTIVE Award

Runner-up: Learn all you need to know about having the best wedding ever in down-town Brentwood from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

And the award goes to: The retreat cen-ter will hold a collage workshop for those searching for inner peace from 1-5 p.m.

DOGGED DETERMINATION AwardThe man was determined to be intoxi-

cated.WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS

MEANS AwardRunner-up: An unidentifi ed person

falsely reported that she was a victim of a crime that never occurred.

And the award goes to: He started his commercial modeling career before he was less than a year old.

WE DONT WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS Award

The library invites you to end the sum-mer reading program with a bang, a toot and a tinkle

And fi nally, theHOUDINI AWARD FOR MOST

CREATIVE CAMOUFLAGEThat evening, he turned himself into the

Antioch Police Department.

by Ger EricksonCopy Editor The Singers performed

19 tunes starting with New York, New York.

Winner of Most in Need of a Comma Award


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Aaron awaits surgery

This article was originally published on August 7, 2009.

Aaron Tanner is a cherub-faced 4-year-old with a shock of white-blond hair and a ready smile. On the surface, the Brentwood boy looks like any other high-spirited, carefree preschooler, but its there that the similarities end.

Aaron was born with a heart that func-tions only on the right side. The condition kept the newborn in the hospital for six weeks before he was declared strong enough for his parents, Elizabeth and Kevin Tanner, to take him home.

But only a week later, the Tanners 2-year-old son Ethan suddenly developed fl u-like symptoms. Unable to calm the agitated toddler, they rushed him to the hospital, where he died a few hours later from a rare heart dis-ease called Pertrophic Cardiomypathy; a typi-cally genetic disease that often strikes without warning.

The Tanners now face yet another heart-breaking challenge: last week, doctors discov-ered that Aaron who has undergone seven open-heart surgeries since he was born must now undergo a simultaneous heart and kid-ney transplant. Renal failure has placed too much stress on the boys heart, and without the rare double-transplant surgery, Aarons

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see Surgery page 16A

Aaron Tanner, 4, is in need

of a heart and kidney transplant.

Photo courtesy of Laura Page

Ally update

This article was originally published on Nov. 6, 2009.

Theres a new saying around the Jenkins house these days: As Ally goes, so do we.

When Allys up were all up, and when shes down, so are we, said Vickee Jenkins of her daughter Ally, 15, who is recuperating from double-lung transplant surgery. Were literally just taking it hour by hour; its our new normal.

Last weekend the Oakley familys new normal got a bump up when they brought Ally home following a nearly four-month stay at UCSF Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in July. The incurable condition, which hinders the fl ow of blood from the heart to the lungs, required a double lung transplant, which she received from a donor in August.

And when the Freedom High School freshman arrived home, she was greeted not only by friends and family, but by another present this one straight out of an episode of Extreme Home Makeover.

Thanks to the efforts of a generous com-munity, the Jenkins home had been refur-bished from top to bottom, including a new roof and landscaped yard, fresh paint inside and out, as well as new appliances, counter-tops, bathrooms, windows and doors, all do-nated by volunteers who had given of their time, supplies and labor to create a fresh start

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see Ally page 16A


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East County grabs its own bootstraps

This article was originally published on March 13, 2009.

While America as a whole awaits the trickle-down of benefi ts from the govern-ments massive economic rescue effort, a

pair of East County organizations are do-ing what they can to help out right now.

It was the perfect storm of circum-stances, said Dennis Reynolds, Pastor of Harvest Time Church in Brentwood, whose Day of Compassion brought hun-dreds to his facility on Sunday. There

Photo by Rick Lemyre

Melissa Perez, seen here handing out bags of food at Harvest Time Churchs Day of Compassion in March, was one of many volunteers who provided as-sistance to those in need.


see Bootstraps page 18A

Judge puts brakes on Oakley development

This article was originally published on Oct. 9, 2009.

The Contra Costa County Superior Court has halted Oakleys plans to de-velop thousands of acres of farmland as part of the East Cypress Corridor Spe-cifi c Plan, ruling that the environmental impact report (EIR) for the project is still incomplete.

Last week Judge Barry Baskin ruled in favor of Greenbelt Alliance, a San Francisco-based environmental group that sued the city in order to protect the agricultural land that it claims would be sacrifi ced as part of the development.

Inexplicably, the City failed to con-sider a reasonable range of mitigation measures or potentially feasible alterna-tives to lessen the impact to important farmland, Baskin wrote in his ruling.

Greenbelt Alliance has been chal-lenging this project for several years. The group initially challenged the EIR in 2006, suggesting that the city failed to ap-prove a complete EIR, violating the Cali-fornia Environmental Quality Act in the process. The court ruled in 2007 that the city was in compliance for the most part,

but it needed to do more to protect air quality and prime farmland. The council voted to approve a second EIR this past March, which Greenbelt Alliance chal-lenged in July.

The judge ruled that the new EIR addresses the air quality matter, but ad-equate mitigation must be made to make up for the farmland that would be lost.

City Manager Bryan Montgomery said the ruling is disappointing, but the city will work with developers to comply with environmental regulations and move the project forward: We thought land preservation was adequately covered in the EIR, but the judge ruled otherwise. The land in question isnt prime farmland. There are no crops growing there. Its mainly used as a grazing area for cows.

Montgomery said hes unsure how the city will proceed in light of the new ruling. It might appeal the ruling or con-duct a third EIR, but city staff will need to meet with developers fi rst.

Greenbelt Alliance Field Representa-tive Christina Wong said in a press release last week that she was pleased with the judges decision: This is a huge victory for the Bay Area and the state, because cities will have to protect farmland. They

see Cypress page 18A



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MORE GOOD NEWS ON TAX CREDITI reported to you a few weeks ago that

the 2009 homebuyer tax credit was not only extended through next year, but also enlarged to include more than just first-time home buyers. You may also qualify for this credit if you have owned another home and have occupied it as a principal residence for at least 5 consecutive years out of the past 8 years. This means you could have sold a principal residence as long as 3 years ago and have been renting ever since and still qualify for this credit. In fact, you dont even need to sell the old home AT ALL. You can keep it as a rental.

But most news reports are calling this a move-up credit, implying that you can only qualify for this credit if you are buying a more expensive home than the one you sold, but that is not true. There are no stipulations regarding the amount of the new home versus your old home. The only stipulation on price is that the new home cant cost more than $800,000.

So this credit can apply to move-up, or move-down buyers. And with the economy

still on shaky ground with high unemploy-ment, there may be more move-down buyers than ever before that may benefit from this credit.

The credit is 10% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000 for those that havent owned a home during the past 3 years, and $6,500 for those that have (these numbers are for joint filers, single tax filers get about half the amounts), and there are income phase-out limits, as well, over $145K and $245K AGI. The date stipulations are that you must close escrow after Nov. 6, 2009 and before Apr. 30, 2010. This can be extended to June 30, 2010 if you are in contract by Apr. 30, 2010. In addition, the new home must be used as a principal residence for the next 3 years, or the credit becomes repayable. Please consult a tax professional for specifics to your situation.

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

This article was originally published on March 27, 2009.

As Ian Halter cautiously maneuvers through a deserted mine shaft, he fails to notice the creature lurking behind him.

Ian, watch out, warns his friend Paul Boat-wright as he annihilates the blood-hungry stalker, saving his friend from being the main course of a zombie feast.

Thanks, Ian mumbles as the two friends continue to scout and kill the walking dead while playing Resident Evil 5.

Ian, 15, and Paul, 19, have been playing video games together for years, shooting enemies in Halo, racing each other on Mario Kart and channeling their inner rock star while playing Rock Band, but this is the fi rst time theyve actu-ally played face to face.

The two met online through a Nintendo fo-rum four years ago and decided to play games to-gether via Xbox Live, an option through the game system that allows gamers to play with people any-where in the world in real time.

For Ian, this means waking up at 4 a.m. in Brentwood in order to play with Paul, who lives at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul, Korea, at 8 p.m.

Xbox unites friends a half-world away

Heritage High School sophomore

Ian Halter, right, performs Judas

Priests Pain Killer on Rock Band with friend Paul

Boatwright, who is from Korea. Ian and

Paul met for the rst time in March after

playing video games online for four years.

Photo by Samie Hartley


see Xbox page 12A


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Th e City of Brentwoods Housing Division is accepting waitlist applications from income quali ed families who are inter-ested in purchasing an a ordable single- family home under the Citys First Time Homebuyer/Af-fordable Housing Program.

Applicants must qualify as low-income and have a good credit score (no exceptions). Th e rst 100 low-income waitlist applications will be accepted. Applications will be available on January 15, 2010 at the Commu-nity Development Department, 118 Oak Street, Brentwood dur-ing normal business hours or on line at www.ci.brentwood.ca.us.

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Secret winter enshrouds the summit

The world I knew was gone, obliter-ated by an ocean of white and wind. Vis-ibility was down to 30 yards. Ice crystals

fi ner than grains of sand, driven by cur-rents swirling from the southwest, began striking my face. I lowered the brim of my hat a notch, turned and looked east. Home was 10 miles across the foot-hills and 3,800 feet down I assumed. Because my watch

read 6:57 a.m., I also assumed the sun was beginning to fl ood East County with the dawn of Feb. 14, 2009. But that world was gone, no match for the white and wind on the summit of Mt. Diablo.

Theres a winter thats kept secret from most East County folk. Its not the winter we see from afar once or twice a year when our communal mountain gets dusted with snow, metamorphosed for a few days if were lucky into a vision of alpine splendor. We gaze admiringly at that distant winter and snap our photos till rain and sun dispel the reverie. But when the mountain is wreathed in another form of white the cloud factories that engulf Diablos Summit and North Peak like a sea surging over volcanic islands

inside those cloudworks is forged a secret winter: pale and severe.

My alarm had gone off a 3 a.m. and Id taken a look out the window. High in the south, a half Moon was slipping behind scattered swift clouds like a soldier dodging enemy fi re, advancing from cover to cover. The hike was on. A hundred minutes later I was pushing off from the Donner Canyon trailhead. In the south-

west towered the silhouette of Eagle Peak. Bald Ridge rose due south against the backdrop of a crown of mist clarifi ed by moonlight. I traced the mist southeast as it condensed to obscure the upper eleva-tions of the Summit and North Peak. A breeze with a hint of menace funneled down the canyon, inspired me to unscrew

TAKE ITOUTSIDE

GERERICKSON

see Outside page 9A

Wind-whipped ice razors hanging horizontally along stems of chamise accen-tuate the pale and severe landscape of the Mt. Diablo Summit Trail.

Photo by Ger Erickson

This article was originally published on Feb. 20, 2009.


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my fl ask and grab a swig of bourbon. Per-haps the wind would gather strength and drive the clouds from the mountaintop.

At the 1,700-foot level of Meridian Ridge, the fi rst patches of snow began spattering the trails shoulder. The Moon was still with me, drifting in and out of tendrils of vapor that rose and dissolved like steam from a kettle. Only when I made the turn east toward Prospectors Gap did I begin to lose the Moon behind the wall of Bald Ridge. Vega burned hot white high overhead, nearly bright enough, I fantasized, to navigate by. Northeast, the horizon skirting Olympia Summit betrayed the subtlest paling of blue. I checked my watch. Less than an hour till sunrise.

I came to the fi nal assault of the gap and found snow I could sink my feet into. The trails rocky outcrops normally make its long and steep track slow going. But 2 inches of tacky snow smoothed over the bumps, allowed me to sail up through the bottom of the cloudbank to the saddle between Diablos twin peaks, 900 feet be-low the Summit. The wind had gathered strength but was not driving the clouds from the mountaintop as Id hoped. The mountaintop had seized the wind and was twirling it around its head like a rodeo artist his lariat.

I cut right and let North Peak Trails narrow course hoist me across the warp of the Summits east face. The snow had deepened and the drop-off to my left into the impenetrable white was sharp. I

reined back my pace. At the trails fi rst switchback I caught a faceful of ice dust ricocheting off rock and tree. The foliage was straight out of sci-fi . It had rained up here before the mercury had plunged. With nowhere to run and hide, the wind-whipped moisture had been frozen, like the victims of Pompeii, in mid stride. Spreading sideways from a thousand stems of chamise glinted blades of ice like barbers razors.

Farther up, bracketed by the Summit Trails sheltering chaparral, I spotted coy-ote track laced with blood and wondered who was doing the bleeding the predator or some prey spirited away in the lethal sanctuary of jaws. The prints peeled off into the manzanita just below the summit of the Summit. I turned north toward the home stretch and in two minutes planted my walking stick, fl aglike, in 4 inches of snow at 3,849 feet above sea level. No more up to go.

I stood in a world suffused with limitation: No tourists would be motor-ing to the Summit today. The only track up here would be made by predators and prey, the tire tread of park rangers and cleat pattern of hikers. No sweeping pan-oramas would be gained no sight of the Sierra or Farallons or Lassen. No sight of anything 40 yards away. I had caught a glimpse of our secret winter, but what secrets it had revealed to me beyond its severe indifference to my comings and go-ings I cannot say. I pulled my stick from the snow and began my descent toward the world I knew.

Outside from page 8A

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While most of his peers at Heritage High School are still snuggled in a deep sleep, Ian is awake before the sun rises, cozied on a leather couch, chatting with Paul half a world away, using a headset that hooks up to the Xbox so that they can talk as if they were on the phone.

Ive always woke up early, Ian said, so this doesnt even bother me. Its nothing. I get up and we play until I have to get ready for school.

Ians mom Kim said she doesnt mind the ar-rangement as long as Ian is ready to go to class in the morning and keeps up with his studies, which hasnt been a problem. She knew Ian and Paul had become good friends over the years, but she was surprised when Ian asked if Paul could come to visit during spring break.

Ian came up to me one day and asked, Mom, is it OK if Paul comes over? I didnt even believe him.

Paul, who resides with his parents at the U.S. military headquarters in Korea, won a ticket to the United States at a raffl e during this years Su-per Bowl. While Paul has family in the States, he doesnt have any cousins his age, so he thought of the idea to use the ticket to come visit Ian. Arrange-ments were made for Paul to come out for a week in March to spend time with the Halter family in California.

Once I saw the travel itinerary and spoke with Pauls dad, it wasnt a problem, said Kim. I felt like I already knew Paul, since Ian has talked about him so much over the years.

While Ian and Paul had become best friends over the years, they never thought theyd have the opportunity to meet. We joked about it, Ian said, but it didnt seem like a possibility. So when he told me about winning the raffl e, it was cool that he

said hed come out here. Its been fun. It was excit-ing to fi nally meet him.

Paul lived in the States for a few years when he was younger, so he didnt suffer from culture shock when he arrived only a little jetlag after the 10-hour fl ight.

The Halters took Paul on a tour of Brent-wood, including a trip to the Streets of Brentwood, where the boys quickly made their way to Game Stop, a haven for gamers.

Back home, we dont always get the games on the release date, so I have to wait for it, Paul said. Even if I order it online, I dont have it by the time it comes out, so everyone has it before me. I get jealous waiting for it while everyone is playing.

One game Paul didnt have to wait for was Resident Evil 5, which Ian picked up before Paul arrived. The boys skillfully zapped the zombies in the games story mode in just two days, conquering the game within a week of its release.

While the two friends spent most of their time playing video games, the Halter family also took Paul sightseeing to Mt. Diablo and spent a day in San Francisco.

Kim said she made sure the boys took a break to chalk up three meals a day, but they seemed more than content to spend hours upstairs battling it out on Xbox, Game Cube or Playstation 2.

Im so glad that they had a chance to meet, Kim said. Its amazing that they were able to be-come such good friends by playing Xbox while theyre in separate countries. Theyve been friends for so long, so its nice that this all worked out. Theyre pretty lucky. Theyve been having a blast.

She smiles as the sounds of cheers and laugh-ter come from the game room upstairs. The zom-bies must be losing.

Xbox from page 7A


Every 15 Minutes scares students straight

This article was originally published on April 24, 2009.

Only two cars occupied the faculty park-ing lot on April 14 at Heritage High School. Juniors and seniors looking to ease back into their academic routine following the Easter holiday huddled together on the temporary bleachers, happy to miss fi rst period. As the wind whipped across their faces, a circle of 25 fi gures in white hooded sweatshirts stood at the center of the lot, holding down a blue tarp.

As music slowly projected from the speakers, the ghostly fi gures lifted the tarp, re-vealing a head-on collision. A body lay on the hood of one of the cars while cries for help came from the other. Every 15 Minutes had arrived at Heritage High School.

While other schools in the Liberty Union High School District have hosted the program before, this was Heritages fi rst en-counter with the educational two-day presen-tation designed to teach students about the realities of drinking and driving. On the fi rst day, students watched as local law enforce-ment and safety teams worked to rescue the victims portrayed by their peers.

Once the tarp was lifted, Steven McIn-tosh was already dead on the hood of the car that had collided with the vehicle piloted by Jacob Chappelle, who portrayed the drunk driver. McIntoshs driver, Erika Gamble, remained in the car, blood cascading down her face. Chappelles passengers, Camila Vil-laneuva and Kara Babo, could be heard beg-ging for rescue crews to extract them from the

crumpled remains.Despite the gruesome scene, students in

the audience could be heard chuckling dur-ing the rescue efforts. Students sitting in the stands cheered as Offi cer Roger Wilson frisked Chappelle before cuffi ng him. It wasnt until the coroner came to bag McIntoshs body that the gravity of the scene began to sink in, but even after Principal Andy Parsons ex-plained the purpose behind the grim imagery the crowd had just witnessed, most students climbed down from the bleachers dismissing the event as hokey since they knew it wasnt real.

Program organizer Debbie Sabatte said the students reaction was to be expected. Kids are desensitized to it (displays of vio-lence), so we changed the traditional format

to make it as real as possible. They laugh it off and try to dismiss what is happening as a coping mechanism, but its the funeral that has the greatest impact for a lot of students.

The following morning, Heritage juniors and seniors assembled the school gymnasium, where their chirping conversations rose above the melancholy music of Sarah McLachans Angel. Their chatter was quashed as the sound of bagpipes echoed off the walls and six young men in suits escorted a casket to the center of the gym.

Following the casket, a procession of family members placed roses on the casket. After they took their seats, family members fi nally got an opportunity to see footage from the previous days crash. As the whimpering voice of Villaneuva echoed in the room, cry-

ing for her mother, loved ones began to put their arms around each other as they watched the scene unfold.

When the video was over, the crowd anxiously looked around, waiting to catch a glimpse of the living dead. As Mariah Careys mournful ballad One Sweet Day seeped from the speakers, the student participants descended from the bleachers in rows of two.

Once the students took their places at the front of the gym, selected participants were asked to read their letters to their fami-lies aloud.

Brittney Maday was the fi rst to speak as her mother and father stood behind her.

Dear Mom and Dad: Every 15 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol-related inci-dent. Today I was that someone. Im sorry I didnt tell you I love you before I left, she read calmly before breaking into tears. Im sorry I didnt hug you.

While this was the fi rst Every 15 Minutes program at Heritage High School, Sabatte has been organizing the event at high schools for seven years. Her children are no longer in high school (her son graduated from Heri-tage last year) but she said she will continue to bring the program to students in hopes that she can prevent a real tragedy from oc-curring:

I hope that through this program, I can keep just one student from drinking and driving. Just one. If I can save one kids life, thats all that matters. I might even be saving my own children by keeping these kids from drinking and driving.

For full coverage of the Every 15 Minute program at Heritage High School, including videos and audio slideshows and the com-plete article, visit thepress.net.


This article was originally published on June 19, 2009.

It was a cool and windy night in the An-tioch High football stadium for the June 10 graduation ceremony in which the graduates

tossing of a beach ball and doing a series of stand-up waves provided more entertainment for their rowdy families and friends than the speechifying on the stage.

The families and friends in the stands got into the act as well when the microphones died in the middle of the Boys and Girls Quartets performance of the National Anthem, pick-ing up where the singers left off and fi nishing a couple of notes ahead of them to boot.

The festivities began with the graduates marching onto the football fi eld the boys in black robes with gold sashes and the girls in gold robes with black sashes waving as they steadily gained yardage from the end zone to midfi eld.

Behind and above them was the score-board, which was blank, but should have at least given the grads seven points for having achieved this signifi cant touchdown at the end of the fi rst quarter in the game of life. The yardage marker could have read: miles to go before they sleep.

As the grads fi led in, the people in the stands of all ages, races, creeds and colors cheered, waved, clapped, smiled, laughed, took pictures, and held up signs reading DU CUT, Congratulations, Jordan, Go (drawing of an apple) (drawing of a bomb),

and Congratulations Bernie, adding in a footnote that Bernie had grown up so fast.

Before the grads, families and friends could enjoy the just desserts of their diplo-mas, they had to digest the main course of were-going-to-miss-high-school-but-are-ea-ger-for-whats-next speeches from the valedic-torians, salutatorians, class and school board presidentorians, principalorian and superin-tendentorian, some of whom fought bravely against the wind to keep their tassels from turning into propellers and fl ying their mortar boards to Oakley and beyond.

The chill might have added an extra twist to the tongue twister street sweeper say that 10 times fast in School Board President Walter Ruehligs stump graduation speech. It came out as sweet streeper a couple of times as he quoted Martin Luther Kings advice that even though they may end up as street sweepers they should be the best street sweep-ers they can be.

The grads then fi led up to the stage, re-ceived their diplomas, had their pictures taken and fi led back down some of them throw-ing their arms in the air in relief and exulta-tion while others looked more contemplative, as if plotting their game plan for the second quarter of life.

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

Antioch High graduates set for game of life

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A happy graduate resembles the Statue of Liberty as she celebrates her liberation from Antioch High.

Photo by Dave Roberts

Heritage High School students watch as the body of Steven McIntosh is re-moved from the scene at the Every 15 Minutes presentation in April.

Photo by Stacey Chance


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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police departments.BRENTWOODDec. 18, 7:06 p.m. An unidentifi ed person entered a locked vehicle parked on Sand Creek Road and vandalized it. Nothing was taken.Dec. 18, 8:03 p.m. A subject entered a business on Lone Tree Way with the intent to commit a theft. He attempted to leave with merchandise but was detained by an-other subject, whom he battered. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility.Dec. 19, 12:32 a.m. At a checkpoint on Sand Creek Road, a subject was found to be driving on a suspended license.Dec. 19, 3:16 a.m. On Brentwood Boule-vard, a subject stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to be driving without a license.Dec. 19, 8:27 a.m. On Bypass Road at Bal-four Road, a subject stopped for vehicle code violations was also cited for driving a vehicle displaying expired registration.Dec. 19, 11:25 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son stole the front license plate off a ve-hicle parked on Balfour Road.Dec. 19, 11:55 a.m. An unidentifi ed person purchased items in Florida using the iden-tity of a resident of Rutherford Circle.Dec. 19, 7:22 p.m. An unidentifi ed person threw a brick through the right rear win-dow of a vehicle parked on Brentwood Boulevard.Dec. 19, 8:28 p.m. Four subjects in posses-sion of stolen alcohol were observed run-ning from a business on Second Street. One of the subjects was also found to be in pos-session of a butterfl y knife. All four were arrested and released to their parents.Dec. 20, 3:16 a.m. On Minnesota Avenue, a subject contacted in the street following the report of a domestic dispute was found to be intoxicated. He was arrested and tak-en to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 20, 4:17 a.m. On OHara Avenue at Lone Tree Way, a subject stopped for ve-hicle code violations was found to be driv-ing under the infl uence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility.

Dec. 20, 7:59 a.m. An unidentifi ed person stole an unlocked bicycle on Brentwood Boulevard.Dec. 20, 10:36 a.m. It was discovered that a vehicle parked on Country Glen Lane had been stolen during the previous evening.Dec. 20, 2:27 p.m. On Crocket Drive, an unidentifi ed person struck a parked vehicle and fl ed the scene.Dec. 20, 3:33 p.m. An unidentifi ed per-son entered an unlocked vehicle parked on Marigold Drive and stole a wallet and checkbook.Dec. 20, 9:58 p.m. At a business on Lone Tree Way, an unidentifi ed person detained for theft bit the person detaining him and fl ed in an unknown direction.Dec. 20, 10:52 p.m. Offi cers of the Brent-wood Police Department responded to the report of gunshots fi red in the vicinity of Sunrise Drive and found a subject in pos-session of an assault rifl e and another in possession of a fi rearm that had been re-cently discharged, plus a controlled sub-stance for sale. Three other subjects in the group were found to be intoxicated. All were arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility. Both weapons were confi scated.Dec. 21, 9:50 a.m. An unidentifi ed person removed the rooftop furnace and air con-ditioning unit from a business on Brent-wood Boulevard.Dec. 21, 4:27 p.m. An unidentifi ed per-son threw a rock through the window of a business on Central Boulevard, causing it to shatter.Dec. 21, 4:34 p.m. Three pairs of snow skis were stolen from a business on Lone Tree Way.Dec. 21, 6:11 p.m. At a residence on Cen-tral Boulevard, a subject found in violation of a protective order was arrested and tak-en to the Martinez Detention Facility.Dec. 21, 6:34 p.m. A resident of Jericho Court reported that an unidentifi ed person was harassing her by phone and e-mail.Dec. 21, 8:38 p.m. An unidentifi ed person stole the catalytic converter from a vehicle parked on Balfour Road while the owner was at work.Dec. 22, 12:25 a.m. On Woodfi eld Lane at Whispering Oaks Court, a subject stopped

for vehicle code violations was found to be driving on a license suspended for DUI. It was also discovered that the subject had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility. Dec. 22, 9:04 a.m. Two Brentwood residents invested money in an interest-accumulating CD with a company that had contacted them by telephone. They asked for their money back when they did not receive monthly statements on time. So far, they have not received their money back and are unable to contact the company.Dec. 22, 3:04 p.m. Offi cers responded to the report of a suspected marijuana grow operation at a foreclosed property on Lynn Drive. No product was located; however, equipment indicative of a marijuana grow operation had been left behind.Dec. 22, 5:56 p.m. In a restaurant park-ing lot on Sand Creek Road, a driver who collided-head on with another vehicle fl ed the scene prior to police contact, but was located in Antioch and found to be intoxi-cated. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.

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.OAKLEYDec. 14 A vehicle accident with injuries occurred at Vintage Parkway at Walnut Meadows Drive.Dec. 14 A suspicious circumstance was reported on the 4300 block of Chenin Lane.Dec. 14 Incidents of misdemeanor bat-tery occurred on the 1800 block of Babbe Street and the 100 block of Simon Ranch Road.Dec. 14 Grand theft from a vehicle was reported on the 100 block of Susie Court.Dec. 14 A petty theft took place on the 3200 block of Main Street.Dec. 14 A residence on the 1700 block of Isleton Court was vandalized.Dec. 15 A stolen vehicle was recovered on Bedford Lane at Hagar Lane.Dec. 15 A subject was found in posses-sion of an unlawful weapon on West Cy-press Road at Rose Avenue.

Dec. 15 On West Home Street at Lan-dis Avenue, a subject was cited for driving without a license.Dec. 15 Vehicles were burglarized on the 1900 block of West Summerfi eld Court and the 1700 block of Teresa Lane.Dec. 16 Vehicles were stolen from the 800 block of Stonegate Circle and the 5300 block of Sunrise Meadows Lane.Dec. 16 On the 5500 block of Bridgehead Road, a subject was found to be under the infl uence of drugs.Dec. 16 Arrest warrants were issued on the 1100 block of West Cypress Road and the 200 block of West Bolton Road.Dec. 16 A strong arm robbery was report-ed on the 1100 block of OHara Avenue.Dec. 16 On Hazelnut Drive at Vinewood Drive, and East Cypress Road at Machado Lane, subjects were arrested for DUI.Dec. 16 An incident of battery took place on the 1000 block of Neroly Road.Dec. 17 A stolen vehicle was recovered on the 700 block of Almond Drive.Dec. 17 A subject was found in posses-sion of dangerous drugs on the 4600 block of Live Oak Avenue.Dec. 17 A fatal accident occurred on Ner-oly Road at Saddle Drive.Dec. 17 Identity theft was reported on the 4000 block of Live Oak Avenue.Dec. 18 A case of fraudulent documents was reported on Carol Lane at Main Street.Dec. 19 An adult was reported as miss-ing from the 400 block of Rocky Mountain Way.Dec. 19 Subjects were arrested for DUI on Live Oak Avenue at Main Street, on Main Street at Vintage Parkway, and on Empire Avenue at Main Street.Dec. 20 A vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Empire Avenue at Gamay Drive.Dec. 20 Subjects were arrested for DUI on Main Street at Norcross Lane, and on Harvest Drive at Harvest Circle.Dec. 20 Residential burglaries were re-ported on Brown Road at Laurel Road, and on the 2100 block of Truman Lane.Dec. 20 On the 700 block of La Brea Way, a subject was arrested for public in-toxication.

COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS Subjects were found in possession of an assault rifl e, a fi rearm that had been recently discharged, and a controlled substance for sale.Dec. 20, 10:52 p.m., Brentwood


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chances of survival are low.Aaron is currently at UCSF undergo-

ing tests as everyone just tries to fi gure out what they are up against, said Laura Page, executive director of Kids Helping Kids, who recently heard of the Tanners plight. This surgery is so rare that they have teams within teams of doctors working on this. Were just trying to get the word out and do what we can to help.

Help will be coming in part through a fundraiser, to be held sometime next month, that Page is organizing. According to Page, the Tanners medical bills are stacking up, and because of the debt they incurred with the death of Ethan, the family is facing foreclo-sure on their home.

Aaron takes eight different medications a day to regulate his heart and blood pres-sure, and to prevent water from building up around his heart, said Page in a recent e-mail. Just one (of the medications) costs $7,000 a month. They have a cap on their insurance, which they are dangerously close to (before this recent hospital stay and proposed sur-gery). They really need our prayers and big miracles.

Aaron and his mom are expected to re-main at UCSF for the next few weeks as doc-tors develop a plan and Aaron undergoes kid-ney dialysis. He will also be given a medication designed to ease the blood fl ow and keep his blood pressure in check.

Despite her sons dire situation, Elizabeth remains strong and optimistic.

Aaron is in good spirits, as always, she wrote in a blog earlier this week. He is a bit sleepy, but is still able to give the staff a run for their money. We are waiting and praying. I cant thank everyone enough for their sup-port and prayers, blogs and notes of love and encouragement. It feels like our whole com-munity is really pulling for us and I know God hears our prayers; you can feel it, its so evident in all that is happening.

For those able to help the Tanner family, a few options are available: a fund has been set up at the Bank of Agriculture on Balfour Road in Brentwood; you may donate online at the Network for Good Web site, www.net-workforgood.org/donation/expressdonation.aspx?orgid@=208836568 and type Aaron Tanner in the donation fi eld; and to help with the September fundraiser, call Laura Page at 925-759-4806.

Surgery from page 5A

for the Jenkins family.Were all completely overwhelmed by all

this, said Vickee. Not just the house, but the outpouring of love and support we have had. Its very diffi cult to put into words. Were just so grateful.

And as for Ally, shes just happy to be home, especially now that her new room has been made over in teal and black zebra dcor. Its what Ive always wanted, she said.

It feels so good to be home, she said. I love being here after living in the city for so long. Going for walks, sleeping in my bed. I like it a lot.

The plot for the home makeover was hatched months ago, following a conversation between Vickee and a friend regarding Allys upcoming surgery.

It was right after we had fi nished meet-ing with the transplant doctors where they were telling us about what to expect, and they were going down a list of things that Ally couldnt tolerate and one of those things was mold, said Vickee. And I started freaking out because I had a guest bathroom with a lot of mold. So later I called a friend of mine whose husband is in the business, and asked if he could give us a quote on what it would take to fi x the mold, and it snowballed from there.

More like an avalanche. Dozens of vol-unteers with myriad talents and connections came in and out of the house over the course of the next few months, making the improve-ments and fi ne-tuning the details right up un-til the day the family came home.

Oakleys a little community but they

all came together on this, said Jim DAmico, owner of Black Bear Diner and one of the contributors to the Jenkins makeover proj-ect. There were so many people involved I couldnt possibly name them all, but everyone did their part.

And for now, the Jenkinses are doing their part, working on relaxing and being together. Vickee said that Ally is sleeping well and ad-justing to her regime of medications. She add-ed that Ally would begin catching up on her schoolwork through Independence High later this month, and hopes to be back on campus at Freedom High by the fi rst of the year.

Ally is a burst of energy, said Vickee. She tires easily but when shes awake, shes full out. I look at her and I still cant believe it. I can still see her on life support in the hospital and now shes home jogging. Its all so amaz-ing.

And life changing. With a new awareness, appreciation and gratitude to the 12-year-old girl whose lungs Ally received and the new life shes been given, Vickee said the family has a new cause: organ donation.

When Ally was in the hospital she asked her doctor that if something happened to her could she donate her lungs, said Vickee. And the doctor looked right at her and said that by the time she died she would be a little old lady and her lungs would be too old.

But she (Ally) has thought a lot about why this has happened to her, and we all want to encourage and bring awareness to how im-portant it is to be a donor. The ending of our story would not have been so happy without the gift of a donor. It wouldnt have been the same at all.

Ally from page 5A


Its a Matter of LawBy Barbara A. Frantz

HAPPY NEW YEARS CHEERS TO NEW ALLIANCESBased on my recent activities it looks

as though the economy is improving. Well, maybe not the economy, but certain business enterprises. As I have always maintained, this was not a recession, this is a new economy. The old ways of conducting business are now producing results in some cases but not in most. So, my recommendations throughout the year involved giving my readers new ways of doing business. And I decided that it was important to take my own advice, so I have joined forces with Amy Alvis, of Living Trusts by Amy. Amy has been an attorney for 12 years, and has been a local resident for 8 years.

We will now be able to provide legal representation in broader areas (estate planning and business advice), and there will now be additional support to insure your matters are handled timely, efficiently and with the integrity you have come to expect from my office.

Combining estate planning with business representation allows us to pro-vide legal services for both individuals and businesses, and to provide for both simple and more complex representation in these areas. I will still be reviewing your con-tracts, leases, and assisting in the purchase

and sales of your businesses, but now this office can also review your personal issues and provide you the friendly down to earth touch that differentiates our office from typical legal offices.

Well be at the same location for now, and you can still count on Kathy answering your calls in her helpful manner. Our new name will be Alvis, Frantz and Associates, a Professional Law Corporation. Well be having an open house on Tuesday, January 26, 2009 at 5:30 pm at our offices at 9030 Brentwood Blvd., Suite B, Brentwood, California. Well be serving fun foods and beverages. We look forward to meeting with you sharing our celebration.

If you have any questions, please call Barbara at 925-516-1617 or Amy 925-301-7195.

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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, and now also providing solu-tions to protect what you have worked so hard for. For a free special report on Who to contact when a loved one passes, please call the office at 925-516-1617 or email Barbara at [email protected]. Law Offices of Barbara A. Frantz, All Rights Reserved.

Freedom graduate earns Silver StarThis article was originally published on April 24, 2009.

When Nick Eslinger played quarterback for the Freedom Falcons, he never threw a football while on his knees. For the 10 men who were with him in Iraq last Oct. 1, though, its a good thing he could do it with an explo-sive device.

I saw a hand come up over the wall and toss a grenade, which landed about six to eight feet away and rolled toward my soldiers, said Eslinger, who at the time was a fi rst lieutenant and platoon leader with the Armys 2nd Bat-talion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Air-borne Division. Without hesitation, Eslinger dove on the grenade, pinning it between his chest and the ground. He grabbed it with his hand as he rolled over, came to his knees, and threw it back over the wall a second before it blew up.

There was no thought involved, Es-linger said by phone this week. It was over before I knew what had happened.

Then again, it wasnt quite over, at least not for Eslinger. Word of what he had done spread, and on March 16 he was awarded the Silver Star, the countrys third-highest award for gallantry, by Army Chief of Staff George W. Casey, Jr.

Its a weird thing to be called a hero, Eslinger said, adding that he had been raised to be thankful and humble and not give a lot of thought to his own exploits. It was a big surprise that such a high-ranking offi -cer (Casey) would take time out of his busy schedule, Eslinger said.

And what did the Armys top command-er have to say? Eslinger chuckled.

Im not sure you can use this in the pa-per, but he said, That took a lot of balls, Eslinger said. He said, You have more cour-age than most of the soldiers I know. Im very honored.

Eslinger, 25, graduated from Freedom in 2002, and from West Point Military Academy

(which he attended on a scholarship) in 2007. While in high school, he was a standout on the football and golf teams, and he credited his training as a Little League shortstop with giving him the dexterity to fi eld and dispatch that potentially deadly grounder.

Eslinger said the realization of what he had done took some time to sink in.

It really came later that night, while I was talking with my platoon sergeant, he said. It hit me that I could have died tonight; my soldiers could have died tonight. His pla-toon commander, in order to make sure Es-linger didnt dwell on the episode and allow it to affect his future actions, put him right back to work.

Eight hours later I was back out on pa-trol looking for the terrorist who had thrown the grenade, Eslinger said. It took even longer for his mother, Donna Behnke, to get a feel for what her son had done, but that was only because Eslinger didnt tell her about it right away.

I didnt fi nd out about it until our con-gressman called to arrange for an interview, said Behnke, who, along with Eslingers father Bruce, is now a resident of Texas. He never mentioned it.

Behnke said Eslinger had been a high achiever all his life. In addition to athletics, he served as a peer counselor at Freedom. Hes always been service-oriented; he liked to serve other people, she said. I would rather he not have jumped on a grenade, but Im very proud to be his mom. I worry a little bit more now, but I do walk on air sometimes.

Behnke said Eslinger is currently at Ft. Benning, Ga., where hes training as a mem-ber of the 75th Rangers. Moving to the elite special forces is just the next step in a career he credits his parents with making possible.

Id like to thank my parents for all the support theyve given me as I chase my dreams, he said. I feel very honored to re-ceive the Silver Star and all the attention Ive received. My soldiers challenge me every day, hold me to their standards, and trust me as their leader. Being a platoon commander is the best job in the whole world.


1st Lt. Nick Eslinger receives the Silver Star from Army Chief of Staff George Casey on March 16. While on patrol in Iraq last October, Eslinger dove on a grenade, rolled over and threw it back where it had come from, saving the 10 soldiers who were with him.

Photo courtesy of Donna Behnke

20A | THEPRESS.NET JANUARY 1, 2010

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2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JANUARY 1, 2010

Hundreds run, walk for health, schoolsThe 33rd Annual Holiday Run and Walk

for Health at Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch on Dec. 12 featured 351 runners. The event will help provide funds for local schools and libraries.

The Holiday Run and Walk for Health features a 1-mile run/walk, a 3-mile run/walk, a 10-kilometer run and kiddie dashes for children 7 and under. Awards are made to overall winners and age-group winners in each race. The race-day activities also includ-ed a Health Fair featuring vendors providing health screening services, health information and healthy food and drinks.

The top overall fi nishers in the 1-mile race (for children 12 and younger) were Alan Alltop of Walnut Creek, who fi nished fi rst among the boys with a time of 6 minutes, 31 seconds, and Kristen Black of Antioch, who fi nished fi rst among the girls with a time of 7:24. Blacks time was the seventh fastest re-corded by a child 12 and younger in the 1-mile events history, dating back to 1991.

Finishing fi rst overall in the 3-mile race were Tony Palermini of Antioch in the mens division with a time of 16:50, and Lisa Pen-zel of Oakland in the womens division with a time of 21:08.

In the 10-kilometer race, Juan Gomez of Livermore fi nished fi rst among men with a time of 36:13, while Carmen Regalado of

Antioch fi nished fi rst among the women with a time of 46:47.

The Holiday Run and Walk for Health is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch and Assemblymember Tom Torlak-son, a co-founder of the event.

I am so pleased that 351 people and their family members braved the rainy weath-er to participate in this years Holiday Run and Walk on our Contra Loma Regional Park courses, said Torlakson. My thanks go to all of the volunteers and sponsors who make this great kickoff to the holiday season possible. In addition to helping send a healthy message to our children and our community, the Holiday Run is a great way to support our local schools and libraries.

The Holiday Run and Walk is an excit-ing way for our club volunteers to serve the children in our community, said Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch President Tique Lee Caul. This annual event is one of our clubs major community activities. I want to thank all of our runners, volunteers and event sponsors for contributing to the Holiday Run and Walks continued success.

The Holiday Run and Walk for Healths grant awards for libraries and schools will be made at an Awards Breakfast at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Lone Tree Golf Course and Events Center in Antioch. For more information, visit www.holidayrun.org or call Martha Parsons at 925-890-2665.

The Kiwanis Club of the Delta-An-

tioch meets on Tuesdays at 7 a.m. at Dennys restaurant, 4823 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. You can learn more about the club at www.delta-antiochkiwanis.org.

The top local fi nishers in each race by age group included (full results are available at www.holidayrun.org): 1-mile Run/Walk: Overall Female Kristen Black (Antioch), 7:24; Females Age 1-6 Cataliya OConnor (Antioch), 10:08; Females age 7-9 Camille Dyars (Antioch), 8:44; Females Age 10-12 Kristen Black (Antioch), 7:24. 3-mile Run/Walk: Overall Male Tony Palermini (Antioch), 16:50; Males Age 10-12 Alex Robinson (Antioch), 23:09; Males Age 13-15 Nick Wedl (Antioch), 22:12; Males Age 16-18 Thomas Plowright (Brentwood), 17:09; Males Age 19-24 Tony Palermini (Antioch), 16:50; Males Age 30-34 Jeff Bilodeau (Brentwood), 20:11; Males Age 35-39 Chris Hoye (Oakley), 32:37; Males Age 45-49 Mark Luna (Antioch), 23:16; Males Age 50-59 Grant Kiba (Brentwood), 22:25; Males Age 60-69 Paul Murphy (Oakley), 23:42; Males Age 70 and up Bob Hall (Antioch), 56:48; Females Age 1-9 Maddy Hoye (Oakley) 34:23; Fe-males Age 10-12 Megan Bonwell (Antioch), 27:55; Females Age 13-15: Stephanie Siemens (Antioch), 22:43; Females Age 16-18 Fiona James (Antioch), 23:05; Females Age 25-29 Melissa Madrigal (Antioch), 30:45; Females Age 30-34 Tina Bilodeau (Brentwood), 25:42; Females Age 45-49 Joyce Stephenson (Antioch), 29:11; Females Age 50-59 Kristy Sarconi (Antioch), 31:56; Females Age 60-69 Janan Roybal (Antioch), 30:54; Females Age 70 and up Patricia Brown (Antioch), 49:44. 10-Kilometer Run: Overall Females: Carmen Regalado (Antioch), 46:47; Males Age 14-18 Paul Matejcek (Antioch), 36:48; Males Age 30-39 Jason OConnor (Antioch), 41:53; Males Age 60-69 Den-nis Tracy (Brentwood), 44:58; Females Age 14-18 Cora Williams (Brentwood), 46:59; Females Age 19-29 Carmen Regalado (An-tioch), 46:47; Females Age 30-39 Maria Bruno (Brentwood), 50:15; Females Age 50-59 Jenny Everard (Antioch), 56:28.

Athletic League championship for the fi rst time in the young schools history, posting a 14-1 league record (19-4 overall). In the fall Molsberry did likewise with the Heritage girls tennis team, which also won the BVAL championship for the fi rst time, posting a 14-1 league record (16-1 overall). Freedoms Bob Harris and Antiochs Kaitlyn Simmaro won the individual titles. Freedom teams dominated on the diamond this year. The girls softball team, led by ace pitcher and power hitter Hannah Williams,

fi nished 23-4 overall and were undefeated in league play. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost the NCS championship game 2-0 to a tough Livermore team. The boys baseball team went all the way, however, beating De La Salle 3-0 in the Oakland Coliseum on the strength of Freedoms star lefty Billy Wardell, who threw a one-hitter and went 10-1 on the season. Wardell twice scraped himself up off the dirt after suffering inju-ries in playoff games to get the wins. Deer Valley dominated in most of the fall sports. The girls golf team went undefeated

in league play and won the BVAL team title, although Lauren Condor of Heritage three-peated as individual champion. The Deer Valley girls water polo team shared the league title with Liberty. The Wolverines girls volleyball team had another powerhouse year, going undefeated in league play (24-12 overall) and making it into the third round of the NCS playoffs. And Deer Valleys football team was near-ly unstoppable all season, going 11-0 before fi nally falling in a surprising 0-26 loss to Pittsburg, a team they had beaten earlier

35-33, in perhaps the most exciting game of the BVAL season. The fi nal chapter has yet to be written on the winter sports now underway, but excit-ing things will be happening. Liberty, Heri-tage and Deer Valley are fi elding strong girls basketball teams. The Deer Valley, Freedom and Heritage boys basketball teams have posted winning preseasons. In soccer, the Freedom and Liberty girls have kicked off their seasons strong, but there looks to be more parity in boys play this year so far.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Highlights from page 1B

Assemblyman Tom Torlakson addresses the runners before the be-ginning of the 1-mile race.

Photo courtesy of Craig Cheslog

JANUARY 1, 2010 LOOKING BACK THEPRESS.NET | 3B

Remarkable Relay for LifeThis article was originally published on June 19, 2009.

It all seemed so random: There was a Star Wars Storm Trooper, boys wearing bras, people receiving back rubs; a jogger checking his watch, an older woman resting on a bench, footballs and soccer balls sailing about; the driving jazz emanating from the

stage, the soft glow of hundreds of luminaria.

There was, of course, a uniform purpose to all the activity going on at Liberty High Schools Ohmstede Stadium last weekend: cancer. More specifi cally, the hundreds of people circling the track, handing out food,

selling glow sticks and manning booths festooned with signs like the one that read Save the Ta Tas! were there to support survivors of the dreaded disease, remember those who had succumbed, and raise money for a cure.

Locals mustered nearly 100 teams to take turns walking during the 24-hour event, and many more, such as I, did so on their own. For me, it was in remembrance of my mother, Barbara, and nephew, Matthew, who were taken by cancer, and to bolster my cousin Karen and friend Carol, whose battles continue.

The hundreds of volunteers who played music, counted money, signed up walkers, hung banners and emptied trash bins not only transformed Ohmstede Stadium from a football fi eld into a joyful, energy-fi lled venue, they brought the community together as a whole, no mean feat. Previously, the CornFest had been the big social event of the year in Brentwood. That celebration of food, family and fun is still the best such event around, but in my mind, the Relay For Life and its mission to celebrate, remember and fi ght back might just have supplanted it as the premier, go-to event each year.

Event chair Jeff Schults and his co-chair Joy Benson, along with the tireless work done by many others this year and in previous years, have made it so. Together they raised more than $200,000 this time around, a remarkable achievement.

More importantly, theyve all provided a way for people to demonstrate the true meaning of community in all the wonderfully diverse ways I saw last weekend. For all who were there, and who saw the powerful good that can come from uniting for a cause, the event meant more than just the money it contributed to the fi ght against cancer. It was an affi rmation of life that will stay with them long after cancer is only mentioned in history books. Thank you for that.

The 2010 Relay For Life will be held May 1 and 2 in Oakley, June 12 and 13 in Brentwood, and June 26 and 27 in Antioch. For more information, visit www.relay.acsevents.org.

ONDEADLINE

RICKLEMYRE

4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JANUARY 1, 2010

The East Bay Stars continued their dominance on the diamond with a 4-0 performance in the Super Series 19U Wood Bat Only Tournament in Sacramento, taking the team to a 12-0 record. Comprised of local players 15 to 18 years of age, the Stars scored an impressive 23 runs while their solid defense and pitching allowed only three. In the front row, from left, are Coach Mark Leasure, Ryan Morris, Jason Gregory and Justin Chase; back row: Coach Steve Brown, Coach Ken Leasure, Jack Sawyer, Scott Harris, Austin Evanski, Robert Ramos, Dylan Fahkimi, James Shropshire and Ryan Heinle.

Stars wield the wood

Photo courtesy of Mark Leasure

Brentwoods NorCal Titans baseball club has been a success both on and off the eld. The Titans now eld ve teams in four age divisions (9U, 10U, 11U and two 12U teams) elding not merely top-level athletes, but diligent students 21 of its players have earned Honor R

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