Oakley Press_11.26.10

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Vol. 10, No. 48 YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER November 26, 2010

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

This Week

From all of us atThe PressFrom all of us at

The Press

OT ends in Oh, no!

A gritty gridiron performance fell short as the Falcons playoff dreams were dashed. Page 2B

Plus: Business .............................20ACalendar ............................ 23BClassifieds ......................... 16BEntertainment ................. 14BFood .................................... 12BHealth & Beauty .............. 10BMilestones .......................... 9BOpinion ..............................16ASports ................................... 1B

Painting the path

For his Eagle project, this Scout provided distance markers for the Marsh Creek Trail. Page 19A

Aaron makes it home for the holidays

After the miracle of their sons double organ transplant and recent return home, grateful is some-thing Mark and Elizabeth Tanner have gotten good at. And when the extended family gathered this week for the fi rst time in nearly two years, Thanksgiving took on a whole new meaning.

We are so looking forward to having everyone under one roof this year and being able to have all the cousins together, said Elizabeth Tanner. All that matters to us is having the kids together and happy. Thats the reality.

Reality has taken more than a few twists and turns for Elizabeth and husband Mark since 5-year-old son Aaron was placed on an organ do-nor list last summer. Over the years, the preschooler has undergone seven surgeries in an effort to fi x a heart that functioned on only one side. But last year, when it was discovered that renal failure was putting too much pressure on Aarons heart, doctors placed him placed at the top of the organ donor list. In August a donor was found, and Aaron received his new heart and kidney.

For the past three months, Aar-on and Elizabeth have lived in an

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

Rinehart to join cemetery board

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has ap-proved the appointment of for-mer Knightsen School Superin-tendent Vickey Rinehart to the Byron-Brentwood-Knightsen Union Cemetery District board, but an angry Supervisor Mary Piepho whose husband David was originally recommended for the post says the selection pro-cess was tainted.

I believe this process was fundamentally fl awed, and is one that has been obviously corrupt-ed and politicized, said Piepho. I will oppose the recommenda-tion.

Rinehart was recommended by an independent panel ear-lier this month after public com-plaints and charges of nepotism were launched against David Piephos potential appointment. Piepho currently serves on the Discovery Bay Community

Services District (CSD) board as well as the countys Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), which oversees land boundary and annexation issues. His term on the CSD expires in December, and unless he secures another position with a special district, hell be forced to give up his seat on LAFCO.

I really felt victimized by this process and believe it was fl awed from the very start, said David Piepho at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. I would ask that you put off making a de-cision.

When asked to comment on his LAFCO position, Piepho said only that This isnt about me; its about East County losing its (LAFCO) representation.

Piepho claims the appoint-ment process was fl awed because the informational packet pro-vided to the independent panel included highly negative letters


Betty Smith, a member of the board of directors of Delta 2000, a local nonpro t helper, gives a frozen turkey to Sam Otero from Street Outreach, a group of 15 local churches organizing a Christmas dinner for the homeless at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds. The ef-fort was part of Contra Costa County District 5 Supervisor Federal Glovers annual Turkey Drop, in which hundreds of turkeys were donated throughout East County.

Poultry in motion

Photo by Justin Lafferty

see Cemetery page 22A

see Aaron page 22A

Five year-old Aaron Tanner

returned home to Brentwood

last week following a

double organ transplant in

August.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Tanner

Online Now!

www.thepress.netYour Hometown Web Site

Read the Lincoln proclamation that pinpointed the day we hold Thanksgiving.

Holiday historygo to news/WebExtras!

A traveling preacher is taking aim on the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Tough talkergo to news/press releases

Ingenious contraptions rattled the rafters of the Heritage gymnasium.

Robot ravego to multimedia/videos

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 26, 2010

Getting out and about for the holidaysThe holiday season has offi cially arrived, and East

County has plenty to offer residents and families look-ing to stay close to home this year. Check out our list of events, boutiques and holiday sing-a-longs as communi-ties begin the countdown to Christmas.

Friday, Nov. 26BOY SCOUT TREE LOT

Oakley Boy Scout Troop 152 launches its third an-nual Christmas tree lot at 3460 Main St. (behind Scheer Home Systems). The scouts offer quality Noble and Douglas fi r trees for sale, as well as fresh wreaths and charming ornaments. Delivery is available. For hours and more information, call 925-625-5391.HOLIDAY ON ICE

Brentwoods popular outdoor skating rink, return-ing for the third year, is open seven days a week through Jan. 17. Come glide on a magnifi cent covered and lighted rink a true winter wonderland. For hours and prices, call 925-513-1702.

Saturday, Nov. 27RED MEN & POCAHONTAS HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

The annual holiday boutique, sponsored by Oakleys Red Men & Pocahontas service organization, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The boutique features crafts, collectibles and baked goods, plus scrapbooking and beauty prod-ucts. For vendor information, call 925-625-1102.

Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4MADRIGAL DINNER

Resurrection Ministries, 1275 Fairview Ave. in Brent-wood, presents its annual Madrigal Dinner at 7 p.m. En-joy an evening of feasting and merriment appropriate for children 7 and older. Tickets are $35. For reservations and tickets, call 925-240-5119 or 925-634-5180.

Friday, Dec. 3BANC CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

The Brentwood Advisory Neighborhood Commit-tee (BANC) invites you to its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the Brentwood Senior Activity Center, 193 Griffi th Lane. Highlights of the free event include music, hot drinks, tasty treats and a visit from Santa. The 24-foot Christmas tree will be lit at 7 p.m. BANC will also be accepting donations of non-perishable food items and new pajamas for all ages. For more information, call 925-516-5366.

Friday-Saturday, Dec. 3-4THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL

Delta Childrens Ballet presents the story of a waif who strikes a match to warm her freezing fi ngers and through the fl ame attains the vision of a better life. Lo-cal ballerinas 4-17 will pirouette to the music of Shosta-kovich, Glazunov and Wagner. The curtain goes up Fri-day, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 4 at 1 and 5 p.m. in Antiochs El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62 and over) and $8 for youth (under 17). For tickets, log on to www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call 925-757-9500.

Saturday, Dec. 4DISCOVERY BAY PARADE OF LIGHTS AND TREE LIGHTING

The annual event showcases more than 200 lighted fl oats and vehicles. Thousands of spectators turn out each year for this holiday spectacular, which begins at 3 p.m. with a visit from Santa at the Discovery Bay Mari-na. The parade begins at 5 p.m. from the Boardwalk Grill parking lot and concludes at the Discovery Bay Shop-The Brentwood Childrens Theater performs The

Nutcracker again this year at Antiochs El Campanil Theatre.

Press file photo

see Holidays page 18A

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A

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Special Kids holiday invitation

To say that December is a busy month for members of the Special Kids Foundation is like calling Hurricane Katrina a drizzle. But for the families and directors of the nonprofi t organi-zation who work year-round to bring normalcy, consistency and joy to their childrens lives, the hectic holiday sea-son is all about celebration.

Oh, my gosh, the holidays are crazy, but in a good way, said Lisa McBride, founder of the Special Kids Foundation. Were doing all the things families do, but with an eye toward making it a good experience for our kids with special needs. Its a balancing act, but its worth it.

And this year, McBride and the countless families and friends of East County kids with special needs will be doing what they can to share the season with those who share their lives.

On Saturday, Dec. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Smith Family Farms, 4400 Sell-ers Road in Brentwood, special-needs children and their families are invited to a two-hour private audience with Santa, including a complimentary photo. The annual event is an easygoing way for spe-cial needs families to share the holidays.

We understand the angst that all families with children having special

needs feel when confronted with a mall Santa, said McBride. And we will be providing a stress-free environment for our kids who need a little extra sensi-

tivity when overcoming this hurdle. It warms our hearts to be able to deliver

The Special Kids Foundation is bringing plenty of holiday spirit to the sea-son this year, as Jack McBride, left, and Dominic Knight can attest during last weeks Brentwood Christmas Parade.

Photo courtesy of Lisa McBride


see Special page 6A


This years final installment of the Taste of Brentwood Restaurant Tour invites guests to bring their appetites to The Streets of Brentwood for an af-ternoon of wining and dining.

Sponsored by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, the event is held Saturday, Dec. 4 from 1 to 5 p.m. This tours stops include Bangkok 101, Grazie! Grille, Salad Makers, Code Brew Coffee, Yogurt Pizazz, Rubios Fresh Mexican Grille, Subway, Haagen

Dazs, Auntie Annes Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels, and Rocky Mountain Choco-late Factory. The tour will also feature a stop at Mels Diner, The Streets new-est restaurant, which opens this week-end.

Tickets are $20 per person; $30 for a couple. Tickets may be purchased with cash, check or credit card at the Chamber offices, 8440 Brentwood Blvd. Suite C. For more information, call the Chamber office at 925-634-3344.

Tasting Brentwood

Chabad of the Delta, a Jewish out-reach and awareness organization, invites the public to Brentwoods fi rst outdoor Chanukah Festival at The Streets of Brentwood, 2565 Sand Creek Road, on Sunday, Dec 5 the fi fth night of the eight-day holiday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., featuring food, music and a fi re-juggling show, followed by the lighting of a 9-foot-tall menorah (Chanukah candelabra) that will be set up there for the duration of the Chanu-kah holiday.

Chanukah begins Wednesday night, Dec. 1 and continues through Dec. 8. It commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem fol-lowing the Jews victory over the ancient Assyrian-Greek Empire, which sought to prevent them from practicing their faith. Chanukah also propagates the universal message that ultimately good will prevails over evil, freedom over oppression and light over darkness.

Chabad, an international organi-zation inspired by the leadership of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, operates more than

3,000 centers worldwide and is the largest network of Jewish and social services in the world.

Chabad sponsors thousands of public me-norah lightings across the country, from the White House lawn to the streets of midtown Manhattan to Union Square in San Fran-cisco to malls and parks from coast to coast.

The signifi cance of Chanukah today is a reconfi rmation of faith and hope, said Rabbi Dovber Berkowitz, direc-

tor of Chabad of the Delta. Brentwoods fi rst public menorah light-ing proclaims the universal message of re-ligious freedom and tolerance, so critical in light of todays world situation. In an-cient times our ancestors rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem with the menorah. Today, we rededicate ourselves to making this world a better and brighter place. We look forward to welcoming everyone at a warm and happy celebration.

For further information, visit www.jewishredwoodcity.com or call 925-238-8770.

Chanukah fest lights The Streets

these precious moments of holiday cheer to our local families.

Later in the day, the Special Kids Foundation will participate in the Dis-covery Bay Parade of Lights with a spe-cially decorated car. This is our fi rst time doing the parade and were really looking forward to it, said McBride.

It will be a long day, but we invite families to join us later in the day as we wind down Discovery Bay Boulevard for the parade. We would love all our spe-cial-needs kids and their parents whod like to don their holiday elf-wear to walk the route with us or cheer us on from the sidelines.

The parade will get rolling at 6 p.m. from the Discovery Bay Yacht Harbor and fi nish at the Discovery Bay Shop-ping Center on Riverlake Road for a tree-lighting ceremony.

And on Wednesday, Dec. 8, parents looking for a little kid-free time, are wel-come to participate in the special-kids ornament exchange and holiday get-to-gether at Black Bear Diner, 3201 Main St. in Oakley. The annual party is held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and is a great place to make new friendships, renew old ones and make lasting connections. Participants should bring a wrapped or-nament for the exchange.

This is our group that meets once a month to share ideas, network, get ongoing education and to just get to-gether, said McBride. The ornament exchange is just a fun way to share the holiday.

For more information on upcom-ing events or the Special Kids Founda-tion, call 925-516-9690 or visit www.spkids.org.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Special from page 5A

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 THEPRESS.NET | 7A

Advertisement

KEEP YOUR HOME DELAYEDA few months ago I told you about the

$1.83 billion government aid program called Keep Your Home California that was to roll out November 1. It was directed towards California homeowners who are upside-down in their homes, unemployed, having trouble making their mortgage payments, and/or any combination of the above. Part of the program was to help homeowners make payments, another was to help reduce the balance of the mortgages.

Here it is almost December, and the pro-gram is still on hold. The reason given for the delay is logistical issues. They say they plan to have the program up and running by sometime in January. In the meantime, they are encourag-ing homeowners to not wait for the program, but to continue to try to work out a loan modi-fication, short sale, or other foreclosure alterna-tive with their lenders.

I have several opinions on this latest devel-opment. First, I do agree with their advice that you shouldnt wait for this program. Part of the reason for the delay is that they opened up the program to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans,

which enlarges the number of people that may qualify for this program exponentially. While that may sound like good news, consider that they didnt approve any new funding for the program. So the odds of getting approved for help from this program just got exponentially worse. The other reason for the delay is getting all the lenders and their investors on board (far from a guarantee), getting their software systems up to speed and getting their people trained on it.

Seems like every time we turn around there is a new government program that is announced with much fanfare as the solution to our problem (TARP, HAMP, HARP, HAFA, FHA Short Refi, QE2, etc.). They usually pre-dict that millions will be helped, but the actual number helped is usually a fraction of that. This one appears to be more of the same. (Sigh....)

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8A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION NOVEMBER 26, 2010

Anne Querida and Danika Perio play grumpy elves in the Parents of Playmakers production of A Christmas Story, coming to the Allan E. Jones Performing Arts Center on the Liberty High School campus for an exclusive one-show event on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. The production features all the favorite scenes from this contemporary holiday classic, including beloved characters such as Ralphie and Flick. Even the infamous leg lamp will make its hilarious cameo. General admis-sion is $5; $3 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available at the door. All proceeds bene t the Liberty drama program.

Elves and BB guns

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

Search begins for next Liberty principal

Gene Clare retired as the principal of Liberty High School in 2000, but for the next three weeks hell be back in his old seat, fi lling in as the Liberty Union High School District searches for a replacement for Tim Halloran, who left his principal duties last week.

Clare, the districts assistant superinten-dent of administrative services, will split the role with Assistant Superintendent of Hu-man Resources Eric Volta, former principal of Freedom High School. The two will hold down the fort at Liberty until winter break begins on Dec. 20.

Halloran, who served as principal at Liberty for seven years, has moved on to the Fairfi eld-Suisun Unifi ed School District as the superintendent of secondary educa-tion, managing curriculum and standards for grades seven through 12. He will oversee operations at three high schools, one con-tinuation high school, fi ve middle schools and two K-8 schools, but its a challenge hes ready for.

Ive been at Liberty for eight years, and I was a principal in another school district prior to coming here, so I think its time to move on and try something new, Halloran said. Its funny. I never even thought Id be a principal, let alone hold a district position, but I think I have a way to connect with more students with a higher position.

I was a math and science teacher at the middle and high school level. I thought I was connecting with a lot of students then, but I was only getting a select group that had been assigned to my class. As an administra-tor, I get to oversee programs and activities and interact with more students. Im look-ing forward to my new opportunity, but Im defi nitely going to miss Liberty High School. This will always be a special place to me.

Hallorans two children, Jake and Katie, attend Liberty, and Halloran has no plans to uproot them from a high school of Libertys excellence. He said it will be nice to come back to campus and be just a dad, but it will also create some bittersweet moments, such as when Katie graduates next June.

Ill just be another dad at graduation and Ill get to focus all of my attention on Katie. But at the same time, itll be tough because Ive watched the seniors grow over their four years here, and its going to be hard not being able to shake their hands and wish them well in their futures. Ill miss those mo-ments sharing in the students successes.

That duty will go to the next principal, whom the district plans to select in early De-cember. Applications for the position will be accepted through Nov. 29, and the board will screen applicants and conduct interviews. But according to Superintendent Jerry Glenn, the board isnt expected to make a decision by the regularly scheduled Dec. 8 meeting. A special session will likely be scheduled for the following week but only if the board fi nds a worthy candidate.

Weve got about 25 applicants now, and I expect well get about 40 altogether, said Glenn. But if none of them are what were looking for, then we wont hire some-one just to fi ll the position. Liberty is our

fl agship school, and the role of principal is a very important job. Filling that position is not to be taken lightly. We arent going to hire someone until we have the right person.

If the board is unable to fi nd a replace-ment by the end of the year, an interim prin-cipal would be set in place for the third quar-ter, which begins Jan. 3. Until then, Clare and Volta are ideal for the job, Glenn said, as they are two of the most experienced admin-istrators in the county.

Volta is looking forward to slipping back into the role of principal. I miss be-ing on campus, watching students learn and teachers teach. I miss being in the middle

of all that energy, so Im looking forward to spending a few weeks at Liberty to get to know the campus on a deeper level. I think that will help me be a better administrator.

Glenn said Volta and Clare will make an excellent team to fi ll out the remainder of the semester, but it will be diffi cult to fi nd a permanent replacement for Halloran.

Tim will be missed very much, Glenn said. Hes left big shoes to fi ll, not only be-cause hes a big guy, but hes been the symbol of Liberty High School for many years. His presence and leadership will be missed. We wish him success in his future endeavors.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net. HALLORAN

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

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10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION NOVEMBER 26, 2010

OOAKLEYOAKLEYPRESS

2 02010

New Brentwood LMC site moving ahead

Theyre not quite ready to roll out the carpets and plug in the computers, but Los Medanos College trustees are nevertheless one step closer to establish-ing a permanent campus in Brentwood.

This is big for us, and we are obviously very excited to have the op-portunity to have a new site thats big-ger, and better able to serve the needs of the community, said Tim Leong, communications and community re-lations director for the Contra Costa Community College District. This is great news.

The districts governing board re-cently authorized the purchase of 18 acres near Marsh Creek Road for a satellite campus, and hopes to open escrow and begin work on the supple-mental Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in the next few weeks.

The new satellite campus, which will absorb the colleges current site on Sand Creek Road, will include, among other features, labs, classrooms and counseling offices, but will not pro-vide for athletic fields or a performing arts center such as those at the main Pittsburg campus.

The City of Brentwood gave the green light to Los Medanos College to pursue the project with a group of lo-

cal developers for the construction of a new campus in February, but because the site was changed from the original 2004 agreement of a different 29-acre site nearby to the more accessible Pio-neer Square location, amendments to the original agreement between the

city and the developers needed to be ironed out.

Basically what is happening is that in 2004, when the Vineyards was established, there was a deal between the developers and the city about how it would be built out, said Casey Mc-

Cann, Brentwood community develop-ment director. Today that agreement is out of date and not consistent with todays market values and needed to be adjusted to make it all possible.

The changes include the removal of an obligation by the city to build 100 affordable housing apartments at Pioneer Square at the Vineyards. Now, when LMC purchases the 18 acres and escrow closes, $1.6 million will go to the City of Brentwood toward future affordable housing projects.

This (amendment) will go a long way toward clearing the way for LMC, but there is still a lot of work to be done, said McCann. It is, however, a good first step.

Leong agreed. In this business, anything can happen in this day and age when finances are more challeng-ing, but were very excited to get things going.

The Brentwood Planning Com-mission will bring the proposed rec-ommendations to the Brentwood City Council on Dec. 14.

According to a press release from the community college district, the purchase price of the parcel is $4.8 million, which includes the donation of acreage from the original 29-acre site. Measure A 2006 bond funds will be used to purchase the site.


Plans for a permanent Los Medanos College site, shown here in June with for-mer LMC President Peter Garcia, are moving forward despite earlier delays.

Press photo file



Scan this QR Code with your mobile phone.


Tickets on sale for Stuart celebrationFor more than three decades, Sue Stuart has brought

the sound of music to the Liberty High School campus, setting a standard of excellence enjoyed by audiences around the world through her coaching, cajoling, inspi-ration and the occasional Stewy stare.

But when the bell rings and classes begin next spring, it will all happen without her for the fi rst time in 35 years. The iconic choral director, affectionately know to her students as Mom, will hang up her baton and re-tire and the end of this school year.

There are hardly words to describe what Sue Stu-art has meant to her students over the years, said drama teacher Helen Dixon, longtime colleague of Stuart. She has brought them a sense of confi dence, teamwork and a love of music. These are things that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. There is a reason they call her Mom.

But Dixon and her performing arts colleagues arent about to let the person responsible for so much joyful

noise slip quietly out of sight. Theyre putting together a gala Graduation to Retirement bash in Stuarts honor when the school year ends in June. The event will be a black-tie-optional event held June 10, 2011 at Lone Tree Event Center in Antioch.

Although the event is more than six months off, dozens of tickets have already been purchased. The deadline for determining how much of the event center will be needed is drawing near, and Dixon urges those who would like to participate to purchase tickets now.

The event will include a live auction to benefi t the Stuart Music Fund. Along with her late husband, Bruce, Sue has been a driving force behind the Brentwood Community Band that benefi ts from the fund. The fund also provides scholarships and instruments for local stu-dents.

Tickets are $55 and can be ordered online at www.wix.com/helen_dixon/sue-stuart-retirement-party. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Christmas Basket final registration setThe Brentwood Regional Community

Chest Christmas Basket Program offers holi-day fi xings and toys to families in need, and a few openings remain for recipients this year. The fi nal registration will be held Thursday, Dec. 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Brentwood Senior Center, 193 Griffi th Lane.

Residents interested in signing up should bring an identifi cation card, such as a drivers license; plus a recent bill, such as a cell phone or power bill, to confi rm their address. People from Brentwood, Byron, Knightsen,

Bethel Island and Discovery Bay are eligible. For a list of more than 30 locations to do-nate toys and nonperishable food items, visit www.thepress.net and search BRCC.

The BRCC program serves about 500 families annually. The all-volunteer effort cli-maxes this year with the Friday, Dec. 17 food sorting and the basket distribution the fol-lowing day. As always, lots of help is needed starting at 4 p.m. Friday at Brentwood Ele-mentary School, 200 Griffi th Lane. If you or your group wants to pitch in, just show up.

A tearful Sue Stuart receives the Artists of the Year award on behalf of her late husband, Bruce, during the Brentwood Art Societys Art, Wine and Jazz festival in 2008. Stuart will retire in June after 35 years of teaching music at Liberty High School.

Press file photo

Students at Pioneer Elementary School in Brentwood decorate posters to help pro-

mote the Brentwood Regional Community

Chests Christmas Basket Program.

Photo courtesy of Rusty Ehrlich

Should I Stay or Should I Go?Voluntary Defaultsby Joan Grimes, Esq.

Advertisement

To say that these are diffi cult times in the real estate market would be an understatement. Th e melt down began with an extended boom fueled by cheap money followed by a rapid contraction of the credit supply. Th is lethal combination has led to an unprecedented decline in housing values. I have no doubt that the real estate market will come back and thrive. However, in the meantime, does it make fi nancial sense to stay in a home that is underwater; where the value may not come back for 10-15 years and you may only be paying interest on the loan? What is a person to do?

Th e mortgage industry and government would like us to feel a moral obligation to repay our debts. Th e argument goes that we are sending the wrong message to our children and community if we default on a loan where we had the ability to make the payments. Never mind that Wall Street banks and investors are voluntarily defaulting on offi ce building, hotels and commercial properties across the nation. Morgan Stanley recently decided to stop paying on fi ve San Francisco offi ce buildings and no one is saying they have a moral obligation. It was a strategic decision to let the properties go rather than invest more money.

A decision to voluntarily or strategically default on a loan can be a very emotional decision. However, if we take the emotional side out of the equation, what does it look like from a purely fi nancial and legal standpoint? From a legal standpoint, there are three questions when contemplating a default on a home loan. Th ey are the following: 1) how will default aff ect my credit? 2) will there be any personal liability from the default? and 3) will there be any tax liability? In addition, from a fi nancial standpoint, how does the continuing payment of this debt aff ect other areas of my life?

As a general rule, under California law, a short sale or foreclosure can remain on a persons credit for

up to 7 years. Personal liability on a home loan is determined by the character of the loan at the time the loan was originated and then by the manner in which the lender chooses to foreclose. Generally, a loan or loans used to purchase a 1-4 unit property occupied by the borrower will have no personal or tax liability unless it is excluded loan product such as many types of governmental loans such as VA loans. On the other hand, home loans which were not used to purchase a 1-4 unit property occupied by the borrower such as refi nances, lines of credit or loans on investment properties, may have both personal and tax liability.

Even aft er considering the legal issues, we still need to think about a voluntary default from a fi nancial point of view. Is being house poor causing you to not properly fund your retirement, your childrens college education or preventing you from paying bills as they come due or taking your family on vacation?

In conclusion, a voluntary default may be the right decision for you just as it was for Morgan Stanley. It was a business decision for Morgan Stanley and it should be for you too. Th is is a complicated area of the law, but a real estate or bankruptcy attorney should be able to make to an analysis of your particular situation fairly quickly which will allow you to decide if a voluntary default is the right decision for you and your family.

WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE HELP PEOPLE FILE BANKRUPTCY RELIEF UNDER THE BANKRUPTCY CODE. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON IN MAKING A DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFAULT, SHORT SALE, FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OBTAINING TAX & LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN INDIVIDUAL SITUATION. 2010

Law Offi ce of Joan M. Grimes. 8660 Brentwood Blvd., Suite B, Brentwood, California 94513 (925) 323-7772


said Shope. So what we do with a building like this a fire station that really has good effects on the commu-nity we love doing it. And this fire station, in particular, is going to bring some additional fire safety, its going to bring additional health benefits, and itll bring additional emergency preparedness, so we are really look-ing forward to building a project like this.

Once the new station is completed next summer, the old station will be given to the city, and City Manager Bryan Montgomery said the city will find a productive use for the building, although no plans have been finalized.

As the land belonged to the Romi-ti family, which first came to Oakley in 1915, the new station will be particu-larly special to Oakley, said Anderson. Some members of the Romiti family served as voluntary firefighters for Station 93, including Albert Romiti, who lived his entire life at the corner of OHara Avenue and La Via Way.

Marlene Romiti, Alberts niece, said it was tough to see the old Romiti house removed from the property to make way for the fire station, but she knows that her uncle, who passed in 1999, would be proud to know that his land was being used for the new fire house.

Albert would have been thrilled with the idea, Marlene said. He was one of Oakleys two honorary fire-

men, and I know he would be very proud. He would have loved this cer-emony. This is a very special day for our family.

Marlene, who said Albert was like a father to her, joked that shes al-ready picked out her room at the fire station, and as she lives directly across

the street, shell know exactly when the station is completed. Ill be able to watch it all from my front window, she said.

Anderson said the station will be affectionately known as the Romiti station.


Station 93 from page 14A

Photo by Samie Hartley

The Oakley City Council poses with members of the Romiti family, who owned the land where the new re station will be built. Four generations of the Romiti family have lived in Oakley since rst arriving in 1915.

Its a bird! Its a plane! Its Santa Claus! This year, Santa will be dropping by the Byron Airport on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.

With help from Bay Area Skydiving, Santa will arrive at the Bay Area Skydiving hanger, locat-ed at 6900 Falcon Way in Byron, to give all the good little boys and girls an opportunity to get their pictures taken with him. In the event of rain, pictures with Santa can be taken inside the hanger.

The event is free, but Santa and his helpers would appreciate it if everyone participating would bring either a non-perishable food or monetary donation for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

Santadives into Byron

Need a new Career?Want to work close to home?

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Internet savvy? Do you know what SEO stands for? Can you sell?

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16A | THEPRESS.NET NOVEMBER 26, 2010

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITORAttitude of gratitude

Editor:Now is the time of the year when we

can look back at the past year and give thanks. We have a lot to be thankful for.

Thank the voters of Brentwood for seeing right through the expensive glossy ad campaign put out by supporters of Measure F. The landowners, developers and their pet City Council member were soundly defeated.

Thank the process that brought about the recommendation of Vickey Rinehart to the cemetery board. Nepo-tism has no place in our government, Mary.

Thank the malcontents and letter writers in Discovery Bay for making the Press more fun to read. Now if we can just get the malcontents to pay the DB legal fees. That would really give us something to be thankful for.

Thank the principal of Excelsior Middle School for having the guts and the backbone to discipline the students who attended a fi ght and were caught on video. Shame on the parents who whined about it.

Give thanks that the monstrosity defacing our city park is almost fi nished. Too bad that the park was forever ruined

by bad planning.Be thankful that the LUHSD fi nally

decided that its choice location on Delta Road was a huge mistake. Shame on the Geddes family for their attempt to extort an extra $10 million from the local taxpayers.

Thank Ryan the bagel king for his support of all the things that make Brentwood a great place to live.

And fi nally, lets all send up a prayer that the people in charge will widen the infamous Highway 4 Bypass at least as far as Walnut Boulevard. And that those same people will widen Balfour Road to Deer Valley Road before they build more houses on the west side of Brentwood.

Bill SumnerBrentwood

Looking for a lifesaverEditor:

On Nov. 18 at about 6 p.m., a young girl and her grandparents were dining at Caps Bar and Grill in the City of Brentwood. Her grandfather suddenly choked on his food, which prompted quite a scene inside the restaurant with a medical emergency unfolding.

After the girls grandmother yelled

for help, a male patron having dinner with his family took quick action and conducted the Heimlich maneuver saving the mans life.

That man is my father, and Im forever grateful for this persons heroic action. Other than having sore ribs, my father is doing very well now. Choking is the sixth most common of accidental deaths, with about 3,200 occurring annu-ally. Im confi dent in saying that number could be reduced by people learning basic life-saving skills, which includes the Heimlich maneuver.

Im extremely thankful there was a trained person at the restaurant when this occurred, and would like to person-ally thank him. After learning my father nearly lost his life in front of my mother and young daughter, I responded to Caps Bar and Grill in an attempt to fi nd this mans name. I learned he used cash to pay his dinner bill, so I have no way to locate him unless I do so through this editorial.

If you are this person or know the identity of this person, please contact me through the Brentwood Police Depart-ment at 925-809-7714.

Sgt. Eric WernholmBrentwood Police

Thanks for supporting AllyEditor:

Back on Monday, Oct. 11, we had a fundraiser for Ally Jenkins at Black Bear Diner in Oakley. There were many who helped put on the event, but we would like to take the time to say a very special Thank You to some special people and wonderful businesses.

A very special Thank You to Jimmy and Brenda DAmico for organizing the food for the fundraiser. They are always so supportive of our community and are appreciated so much. Next we would like to say Thank You to everyone who bought a ticket and came out to support a very important cause. Lastly we want to say Thank You to some wonderful businesses which donated gift cer-tifi cates or merchandise for our basket drawings.

MAC Cosmetics in The Streets of Brentwood; Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in The Streets; Black Bear Diner, Oakley; Discount Cigarettes, Oakley; Rock-In Rebel Customs, Oakley; Rave Movie Theater; Oak Tree Embroidery, Oakley; Starbucks Lone Tree, Antioch; and Tangles Salon, Brentwood.

Fundraiser Committee for Ally Jenkins

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall708 Third St.Brentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-516-5440www.ci.brentwood.ca.us

City of Antioch City Manager and City Council City HallThird and H streetsAntioch, CA 94509Phone: 925-779-7000www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citygov/administration

City of Oakley City Manager and City Council City Hall3231 Main St.Oakley, CA 94561Phone: 925-625-7000www.ci.oakley.ca.us

Town of Discovery BayTown Manager and Community Services District 1800 Willow Lake RoadDiscovery Bay, CA 94505Phone: 925-634-1131www.todb.ca.govCounty Supervisor, Dist. III Mary N. Piepho1200 Central Blvd., Suite BBrentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-240-7260 [email protected]

County Supervisor, Dist. VFederal Glover315 E. Leland Ave.Pittsburg, CA 94565Phone: [email protected]

State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier Seventh State Senate DistrictState CapitolRoom 2054Sacramento, CA 95814Phone: 916-651-4007 1350 Treat Blvd., Suite 240Walnut Creek, CA 94597Phone: 925-942-6082www.dist07.casen.govoffice.com

Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan15th District P.O. Box 942849Sacramento, CA 942493231 Main St., Oakley, CA 94561 Phone: 925-679-2715www.democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a15

Gov. Arnold SchwarzeneggerConstituent AffairsState Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2864 www.gov.ca.gov/interact#email

U.S. Rep. Gerald McNerney 11th Congressional District 2222 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 7 Stockton, CA 95207 Phone: 209-476-8552Fax: 209-476-8587Washington office:312 Cannon HOBWashington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-1947Fax: 202-225-4060www.mcnerney.house.gov

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240San Francisco, CA 94111Phone: 415-403-0100 Fax: 415-956-6701www.boxer.senate.gov

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Phone 925-634-1441 Fax 925-634-1975Web site: www.thepress.net

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ping Center, followed by the tree lighting. For more information, call 925-408-8332.RIVERTOWN JAMBOREE

Holiday Expressions Events holds a gingerbread house competition and car show in Antioch from noon to 5 p.m. fol-lowed by a lighted boat parade at 6 p.m. For vendor and gingerbread applications, call 925-757-0972. For car show applica-tions and location information, call 925-203-0849 or e-mail [email protected] HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

Hosted by the Liberty Union High School District Education Foundation, the tour visits homes lovingly decked out in old-world fi nery and festive holiday dcor. To join the tour, meet at Hannah Nicole Vineyard, 6700 Balfour Road in Brentwood, at noon. Following the tour, participants are invited to return to the winery for an evening of live and silent auctions, prize drawings, refreshments and live entertainment. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.educationwins.org.OAKLEY TREE LIGHTING

Join Oakleys celebration of the sea-son in an evening of festive entertainment including performances by local childrens choirs. The event features make-and-take crafts, games and free refreshments. Santa will be on hand for a visit and photo-ops with the children bring your camera. The celebration begins at 5 p.m. at the Oakley Civic Center, 3231 Main St.

Sunday, Dec. 5DISCOVERY BAY HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

Discovery Bay Community Presby-terian Church presents its 2010 Holiday Home Tour, spotlighting some of the communitys most festive homes. Par-ticipants meet at the church, 1900 Wil-low Lake Road, at 12:30 p.m. The event concludes with music, refreshments and door prizes. Tickets are $20. Proceeds benefi t the churchs community projects.

For more information, call 925-513-1939 or 925-634-0184.

Tuesday, Dec. 7A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Presented by the Brentwood Library, the one-man version of Dickens clas-sic will be performed by Broadway actor Duffy Hudson at 3:30 p.m. at Delta First Five, 770 First St. in Brentwood. Admis-sion is free. For more information, call 925-516-5290.

Saturday, Dec. 11DISCOVERY BAY YACHT CLUB LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

Celebrate the holidays from the wa-ter side of town. The annual event draws hundreds of participants each year, fea-tures awards for top entries and culmi-nates in a reception at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club. For more information, call 925-634-1210.SING-ALONG MESSIAH

Handels beloved oratorio is per-formed under the direction of Sue Stuart at 2 p.m. in Antiochs El Campanil The-atre, 602 W. Second St. All seats are $10. For additional information, call 925-757-9500 or log on to www.elcampaniltheatre.com.BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

Santas coming to breakfast at the Brentwood Senior Center, 139 Griffi th Lane, from 8 a.m. to noon. Hes bring-ing his appetite for pancakes and so should you. A full pancake breakfast with all the trimmings is served courtesy of the Heritage High School Performing Arts Boosters and the Brentwood Rotary Club. General admission is $8; children 3 and under are free. Seatings are sched-uled on the hour beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at noon. To purchase tickets or for additional information, call Kathi Reed at 925-240-8382.HOLIDAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST

The third annual event is held from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at The Commons at Dallas Ranch, 4751 Dallas Ranch Road in Antioch. Bring the family and enjoy a

Holidays from page 4APress file photo

East County is home to plenty of holiday events guaranteed to please even the grumpiest Grinch.

see Holidays page 19A


gourmet pancake breakfast, a visit and pictures with Santa, plus a Christmas Carol sing-a-long. RSVP is requested. Call 925-754-7772.

Sunday, Dec. 12ANTIOCH WOMENS CLUB HOLI-DAY HOUSE TOUR

Five historic homes in Rivertown and three local businesses are slated for the Antioch Womens Clubs 56th clas-sic holiday house tour. The annual fund-raiser benefi ts local charities and provides community scholarships. The house tours run from noon to 4 p.m.; a reception from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Veterans Build-ing on the corner of E and Sixth streets in Antioch. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased in advance or on the day of the tour. For more information, call 925-777-1831.

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 17-18-19CHRISTMAS CAROLING

The St. Anthony Knights of Co-lumbus Council 10414 and Columbiettes invite you to share in the spirit of the holidays with some traditional Christmas caroling from 7 to 10 p.m. Call ahead to secure a reservation for the carolers to come calling. Your Christmas donation will benefi t local charities and organiza-tions throughout the community. For ad-ditional information, call 925-813-4311 or e-mail [email protected] CHRISTMAS CAROLING

The Liberty High School Choral

Departments Rent-A-Carolers sing some of the most treasured Christmas carols at any holiday gathering. Dressed in Victo-rian costumes, the Rent-A-Carolers joy-fully spread the spirit of the holiday sea-son through their sensational sound and traditional carols. Call Liberty Choral Director Sue Stuart at 925-634-3411 to book them.

Friday, Dec. 17FESTIVAL OF CAROLS

The Pacifi c Masterworks Chorus and Liberty High School Chamber Singers, under the direction of Sue Stuart, per-form at 8 p.m. at Trilogy at the Vineyards Club Los Meganos, 1700 Trilogy Parkway in Brentwood. A pre-concert reception begins at 6:30 p.m., featuring a no-host bar and hors doeuvres. Concert-only tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for children 12 and under. Reception-and-concert tickets are $35 for adults; $20 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by e-mailing tickets@pacifi cmasterwork-schorus.org or [email protected].

Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 18-19THE NUTCRACKER

Brentwood Childrens Ballet Theater presents Tchaikovskys timeless classic The Nutcracker at Antiochs El Cam-panil Theatre, 602 W. Second St. The cur-tain goes up Saturday, Dec. 18 at 1 and 5 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 19 at 3 p.m. Reserved seats are $15; general admission $12. For tickets, log on to www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call 925-757-9500.

Holidays from page 18A

Congratulations to Eric Lim, 16, of Oakley Boy Scout Troop 152 on becoming an Eagle Scout. Eric joins brothers Brian, 25, and Kevin, 23, as the familys third Eagle Scout. His cousin Mark Flannery is also an Eagle Scout.

Erics Eagle project involved painting distance markers every quarter mile along the Marsh Creek Trail between Oakley and Brentwood. Working with the East Bay Regional Park District and Friends of Marsh Creek, Eric coordinated his fellow scouts and other volun-teers in marking the trail in both directions. One group started in Brent-wood and walked to Oak-ley, the other group began in Oakley and fi nished in Brentwood.

Eric is a junior at Freedom High School and the son of Jeff and Kathy Lim, who are very proud of his accomplishment of earning scoutings highest rank.

Eagle goes the distance


SPOTLIGHT N BUSINESS Spotlight on Business, provided each week by The Press, presents news and information about our business community. To contribute to this section, e-mail [email protected].

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Congratulations to Madison Herrera, 6, holding her pumpkin container full of goodies. The Discovery Bay resident was the lucky winner of the coloring contest hosted by Discovery Bay Supercuts during Hallow-een weekend. Congratulations, Madison!

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nia-based retail employee benefi ts insurance broker-age fi rm, will be servicing employee benefi ts plans for small- and medium-sized clients in all types of industries from its new loca-tion in Brentwood.

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Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

A Family Aff air

Advertisement

Th anksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for two reasons the food, and the fellowship. Im not too sure how your family celebrates turkey day hopefully it involves a lot of smiles and a football game or two but in my family each person is responsible for a dish. One person brings desert, one person brings the cranberries, and whoever is host-ing is responsible for the turkey. Add all of it up, sprinkle in laughs and love, and you have one heck of a Th anksgiving celebration. Of course, on the fl ip side of the coin, without everyone showing up Th anksgiving isnt quite the same; the day just wouldnt be complete without each dish being represented at the table. So what does any of this have to do with real estateeverything!

Without an excellent team of people in your corner your real estate transaction will not be the holiday it should be. In no par-ticular order you have your Realtor (desert), your lender (cranberries), and your escrow offi cer (turkey). No matter how you slice it, or try to get by without one, it is impossible for your transaction to be the same without all parties on the same page and present at the dinner table.

Your Realtor is like that loving aunt or uncle that is always interested in what you are interested in. Th eyll DVR shows that theyd never heard of before you mentioned them just to make sure they understand what youre into. Th eyll hop on the internet and check out your favorite teams stats before showing up for Th anksgiving to make sure theyre educated about your life. Th ey get you, know what you like, and will do

everything in their power to put you in your dream house.

Your lender is like that well off grand-parent who you know has money, but who you also know will ask a million questions before they cut you a check. Th ey want to know how youve spent your money in the past, why you feel you can handle their loan, and most importantly, how you plan on living the remainder of your life to ensure youre able to pay them back. While you know they always have your best interest at heart, you can sometimes become frustrated because they ask soooo many questions about your fi nances. At the end of the day however a relationship is there that cannot be broken.

Your escrow offi cer is like that protect-ing parent that never intervenes but is always watching from the sideline. Th ey never judge, take sides, or make opinions, they simply observe and make sure everything is moving along smoothly. Nothing happens without their blessing, they watch over all of the money, and they make sure all parties are treated equally. Without this parent in your transaction, simply put, the transaction would be chaos.

So before purchasing your home ask yourself this question, could I sit-down with all of the people working for me and enjoy a Th anksgiving type family dinner? If the answer is yes then you have the right team of professionals on your side. If the answer is no then you should re-read this article and think about who exactly is at your table. Aft er all, its all about the food and the fellowship.


Putting a cork in underage drinking

No matter how many times Megan Joseph looks at the statistics, the numbers are still sobering.

According to the 2009 California Healthy Kids Survey, 20 percent of sev-enth-graders polled in the Antioch Unifi ed School District said theyve drunk alcohol within the past 30 days. That fi gure is 21 percent in the Pittsburg Unifi ed School District. In the Liberty Union School Dis-trict, 49 percent of 11th-graders polled said theyve been sick after drinking.

Joseph, the policy coordinator for the year-old East County Alcohol Policy Co-alition, hopes to help bring those numbers down by holding liquor stores accountable and changing an environment where under-age drinking is becoming more common. The coalition is organized by Center for Human Development, and similar groups are active in other areas of the county.

Its scary, Joseph said. Its been shown that if you start drinking before 15 years of age, youre four times more likely to become addicted to alcohol later in life. Thats four times more likely than if you started at 21. That has a lot to do with brain development.

Members of the coalition, which Joseph said range between 10 to 15 and growing, have been talking with members of the community about the problem of underage drinking and studying alcohol distribution at major local events, such as

the Contra Costa County Fair, Brentwood CornFest and Pittsburg Seafood Festival.

Right now, the coalition is working with liquor stores to make sure they follow Californias Lee Law, which mandates that no more than one-third of window ads hawk alcohol. Joseph said the group wants to create a responsible alcohol mer-chant rewards program for stores that fol-low the Lee Law, and encourage the sepa-

ration of regular energy drinks from those mixed with alcohol.

On Tuesday, the coalition will con-duct a training session with several local vendors to make sure stores are doing what they can to prevent underage alcohol sales.

Direct sale from liquor stores is one way minors get access to alcohol, Joseph said. But family gatherings and shoul-

der tapping, where a minor asks an adult outside the store to buy alcohol, are also prevalent.

Joseph said that the ECAP coalition is working with the Pittsburg Police De-partment on this venture by pointing out some of the problem stores in the area. The liaison from the Antioch Police De-partment has been injured and unable to help recently, so the coalition is looking for more ways to interact with Antioch, including through the Youth Intervention Network.

Were really proud of what weve done, Joseph said.

The group has been making presenta-tions for parents groups and city council members throughout East Contra Costa County. The response has usually been positive, Joseph said.

A presentation to the Antioch City Council in a meeting earlier this month noted that from January, 2005 to Octo-ber, 2008, 17 Alcoholic Beverage Control violations were reported in Pittsburg, three in Bay Point and 36 in Antioch. Most of these, according to the presentation, were sales to minor decoys.

At that council meeting, Antioch Mayor Jim Davis called the statistics alarming.

I think it does demonstrate that there is a need for this program in our communi-ties, Davis said. I do hope that the City of Antioch can participate in a more for-mal fashion going forward.


Members of the East County Alcohol Policy Coalition, including Antioch City Councilmember Martha Parsons, Paul Adler from Supervisor Federal Glovers of ce, Pittsburg police of cer Dan Callahan and policy coordinator Megan Joseph, brainstorm at a recent meeting.

Photo courtesy of Megan Joseph

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

apartment near UCLA Medical Center, where the surgery was performed, as doc-tors monitored Aaron for signs of rejec-tion. Mark and their two older boys, Noah and Nicholas, visited when they could.

But last week, the blond-haired, blue-eyed little boy got an early holiday gift: the green light to return home. And in the blink of an eye, the Tanners everyday ac-tivities went from daily trips to the hospital and stolen time with family and friends to

a regular routine of carpools, homework and playtime.

I had a girlfriend call me the other day wanting to pick up my son from school, said Elizabeth. And I said, no, that was OK, I wanted to do it myself. I love being able to run errands and pick up my boys. Its the simple things that I am really, really grateful for.

As for Aaron, Elizabeth reports that hes a bundle of energy eating, playing and sleeping in equal, joyous doses.

Aaron is so outgoing, so happy and hell tell anybody who will listen, said Elizabeth. Hell say, I couldnt do this before but now I can because I have a new heart. His appetite is good, and he wants to do everything. Hes fi nally going to learn how to ride a bike. Hes just like any other 5-year-old now.

But with a few caveats.Well, hes on about 20 different medi-

cations a day and we have to be careful of germs and things like that, said Elizabeth.

But otherwise, hes perfect. Sometimes when I give him a bath at

night and see his (transplant) scars, I think about how many times we came so close to losing him. That we have him now is just a miracle, and were savoring every moment.

A fund at the ECC/Bank of Agricul-ture and Commerce, 2251 Balfour Road in Brentwood, remains open in the Tanner familys name for those wishing to make a donation.


Aaron from page 1A

from his political detractors containing erroneous in-formation. The packet also included letters supporting Piepho.

Piepho also believes the supervisors order to form the independent panel specifi ed that it be made up of trustees, and it ultimately included one trustee and two managers. After reviewing the transcript of that session, Board of Supervisors Chairman John Gioia said the in-tent of the supervisors was clear, and that managers were permissible.

Supervisor Piepho usually appoints directors to the BBKUCD, but recused herself from the process when her husband applied for the open seat. Gioia then took over the review of the applicants and was set to recom-mend David Piepho for the post. However, Gioia pulled the recommendation at the last minute, saying he wanted to ensure the appointment process had been properly fol-lowed.

The supervisors then called for an independent panel of cemetery district members from outside the county to interview applicants and make a recommendation. The

opening was re-advertised and a total of eight applicants applied for the position.

Gioia and other supervisors said the situation an appointment involving the family member of a sitting su-pervisor was diffi cult.

Democracy is often messy, he said. I will say that this (situation) puts the board in a most diffi cult position

one that we prefer not to be in. And I dont disagree that there were some negative, false representations made and thats unfortunate. But there were also 12 letters of sup-port included in the (panels) package.

The supervisors voted 4-1 to appoint Rinehart. Mary Piepho cast the dissenting vote. They also encouraged the boards Public Protection Committee to complete work it has begun in order to develop a policy governing similar appointments in the future.

Following the Board of Supervisors meeting, Piepho said he was glad a decision had been made: I am pleased that the board made an appointment and that the cem-etery board can get back to the business of the district.

Rinehart, who also attended the Board of Supervi-sors meeting, admitted it was a tough call. Did the Board of Supervisors make the right decision? asked Rinehart. I think they made a diffi cult decision But Im looking forward to serving and Im very impressed with the peo-ple on the cemetery board. Theyre a very bright, sharp group. Im happy to have been appointed.

Rick Lemyre contributed to this story. To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Cemetery from page 1A

PIEPHORINEHART


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2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS NOVEMBER 26, 2010

Falcons season ends in overtime heartbreak

For most of Saturday nights North Coast Section playoff game, it looked like Freedoms varsity football team would pull off an upset and win on the road against the Granada Matadors. After forcing overtime and keeping the Mata-dors off the board, the Falcons lined up for a 27-yard fi eld goal that would have ended the game.

Senior kicker Robert Melena booted a strong kick, but it sailed wide left. Free-dom got the ball again in the second over-time and the offense couldnt move the ball, forcing Melena to miss another kick on the wet turf. When Granada got the ball back, senior running back George Atkinson put the game away with his sec-ond 10-yard touchdown run of the night, ending the game at 19-13.

All we needed was a fi eld goal to win the game, Falcons coach Kevin Hartwig said when asked if he considered running any offensive plays in the fi rst overtime. Hes been kicking well tonight. Its an easy three; well take that any day. Well stand by him any chance we get.

The Falcons had a chance to win in regulation when they got the ball with two minutes left on their own 41-yard line. They advanced it as far as the Matador 29 yard line, but a wet ball caused a bad snap, forcing the Falcons back to the 35 with seconds left. Melena tried a 52-yard

fi eld goal and the kick was strong and on line but fell short, forcing the game into overtime.

Despite the misses, Freedom would have never qualifi ed overtime had Me-lena not made two regulation fi eld goals, including a short but clutch kick from 18 yards out that tied the game with just less than four minutes remaining.

Leading 3-0 after one quarter, the Falcons took a 10-0 lead when sopho-more defensive back Darrell Daniels re-covered a fumble and rumbled 30 yards for the score. That lead held until Grana-da senior defensive lineman Robert Lopez intercepted a screen pass from Freedom sophomore quarterback Dante Mayes and went 25 yards for the score.

Granada then took its fi rst lead in the fourth quarter when Atkinson scored his fi rst touchdown of the night. The ensuing extra point was missed, keeping the score at 13-10. Atkinson, along with brother and teammate Josh Atkinson, will be playing for Notre Dame next season. George was kept in check for most of the night, but still came away with 106 yards on 20 carries.

Playing in his last game as a Falcon, senior running back DAmora Cooper rushed for 89 yards on 21 carries, included a 51-yard gain that set up the tying fi eld goal. Senior scatback Timazray Shepherd rushed for 39 yards on nine carries while also catching three passes for 43 yards. Mayes, who as a sophomore was recently

named fi rst team All Bay Valley Athletic League quarterback, threw 7-of-16 for 102 yards.

The game was expected to be a high-scoring affair. Granada came in averaging 27 points per contest; Freedom 26. The constant rain, however, kept runners and kickers from gaining traction, and made holding onto the ball diffi cult. The Fal-cons recovered every fumble committed on the wet night two from the Matadors and six of their own.

Freedom ended its season with a 5-6

record, all but one of the losses decided by less than one possession. Included in their victories was a must-win 49-10 thumping of rival Liberty on the road in a game that earned the Falcons a playoff berth.

Im proud of these guys, Hartwig said. We battled, we fought through tons of adversity, and we are in the NCS play-offs.

Granada, the fi fth seed in the tour-nament, will host No. 13 College Park on Saturday.


Falcon running back Timazray Shepherd, seen here against Liberty, and his teammates were tripped up by Granada.

Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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Jeff Kurtz, right, receives the Freedom High Don Golinveaux Athletic Service Award from the schools athletic director, Steve Amaro, as part of Freedoms fall sports awards night. Kurtz chose to volunteer his time to help the athletic directors of Freedom, Liberty and Heritage save freshmen sports. Over the summer, he took it upon himself to har-ness the businesses of Oakley, Brentwood and Antioch in a concerted effort to save the programs. Kurtz organized fundraising nights at local restaurants and local businesses, such as the Harvest Park Bowl.

Frosh savior honored

Photo by Jolly Hanson

4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS NOVEMBER 26, 2010

playoffs, and the Panthers are hungry for more after fi nishing the campaign 19-9 (10-5 BVAL).

Fifth-year head coach John Woolery believes senior small forward Michael Crawley will play big for the Panthers. Guard Josh Jayubo should be one of the teams best shooters, something the senior showed last year against Freedom, scor-ing seven points in a 13-second stretch.

Woolery also likes the talent of se-nior forward/guard Naumjii Madoshi, a 6-5 newcomer to the varsity squad. The coach feels that this team has a chance to do something no Antioch boys hoops team has done bring home a league pen-nant.

Its one of the better teams overall in the last six or seven years that weve had, Woolery said.

Freedom fi nished fourth in the BVAL last year with a 15-9 overall record (7-8 in league play). The Falcons feel they have depth, but the team is still trying to get things sorted out. Third-year head coach Drew Torres will count on all-league se-lections such as senior post player Darrell Greene and senior guard/forward Andrew Garner both are three-year varsity play-ers.

The Falcons will be bolstered by a few additions from the JV team. Torres said junior guard Jelani Hardaway has raw talent, but hell need more varsity experience to capitalize on it. According to Torres, sophomore James ONeal can play either guard position and has great

court vision. I feel pretty good about our talent level, the coach said.

Pittsburg looks to rebound from a season in which the Pirates went 7-18 overall and 4-10 in BVAL play. Pittsburg will be a young team this year, with only two or three seniors. The Pirates will be led by senior guard/forward Christopher Manning, junior guard Randal Gory and junior forward Nuel Ohaeri. Pittsburg head coach Clinton Williams said new players such as 6-4 sophomore center Wayne Johnson, junior guard Eddie Wil-liams and junior swingman Juwan Blakely could make an impact.

The only way to go is up for the Lib-erty Lions, who lost their fi nal 17 games en route to a 4-21 season. Liberty went 0-14 against BVAL teams. Head coach Jon Heinz likes his teams chances to im-prove.

The Lions will be young this year, fi elding only three seniors. Sophomore shooting guard Brandon White led Lib-erty in scoring (9.4 ppg) in his freshman year and earned all-BVAL honorable mention. Sophomore power forward Dar-ren Meeks, who Heinz said can play all fi ve positions, posted 8.1 points per game last year.

Newcomers such as Oregon transfer and junior center Kenneth Roman plus senior point guard Matt Cisneros could also make contributions. Its a group of kids that work really hard, Heinz said. As a coach, its probably one of my fa-vorite teams.


Defense from page 1B

NOVEMBER 26, 2010 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 5B

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Big plays doom Wolverines

Facing slippery conditions on Saturday night, Deer Valleys varsity football team battled to get a grip on the ball or San Ramon Valleys offense.

The sixth-seeded Wolves overcame a sluggish fi rst half to top the Wolverines 27-15 in the fi rst round of the North Coast Section playoffs. The loss ended a regular season in which No. 11 seed Deer Valley went 7-3 overall (3-2 in Bay Valley Athletic League).

I feel we gave it our all, senior wide receiver Miles Walker said. We made a couple of mistakes and they capitalized on them.

The game was nearly postponed due to extreme rain and wind that pelted the Danville area. Though the rain let up a bit during the game, it made for a slick football fi eld at San Ramon Valley. The Wolves fumbled the ball six times and the Wolverines coughed it up twice. Antioch saw rain toward the end of the week, so Deer Valley wasnt totally unprepared for the wet stuff, but it made an impact on the fi rst half.

Weve just got to hold that ball tight and run through the holes weve got, senior RB Brian Thomas said. I felt like we really had a good season. We had our downfalls, but I felt like we picked ourselves up.

After recovering a fi rst-quarter fumble by Wolves junior quarterback Zach Kline, the Wolverines drew fi rst blood on a two-yard

touchdown run by junior Miles Walker. Five minutes before halftime, San Ramon Valley tied it up on a 13-yard scoring pass from Kline to junior wideout Patrick Worstell.

A couple minutes into the third quarter, the Wolves took the fi rst lead of the game on a 40-yard dash by junior running back Jordan Weiss, who fi nished with 110 yards.

While Deer Valley was able to move the ball as a team on the ground, the passing game was another story. Walker led the team with 44 yards, senior running back Lamontay Marshall chipped in 41, junior Matt Smith gained 40 and Thomas fi nished with 33.

On the fi rst play of the fourth quarter, Wolverines senior quarterback Mike Behr was picked off by senior defensive back Kaulin Blair, who ran it 32 yards for a San Ramon Valley touchdown to make the score 20-7.

Deer Valley drove back to deep inside Wolves territory on the next possession, but Behrs rough game continued. The captain was intercepted by senior Trent Peterson, which sparked an 88-yard scoring drive by San Ramon Valley. Behr went 0-for-5 including two interceptions.

I think we out-hit them and a couple times outplayed them. They just made a couple big plays, head coach Rich Woods said. We just lost to a good East Bay Athletic League team.

The Wolverines tried to get back into the game late in the fourth quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by Thomas.

San Ramon Valley fi nished its regular season 5-5 (2-5 EBAL) and will face Monte Vista on Saturday.


Deer Valley receiver Miles Walker, seen here earlier this year, scored the rst touchdown of the game, but the Wolverines couldnt hang on.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

In the next chapter of an action-packed fi rst quarter, Hanna dashed 61 yards the next time Heritage touched the ball. Poti fi nished off that drive with a 19-yard touchdown run, making it 19-7. The Pirates answered on the fi rst play of the second quarter, a fi ve-yard pass from Mozee to Terrence Polk.

Mozee lined up mainly at receiver, but went 5-for-5 for 34 yards and two touchdowns when playing QB. Vunipola fi nished with 89 rushing yards and one touchdown. He was also the teams lead-ing receiver, catching seven passes for 67 yards and one score.

The Patriots piled on the points in the third quarter off two touchdown runs from Story Jr. Pittsburg scored once more on a pass from Mozee to Vunipola, but the extra point was blocked, mak-ing the score 31-20. Heritage touchdown runs by Hanna and Eikanas put the game away.

While the victory got a huge monkey off the Patriots backs, King Kong lurks around the corner. Heritage will travel to Concord at

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