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A convoy of motorcycles made its way through Oak View Memorial Park last year to kick-start Antiochs ceremony honoring those who gave their lives for America. The park, located at 2500 E. 18th St., will host the citys Memorial Day festivities Monday, May 28 at 11 a.m. Included in the event are military displays, guest speakers, a motorcycle parade, a POW-MIA Two-bell Ceremony, as well as singers and a dove release.

Thunderous memorial

Press file photo Antioch Riverview Garden Clubs pick for Garden of the Month belongs to Eddie and Sandy Riggins, who have lived in their home at 3606 Longview Road for 48 years. Their lawn was removed several years ago and replaced by a variety of wonderful plants. Its beauty is magni ed in late spring. The Garden Clubs plant sale will be held Saturday, June 2 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Antioch Public Library, 501 W. 18th St. The event features a variety of plants, crafts and gently used garden tools and accessories for sale.

Simply beautifulPhoto by Patricia Prejza

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MAY 25, 2012

As Californias Insurance Commissioner, I am concerned that the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is facing serious budget shortfalls that could signicantly impact your homeowners insurance rates.

Most insurance companies use a Public Protection Classication program that evaluates key areas of re protection including the re departmentsstafng, training and geographic distribution. Measure S on the June 5th ballot will protect your current re protection service.

Without Measure S, 50 percent of reghters will be laid off and three re stations will close. That leaves only eight reghters daily to serve 105,000 residents and answer approximately 6,000 service calls each year. This could cause emergency response times to increase signicantly. This increase could affect your Public Protection Class ratings and increase your insurance rates.

Measure S will give the Fire District the funding it desperately needs to maintain critical re protection. An annual parcel tax of $197 (just 50 cents a day) will ensure adequate re and emergency response services, and stop your insurance premiums from skyrocketing. I urge you to vote Yes on Measure S.

Dave Jones, Insurance Commissioner

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says Vote YES on S

Vote YES on Measure SStop Your Insurance Rates from SkyrocketingVote by mail or on Tuesday, June 5th www.ProtectEastCountyFire.com

Paid for by the Committee to Protect Contra Costa Fire and Emergency Services, FPPC# 1345377

Seminar sheds light on zombie survival

Zombies are never real until they are. Theres no harm in being prepared and knowing how to survive, said Mitch Kocen, one of three speakers at the Brent-wood Librarys Zombie Survival Seminar last Wednesday. The Brentwood Commu-nity Centers community room, where the seminar was held, was packed with approxi-mately 80 students who were enthralled with the awesomely undead subject matter of zombies.

The seminar was a pet project of Brent-wood Librarys Youth Services Librarian Lindsay DuPont.

This is my dream because Im totally into zombies. A lot of the kids here are su-per into it, too, said DuPont, sporting a black T-shirt inscribed with Zombie Re-search Society on the front. Capitalizing on the cultural zeitgeist stirred up by The Walking Dead, a hit TV show on AMC, DuPont was pleased to have captured and sustained the attention span of the 10-17 demographic for two solid hours.

The zombie brains are actually fo-cused, she joked.

Speakers Kocen, Dr. Bradley Voytek and Jack Foley offered up a variety of in-sights and survival tips to follow if a zom-bie apocalypse were ever to ravage the Bay Area.

A neuroscience researcher at the Uni-

versity of California, San Francisco by day, Voytek cleverly combined actual scientifi c research and his zeal for zombie entertain-ment into a presentation comparing and contrasting the human brain to the mythol-ogy of the zombie brain.

My buddy Tim and I did our Ph.D.s together, and my wife and Tims girlfriend are all big zombie fans, he said. Growing up I was really into comic books and sci-ence fi ction and general geek things.

Voytek displayed an MRI of a nor-mal human brain and compared it to an

image that represented what he thought a zombie brain might look like. You notice that whole parts of the zombie brain are missing, he said. We think this is because zombie brain damage patterns can explain their behavior.

As an example, Voytek recalled a pa-tient he worked with who suffered damage to his cerebellum and exhibited the lurch-ing, off-kilter zombie gait that terrifi es in-tended victims but allows them to escape the zombie pursuit with relative ease.

Because zombies dont appear to be

able to form new memories, weve hypoth-esized that they must have amnesia, and that theyre missing their hippocampus, said Voytek, citing the real-life example of a patient named H.M.

Ricky Montalvo found the seminar stimulating and fun. Its fascinating, he said. I like the fact that hes incorporating real science into his lecture.

Indeed, Voytek thrilled the audience by unveiling an actual human brain and welcomed the audience to line up, slip on gloves and touch it.

An intrepid globetrotter and instructor for Trackers Bay, a Berkeley-based primi-tive skills program for youth, Foley chan-neled the intuition, invention and survival skills reminiscent of The Hunger Games and recommended Mt. Diablo as a good choice for a zombie-free sanctuary.

You can survive for three hours with-out shelter in bad weather, three days with-out water or three weeks without food, he said. If you dont have that, you will straight up die.

Depending on how fast infection spreads following a zombie plague, and given the disintegration rate of the human body, Foley surmised, If you can survive for approximately 33 days, you can prob-ably survive a zombie apocalypse.

Author of the online guide The Bay Area Guide To Surviving a Zombie At-tack, Kocen discussed the pros and cons

Ashley OConnor, 10, gets a touchup for her Undead Zombie look.Photo by Richard Wisdom

by Charlotte CusackCorrespondent

see Zombie page 12A

MAY 25, 2012 ARTS THEPRESS.NET | 5A

The City of Brentwood is seek-ing food and beverage vendors inter-ested in selling refreshments at the Starry Nights Summer Concert Se-ries, which returns to City Park this summer. The city is selecting three food, one coffee/dessert, and one beverage vendor for the entire series.

Vendors must be able to com-mit to all eight dates in the series: June 15, 22 and 29; July 6, 20 and 27; and Aug. 3 and 10 all from 6 to 9 p.m. Vendors must carry general liability insurance, proof of auto in-surance, workers compensation in-surance, a valid City of Brentwood business license, a temporary food permit and a fl at fee paid to the City of Brentwood of $371.20 ($46.40 per concert).

Applications may be obtained in person at the Parks and Recre-ation offi ce, 35 Oak St., or by mail by calling 925-516-5364. Applica-tions are due by June 1 at 5 p.m. Late applications will not be accepted.

Vendors needed for concert series

Antioch High School student Rachel Harris, second from left, seen here with Antioch High visual arts teacher Kevin Kennedy, plus Thomas M. Pegnim and Michael Peterson, took rst place in the Pegnim & Ivancich Youth Foundations recent student art show. Students from Antioch, Deer Valley and Dozier-Libby high schools were invited to participate. The 24 selected works will remain in the law of ces as decoration throughout the month of May. Pegnim & Ivancich, LLP is a law rm in Antioch. For information about future student art shows, e-mail Peterson at [email protected].

Antioch artists honored

Photo courtesy of Michael Peterson


Education fundraiser emits beneficent bouquet

No one could be blamed for mistak-ing the event for a gathering of gourmands elegant juice fl owed from wine bottles and delectable aromas rose from bain-maries. But by the time approximately 200 folks had showed up and settled in at Han-nah Nicole Vineyards and Winery for the Brentwood Union School District Educa-tion Foundation fundraiser last Friday, it was clear that the focus of the evening was students.

Were thrilled to see this level of sup-port from the community, said Founda-tion President Dr. Wendy Herman of the annual Flavors of the Vineyard event. Each year the foundation emphasizes a different program to benefi t the districts 8,300 students in 10 schools. Funds raised from Fridays extravaganza are earmarked for the foundations $50,000 pledge to launch an ingenious program.

Were targeting technology this year, said Herman. And the money we raise will help fund a pilot program to supply students elementary as well as middle-schoolers with iPads as learning tools in the classroom.

According to Foundation Board Member Lori Strauss, helping the districts youngest scholars get a jump on the latest in learning technology is a vital element of the plan. Were still working out the de-tails of the curriculum, but its very impor-

tant to us that all our students benefi t.Echoing Strauss sentiment was event

auctioneer and Edna Hill Middle School drama director Bart Schneider. My son is a fourth-grader on the Odyssey of the Mind team, said Schneider, and the foundation is making it possible for them to go to the world competition by giving the team $500 for dorm rooms. Tonight doesnt relate directly to Odyssey, but the

foundations doing a tremendous job sup-porting our students in all sorts of ways.

Guests promenaded past tables pair-ing wineries with restaurants and caterers. Pouring standards such as chardonnay, cabernet and syrah, plus more exotic va-rietals such as viognier and petit verdot, were representatives of Bloomfi eld Vine-yards, Hannah Nicole Vineyards and Win-ery, Tamayo Family Vineyards and Viano

Vineyards. Food was provided by BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, Bowling Over Pigs, Brentwood Fine Meats, Farmers Daughter Produce & Coffee Bar, Nothing Bundt Cakes Emeryville, Rubios Fresh Mexican Grill, Salad Makers, Scotties Shutters Brasserie, Sweeneys Grill & Bar, TL Cakes, Vic Stewarts and Willys Bagels & Blends.

Although not queued up for the wine tasting, students were well represented in the form of the All-Middle School Wind Ensemble, under the joint direction of Cheryl Breitenbucher of Edna Hill Middle School, Lindsay Kellogg of Adams Mid-dle School, and Mark Morello of Bristow Middle School. The ensemble serenaded the crowd with a spirited performance of selections ranging from classical to popu-lar.

Guests were also treated to a display of virtuoso pianistry by Bristow eighth-grader and San Francisco Conservatory of Music student Alex Marquez, who captured the chromatic romance of Cho-pin and the stormy drama of Beethoven. And the funk, rock, R&B, Motown, disco and Top 40 stylings of the band ThePlay-Things, led by event emcee Steve Hanson husband of Loma Vista 2012 Teacher of the Year Stacey Hanson got the crowd shakin.

Among the items donated for the live auction were a fall wine pairing dinner for

At the recent Flavors of the Vineyard event, Emil Geddes gets his glass lled by Judy Aiken of Hannah Nicole Vineyards.

Photo by Ger Erickson

by Ger EricksonStaff Writer

see Fundraiser page 12A


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The Brentwood Concert Band will perform its spring concert this weekend Saturday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Allan E. Jones Per-forming Arts Center on the Liberty High School campus, 850 Sec-ond St. in Brentwood. Conductors Carey Hurst and Susan Stuart will lead a program of such popular pieces as Blue Tango, Alexanders Ragtime Band plus music from Les Miserables and Star Wars. The Brentwood Flute Choir will also perform. Admission is $5. For more information and a lineup of upcoming concerts, visit www.brentwoodconcertband.com.

Concert Band swings into spring

Press file photo


Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Bondo

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With summer right around the corner and one successful car show gearing up to take place Brentwoods own Blues Brews and BBQ, put on by the Police Activities League, sponsored by Pacifi c Funding Group and happening this weekend at Th e Streets of Brentwood its safe to say our real estate market is bound to rev up. If you think about it, hot rods and real estate go hand in hand; both always show better in the summer with-out the rainy weather, and both for sale signs and muscle cars seem to multiply like sun beams between June, July, and August.

So, with a statistical average of three prime summer months to purchase your dream muscle car (or home) what character-istics help to shorten your list? What should you immediately be searching for in order to cross out a few cars (or homes) and ensure you spend the most amount of time possible looking at the winners? Without going into too much detail, or too much bias one way or the other, Id say bondo is a defi nite no-no in the world of car shopping. Unless youre a do it yourselfer and can remove the body panel where the bondo is located, youre wasting precious summer sunlight continuing to look at a car once youve been informed or found out on your own that bondo has been used in any type of repair job. Th at said, and to arm yourself against later heartbreak or agony, the magnet test is a GREAT tool for locating bondo. Th e magnet will hold to all of the metal on the car, but not any damaged areas that have been fi lled

and/or fi xed with the body fi ller known as bondo.

Applying the same above theory how to save yourself later agony and at the same time help to shorten your list to the real estate market lets look at condos. From the outside, much like a car repaired with bondo, they look like a great deal. However, if youre using an FHA loan to purchase a condo youll need to make sure UPFRONT that the condo and/or the condos development is FHA approved. Peeling back this layer is crucial for not later being heartbroken; if your off er FHA is accepted, but the condo and/or the condo development isnt approved, there is nothing your lender can do. Period end of story, a non-FHA approved condo cannot be loaned on. But, as with the magnet test for bondo you can use FHAs website to check condo approvals. https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm is a GREAT tool for verifying whether or not youll be able to obtain fi nancing on a condo before you go to look at it.

Whether youre shopping your local real estate market, or your local swap meet make sure to arm yourself with the tools needed to protect your investment. Th is will guarantee youre not left in the cold once winter comes back around!

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.

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Bag dispensers for dog waste are being installed at most parks in Oakley to help keep the parks clean and safe. Since pet waste can transmit disease, its impor-tant that dog walkers clean after their pets and dispose of the waste properly. Dogs are allowed in most park areas, but must be kept on leash and under control.

Most of the dog walk-ers act responsibly as public park users, said Parks Divi-sion employee Juan Chavez. There are some, however, who are inconsiderate and allow their dogs to defecate in the park and make no attempt to pick up the dog feces and dispose of them properly in a waste recep-tacle.

Dog walkers should always bring or carry a bag with them, but as a conve-nience for those who forget, the bags in the dispenser are there for their use. For sani-tary purposes, its also a good idea to car-ry a couple of hand wipes, too.

Funds for the dispensers are provid-ed from grant funds awarded to the City of Oakley through the California Bever-

age Container Recycling and Litter Re-duction Act of 2005. The Parks Division welcomes and appreciates the voluntary restocking of the dispensers with plastic grocery bags by residents and park users.

No poop in the park

Oakley Parks Division employee Juan Chavez in-stalls a dog waste bag dispenser at a local park. The dispensers facilitate dog owners cleanup af-ter their pets in the park.

Photo courtesy of the City of Oakley


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Program rewardsacademic excellence

When Cati Hoyt graduates from Lib-erty High School next month, shell take with her four years of memories and $1,000 in scholarships. Nikole Radford will do the same, using her $750 to close the gap on tuition to San Francisco State in the fall.

For these Liberty High students, their college educations are looking brighter and more fi nancially secure thanks in large part to the Liberty High School Lo-cal Scholarship Awards Program.

This is just one of the great ways the community supports its own students, said Kelly Perkins, Liberty High School college and career counselor. Its a won-derful way to see our kids rewarded for their hard work. Without the money, many of them might not be able to afford col-lege.

This year the program awarded more than $190,000 in scholarships to Liberty High students; the largest total since the programs inception nearly 25 years ago. Funded and supported by local businesses, individuals and families, the Liberty schol-arship program is unique in its commit-ment to the community and its support of its students.

According to scholarship sponsor Ike Montanez, The bottom line is that we do this because we want our kids to follow up on their educations, but also to encourage them to come back to the community if at all possible. I want our students to know the community is behind them and that we support them.

Radford is aware of the communitys support, and grateful for the opportunity the scholarships afford. Its amazing, said Radford, who plans to major in biol-ogy at SFSU with an eye toward medical school. With the amount of grants and

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see Excellence page 10A

Cati Hoyt plans to

attend CSU Monterey

Bay in the fall,

thanks in part to the generosity

of the Liberty

scholarship program.

Photo by Richard Wisdom


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eight contributed by Hannah Nicole; a fi ve-course wine pairing gourmet dinner for eight served in Jeff and Sara Tamayos wine cellar; a summer makeover at Rubia Salon and Spa; a fi tness training assess-ment and four private training sessions with Certifi ed Physical Trainer Linda Sul-livan; a day of boating on the Delta cour-tesy of Doug and Wendy Herman and their Master Craft ski boat followed by a poolside barbecue at the Brentwood home of Stan and Kelli Nunn; and a Fun Day for Four in Brentwood, including break-fast at Willys Bagels & Blends, lunch at Brentwood Fine Meats and dinner at Gra-zie! Grille, plus cherry U-picking at Nunn Better Farms and a feature fl ick at Rave

Motion Pictures Brentwood 14.As you can imagine, the bidding com-

petition was fi erce. Schneiders lively auc-tioneering helped reel in a $7,800 bundle from battling benefactors . The fi nal tally of gross proceeds for the evening topped $23,000.

Among the many supporters singled out by Herman were the host and hostess, Hannah Nicole owners Neil and Glenda Cohn, who donated their facility for the event and circulated through the rooms to ensure their guests were well supplied with wine, food and conversation.

And when the conversation turned to the needs of students, the tone turned no-tably energetic and upbeat.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Fundraiser from page 6A

Photo by Ger Erickson

Enjoying an animated conversation in the Hannah Nicole Tasting Room at the recent Flavors of the Vineyard fundraiser, from left, are Lori Strauss, Kelli Nunn and Dan Hanel.

of various strategies offered by audi-ence members when facing a local attack. East County residents can sleep a little easier at night: Given our more rural, less populated locale, wed have a higher surviv-ability rate than city dwellers.

Ive loved zombies for as long as I can remember. Theyre a way to tell a story about something else, Kocen said. Night of the Living Dead is about bigotry. Dawn of the Dead is about consumerism. Day of

the Dead is about the military getting out of control. Zombies are a force of nature, and they make for a compelling external thing keeping everyone in one place so that the real, interesting stories can get told.

Think you could survive a zombie apocalypse? Ninth-grader and zombie afi -cionado Tristan Gallagher seriously pon-dered the question before replying, Prob-ably. I was in Boy Scouts, so I know how to survive.


Zombie from page 4A

Zombie Survival TipsDuring their visit to the Brentwood

Librarys Zombie Seminar last week, Dr. Bradley Voytek, Jack Foley and Mitch Kocen offered the following tips for surviving a zombie attack:

Tip No. 1: Dont try to fi ght them; they can outfi ght you. (They feel no pain.)

Tip No. 2: Be quiet and wait it out. (Theyll forget youre there.)

Tip No. 3: Distract them. (They have pathetically short attention spans.)

Tip No. 4: Try outrunning them. (Theyre typically slow and clumsy.)

Tip No. 5: If you have a gun, kill the brain and shoot the ghoul.

Tip No. 6: If youre within spitting dis-tance of a zombie, youre too close.

Tip No. 7: The woods arent out to get you. If you dont fi ght it, nature can provide anything and everything.

Tip No. 8: The human mouth is one of the most disgusting things ever. If youve been bitten, it wouldnt hurt to take a really strong antibiotic.

Tip No. 9: Mobility is vital. Dont ever get pinned down in any one location.

Tip No. 10: Zombies dont fare well in the cold, so how fast can you move to Wisconsin?

Compiled by Charlotte Cusack

Construction is well underway across the street from City Hall. The future homes of the Carpaccios and La Costa restaurants have progressed in a timely manner. Oakley resident, Brian De Silva, works on the framing of Carpaccios Restaurant alongside other Bay Cities employees.

Oakley Resident at Work

Photo by Nancy Marquez

Advertisement

14A | THEPRESS.NET MAY 25, 2012

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National

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

Give us what we asked for: Vote Yes on SOne of the important things for voters

to remember as they cast their ballots on the Measure S fi re tax for far East County is that we asked for it.

As far back as the districts forma-tion in 2002 and even before, residents have

insisted that far East County is no longer a Bay Area backwater, and we deserve

and want the same level of modern fi re service provided other suburbanized areas and established as the industry standard by the National Fire Prevention Association: three fi refi ghters per engine, one of whom is a paramedic.

The discussion has included literally dozens of public meetings over more than a decade. The need for standardized service has been confi rmed by several reports from fi re industry experts, county government analysis and even Local 1230, the union that represents ECCFPD fi refi ghters. All have consistently reached the same conclusion: it is time for far East County to upgrade its fi re service.

Equally clear to everyone involved was that reaching that level of service would re-quire additional tax money. District revenue, locked in by 1978s Proposition 13 at 7 cents on the property-tax dollar, is enough to pay for only the volunteer departments that hero-

ically served the area for decades prior to the onrush of suburbia. Districts providing the modern fi re service the ECCFPD has been asked to provide receive more than twice the revenue, 15 cents per tax dollar, to support those services.

Just as a new tax was accepted as inevitable by all involved, it was also agreed that voters would never approve a new tax if money were to go to Martinez. District residents must be in charge of the district, it was believed, rather than the Board of Supervisors, who ran the ECCFPD when it was formed.

The local control issue reared its head again in 2006, when the ECCFPD received a quote for contracted fi re service from what was then the California Department of Forestry (CDF, now known as CalFire). The quote, based on the same three-fi refi ghter, one-paramedic model already agreed to, showed CDF could provide the service for about $11.5 million, $470,000 less than the ECCFPD for the same job. The switch would also mean changing work schedules from 56-hour shifts to 72-hour shifts, and a change in guidelines for promotion, both of which Local 1230 opposed.

But even the cheaper (by 4 percent) CDF model would require millions of more dollars in revenue than the district had. Faced with the need for more money in order to consider either option, the need for

local control once again became the top dis-trict priority. The CDF idea, along with the potentially divisive labor issue it contained, was shelved.

Locals fi nally got their long-sought local control in 2010. The board started with the idea of going to the people with a measure that would put in place the service model people wanted, and fi x the districts fi nancial woes once and for all. The continu-ing recession and blooming defi cit from retirement benefi ts faced by virtually every public agency made that a pipe dream. The districts biggest expense problems were systemic, complex and long-term, and could not be eliminated in the short time left before the district reserves ran out and services were radically reduced.

With current post-employment benefi ts locked in, pension reform must take the form of a second tier of benefi ts for new hires. State law must be changed to make that possible, and a pair of bills to that end are currently working their way through Sacramento.

But even when the two-tier system is ad-opted, the debt generated by those already in the system will continue to grow until those on the lower tier become the majority of the employees. Even if retirement benefi ts were eliminated entirely for second-tier employees, years would pass before that would make a signifi cant impact on the districts bottom

line.Also years away are other ideas for

solving the problem, including a complete overhaul of the countys fi re and emergency medical service system. The diffi cult process the ECCFPD underwent to get a nine-mem-ber board together on a plan would be many times harder if the solution were to include dozens of agencies and departments.

But if Measure S fails in June, the district will run out of money in July. Half the districts stations will close, and half its fi refi ghters will be laid off. Opponents decry those facts as scare tactics, but although they are scary, they are reality. The politi-cal realities also mean that it could be years before a different measure can be agreed to and passed.

Measure S is not perfect. It is not, and is not being sold as, a fi x to all the districts woes. It will enable the district to keep stations open while the permanent fi x is hammered out and put in place. The need for benefi t reforms has been acknowledged by Local 1230, and negotiations will continue on that in July.

The paramedic portion of the tax, only about $10 per year, is not union-inspired. It is an element of the service model repeatedly asked for by district residents. If S passes, it will ultimately provide six paramedics in

see Vote page 16A

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LETTERS TO THE EDITORMeasure S opponents lack specifics

Editor:Opposition pieces written against

Measure S are long on rhetoric and short on specifi cs. One gentleman from Discovery Bay exemplifi ed this general pattern with his recent letter to the editor. He clearly supports a Paid On Call program and stated that they are being used successfully around the country. What does his vision of

success look like?Is it a fi refi ghting operation using the

nationally recognized incident management system with a complete complement of specifi c fi re equipment operated by certifi ed fi refi ghters and certifi ed company offi cers, who safely engage the interior of a struc-ture fi re with enough personnel to abide by OSHAs hazardous atmosphere laws (when entering smoke-fi lled environments, for every two fi refi ghters inside there must be a two-fi refi ghter backup team in place for emergencies)?

Or is it a truck full of part-timers fol-lowing a fi re engine driven by another part-timer, on their way to put out a smoldering house foundation. POC programs are great ways to help apprentice fi refi ghters get ex-perience but the scope of any POC program should be limited in size as to avoid turning the community of East County into a per-petual training ground for rookie fi refi ghters and folks who use fi refi ghting as a hobby.

He also states that the underfunded pension program is too costly. Do we know what percentage of operational money has been allocated to pensions, specifi cally? Its in the single digits! But his statement leads us to think that the fi refi ghters retirement is bankrupting the district.

Let us remember that fi refi ghters not

only pay for retirement with 13 to 20 per-cent out of their base pay but also physically by accepting long-term health issues many acquire over their career. Lets have an hon-est discussion about whether you feel they have earned this benefi t and we as a com-munity should support them or they simply are not entitled to it. Please be specifi c.

Further clouding the issues, he relies on citing the City Gate report that supports contracting with CalFire. This begs the question: Who is City Gate? Is it the fi re and emergency services consulting service run by a former state employee who worked out of Cal Fires Sacramento Offi ce? Does City Gate employ multiple contractors from CalFire to provide services to their fi rm? Is this report truly unbiased?

This is never stated by Measure S opponents. Instead, most attack ECCFPD fi refi ghters over some union resistance. What specifi cally was the union upset about in the rules that made it resist CalFire? It might have something to do with increasing their hours from 56 to 72 a week and being told that all future promotional opportuni-ties may require relocation of their families to either end of California. Maybe they have ownership in the community and want to stay here and serve without extending already long hours.

Obamacare is nothing like Measure S because its fundamental difference is that money from Measure S will go directly to our fi refi ghters who protect us and our com-munity. It will not feed the federal general fund, which is cut up and squandered on pet projects, rewarding the lobbyist of the week.

Our local emergency response system is one of the last good investments of tax dollars available. You call, they come, every time. I hope our community votes to main-tain our vital services. I would rather our fi refi ghters get the money over the insur-ance companies, who will raise our rates if Measure S is defeated.

Matt Brown Brentwood

Misinformation from Measure S opponent

Editor:Dave Roberts put out a piece that

attacked safety employees based on false numbers, false situations, and highly unlikely scenarios that were aimed at emo-tionally hitting voters. This is a slap in the face to all public safety personnel and we should not stand for it as a community.

see Letters page 15A

MAY 25, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 15A

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Ill be blunt and say that I dont care if its a parcel tax of $197 a year, or $500 a year, we need to stop treating our fi re and police personnel like second-class citizens. We are talking about public safety; I dont give a damn about these guys pensions or retirement or whatever you want to call it, because without public safety, there is chaos in crisis.

We need fi refi ghters right now more than they need us. We should be support-ing them, not giving them a public lashing! Unlike other public agencies, these guys are not taking advantage of the pension system, so its time to knock off the behav-ior of Mr. Roberts and the phony Contra Costa Taxpayers Association.

Our fi refi ghters are model citizens of the community. They enhance the com-munity both on and off duty. We need to stop slapping them in the face with false information. This rhetoric going around that wants to punish the fi re district and those who put their lives on the line for you and me should stop immediately.

These guys should be applauded, not crucifi ed.

I would urge people to look into the facts and not let Dave Roberts or Kris Hunt sway your opinion over false num-bers and phony arguments. Lets pass this parcel tax and lets buy 10 years to solve this problem once and for all and stay on top of the district each month to ensure it is working on a solution.

Mr. Roberts is advocating he does not want to pay $2,200 over a 10-year period

but it appears he would rather ultimately pay double that (in a best case scenario) to the insurance companies.

The reality is: you are either going to pay a little to ECCFPD or a lot more to your insurance company. No matter what anyone says, home insurance premiums never go down. With reduced fi re services, premiums go up!

The numbers Mr. Roberts used are wrong, misleading and a slap in the face to anyone who attended any of the fi re boards educational outreach sessions. If you go back and read Mr. Roberts sub-mission and this time pay close attention, he played with his words to make it look like fact when really its an opinion. As a co-author in the argument against Mea-sure S, Id expect nothing less from him.

His assumption that the district is top heavy clearly shows his naive views of public safety and how fi re works. My guess is he has never visited any of our stations or met with our amazing crews. Truth is, this is one of the most un-top heavy districts around.

Mr. Roberts, you are wrong. This department does have a revenue problem not a spending problem. If Measure S fails, citizens of East County will soon have a service problem. Its as simple as that.

Rachel SparBrentwood

Champions of a worthy causeEditor:

On April 20 Liberty High Schools

Leadership Class presented the 20th Annual Mr. Liberty competition. This sold-out show raised over $3,800 for the Student Emergency Relief Fund (SERF).

Mr. Liberty is a tradition of success due to the support of the Liberty commu-nity and Brentwood community at large. This event could not have been possible without the support and donations of many local businesses and individuals. On behalf of the Leadership program, I would like to thank the following:

Brentwood Florist & Gifts generously donated all fl owers for the evenings event, including bouquets for the winners, coor-dinators and crew. Their donation served to lessen the fi nancial strain of our event and for this we are truly grateful!

His and Hers Formal Wear has gener-ously donated the tuxes of the Mr. Liberty contestants for the last six years. The kind-ness and generosity of Annette Beckstrand and her staff goes above and beyond the expectation throughout the school year, starting from Homecoming on through to this competition.

The Mr. Liberty breakfast was spon-sored by Diggers Diner. The management and staff at Diggers opened their doors to us at 7 a.m. and provided an unmatched service and attentiveness. This year they have supported our Homecoming Court, Liberty Idol and Mr. Liberty breakfasts. Diggers Diner is a place of Lion Pride!

Finally, we would like to thank the following businesses for their donation of gifts for the various winners within the Mr. Liberty competition. As a result of

their donation, we were able to donate all funds raised to the Student Emergency Relief (SERF) Fund. Thank you to RAVE Movie Theaters, Rocky Mountain Choco-late Factory, Rubios, Safeway, The Game, and Yogurt Pizzazz.

The following individuals and busi-nesses helped to ensure the success of Mr. Liberty 2012. Without their hard work, support and diligence, we would not have had such a positive event. Thank you to Oak Tree Screenprinting for the production of the Mr. Liberty shirts; Prestige Press for the production of the Mr. Liberty tickets and programs; Jennifer Watson at Wonderland Photography, who took the ticket photos; Maddy Benner and Katelyn DiGiorgio, who choreographed the group dance; the Mr. Liberty techni-cal crew, including Sydney Daigre, Brooke Damico, Mo duPee, Zack Friedman, Hanna Johnson, Taylor Kesterson, Clay Krum, Taylor Miller, Kaitlyn Nesbitt, Allie Re and Shelby Rinehart. Finally, Id like to thank our MCs for the evening: John Romeis and Beth Decker. Accompa-nied this year by Manny Lopez and Carli Lamb, they made for a seamless show with their quick wit.

I hope that the community of Brentwood enjoyed this years Mr. Liberty competition. Because of your support, Liberty High can help students and families during these tough fi nancial times. Thank you!

Summer RodriguezDirector of Student Activities

Liberty High School

Letters from page 14A


Beware of Friends and FamilyCo-Signing and Joint Ownershipby Joan Grimes, Esq.

Advertisement

Aft er being a bankruptcy attorney for over 25 years, there is one thing I know for sure sooner or later one of your friends or family will ask you to co-sign a loan for them or ask you to buy something with them. It may be a car, boat, timeshare, vacation cabin, investment property or building. All you have to do is keep breathing and this will happen to you.

Co-signing or buying anything with a friend or family member will have consequences. Here is just the tip of the iceberg.

Co-signing on a loan to something will aff ect your credit. It increases your debt to income ratios and it will reduce your ability to get other loans. Your credit will take an immediate hit.

When you co-sign on a loan or purchase agreement, you are jointly and severally liable on the whole obligation i.e. if the other person doesnt pay, you are on the hook for the whole amount. Th e fact that you own only a portion of the boat, trailer, house, etc. per your agreement with the other owners is irrelevant to the lender. If the other co-signers stop paying, youre responsible for the full balance still due and owing. Your credit score will fall if there is a default. It doesnt matter if only 1 spouse signed. California is a community property state. One spouse can bind the other.

Th ere is a HUGE diff erence between co-signing on a personal loan and real estate loan. If you default on a personal loan even if it is secured by a boat, trailer or car, the worst thing that is going to happen is the lender will repossess the collateral and get a judgment against you for the defi ciency balance on the loan. However, if you co-sign a real estate loan, that loan will be characterized as a recourse loan unless it is a non-recourse debt which in California means it was a loan used to purchase a 1-4 unit property and YOU live in the property.

If the loan is not a non-recourse debt and there is a default, there may be personal liability and tax liability.

Never underestimate the IRS and California State Franchise Tax Board. When a lender determines that a debt is uncollectable, either because it is time barred or a defi ciency is prohibited by state law or the parties agree to a settlement for less than the balance due and owing, the lender is REQUIRED to issue a Cancellation of Debtor Statement known as 1099c if the lender is forgiving $600 or more. You NEED to know your tax liability BEFORE you get the 1099c. Th ere are ways to minimize the tax liability.

Do not jeopardize your future. If your friends or family ask you to co-sign on a loan or buy something with them, JUST SAY NO. If you have the resources to GIVE them money, that is a better option. If you have already co-signed a loan and you think there is going to be a default on the loan, seek legal counsel immediately. Th is is a complicated area of the law, but a real estate or bankruptcy attorney should be able to make an analysis of your particular situation fairly quickly which will allow you to determine your personal liability and tax liability in the event of a default.

WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY AND HELP PEOPLE FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY. THISINFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON IN MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFAULT, SHORT SALE, FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OBTAINING TAX & LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN INDIVIDUAL SITUATION. GRIMESBKLAW.COM PHONE 925-323-7772 2012 Joan Grimes

www.ccwater.comParking fee is $4 per car for ratepayers $6 per car for non-ratepayers.

SHORELINE FISHING AVAILABLE ON SOUTH SHORE OF

LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR

Shoreline fishing continues to be available along the reservoirs south shore, and bait

and tackle sales will continue from the south entrance kiosk. The Los Vaqueros

Marina building and boat docks are currently closed for construction.

For more information, visit www.ccwater.com or call the reservoirs south shore kiosk at

925-371-2628.

the district, which currently relies on three paramedics in quick response vehicles (QRVs) from American Medical Response for advanced lifesaving services. The AMR services are provided as an adjunct to the companys contract with the county, which expires in two years but would not be af-fected by a Measure S failure. It is not known how QRVs will be affected when the contract comes back up for negotiation.

As government waste and ineffi ciency impacts every portion of residents lives, and as residents go through fi nancial diffi culties of their own, its understandable that many would reject any request for more money for government services of any kind. The debate over Measure S has thus largely turned into one of taxpayers versus pensioners, with the major consequences of a failed measure tak-ing a back seat to the need for reform.

Measure S, if passed, will cost district residents about $16 per month ($197 per parcel per year and a maximum 3-percent cost-of-living adjustment per year). Unless voters extend it, the tax will go away in 10 years, during which permanent, far-reaching solutions to the benefi t problem must be instituted. There is no need to wait 10 years to put solutions in place, however, and in fact the district will be once again looking at red ink if adjustments are not made in half that time.

The question is how many fi refi ght-ers will be on duty while the fi xes are put in place. Measure S ensures the current model will stay in place, augmented by the para-medics the public has said it wants on fi re

engines. An additional station will be opened in year four, in a location to be determined by call volumes at the time.

If Measure S fails, the solutions must be worked out with half the personnel, half the stations, and response times that will jump from six or seven minutes to 14 or 15 minutes or more for half the districts residents. Homeowners insurance for some residents in the Morgan Territory area quadrupled in the wake of the districts closure of stations in 2010, and some policies were cancelled entirely, threatening the underlying mortgage. The same is likely to happen in other areas of the district should stations close, according to State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones .

We believe voters should pass Measure S in order to ensure critical fi re service is maintained while long-term solutions that rely on state approval (the two-tier system) are put in place. Its unfortunate that the district must ask for money when so many people are already hurting fi nancially, but the reality is that the cost in human lives and property damage of subpar fi re service stands to be far higher.

Nine fi refi ghters and three fi re engines are not enough to answer the 6,000 calls per year the ECCFPD gets from 105,000 district residents over 250 square miles, but thats what will be left if Measure S fails. The pub-lic should keep the pressure on the district to institute desperately needed reforms, but in the meantime it should avoid drastic cuts in public safety and approve this tax. Its what we need, as well as what we asked for. Vote Yes on Measure S.


Vote from page 14A

18A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MAY 25, 2012

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from Heritage to make it to the fi nals in an individual swimming event, fi nished 14th in the 100 backstroke.

Heritages 200-yard freestyle team of Barsanti, Benjamin Mock, Zayd Oth-man and Thaning, fi nished seventh. Lat-er, Barsanti, Mock, Othman and Carter Haines closed out the event with a sev-enth-place fi nish in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay.

Barsanti (1.40.10 in the 200 freestyle), Love (23.63 in the 50 freestyle and 51.35 in the 100 freestyle), Applegate (55.85 in the 100 butterfl y) and the girls 200-yard medley relay team (1:48.35) all qualifi ed for All-American consideration.

What stood out was all the work we put in this year, Othman said. A lot of peo-ple had good times. It all clicked together.

Allison Strauss fi nished last in the girls one-meter diving fi nal as the only girl from Heritage to reach that event. Travis Cook and Colin Wirth fi nished eighth and 15th, re-spectively, for the Heritage boys diving team. Deer Valleys Brandon Nunley fi nished 25th out of 26 competitors in the 1-meter diving fi nal as the only other boy from a BVAL team other than Heritage to reach the div-ing fi nals.

Deer Valleys Stanley Wu (100 breast-stroke) and Libertys JT Sarmento (200 free-style) were the only other BVAL boys not from Heritage to reach the swimming fi nals. Both fi nished last in their events.

The Freedom girls four points earned them the 35th spot out of 37 teams. The Falcons Genevieve Paschale fi nished 13th and Sabrina Castor fi nished 17th out of 32 competitors in the 1-meter diving fi nal. The team grew by leaps and bounds this season, said Freedom head coach John Edwards. Im very excited for the future of this pro-gram.

Deer Valleys Arianna Esquivel fi nished 18th and Isabella Navarro 25th in the girls 1-meter diving fi nal.


Section from page 17AWolverines block Dons in playoffs

After earning a fi rst-round bye, the Deer Valley boys volleyball team dis-missed Amador Valley from the North Coast Section playoffs in Fridays second round.

The No. 2 seed Wolverines beat the No. 7 Dons 25-16 in the fi rst set, and fi n-ished them off 25-22 and 25-19.

Senior opposite hitter Noah La-bonte and freshman outside hitter Jor-dan Ewert each notched 13 kills. Junior middle blocker Marcus Lee was credited with eight kills. Junior setter Derrico Kwa drilled a team-best 18 service aces; Lee tallied 16. Ewert also led the team with seven digs while sophomore libero Bezhan Wahidi made six.

Wolverines head coach Lou Panzella said that the team himself included was a bit rusty that night, after not com-peting for a week. Panzella wrote down the wrong lineup prior to the second game, a mistake he said happened for the fi rst time in his long coaching career.

I felt like we struggled a little bit, Panzella said. As a team, they respond-ed OK to it. It was a tough 3-game match.

Deer Valley (37-3) advances to facd No. 3 Mission San Jose at home on Wednesday. The Warriors, who defeated California in four sets Friday, took a 27-7 record coming into the semifi nal match-up. For results, visit www.thepress.net.

Heritage also qualifi ed for the NCS tournament, showing how much the pro-gram has improved this season. But Heri-tage had a tough fi rst draw in Amador Valley, which felled the Patriots 25-18, 25-15, 25-13 in the fi rst round of the playoffs. The Patriots (17-13) received solid efforts from junior middle blocker Alex Filardo, junior opposite hitter Brendan Kennealy,

junior setter Freddy Moore and junior li-bero TJ Tyrfi ngsson.

Last season, the Patriots werent even a whisper in the postseason conversa-tion after going 5-25 overall and 3-7 in Bay Valley Athletic League play. Heri-tage head coach Janet Hannigan credited the sudden improvement to better team

chemistry.I was pleasantly surprised, Hanni-

gan said. Last year, we took our lumps pretty hard and we had a lot of returning players that were young. Team chem-istry is probably the main thing that the kids talked about. They said it was the best part of the season.

The towering Deer Valley duo of Noah Labonte, left, and Marcus Lee reject Roy Xues shot during the Wolverines win over Amador Valley.

Photo by Curtis Evans

by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer

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Window Seat GalleryPortraits Landscapes Special Orders

757-3761 Jo Cotarelo

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MAY 25, 2012 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 21A

The 10U Elite Baseball team recently claimed a championship dur-ing a tournament in Galt. In the front row, from left, are Dylan Grif ths, Mark Fontaine, Nick Poss, Braydon Sample and Jacob Dahl; center row: Reece Dexter, Tyler Madden, Tommy Hall, Jake Nabas and Bryce Arana; back row: coaches Josh Borges, John Madden and Jeff Nabas. Not pictured is Landen Dutt.

Elite status in Galt

Photo courtesy of Gina Griffiths

Brentwoods NorCal Titans 9U White baseball team took the title at the Mothers Day Saturday Special tournament AA Division in Tracy. The come-from-behind 7-6 victory was the product of a total team effort climaxed by TannerViramontes two-out steal of hometo win the game. In the front row, from left, are Coach Todd Derita, Aydan McNabb and Coach Mark Misquez; back row: Coach Bryan McNabb, Drew Misquez, Noah Derita, Ryan Cook, Richard Peters, Dylan Frazier, Gabriel Helena, Kevin Moore, Tanner Viramontes, Nico Torrez and Coach Mike Frazier.

Titans make moms proudPhoto courtesy of Laura Cook


LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR

CHANGE OF NAMEPETITIONER OR ATTORNEY: Darayus Engineer SUPERIOR COURT OF CALI-FORNIA, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, 725 Court St., Martinez, CA 94553 PE-TITION OF: Darayus Engineer FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: N12-0797 TO ALL INTEREST-ED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Darayus En-gineer led a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: a. Darayus Engineer (AKA) Darayus Paul Engineer (AKA) Darius Engineer, (AKA) Darius Paul Engineer to Proposed Name: Darius Sarkari 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person ob-jecting to the name changes described above must le a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the mat-ter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely led, the court may grant the petition with-out a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 07-16-12 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept.: 60 Room: 102 b. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of

this Order to Show Cause shall be pub-lished at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the follow-ing newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Brentwood Press Date: 5/17/12 Judith A Sanders, Pro Tem Judge of the Superior Court Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish Dates: May 25, June 1, June 8, and June 15, 2012.

NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 12-0009566 Doc ID #0001352976742005N Title Order No. 12-0016272 Investor/Insurer No. 135297674 APN No. 031-040- 007-2 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 05/04/2006. 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 DELORES ELLIS, A MARRIED WOMAN AS HER SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY, dated 05/04/2006 and recorded 5/16/2006, as Instrument No. 2006-0154686-00, 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 06/04/2012 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: 2665 TAYLOR RD, OAKLEY, CA, 94511. The undersigned Trustee dis-claims any liability for any incorrect-ness 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 Notice of Sale is $625,135.70. 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 ac-cept 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 autho-rized to do business in this state. Said

sale will be made, in an AS IS condi-tion, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, pos-session or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with inter-est as provided, and the unpaid princi-pal 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 mortgagee, ben-e ciary or authorized agent is attached to the Notice of Trustees Sale duly re-corded with the appropriate County Re-corders Of ce. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should under-stand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on a property it-self. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a ju-nior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be respon-sible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstand-

ing liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorders of ce or a title insurance company, ei-ther of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the prop-erty. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, bene ciary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 1-800-281-8219 or visit this Internet Web site www.recontrustco.com, using the le number assigned to this case TS No. 12-0009566. Informa-tion about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not im-mediately be re ected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. 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 RE-CONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose.A-4235531 05/11/2012, 05/18/2012, 05/25/2012 Oakley Press No. 03-0477, Publish dates: May 11, 18, 25, 2012.

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

The following person(s) has aban-doned the use of the ctitious business name Micheles Fleur de Sel Choco-lates at 14870 California 4, Discovery Bay, CA 94505. The ctitious business name referred to above was led in Contra Costa County on 12/29/2010 under le number 2010 0008685-00. (*) 1. Michele M. Baca, 5640 Beaver Lane, Discovery Bay, CA 94505. This busi-ness was conducted by: an individual. Signature: Michele M. Baca. This state-ment was led with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County, S. L. Weir on APR 04, 2012 by Deputy. Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish dates: May 4, May 11, May 18, and May 25, 2012.

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

The following person(s) has abandoned the use of the ctitious business name Walk In Tub Experts at 3141 Blue Lake Court, Oakley, CA 94561. The cti-

tious business name referred to above was led in Contra Costa County on 10/04/2010 under le number 0006993-00. (*) 1. Douglas Gilbert Ellison, 5125 Sellers Ave, Oakley, CA 94561. This business was conducted by: an individ-ual. Signature: Douglas G Ellison. This statement was led with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County, S. L. Weir on APR 13, 2012. Oakley Press No. 03-0477 Publish dates: May 11, May 18, May 25, and June 1, 2012.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMESTATEMENT File F-0002444-00 The name of the business (es): 1. Brake Stop Auto Services 2.Brentwood Mo-tor Sports Located at: 8111 Brentwood Blvd In: Brentwood, Ca 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Caw Investment Inc. 8111 Brentwood Blvd. Brentwood, Ca 94513. This busi-ness is conducted by: a California Cor-poration. The registrant commenced to transact business under the ctitious business name or names listed above on 1/25/2012. Signature of registrant: Carl Watkins CEO. This statement was led with Stephen L. Weir, County Clerk of Contra Costa County, on: 4/9/2012 by Deputy Elizabeth Gutierrez Expires 4/9/17 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish dates: May 4, 11, 18, 25, 2012

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

Local fi re departments battled fi res and responded to a car accident this week, keeping fi refi ghters busy through-out East County.

Much of the fi re action started Tues-day. According to a press release from Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Lewis Broschard, crews were dispatched at 4:04 p.m. to a com-mercial structure fi re in the 2100 block of Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg at the Quality Tune Up facility. A disgruntled employee had allegedly thrown gasoline on some equipment in the business and set it on fi re.

This fi re came just a few minutes af-ter ConFire reported fl ames in Concord.

Employees controlled the Pittsburg fi re with multiple portable extinguish-ers, and fi refi ghters were released shortly thereafter. The investigation of the inci-dent is ongoing.

As fi refi ghters were taming the Pitts-burg fi re, they received a report of blazes on the 5100 block of Sundance Court in Antioch. The fi rst engine discovered heavy fi re involvement in the back bed-room of the homes second fl oor. Fire-fi ghters were able to bring the fi re under control within 15 minutes.

No one was home at the time of the fi re and no civilians were injured. One fi refi ghter suffered second-degree burns on his hand. He was treated at a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

Roughly two hours later, ConFire responded to a house fi re call in Clayton

that caused roughly $150,000 in damage.Each structure fi re response in-

cludes at least fi ve fi re units with three fi refi ghters each and two chief offi cers for command and control purposes, wrote Broschard. When we receive multiple structure fi res in a short period of time, it can tax the system and create stress on

the remaining emergency response needs of our community.

There was a fi re-free break until roughly 3 a.m. Wednesday, when Antioch fi re engines were called out to help the East Contra Costa Fire District in a two-alarm residential fi re on Bethel Island. Two homes were burned to the ground and a third was nearly destroyed.

When we got there, the fi rst two houses were completely involved and starting to fall apart, said East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Chief Hugh Henderson. The people in the third house, including a former Bethel Is-land paid-on-call fi refi ghter, were amazed we saved the house.

However, while the Bethel Island fi re was being contained, local fi refi ghters were also called on to assist rescue efforts in the aftermath of a head-on collision between an SUV and a four-door sedan on Marsh Creek Road near Hoffman Lane at roughly 5 a.m. Wednesday morn-ing. Four East Contra Costa fi refi ghters and three CalFire fi refi ghters responded.

Five people were involved in the ac-cident two suffered major injuries and three suffered minor injuries. Two medi-cal helicopters were used for transport.

The cause of the collision is still un-der investigation.


Busy week for local fire departments

ployee of the Year Ashley Lehman; Citizen Service Citation William Cook; Meritorious Service Award Monika Helgemo, Andrea Sutherland, Alicia Pato, Ada Romero, Gabby Johnson and

Marie Guerrero; Animal Services Bu-reauAwards Lori Haywood, Christina Garcia and Matthew Urias; Meritori-ous Service Award Offi cer Matthew Koch, Offi cer Wardell Carter, Offi cer Brian Rose, Offi cer Richard Martin, Of-fi cer John Fortner, Offi cer James Colley,

Offi cer Robert Meads, Offi cer Kathleen Lopez, Offi cer Eric Johnsen, Offi cer Lo-ren Bledsoe, Offi cer Adrian Gonzalez and Offi cer Rick Hoffman; Medal of Valor Offi cer Steve Aiello, Detective Michael Mellone, Detective James Stenger, Detec-tive Desmond Bittner, Detective Michael

Mortimer, Detective Jimmy Wisecarver and Detective Joshua Vincelet.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.Visit the Antioch Police Depart-

ments Facebook page for a photo gallery of the awards ceremony at www.face-book.com/antiochpolice.

Ron Bernal, the citys public works director, said that Antioch does have some room to develop L Street from Tenth to Fourth streets, but such develop-ment would come at a high cost.

Former Councilman Allen Payton spoke in favor of the name change, as-serting that it would attract more business from Highway 4 to Rivertown. He also presented city leaders with two pages of signatures of those in favor of the name

change. Most of the supporters on Pay-tons petition were patrons of Humphreys on the Delta restaurant, located at the end of L Street in an area called Marina Plaza.

Payton said the time is ripe to change the name now, as Caltrans is preparing to make new signs for the renovated High-way 4. He also brought up the possibility of renaming the A Street/Second Street area as Rivertown Drive.

Its a one-time expenditure for per-manent promotion of downtown, Pay-ton said of Marina Plaza Parkway. Now

that we have the new boat launch there at the marina, this is a good time.

This isnt the fi rst time Antioch has changed a street name to help out a busi-ness. In 1995, the city changed a portion of Somersville Road to Auto Center Drive to give a boost to the Antioch Auto Center a major contributor of sales tax. That change cost the city $90,000.

Tom Nokes, President of the An-tioch Auto Center, has returned the favor. Nokes has been a generous donor to An-tioch and on Tuesday presented the city

a $100,000 check to benefi t the police department. He said changing the street name to Auto Center Drive gave his com-pany a huge shot in the arm.

Antioch has also named a street Costco Way, near Auto Center Drive, to draw more people to the wholesale store.

It was night and day, Nokes said. Somersville meant nothing to anybody. Auto Center Drive defi nitely tells you who you are, where you are and whats going on. It made a huge difference in business.


Honored from page 1A

L Street from page 1A

by Rick LemyreStaff Writer

Photo courtesy of Hugh Henderson

A four-door sedan collided with an SUV on Marsh Creek Road early Wednesday morning, prompting local re department aid.

MAY 25, 2012 THEPRESS.NET | 23A

Party PlannerParty Planner

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MAY 25, 2012 SUMMER FUN THEPRESS.NET | 3B

Big-time summer fun at Little Gym

A spacious setup of balance beams, tumbling mats and padded climbable shapes makes The Little Gym a childs play paradise. The staff is welcoming and the environment bright and

cheerful. Energetic, age-appropriate music sets the tone

as toddlers, kids and tweens learn athleticism and social

skills, all while having a good time.

Kids learn by having fun, said Jim Lark, who opened the franchise in 2008 with his wife, Paige. Three sons under the age of 10 one with special needs has impressed on the Larks the importance of physical activity in child development.

This summer theyre offering Kids Camps on Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. Each week features a new theme, including Superheroes; Legends, Fables, Folklore; My Animal Planet; and of course, The Little Gym Olympics. Children participate in games, music and fun creative movement as they exercise their imaginations and their muscles.

Classes cost $40 per day, and discounts are available for gym members and multiple children. Parents can also purchase punch cards that reduce the per-class rate to $25.

In year-round classes, The Little Gyms primary focus is gymnastics. Non-competitive movement classes are offered

for children as young as 4 months and as old as 12 years.For infants and toddlers, parents work with their children

on trunk, arm and leg exercises to help them become what Lark calls independent movers. Other activities, such as bubble blowing, stimulate brain development and cognitive abilities. Toddlers become more con dent, coordinated and comfortable in groups, and even learn how to walk on a supervised balance beam.

Once the children turn 3, they take classes in the gym by themselves, though Mom and Dad can watch through the big windows in the lobby. Were trying to encourage a little more independence, said Lark. Its virtually a seamless transition. The 3- and 4-year-olds practice listening and taking turns as they learn basic gymnastic movements. Older

A M Y C L A I R E

ON THE COVER: Jim Lark helps a young student with her footwork on the balance beam at Little Gym in Brentwood. see Little Gym page 9

Paige Lark puts a young trio through their paces during a dance class at The Little Gym.

Photo by Kevin Bartram


Space is limited, enroll today!

Baseball Camps Available

A Bugs Life Camp Date: June 11-June 15 Time : 9:00 am-2:00 pm Ages: 3-6

Delta Valley Adventure Camp Date: June 18-June 22 Time: 9:00 am 2:00 pm Ages 7-12

Hot Summer Hip Hop Camp Date: June 25-June 29 Time: 9:00 am-2:00 pm Ages: 6-9

Fear Factor Science Camp Date: July 9-July 13 Time: 9:00 am 2:00 pm Ages: 4-7

Delta Valley Adventure Camp Date: July 16-July 20 Time 9:00 am-2:00 pm Ages 7-12

Summer Safety Camp Date: July 23-July 29 Time 9:00 am-2:00 pm Ages: 4-10

Monday-Friday, 9-2 Cost: Member $125 per week Non-member $160 per week Drop in: $45 per day (member)/ $50 per day (nonmember) Snack Provided. Campers need to bring a lunch . We need 5 campers enrolled for camp to take place. For camp details contact: Kristle Jones at

[email protected] or 925-240-2990.

Kids Summer Camp

Keep your kids busy and active this Summer at Camp!

Now Enrolling

DELTA VALLEY ATHLETIC CLUBDELTA VALLEY ATHLETIC CLUB

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120 Guthrie Lane, Brentwood 240-2990www.deltavac.com

Take a virtual tour and get a 3-day pass!

Locke was founded when

much of the nearby town

of Walnut Grove burned

to the ground. Established

by and home to many of

the Chinese workers who

built the Deltas levees, Locke

is a designated National Historic

Landmark.

Photo courtesy of www.lockeca.com

established by and for the Chinese. During its heyday in the 1930s and 40s, Locke was a locus of the Chinese-American community and provided services including a boarding house, the Jan Ying Benevolent Association and a Chinese language school.

Today, the entire Locke Historic District is a designated National Historic Landmark. The Locke Boarding House now houses the Visitors Center and the Jan Ying Benevolent Association museum. Dedicated in 2006, the Locke Memorial Park recognizes the Chinese immigrants who built the railroad and labored in the elds.

If youre planning a large group, the Locke Foundation offers guided docent tours for groups of 10 or more, available by prior arrangement.

When you get hungry, be sure to stop by Als Place, better known by locals as Al the Wops. Besides superb steaks, Als is famous for its namesake owner, Al Adami, remembered for antics such as cutting off the neckties of patrons he considered too well-dressed for his establishment.

For more about Rio Vistas upcoming events, call the Chamber of Commerce at707-374-2700or visit www.riovista.org. The California Delta Chambers & Visitors Bureau offers information on many Delta towns, including Walnut Grove. The bureau can be reached at 916-777-4041 or www.californiadelta.org. Walnut Groves website iswww.walnutgrove.comFor more information about Locke, including scheduling docent tours, visit www.lockeca.comor call 916-776-1828.

Towns from page 4B


Your kids enjoy supervised play while you participate in an informative conversation led by pediatricians

Susan Adham, M.D. or Irmeen Ashraf, M.D.

Learn N Play with Sutter Delta and the Little Gym

FREE to the public. To reserve your space, please call 925-634-0034.

Join in via Twitter @SutterDelta#kidshealth

Children Need Happy, Healthy Feet to Grow Big and Strong Tuesday, July 10 Thursday, July 26 12 -1 p.m. 12:30 1:30 p.m.

Fostering Healthy Backs for Proper Posture Tuesday, August 7 Thursday, August 24 12 -1 p.m. 12:30 1:30 p.m.

Cold or Flu, Knowing the Difference Makes a Difference Tuesday, September 6 Thursday, September 25 12:30 -1:30 p.m. 12 1 p.m.

Enter Our FREE Contest to Win the Ultimate Birthday Party!

Scan this code or enter at http://thepress.net/sutterhealth_little-gym

Apps make bikes more user-friendly

Whether youre biking for fun or tness, a plethora of cycling applications is available on your smart

phone to help you get the most of

your cycling experience.

Your phone can help you plan your next bike trip, track your progress or provide ideas when youre ready to take biking to the next level. You might not be Lance Armstrong, but these apps will help you feel like a champion.Bicycling For Fun and Fitness

Like starting any new workout routine or hobby, you need to nd the right place to begin. Bicycling For Fun and Fitness is the perfect app to get you going on the right (bike) path. The app offers suggestions about what bike and accessories youll need, depending on the type of cycling you plan on doing. Once you get the gear, the app suggests routes, offers warm-up and cool-down exercises

to keep you in your prime, and records your speed and distance so you can track your progress. Available on iPhone for 99 cents and Android for $1.36.MapMyRide

So you want to go for a ride, but dont know where? Not a problem.

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

see Apps page 8B

The Bike Repair app offers a step-by-step guide to 38 common bike repairs.

8B | THEPRESS.NET SUMMER FUN MAY 25, 2012

Bike Co.Bike Co.BRENTWOODBRENTWOOD

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Additional accessories and apparel can enhance the biking experience. Padded bike shorts and gloves give added protection, and specially-designed comfort seats make long rides more enjoyable. The bikes nowadays are much more comfortable, said Chris.

Bobbi agreed, The components have improved vastly. BMX riders can purchase a wide selection of accessories, and riders of all persuasions can purchase features such as under-seat pouches and speedometers.

Flat tires and other maintenance challenges are familiar to Chris and Bobbi. In addition to selling merchandise, they

offer a full-service repair shop a big draw to bike buyers. The Michalskis experience helps them determine the correct size and style for a new bike, and customers know that their cycles have been assembled by an expert. Prices are kept reasonable, and Chris and Bobbi hope to see the communitys interest in cycling continue to rise.

Brentwood Bike Co., located at 7750 Brentwood Blvd., Suite C, is open Mondays from noon to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 925-634-5000 or visit www.brentwoodbikeco.com.


MapMyRide offers a datebase of hundreds of bike routes for cyclists of all abilities. Once youve picked the right road for you, the app tracks your speed, calculates how many calories youve burned based on your speed and saves all the stats from each trip so you can try to beat best your time and distance. Available for free on Android and iPhone.Speedview

Alright, speed racer heres the app that shows how fast youre pedaling. By tapping into your phones GPS, this app records your rapidity just like your cars speedometer but better: Speedview notes your maximum and average speeds. You can also use this app when running or hiking. Available for free on Android.Bike Repair

Your commitment to cycling is going great. Then one day, oops what was that snap? The Bike Repair app offers a step-by-step guide to 38 common bike repairs. Each guide is accompanied by high-quality photos so you can doctor your bike as best you can. According to satis ed users who have rated the app, in many cases, youll

be able to x the problem yourself rather than take it to the repair shop. Available on Android for $3.99 and iPhone for $2.99.Bike Quiver

After you and your bike have logged some miles together, its important to keep your machine tuned and regularly maintained. Bike Quiver helps you perform a routine check on your own and keeps a log of what you did and when. The clever app can make you aware of when to replace the brakes or buy a new light. Available on iPhone for 99 cents.Ride the City

Ride the City can be your best friend. The app keeps maps for 39 major bike-friendly cities around the world, including San Francisco. It offers a route planner, weather updates and an array of other useful information such as where to park your machine. Other locales mapped out in Ride the City include Seattle, Boston, Paris even Santiago, Chile. Its perfect for planning a workout or leisurely trip through the city. Available on Android and iPhone for $1.99.


Cycling from page 6B

Apps from page 7B


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students learn standard USA Gymnastics routines plus foundational moves such as forward rolls and handstands.

Developmentally, you cant go wrong with gymnastics, Lark said. Youve got so many physical elements that are incorporated.

In addition to gymnastics, The Little Gym offers karate, sports and dance classes for children 3 to 8. Experienced teachers emphasize the basics of the chosen activities of the children, who gain valuable skills to help them continue advancing, whether in competitive athletics or just for fun. The business also offers gym members Parent Survival Nights, at which kids watch a movie and enjoy themed activities while Mom and

Dad take a few hours off.The lessons learned in classes apply

directly to kids everyday lives, such as the time a toddler managed to tuck in his head and roll forward to avoid injury when he fell down the stairs. Parents refer to these times as Little Gym Moments and enthusiastically recount them to the Larks. Jim and Paige, for their part, enjoy seeing kids get excited about tness and hearing about the bene ts they see at home.

Those are the neat stories where this applies outside the classroom.

The Little Gym, located at 3850 Balfour Road, Suite K, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 925-634-0034 or visit www.tlgbrentwoodca.com.


While students improve their motor skills under the watchful eyes of Little Gym staff (in this case, owner Jim Lark) their parents can keep an eye on how its going from the relative seclusion of the viewing room, seen in the background.

Little Gym from page 3B

10B | THEPRESS.NET SUMMER FUN MAY 25, 2012

Local touches make picnics progressive

What better way to enjoy the warm summer days than with a picnic? Standard picnic fare like hot dogs

and PBJs have withstood the test of time,

but try expanding your picnic offerings by whipping up some summer-proof fare.

Corn and zucchini salad made from Brentwood produce is a fresh take on a picnic side salad.

M I C H E L L E M I S T A

see Picnic page 12B

The optimal corn and zucchini salad takes advantage of East Countys incomparable produce.

Photo courtesy of Food.com


TWIN TIGERSAcademy of Self Defense

SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMJune 6 - July 29

Martial Arts Training!Physical Activities and Games!

Exciting

antioch press_05.25.12

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