brentwood press_01.13.12

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2A | THEPRESS.NET JANUARY 13, 2012

JANUARY 13, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

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ing affordable housing in the state of Cali-fornia and how it is dealt with and how the state controls most of what happens in affordable housing, Romick informed the public during Tuesdays council meeting.

The approval of the application is a matter of municipal housekeeping to keep the city in compliance with state law, but the council does have the right to say no. However, that could result in a lawsuit which the developer would likely win, City Manager Bryan Montgomery said at an impromptu community meeting on Mon-day.

Residents who attended Mondays meeting acknowledged that since the city has already approved the construction of three other apartment buildings, they can do nothing to stop it. But they expressed deep concern about how the infl ux of new residents would impact schools and com-munity safety. Residents whose homes border the apartment complex are par-ticularly concerned about how to keep their residences from being vandalized by tenants who break through their wooden fences to create a shortcut to get across town.

I dont know what to do, Michaela Stafford said. They tear down our fence and stomp through our yards. We fi x the fence and they just do it again. I dont feel safe letting my children play in our front yard because you never know who is going to come barreling through. ... Something needs to be done. I should feel safe in my own neighborhood.

Similar concerns were shared on the Oakley Watchdog Facebook forum. Some fear that more low-income housing will bring more troublemakers to the area, re-sulting in an increase in crime. But Valerie Castaldi asked her fellow Oakley residents to keep in mind the law-abiding citizens who qualify for low-income housing and need a roof over their heads.

Did you know there a lot of peo-ple losing their houses? asked Castaldi. Some of us have lost our spouse then our house. Our last resort is probably this housing. Who are you to tell me (that) me and my children dont deserve this?

The council has no legal basis for de-ciding who moves into the apartments at Carol Lane. Oakley is subject to the Re-gional Housing Needs Allocation, which requires cities to plan for low-income housing based on the size of the citys population. In Oakleys case, the city must allow for approximately 900 units of low-income housing to stay in compliance with state law.

Montgomery said he understands the publics concern regarding the issue, but there isnt much that can be done from a legal standpoint: The city staff is not anx-ious; it is not excited; it is not happy about this application. This isnt something city staff supports, but it is an application that we have to respond to. And there are cer-tain rules and regulations mandated by the state that require us to respond. Its a very diffi cult situation we fi nd ourselves in.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Housing from page 1A

Karentma Fujinaga and her 9-month-old daughter Kaylie were on hand for the rst meeting of the City Council in the new Brent-wood City Hall. The 150-seat chamber features state-of-the-art display and communication equipment, and is considerably larger than the councils former environment. Im as nervous as my rst meeting as mayor, said Mayor Bob Taylor with a nod to observers in the back of the room. Its harder to hit us with tomatoes because youre way back there. A formal opening is set for Feb. 14.

Dazzling dais

Photo by Richard Wisdom

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JANUARY 13, 2012

Locals skate with the stars

The marquee event at a local skating rink returns on Sunday with a little more starpower.

Michael Chack headlines the lineup at the popular fi gure skating exhibition Holiday on Ice Show, located at the out-door ice rink at The Streets of Brent-wood. Chack has skated the world over, including several top-10 performances at the U.S. Nationals competition.

Chack and a host of skaters from the East Bay will wow the crowd at the Holi-day on Ice event, slated for Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Attendees are invited to skate with the performers after the show.

The show is the fi nale for the Holi-day on Ice program, which sets up at The Streets of Brentwood each winter and gives local residents a chance to lace em up and hit the ice.

Its even more fun to do a little show at the end, organizer and rink co-owner Lynn Roberts said, to show our commu-nity what skating is all about.

Throughout the fi rst three seasons of the Holiday on Ice Show, a skating sibling pair from Brentwood was the main attrac-tion. However, after an injury forced them out of consideration, Roberts was forced to fi nd a replacement. A longtime ice skat-ing coach, she pulled some strings and was able to bring Chack to Brentwood.

Born in New York City, Chack now lives in San Francisco, coaches young skaters and tours with an international group called, coincidentally, Holiday on

Ice. Chack has competed in the U.S. Na-tionals event seven times, placing third in

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

Fitness on Facebook

see Skating page 10A

Our next contest is in full swing on thepress.net Facebook page, and fi tness is what this ones all about.

The Fitness Resolution So-lution Sweep-stakes, spon-sored by Delta Valley Athletic Club, runs un-til Jan 23. The prize is a three-

month membership to Delta Valley Ath-letic Club, plus a one-hour session with DVACs health and wellness consultant. The award-winning health club is excited to be part of this opportunity to provide the lucky winner with a fi tness jump-start for the new year.

To enter the contest, visit us on Face-book (www.facebook.com/thepress.net) and click on Sweepstakes. The winner will be selected in a random drawing and announced on Jan. 27.

Theres also a special place on our Web site, www.thepress.net, where you can easily keep up with the latest contest, learn whats next, and view results from previous contests. Go to www.thepress.net/pages/ara_contests_games to check it out, and be sure to click Like while youre there.

Michael Chack, who has traveled the world with the international Holiday on Ice company, performs in Brentwood on Sunday as the headliner of a gure skating show featuring local skaters.

Photo courtesy of Holiday on Ice

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Hwy 4 Bypass & Sand Creek Rd.Is it just me or do we all feel like

cleaning house after the holidays? The day after New Years I open all the win-dows and start packing away anything red and green, pull out the vacuum and start rearranging furniture. I must not

be alone because how else can you ex-plain all the plastic storage bins on sale at Target?

I really got into it this year and began tackling the projects Ive been putting off since Labor Day. I orga-nized the silverware drawers, threw out a bunch of old coffee

mugs, organized my spice cupboard and whittled down my three junk draw-ers to two. Hey, that was a big job!

One menial task Ive been putting off for a long time is matching socks. This might not sound like a time-con-suming task, but in a house of seven, we have over 100 unmatched socks. They sat there in the upstairs hallway in two big laundry baskets, glaring at me every time I walked by. Mornings became even more stressful because my kids would end up trying to fi nd a matching pair but were usually unsuc-cessful.

We all started wearing unmatched

socks, which goes against my nature and further complicates the matching process. It became absurd. My husband suggested we just toss them all in the garbage and start fresh, but the miser in me couldnt do it. (This might come as a surprise to many Im a compul-sive shopper who buys on impulse and have been known to come home with a new pair of earrings, only to discover I already own that very same pair.)

But throw out 100 socks? Abomi-nable! I began the tedious task by emp-tying the piles onto the fl oor. Baseball socks, dress socks, mens athletic socks, womens athletic socks, low-rise, crew, those irritating long black socks all the teenage boys are wearing now (yuck!) and whats this? Baby booties? How long have those baskets been sitting there?

My brain couldnt comprehend the arduous task at fi rst. I didnt know where to start. I decided I needed music, so on went the smooth jazz. One pile would be the Hopelessly Crusty or Riddled With Holes pile one pile for boys, one for girls. It was 2 p.m. I dove in.

An hour went by. My mind was so unstimulated, Im pretty sure I dozed off for a few minutes. It occurred to me that this might be what hell is like. Must keep matching, I told myself and forged on.

Another half hour passed and I

realized I wasnt even looking at the socks. My hands were in high gear now. Matching, rolling them into a ball, sorting into the correct pile. I was de-veloping Matrix-like matching skills. I didnt need to see the match; I could feel the match.

My one big unmatched pile slowly became three beautiful, orderly piles except, of course, for the Hopelessly Crusty or Riddled With Holes pile. Into a garbage bag they went.

It was getting dark outside now. Id spent 2 hours with socks! My hands were gnarled and arthritic from all the sock rolling, but I was fi lled with a sense of accomplishment. Dresser drawers were now fi lled to the brim with socks and the hallway was fi nally clear.

One thing I did fi nd irritating is that my family never came looking for me. During that long purgatory of sock insanity, they relaxed, watched football, ate snacks, played Xbox and texted friends. The next morning they didnt need to scramble in vain for a sock match. Perhaps my hard work was all in vain.

Luckily Ive got one more tedious task that needs doing, and Ill let my family handle that one: cleaning the grout in all three bathrooms. Ill make sure Im out shopping for earrings that day.


A task of the menial sort

HANGIN INTHERE

VICKI MCKENNA


Wells Fargo Bank Mount Diablo Market President Bob Ceglio, center, recently presented a pair of organizations with dona-tions to aid their efforts to support local schools. On the right is Liberty Union High School District Ed Foundation President Karen Rarey with a $5,000 check. On the left is Brentwood Union School District Edu-cation Foundation President Wendy Herman, who accepted a $10,000 check. Wells Fargo also presented teacher support grants to the Antioch Uni ed School District, Oakley Union Elementary School District and the Seeking Excellence in Educational Development Foundation of the Byron Union School District.

Beneficent bank

Photo courtesy of LUHDEF

The 23rd District Agricultural Associa-tion (DAA) Board of Directors announced Monday the opening of a search process for a new chief executive offi cer. Current CEO Lori Marshall resigned as of Dec. 7, 2011.

We look forward to this opportunity for change, said Board President Lynette Busby. Lori Marshall has done an excellent job with the Contra Costa Fair and we wish her every happiness. Now we need to fi nd the best per-son to take our strengths forward and lead us into the future. We need a sharp and excep-

tional administrator who will implement the boards policies and manage the day-to-day operations of the fair with business acumen, vision and commitment to the community purpose of this organization.

Requests for application and position in-formation may be obtained by writing: CEO Selection Process, 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch, CA 94509. All applications must be submitted according to form and be accompanied by a resum and a list of fi ve references. Applica-tions must be received by Feb. 15.

County fair seeks new CEO

Across the country, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become a call to service in honor of his memory. Inspired by this spirit of com-munity and volunteerism, Congressman Jerry McNerney announced that he will dedicate January as a Month of Service, and encourages others to volunteer their time when they can.

Throughout the month, McNerney will be participating in various volunteer efforts throughout his district. He kicked off his volunteer efforts this week by teaching folks at the Dublin Senior Center how to play the popular puzzle game Sudoku.

It doesnt always take money to contrib-ute to our community, McNerney wrote in a press release. Just taking a few hours to lend a hand in your neighborhood benefi ts you, your family and friends. When our commu-nity thrives, we all benefi t.

Locally, East County residents can par-ticipate in the Month of Service when the

Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed hosts its annual Day of Service Community Cleanup. On Monday, Jan. 16, volunteers will gather from 9 a.m. to noon at Almond Park, Creek-side Park and the OHara Avenue Demonstra-tion Garden all in Brentwood to remove weeds and plant new native plants. For more information, visit www.fomcw.org.

Participants in the Month of Service can submit photos, anecdotes or videos of their efforts at [email protected]. Some of the volunteer efforts will be featured on McNerneys website, www.mcnerney.house.gov, as well as on his offi cial Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jerrymcnerney.

I encourage folks to participate in this worthy effort, McNerney said. Just as Mar-tin Luther King, Jr. Day has spurred a spirit of service, I hope that we can make January a month to rededicate ourselves to our com-munity.

Month of Service promoted

JANUARY 13, 2012 ARTS THEPRESS.NET | 7A

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very carefully. It is from Lender Processing Services, Inc. and it tracks the % of loans that are delin-quent (red line) vs. foreclosures (green line) across the U.S.

Historically, delinquency leads foreclosure. When delinquencies go up, foreclosures rise a few months later and vice versa. You can see that both lines stayed within cer-tain ranges all the way up until about mid-2007, at which point they both started rising rapidly. This was the beginning of the crash where values dropped so suddenly. Then in 2009, the foreclosure moratoriums kicked in, so delinquencies continued to rise, but fore-closures fell. Since then delinquencies have dropped, and foreclosures have flattened out.

I think delinquencies have dropped due to two main reasons. The first is that eventu-ally many delinquent loans become either a foreclosure or a short sale. Once either of those happen, the loan is no longer reported

as delinquent. The second reason would be that loan mods have gotten much better the last few years, and once the mod goes through, the loan is reported as current. The bottom line is that delinquency has dropped, but both delinquency and foreclosures are still at very high levels compared to the past.

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

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Liberty teen makesX Factor connection

Its still more than a month away, but Liberty High School sophomore Christine Wojcik is already thinking about the four-day holiday weekend in February.

In a few weeks shell embark on a road trip to Tucson, Ariz. with her family, including cousin Chelsey, with whom shell perform during X Factor contestant Tora Woloshins CD release party.

Its unreal, said Christine, 15. Its a huge opportunity for us, since we hope to have our own CD release party some day. Everything has been happening so fast. Its hard to let it all sink in.

The girls, who perform as CMW (their shared initials), fi rst met with Wo-loshin when they submitted an application

to serve as the opening act for the reality competition star, who played the East Bay Holiday Classic halftime show last month. The opening acts had already been select-ed, but Woloshin wanted to give the girls a shot and invited them to open for her show at the Lesher Center of the Arts in Wal-nut Creek. The girls performed four songs, including two originals. Woloshin enjoyed their performance so much that she asked them to come to Arizona for the release party.

It was insane, said San Ramon resi-dent Chelsey, 16. When we fi nished, she pulled us into a side room and asked that no one else come in. She told us that she loved our act and wanted us to perform at the party next month. We were so lucky to

Liberty High School sophomore Christine

Wojcik, left, along with her cousin

Chelsey, right, have been invited to

perform at the CD release party for X Factor contestant

Tora Woloshins new album.

Photo courtesy of Gina Ransom

by Samie HartleyStaff Writer

see X Factor page 16A


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Special-needs persons ALIVE and well

For those with special needs, life is often more of a reactive than proactive experience.

The world for many of these individu-als has just happened to them as opposed to them being able to impact it, said Will San-ford, executive director of Futures Unlimited. But part of what we do is help them stand up for themselves and help them say, Heres who I am and heres what I want.

For the past 20 years, Sanfords organiza-tion has been doing just that quietly chang-ing, empowering and forever making better the lives of those with disabilities through a program called ALIVE (Actively Living and Involved in a Variety of Endeavors).

Serving under the umbrella of the nonprofi t organization Futures Unlimited, ALIVE helps those with signifi cant physical handicaps and/or mental disabilities ages 18 and up transition to the next phase of their lives, whether it be school, work or volunteer opportunities.

The question always is: how do you get them into the adult world? said Sanford. K-12 is focused on that segment of the pop-ulation but the question then becomes: what will that individual be doing when they grad-uate? Will they be going to work, college?

Conversely, older clients in the program some in their 40s and 50s have come to ALIVE looking to enhance, enrich and enjoy their lives in more ambitious ways.

Kimberly Williams, 47, is one such per-son. Born into a state institution, the devel-opmentally disabled Antioch resident lived for a time with family members, but spent the majority of her childhood and adoles-cence bouncing from group home to group home. Drawn to the ALIVE program nearly 20 years ago, Williams now lives on her own, rides public transit, serves on a consumer-ac-tion committee and is also a board member of the Contra Costa Developmental Disabili-ties Council.

For Williams, the gift of ALIVE has

been independence. I love the fact that I get to make my own choices, she said. I live on my own and I wouldnt have it any other way.

Andrew Gambon has a similar story. A veteran of charitable groups and organiza-tions, Gambon, 51, experienced his share of programs before fi nding his niche in ALIVE. Today, the East County resident is an advo-cate for and a member of a consumer-advo-cate committee that helps those with develop-mental disabilities. He lives on his own and works a part-time job in an area restaurant.

Like Williams, Gambons measure of success in ALIVE has been the opportunity to take care of himself. I get out and about in the community, he said, and I actually have a say in what I do and where I go.

Williams and Gambons stories are only two in a growing anthology of ALIVEs suc-cesses. We have all age groups of individuals, many of whom just kind of slipped through the cracks, said Sanford. We support about 20 folks at Los Medanos College, many with the hope of moving onto a four-year. Some are just coming out of high school and others are older when they were 20, college wasnt an option. We also have a group who formed a consumer-action committee that has taken on roles of advocacy. Its quite a range of folks.

Funded through the Regional Center of the East Bay, ALIVE has deep roots in East County and throughout Contra Costa. Op-erating locations in Antioch and Concord, ALIVE serves hundreds of residents, some living independently, many with their fami-lies and others residing in group homes based on their particular situations. But all strive to integrate themselves into the community in productive and meaningful ways.

East County is a tight-knit community that embraces this program and our efforts, said Sanford. Its been very successful.

For more information on the ALIVE program, call 925-284-2340, or visit www.fu-tures-explored.org.


by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

ALIVE participants take in a production of Wicked in Walnut Creek. Among its many services, the nonpro t organization helps individuals with disabilities enjoy social and community activities.

Photo courtesy of Futures Explored

JANUARY 13, 2012 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A

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GED prep course opens doors digitally

for the program through Liberty Adult Ed, the cost is $45. The course offi cially launched this week, but 20 spaces are still available and Torres will continue to register students until all spaces are fi lled. To register, apply at Lib-erty Adult Ed, 929 Second St. in Brentwood, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call 925-634-2565 or e-mail Torres at [email protected].


Potential employers look for two things on your resum: experience and education. Job opportunities for those without a high school diploma are scarce, especially during the recession, but a General Educational De-velopment (GED) certifi cate opens a lot of doors.

More and more people without high school diplomas are seeing the necessity for a complete secondary education to succeed in a competitive workforce, said Liberty Adult Education GED Instructor Tara Tor-res. Completing the GED opens door pro-fessionally, but it also does a lot for a persons self esteem.

Liberty Adult Education in Brentwood now offers an online GED prep course that allows participants to practice for the GED at their leisure. The class is self paced, and students get to spend more time on the areas where they personally need to improve. Partic-ipants can save course work for the weekend or do it in pieces during the week. They can even attend class in their pajamas.

Offering the online option is important because not everyone has time in their sched-ule to commit to an arranged class time, Tor-res said. The online class offers convenience. Over the course of 10 weeks, you can study when its right for you, whether thats fi rst thing when you get up or after youve put the kids to bed for the night.

In California, those 18 and older (age 17 in special circumstances) are invited to take the GED exam, which covers reading, writ-ing, math, science and social studies.

Torres said the online prep course is also benefi cial for those looking to improve com-puter literacy. Since GED tests will be paper-less by 2014, computer literacy will be a neces-sity. But for the technologically challenged, a face-to-face class time will be established on Mondays for those who need assistance with the GED prep program or the educational material.

Liberty Adult Education runs the course through www.passged.com. The site is open to anyone looking to prepare for the GED, but the standard cost is $100. If you register



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Brentwood cops lock up holiday spiritThe men and women of the Brent-

wood Police Department recently con-ducted their annual Christmas Shop With a Cop event, reaching out to 13 under-privileged children from Brentwood and Oakley. Offi cers devoted their day off to participate in the event.

The children were chosen by admin-istrators of the Brentwood Union School District; selections were based on fi nancial hardship. Many of the childrens parents have been unemployed or lead single-par-ent households. Children participating in the Shop With a Cop program purchase gifts for their families and themselves a welcome reprieve from the harsh realities of their daily lives.

This years program was made pos-sible by generous donations from the Brentwood Police Offi cers Association, the Brentwood Police Activities League, the Brentwood Regional Community

Chest, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Brentwood Rotary Club.

Fifteen police offi cers along with the Police Explorers from Post 415 and staff from the Brentwood Police Department set out at 7:30 a.m., picking up the chil-dren and transporting them to the Brent-wood Caf, where owner Paul Boulos donated a Christmas breakfast to all in attendance. Santa and Mrs. Claus even fl ew down from the North Pole to meet the children.

Then the group was off to the An-tioch Walmart, where each child was given a gift card and special Christmas gift basket provided by Walmart employ-ees. In an act of spontaneous generosity, a Walmart shopper watching the Shop With a Cop activities was moved to pur-chase one childs entire cartful of gifts to the tune of $156. Another shopper made a cash donation to the event.

1993. He was in fi rst place until his fi nal run, when he slipped and fell after a part of his costume came loose.

Roberts is ecstatic to bring a fi gure skater of Chacks caliber to East County. Hes just really dynamic to watch, Rob-erts said. Hes the sweetest guy ever and a beautiful skater an absolutely fantas-tic skater. Everybody used to say when he was competing that he was technically so

far above whoever he was skating with. Its going to be awesome to have him.

The Holiday on Ice Show will also feature several talented young fi gure skat-ers from the East Bay. Roberts noted that Haywards Michelle Ito and Lizzy Goatz of Fremont, of the Bay Area Amateur Competitive Skaters, should give crowd-pleasing performances.

The show wont be without East County representation, as Isabelle Yoo of

Brentwood is also scheduled to perform. The Adams Middle School sixth-grader is one of Roberts pupils, and Roberts is excited to show East Bay residents what shes been watching for years.

Skaters will range in age from young kids through high schoolers, fi nishing with Chacks performance.

The show is about heres where they start and heres what it looks like at the end, and then were going to have Mi-

chael, Roberts said.Though our early winter has been

unseasonably warm, Roberts said peo-ple have still been coming out to skate around. This year, roughly 30,000 skaters have taken a spin on the Holiday on Ice rink.

For more information, visit www.brentwoodholidayonice.com. To purchase tickets, call 925-513-1702.


Skating from page 4A

Honey Crosby enjoys a breakfast visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus during the Brentwood PAL Shop with a Cop event.

Photo courtesy of Roger Wilson


Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Evolution

Advertisement

With the United States run at the 2014 FIFA World Cup just getting ramped up, we should refl ect on just how far our young squad has come: roughly 40 jour-nalists are following the United States Na-tional team throughout their 2014 World Cup campaign. Th is fi gure was more than double that of the 2002 World Cup and, according to U.S. Soccer spokesman Michael Kammarman, included journalists from Italy and the Czech Republic. I com-pare 2002 to 2012 (and the run towards 2014) to see just to see how things evolve, progress, and become better

In 2002, many loan offi cers not all, but way too many acted more like order takers than lending leaders. If someone wanted a house, and they had a pulse, they could aff ord a house. Stated loans were the future and allowed everyone a piece of the American dream. At that time pre-approval was no more than a credit score and a stated incomepre-qualifi cation did not even exist. Fast forward to 2012, and, just as the United States national soc-cer team is being taken a bit more serious in their 2014 bid for the Cup, the lending industry is being taken much more seri-ously and its processes have evolved.

Th e fi rst step to homeownership is now pre-qualifi cation; a one page form that includes an authorization to run credit and a guestimated income supplied by potential buyer without any documents

to back it up. Th is form, and the infor-mation it supplies, will allow the lender to determine whether or not it is worth the potential buyers time to put together the documents needed for a real pre-ap-proval. Th is real pre-approval is the most important document one can receive be-fore shopping homes, and is a much more thorough process in 2012.

Pre-approval, in its entirety, is now a complete loan application package which could appropriately be submitted to underwriting at anytime. It includes a completed four page loan application, two months worth of bank statements, the last two years of federal tax returns (and any/all accompanying schedules), and a month worth of pay-check stubs. It is seri-ous business, and buyers who are looking to be taken seriously NEED to go through this process. Lenders pre-approval letters should now be accompanied by proof of the funds needed to close, as well as an automated underwriting system (AUS) approval. If your lender is not supplying your Realtor with this information, simply put, they have not evolved with the times, and, they are not working for you to pro-tect your best interests.

As always, I welcome all questions and or concerns pertaining to real estate lending on my cell phone, 925-726-1444, or via email, [email protected].

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Ronald J. ShinglerAttorney at Law

Free Initial Consultation

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New police dog assigned to Oakley beat

The Oakley Police Departments newest recruit is ready to serve, protect and take a bite out of crime.

Oleg, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, joined the force in September. He rides the beat with his handler, Offi cer David Riddle, and assists in trailing suspects and locating evidence. Hes also trained to pursue suspects in foot chases and ap-prehend suspects, sparing offi cers from employing deadly force.

Oleg is a special dog, Oakley Po-lice Chief Bani Kollo said. Hes unique. Hes full of energy and loves attention, but when it is time to get down to busi-ness, hes a tough worker. Hes been a great addition to the team and he has a great future in Oakley.

When Kollo says Oleg is a hard worker, its not an exaggeration. When Riddle began training with Oleg, the dog was so focused on tracking a scent that he collided with a bush and took a thorn in the eye. Luckily, Oleg suffered no per-manent damage.

Oleg is far different from any oth-er dog Ive ever known, and Ive been around dogs all my life, Riddle said. Hes so relaxed at home, but take him out in the patrol car and he gets jacked up. Hes so animated.

Sometimes too animated. In his fi rst

weeks with Riddle, Oleg would get so ex-cited hed beat his tail against the metal grate in the patrol car until he broke the skin. The vet fi nally decided to dock Olegs tail so that he wouldnt hurt him-self further or get an infection.

Aside from a few extra trips to the vet, Oleg is proving to be a valuable ad-

dition to the department and has already assisted in cases in Oakley and Antioch. When hes not on duty, he stays with Riddle and his family, which includes a German shepherd that has taken a lik-ing to Oleg. But even during his down time, Oleg cant take his mind off work. He has his own kennel, complete with a

dog bed, but sleeps in the patrol car on occasion.

Its funny, Riddle said. I tuck him in with blankets to make sure hes comfortable. I check on him to see if he wants to come out, but he loves to sleep in the car. Hes a unique personality. Hes a great dog.

But what makes Oleg truly special is that hes a gift from the Oakley commu-nity. When Kollo learned that Riddle had training in the K-9 division and was inter-ested in becoming a handler, Kollo spoke to Jim Frazier, who was Oakley mayor at the time. Frazier, president of Friends of Oakley, helped organize fundraisers and spread the word about Oakleys need for a second K-9 unit and the community responded. Local businesses and resi-dents contributed more than $12,000 to bring Oleg over from Germany and send him through K-9 training.

It was a real grass-roots effort to bring Oleg on board, Kollo said. He is Oakleys dog. We wouldnt have Oleg if it wasnt for kind-hearted people in this community, and hes out to make them proud.

Oleg is Oakleys second police dog. Shadow, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, is in the prime of his K-9 career, and Kollo said by the time Shadow is ready to retire, Oleg will be in his prime, ready to take over as top dog.


Oakley Police Chief Bani Kollo introduces Oakleys new K-9 Oleg and his han-dler, Of cer David Riddle, during a December City Council meeting.

Photo by Samie Hartley


14A | THEPRESS.NET MILESTONES JANUARY 13, 2012

The Seasons Greetings sign consumed more than 100 hours of time and required meticulous placement of 300 tiny red lightbulbs. It was no easy task for Eagle Scout Sebastian Salmeron of Antioch Troop 153 to create.

I learned a lot about patience and determination by having to place 300 bulbs precisely onto 16 letters. If one bulb was off even just a smidge, the entire sign would either look crooked or would not fi t properly on the rooftop, said Sebastian. In fact, in my fi rst trial run, the practice letters I made were too big to fi t on the hospitals rooftop, so I had to scale them down. But after a year of planning, I was so proud when I saw the Seasons Greetings sign light up the hospitals rooftop.

The bright and shiny red sign, 43 feet in length, is seen not only by patients and visitors at Sutter Delta Medical Center, but by the tens of thousands of drivers who use the Lone Tree Way corridor every day.

I felt like it was quite an accomplishment

because I knew that so many people would see the sign every day, said Sebastian. I know Ive left my mark on the city I grew up in, so it makes me feel like I made a difference. I would like to thank Sutter Delta for giving me the opportunity to make this sign.

The sign helped Sebastian earn his Eagle Scout badge, which gave him a terrifi c feeling but knowing he has created something that will last for years makes it even more special.

It has been approximately three years since the medical center was forced to take down its original Seasons Greetings sign.

Weather took its toll on the 20-year-old sign, so we had no choice but to take it down, said Tim Bouslog, Sutter Deltas materials and facility director. Im extremely impressed with Sebastian. This wasnt an easy project to tackle, and instantly, as soon as we turned on the lights, we received so many compliments from patients, visitors and passers-by, whove thanked us and told us how nice it is to see holiday cheer.

Contributed by Angela Juarez-Lombardi

Scout sets season aglowPhoto courtesy of Angela

Juarez-Lombardi

Eagle Scout Sebastian Salmeron

of Antioch Troop 153 worked to resurrect

the Seasons Greetings sign,

which was absent from the Sutter

Delta Medical Center roof for

three years.

Arleen Ames Thompson ChallbergArleen Ames Thompson

Challberg was born in Chicago on March 4, 1916 and died on Jan. 1, 2012 at the age of 95.

She was the daughter of Paul and Amanda Ames and lived much of her life in Oak-land. Arleen graduated from Oakland High School and went to work at Southern Pacifi c in San Francisco as a keypunch operator. She married Harold Thompson in 1940 and followed him to his wartime postings in Susanville and Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. where he served as a civilian fl ight instructor for the U.S. Army.

A homemaker for the rest of her life, she was devoted to her family and home. Harold died in 1984, and four years later, Arleen married Clifford Challberg, who died in 1998.

She moved to Summer-set in 2002 and enjoyed living there, making many friends and participating in the social life of the community. She attended Resurrection Ministry Luther-an Church while living there. In 2010, she moved to Eskaton Assisted Living facility and was very happy living there with her little Yorkie, Angel.

Arleen is missed by her daughter, Bonnie Thompson

Reece-Oliver, and son, Ronald Thompson; fi ve grandchildren, Annette Carpenter, Pat Hurst-Alger, Laura Carpenter, Scott Thompson and Blake Thomp-son; six great-grandchildren, Jared Bickers, Justin Bickers, Ashley Bickers, Thomas Hurst, Amanda Hurst and Kayla Carpenter; and six great-great-grandchildren, Ieke Bickers, Zoe Bickers, Nova Lee, Grace Bickers, Skyla Easter and Isaac Carpenter.

A celebration of her life will be held at Resurrection Ministry Lutheran Church on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. Donations may be made to Shepherds Gate, 605 Sycamore Ave., Brentwood, CA 94513.

OBITUARY


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get asked to play at the Lesher Center, but to get invited all the way out to Arizona its crazy. But a very good kind of crazy.

Chelsey and Christine have been sing-ing together for as long as they can remem-ber. Christines mother, Gina Ransom, can attest to the many summer afternoons spent in a melody-fi lled house. They have a gift, she said. And Im not just saying that because Im family. When these girls sing, theres something special that hap-pens. Their voices just click.

The girls, who describe their style as a pop-country hybrid, also connect artis-tically, writing songs and arranging them at a homemade recording studio. The dis-tance can be challenging for the creative process, but the girls are so in sync that theyre able to accomplish a lot during their time apart.

Its scary how in tune we are with each others thoughts, Christine said. It makes writing a lot of fun. Were always working on new things and playing around

with new ideas. Sometimes you come up with a song or a piece of a song, but we never stop. Were both really dedicated to pursuing a music career.

CMW has gained a modest local fol-lowing and hopes to attract new fans when their song Incomplete appears on the soundtrack for too perfect, a local inde-pendent fi lm scheduled for release later this year. The girls are also planning a trip to Los Angeles to record a demo. If all goes well, theyd like to compile a full-length album by the end of summer. And theyre gearing up to hit the local festival circuit to gain more exposure in the Bay Area.

This is a complete adventure in un-charted territory for us, but I couldnt think of doing it with anyone else, said Chelsey.

We make a great team, Christine agreed. Its exciting to go after your dream with your best friend beside you. I wouldnt have it any other way.

To listen to songs performed by CMW, visit www.soundcloud.com/tangowhiskey or follow the girls on Facebook.


X Factor from page 7A

Two upcoming events form the van-guard of Brentwoods 2012 Relay For Life effort, marking the citys eighth consecu-tive year of fundraising and support for the American Cancer Societys research, education, advocacy and free patient ser-vices for cancer patients and their families.

The public is invited to attend a Kick Off event Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Liberty High School Library, 850 Second St., where returning teams and those interested in joining or form-ing a new team will learn whats new for 2012.

The second event will take place in the Liberty High School Cafeteria, 850 Sec-ond St., on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m., when a Relay Rally will be held for busi-nesses, church groups, service organiza-tions, friends and neighbors. Participants will experience a mini Relay, hear an inspi-rational address and enjoy snacks, prizes and fun. Discounted registration for the 2012 Relay For Life of Brentwood will be offered at both events.

According to 2012 Event Chair Lynn

Gursky, Nearly all of our lives have been touched in some way by cancer. In 2011, 3.5 million Relay For Life participants raised over $400 million in over 5,100 events nationwide.

For all of the families on a cancer journey, these efforts provide the pre-cious gift of hope. Our family is extremely grateful for that gift. Hope kept us all go-ing through some diffi cult times, and now I invite all of you to join us as we pay it forward. Get involved: join a team, form a team, sponsor, donate.

Brentwoods 2011 Relay For Life event marshaled the efforts of 64 teams and 814 registered participants, who raised $209,650 to support the work of the Amer-ican Cancer Society. Nearly 200 cancer survivors attended the 2011 Relay to help celebrate the lives of fellow survivors, re-member those lost to cancer and fi ght back against the disease.

For more information, visit www.re-layforlife.org/brentwoodca, call Gursky at 925-634-4913 or e-mail rfl [email protected].

Brentwood gears up for Relay For Life

Fire tax factorsEditor:

An open letter to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection district chief and commissioners:

I would like to provide input as a member of the public for your consid-eration. I have read and followed the issues. My opinions are based on the in-formation from documents, not hearsay.

I do sincerely believe that fi nancial relief for the district is essential to its success. I also believe that where and how funds are spent will play a huge part of the ballot measure success, too. Of course, we will not know until the residents respond on the ballot. Please consider or reconsider the following is-sues when fi nalizing your ballot measure:

1. Most important would be the verbiage that defi nes what a developed parcel is. The past 20 years have al-lowed mitigation loopholes for rampant development in the Fire Suppression area. The under-mitigated developments, along with other facets of under-fund-ing, have placed the district in fi nancial ill health. Please close the loophole and describe parcels that have a parcel number or are in the process getting of a parcel number developed to participate fully in the tax.

2. Paramedics on the engines are complimentary to the fi re service provided and generally a good idea. In this case, please consider working with County Health Services to continue QRVs until the fi fth year, when the funds from the tax become suffi cient. The delay of implementing paramedics for a few years will allow other immediate needs addressed today.

3. The 5-percent-increase clause with no sunset is a concern. The EC-CFPD has many fi xed-income residents. I think this places a hardship on those people. It is also not a very good selling point for passage of the measure. An al-ternative to consider would be tying the


OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

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

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

of Contra Costa County.

No part of this publication may be reproduced for commerce or trade without written permission from the publisher.

BRENTWOOD PRESS & PUBLISHING CORPORATIONNational Award Winning Newspapers

Founder & President Jimmy ChamouresPublisher & General Manager Greg Robinson

Executive Editor Rick LemyreProduction Manager & Webmaster Lonnie de Lambert

Business Manager Heather Reid

Main Office / Brentwood248 Oak St. Brentwood, CA 94513

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

Advertising 925-634-1441, ext. 115Classifieds 925-634-1441, ext. 142

Editorial 925-634-1441, ext. 111Circulation 925-250-1405

Editorial e-mail [email protected]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR5-percent increase to the assessed parcel valuations and Prop 13. A recalculation of the total value in real property each year would create an average. If that average increases, that increase would be deducted from the 5-percent increase. If that value does not increase or goes down the 5 percent would remain at the maximum.

4. Reopen all closed stations and upgrade existing stations for at least three fi refi ghters per engine. In Oakley, add a second engine and crew and/or build another station.

5. I just read that another wave of multi-story, low-income units will be constructed in Oakley. This along with all the other multi-story buildings in the district is a disaster in the making. Please consider a part of this tax as a priority to purchase and house a ladder truck, and train fi refi ghters for it.

These are the main concerns that I respectfully ask you to consider when fi nalizing your effort to pass this ballot measure.

John A. GonzalesKnightsen

Good fiscal foresightEditor:

The City of Brentwood is com-mended for their foresight. The city manager, during halcyon days of big developer fees, dedicated funds to pay for the General Plan for what will now be the largest State Historic Park in California. A General Plan is required before anything can be done in govern-ment. There is no way that California State Parks and Recreation would have found the money for this effort.

Brentwood city government saw the long-term benefi t for our commu-nity. While California State Parks and Recreation is fi scally hamstrung, we

Brentwood citizens are saving the John Marsh House and moving our new State Historic Park ahead. Well done, Mayor Bob Taylor and City Council!

Carol A. JensenBrentwood

Something to rave aboutEditor:

I live in Seattle, and the Seattle Times has a Sunday section called Rants and Raves.

I have a Rave Id like to address to your paper.

I had a lovely experience while din-ing at Mimis restaurant on Christmas Eve with my 86-year-old mother and sister. Two darling little girls giggled and said, Merry Christmas, as did their father, when passing our table.

At the end of our dinner the waiter informed us that someone had given us a Christmas blessing by gifting us with our dinner.

I was touched with the Christmas greeting by the family and felt totally blessed by their gift.

Leslie Hefl inSeattle

Vets say thanksEditor:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789 and the Ladies Auxiliary (Brent-wood) would like to thank everyone who has participated this year in our poppy drive, pancake breakfasts and community events.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789 is made up of men and women veterans from World War II to the pres-ent who have served in combat areas overseas. We continue our service to all our military veterans still serving and to our community, which includes Brent-

wood, Oakley, Knightsen, Bethel Island, Byron and Discovery Bay.

This year we have donated to local veterans in need. This money goes to prior veterans and veterans returning from zones of confl ict needing help prior to receiving any government ben-efi ts they earn and deserve. It also helps family members of veterans who are deployed to help pay for bills.

This money comes from your dona-tions to our poppy drive. This money is used to support veterans in need in the local community, and this last year alone we provided over $3,500 in relief to local veterans in need.

We hold our Firefi ghter of the Year awards dinner every October, and this year we honored two local fi refi ghters for the VFW Firefi ghter of the Year award.

We hold our Voice of Democracy award dinner every December for local high school students in support of the VFWs national Voice of Democracy speech-writing competition, promoting patriotism and civic awareness to our communitys youth. We awarded $600 in prize money to three students.

We donated $500 this year to Operation Creekside for postage to help mail packages to the troops overseas. We donated $500 to the Brentwood Police Activities League for their annual Christmas Shop with a Cop program.

We recognize our veterans at Vet-erans Park in Brentwood on Veterans Day. We recognize our communitys departed heroes at our annual Memorial Day observance at Union Cemetery.

It is your community contribu-tions and tax-deductable donations and participation that have allowed us to do these programs this year.

Thank you for your support.Steve Todd

Commander, VFW Post 10789

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall150 City Park WayBrentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-516-5440www.ci.brentwood.ca.us

City of Antioch City Manager and City Council City HallTh ird and H streetsAntioch, CA 94509Phone: 925-779-7000www.ci.antioch.ca.us

City of Oakley City Manager and City Council City Hall3231 Main St.Oakley, CA 94561

Phone: 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.gov

County Supervisor, Dist. III Mary N. Piepho181 Sand Creek Road, Suite L.Brentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-240-7260 [email protected]

County Supervisor, Dist. VFederal Glover315 E. Leland Ave.Pittsburg, CA 94565

Phone: [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.govoffi ce.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. Jerry BrownConstituent Aff airsState Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2864 www.gov.ca.gov/interact#email

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi10th Congressional District420 W. Th ird StreetAntioch, CA 94509Phone: 925-757-7187Washington offi ce:228 Cannon HOBWashington, D.C. 20515Phone: 202-225-1880

www. garamendi.house.gov/contact

U.S. Rep. Gerald McNerney 11th Congressional District 2222 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 7 Stockton, CA 95207 Phone: 209-476-8552Fax: 209-476-8587Washington offi ce: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 94111

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net THEPRESS.NET | 19A JANUARY 13, 2012

Follow sports on Twitter! Scan QR code with your smart phone.

Red-hot Lions ready for league play

Recent seasons have been harsh for Liberty Highs boys basketball team. Head coach Jon Heinz is quick to point out that the Lions have reached the North Coast Section playoffs only once since 1985. After a 13-3 pre-season that included victories over several winning teams, Liberty is ready to change that.

While the Lions struggled through last season, that group of players had little experience and exposure to the varsity scene. Only one of last seasons top eight play-ers was lost to graduation. Liberty now fi elds 10 seniors and is poised to compete in a Bay Valley Athletic League occupied by some of the East Bays top teams.

League play opens Friday when Pittsburg hosts Lib-erty, Deer Valley takes on Heritage, and Antioch plays Freedom.

I feel quite confi dent; well be ready to play those teams, Heinz said. Were really jelling as a team. We have a nice little eight-game win streak. We have a lot of confi dence.

Heinz has reason to be confi dent. One of his teams 13 wins came in the Don Nelson Classic against Heri-tage. The Lions have given the Patriots good games in recent years but have been unable to break through, con-sistently fi nishing on the wrong side of the scoreboard. The Don Nelson win is especially pleasing for Heinz, as the 12-3 Patriots were a tough challenge.

The Lions have gotten key contributions from many players. Senior guard Dwayne Burns was the MVP of the Hornet Classic. Senior Juwan Blakeley has also been

key in the backcourt. Sophomore Jonathan Galloways 6 feet, 8 inches gives the Lions the size theyve lacked in recent years.

This group is taking pride in trying to change the past and turn the program around, Heinz said. Theyre really focused on making it a place where theres a suc-

cessful foundation.Forward Darren Meeks has been starting since

his sophomore year, but is now a valuable sixth man. Heinz also identifi ed Julius Jones and Francisco Cor-

Pirates shut out Patriots in BVAL soccer opener

Heritage High boys soc-cer head coach Alex Valdivia acknowledged that Pittsburg might well fi eld the best team his Patriots face this season. He certainly knew that the league opener at the Pirates home fi eld would be a challenge.

Pittsburg validated that reputation, posting a 3-0 vic-tory over Heritage on Tuesday night.

The Pirates leadership showed throughout the match, as all three of their goals were buried by seniors. They got on the board early on a goal from midfi elder Bryan Santos, put-ting Heritage into comeback

mode early. Forward Melvin Swen gave the Pirates (7-5-1) an insurance goal, and added another for good measure. Pittsburgs youth movement did show a bright spot, as freshman goalie Joel Avila notched the shutout.

We fi nished the opportu-nities that we had today, said Pirates head coach Pablo Gay-tan. We got that fi rst goal, and that was huge. I was re-ally happy with the defense. We shifted around well to be sure we mark.

The Pirates enjoyed a suc-cessful preseason, losing to the top teams they played but stay-ing competitive. Heritages non-

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

by Michael DixonCorrespondent

see Red-hot page 20A

Heritage Highs Nick Krahnke, left, pries the ball loose from Pittsburgs Jaime Lopez during Tuesdays game at Pittsburg. The Pirates ended up winning the rst league game.

Photo by Kevin Bartram

see Opener page 25A

Liberty senior forward Darius Brown drives to the lane against Campolindo earlier this season in the Stonebarger Tournament.

Photo by Justin Lafferty

20A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JANUARY 13, 2012

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tez as players who bring the depth to the team. Were going to run all game long because we have so much depth, Heinz said. Were not worried about guys get-ting tired or getting into foul trouble.

That doesnt mean that the Lions wont face troubles in the BVAL. While Pittsburg is experiencing a down year at 3-12, Heinz knows that the Pirates will al-ways give him a rough game, especially in Pittsburg, where the Lions league season begins. He gave defending co-champions Antioch similar respect despite their 2-10 record.

After those two teams, the BVALs preseason was nothing short of stellar.

Senior guard Olajuwon Garner leads Deer Valley with 19 points per game. Ju-nior swingman Kendall Smith and junior center Marcus Lee bring in more than 10 points per game for the 10-5 Wolverines.

As usual, Freedom (11-4) has been a model of consistency, reliant on team depth and outside shooting, and boast an 11-4 record. The Falcons have twice put up 80 points in a game and fi eld talented guards such as James ONeal and Jelani Hardaway.

Despite a loss to Liberty, 12-3 Heri-tage is off to a good start. Theyve shown they can win both low-scoring and high-scoring games. The Patriots have received strong efforts from junior guard George Johnson, senior forward Wayne Engels-tad and sophomore center Shon Briggs.

Though in years past, the BVAL has taken its lumps in the North Coast Sec-tion tournament from East Bay Athletic League powers and others, Heinz feels that this year could be different.

I would take our Top 4 against any league right now, Heinz said. I would put the BVAL against the EBAL, against Oakland, against anyone. Look for these teams to make some real noise in the NCS playoffs.


Red-hot from page 19ALocal grads suit up for playoffsIf your favorite NFL team didnt

make the playoffs, you still have a few reasons to watch the games this week-end. Three local athletes are in the hunt for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

Deer Valley 2007 graduate Sterling Moore lines up at safety for the New England Patriots when they face the Denver Broncos on Saturday at 5 p.m. on CBS.

The Patriots enjoyed a bye week during the first round of the playoffs, but Moore raised some eyebrows the last time his team took the field. In the final week of the regular season, Moore was named the NFLs Rookie of the Week after intercepting two passes against the Buffalo Bills, returning one for a touchdown. After running the gauntlet of training camp with the Oak-land Raiders, the Southern Methodist University graduate caught on with the Patriots and has bounced up and down from the practice squad this season.

Dave Tollefson, who graduated from Los Medanos College in 2000, has played the defensive end position for the New York Giants since 2007. The Giants square off against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on Fox.

Tollefson, a Northwest Missouri State alumnus, started two regular-sea-son games in 2011, recording five sacks and a forced fumble. As a member of the Giants 2007 squad, he earned a ring in Super Bowl XLII.

The Packers also field a local athlete in rookie wide receiver Diondre Borel, a Freedom grad who spent most of the regular season on the practice squad. Borel was a quarterback for most of his career at Utah State, but was signed as an undrafted free-agent receiver, mak-ing the best use of his athletic ability.

New York Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson, a Los Medanos College grad, nds some free space during a game against the Green Bay Packers. Tollefson and the Giants face the Packers in the playoffs on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Evan Pinkus

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Coster was saddled with steep ex-pectations following his stellar freshman season. Even he admits that his goals are sky-high: Bay Valley Athletic League champion, NCS champion and state champion. He wrestles so aggressively, its as if hes always battling for the state title. Coster still has three seasons to achieve those dreams.

That aggression is born of a hatred for losing and a love for competition. Par-sons knows that the frustration and the growing pains Coster feels now will help down the road.

He started wrestling as a kid af-ter watching his cousin, Ben Duran, go through Freedoms youth program and later wrestle for Liberty. Since then, Coster knew his path was set.

It was something to do and I was al-ways active, he said. I didnt want to try anything else.

Though hes only a sophomore, Coster is actually starting to take more of a leadership role on the team. Teammates such as 132-pound senior Roman Garcia who also has aspirations above the NCS level feel theyve learned as much from Coster as theyve taught him.

Coster and Garcia were childhood friends who grew into star wrestlers through Freedoms youth program. When Coster succeeds, Garcia becomes more motivated to do the same and visa ver-sa.

He surprises me all the time when he wrestles, Garcia said. He always tries to push me, and Ill push him. If hes tired, Ill work him. If Im tired, he does the same thing. We push each other to get better, just like we have when we were little kids. Its always been like that. We always want to get better.

Parsons and the Falcons are seeing more signs of growth and maturity from Coster. At a meet earlier this season in Reno, Coster was on the business end of a 5-3 loss from McNairs Daniel Williams a defeat that really got to him. Recently, Coster and Williams squared off again at the Granada Tournament in Livermore.

Not letting his emotions get the best of him, Coster trumped Williams in a 10-2 decision.


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JANUARY 13, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 27A


ANTIOCH

Plenty of Room $253,000There is plenty of room in this 2 story home. With over 2600 sq ft of living space this home offers a formal living & dining rooms, kitchen& family combo, open floor plan, with an easy to maintain backyard.

DISCOVERY BAY

Deep Water Custom Home $435,000 Custom Single Story features 4 bed, 2.5 bath & over 2300sq ft of living space. With a southern exposure and awesome water views this property also offers a remodeled kitchen w/ granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances & a great room/ kitchen combo. It also features beautiful walnut hardwood & tile floors throughout & a U-dock. This is a great home to entertain your guests.

ANTIOCH

Wonderful $189,000A Wonderful home, for first time buyer or investor. Needs some cosmetic repairs. 4 bedroom, 3 full baths, 2390 sq ft of living space, formal dining and kitchen family combo. Close to shopping, restaurants and easy access to freeway. Hurry this wont last. Call Amante 925-628-8882

ANTIOCH

Potential $305,000Wonderful 2 story with 3270 sq ft of living space. It offers a formal living & dining rooms, Kitchen & family combo, 1 bed & bath downstairs and a 3 car garage. It also features a large backyard with covered patio. It needs some work but it will be worth it. A must see.

OAKLEY

Move In Ready $199,900This 2 story property offers 4 beds, 2.5 baths and 1763 sq ft of living space. The property features newer carpets, newer kitchen applianc-es, 2 tone paint, a Formal dining room, kitchen/family combo and living room. It has a half bath downstairs and good size bedrooms upstairs. It has been landscaped in front & back and is close to com-munity pool, new park, shopping and offers easy freeway access.

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Opportunity Knocking $166,500Charming 3 bed 2.5 bath Condo with 1344 sq ft of living space. It features an eat-in kitchen with tile floors and most kitchen appliances, tile in both baths and a cozy backyard with a deck, shed and views of open space. Very close to community pool, playground and shopping.

ANTIOCH

Terraced Delight $136,000 Best Offers Wanted Great Fixer, this property offers 3 beds & 1.5 baths and over 1600 sq ft of living space. The home features hardwood flooring and wall to wall carpet, a covered back patio and a beautiful terraced up backyard.

LIVERMORE

Downtown $168,000Best Offers Wanted. Great Location, offers 3 beds & 2 baths and 960 sq ft of living space. Other features include an inside laundry room, covered patio and deck and a Big driveway.

OAKLEY

Here It Is $165,000Here it is, the home you have been waiting for. This One Story features 4 beds, 2 baths & 1370 sq ft in Turn Key Condition. Includes Upgraded Carpets, tile flooring, dual pane windows, newer appliances and roof, whole house fan and a great open floor plan that makes the home feel far bigger then it is. Wont last long.

LIVERMORE

Possibilities $310,050What possibilities with this large 2 story home. It offers 4 beds & 3 baths with a bonus room and over 1800 sq ft of living space. Other features include hardwood & tile flooring, dishwasher and refrigerator, Ceiling fans, 2 car garage, an easy to manage backyard and is within walking distance to Granada High School.

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2B | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS JANUARY 13, 2012

A place where wellness is Intuitive

Quiet music, soothing scents and friendly staff welcome guests at Intuitive Healing Center Antioch. Offering services

including massage, acupuncture and

aromatherapy, the Center strives

to heal clients bodies, relax their

minds and soothe their spirits and

the peaceful atmosphere that greets

clients is just the beginning.

People who come in here are look-ing for something different, said Julie Jude Byrne, who co-owns the business with fellow licensed massage thera-pists Scott Lawler and Beed Lawler. The spacious Center, which opened in July of 2010, includes massage rooms, acupunc-ture rooms, a dry sauna, and rooms with Jacuzzi tubs for aromatherapy and mineral baths.

Were planning to grow and add

more services, said Beed. Weve done really well to expand so quickly.

Scott attributes their success to the fact that clients treatments speak for themselves. Family and friends are seeing the results, he said.

Most half-hour therapeutic treatments

cost $30, while most hour-long treatments are $59. Clients can also purchase a 15-minute chair massage for $15 or multi-treatment packages ranging from $55 to $150. Massages encompass the feet, the neck, back and shoulders, facial pressure points or a general massage. Re exology,

which Julie described as acupuncture, but no needles, targets pressure points, particularly in the feet, to relieve pain and discomfort throughout the entire body. Re exology treatments can include the full body or pinpoint speci c areas of concern.

A M Y C L A I R E

see Intuitive page 7B

ON THE COVER: Get Fit Pilates owner and instructor Skye Wetherbee coaches Jackie Etherington through a workout.

Owners Julie Byrne, Scott Lawler and Beed Lawler, front, and staff provide a welcoming atmosphere at Intuitive Healing Center Antioch.

Photo by Amy Claire

JANUARY 13, 2012 HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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BrentwoodBrentwood

Made to help you look your best

Whether you want a complete makeover or an update to your favorite style, Made is the place for

you. The new makeup boutique in

Brentwood is the ideal place to play

and experiment with new looks in a

comfortable environment.

A cosmetologist for 20 years, owner Patricia Barreda-Lo Piano knows all the tricks to bring out the inner beauty in her clients. And the best part: transformations neednt be costly.

The problem with women today is that they look in the mirror and scrutinize every aw, Piano said. They are so absorbed in their imperfections that they lose sight of the beauty that is there. You dont need to spend a lot of money on products. You just need to know what products work for you and what techniques can help highlight your beauty rather than cover it up.

When clients rst walk into the Oak Street shop in downtown Brentwood, the rst thing they see is a buffet of colors in the forms of shadows, powders, blushes

and glosses. Piano invites women to stop by anytime to test out products and ask questions about how to nd a desired look. If youre completely clueless about what you want, Piano is more than happy to sit you down and construct the perfect look

based on your lifestyle. She said people dont need to coat their face in makeup to look nice. Its more important to accent your favorite features rather than coat your

S A M I E H A R T L E Y

see Made page 6B

Made Makeup Boutique owner Patricia Barreda-Lo Piano applies makeup for Sandra Odom.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

4B | THEPRESS.NET HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS JANUARY 13, 2012

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Save the Date!Health & Wellness Spa Fair

Sunday, February 5 11AM-4PMJoyful Vibrations Wellness Center

2465 Discovery Bay Blvd. (next to Sports Bar & Steakhouse)

www.joyfulvibrations.comFREE to Public366-7744

An overwhelming variety of over-the-counter pain medications is available in todays marketplace. Recently I heard a warning on TV about acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and related generic products. Since thats what my

mom uses on occasion for pain, I decided to interview her pharmacist, Robert Fox, at Walgreens to get the facts straight.

The FDA has stated that a maximum of 3,000 milligrams or less of products containing acetaminophen is safe in a full 24-hour

period. Since approximately 600 products over-the-counter and prescribed contain acetaminophen, the potential for dangerous medication interaction should be monitored by your doctor for the maximum safe dosages.

When you ingest acetaminophen, a toxic component is metabolized when broken down by the liver. The liver identi es this and holds onto it until it can deactivate it. Too much of this can put

a strain on the liver and cause damage. Although the liver can regenerate, its a good idea, per Fox, to not push the envelope and stick to the recommended maximum dosage. Prescription drugs such as Vicodin and Percocet contain acetaminophen. Your doctor will set the dosage but be careful not to combine these with additional over-the-counter drugs, as you might exceed the limit.

I asked Robert about the difference between OTC pain medications whose primary ingredient is ibuprophen, aspirin or acetaminophen. What an education I got!

Some compounded medications have blood-thinning properties, others contain small amounts of caffeine. There are anti-in ammatory ingredients, and different formulations for different strengths of the same product, so its important to read the labels on everything you buy to make sure the combination medications are free of whatever might give you a harmful reaction.

Recently a loved one got what he thought was a cold. He took a product that raised his blood pressure but

SENIORCORNER

MARLA LUCKHARDT

Understand your over-the-counter meds

see Meds page 6B

I just wasnt happy, said the 42-year-old Brentwood resident. So I did some soul-searching and realized that I have to do what Im really passionate about. Its not about money; its about what I enjoy doing.

What she enjoyed more than anything at the time and ever since were her after-work exercise classes. Especially Pilates.

So the human resources director gave up her dream job, setting off a storm of family gossip and speculation, to earn her Pilates teaching certi cation. My family thought Id lost my mind, she said from her home studio formerly the garage.

Today, the mother of three sons, 8, 6 and 4, runs a studio from her Brentwood home. Wetherbee and her husband, Steve, turned the garage into whats now the Get Fit Pilates Studio as soon as they moved into the place in 2003. By then, Wetherbee had been through about a decade of training and internships, and had racked up a plethora of certi cations in Pilates, Yogilates and massage therapy.

This is how I want my life to be, she said. I work at my home, I get to be there for my kids and Im doing something Im passion-ate about by helping people get into the best shape of their life.

So whats the appeal of Pilates over, say, Yoga? Wetherbee says its the variety and movement. In a Yoga class, you switch from one static pose to another in the same order nearly every time. In Pilates, you keep moving the entire 55-minute class, uidly transitioning from one exercise to another.

We mix it up every time, Wetherbee said. And each workout is tailored to the individual.

The exercise form, invented by German-born physical-culturist Joseph Pilates, has been around for the better part of a century. The U.S. immigrant wanted to develop a psycho-somatic discipline that based every movement on the bodys core the abdominal and back muscles. It uses several pieces of exercise equip-ment custom-made for Pilates, such as the reformer, wunda chair, jump board and spinal corrector. Part of the reason people sign up for one-on-one, duet or group classes led by a certi ed trainer is because they cant afford to buy the equipment themselves.

Pilates appeared on our cultural radar in the 1970s when Hollywood celebrities made it a mainstream phenomenon. Today its the exercise of choice for injured dancers or profes-

sional athletes trying to cross-train their way to a leaner, lither physique.

Antioch resident Holly Quansah, 36, signed up for her rst class with Wetherbee four years ago because she wanted to balance her cardio running workouts with a core-strengthening workout. I think its just a good counterbalance to the running because the running I can do outdoors, which I love, she said. But I otherwise dont take time to do a lot of strengthening and conditioning.

The seamless, core-centered exercises of Pilates can be tailored to any physical ability or background. So when Quansah was in her rst pregnancy, with her now-2-year-old daughter, she turned to Wetherbee to coach her chang-ing body. Currently pregnant with her second child, Quansahs doing the same workouts to prepare for labor. (Wetherbee) has kids of her own, so she knows whats going on with your body during pregnancy, said Quansah, an advertising executive. She helps you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

Wetherbees other clients include a professional waterskiier, pro football player and septuagenarian ice-skater. I enjoy the process of tailoring the workouts to t their needs, she said. Im hard on them; these arent easy workouts, but I do it because I want the best results for my clients.

Interested in trying it out? Wetherbees studio offers free evaluations to determine what workout regimen is best for you. Check out her website for pricing and class schedules at www.get tpilates.com or call 925-584-8888.


JANUARY 13, 2012 HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS THEPRESS.NET | 5B

50 Eagle Rock Way, Suite C BrentwoodLocated in the Vic Stewarts Plaza

240-9777 Fax 470-2247Accepting most insurances Se Habla Espaol

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