Brentwood Press_9.18.09

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 11, No. 38 Including Surrounding Communities www.thepress.net September 18, 2009

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

THIS WEEK

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Great walls of water

Diablo Shores erupted in shimmering sheets as world-class skiers converged on East County for a recent pro-am.

Page 3B

Highway 4, eBART given funding priority

The funding for the wid-ening of Highway 4 and the eBART extension to Antioch has declined signifi cantly due to the recession. In response, East County planners agreed last week to take money from several other transportation projects to ensure that the wid-ening/eBART projects stay on track.

The half-cent sales tax that county voters approved for the next 25 years to pay for trans-portation projects is expected to bring in nearly a half bil-lion dollars less than originally projected ($1.5 billion instead of nearly $2 billion) due to residents cutting back on their

purchases. Sales tax revenue is down 15 percent in the past year.

In addition, construction of new homes and businesses in East County has slowed to a trickle. As a result, transporta-tion fees on new development that are earmarked for the widening of Highway 4 are es-timated to drop by $50 million (only about $30 million is now expected versus the original $80 million projection).

Consequently, East Coun-tys two major transportation projects the continued wid-ening of Highway 4 through Antioch to the Bypass and the eBART light rail line from the Bay Point BART station

Mother Nature provided the re in the sky dur-ing the Heritage High football game last Friday while the Patriots provided the pyrotechnics on the eld. The home team cruised to a 38-6 victory over the St. Marys Panthers from Albany. For the story, see Page 1B.

Lighting it up

Photo by Mike Subocz

Delta advocates hail water bill impasse

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

Local Delta advocates are breathing a sigh of relief after a package of state water bills that they consider all wet were bottled up in Sacramento last week when legislators failed to reach agreement on their passage.

The water legislation included support for a water conveyance system such as the proposed peripheral canal that would take fresh water from the Sacramento River near Sacramento and directly convey it south, by-passing much of the Delta. Local advocates are concerned that the canal would decrease local water quality, including adding more salinity, resulting in a further decline in the fi sh population.

A 14-member conference committee that included only one legislator representing the Delta (Sen. Darrell Steinberg) failed to reach agreement on the water bills before adjourn-ing its latest session Saturday morning.

We won the battle for now, but the war will still rage on, said Oakley Council-man Bruce Connelley, who has been an East County leader in the lobbying effort to save the Delta, including the recent Million Boat Float from Antioch to Sacramento. This

isnt going to be the end of it. (They) are still working hard and heavy and still fully intend to destroy the Delta and put the peripheral canal in.

I dont see how any logical person can think that will get more water. By putting in a canal, that will actually get less. But I guess its money thats talking. There hasnt been a proper legislative process whatsoever.

Roger Mammon, an Oakley resident and board member of the advocacy organi-

zation Restore the Delta, credits the lobbying efforts by sport fi shing groups, recreational boaters, conservation and environmental or-ganizations, commercial fi shing businesses and Delta farmers for helping head off the peripheral canal legislation for now.

I was with a group of us that lobbied in all of the legislative offi ces on Friday, said Mammon. We didnt get to talk to any of the legislators because they were all on the fl oor; we talked to the staff members. The feeling was that their legislator wasnt go-ing to vote for anything that they didnt un-derstand. There were too many things that werent adding up on the bills. They with-drew it from the fl oor because it was obvious to Senator Steinberg and (Assembly Speaker Karen) Bass that they didnt have the votes to pass.

Connelley believes the opposition to the water bills by representatives from the fi ve counties bordering the Delta also contribut-ed to the legislative impasse. Its pretty hard to vote against fi ve counties that are in the heart of the area you are proposing the legis-lation without hearing them, he said.

Also expressing cautious optimism is

I think the failure to pass the (water) bills is definitely a victory for us that have been trying to preserve the ecology of the Delta. This is probably the first round (of what) will probably be a long fight.

Jim Cox, California Striped Bass Association

see Funds page 18A

see Delta page 18A


How low can you go?

A crook copped a charity donation jar, but the community refused to let him have the last word.

Page 3A

Improved proficiencyRecently released API scores confirm that Brentwood schools are getting it right.

Page 8A

Calendar ..........................23BClassifieds ........................17BCop Logs ..........................14AEntertainment ................10BFood .................................12BHealth & Beauty ...............8BMilestones .........................7BOpinion ...........................13ASports .................................1BTalk About Town ..............5AWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

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Patrons respond to theft of donation jar

Police are investigating the brutal stabbing of a 38-year-old man in the 700 block of Thompson Drive in Brent-wood Sept. 3, and offi cials are saying they now believe the victim and perpetrator knew one another.

What I can tell you is that our detectives are continuing to investigate strong leads, and in those leads there is a strong suggestion that the suspect or suspects are known to the vic-tim, said Brentwood Detec-tive Sgt. Mark Misquez, who added that the victim was not a resident of the neighborhood.

Police were called to the scene at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 3, when the vic-tim showed up on the door-step of a neighbors house. The man, whose name is being withheld because of the vio-lent nature of the crime, had received blunt force trauma to the head and face as well

as multiple stab wounds to the lower body. He was airlifted to John Muir Medical Center, where he remains in stable con-dition.

The incident has renewed the fears of some of the neigh-borhoods residents, who say they have grown increasingly worried over what they sus-pect are illegal activities at the home where the assault might have taken place.

Misquez declined to dis-cuss a possible motive for the crime, but said the area is fa-miliar to the police depart-ment: I have had contact with residents near where it (crime) happened and they are known to police. But we want the pub-lic to know that because of the extreme violence of the act, it is our very strong suspicion that it was an isolated incident. Were continuing to investigate any and all potential leads.

Those with information on the crime should contact Detective David Schroer at 925-634-6911.

Police investigatestabbing incident

Restaurant patrons helping a Brentwood 4-year-old this week refused to be deterred by the theft of a collecton jar containing donations for the ailing boy.

Oakley Police are still searching for three suspects who snatched a donation jar from the counter at Mikes Beef n Brew on Main Street Friday evening. The jar contained an undisclosed amount of money to support Aaron Tanner, who is in need of a heart and kidney transplant.

Witnesses chased after the suspect (described as a white male in his teens or early 20s) and two other young men, but were unable to catch up to the thieves. The donation jar was later recovered, its glass broken and only a few dollars left inside.

Melissa Gomes, a waitress at the restaurant, said the men were standing outside the building earlier in the evening and seemed to be acting suspiciously, but no one thought the collection jar would ever be stolen.

I cant believe someone would do that, Gomes said. Its not like they were stealing a tip jar. They are stealing from a 4-year-old. Its sick.

Beef n Brew owner Mike Fagan said the robbery backfi red, though, because while the thieves escaped with at least $100, donations have increased since the incident, and as of Tuesday, Fagan had collected an ad-ditional $800 to support Aarons cause.

There has been an overwhelming response from the community because of what (those people) did,

Fagan said. More people are donating to make up for what we lost, and at this rate, we hope to raise at least a thousand dollars to support Aaron.

While the donation jar is now emptied on a regu-lar basis to deter another theft, Fagan is also working on another fundraiser for Aaron. Along with his wife, Vickey, hell host a Texas Holdem Poker Tournament at Hanoum Estate on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 5 to 10 p.m. Mikes Beef n Brew will provide a catered barbe-cue dinner, and The Crosstowne Band will supply live music. The event will also feature raffl es and a silent auction. Tickets are $50. For more information, contact Noelle Young at 925-759-7538.

Oakley Police Chief Chris Thorsen said no leads have surfaced in the theft of the donation jar, but those with information should call the Oakley Police Depart-ment at 925-625-8855.

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

Mikes Beef n Brew has raised an additional $800 after the original dona-tion jar rais-ing funds for Aaron Tanner was stolen last week.

Photo by Samie Hartley

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

Local service club celebrates 80 yearsThe Lions Club of Brentwood, known for hosting

countless community events over the years, turns 80 this weekend and this time the partys for them.

The birthday celebration, which is open to the pub-lic, will be held Saturday, Sept. 19 at DeLuna Ranch in Brentwood. The gala kicks-off with cocktails at 5 p.m. and will continue throughout the evening with live entertainment by Misbehavin, a western barbecue and raffl e prizes that feature an excursion on the Napa Val-ley Wine Train.

There will also be a walk-through pictorial of the Brentwood club from 1929 to the present, along with presentations by guest speaker and former Internation-al Director Dana Biggs and keynote speaker, former Lions International President Bill Biggs.

Were going to be celebrating 80 years of service to the community, said Lions President Rich Adams. Its going to be a big event.

The Brentwood Lions, the oldest service club in Brentwood, began its eight decades of service in 1929 by sponsoring holiday events for local children and supplying food baskets to the needy. In 1933, the Li-ons Club donated uniforms to the Liberty High School band and football team, and rumor has it that the Lib-erty High School mascot was named after the Lions Club.

Over the years, the Lions have provided hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses to local children, as well as sup-ported countless community projects. Weve been serv-ing the youth in our community since the early 1930s, and weve continued that tradition, said Adams. Just recently we provided an audio sound system to Garin Elementary. Were proud to be celebrating 80 years, and

proud to be a part of Brentwood.Tickets are $25, and available by calling Lion Mag-

gie DeLuna at 925-516-2506. The De Luna Ranch is located at 7540 Balfour Road.

The Lions currently meet the fi rst and third Wednes-day of the month at 7 p.m. at Perkos Caf, 1135 Second St. If you would like to know more about the Lions, call 925-513-7280 or log on to www.brentwoodlionsclub.com.

Brentwood Lion Maggie DeLuna chats with one of the guests at the Lions annual Special Kids Day earlier this year. The Brentwood club celebrates the 80th anniversary of its founding this weekend.

Press file photo


Brentwood Lions: a legacy of involvement

Many service clubs were established in Contra Costa County in the 1920s. Organizations like the Lions, the Elks, Rotary, Kiwanis and various chambers of commerce were established by local businessmen to advance the interests of local business and work for charitable causes within their community.

The Lions Club International was founded in Chicago in 1917 and today ranks as the worlds largest humanitarian service organization. There are 1.4 million members in 180 countries and geographic areas.

Dean Watson, a prominent real estate and insurance man, and primary organizer with encouragement from Johnny Miller, established the Brentwoods Lion Club in 1929. Miller was an active California Lions member and ap-proached Watson about starting a Brentwood Lions Club. Miller, a Richmond resident, later became Contra Costa County sheriff. Watson served as the organizations fi rst presi-dent and Charles French served as secretary for 11 years.

The Lions Club has played an active role in the devel-opment of Brentwood and outlying areas, working with the Park Council to develop land donated by the Stanford family, which is now City Park. Other early activities included spon-soring Christmas and Halloween parties for local children; making Christmas baskets for needy families; and honoring Liberty Union High Schools football players at an annual dinner. In 1933, the Lions purchased new football uniforms

by Kathy LeightonHistorian

see Lions page 12A

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A

Thousands of East County homeowners are needlessly losing their homes to foreclosure. If the value of your home is now less than your loan, if your adjustable monthly mortgage payment has increased or if you are behind on payments, Brule & Rooney can negotiate with your lender to stop foreclosure and modify the loan, often with low xed interest rates for 30 or 40 years and even reducing the balance owed! Your home is important.

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TALK ABOUT TOWN Have an item? [email protected] is everything. Just ask Press publisher Greg Robinson or his wife, Sandie. The two are resting uncomfortably at home this week, recovering from a motorcycle spill they took while participating in last weeks Lions Club poker run. Greg reports that Sandie broke a couple of minor bones in her foot and hand, while he is suffering mostly from se-verely bruised ribs. Both of them have the road rash and other contusions you might expect from a low-speed bike crash, which Greg said happened as he made a left turn. As for the good timing: Retired Brentwood Police Chief Mike Davies and Lt. Kevin King were part of the Robinsons group, as was re ghter David Piepho. The inci-dent occurred near Livermore, where former Fire Chief David Wahl and his wife Karen happened to be at the time, and they provided a lift to the hospital. If youre gonna lay it down, thats a pretty good crowd to have around when you do it. Get well soon, guys!

We assumed these over-the-top action sequences occurred only in the movies: An Antioch police of -cer conducting a traf c stop was given false information about the vehicles registration. As he reached inside the vehicle to detain the driver, she put

the pedal to the metal and sped off, dragging him about 90 feet before he could reach the emergency brake. The driver then ed on foot no match for the of cer, who overtook her like a cheetah running down a wounded antelope. The vehicle turned out to be stolen, and the driver was arrested on charges of auto theft, possession of stolen property, probation viola-tion and possession of burglary tools though her Felony Assault on an Of- cer (who fortunately sustained only minor injuries) will, no doubt, be her big ticket to a long stay behind bars.

Its good work if you can get it Judges at last weekends Oakley Al-mond Festival bake-off had the oner-ous task of sampling an array of home-baked goodies including a delectable mud pie (the winner), a scrumptious tray of almond rocha, and an amazing almond/poppy seed pound cake. On-lookers, including at least one Oakley City Council member, were rewarded for their show of support with samples of the almond-inspired treats.

Ally Jenkins, the 14-year old who recently underwent a double lung transplant, hasnt been released from the hospital yet, but that didnt stop her from celebrating Freedom High Schools homecoming last weekend.

With the help of family and the nurs-ing staff at UCSF, homecoming came to Ally, as a hospital waiting room was transformed into a private dance oor, complete with balloons and decora-tions, for the Freedom High freshman and her boyfriend to dance the night away.

Skaters are preparing for battle at the Brentwood Skate Park this weekend as Brentwood Police Activi-ties League presents Sk8wars. MTV reality star Drama from Rob Dyrdeks Fantasy Factory will be making a guest appearance at the event, which kicks off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, so make sure to stop by for your chance to rub elbows with a celebrity, and then stay after for the barbecue. All money raised will bene t PAL.

Shopping cart thieves beware! In hopes of reducing the number of abandoned shopping carts around town, the Oakley City Council recent-ly approved a new city ordinance that will make it illegal for anyone to take a merchants shopping cart off the premises for personal use without written permission from the business owner. Anyone who is seen carting around town with a stolen cart will receive a citation.

Compiled by Press Staff

6A | THEPRESS.NET OUTDOORS SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

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Sun sets on years long voyageThe rumor is out; nothing can sup-

press it. Its whispered in the amber-tinged crowns of sycamores and spread by the raucous gossip of southbound geese. The low Sun, casting long shadows even at midday, insinuates it. We feel its breath on

our skin; its reso-nance in our bones like the bronze toll of a bell. Autumn is here.

If spring is the sunrise of the year, autumn is its sunset. It doesnt matter what time of day you read these words; the sun is setting set-ting on A.D. 2009. Since the summer

solstice on June 20, when we in East County savored 14 hours and 48 minutes of daylight, planet Earth has completed a quarter of its 584-million-mile voyage around the Sun, engraving an arc onto the black granite of space at 19 miles per second. Astronomical autumn arrives this Tuesday, Sept. 22, when we reach a mark along that arc where our daylight and darkness measure about 12 hours each.

But the darkness must have its sea-son. Earths next port of call will be the winter solstice, Dec. 21, when in our Bay Area latitude the Sun graces the sky for a mere nine hours and 32 minutes the

years midnight.If autumn and sunset are vehicles

of beauty, theyre also vehicles of dread. The dying of the year, like the dying of the day, awakens an ancient fear: we know

whats coming, and the knowledge under-scores our frailty and vulnerability. Were as capable of reversing the encroaching cold and darkness as a starfi sh trapped in a tide pool of reversing the oceans ebb.

As for the nights, wrote the poet Ar-chibald MacLeish, I warn you the nights are dangerous. The wind changes at night

On Sept. 22 at 2:18 p.m., planet Earth reaches the point in its or-bit around the Sun affording us equal night (equinox) and day-light, marking the rst day of autumn. The fallout from bigleaf maples, above, adorns Mt. Diablos Mitchell Creek, one of East Bays prime venues for autumnal splendor.

Photos by Ger Erickson

see Outside page 7A

TAKE ITOUTSIDE

GERERICKSON

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 OUTDOORS THEPRESS.NET | 7A

ThursdaySeptember 24th, 5-8pmFirst Street, Downtown Brentwood

Open to all agesSong lengths - 3 minute maximum

No profanity or innuendoAppropriate (G-Rated) attire please

Check-in at stage (Center of First Street)Prizes awarded at 7:30pm

DOWNTOWN THURSDAYS First Street, Downtown Brentwood Sponsored by the Downtown Brentwood Coalition and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce

To register or for more information on these or other events visit

www.brentwooddowntown.com

Thursday, October 1st, 5-8pmWear your Leiderhosen to Downtown Brentwood for the biggest Festival of the year!Live music by the Great Oglee Moglee Band, with an interlude of Alpine Horns for authentic German sounds. Well have a Beer Garden and Bratwurst Sandwiches, as well as local treats. Even the kids can enjoy our Root BierGarten. Just think of whats in store for you and your family and friends at the Oktoberfest - great memories, family fun, polka dancing, arts and crafts, ...and, of course, the chicken dance!

Free Childrens WorkshopAges 3-5 years

Teach, Eat and Teach, Eat and Cook for HealthCook for HealthChildren 3-5 years and parents will learn how to prepare a healthy snack, meal & beverage. Children will engage in songs, craft s, music and healthy eating games and activities.

Sat., Sept. 19th 8:45am-11:45amSat., Sept. 26th 8:45am-11:45am(All children must have an adult in attendance)

Registration Required Space is LimitedWorkshop held at:

Dainty Center/Willow Wood School1265 Dainty Avenue, Brentwood

(925) 634-4539Made possible by funding from:

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HARD LOAN MODS PART II[This is the second part in a series of

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The second group of people really dont like their payment, or their balance, for that matter. Its hard to make their payment, and they might even be behind on their payments. But if the lender doesnt modify their loan, these people will find a way to bring their account current somehow, some way. They will take on another job, sell some assets, borrow

from relatives, etc., anything to avoid a foreclo-sure. This is called self-curing.

The third group of people are undergoing a financial hardship, but if their payment was 20-30% less, they would be able to make that payment month in and month out, for years to come. They are probably upside-down in the home, but they plan to stay in that home until either the market recovers, or they pay the loan off.

As youve probably realized, the lenders have figured out that its only this third group that is worth modifying loans for. This may sound cold-hearted, but its the truth. For the first group, they are just delaying the inevitable. For the second group, theyll get current even-tually and pay all the back fees. So the #1 task for a lender is to figure out which group you are in.

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and the dreams come.We know also, in a remote recess of

the soul, that autumn is what we are: tran-sitional creatures, always in the process of becoming something else. The steady-state fl ow of summer and winter symbol-izes an existence of perpetual paradise or desolation. From June through August, from December through February, the landscape is static. Is this the metaphor for humanity? No, we know deep in DNA and we know from experience: the transi-tional fl ow of autumn and spring when before our eyes leaves fall and wildfl ow-ers blossom is the truer metaphor for a creature in whom something is always dy-ing; something else is always being reborn.

We are symbols, and inhabit sym-bols, wrote Emerson. As of this writ-ing, Ive witnessed nearly 22,000 sunsets. Youd think Id become blas, but the opposite is the case. With the passage of time, time becomes more precious, and the symbols of its passage the seasons of the year; the seasons of the day more striking. As I approach the transition of my earthly existence into something more ineffable, autumn and sunset gain not only metaphorical power; they gain fac-tual power. Numerical power. The clock is ticking. Ive numbered the days behind me; ahead, those days are numbered, too. When my number comes up, Ill be as ex-plicit a metaphor for sunset and autumn as they are for me.

If these musings seem melancholic, be assured: autumn is not the season

for the blues; it offers other colors to embrace. Leaves in droves wait to amaze us, spattering creek beds in saffron and scarlet, littering the trail like colossal confetti. Leaves the color of footballs and pumpkins, of sunlight and blood. Let the woods drift into dream, let the moan of wind through wizened limbs be the sound of the forest yawning while we plot our adventures in chromatic splendor, while we set our alarms and program our coffee pots for the world of wakefulness. Time for us to rise; time for the woods to shine.

Of the many canyons that furrow Mt. Diablo, Mitchell Canyon affords us East County folk one of the loveliest autumn walks around. Mitchell Creek cuts the canyon and feeds a variety of colorful foliage not present in Diablos higher and drier elevations. The trail that snakes through the canyon, Mitchell Canyon Road, is also one of Diablos easiest tracks nearly dead level for the fi rst two miles. To get to Mitchell Canyon, take Marsh Creek Road west into Clayton and turn left on Mitchell Canyon Road. Where the road ends is where autumn begins.

May your path be fi rm and your air bracing beneath a sapphire sky. May every twig on every branch seem more fi nely etched than in summers sweltering air. May maples slipping into sleep seem more alive. For that is the irony: the onset of autumn exhorting the canyon to gather its energy for one fi nal, defi ant display.

Sure, winter is coming. But autumn is here.

Outside from page 6A

8A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

Schools score high on academic index

This weeks release of the states annual Academic Performing Index (API) was good news for East County schools.

Scores improved across the board, most in the double digits, including some increases as high as 32 points over last years rankings, all of which is gratifying to teachers and ad-ministrators.

The API is the cornerstone of Califor-nias Public Schools Accountability Act of 1991. It measures the academic performance and growth of schools through a point-based system determined primarily by the results of the California Standards Test, the California High School Exit Exam and by graduation rates among students. An API score of 800 or better means that a school is meeting its academic requirements.

The Oakley Union Elementary School District (OUESD) had the highest gains at 778, a 32-point increase over last years scores, which showed double-digit losses due to a data snafu later confi rmed by the California Department of Education.

For OUESD Superintendent Rick Rog-ers, the reversal of his districts API fortunes is sweet. No doubt about it: were very pleased, said Rogers of the districts gains. Not with-standing the errors in the states calculations

(last year), Im very happy. As a district, its very good news, and particularly when you put into context what all the districts went through last year, its even more impressive.

Vickey Rinehart, Knightsen Elemen-tary School District (KESD) superintendent, shared Rogers enthusiasm. Despite the dis-tricts ongoing fi nancial challenges, KESDs API scores were up 26 points over last year, placing the district in the coveted 800-plus range with a ranking of 830.

How about that? Isnt it marvelous? said Rinehart. We are so proud of the teach-ers and kids who have worked so hard, and now were seeing it really pay off. I was really proud of the Oakley folks, too, for their great progress. It shows how hard everyone is work-ing.

The Brentwood Union School District (BUSD) also showed signifi cant gains, im-proving from an API of 786 last year to 812 in 2009, an increase of 26 points.

This has been a real team effort and Im very proud of all our schools, said BUSD Superintendent Merrill Grant. Its a real tes-tament to the parents and teachers and stu-dents that we can make a difference. Its great news.

The Liberty Union High School Dis-trict (LUHSD) realized a 12-point increase


see Scpres page 9A

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

over last years API scores, rounding out at 735. LUHSD Director of Curriculum and Instruction Mary Vinciguera said she was pleased with the districts increase: We are defi nitely improving, and our goal is to con-tinue improving.

The Antioch Unifi ed School District saw more modest gains. Its 718 score was up three points over last years API of 715.

While the API measures a school dis-tricts academic progress, the AYP (Academic Yearly Progress) holds districts responsible for that growth. Enacted in 2002 under the Federal No Child Left Behind Act, the AYP measures academic growth in all subgroups, including English learners, special education,

socio-economic levels and race.Under AYP, all the subgroups must

reach the same nationwide profi ciency targets each year. If they dont, the school district is placed on Program Improvement (PI) until it meets AYP standards.

AYP guidelines were met by the Oak-ley, Knightsen and Bryon districts, allowing them to be taken off the PI program. AUSD, BUSD and LUHSD, however, remain on the PI status list.

Its a lengthy process (the PI status) to get through it, said Grant, whose Brent-wood district is on the list for the fi rst time de-spite its increase in API scores. But well do what needs to be done and meet the require-ments.

Scores from page 8ASource: California Department of Education John Carter/Press Graphic

10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

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Reading a history book is one thing; living history is another, which is why the fourth-grade classes at Oakley Elementary School are hastily working to raise funds needed to attend Gold Camp in October and get a unique, hands-on pioneer experience.

Its a fabulous program, said fourth-grade teacher Cindy Tumin. Gold Camp allows the students to immerse themselves in the Gold Rush period, and thats something we simply cant replicate in class.

Budget cuts have caused the cancellation of many school fi eld trips throughout the state, but Oakley Elementary decided to keep the trip to Gold Camp because the three-day/two-night excursion provides a valuable experience that students wont fi nd anywhere else.

While at Gold Camp, located at the Old Oak Ranch Conference Center just outside Sonora, students mine for gold using the same tools the prospectors of the late 1840s used gold pans, long toms and rocking cradles and students keep the fl akes of gold they fi nd during their adventure as souvenirs.

Students will also spend a day at historic Columbia State Park, where theyll learn more about what life was like for California pioneers during the gold rush. Before they return to Oakley, the fourth-graders will make a stop at the Moaning Cavern to learn about rocks and

minerals, which the students have been studying as part of their science curriculum.

The overnight fi eld trip will cost each student $200, so the fourth-grade classes have been raising funds since the beginning of the school year. When the school fi rst introduced the fi eld trip a few years ago, classes went up to Sonora in March to coincide with the Gold Rush unit presented in class, but due to unstable weather, the school now visits the camp in the fall, when its warmer and less likely to rain.

While the October date is more pleasurable weather-wise, it affords less time to raise the $12,000 for bus fair, meals, and room and board at the camp. Tumin said shes hoping to take 60 students from Oakley Elementarys three fourth-grade classes: We want to make sure all students have the opportunity to go on this trip. Most families dont have an extra $200 lying around these days, and we dont want to ask parents to fork over all this money, so were hoping fundraisers will help limit the fi nancial burden.

To help raise funds for the trip, fourth-graders are selling raffl e tickets for a drawing that will take place on Sept. 25 during Oakley Elementarys Family Day. The grand prize is a Nintendo Wii, but local restaurant gift cards, massage certifi cates and a Nintendo DSI are also up for grabs. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from any Oakley Elementary fourth-grader or by calling the school at 925-625-7050.

The fourth-graders will also host a car wash at Les Schwab Tires, located at 89 Carol Lane in Oakley, on Sept. 26.

Raffle to help fourth-grade prospectors

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 11A

Come and sell anything legal.Come and sell anything legal.

For information callLion Carolyn Sherfy at 516-7798 or

Lion Past President Mike Morgan at 513-7280

The event will be well-publicized. Proceeds from space rental will bene t scholarships for graduating seniors from Brentwood high schools. Spaces will be assigned on a rst-come, rst-served basis.

The Brentwood Lions Club invites you to participate in a Flea Market!

When: Saturday, October 10th, 2009; 8am-5pmWhere: Parking lot in front of Liberty High School

10 x 10 exhibit space $30

Come and sell anything legal.Come and sell anything legal.

As ags y at half-staff, students and staff of Delta Vista Middle School, along with of cers from the Oakley Police Department, Contra Costa Sheriffs Of ce and a re crew from the Oakley Fire Department, gath-ered on the morning of Sept. 11 to honor and remember those lost in the attacks eight years ago. It was truly the best 15 minutes I have spent in a long, long time, said Assistant Principal Harvey Yurkovich. It was a very moving event.

Oakley remembers 9/11

Photo by Tom Bausola

Students from the Liberty Union High School District will meet with more than 50 representatives from California universities, colleges and junior colleges, including military, private, independent and vocational colleges, on Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Heritage High School gymnasium in Brentwood.

The event features workshops on fi nancial aid (in Spanish and English), NCAA sports, ACT vs. SAT testing, ex-tended opportunities and services, scholar-ships, and the job market and college.

For more information, call 925-634-0037, ext. 6097 or e-mail [email protected].

LUHSD College Night


Accepted:batterieshousehold cleanerspaintmotor oilpesticides & insecticideschemicalsfluorescent tubeselectronic waste CPUs monitors TVs

Not Accepted:appliancestiresradioactive or infectious materials

Tips for Transporting Your Waste Do not mix materials

Keep in original containers

Pack in a sturdy box or tub with newspaper

Transport a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds

When you arrive stay in your car!

IN BRENTWOOD

Saturday, October 3, 2009

9:00 am - 2:00 pmat the Solid Waste Transfer Station

Elkins Way off of Sunset RoadEvent is open to all

residents of East Contra Costa County

Household HazardousWaste COLLECTION DAY

Event Sponsors:

Household Hazardous Waste

For more information, contact Delta Hazardous Waste Program (925) 756-1990www.ddsd.org

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Buy land, theyre not making it anymore

Advertisement

Th is previous weekend interest-ing weather and all I headed out on the infamous Delta for the fourth time in my entire life. Aft er each adventure, aft er we dock the boat for the day and Im driving home, I always think to myself, there is so much untapped land throughout this area. Certain pockets of the Deltas canals are legally zoned as rural areas, and as such allow for special fi nancing off ers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Th ese loans, known as USDA Home Loans, are very unique in that they are one of the only remaining ways to obtain 100% fi nancing thats right, there is no down payment required. In theory, the government is allowing for the foundation in which this nation was built to stay alive. By off ering low to moderate income fami-lies the ability to purchase new (con-structed within the last 12 months), or existing (constructed more than 12 months ago) homes in cities that have a population of no more than 10,000, the spirit of the mid 1800s is truly still alive. Certain areas with a population up to 25,000 can still be consideredeach USDA Home Loan is run through the nationwide to system to see ensure

the property is eligible. Either way, our local areas such as Knightsen, Bethel Island, and even parts of Discovery Bay are very much able to participate in this federally insured program.

For this program, you dont need to be a fi rst time home buyer you just need to be a low- to moderate-income buyer. If your annual income is less than $95,000 for a family of 1-4 people, or less than $125,400 for a family of more than 4 people, you may be able to take advantage of this 100% fi nancing program.

Mark Twain and Will Rogers alike shared a sentiment. As Twain stated, Buy land, theyre not making it any-more. Our current fi nancial markets are in turmoil and constantly looking to rebound, however one thing is for sure, the value of land will rebound. With the Federal Government truly of-fering no money out of pocket purchas-ing, now could very well be the best time since Mark Twains death in 1910 to purchase a home!

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

for the team, and it is reported that the team was called the Liberty Lions after the Lions Club.

Other early projects included organizing a drive in 1939 to form the Brentwood Sanita-tion District in a joint effort with the Ameri-can Legion to promote a state-of-the-art sew-er system for the community. The Brentwood Lions also joined with the national organiza-tion to back a campaign to provide the blind with the white canes.

Over the years the Lions have donated several hundred thousand dollars to Brent-wood, collected and purchased hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses for children, and fi nanced and supported vision correction for numer-ous children. They have supported 4-H en-tries in the county fair, supplied playground equipment, picnic tables, restrooms and land-scaping for Brentwood Park, and involved themselves in many of the communitys wor-thy projects.

Brentwood Lions have supported the youth of the era, the schools, the library, the Scouts and the volunteer fi re department. They have held Easter egg hunts, Halloween parties and Christmas parties for the local youth, purchased band uniforms and athletic uniforms, placed benches in the city park, and an endless list of other contributions to our community.

Few old-timers can think of the Lions without remembering the wonderful Fourth of July Carnique held in the eucalyptus-cov-ered Brentwood Park for many years. Car-nique originated from the words carnival and barbeque. The event, which started at Le-

gion Hall, was moved to Brentwood Park in 1953 when Art Honegger was president and Ken Dwelley was chairman. The event was the Lions primary fundraiser until 1977.

The Carnique featured food booths, game booths, a car raffl e and entertainment. The days activities were capped off by a fi re-works display ignited by Jack Adams. Over the years, the Carnique generated between $4,000 and $6,000 annually. These funds en-abled the Lions to contribute to an endless list of service projects for our community.

Early meeting places for the Lions in-cluded the Methodist Church, American Le-gion Hall, Rolando Inn, Borden Junction, the Continental Hotel, and the barn on the Mag-giore Ranch. In 1971, the organization built the existing Lions Club community building on Walnut Boulevard, and it has been used for meetings, dances, political gatherings, wedding receptions, a polling place, and in-numerable other purposes since then.

The Brentwood Lions Club has left many footprints in the chapters of Brent-woods history. The club continues to sup-port community functions as well the Brown Bag and Food Pantry programs, East Contra Costa County Historical Society and the Nail House, a local yearly Smith Ranch Jamboree for Handicapped Children, and an annual fresh vegetable U-pick Day for the blind at Dwelleys Ranch. The Lions remain a vital part of our community today.

Kathy Leightons book on far East Coun-ty history, Footprints in the Sand, is avail-able through the East Contra Costa Historical Society and the Brentwood Chamber of Com-merce.

Lions from page 4A

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 13A

Welcome home, angelsEditor:

To Jaycee and her children: So close, yet so far. Im sorry, though many tried to sound the alarm, it wasnt enough to bring you home and keep you from further harm.

I remember that day in 1991 when innocently on your way to school you were taken from us. We prayed day and night for your safe return, until, like so many other missing angels, though never forgotten, our hopes slowly dwindled that we would ever fi nd you. I knew it would take nothing short of a miracle to bring you back home.

Thank God! Jaycee, we fi nally got our miracle. We never dreamed it would take 18 years to bring you back, but you and your beautiful daughters are home and truly free! Jaycee, I wish I could instantly erase all the pain and suffering you en-dured; though I know thats not possible. I just want to say this: We in the city of Antioch, and in cities all over the nation and world, believe in you.

Somehow God gave you an inner strength that was bigger than your incon-ceivable circumstances! Hold on, Jaycee. That strength will carry you through this very, very diffi cult and confusing time of your life. Take one moment at a time; one day at a time.

Your family loves you unconditionally, and people around the world are cheering you on! Do not for a minute blame your-self for anything; you did nothing wrong!

You did, however, do many things right. You brought two beautiful girls into this world when you were just a little girl yourself. You gave other missing angels and their families a renewed hope. You taught us to never, never give up praying, search-ing, and believing, even when it seems there is nothing left to believe in.

You helped us as a community to take our eyes off ourselves and our circum-stances loss of jobs and homes and focus and draw strength from the brave little girl, now young woman, who kept on hanging in and hanging on!

In closing, on behalf of the citizens of Antioch and all people around the world, we will do everything we can to help re-build your lives, to give back what the locust has taken, and to give you the greatest miracle of all: love. You are our heroes! Welcome home, angels. Youre free, and home at last!

Brenda Kaye KinselAntioch

Looking forward to building Web siteEditor:

I wanted to take a moment to thank the CSD Board for selecting our company, NIA Creative, to design and develop the Towns new Web site. I know we will do a terrifi c job, and will deliver a site that the community will fi nd helpful, informative and attractive.

I also would like to respond to an article on the subject to clarify and expand on some of what was reported. We were invited to participate in the bidding process by CSD President Ray Tetreault. He also requested that other agencies participate in the process. Initially, we were one of three vendors who presented at a CSD meeting a few months ago. At that time, the board simply asked agencies to present their ideas, but we were not given much to go on in terms of specifi cs, nor were we given a set budget to work from.

We discussed ballpark budget during our presentation, and our ballpark was similar to the budget presented by Digital Gear, the company that developed Oakleys Web site; however, it is our understand-ing that Digital Gear uses a proprietary backend editor that would have required the town to have its site hosted by Digital Gear for the forseeable future.

After the presentations, a subcom-mittee was formed to formally solicit bids from agencies, and we were included in that process along with other agencies/ven-dors. The RFP was brief, but provided enough information for us to put together a detailed, specifi c proposal describing the Web site we envisioned. We also included screenshots of numerous Web samples to demonstrate our quality and experience, and also to showcase the kind of site we would create for the town.

Bids were received and reviewed by the subcommittee as well as the entire CSD Board. At the Aug. 19 CSD meeting, Di-rector Murphy-Teixeira made all proposals available to the community in attendance, and encouraged the community to visit all agency Web sites, view their samples, contact the agencies via telephone and then provide feedback on that experience at the next CSD meeting.

At the Sept. 2 CSD meeting, directors offered their thoughts and input, and the community was offered the same opportu-nity. Director Murphy-Teixeira commented that our proposal demonstrated that we were the most prepared and after review-

ing all proposals, I would defi nitely agree with that.

I want to make it clear that despite Director Murphy-Teixeiras request made at the Aug. 19 meeting, we never received a single call or e-mail from any member of the community to fi nd out more about our plans for the site, or to confi rm our experience. And no one in attendance at the Sept. 2 meeting questioned our ability. What was questioned was the process itself which we simply participated in but did not orchestrate and there were concerns voiced about the cost of the site, which is to be expected and is understandable.

But when our proposal and portfolio is reviewed, the rationale for the associated budget is clear because all details about the site are spelled out; our proposal is not a boilerplate, the features of the site are fully described, and its relevance to the town is clear.

The RFP specifi ed that the site needed to be built with a WYSIWIG editor our WYSIWIG is custom, yet not proprietary. There is no requirement to have us host the site, and all code is open-source. There are no license fees for use of the editor, and it is far more robust than WordPress, which was the WYSIWIG that was offered in NobleImages proposal (which was a lower-budget Web site). WordPress is actually used to create blog sites, not to create the type of multi-faceted, feature-rich site that the town wanted, based on the criteria we were given in the RFP as well as comments made following the presentations made a few months back.

Additionally, because our WYSIWIG is so easy to use, there will not be a need for an ongoing maintenance contract because town staff will be able to handle routine maintenance on its own. As such, while there is a higher cost up-front for the site, there will not be excessive monthly cost be-yond basic hosting. Ultimately, the board decided that NIA was the right agency to build the town Web site.

I encourage you to look at our Web site (www.niacreative.com) and check out our skillset and our online portfolio. We have won numerous awards and have a stack of letters of recommendation I would be happy to share with the commu-nity should there be any question that we are the right agency to develop the towns Web site.

Thanks for hearing me out, and we look forward to creating a Web site that exceeds the towns expectations.

Jennifer FinettiDiscovery Bay

No Canal (for now) but what about 2-Gates?

Editor:Everyone in the Deltas fi ve counties

plus environmentalists, Northern Califor-nia boaters and the fi shing industry are

ecstatic today about the current defeat of the Peripheral Canal (beaten down, not yet dead).

The citizens of the Delta wrote letters to representatives and others. Discovery Bay mobilized through clubs and neigh-borhood e-mail lists to make sure their voices were heard. We received feedback and encouraging responses from all my legislators: Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, Assem-blyperson Joan Buchanan, Congressman Jerry McNerney and Contra Costa County Supervisor Mary Peipho, who worked tire-lessly to defeat the Peripheral Canal.

The canals defeat last week in Sacra-mento means that the rush to destroy the Delta has been slowed down. And that there is hope on the horizon that more rea-sonable, rational minds will persevere and bring about a balanced approach to the states water needs. An approach that will not include a Peripheral Canal. A canal that would destroy the Delta to send water elsewhere.

It was an amazing effort by all of the Delta legislators. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

But there is still the immediate, loom-ing threat of the 2-Gates Project (falsely named the 2-Gate Fish Protection Proj-ect), which we fear will be installed before we know it. Im talking about the two gates that are to be installed on Old River and Connection Slough. Even though these gates pose major concerns to our Delta and the citizens who live here such as: Environmental and water concerns: The gates purported purpose to save the Delta smelt has been rejected by environ-mentalists and fi sh experts. The 2-Gates Projects sole purpose is to keep salt from getting into the Tracy pumps in order to allow additional water extraction from the Delta.

In addition to the Tracy pumps, which are already destroying water quality and fi sh habitats by bringing salt levels upstream past Antioch, there are four new EBMUD pumps about to be turned on near Freeport (mouth of the Sacramento River), which will only exacerbate the problem. If salt intrusion is allowed to come as far up as Old River, and hence require the need for salinization gates, that will be a disaster for the Delta and the communities that rely on the Deltas salt-free water for drinking water and agriculture. Safety concerns for boaters: The 2-Gates pose real safety risks to boaters because they are going to be installed in key, heavi-ly-boated waterways in the Southern Delta. Besides the direct risk to boaters trying to navigate through these narrow, shallow areas, the gates will block the primary path of rescue operations for the sheriffs and Coast Guard.

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

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

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

see Letters page 15A

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Impact on the levees: There has not been suffi cient data provided to alleviate con-cerns that the 2-Gates will not cause fl oods and levee damage. Impact to our local economy: The loca-tion of the 2-Gates will impact the Delta communities and residents. The local economies rely on boaters to come to this area from all of Northern California and related services. Which in turn drives the economy and our housing values.

Again, thanks to our local and state legislators. Plus Sen. Lois Wolk, www.RestoreTheDelta.org, www.CalSport.org, and other groups for your efforts defeat-ing the Peripheral Canal bills. That was an extremely important effort !

But please dont stop now. Spending $29 million putting these two gates in key boating waterways is the wrong approach and continues down the path of destroy-ing the Delta and impacting its citizens. We need actions which assure that the water supply and water quality of the Delta will be protected, not gates to block the salt intrusion which would not be occurring if the Delta were being properly managed.

We need to stop the 2-Gates Project now!

Jan McCleeryDiscovery Bay

Are you kidding me?Editor:

I am normally not one to sound off in a public forum, but last weeks article

on the town Web site was enough to moti-vate anybody.

I admit I was not at the Sept. 2 CSD meeting, so I hope something was missing in the description of towns hir-ing of a Web designer to revamp the town Web site. Based on the information provided in the article, including quotes from the CSD offi cers and committee members, it appears to me that blatant cronyism was the basis for selection of NIA Creative.

I had to re-read the part about NIA being selected not with the lowest bid, but with the highest bid! Higher by 300 percent of the next lowest bid! Justifi ca-tion was provided by offi cers and com-mittee members: The proposals were decent. Were not specialists, I didnt get the feeling these were hard numbers they come to the meetings a lot it was that pop, and they are here, they are local.

Are you kidding me? This is how you justify spending an extra $17,000, and ex-ceeding the budget by $3,500? I have been responsible for preparing RFPs and se-lecting contractors in the private world for many years. I have also selected the high-est bidder on occasion because of their expertise, personal experience with them, or job specifi cs. But never have I chosen the highest bidder when the bidders are in completely different ballparks. I would have lost my job for either incompetence or corruption.

If you dont even know what you will be getting or if these are hard

numbers, how can you justify spending so much extra money? How special does the town Web site need to be? Is the town actually selling something? Long-term in-vestment in what? Why does a company that does its work over the Internet need to be local?

It makes me wonder: if the board is willing to make a decision like this on a relatively small town expenditure, how are decisions on projects like road work and landscaping made? CSD, you have lost credibility on this one.

Scott Vickers Discovery Bay

Against the grain of greenEditor:

I have been reading about the Knox Lane project and have a comment for our City Council: Where did you fi nd your expert that stated that owls never had a habitat in that area?

I have property on Live Oak Avenue and over the last 25 years we have had owls on or near our property. I also have an owl that lives somewhere near my Madeira Court property, as I have heard it hooting in the early morning. I like owls and fi nd hearing them a joy.

It seems to me that the council does not care about the fact that Seeno has absolutely no regard for the environment. It cuts down trees, destroys frog and sala-mander habitats, and now owl habitats, with only a whoops as its excuse.

Another thing the council seems to forget is that people spend most of their

lives saving for their homes, and for the council to allow more houses per acre than is in the area devalues these proper-ties. That is totally unfair, and something council members would not want for their own homes.

Our City Council proclaims that it wants Oakley to be a green city. How by destroying trees, overcrowding homes and destroying animal habitats?

Priscilla LadeiraOakley

Action, not answersEditor:

Many people in Oakley believe the City Council is not responsive to concerns and objections brought up by citizens, who elected the council members to repre-sent them.

The council meeting of Sept. 8 is an excellent example. Numerous Oak-ley residents object to the design of the proposed Seeno Homes development on Knox Lane, which crowds 34 smaller homes on fl ag lots in an area of existing large rural lots, in violation of the citys residential design guidelines.

A large number of citizens came to the meeting and presented a focused discussion of their objections to this de-velopment. In a strong showing of public support, over 400 petitioned signatures were submitted in support of the citizens request for a two-month delay in project approval, to allow more time to achieve

Letters from page 13A

see Letters page 16A

16A | THEPRESS.NET SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

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NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 09-0026377 Title Order No. 09-8-081570 Investor/Insurer No. 372087434 APN No. 055-060-017-5 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 09/08/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROP-ERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by: LUCAS M ABAO, AND SUSAN J ABAO, HUSBAND AND WIFE AS JOINT TENANTS, dated 09/08/2006 and recorded 11/01/06, as Instrument No. 2006-0351719-00, in Book , Page ), of Of cial Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, will sell on 10/08/2009 at 10:00AM, At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully de-scribed in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 5085 MESA RIDGE DR, ANTIOCH, CA, 945318007. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any

incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the No-tice of Sale is $400,548.16. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashiers checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard-ing title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereun-der, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the Cali-fornia Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, bene ciary or autho-rized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustees Sale duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorders Of- ce. DATED: 06/10/2009 RECONTRUST

COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By:-- Trustees Sale Of- cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 3262350 09/18/2009, 09/25/2009, 10/02/2009Antioch Press No. 06-1617Publish Dates: September 18, 25, Octo-ber 2, 2009

NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 09-0027075 Title Order No. 09-8-082991 Investor/Insurer No. 114482358 APN No. 072-330-044-8 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 01/10/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROP-ERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by: LIAN MILL-WARD, A MARRIED WOMAN AS HER SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY, dat-ed 01/10/2007 and recorded 01/19/07, as Instrument No. 2007-0017387-00, in Book , Page ), of Of cial Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, will sell on 10/08/2009 at 10:00AM, At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest

bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully de-scribed in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 4810 BELFORD PEAK WAY, AN-TIOCH, CA, 94531. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the prop-erty to be sold plus reasonable esti-mated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $569,952.82. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashiers checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, posses-sion or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with

interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the California Civil Code, the declaration from the mort-gagee, bene ciary or authorized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustees Sale duly recorded with the appropri-ate County Recorders Of ce. DATED: 06/04/2009 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By:-- Trustees Sale Of cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 3262439 09/18/2009, 09/25/2009, 10/02/2009Antioch Press No. 06-1617Publish Dates: September 18, 25, Octo-ber 2, 2009

NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 09-0026623 Title Order No. 09-8-082836 Investor/Insurer No. 1703565437 APN No. 096-140-054-6 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 04/04/2007. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROP-ERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as

duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by: DENNIS G. ZROUT A MARRIED MAN AS SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY, dated 04/04/2007 and recorded 04/11/07, as Instrument No. 2007-0105125-00, in Book , Page ), of Of cial Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County, State of California, will sell on 10/08/2009 at 10:00AM, At the Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 1182 RED LEAF WAY, PITTSBURG, CA, 94565. The under-signed Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street ad-dress and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reason-able estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $436,203.82. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will

accept cashiers checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard-ing title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereun-der, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the Cali-fornia Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, bene ciary or autho-rized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustees Sale duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorders Of- ce. DATED: 06/10/2009 RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By:-- Trustees Sale Of- cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 3262395 09/18/2009, 09/25/2009, 10/02/2009Antioch Press No. 06-1617Publish Dates: September 18, 25, Octo-ber 2, 2009

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICES

to Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg and Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch would be in jeopardy and probably killed were nothing done.

To head off that crisis, Transplan, which consists of representatives from East County cities and county govern-ment, unanimously agreed on Sept. 10 to transfer the funds slated for several other local transporation projects to the highway widening/eBART proj-ects.

They agreed to cut the $18 mil-lion for local street maintenance, delete the $11 million for eBART parking and access to the eBART sta-tions, eliminate the $29 million for transit-oriented projects such as the mixed-use villages envisioned near the eBART stations, and slash the $4 mil-lion slated for other East County road projects.

That will still leave a nearly $60 million shortfall based on the original cost estimates for eBART. But plan-ners are expecting construction bids to come in lower than estimated, as has been the case with other major con-struction projects recently. eBART, which originally was expected to cost a little more than $500 million, might cost $40-$55 million less than that due to the favorable bidding climate, said Project Manager Ellen Smith.

She told the Transplan mem-bers that failure to transfer the funds from the other East County projects would jeopardize both eBART and the highway widening, which are con-sidered joined at the hip because the eBART line is designed to travel down the median of the widened highway. Bay Area and state transportation agencies, which are contributing sig-nifi cant funding to both projects, are looking for a solid commitment, and want to see that a sacrifi ce is be-ing made in East County to keep this project alive, Smith said.

But before Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor agreed to transfer the funds, he wanted assurance from Smith that the BART board wouldnt change its

mind on constructing eBART in East County. If East County gives up everything, which is what we are do-ing, we need those funds to stay on Highway 4 eBART, he said.

Smith assured him that the BART directors would not give East Coun-tys funds to another BART project elsewhere in the Bay Area.

Taylor, seeking further assurance, asked, That wouldnt happen over your dead body?

Smith responded, Thats a strong statement, but Ill make that commit-ment.

Taylor explained his caution, saying, BART is notorious for add-ing lines (elsewhere). I want to make sure this line comes down Highway 4. I cannot have Highway 4 built with-out BART. We are joined at the hip. It has to be done. But it has to be done jointly.

Everyone agreed that if addition-al funding were found in the coming years, the other transportation proj-ects would get it.

The projects will not go away, said County Supervisor Federal Glov-er. They will continue to be on the list (of transportation projects). When the revenue comes back in, those proj-ects would be continued. We have a cash fl ow issue (for the highway wid-ening and eBART), and need to go forward this evening to make sure we dont miss any other (construction) deadlines. Its unfortunate that we fi nd ourselves in this downturn in the economy, but it is what it is and we need to try to move forward to make the best of the situation.

The construction bidding process for the next phase of the highway wid-ening from Loveridge to Somersville roads will begin in November. The highway will be widened to four lanes in each direction, including car-pool lanes. Construction is expected to be-gin next year and take three years to complete. The work this year has fo-cused on relocating and constructing gas and electricity lines to accommo-date the widening.

Funds from page 1A

Jim Cox, president of the West Delta Chap-ter of the California Striped Bass Associa-tion, which is based in Antioch. Cox runs sport fi shing charters on the Delta and Bay, and has seen a signifi cant decline in salmon, striped bass and sturgeon, which he believes began with the increased shipments of Delta water south 20 years ago.

I think the failure to pass the (water) bills is defi nitely a victory for us that have been trying to preserve the ecology of the Delta, he said. This is probably the fi rst round (of what) will probably be a long

fi ght. The governor (Schwarzenegger) seems to have a history of: if he cant get it one way he will do it another. I am sure there will be another attempt at it.

Some of the 200 members of his chapter plan to attend a Delta workshop in Brent-wood this Saturday, Sept. 19 beginning at 8 a.m. in the Brentwood Senior Center, 193 Griffi th Lane. The purpose of the meeting is to gain public input on the state-spon-sored Bay Delta Conservation Plan, which includes provisions for a possible peripheral canal. More information is available online at www.baydeltaconservationplan.com.

Delta from page 1A

Marine Cpl. Michael McDaniel, left, is congratulated by Brian Weldon of the Lafayette Flag Brigade during a welcome-home celebration in Brentwood on Sept. 5. McDaniel, a 2001 graduate of Liberty High School, returned to his Oakley home from Iraq on Sept. 2 and was escorted by members of the Warrior Watch Riders, Patriot Sentinel Riders and American Legion Riders motorcycle clubs to the party at the home of friend and fellow Marine Matt Valenzuela, whose own homecoming took place in November. McDaniel has completed his service duty and will attend Sacramento State to study kinesiology.

Welcome home, Marine

Photo by Rick Lemyre

20A | THEPRESS.NET SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

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SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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FIELDING Learn the proper footwork, learn proper elding position and throwing mechanics, learn speci c positions

BASE RUNNING Be a threat on the bases, improve your times, learn proper leads, get better jumps, get the extra base

Sign up at the Antioch Indoor Sports Center Monday Thursday between the hours of 5-7 pm.

You may also email [email protected] or call 925-325-7397 if you have any questions.

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Led by head baseball Coaches of the 2009 NCS Division 1 Champions;

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other professional baseball instructors.

Karina Nowlan, who tied the world record last year at the Diablo Shores Pro Am Waterski Event in Brentwood, skis up a wall of water at this years event held last weekend. Chris Parrish, Karen Truelove and Chad Scott were the top winners. About $500 was raised for the Police Athletic League and the turnout was great, according to co-organizer Greg Badal.

Raising the curtain

Photo by Bill Klipp

If youd like to see your favorite team or athlete more often in our sports pages, just send us a short write-up, preferably with photos. E-mail your articles and photos to [email protected]. Space limitations might prevent us from publishing every last submission, but well try to squeeze in everything we can.

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4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

Freedom golfers get to know new home

For eight years Freedom Highs golf team has called Shadow Lakes its home-fi eld course and enjoyed its rolling hills, manicured fairways and spacious greens in a facility upscale enough to strictly enforce a dress code and offer wine tasting events. Photos of past Falcon teams adorned the walls, the team was feted with banquets, hosted numerous tournaments and saw its coach, Neil Boden, become buddies with Shadow Lakes staff.

Now, after Shadow Lakes corporate offi ce in Southern California decided to start charging the school $20,000 per year for the privilege of playing its course, Freedoms golfers have been forced to acclimate to their new home course on Bethel Island, which is smaller, fl atter, less green and surrounded by cow pasture rather than McMansions.

You dont have to worry about break-ing any windows, joked Boden.

Instead the focus is on breaking par, which will be a challenge until the players get more familiar with their new digs. Freedoms girls team lost to an excellent Deer Valley squad 221-248 last week on a 100-degree day with little shade for relief. Fortunately, the mother of one of the Freedom players followed along in a cart with water and re-freshments for players on both teams.

Other than the soft whirr of the elec-tric carts and occasional mooing of a cow,

its quiet on the Bethel Island course. Golf is by far the quietest high school sport and perhaps the most sportsmanlike. Players (at least the girl players) regularly compliment a good shot made by an opponent. Six players from each school compete, paired in three foursomes, with usually the two best players from each team in the fi rst foursome.

As the fi rst two groups played the 150-yard par three third hole, Boden talked about what its been like to make the transition to the rural course after the comparatively posh Shadow Lakes, where they were ensconced due to one of the owners also being the fa-ther of one of the Freedom players.

I have nothing but nice things to say about Shadow Lakes staff, he said. I de-veloped a really close working relationship with them. They catered to just about every need we had in golf. But their corporate offi ce made some decisions and changed some of their policies. It had a negative ef-fect on us in the sense that we had to leave. Knowing your course is a lot of the game. A tough home course can be a huge advantage against some schools.

I feel quite blessed that Bethel Island stepped up and offered the course and is hosting. We are trying to work out the kinks in terms of communication with golf staff.

They are very open with letting me run my golf program out here, which is nice.

While Shadow Lakes is a much more diffi cult course, Bethel Island has its own challenges. For example, the greens are a lot harder, so its more diffi cult to get an ap-proach shot to stick on the green.

On the third hole the girls were attempt-ing to land their balls a few yards in front of the green and run them up on the put-ting surface. But Maddison LeRoys tee shot landed on the cart path on the right side of the fairway, forcing her to take a drop. She dumped her next shot into the bunker, then came out too hard, landing on the other side of the green far past the hole.

Its a completely different style of golf course, said Boden. At Shadow Lakes the greens were very, very large. The greens are much like the fairways here. Getting a ball to land and stick out here is diffi cult. Basi-cally its learning to play your home course. Theres no (home) advantage. We are learn-ing just like our opponents are.

Freedoms team does, however, have one big advantage this year: the return of three qualifi ers in last years NCS playoffs: LeRoy, Ysabel Cabreira and Miranda Her-man. Cabreira fi nished fi rst for Freedom with a 42 on the fi rst nine holes, which is all that they play, coming in second overall. Le-Roy fi nished with 47.

The loss dropped Freedom to 2-1 on the season while Deer Valley remained un-defeated at 3-0.


Freedoms Ysabel Cabreira sinks a putt on the second hole as a Deer Valley player looks on in their match on Bethel Island last week.

Photo by Dave Roberts

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 5B

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Sports links Visit www.thepress.net for the full stories.Diehards capture ClassicThe Diehard Baseball Club 16U team re-cently added another trophy to its case.

Patriots pick GrapeCornerback Alex Hull picked off two passes as the Delta Patriots JV West picked up their third straight win at the Lodi Grape Bowl.

Alum honoredFor Gerald Houseman, success in volley-ball didnt end when he graduated from Liberty in 2005.

Making wavesDiscovery Bays Justin Payton, 17, took third in the Junior Mens Divi-sion at the recent WWA World Cham-pionships

Brentwood Press_9.18.09

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