September 2021 Concord Taco Trail Concord PUts its Best Food Forward pg. 3 Comedy Central “Workaholics” Actors/producerrs Kyle Newacheck (left) and Blake Anderson (right) with actor friend Teddy Spencer, all Clayton Valley High graduates, pose with Silvia Barajas inside Los Rancheros Taqueria INSIDE THIS ISSUE •Concord Readies for Afghan Refugees pg. 13 •Contra Costa County Employees Must Vaccinate pg. 7 •Naked Gardener: Fire-wise Your Home’s Landscape. pg.8 •Tarantula Love, Our Favorite Mt. Diablo Hikes pg. 12 •Calendar of Events pg. 10 ...plus talking trees and more Diablo Gazette • September 2021 • Page 2 • www.DiabloGazette.com | www.fb.com/DiabloGazette • (925) 298-9990 Classy TV Stars Publisher’s chip in to spark In case you missed it… Naval Weapons Station. By David King Notes hometown Permanent ballot box at City Hall Seeno Companies, Discovery Builders recovery Inc., Lewis Group of Companies, and Cal- ifornia Capital Investment Group are the benefactors of Saturday’s close vote. It has been a difficult couple of years Blake Anderson can currently be seen Mayor Tim McGallian, Vice Mayor Dom- for local restaurants. But kudos to Visit in the Hulu series “WOKE.” Blake could inic Aliano and council member Edi Birsan Concord for bringing back Concord’s Taco also be seen in Netflix’s “GAME OVER, voted for the Seeno team. Council members Trail promotion to ignite our MAN” which he stars and Carlyn Obringer and Laura Hoffmeister produced alongside Adam enthusiasm for eating out. threw their support behind the team of Sun- This brilliant effort Devine, Anders Holm, set Development and Brookfield Properties. to boost consumption Scott Rudin, Seth Rogen, encourages us to expand our and Evan Goldberg. Blake Sunset built and maintains interest in much dining horizons in search also recurred as Mike of Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. of the best Taco. With 40 Bean in the last season of Having local developers with ties to local locally owned restaurants the NBC hit “PARKS AND organized labor was key. Concord selected competing, Concord has RECREATION.” Ballot Drop Box Location Graphic - 1950 Lennar Five Point as master developer in much to offer in South of the Kyle Newacheck directed Park Side Dr, 2016. The company pulled out of the project Border cuisine. And your “MURDER MYSTERY” The City of Concord’s official ballot box in March 2020 when its initial exclusive participation will go a long for Netflix, which starred is open now for the current California negotiating agreement expired and its nego- way to helping Concord ‘s Jennifer Aniston and Gubernatorial Recall Election. The per- tiations with local labor unions failed. restaurant economy. Adam Sandler. “MURDER manent ballot box is at Concord City Hall, The fate of 5,046 acres on the city’s north- Even more extraordinary MYSTERY” was one of the located in the parking lot of Civic Center, east side has been one of Concord’s biggest in this effort is the support biggest opening weekends 1950 Parkside Drive. The City will not be issues since the Navy abandoned the area given by celebrity TV stars for a film in Netflix’s accepting ballots inside City Hall facilities. in 1999. The Navy officially designated it as Blake Anderson, Kyle company history. Most County Election staff collects ballots surplus and made Concord the local reuse Newacheck, (“Workaholics”) recently, Kyle directed and every day, and these secure boxes will authority for the site, of which 2,300 acres and actor Teddy Spencer. produced five episodes of remain open until 8 p.m. on September 14, are targeted for 13,000 units of housing and All three former Clayton Valley classmates the second season of “WHAT WE DO IN 2021. millions of square feet of commercial space. volunteered to make videos to help kickstart THE SHADOWS” for FX and is currently in There are 40 official ballot boxes within The site will also be home to a new 2,540- their hometown’s taco showcase promotion. production on the show’s third season. The Contra Costa County. To find other ballot acre East Bay Regional Park, named Thur- Anderson drove up from Los Angeles to show was nominated for multiple Emmy’s locations, polling locations or more infor- good Marshall Regional Park – Home of the team up with Newacheck and Spencer. After including Outstanding Comedy Series. mation on the recall election, visit Contra Port Chicago 50, commemorating the nearby a quick visit to Visit Concord’s Visitor Center Costa County Elections. Port Chicago tragedy during World War II. to pick up a Taco Trail map, they met up with If you prefer to mail your ballot, no videographer, Pat Mosca, Clayton, the former postage is necessary. Just remember to Martinez approves develop- keyboardist for the Greg Kihn Band. Yes, the sign and seal your ballot envelope before ment on former Pine Meadow stars came out for Concord’s Taco Trail. sending it off. Golf Course Mosca hung out of a car window By Tony Hicks – After years of legal and videotaping as the three trekked down BART to receive $331 million in political volleying, the Martinez City Council Monument Blvd. on bikes each sporting Federal COVID-19 relief fund- finally signed off on a developer’s plan to “I heart Concord” T-shirts. Their day’s ing build 65 homes on the former Pine Meadow Taco-eating video challenge was edited Golf Course. into an entertaining 5-minute Taco Trail The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration announced The golf course closed in April 2015 and promotional video, plus individual shorts almost immediately became a hot potato of featuring several different restaurants, and that it is issuing a grant of nearly $331 million to BART to help the transit agency competing interests. plenty of photo ops with restauranteurs and DeNova Homes initially wanted to build their employees. (See cover). recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The $330.8 million grant is coming from 98 homes, a proposal opposed by communi- That was very classy of them. You men Actor Teddy Spencer, Director/actor Kyle Newacheck and actor ty members wanting the 26.9 acre-property make Concord proud. Blake Anderson made many stops along the Taco Trail. the American Rescue Plan, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, to remain open space. The site was the sub- and is intended to help BART maintain its ject of competing two ballot proposals. staffing and service levels in future fiscal Concord-based DeNova will subdivide 71 years, as the agency’s ridership is expected lots, with six going toward a new park for the to slowly return toward pre-pandemic levels city - its first in 20 years, Council member by the end of the decade. Ross pointed out. The city will design the BART is also expected to receive federal 8.22-acre park, with DeNova contributing funding from the infrastructure bills Con- $1 million toward its completion. About gress is currently considering. The agency $150,000 of that amount would be in work, could potentially receive the funding it needs the rest in improvements identified by the to complete its extension into downtown San city. Jose. The Claycord Online Museum: Contra Costa County taking The Dinosaur in Downtown nominations for Martin Luther Concord King Jr. Humanitarian Awards Who remembers this giant dinosaur? Contra Costa County is seeking a few good humanitarians to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The county seeks nominations for a student and an adult humanitarian of the year. The awards will be presented at the 44th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Ceremony on Jan. 18, 2022. This year’s theme is “One People, One Nation, One Dream.” The Contra Costa County Board of Super- visors will recognize a community member and a student leader “whose dedication to The dinosaur was placed on top of the others embodies the spirit and legacy of Dr. old Keenan Heinz Company on East St. in Martin Luther King, Jr.” Downtown Concord just a few years ago, but Nominees’ accomplishments and actions the company had to take it down after the must go above and beyond to positively im- City of Concord told them they didn’t have pact Contra Costa County, its residents and the proper permits to put it on the roof. communities. Organizers ask that nominees If you have any old photos or items that demonstrate leadership, commitment to the you’d like to place in the Claycord Online community, and personal integrity. Sub- Museum, just scan or take a photo of them, missions can be made at the Contra Costa and send them to: [email protected]. It County Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony doesn’t matter what it is, even if it’s just an website. The deadline to nominate someone old photo of your house, a scan of an old is Nov. 5. advertisement or an artifact that you would like to share. Concord City Council selects Seeno and partners to nego- FOR BREAKING NEWS, GO TO tiate Naval Weapons Station development By Tony Hicks – The Concord City Council voted 3-2 on August 21 to exclu- sively negotiate with a group of developers, including Seeno Homes, to become master developer for the massive former Concord Diablo Gazette • September 2021 • Page 3 • www.DiabloGazette.com | www.fb.com/DiabloGazette •(925) 298-9990 Taco Trail Challenge is Back! It’s time to break out the stretchy pants The Taco Trail Challenge returns Yucatan specialties like al September 15 through October 15, pastor and cochinita pibil, and there is even more to love this and Jalisco-style restaurants time with a new mobile passport, like Salsa Mexican Grill and weekly giveaways, and another shot at El Yahualica, create favorites claiming the Trail Champion title.