YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 9, No. 7 Including Surrounding Communities www.oakleypress.com February 13, 2009

Natio

nalAwardWinning Newspapers

THIS WEEK

Deliberations documented A citizen armed with initiative and a video camera has put City Council meetings on the Web for all to see.

Page 3A

FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A

Rumblin in the rain

Freedoms soaked soccer warriors walked off the field with a tied game and season against Antioch.

Page 1B

Ironies of an icon revealed

Our 16th president was a man more likely to fight the current than go with the flow.

Page 4A

Business ...........................14ACalendar ..........................19BClassifieds ........................14BCop Logs ..........................17AEducation ........................10AEntertainment ................12BFood .................................10BHealth & Beauty ...............7BMilestones .........................9BOpinion ...........................16ASports .................................1BWebExtras! .......................1B

INSIDE

Planners put out of commissionAt the beginning of Tuesday

nights City Council meeting, Mayor Carol Rios read procla-mations honoring Oakleys plan-ning commissioners for their hard work and service to the city. An hour later, the council gave the commissioners a reluctant heave-ho.

The tough economy is forc-ing city offi cials to make budget cuts to avoid a looming defi cit. Disbanding the Planning Com-mission is expected to save the citys $13 million budget about $10,000 annually as well as free up staff time to work on other projects.

The council will take over the commissions duties until the commission is reinstated when the economy improves. None of the commissioners spoke against the decision to eliminate their service to the city, and only one resident, Paul Seger, raised ob-jections.

Seger noted that the city still has a healthy reserve fund of 30

percent (city policy is to main-tain at least a 20-percent reserve) and argued that many important planning issues are coming be-fore the city that could use the commissions input.

I really think this is a really

bad decision, he said. There are an awful, awful lot of devel-opment decisions coming up: EIRs coming up, there are zon-ing changes going on. As I recall in the River Oaks (Crossing) development discussions, it was

said that the General Plan is like the Constitution of the city.

Its the development tool that leads you guys how to make your decisions what goes where

Before disbanding the Planning Commission, Mayor Carol Rios, holding the microphone, reads proclamations honoring commissioners David Huerta, Iris Obregon and Don Scheer. Not shown is Commissioner Ed Person.

Photo by Dave Roberts

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

see Commission page21A

From the web press to Press on the WebIts been nearly 150 years

since offset printing and the zig-zag arrangement of rollers and plates known as the web press revolutionized the news business by making it pos-sible to produce newspapers at a rate of 10,000 copies per hour. Technology has since im-proved, but the web press has remained the primary engine for the dissemination of the news, sports, ads and features that newspaper companies pro-vide.

But now, in addition to the web, theres the Web. This week the Brentwood Press and Pub-lishing Corporation is rolling out an all-new Web site, the-press.net, that will do for read-ers today what the high-speed

printers did for them back in the 19th century.

The new site is a platform that allows us to have more depth in what we offer, Pub-lisher Greg Robinson said. It helps make a broader connec-tion between the reader and the community because the space limitations are gone, and it can be accessed anywhere, any time.

Production Manager Lon-nie de Lambert is the new sites Webmaster as well as the driv-ing force behind its creation. To her, the site goes beyond just the information it provides.

This is good for our com-munity, she said. What we are doing here is not just roll-ing out another product. Were

looking for a way to bring the community closer together. Its more than a news source; its a place for the community to enhance their lives by knowing each other.

The new site offers the kind of local content found in the print edition, and a whole lot more. There are polls, blogs and forums where you can read others opinions or offer up your own. Slide shows and vid-eos offer lots of images of East County happenings, and a new community calendar could be-come an important first stop for anyone thinking of holding an event.

You can post some-thing in the Calendar up to 13 months ahead of time, Robin-

son said. If enough people use it, then maybe there wont be so many great things happen-ing at the same time as other great things.

There are lots of advertis-ing options at thepress.net, in-cluding free classified listings for registered readers. A brand new, searchable Business Di-rectory will make it easier for merchants to get their messag-es out, and easier for custom-ers to find them when theyre

see Web page 21A

For a guide to the features on our new Web site, see page 12A in todays paper.

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A

1300 Central Blvd. Brentwood

Lori Abreu(925) 216-6317Owner/Broker www.DeltaRanches.com

Cerelle Carstairs(925) 382-4307

Real Estate Agent

5453 San Martin Way, Antioch

308 Turnstone Circle, Pittsburg

This 3 bdrm./2ba. 1539 sf home has an open floor plan with lots of space. Master bedroom/bath is set for disabled access. Huge lot with side yard access and swimming pool. Easy commute location. Priced at $335,000

1043 Fox Meadow Way, Concord

This property has an elegant tree lined drive, fenced pasture, RV parking, swimming pool and much more! There are 7 level acres, 7 acres for grazing or planting PLUS plans for a 2nd home. Call Lori for details. Price reduced to $599,000

4901 Briones Valley Rd., Brentwood

Huge Price Reduction! New Price at $849,000 gets it all! Now includes home on 3.5 acres, barn, plus approved conditional sub-division map by city of Oakley for two 1 acre parcels to be split off. Almost 1200 sf of living space, featuring 3 over sized bdrms. and 2 ba. Priced at $849,000

91 Lozoya Way, Oakley

Features newer appliances with separate dining area. Lots of storage. Priced to sell. 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1251 sq. feet. w/gated patio. Priced at $72,500

8 Madrid Place, Antioch

Country Club living with golfcourse and lake views for a WOW price! Great floor plan for this 2 bdrm. 2 ba., 1632 sf home. Open kitchen has corian counters and laminate floors. Outside has large side yard and nice back patio. Priced at $217,000

2468 Wayfarer Court, Discovery Bay

Almost 10 acres could be all yours for your new custom home site. 2 lots available at this price. Views of Mt. Diablo, lots of opportunity. Priced to sell fast at $349,000

2100 Bartels Drive, Knightsen

ASK A

BOUT

OWNER

FINANC

ING!

This 5 bedroom, 3 ba. is a perfect 10! Beautiful upgraded kitchen with open floor plan, large rear and side yard with views of the rolling hills! 3423 sq. feet. Priced at $449,000

2783 St. Andrews Dr. Brentwood

5 level acres w/your own private pavered driveway to your custom 3,000 sf single level home. 4 bdrms, 2.5 baths w/open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, and formal dining rm. In-ground pool w/pool hse. Huge full power shop w/overhead lighting and concrete floor; has open area for hay storage, horses or parking. This property also has its own fully lit sports court that kids of all ages will love. Priced at $1,195,000

155 Eagle Lane, Brentwood

This 5 bdrm., 3.5 bath, 3,148 sq ft home will not last. This bank owned property has tile floors through most of the lower level, corian kitchen counters w/ choice of 2nd master, teen suite, or bonus room upstairs. Custom tinted windows. Great commute location, and close to shopping. Reduced to $309,900

Great newer home waiting for your personal touches. This two story, 2,232 sf home has 4 bedrooms that are a little larger, 2.5 baths and open floor plan with tile and wall to wall carpeting. This is a must see. Priced at only $229,900

Resident puts council meetings onlineAn Oakley resident on his own dime and time is

providing online video footage of City Council meetings so that residents can keep up to date with whats going on in their city.

For much of the past year, Paul Seger has been videotaping council meetings and, beginning with the Dec. 9, 2008 meeting, has placed them on the Web.

Thats something the City Council has been considering, but doing so would require an upgrade to the citys video equipment and capabilities, and might be hard to accomplish soon given the current budget challenges.

In the meantime, Seger and his camcorder might help fi ll the gap. The service, which Seger calls OakleyTV, is part of his mission to get Oakley residents more involved with their government. Only a handful of the citys 30,000 residents regularly attend local government meetings, and Seger is just about the only resident who regularly speaks at them.

The two-year Oakley resident fi rst became interested in local affairs in 2007, when the Wal-Mart controversy began heating up. He was among a small but vocal group opposed to the mega-retailer locating in Oakley. City offi cials, on the other hand, welcomed Wal-Mart, due to the jobs, shopping and tax dollars it would bring the city.

Wal-Mart wound up withdrawing its application to open shop in Oakley, resulting in a return to sparse attendance at meetings. But Seger continued attending and, despite initially butting heads with council members with little to show for it, hes beginning to have an effect.

At the last meeting he not only received an apology from Mayor Carol Rios for the councils violation of its no-applause policy, but he also successfully encouraged offi cials to send out a press release to notify residents that council

meetings now start at 6:30 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.I was a bull in the china shop when I fi rst came in, said

Seger in an interview Monday. I didnt have a clue on who to talk to and what to say. I fi gured I would knock my head

around and see whats going on.I would rather work with the council and the government

entity to fi nd out what it is as a whole that the people want. I dont feel like there was a real effort (by offi cials) to reach out and fi nd out what the people want (on various issues).

Although Seger has voluntarily taken on the role of local government watchdog, its actually the last thing he wants to be doing.

Personally, I despise politics, he said. I have absolutely no interest in the back and forth on the deal making. Im obviously opinionated, but everyone should have an opinion on the matters (before the council). The land-use development items that are coming up for discussion are like the Holy Grail or the most prominent part government plays in directing the outcome of how a community functions and looks.

I have no interest in being any sort of council oversight. The sooner I can not have to record things and put them on the Internet so that people can see whats going on, the better. I have other things I would rather be doing. But people need to show up and take an interest in the government.

My point always has been that nobody is really stepping up and saying anything. Or at least saying, This is what I think, and I need you to facilitate this. Theres almost like a power vacuum, where people feel like they dont have any say in anything. We dont just elect them into offi ce and go back to sleep, and now thats their business. Things come up every week, every month, and people need to have more than one side of the story.

Seger wants to expand OakleyTV, getting high school students involved in producing videos of local sports, community activities and local places of interest. A former teacher, he believes its vital to get the next generation more interested in civic affairs.

To view the Oakley council meetings online, go to www.archive.org and enter OakleyTV in the search bar.

Oakley resident Paul Seger videotapes City Council meetings and places them online at www.archive.org (type OakleyTV in that sites search window).

Photo by Dave Roberts

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 13, 2009

105 S. 2nd Street, Rio Vista

Mon & Wed10am-2pm

(707)374-2420

Grace Hindes, H.I.S.Hearing Instrument

Specialist

Carrie McAfee, H.I.S. Hearing Instrument

Specialist

Audiometric Evaluations Hearing Aid Sales/Repair 30 Day Trial Insurances welcome Financing available OAC.

1 Year FREE batteries

w/purchase ofnew hearing aid

Serving the hearing impaired since 1980

HEARINGSERVICESof Rio Vista

Americas spirit in a stovepipe hatTwo hundred years ago on the Kentucky

frontier was born a man few people today know anything about. He eventually became the most reviled politician in his time, a man who was known to ridicule other men in public, who put on demonstrations of physical strength to im-

press those he was with, and who once belittled a woman as too full of fat Noth-ing could have commenced at birth and reached her present bulk in less than thirty-fi ve or forty years. He was a shrewd tactician, a tireless organizer, the consummate partisan politician. Once in a posi-tion to approve 1,900 federal appointments, he made sure 1,500 of them went to loyal

party men.Also born at that time was a man unshak-

able in his belief that all men were created equal and free. He believed that the United States was the only place on earth that people could live that way, and that the country was therefore worth preserving. He was incorruptibly honest and deeply compassionate, and he courageously navigated the country through its most lethal peril, the Civil War. In four years he brought government of, by and for the people back from the brink of suicide, destroyed the institution of slavery in America, and set the stage for the country to heal from the butchery that accompa-nied its destruction. He willingly undertook, and prevailed in, a battle he knew would nobly save,

or meanly lose, the last best hope on earth.The second man, of course, was Abraham

Lincoln. So was the fi rst.Much of the character etched into the

somber face peering back at us from those grainy black and white photographs is the product of a rich back-story few people know. For example, author William Lee Millers 2002 book Lincolns Virtues, An Ethical Biography explains how the man known best for embracing all humanity created himself by embracing very little of the life that surrounded him:

In a society of hunters, Lincoln did not hunt. Where many men shot rifl es, Lincoln did not shoot; among fi shermen, Lincoln did not fi sh; among many who were cruel to animals, Lincoln was kind; surrounded by farmers, Lincoln fl ed from farming; with a father who was a carpenter, Lincoln did not take up carpentry

In a world in which men smoked and chewed, Lincoln never used tobacco; in a rough, profane world, Lincoln did not swear; in a social world in which fi ghting was a regular male activ-ity, Lincoln became a peacemaker; in a hard-drinking society, Lincoln did not drink; when a temperance movement condemned all drinking, Lincoln the non-drinker did not join it

In a southern setting soft on slavery, Lin-coln always opposed it; in a white world with strong racial antipathies, Lincoln was generous to blacks; in an environment indifferent to educa-tion, Lincoln cared about it intensely; in a family active in a church, Lincoln abstained

ONDEADLINE

RICKLEMYRE

see Spirit page 19A

Alexander Gardner/National Portrait Gallery

The famed cracked plate photo of Lincoln was taken by Alexander Gardner in February, 1865, two months before Lincolns assassination. According to one historian, Lincoln asked Gardner to tell him a funny story before the shot was taken, hence a hint of a smile appears in what many consider the quintessential portrait of our 16th president.

Your eyes close.

Your heart rests.

Your body at peace.

Book your Service Today!(925) 420-4580

Facials

Clinical Peels

Waxing

Massages

Cellulite Treatments

Salt Glos

Mud Wraps

Manicures

Pedicure

Acne Treatments

Diamond Hills Spa is a spectacular 3,000 sq. ft. European day spa that will enhance your healthy life style and renew your sense of well being.

Part of the Diamond Hills Sports Club, the spa features luxurious amenities, including seven private treatment rooms for massages, facials and body wraps, individual stations for pedicures and manicures, outdoor tranquility patio, relaxing private lounge and retail shop.

Diamond Hills Spa is your timeless, private retreat... a spectacular destination close to home to indulge yourself in healthy pleasures.

The Ultimate Valentine Weekend ExperienceFebruary 13-15

Couples Massages

Couples Packages Including Compli-mentary Lunch

Complimentary Wine, Champagne and Chocolates Served all Weekend

Open to the general public (membership not required)

Club Members receive preferred pricing

Day care available to spa guests

Hours:Monday-Friday

9:00am - 8:00pmSaturday-Sunday9:00am - 4:00pm

Check out our new Web site.read local news & adspost blogs & forumspost commentspost calendar events nd local businessespost classi ed adswatch videos & slide showswww.thepress.net

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

Let Brule & Rooney, LLP, licensed local attorneys, represent your interests in negotiating a loan modi cation with your lender for a reasonable xed fee-- no surprises. Call now for a free 1/2 hour consultation with an attorney.

Danville Antioch

The Loan Fitness Counselors

925-934-7400www.BruleRooney.net

FORECLOSURE HELP

6A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 13, 2009

When Jan Melloni moved to Brent-wood in 1993, she could count the citys traffi c lights on one hand. While anyone can note the changes that have occurred to the Brentwood landscape over the years, Melloni recognizes a more specifi c change: the parks.

And she should, considering she helped plan and approve the creation of more than 40 of them during her three terms as a Parks and Recreation commis-sioner.

Melloni never expected to serve on the commission for eight years, but after her fi nal term expired last December, she said she had a lot of fun. Being a com-missioner is a big commitment, Melloni said. I attended many meetings and par-ticipated on task forces and helped plan many parks and trails, but I had fun. I met some wonderful people and made some great friends.

Despite the fond memories, Melloni isnt sure how she initially ended up on the commission in the fi rst place. She ap-plied for a seat on the Brentwood Planning Commission in 1998, but she wasnt ap-pointed. However, someone must have kept her name in mind, because when the Parks and Recreation Commission was formed, her name was thrown into the ring.

I dont know how it all came togeth-

er, Melloni recalled. I was at an event and I remember (former mayor) Mike McPoland came up to me and asked if I would accept the position, but I had no idea what position he was talking about.

However it happened, its all history. Melloni served on the commission from 2000 to 2008.

Parks and Recreation Director Craig

Bronzan said Mellonis high standards have positively shaped the city. I have all the respect in the world for Jan. She has such a passion for parks and recreation especially a passion for kids activities. She has a passion for her community and wants the highest quality. Shes one of the reasons we have great parks in this city. She wants whats best for Brentwood.

After having a hand in so many proj-ects, she said its diffi cult to pick a favorite.

Her most enjoyable, yet challeng-ing, project was the Brentwood Skate Park. It was a lot of work, and it took a lot of convincing to bring the neighbor-hoods in the area on board, but I like the end result. It was an opportunity for the kids who planned to use the park to be involved. We held a community meeting and kids got to make model skate parks out of clay, and many of their ideas were incorporated into what you see today, so I am proud of the work on that.

She said shes proud of all her work for the city, but its time to move on.

Melloni is still involved with city ac-tivities through her participation in the Brentwood Art Society, where she serves as president. The art society is responsible for planning the Brentwood Art, Wine and Jazz Festival, and Melloni and the other members are already at work plan-ning this years event for October.

Art society member Ron Beatty said Melloni is an admired community leader and the driving force behind the art soci-ety, which she helped create. He said her tireless dedication to the arts has helped bring art and cultural programs to the city that Brentwood greatly needs.

Melloni said she hasnt ruled out pur-suing future civic duties with the city, but

Commissioner brought passion, commitmentby Samie Hartley

Staff Writer

see Commissioner page 18A

Brentwood resident Jan Melloni recently nished her nal term as Parks and Recreation Commissioner in December. One of her many contributions to the city includes the fountain located at the corner of First and Oak streets.

Photo by Samie Hartley

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 7A

fi nd yourself: getting carded at 46

getting cardedgetting carded

Certain Restrictions Apply. See Club for details.

Imagine the sheer joy of receiving the ultimate compliment: May I see your ID? Now imagine a sports club fully committed to helping you feel that joy... everyday.

'iamond +ills 6ports &lub and 6pa will help you nd yourself... sometimes in places you hadnt been in years. With a multitude of sports and tness options the most dedicated group of health and tness e[perts and over years of club management e[perienceDiamond Hills Sports Club and Spa will guide you to a healthier and happier life.

2f course theres no guarantee you will get carded the ne[t time you are out but as a member of Diamond Hills Sports Club and Spa your chances will only get better.

Mention this ad and receive a commemorative Diamond Hills Sports Club workout bag upon joining and while supplies last!

1510 NEROLY ROADOAKLEY, CALIFORNIA

PHONE:(925) 420-4575

Hurry! Offer Ends 2/16/09

Locked into a contract at another club? No worries! With special membership incentives

its easy to transfer your membership to Diamond Hills Sports Club. 3lus all our

memberships are month-to-month-- free of any long term commitment.

Visit us online: www.diamondhillssc.com

CSD sends P-zone wish list to county

On behalf of the Discovery Bay com-munity, the CSD Board has sent a letter to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervi-sors outlining the publics wishes for the use of the P-6 zone funds: two resident deputies, a patrol car, a crime specialist, some sort of youth-oriented program and a committee to oversee the spending.

It took a while to get there nearly two and a half hours but the CSD Board, along with vigorous input from the commu-nity, hammered out the details during the Feb. 4 regular CSD board meeting.

CSD President Ray Tetrault was pleased with the collaborative effort. I thought it went very well, and I thought I pulled off something I didnt think I could, said Tet-rault, referring to the agreement reached with the community. The audience kept the discussion on point and fairly simple and did a great job.

Sheriff Warren Rupf submitted a pro-posal late last year to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors outlining how he believed the police department could best utilize the P-6 zone dollars, which are earmarked for enhanced police services in certain areas of Discovery Bay. Supervisor Mary Piepho in turn asked for residents in-

put as to how the community would like to see those dollars nearly $500,000 annually spent.

The sheriffs original proposal called for the deployment of two new resident deputies for a total of 80 hours per week (the town current employs one full-time deputy, who also patrols Knightsen and Bethel Island), a standard deputy vehicle with the towns name on it, a crime specialist and commu-nity surveillance cameras.

The public consensus was similar, with a few alterations. Residents suggested that the $40,000 previously earmarked for the surveillance cameras be placed instead to-ward a youth-oriented program such as the anti-drug D.A.R.E. program.

But the bigger issues involved the cre-ation of an oversight committee to monitor and direct the P-6 dollars, along with ideas for who would sit on that panel. Sugges-tions for the committee included P-6 zone residents who pay into the fund, members of Discovery Bay at large, or a combination of both, including members of the CSD Board.

Perhaps the CSD should not be in-volved (in the oversight committee), said Director Shannon Murphy-Teixeira, who also lives in a P-6 zone. I have yet to hear

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see Letter page 19A

Advertisement

You may have heard the saying, Shutting the barn door after the horse has already left Well, there is a lot of that going around right now. Obviously, lending rules were way too lax in the past and some people got loans they could never afford on over-priced homes. Well, now that the bubble has burst, the lending industry is swinging the other way, almost being TOO restrictive on making loans, even to good people on homes they can well afford. One group in particular has been singled out, and that is investors. It has been VERY difficult to buy an investment property recently as the lenders kept cutting back on programs, raising rates and fees, and limit-ing investors to only 4 financed properties. What this means is if you already had 4 rentals with loans on them, if you wanted to buy a 5th property, you had to either pay cash, or get a hard-money loan (very high rates and terms).

Well, just this week that stance is start-ing to soften. FNMA just came out with an

announcement that they will allow an inves-tor to own up to 10 financed properties. Looks like they finally figured out that with the glut of homes on the market, its actually in the countrys best interest to have some-one buy them, fix them up and put them out there as a rental. That will soak up some of the inventory, and hopefully give us some price support, in addition to helping some of the local vendors get busy again putting in paint, carpet, appliances, etc.

They are looking for solid investors for this program. At least 720 FICO score, 30% down-payment, no bankruptcy or foreclosure the last 7 years, no mortgage lates the last 12 months and they must have 6 months worth of reserves for all their financed properties.

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

GOOD NEWS FOR INVESTORS!

8A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 13, 2009

MKT CODE: ROP

Call today foryour eye examor bring inyour Rx

CONTACT LENS OFFER

*$88 offer includes any frame up to $130, single vision or ST28 lined bifocals with scratch-resistant plastic lenses excluding Rayban and SunSpot Collection. **Instinctive no-line bifocals available for a $20upgrade. Lens bonus includes $10 off a single premium lens treatment: Transitions, polycarbonate, or polarized lenses. Some special orders excluded. Additional charge may be applied for strong Rx. Bifocalsand/or progressives, specialty lenses and lens options are additional. See optician for details. Frame selection varies by store. Cannot be combined with another offer,vision care plan, package pricing or priororders. Participating stores only. Eye exams performed by independent state licensed Doctors of Optometry. Offer ends February 21, 2009.

BONUS OFFER!

$10 offpremium lens treatment

We Accept Most Vision Care Plans.JCPenney Optical

CALL 1-877-JCPEYES SHOP JCPEYES.com

$30SAVE UP TO

on ACUVUE Oasys andACUVUE Oasys for Astigmatism

Contact Lenses

*Must purchase an annual supply of ACUVUE Oasys contact lenses. Validprescription required. Contact lenses not available in AR.See optician for details.

single vision orFREE BIFOCALS!**

$88Complete Pair of Eyeglasses

Final 2 Weeks!

Antioch: The Orchard at Slatten Ranch (925) 779-1844

Byron mourns passing of smiling icon DeBorba

With his signature brown truck and larger-than-life personality, Jim DeBorba was as much a fi xture at the Byron Inn as the specials of the day.

He was here every day, sometimes for all three meals, said John Gaudette, manager of the Byron Inn. You can defi nitely tell hes not around; its a lot quieter in here. We are going to really miss him.

Friends and associates mourned the passing of DeBorba, who died on Jan. 24 of complications from a recent heart attack. The longtime, 70ish Byron farmer will be

remembered by many as a local icon with a big smile and generous spirit.

This was a man who had a heart of gold. He would do anything for anyone, said personal friend Gail Della Nina. He (Jim) has been helping us with our business (making olive oil) since we moved here 12 years ago. Here was a man in his 70s who every day was on a tractor or driving a truck or baling hay. He was an amazing man and a wonderful friend.

Born and raised in Byron, DeBorbas mother, Marguerite, who passed away in December, was one of the areas fi rst families

by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer

see DeBorba page 19A

Photo courtesy of Gail Della Nina

Jim DeBorba, longtime Byron resident and farmer, passed away on Jan. 23.

NEW CLIENT SPECIALS!NEW CLIENT SPECIALS!

www.taxcare.netwww.taxcare.net

ANTIOCH4369 Hillcrest Ave.cross street Wild Horse

755-9466

BRENTWOOD7740-A Brentwood Blvd.

Sunset Plaza

516-1225

CLAYTON4701 Clayton Rd.

cross street Bailey

602-0100

CONCORD1310-D Monument Blvd.

next to Comfort Inn

688-1400

PITTSBURG2245 Railroad Ave.

Stoneman Plaza

473-2900

FREE E-File With Tax Preparation

We Honor Competitors Coupons INCOM

E

TAX

1040 EZ Single Married Filing Joint

No Dependents W-2 Income

$2999Calif. Tax Return Included

1040 A W-2, Tips, Unemployment Interest

Dividends Soc. Security Income Renters Credit Child Tax Credit

Earned Income Credit Education Credit Dependent Care Credit

$6999 Calif. Tax Return Included

1040Homeowners Special

Everything in 1040A Itemized Deductions Misc. Income 1099 Without

Schedule C Retirement Income Vehicle Expense And many more!

$9999 Calif. Tax Return Included

1040 Complex

Any Type of Income and All Credits and Deductions that Apply

$19999Calif. Tax Return Included

10% Discount off Regular Prep Fee. Additional 5% off if you go GREEN. Have your

copy e-mailed to you.

ReturnClients

LIST OF HOMESCALL 1-866-406-1215

toll free 24 hours

Tell us which areas, type of home; and well either fax, mail or email the list of homes directly to you. No obligation.

No hassle. FREE list of homes.www.myfreehome ndersite.com Ask about refund

anticipation loans (funded same day to 3 days)

E-File Federal & State

Instant Refunds Trusts & Estates

www.ChrisMobileTax.com

MBA, EA, Tax Consultant

Chris Christopherson

786-7660 fax 626-3488

In home tax preparation

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 11A

NCUA Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. governmentagency. *APY=Annual Percentage Yield. 7.00% APY available on Ultimate Rewards Package on the first $500 in your Share Savings account. The standard APY for regular Share Savingsaccounts will be paid on non-qualifying accounts and the portion of account balances greater than $500. Please refer to our published rates. Dividend accrual for the higher yield begins themonth after enrollment and all program requirements have been met. Non-qualifying accounts are those that do not meet the eligibility criteria: TCU checking account in good standing, enrollmentin E-statements, and either active Bill Pay or Direct Deposit. Business and organization accounts not eligible. One Ultimate Rewards Package per Social Security number. Rate subject to change.See www.traviscu.org for complete disclosures and agreements. Certain membership requirements may apply. For complete details about our free Identity Theft Assistance program, visit ourWeb site at www.traviscu.org. Everyone who lives, works, worships or goes to school in the 12-county area is eligible to join. Certain membership requirements may apply.

Ultimate Rewards

Package

Heres how to qualify to earn an amazing 7% APY

TCU checking account and Free E-statements and Either free Bill Pay

or free Direct Deposit

on the first $500 in yourTCU Share Savings account

With a TCU checking account, youll get lots of other extras,including free Identity Theft Assistance and free access toyour accounts at more than 28,000 CO-OP Network ATMs. So, why settle for less? If youre not receiving all of thesebenefits where you bank, switch to Travis Credit Union.

Where You BelongJoin online, or open an account online at www.traviscu.org or call the friendly member service center (800) 877-8328

Brentwood Branch3111 Balfour Road, Suite N Shops at Fairview MonFri 10am5:30pmSaturday 10am2pm

Antioch Branch5819 Lone Tree Way Slatten Ranch Shopping Center MonFri 10am5:30pmSaturday 10am2pm

some extra-credit points toward their history grades.

Seventh-graders Sonya Ortega, Lizbeth Gonzalez, Stephanie Lopez and Brenda Rios made a stop by a 6-foot tall catapult, taking a moment to assess it before concluding it was one of their favorites. It looks like it would really work, said Sonya.

Yeah, it could work, Lizbeth said as Stephanie and Brenda nodded in agreement as they made notes on their work sheet. There must have been a lot of research to get it right. A lot of effort went into this.

As students and parents canvassed the room, taking a look at more than 800 art projects, Principal Russell Cornell took a mo-ment to look over a recreation of the painting of Emanuel Leutzes Washington Crossing the Delaware.

Im astounded by the talent of our students, Cornell said. I cant even make a stick fi gure, but these kids are able to recreate legendary art. This event gives our students the chance to express their knowledge artisti-cally instead of writing a paper or taking a test. Plus this is a project that the entire family can be involved in, so Im proud that we can host an educational event that also promotes family.

Best of Show ribbons were awarded to sixth-graders Ray Angelo Siapno fi rst; Lorenzo Gomez second; and Brett Peter-son third; seventh-graders Esther Mou fi rst; Garet Kimball second; and Kimberly Christie third; and eighth-graders Olivia So-telo fi rst; Drew Kenkel second; and Zach Thorton third.

History from page 10A

An artillerist from the Middle Ages prepares to re a catapult during Bristow Middle Schools History Night. No casual-ties were reported.

Photo by Richard Wisdom

As a new year is ushered in, so is a new president for the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce: Karen Spann of The Monthly Grapevine. And while Spann contends with the pressures of the current economy, she has outgoing President Kathy Reids exper-tise to draw on.

Spann, owner of The Monthly Grape-vine, has been a member of the Brentwood Chamber for nearly 20 years. She and the rest of the Board of Directors plans for the new year include providing members with networking opportunities through morning

breakfasts, luncheons, a welcoming com-mittee, mixers and other activities in 2009. We are currently working on a chamber directory, a map, and visitors package for relocating businesses and individuals, said span. We hope to give out over 2,000 leads to Chamber members this year.

The new president will be especially

alert to legislative developments in Washing-ton, D.C., Sacramento, Martinez and Brent-wood. The Chamber plans to lobby against new or higher business taxes and fees, she said. We will listen to the issues impacting local business and help fi nd solutions. We are planning a series of educational seminars for businesses. Our Legislative Committee plans to meet regularly with government entities to advance business.

The revitalization of downtown Brentwoods businesses is a matter that the Chamber and its new president will give special emphasis. Guiding the Chambers Downtown Committee is of great impor-tance to us, Spann said. The committee is off to a great start, planning a Bridal Faire for March. Downtown Thursdays will con-tinue this summer with new and exciting events. These events will help the smaller and privately owned businesses gain more exposure.

When asked to comment on the events of the previous year, outgoing President Reid said, Honoring Helen Meyer as the 2008 Citizen of the Year was an especially touching evening, and announcing Gene Clare as the 2009 Citizen of the Year at last

weeks Chamber Installation was so moving. There were many tears of happiness.

Our annual CornFest is always an ex-citing weekend, and to be able to give back over $50,000 to the community made our months of planning worthwhile. And the Hometown Halloween and Holiday Parade are two perfect examples of what makes Brentwood so special. I call these Norman Rockwell events because of the wonderful small-town feel they create.

Our biggest accomplishment as a Chamber this year was hiring our new CEO, Harry York. The extensive chamber-related experience Harry brings has moved us to new heights in visibility and credibility. With Harrys guidance, we have expanded our business education opportunities through the new Good Morning, Brentwood break-fasts, and the Ask the Expert luncheon events.

Serving on this years Chamber board with Spann will be President-Elect, Shayn Cutino (Anja Wellness), Chief Financial Of-fi cer, Ken Seamann (Discovery Professional Services), Executive Committee Member, Joe Trebino (Delta Pure Water, Etc.), Brent Aasen (Equus Group), Greg Benner (Les Schwab Tires), Bill Fee (Mazzys Fire Pro-tection Specialists), De-de Hays (Prudential California Real Estate), Paul Kelly (Home One Mortgage), Sean McCauley (SMI, Inc.), Lyle Miller (Pastry Chef), Richard Perez-Pacheco (Black Sheep Design), Mar-lon Smith (Best Buy) and Olga Vidriales (Travis Credit Union).

New president, board for Brentwood Chamber14A | THEPRESS.NET BUSINESS FEBRUARY 13, 2009

by Thomas ThompsonCorrespondent The Chamber plans to lobby against new or higher business

taxes and fees. We will listen to the issues impacting local business and help find solutions.

Karen Spann, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce president

16A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Admirable abstinenceEditor:

Something amazing, and benefi cial to Discovery Bay, occurred at the Feb. 4 CSD Board meeting.

At the end of the discussion about the P6 Funds, and after his vigorous participation therein, Director Da-vid Piepho abstained from voting on the recommendations that he helped develop and were to be sent to his wife, Supervisor Mary Piepho.

One of the recommendations was to appoint an oversight committee, which Supervisor Piepho, alone, would do.

It is an obvious confl ict of inter-est for Director Piepho to be making recommendations that only his wife would act upon. I am not aware of Di-rector Piephos reasons for abstaining from the vote, but avoiding a confl ict of interest is an obvious and commend-able reason.

The confl ict of interest arises from the ethics laws ( avoid even the ap-pearance of improper conduct ) and not the California Political Reform Act, whose provisions are very limited but it is no less a confl ict of interest.

Director Piepho is to be congratu-lated if his abstinence from the vote was to avoid even the appearance of improper conduct.

William R. RichardsonDiscovery Bay

Cant manufacture amourEditor:

Walter was still a bachelor when his father, Horst, died. Although he missed out on realizing Horsts dream of playing with grandchildren, Walter was encouraged by his stepmother Marthas old-world wisdom that there is a lid for every pot. At age 42, he found his lid. Taking advantage of an

April Fools Day wedding discount, the vows which my husband and I made in a humble ceremony in Reno, Nev., begot 20 years of cooking up lots of joy and contentment.

Introductions by friends, relatives and co-workers have been replaced by Match.com, E-Harmony and other cyber dating tools. In the late 80s, there were no profi les to review or trial dating opportunities. Yet, many relationships prospered.

My father, Avelino, and my mother, Evalina, have over 50 years of togeth-erness. Aside from my parents, I have never known another person named Avelino or Evalina. They met in the early 50s, when landline phones were a luxury. So forget about setting a date via cellphone, e-mail or text messages. Yet by fate, two people of meager re-sources, with unique but similar names and born on two different islands in the Philippines archipelago of seven thousand and one (7,001) islands man-aged to meet and support each other for more than half a century.

Great relationships come naturally. Seek in your own backyard for some-one with common goals and values. Whether absorbed in sports or enrap-tured in church liturgy, the right part-ner will come when and where you are most at ease. Live Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God and meet your destiny. Happy Valentines Day to all!

Cynthia RuehligAntioch

Paying the price of public serviceEditor:

Although it is wise to ignore personal diatribes, Jessica Matias Feb. 6 letter to the editor, Cut off and dis-carded, so egregiously misrepresented the Jan. 28 Antioch School Board meeting that I am compelled to reply.

Cut off ? Ill eat my hat if I cut you off. I have never cut anybody off at any time short of their allotted three minutes. We employ an electronic timer monitored by the recording secretary. I absolutely did not stop you at one minute. If anything, I am accused of too generously letting please fi nish that last thought extend after the three-minute buzzer. Now if you object to time constraints, well that is another matter entirely. I would only say that subjectivity is a slippery slope. What is fair for one is fair for all.

Rudeness? I listened attentively to all 10 speakers and sincerely thanked you and all the rest for coming and for sharing. In my entire tenure, you are, oddly, the only one I have ever heard this complaint from.

Purposeful delay? Not so. Public comment is, by board policy, at 8 p.m. The Jan. 28 board meeting was no different. As for your allegation that trivia preceded it, I beg to differ. Do you honestly consider student delegate reports, staff recognitions, staff reports, audit reviews and a budget update in-consequential? How could you tell the import of what was discussed since you were, by your own admission, outside amidst the noise of people chanting and banging on the walls?

Constituents treated as garbage? Honestly, I dont think you know me. In four years on the board I have answered every single phone call, every single e-mail, no matter what the tone, decorum, or lack of decorum. Ive been out away from my family on average three to four nights a week and have donated my stipend to charity precisely because I value the people I serve.

Frankly, Im incredulous as to what meeting you think you attended. If venting on me makes you feel better, though, then take your best shot. Criti-cism, justifi ed or unjustifi ed, is the price of public service.

Walter RuehligPresident, A.U.S.D. Board of

Trustees

Lions help remake AmericaEditor:

Did you know that Brentwoods Li-ons Club will be celebrating its 80th an-niversary? This organization has raised thousands of dollars for worthy causes, which has helped countless families in our city since 1929.

Within the last month, I had the opportunity of attending two of the Lions Clubs bi-weekly meetings and Im glad I did. I met a great bunch of members who were having fun; serv-ing fellow community members. In one meeting, they presented a check to Unique Girlfriends to help them pay the rental of a center they will be using for their scheduled dance.

In another meeting, the Lions presented a check to Garin Elementary School for the purchase of an audio amplifi cation system that will enhance students learning. When both these organizations received their check, they were so ecstatic and emotional. I can honestly say that this Lions Club experience was a memorable moment that no one will ever forget.

This experience has helped me learn the value of helping others in a way I havent experienced for quite a long time. I realized that my preoccupa-tion with uncertain economic times and the busyness of life has made it easy for me to solely focus on self and family.

I am now determined to get involved, especially after these experiences and with our presidents request for us to begin again the work of remaking America.

I am grateful that we have orga-nizations like the Lions Club, whose members still have the courage to serve no matter our economic circum-stances. I would like to challenge every citizen to get involved to serve our community so that we can, as our presi-dent said, extent opportunity to every willing heart. When you do, I know that you will understand the motto of Melvin Jones, founder of the Lions Club, who stated, You cant get very far until you start doing something for somebody else.

When this country faced a depres-sion era, many people devoted their time to helping others, even when they were struggling economically. The results are stories of encourage-ment, inspiration and mutual benefit. I believe that a time has come for Americans to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and do our part in the remaking of America. When we do, we will all create stories and ex-perience a better tomorrow. For more information on the Lions Club, go to www.lionsclubs.org.

Victor SilvaBrentwood

The straight story on the libraryEditor:

I want to correct some recent com-ments I have read about the new library in downtown Brentwood.

Since 2000, the City of Brentwood has been contributing funds to the county to subsidize the longer hours for the library.

The current library in the park is slightly less than 5,000 square feet and the new location at 104 Oak St. will be slightly more than 5,000 square feet. The difference is the open fl oor plan and the ability to organize the space to allow for easier fl ow and access to read-ing and reference materials. The new library design will incorporate vibrant colors and up-to-date furniture and shelving that will enhance the users experience.

Further, moving the library to Oak Street allows the library to stay down-town and be a part of the civic center now and in the future.

Once the new City Hall is built and occupied, the library will expand into 118 and 120 Oak St., providing three times more space (17,000 square feet) than it will occupy at 104 Oak St.

Bob TaylorMayor of Brentwood

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 CORPORATION

National 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) 634-1975website: www.thepress.net

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

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

Editorial email - editor@brentwoodpress.com

OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY Nat

ional Aw

ardWinning Newspapers

I believe that a time has come for Americans to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and do our part in the remaking of America.

Victor Silva

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 17A

Serving East Contra Costa for over 25 years

Residential Commercial

634-0272

HOME REPAIRS & SERVICE

REMODELING

NEW CONSTRUCTION

SEPTIC SYSTEMS

WATER SOFTENERS

WATER HEATERS

UNPLUGGING DRAIN LINESLIC. #

888355INSUREDPL & PD

PLUMBING INC.

Credit and collateral subject to approval. Only for Bank of America customers. Program, rate, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A.

Equal Housing Lender 2008 Bank of America Corporation.

Kirk FraleySr. Mortgage Loan Ofcer

Cell: 925.628.3435

Fax: 866.517.9088

kirk.fraley@bankofamerica.com

THE NEXT BEST THINGTO NO MORTGAGE AT ALL

NEW No Fee Mortgage PLUS$0 APPLICATION FEE$0 CLOSING FEES+ NO PRIVATE MORTGAGE INSURANCE+ CLOSE-ON-TIME SERVICE GUARANTEE+ BEST VALUE GUARANTEE

To learn more, contact a Bank of America mortgage loan specialist:

A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East County police de-partments.BRENTWOODJan. 30, 9:48 p.m. On San Jose Avenue, an unidentifi ed person set a bike on fi re on top of a barbecue in the park.Jan. 31, 12:49 a.m. Three subjects were involved in a road-rage incident on Simms Road. Two of the subjects were found to be under the infl uence of alcohol. Both were arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Jan. 31, 8:50 a.m. A vehicle was stolen during the night from in front of a resi-dence on Sherwood Drive.Jan. 31, 1:39 p.m. On Wexton Street, a driver stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to have an outstanding war-rant. He was arrested and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Jan. 31, 11:27 p.m. On Turnberry Court, a subject was found to be in possession of a switchblade, marijuana, and glass pipe. He was arrested and released to his moth-er on a Juvenile Affi davit.Feb. 1, 7:50 a.m. An unidentifi ed person used the credit card number of a resident of Charisma Way to make fraudulent purchases on the Internet.Feb. 1, 10:35 a.m. Two subjects contacted on a pedestrian stop on Lone Tree Way admitted to smoking methamphetamine

after showed symptoms of being under the infl uence. One of the subjects was ar-rested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility. The other was released on a Promise To Appear.Feb. 1, 6:40 p.m. On Wildfl ower Loop, a vehicle was towed for being parked for more than 72 hours on a public roadway.Feb. 1, 7:24 p.m. On Spyglass Drive, a subject riding a bicycle ran into the rear of a parked vehicle, causing him to be thrown through the vehicles rear window. He received only minor injuries and re-fused medical treatment.Feb. 2, 3:38 p.m. An unidentifi ed person was reported to be phoning, e-mailing and text-messaging a resident of Cherry Tree Court after being told to stop.Feb. 3, 2:07 p.m. A subject reported that his son was being harassed at school by another child. A documentation report was requested.Feb. 4, 2:47 p.m. An unidentifi ed person forced entry into a residence on Snap-dragon Way and stole six puppies.

To view the Brentwood Police Depart-ments public logs on the citys Web site, visit www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/department/pd/reports/index.cfm.ANTIOCHFeb. 4, 4:01 p.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Police Department were called to the 2900 block of Carmona Way on the report of

a burglary. Upon arrival, offi cers learned that 21-year-old Oakland Resident Andy Lautaimi was seen by a neighbor fl eeing the house carrying stolen property while the homeowner was gone. There was a short confrontation outside the victims house between Lautaimi and the wit-ness, and then the suspect ran to a nearby house. The victims checked their home and found numerous items missing, including two rifl es. Offi cers conducted a probation search at the residence where Lautaimi was last seen. Offi cers located all of the stolen property inside the residence and arrested a total of fi ve subjects. The adults arrested were sent to the Martinez Detention Fa-cility, and the juveniles were released to their parents. All were charged with pos-session of stolen property, which included the two rifl es and electronic items. During the search of the suspects home, an assault rifl e was located in a bedroom belonging to Taniela Kaloni, a 19-year-old male. On Feb. 5 at 9:47 p.m., offi cers located Kaloni in front of his residence in the 2900 block of Carmona Way. He was arrested without incident, transported to the Antioch Police Department for booking and then to the Martinez Detention Facility. The investi-gation into this matter is ongoing.

For information on law enforcement in Antioch, visit www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citygov/police.

OAKLEYJan. 26 A subject was found driving with a suspended license.Jan. 26 A vehicle accident with injuries took place on West Cypress Road at Main Street.Jan. 26 Domestic battery was reported on the 1000 block of Chianti Way.Jan. 27 A domestic violence court or-der was served on the 4600 block of Pinot Court.Jan. 27 A residence on the 1700 block of Fairhaven Court was burglarized.Jan. 27 Credit card fraud was reported by a resident of the 1500 block of Port Way.Jan. 28 A vehicle accident with property damage took place on Laurel Road at OHara Avenue.Jan. 28 A subject was caught riding a bike under the infl uence on the 3200 block of Main Street.Jan. 28 A subject was charged with as-sault with a deadly weapon on Brown-stone Road at Main Street.Jan. 29 On Empire Avenue at Gamay Drive, a subject was charged with inter-fering with a public offi cer.Jan. 29 Incidents of driving under the infl uence occurred on Laurel Road at Main Street, and West Cypress Road at Orchard Park Drive.Jan. 29 A vehicle parked on the 5000 block of Winchester Drive was burglarized.

COP LOGS On San Jose Avenue, an unidentifi ed person set a bike on fi re on top of a barbecue in the park. Jan. 30, 9:48 p.m.FROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS

18A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 13, 2009

issue for me and I wanted to be closer to home and my son and his school, and this affords me that opportunity to do that.

Despite the economic downturn, there are still a lot of projects going on, es-pecially in Dublin. In terms of that, Dub-lin really is the sweet spot of the Tri-Valley. Its a nice opportunity for me.

Casey McCann, Brentwoods commu-nity development director, said a decision has not yet been made as to how Mauers position will be fi lled. An offi cial decision has not yet been made, but it is certainly a priority, and a high priority for the City

Council, said McCann. One option might be for the short term to use an outside con-sultant until a replacement can be found.

Perhaps someone like Mason and her new consulting fi rm? Well, thats exactly the kind of person we would be looking for someone with her skills and expertise, said McCann. We have a lot of projects going that will need attention and care af-ter Linda leaves.

Were all happy for Linda and her new opportunity in Dublin. Im sure shell do a great job there because she did a great job for us here. We certainly wish her all the best.

Directors from page 9A

that for now, shell continue to attend City Council meetings to put in her two cents.

When Mayor Bob Taylor honored Melloni at the Jan. 13 council meeting, he praised her for her service and said he expects to hear more from her in the future. Jan is a wonderful person. Shes the type of person who gets things done, and if she doesnt like something, youll hear about it.

Her greatest concern is that projects that were scheduled before the budget crisis will be abandoned once the city gets back on its feet.

When times are tough, the fi rst things to go are the parks and the arts programs. I dont want to see that hap-pen. I dont know who will be around (on the commission) when its time to revisit

those projects, but I hope the plans come to fruition. There are so many things that arent fi nished parks to be built, trails to be fi nished. I hope they arent lost.

While Melloni fi gures out her next move, she said shes content to work side by side with her husband, Paul, at Mel-loni Construction, but it wont be long before shes back serving the community one way or another.

Im a volunteer at heart. Ive been volunteering since I was in Rainbow Girls as a kid. It feels good to give back. I didnt feel like I was a part of the com-munity here until I began volunteering. Ive helped out at CornFest. Ive built fl oats for the holiday parade. Ive worked at Gradnite. As long as theres a way for me to be involved, Im going to be out there.

Commissioner from page 6A

Check out our new Web site, www.thepress.net.

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 19A

Young Lincoln did not, if he could help it, hunt, fi sh, swear, fi ght, farm, perform manual tasks, despise Indians as many around him did, vote as his neigh-bors did, join the church as his family did, believe what his neighbors did; what he did do, when he could, was read.

The iconic Lincoln most people are familiar with, however, is generally free from such analysis and lacks most of its historical context. Thats OK, though, because theres something to be said for the symbolic fi gure of Lincoln, shorn of its back-story, serving as the purifi ed

standard for our great national ethos. In revering Lincolns qualities of compas-sion, honesty, fairness and dedication to freedom and equality, we thereby declare that those virtues are worthy of rever-ence, and the image with the penetrating eyes, crooked necktie and tousled hair becomes simply the vessel they are borne in so that we might easily keep them with us.

Happy 200th birthday, Abraham (he did not like the nickname Abe) Lincoln. Thanks for giving the spirit of America something to look like, and for continuing to remind us of what we, as a nation, hold dear.

Spirit from page 4A

anyone from the community asking for our help.

The creation of a contract with the sheriff to guarantee a certain level of service within the P-6 zones was also discussed. If we cant get a contract before we release even a nickel of that money (to the sheriff), thats insane, said resident Bob Mankin, who lives in a P-6 zone. Its a county fund; let the county appoint the committee.

But some residents warned against giv-ing too much power to an oversight commit-tee. Any committee that seeks to microman-age the sheriff is, I think, inappropriate, said resident Jeff Barber. The committee issue needs to be thought about. If the county or our board (CSD) is going to create a com-mittee based solely on how much tax you pay, it will create a split in this community.

Resident Brian Dawson echoed the sen-timent. This should not be about dividing the community, he said. We are one town

and thats all we are. But I do believe that this (the oversight committee) is a matter for the Board of Supervisors.

Director David Piepho, whose wife is county supervisor, abstained from the fi nal vote regarding the approval of the commu-nity letter. He said that who sits on the over-sight committee will ultimately be up to the Board of Supervisors.

I think an oversight committee is a great idea, said Piepho. What were asking for is an outlining of a plan (to send to the Board of Supervisors). It doesnt have to be perfect; just a basic understanding that will help us facilitate getting the deputies on the street. I think this is a great fi rst step.

Once the Board of Supervisors reviews the CSD letter and approves a P-6 plan, deputies could be deployed to Discovery Bay within a matter of weeks. The Board of Supervisors is expected to review the CSD letter at its next regularly scheduled meeting, on Feb. 17.

Letter from page 7A

and attended school at the historic Byron Hot Springs before attending Liberty High School in Brentwood. DeBorba was involved in the local Harvest Time organization as well as the Contra Costa County Farm Bureau. His deep roots in the community made him a regular fi xture throughout his beloved Byron.

He (Jim) showed up here every day at 6 a.m. with a big smile, said Sherry Culling, a friend and waitress at the Byron Inn. If there was only one person in here, then he would sit down with that person and have a conversation. He had a big personality, always happy.

And always joking, said Della Nina.The one thing about Jim I will always

remember is that no matter whom he met, he had a joke; a new joke nothing recycled, she said. He had a wonderful sense of humor and he adored his wife and daughters. He was a man who respected the people he worked with and helped, and they respected him. We all loved him.

Im going to miss seeing his old brown truck parked out front, added Culling. I think they should just park it here and leave it; were really going to miss him.

DeBorba leaves behind his wife, Barbara, and two daughters. Services were held on Feb. 2 at St. Anne Church in Bryon.

DeBorba from page 8A

22 888882008

GOL

D MEDALAWARD

20A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

325 Towncentre Terrace Suite B, Brentwood www.rbbjj.com925-240-7091

FREE month & uniformCall for details

Classes for men, women & kids Conditioning classes

925-303-4509

Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey

Th e goal of owning a home seems to be getting beyond the reach of more and more Americans. Business Week 1969. To me, that almost sounds exactly like what we heard during 2005 and 2006, when you couldnt lose investing in real estate and prices skied to record setting levelsright before we found ourselves in the economic turmoil that is our televisions, radios and even, yes, this weekly advertorial.

And speaking of the news, Th e New York Times on February 5, 2009 quoted Senator Johnny Isakson, a former real estate broker, as saying, We do have a history in this country with housing and it goes back to the crash of 1974, which in terms of inven-tory and price declines was comparable to whats happening now. How is that relative you ask the republican and prime sponsor of the homebuyer credit that was proposed earlier this week was also said during a news conference, Within one year of the inception of that tax credit, two-thirds of the available inventory that was on the market was gone.

Over the past few weeks the National Association of Realtors has been working dili-gently with Congress, and the new advisors, in hopes of using roughly $18.5 billion of the economic stimulus package to aid fi rst time home buyers. Th e potential tax bill up to a $15,000.00 tax credit - was approved through the Senate without a single opposition, in theory hoping to stimulate the economy through encouraging consumers to make major purchases. Or, as former Secretary

of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros has made reference to, the ticket item, the home.

Our economic woos, as wide spread as they have become, originally started in the housing sector thanks to a wave of foreclo-sures crippling our fi nancial system. When foreclosures run rapid the false sense of security one takes from over infl ated equity in their home disappears, which leads to their spending tightening up, which leads to credit (or lending) markets tightening up, which fi -nally causes unemployment to grow. In other words, for our economy as a whole to stabi-lize, its critical we set up the housing market to be the leader it is going to need to be!

Housing has been and always will be a long term investment; it is a cyclical industry with few certainties. However, if the param-eters of the American Recovery Reinvest-ment Act stay true to their current settings, I believe if youre on the fence about purchasing a home, if nothing else right now its at least worth a second look.

If can be of any assistance with respect to pre-approvals or pre-qualifi cations for you buyers, please dont hesitate to give me a call. Again, as of 2009, Ive moved my business into Brentwood, CA serving the community in which I live with an honest and integrity fi rst approach to the mortgage industry. As always, I welcome all questions and or concerns pertaining to real estate lending on my cell phone, 510-798-0060, or via email, tfreymortgages@yahoo.com.

Its All Relative

Advertisement

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 21A

and the fl ow of everything else comes from there. Its a lot of power. Keep the Planning Commission alive. They do add that extra voice and run their business dif-ferently than you.

Councilman Bruce Connelley re-sponded, This is a temporary measure. All the items that we predict will be com-ing before the Planning Commission will also be coming before the City Council as well. The Planning Commission is not a legislative body; its more advisory in na-ture.

The following city planning issues will be decided in the next 18 months, ac-cording to Community Development Di-rector Rebecca Willis: Update to the city General Plan, identi-fying affordable housing sites. A request from the developer of the four-story low-income apartment com-plex to increase the density of future de-velopment on that property. The plan to develop the land in the area of East Cypress Road. The plan to develop the land near the old Emerson Dairy. The plan to develop the downtown area. An ordinance regulating signage in the city. Revision of the city zoning code. Update to the General Plan to comply with fl ood regulations. The plan to develop the old DuPont property. Complying with state regulations deal-ing with climate change and environmen-tally friendly development. An ordinance dealing with historic pres-ervation.

We have an extended time frame where there is duplicative process with the Planning Commission and the City Coun-cil, and an opportunity to streamline for cost savings and effi ciency by eliminating the commission, Willis wrote in her staff

report.Earlier in the meeting, Rios read

proclamations honoring each of the Planning Commissioners: David Huerta, Iris Obregon, Edward Person and Don Scheer. The fi fth seat has remained open since Commissioner Erik Nunn was killed in a plane crash last year.

We want to show our appreciation for their service, said Rios. We under-stand that its time consuming and they have done a wonderful job.

Obregon said, When I fi rst moved into Oakley, my house closed and Oak-ley became a city. I just wanted to jump in and be a part of the process and be a part of an exciting time and change. Its a delicate balance of new and old, but change is inevitable.

The only other commissioner to com-ment after receiving a proclamation was Scheer, who said, I would like to thank the City Council members for having the confi dence to select me for the job. I was new at this and just beginning to feel com-fortable in the role when this happened and we all got fi red. If you have the op-portunity to do it again, you can call us all out of retirement.

Before voting to disband the com-mission, Councilwoman Pat Anderson praised the commissioners.

This is not something that I wish to do lightly, she said. It is the right thing to do at this time. I know the amount of time and dedication that they have given us. Different eyes seeing things, different voices and opinions are incredibly impor-tant. This is not the fi rst time the council has sat as the Planning Commission.

Theres a time for things to sunset. This particular time, sunsetting this is cor-rect. I know that there is a sunrise, and I am hopeful that that will happen sooner than later, and that the time that we sit (as the commission) will be brief and that your thoughts and input will continue. I believe this is right and yet incredibly diffi cult.

Commission from page 1Aready to buy. All the Press publications are there, too: the Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay and Antioch Press news-papers, Welcome! Guides, Coupons To Go and all the special sections produced throughout the year.

Editor Rick Lemyre said the abil-ity for people to submit their own news, opinions, photos and videos will allow locals to see themselves and their neigh-bors a lot more often.

Weve always taken a community-journalism approach to what we pub-lish, he said. Theres a lot more going on thats worth reporting than we, or any organization, has the staff to cover or the space to print. Its a matter of practical limitations. Well, thepress.net has plenty of room and lots of ways to submit things, so well be able to pro-vide an even more detailed view of not only Brentwood, but all the East County communities, all from one home page.

But given the newspaper industrys well-publicized troubles, does the ex-pansion of thepress.net mean the print edition will soon be gone?

Absolutely not, said Robinson. As a free, community paper, were feel-ing the same pinch other newspapers

feel. But with all the additional prod-ucts we offer, were doing just fine. In fact, Robinson pointed out, a recent re-port from newspaper industry analysts W.B. Grimes and Company showed that, while many big papers are in trou-ble, smaller publications like the Press have a distinct advantage.

Local advertisers continue to val-ue the hyper-local news and desirable local audience provided by community newspapers, Nancy Lane, president of Suburban Newspapers of America, said in the report. Community papers are affected by the current economic downturn but they are not in a crisis. In fact, there are some that are showing growth.

To de Lambert, one of the most exciting aspects of the potential for growth provided by thepress.net is that users will get a voice in how it devel-ops.

The community can have a direct impact on what they see and hear on the Web site, she said. In addition to the things they can contribute, Im looking forward to ideas from the community as to what we do to make the site even bet-ter. This is a baby, and were going to grow it up together.

Web from page 1A

22A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 13, 2009

New Weight Loss Treatment So Effective Local Clinic Opens

More Hours To Keep Up With DemandBrentwood Doctor gives you the skinny on the tactics

used by the diet and weight loss industry to help separate you from your hard earned dollars while selling you a pipe dream and tips on how you can lose weight without wasting money on gym memberships, outrageous diets or dangerous pills.

Advertisement

Brentwood, Ca Dr. James Martin D.C. has had it with the diet and weight loss industry and is indeed exposing the diet and weight loss industry and helping guide you to the most direct, fastest, effective and SAFE ways to lose the extra 5, 10, 45 or even 100 lbs. youve put on over the last few months or years. This local doctor has had so many of his patients doing everything under the sun to try and lose weight and failing miserably or succeeding at losing the weight only to have it return and then some, that he has just tired of seeing people victimized by these money sucking vampires that prey on innocent consumers at their weak-est point. Yeah, they are waiting and salivating for YOU to make your oh so predictable and SHORT LIVED.you know.NEW YEARS RESOLU-TION!! Some of you say it every year. This year I will lose the weight. Or for some of you its your rst year to start the never-ending year after year HOPE that you will succeed at losing the unwanted and unsightly fat hang-ing around your belly or cottage cheese thighs. For some of you, you really want to lose the weight for the health bene t to avoid diabetes and heart dis-ease associated with being overweight. Whatever your case may be, There is FINALLY HOPE! Dr. Martin isnt go-ing to be making any friends by giving you the following information, but he is sick and tired of watching people devastated or even depressed by their weight gain and helpless feelings of despair when they fail time and time again. So here goes. IF you are read-ing this and you have tried it ALL al-ready, and you really would like to lose the weight and succeed, then pay close attention. If you have tried counting points only to throw your calculator out the window, If you have embarrassed yourself enough with public and hu-miliating weigh-ins, If you are tired of mail order, microwaved and prob-ably unhealthy food, If you are tired of

silly Hollywood type diets, If you are sick of taking dangerous stimulant diet pills (yes, they are dangerous), If you are tired of starving yourself, If you have succeeded at losing the weight with any of these, BUT gained it ALL back with a few extra pounds you are in for the biggest breakthrough in weight loss Dr. Martin has ever seen. Dr. Martin believes the TRUE CAUSE of Weight Loss Resistance Syn-drome is NOT in your mouth! It IS in your head!! My name is Dr. James Mar-tin and No Im not trying to be funny. Let me explain. This amazing discovery hit me like a ton of bricks and I wasnt even looking! A while back, I was in-vited by a world famous doctor (now a good friend) who specialized in a non surgical, non invasive brain based behavioral repatterning treatment to help patients quickly and effectively lose weight, to bring my of ce staff to spend three days with him at his estate and he would train me and my staff on how to do this treatment. This world famous doctor did share with me that he had operated up to 38 weight loss centers at one time and had people los-ing up to HALF THEIR BODYWEIGHT and kept it off for years after receiving treatment at his centers. He showed me the before and after pictures and their stories.Dozens and dozens of them!! I was astounded!! I was so impressed that I had to try this new technology and treatment on my own patients to see if it really worked. I im-mediately started treatment on what I call the ULTIMATE COUCH POTATO! My mother in law had been through ve back surgeries, cant walk more than 3 houses on her block, cant stand more than 10 minutes, cant really do much of anything! She tried EVERY-THING! Popular weight loss centers that do public weigh-ins, mail order microwave foods, starvation, all kinds of diets, dangerous pills, you name it. And NO lasting results! She could NOT lose weight! She was severely

depressed to the point of depression medication. I called her to come into my of ce as I had what I called a break-through treatment to help her actually lose weight. She got a little excited as she could see how excited I was as I ex-plained the treatment and she agreed to be my test subject. Well, she lost 36 pounds over 6 months doing NO EX-ERCISE, NO REAL ACTIVITY, NOT EVEN WALKING!! She cant due to severe debilitating back and leg pain! I was SOLD! I watched a colleague lose over 100 pounds over 12 months! It was amazing. So, great news for you. I am now releasing this new Doctor supervised weight loss program for the rst time ever in Brentwood. Imag-ine the feeling you get when you look good again, feel attractive, feel good about yourself. Imagine melting off the pounds quickly and easily without the hype and short lived results! I am so convinced that this program will work for you that I am offering an unheard of Satisfaction Guarantee In Writing!Yes! A real old fashioned guarantee. But there are a small number of people out there this may not work for. So, I am offering for a limited time

13 Point Weight Loss Qualifying Assessment

During your assessment the doctor will review your medical history and

list of prescribed medications, perform Semg testing, suggestability testing, 12

minute treatment response testingExpires 2/20/09

Warning! Not Everyone Is Accepted For This Program.Dr. Martin and Dr. Leung are consistently overbooked and

accept only cases that they feel will respond well to the treatment.

Call TODAY to receive your FREE WEIGHT LOSS

ASSESSMENT

925-516-5855HealthSource Weight Loss Center

2200 Sand Creek Road #BBrentwood, Ca 94513

My Colleague Before Treatment

My Colleague Over 100lbs. LighterAfter Treatment

James Martin D.C./Brian Leung N.D.Does not apply to federal bene ciaries

or acn members

24A | THEPRESS.NET FEBRUARY 13, 2009

2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Best of Brentwood AttorneyRetired Superior Court Judge

JOHN M. ALLEN

1210 Central Blvd, Suite 115, Brentwood (925) 240-2700

JOHN M. ALLENATTORNEY AT LAW

Serving East Contra Costa County

Personal Injury Business Litigation Real Estate

Construction Wills & Trusts Mediation

Arbitration Litigation DUI

New Hours:Mon-Thurs 7:30am-5:00pm

Fri. 7:30am-2pm Please call for appointment

Quality Auto & Light Truck Repairs

(Foreign & Domestic)

706-28865295 Neroly Rd., Oakley

Quality Service

at an

Honest Price

Serving Far East Countyfor 16 years

Kings Auto Repair

Threes the magic number for Deer Valley

Live by the three, die by the three, as the saying goes. Then again, a basketball team can make a comfortable living with the three-point shot as long as enough of them go in. Such was the case Tuesday night in Deer Valley Highs boys basketball win over Freedom, 69-61.

The Wolverines announced their trs trey strategy from the get-go when Marco Perey launched one successfully to begin their scoring; then followed it up a couple minutes for their second fi eld goal. Perey briefl y went cold, missing the next two bombs, but Olajuwon Garner took up the long-ball cudgel, netting a three and then an-other at the fi rst-quarter buzzer to put Deer Valley up 14-11.

In the second quarter, however, just as many Wolverines bombs clanged off the rim or missed it entirely as went in. The Falcons tied it up at 27 at the half with the help of a couple of threes of their own by Nick Blount.

In the second half the Deer Valley boys took a playbook page from the Deer Valley girls, who specialize in the full-court press. The trapping pressure resulted in numerous Falcon turnovers, but the Wolverines werent able to capitalize on many of them. Free-doms Andrew Garner became more aggres-sive on offense, taking the ball to the hole, and it was still anybodys game as Freedom

trailed 44-46 at the end of the third quarter.The Wolverines tenacious D, com-

bined with more three-pointers by Olajuwon Garner, began to wear down the Falcons in the fi nal period. With three minutes to play, Deer Valley pulled out to a 13-point lead.

But the Falcons, playing on their home court, werent about to roll over. Andrew Garner again took charge, taking the ball the length of the court, getting fouled on a layup and making the free throw, followed by a foul on a three-point attempt in which

he made two of the three free throws. Free-dom closed the gap to eight points, but it was too little too late.

I thought our guys played a hell of a game in the second half, said Deer Valley Coach Richard Morton. The fi rst half we were a little lethargic. I wanted to stress to the guys how important it was to fi nish out our last three, four games on a good note. If we can do that, some good things can hap-pen for us.

I want to take my hat off to the guys.

Freedom was really (wanting) to win this one. (Deer Valley) showed a lot of character, for our guys to win. Our guys played hard, and I told them that any time they do that, good things can happen for them.

Deer Valleys Garner was the game-high scorer with 23 points while Freedoms Garner scored 22 and Perey 18. Deer Valley, which is now 13-9 overall (8-4 in league play), hosts Pittsburg tonight (Feb. 13). Freedom, which dropped to 9-14 (5-7), hosts Antioch. Both games are 7 p.m. starts.

by Dave RobertsStaff Writer

Freedoms Cameron Gupton shoots over a Deer Valley player in a Tuesday night game won by the Wolverines 69-61.

Photo by Dave Roberts

PLACE: Bristow Middle School Gym 855 Minnesota Ave. Brentwood Ca. 94513

CONTACTS: Harvey Yurkovich (925) 628-8447 DATE: Sunday, March 1, 2009 TIME: WRESTLING BEGINS AT 9:30 a.m. WEIGH-INS: 7:00 8:30 am in Gym: Weights will be pooled. ENTRY FEE: Pre-Registration: $10/Wrestler

Day of Event: $15/ Wrestler Please contact H. Yurkovich for team rates

Wrestlers can compete in 2 separate age groups but are limited to advancing one age group above their actual age.

Pre-Registration: Mail to: Brentwood PAL, 9100 Brent- wood Blvd. Brentwood CA 94513

3rd Annual BRENTWOOD P.A.L.

Wrestling TournamentGrades K through 8

ALL WRESTLERS GRADES K 8 ARE WELCOMEUNATTACHED---INDIVIDUAL---SCHOOL---CLUBS

WE WANT ALL WRESTLERS!!!!

Food and Drinks along with Tee shirts will be available at the tournament.

We are committed to serving children within

our community.

FEBRUARY 13, 2009 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 3B

VALENTINES DAY Valentines Day at Nines is the

perfect place to celebrate!Call now to learn more about our special menu,

complimented by live music, and make your reservation for a romantic dinner to remember: 925.516.3400.

February 14th ALENTINES DAYat

Salad: Belgian Endive & Arugula Salad, Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Soup: Lobster BisqueEntree Options: Beef Tenderloin Oscar,

Prosciutto-Wrapped, Filet of Halibut Rack of Lamb or Chicken Wellington

Dessert: Blackberry Crme Frache Cheesecake

FREE SLEEVE OF TITLEIST NXT BALLS... with your purchase of 18-holes of

weekend golf for $55 or weekday golf for $39!

RESERVE YOUR TEE TIME: 925.516.3400 Not valid with any other specials or offers. Expires 2/22/09

The Delta Diamonds Girls competitive fast-pitch softball organiza-tion recently hosted a softball camp at Heritage High School for about 40 local girls ages 8 to 18. The instruction covered basic skills to travel competition level, and insights from a Bay Area Division II college recruiter, college coaches and college players, including Shelby LaFond of Brentwood and Melisa Coe of Oakley. Diamonds President Ron LaFond said the organization has been in the area for more than 10 years and wants to give back to the local community, so it lowered the registration fee. The Delta Diamonds are putting on their 10th annual Crab & Steak Feed on March 7. For more information, call LaFond at 925-240-9823 or visit www.leaguelineup.com/deltadiamonds.

Ready for softball

Photo by Curtis Evans

wed love to meet you!

Stop, save andcelebrate

FREE!$25 American Express rewards card!

90 Days Interest Free!Minimum monthly payments required. See store for complete terms and details.

With a new credit account.

6836 Lone Tree WayBrentwood

9256348404N

One Tree Way

Coun

tryHil

lsRd

Empir

eAve

Fairv

iewAv

e

savings at all area locations!Open Monday thru Friday 7am-6pm,

Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 9am-5pm

SpecialBuy3 tires, get theFourth Free!Firestone Affinity TouringProtected with a 70,000 mile limited warranty*

save now thru feb. 28thSee store for complete details. Redeem this coupon at your participating FirestoneComplete Auto Care store. Not to be combined with another offer on same product

and not to be used to reduce outstanding debt. No cash value.Offer void where prohibited. In-store installation required.

Special Standard Oil Change Special

$1999install new filter, refill up TO 5 qts.

Synthetic Blend motor oilsave now thru feb. 28th Most vehicles. Price includes oil filter recycling fee

**New to the Neighborhood Sweepstakes Rules. New to the Neighborhood Sweepstakes sponsored by Bridgestone Retail Operationsbegins January 1, 2009 and ends December 31, 2009. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning.Open to legal residents of the United States (excluding residents of NY and FL) and Washington D.C., 18 years of age or older. Void in NY,FL and where prohibited. Local prizes will be awarded on official grand opening weekend for the participating location. See store for con-test details and dates. For complete official rules, see participating stores or send a self addressed stamped envelope to FirestoneComplete Auto Care New to the Neighborhood Sweepstakes, c/o ST&P Marketing Communications, Inc., 320 Springside Drive, Suite 150,Fairlawn, OH 44333. Shop supply charges in the amount of 6% of labor charges will be added to invoices greater than $30. These chargeswill not exceed $25 and represent costs and profits. Shop supply charges not applicable in CA or NY. Non-mandated disposal or recyclingcharges, if any are disclosed above, may also represent costs and profits. Specific product offerings and tread designs may vary. Prices,warranties, car service, credit plans and other offers available at Firestone Complete Auto Care; see affiliated dealers listed for their com-petitive offers and warranties. *If you do not achieve guaranteed mileage, your Firestone retailer will replace your tires on a pro-rated basis.Actual tread life may vary. All warranties apply only to original owner on originally installed vehicle. See retailer for details, restrictions andcopy of each limited warranty.Finance charges waived on qualifying Promotional Credit Plan purchases that are paid in full within 90 days. MINIMUM MONTHLYPAYMENTS REQUIRED. Regular Rate: 21.84% APR. Delinquency Rate: 24.84% APR. Minimum Finance charge $1.00. CFNA reservesthe right to change APR, fees and other terms unilaterally. V1005

Fri., Sat. & Sun.Feb 13th - Feb 15th

Food*Fun*Prizes

4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Local high school wrestlers did East County proud in the Mission San Jose Invitational Wrestling Tournament last Friday and Saturday. Out of 62 teams competing, Liberty took seventh with 103.5 points, Freedom came in eighth with 102 points, Antioch placed 13th with 74 points, Deer Valley took 14th

with 70 points and Heritage tied for 23rd with 44.5 points.

Libertys Ryan Smith earned first-place honors at 140 pounds while Freedoms Nick Waldrop finished second in the 145-pound class.

Other placers were Antiochs Ricky Castillo fourth at 112 pounds;