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Established in 1858

Volume CLXII Issue XXXVII Sunday, January 12, 2020 50 ¢ TAX included What’s Inside this Edition in a name? OPINION Martinez team I am delighted to be writing an article for the recently revived Martinez Gazette... seeks suitable nickname Courtesy Illustration Local artist Ken Mitchroney submitted his choice complete See AT HOME on page B1 RICK JONES | EDITOR with a Beavers logo.

aseball will be back in Martinez for 2020, that tened the Martinez franchise the Mackerel, but Bwas decided last month when the Martinez ever since the nickname has come under scrutiny. City Council unanimously approved a licensing The 12-team league will have six teams in Cal- agreement to field a new baseball team in the ifornia, many with aquatic-linked names. Includ- multi-state Pecos League. ed are Pittsburg Anchors, , What is still unknown is the team’s name. Pecos Santa Cruz Seaweed, and Bakers- League owner and founder Andrew Dunn chris- field Train Robbers. Dunn is open to changing the name and wants POLITICS Courtesy to make sure there is input from a lot of people. Contra Costa DA to clear marijuana convic- Illustration “We are coastal people and the fish thing made tions for 2,399 people... “Mackerel or sense,” Dunn said. “Right now, it’s down to Bea- Sturgeon? The vers, Mackerel, Martini’s, Pipeliners, Sturgeon, and See CONVICTIONS on page B2 team nickname Tugboats. will be unveiled On the team’s Facebook page commenters were Feb. 11 split. Some suggested the team keep the name Mackerels. The top alternates were Beavers and Sturgeon. “The decision has got to be me, but there will be a lot of people listened to. The city manager’s recommendation was great, he said the

See BASEBALL on page A6 ENTERTAINMENT We are coastal people and the fish thing made sense. Right now, it’s down to The most dangerous mushrooms commonly Beavers, Mackerel, Martini’s, Pipeliners, Sturgeon, and Tugboats.” found in the Bay Area are the Death Cap and... ANDREW DUNN OWNER AND FOUNDER OF PECOS LEAGUE See PARK IT on page B4 CLASSIFIEDS $9.50 for 12 words .50 per additional word 

Weather: 56.41o www.martinezgazette.com LOCAL NEWS a LOCAL NEWS / SPORT NEWS / EDITORIAL & OPINION / POLITICS BRIEFS Board of Supervisors Installs New Leadership Two people arrested in Voting in Candace Andersen as Chair and as Vice Chair Diane Burgis computer theft death in CNS | CONTRIBUTED Oakland, Ca. - Police arrested two people sus- he Contra Costa County pected in the theft of a TBoard of Supervisors held laptop computer from a a swearing-in ceremony for customer at an Oakland Supervisor Candace Andersen Starbucks who witnesses as Board Chair and Supervi- said died after being in- sor Diane Burgis as Vice Chair jured while chasing the at its January 7th, 2020 Board thieves. meeting. A co-worker and friend District 2 Supervisor Can- told KGO-TV the man dace Andersen who has served worked in the tech indus- Contra Costa County since try and frequently went to she was first elected in 2012, the Starbucks to work on including a previous term as Courtesy Photo his laptop. Board Chair in 2016, takes the Voting in Candace Andersen as Chair and as Vice Chair Diane Burgis. The man, believed to be leadership role from outgoing in his 20s or 30s, was not Chair, Supervisor John Gioia of ment to keep our communities pleting her second term, and identified by police. The District 1. safe, expand our work address- Supervisor Burgis is serving suspects also were not im- Supervisor Andersen ex- ing homelessness and the need her first term. They will lead the mediately identified and pressed her thanks to Supervi- for more housing, and do even five-member elected body that specific charges were not sor Gioia as well as her readiness more to help individuals, fami- sets the direction of county gov- disclosed. to tackle our County’s issues. “I lies and communities confront- ernment and oversees its $4.43 Authorities said the appreciate Supervisor Gioia’s ing mental health issues,” said billion budget to serve this large customer died January 1, leadership in maintaining our Supervisor Andersen. and diverse East Bay County. 2020 after being taken by County’s strong fiscal position District 3 Supervisor Diane For more information about ambulance to a hospital. and ensuring that many who Burgis will serve as Vice Chair Contra Costa County and its The man was supposed need County services receive in 2020. She has served on the Board of Supervisors, visit to meet friends later that them in a timely manner. As County’s Board of Supervisors the County’s website at www. day to celebrate his birth- Chair, I intend to work with since 2017, representing the contracosta.ca.gov or the web- day and New Year’s Eve. my colleagues to strengthen largest geographic region of the page: https://www.contracos- The man who took the the County’s commitment to five districts. ta.ca.gov/193/Board-of-Su- laptop ran to a waiting supporting our law enforce- Supervisor Andersen is com- pervisors. vehicle that witnesses said drove off as the customer Save with Frontier Internet Bundles grabbed a door handle. Pay one price for two great services: high-speed causing him to slam his Internet and a full-featured home phone head into a parked car. Au- Serious speed! Bundle and save today thorities did not immedi- Simply Broadband Max BROADBAND ULTRA + PHONE + SECURE ately confirm the witness accounts. 97Per Month “He was bleeding only Per Month 12 Mbps + Free Wi-Fi Router + 2 Year Price Lock from the head. His face 99With Qualifying Protect Your Identity, Devices & Files Phone Service 67 was purple and blue,” said 6 Mbps + Free Wi-Fi Router + 1 Year Price Lock Maria Chan, a florist shop 19Call today and pay less owner across the street. 855-993-5592 *Internet access service and charges not included. Frontier does not warrant that the service will be error-free or uninterrupted. Nest products: Additional $9 shipping fee per Nest device. Nest products must be purchased with new Internet service or eligible Frontier Secure services. Taxes, governmental and Frontier-imposed surcharges, minimum system requirements and other terms and conditions apply. Nest®, Nest Learning Thermostat™, Nest AP News Protect™, Nest Cam™ and the Nest logo are trademarks or service marks of Nest Labs, Inc. ©2017 Frontier You can’t get BS from a buffalo. Communications Corporation

PAGE A2 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com LOCAL NEWS / SPORT NEWS / EDITORIAL & OPINION / POLITICS New Head of Water ANNOUNCEMENT Emergency Transportation Martinez News-Gazette Authority Plans Ferry Expansion Continues!

KPIX5 | CONTRIBUTED trips. Today, we’re now back to PCM Publishing LLC, owner of The Hemet & three million,” he said. San Jacinto Chronicle along with Rick Jones, edi- new director has been ap- Wunderman has been appoint- tor of the Martinez News-Gazette for the past six Apointed to oversee the agen- ed by Gov. Newsom to head up years announce the continuation of the Martinez cy that operates the Bay Area’s fer- the Water Emergency Transpor- ry system and he has an ambitious tation Authority or WETA, the News-Gazette. vision to restore the ferries to their regional agency supervising ferry In the upcoming weeks look for a new, full-col- former glory. service on the bay. or edition of the Gazette to be published weekly. Every day, hundreds of thou- The boats would be a means We will continue to provide the best hyper-local sands of people drive into San to move people if a major earth- Francisco to work. And even quake should ever wipe out news coverage in Martinez. though it sits right on a bay, there ground transportation. are only 17 ferry boats serving the But Wunderman’s vision goes New phone number entire city. If that sounds crazy to far beyond that. He intends to you, you may be surprised to learn quadruple the fleet and increase the situation was no accident. daily commute ridership from the (925) 293-9471 In the 1920s and 1930s people current 7,500 passengers a day to in the North- and East Bay took almost 40,000 and he would like ferry boats into to to open ferry terminals in cities up work. and down the bay. DON’T SETTLE Find out how After the the construction of “From Hercules to Martinez to FOR FAKE to get REAL the Golden Gate and Bay bridges, points south of Redwood City, we NEWS. news the government shut down the have a large working population delivered at ferry system so people would have that commutes north and south,” your home! to use — and pay for — the spans. he said. According to Jim Wunderman, Although funding is always a CEO of the Bay Area Council, it challenge, Wunderman says that, CALL TODAY (925) 293-9471 wasn’t until the 1980s that the fer- while other transit systems have ries began making a comeback. their critics, those who use the bay “Before the bridges were built, as their highway tend to love it. there were 50 million trips a year www.martinezgazette.com on San Francisco Bay — ferry See FERRY on page A6 LOOK LOCALLY FOR GREAT BUYS ON AUTOS (925) 293-9471 www.martinezgazette.com Sunday, January 12, 2020 PAGE A3 SPORT NEWS a LOCAL NEWS / SPORT NEWS / EDITORIAL & OPINION / POLITICS GAME SCHEDULE Anonymous gift gives AHS Sunday, January 12, 2020 • College Park Skyhawk vs Raptors 905 @ 2 pm marching band a new look • vs @ 3:30 pm • vs Mi- RICK JONES | EDITOR It’s the kind of thing that makes Marti- ami Heat @ 3:30 pm nez great” • vs arah Stafford, Director of SARAH STAFFORD @ SMusic at Alhambra High ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC DIRECTOR 5 pm School, knew she had a chal- • vs San lenge. Raising over $30,000 is three and the new uniforms Antonio Spurs @ 6 pm not easy goal. Her marching are machine washable instead • vs Atlanta band’s uniforms, meant to last of dry cleaning. Hawks @ 6 pm ten years were over 12 years “The new uniforms are • vs Charlotte old, bought when most of her moisture wicking and light- Hornets @ 6 pm students were in kindergarten, weight. Much lighter than the • vs LA needed to be replaced. old ones. We march during a Clippers @ 6 pm “When I began the fund- hot time of the year, so these raising a friend contacted me will be better physically. No Monday, January 13, 2020 and saw what we were doing,” buttons at all, don’t have to sew • vs Philadel- Stafford said. “She wanted to those on any longer. And the phia 76ers @ 7 pm help out in some way, wanted new pants won’t even need to • vs New Or- to help the kids. She’s been fol- be hemmed, there are snaps at leans Pelicans @ 7 pm lowing me and the program on the bottom.” • vs Chicago social media. And she asked The group is hoping to get Bulls @ 7:30 pm me how much we still needed fitted and send the order to the • to raise and at that time we had manufacturer next week. Al- vs Oklahoma City Thun- $6,000 in donations.” hambra could have the shiny der @ 7 pm At that the fundrais- new outfits by early March. • Memphis Hustle vs Santa ing was in its early stages. “We Courtesy Photo Stafford has been working in Cruz Warriors @ 7 pm hadn’t really ramped up and The Bulldog mascot models the the Alhambra music depart- • College Football Playoff Na- made a push with businesses new marching band uniforms. ment for the last 15 years, but tional Championship Game yet.” Stafford said. “She (my this is her first year as full-time @ 7 pm friend) said ‘let me get back to things you need to work on for instrumental and vocal teach- • Stars @ 7 you, I am going to talk to some the department’. er. pm f o l k s’. Stafford is a resident of Mar- Stafford said checking off • vs Or- “Later that afternoon she tinez and says this is what this big purchase will allow the lando Magic @ 7 pm called and asked to come see makes her hometown special. department to look at other • vs me at the school. When she “It’s the kind of thing that needs. @ 7 pm came by, she gave me a let- makes Martinez great. (The “We can now dream bigger, • vs ter and two checks totaling gift) was so humbling and we can get color guard uni- Cavaliers @ 7:30 $24,000.” overwhelming, completely forms,” Stafford said. “They’ve pm Stafford’s jaw hit the ground amazing. I was just crying and had to purchase their own and she was overcome with felt so much gratitude.” uniforms in the past. I can see Tuesday, January 14, 2020 emotions. Stafford said the old uni- what my choir needs, we can • vs Phoenix “She told me ‘this is not forms now being worn are tune our pianos, what does our Suns @ 7:30 pm about me, we just want to take classic and traditional. jazz band need. It really frees • Brooklyn Nets vs Utah Jazz this off your plate off, so you “I love the old ones but are us up. @ 7:30 pm don’t have to worry about it,’” new ones very updated and “They (anonymous donor) • Memphis Grizzlies vs Hous- Stafford said. “She told me ‘I new,” Stafford said. “Very for- are just a great family, they love ton Rockets @ 7 pm want you to be able to dream ward thinking. We are switch- this town, too. And they love big and think about some other ing to two pieces instead of what these kids are doing.”

PAGE A4 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com LOCAL NEWS / SPORT NEWS / EDITORIAL & OPINION / POLITICS Lady Bulldogs off to hot start on the court

Photos by Mark Fierner for the Martinez News-Gazette Newspaper. STAFF WRITERS | MARTINEZ NEWS- GAZETTE

he Alhambra Lady Bulldog team has started the 2019-20 basketball season in solid fashion. The Bulldogs are 10-3 on the Tseason and 1-0 in Diablo-Foothill conference play. Alhambra downed Las Lomas 59-44 for the league win. www.martinezgazette.com Sunday, January 12, 2020 PAGE A5 LOCAL NEWS / SPORT NEWS / EDITORIAL & OPINION / POLITICS

BASEBALL City Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by from A1 the Martinez Chamber of Com- merce’s. Martini’s and I like the Marti- Whatever the team is called, n i’s .” Dunn said the league is excited A few names are not possibili- to have Martinez as a franchise. ties according to Dunn. “When I saw Martinez and I The were really started to see what hap- part of the pened, it was a no-brainer,” in 2018. However, in December Dunn said of Martinez entering of that year, the FBI raided the the Pecos League. “The ballpark home of the team’s owners (Jeff and location are great.” and Paulette Carpoff) while in- Dunn is confident baseball in vestigating their businesses, in- Martinez will be a success. Courtesy Photo cluding DC Solar in Benicia. “Martinez is a better situa- San Francisco’s Ferry. Dunn wants to keep away tion than Vallejo, it’s better than from the Clippers name and anywhere but San Rafael,” Dunn FERRY the toll crossing the bridge.” leave all that comes with it be- said of the old Pacific Associ- from A3 Wunderman says government hind. Dunn also said that names ation. “They (Carpoffs) didn’t regulations make it difficult to associated with hometown hero really care about running a base- “There is only one group of do anything on or near the wa- Joe DiMaggio would come with ball team. The people in Marti- happy commuters in the Bay ter these days but, with concerns possible royalty agreements, nez just want a baseball team.” Area,” he said, “and that is the about traffic and climate change, which is something the league Whatever the team name, group of people who are able to he believes a robust ferry system can’t afford to take on. sounds of baseball will be heard use the ferries.” is an attractive solution for some The new name will be un- at Waterfront Park Field #3 in Matthew King rides a ferry of those problems. veiled Feb. 11 at the State of the late May. into the city from his home in He doesn’t want to wait anoth- Vallejo. He enjoys the ride and er generation to make his vision doesn’t understand why there are a reality. still so few boats available. “When we get to 2030,” he said, NEED HELP “Yes, it’s very strange,” he said. “when you look out on the bay, it “I mean, it’s an easier way to get will be hard not to see a passen- ON THE STAIRS? around and you don’t have to pay ger ferry going past.” An Acorn Stairlift is the perfect solution to use the stairs if you suffer from: 9 Arthritis or COPD 9 Joint pain in your feet, knees or back 9 Mobility issues when using the stairs

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PAGE A6 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com What Happened?

BILL SHARKEY III | MARTINEZ NEWS-GAZETTE COLUMNIST

HAT HAPPENED? cal office? What is the AT HOME WITH JEFF: You tell me! Whatever it legal profession do- was, it was mighty fast. ing if we don’t have The Best of Times And, here we are again. Barbara Cetko’s le- No longer an unemployed gal advertising to keep JEFF ROUBAL volunteer columnist. Hardly a day off to con- us current? When is the MARTINEZ NEWS-GAZETTE Wsider my future. Perhaps, just as well! Reflect- next crab feed fund-raiser COLUMNIST ing on my past keeps me well occupied; it’s which we certainly can’t af- been such a long past. Maybe good for a cheap ford to miss? am delighted to be writing autobiography? No wonder there was dis- Ian article for the recently It seems there was an ‘obituary’ notice in tress, concern, mourning in revived Martinez Gazette. the old Morning News-Gazette on Page One the community. It would This newspaper has always announcing in advance the pending demise be like losing a dear provided a bright spot to of the 161-year-old newspaper which had its friend, or favorite my week when many other founding in September 1858, and continued aunt, or worse. reports are full of doom and under a variety of names until the planned Wow!! gloom. Iraq, climate change, death on December 29, 2019. Strange, stating Then, talk budget deficits, wildfires, a specific date of a death of something in ad- began to fil- North Korea, and crime vance? Oh, well! ter through are only five of the serious So, after the Page One shocker announce- the gloom. There might be something cook- topics typically in the news ment hit the streets (newspaper talk), people ing to continue the Gazette or, as Harriette during the last few years. I were definitely shocked. What would we do for Burt has always fondly called it, “The Gazoo”. have heard it said that we are local news? How would we keep apprised of However, the publisher, known for a lack of in the worst ever decade in upcoming events? How would Martinez P.D. communication technique, any conversation America. Poppycock. tell us if there were bad guys lurking in our regarding speculations of things to come was One of the benefits of get- neighborhoods? What music groups would be not coming forth. So, plans moved ahead for ting older is longer perspec- playing at Armando’s next week? Where are tive. I know that, as bad as the beavers? Who is planning to run for politi- See WHAT HAPPENED ? on page B3 things seem now, they have been much worse in the past when everything came out fine. Consider this same de- cade one hundred years ago during my grandparents’ time. The country was in turmoil. Domestic and for- eign terrorists were running Send in your letters. We’d love to hear from you. amuck. War in Europe was worrying everyone. Onerous laws punished good and bad alike. Does that sound famil- iar? Let me tell you more. [email protected] See AT HOME on page B5 POLITICS B OPINION / POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT

531 people will now have no felonies on record Contra Costa DA to clear marijuana convictions for 2,399 people Contra Costa County District Attorney & Code for America announce that 3,264 marijuana convictions will be cleared as part of automatic record clearance partnership

PRESS RELEASE| CONTRIBUTED to announce a pilot partnership with Code for America and use ontra Costa County Dis- Clear My Record Technology to Ctrict Attorney Diana Becton clear marijuana-related convic- and Code for America today tions eligible under Proposition announced that 3,264 marijua- 64. The other counties include na convictions eligible for relief San Francisco, Sacramento, San under Proposition 64 will be dis- Joaquin and Los Angeles. In total, missed and sealed as part of their these five pilots will help reduce cutting-edge partnership. or dismiss approximately 75,000 “I am grateful the partnership Proposition 64 eligible convic- with Code for America has given tions. us the ability to deliver tangible Earlier this year, Code for results for members of our com- America also launched its new munity by dismissing old mari- Clear My Record Application and juana convictions allowed under Courtesy Photo Courtesy Photo Implementation Blueprint, avail- the law. Far too often old crim- Diana Becton, District Attorney for Jennifer Pahlka, Founder and Execu- able at no cost and open source inal convictions for minor drug Contra Costa County. tive Director, Code for America. to all California counties. These offenses can leave a lasting mark resources allow all District At- on an individual’s life. The remov- America. “I’d like to thank Contra can analyze eligibility for thou- torneys’ offices to follow the lead al of these convictions effectively Costa District Attorney Becton sands of convictions in just a few of DA Becton and expedite and reduces barriers to licensing, edu- for her leadership on this issue. minutes, alleviating the need for streamline review of Prop 64 con- cation, housing and employment. Through our partnership, we will DA staff to go through state crim- victions. It is imperative that we continue remove barriers to employment, inal records one by one to evalu- to be innovative in our approach housing, health and education ate eligibility, a time and labor-in- Record Clearance to reforming and strengthening for thousands of Californians. By tensive process. for the Digital Age the criminal justice system,” said reimagining existing government This partnership helps address Record clearance was not built Diana Becton, District Attorney systems through technology and wrongs caused by the failed war for the digital age. Previously, for Contra Costa County. user-centered design, we can re- on drugs, felt most strongly by each person seeking relief had to “At Code for America, we be- think incarceration, reduce recid- communities of color. Approx- petition the court on their own lieve government can work dra- ivism and restore opportunity.” imately 2,400 individuals will to clear their records, but this is a matically better than it does today; The Contra Costa District receive conviction relief through time-consuming, expensive, and the criminal justice system is one Attorney’s office used Code for this partnership. Of those, ap- confusing process. Because of of the areas in which we are most America’s Clear My Record tech- proximately 36% are Black or Af- these barriers, the vast majority failing the American people. We nology, which reads bulk crim- rican American, 45% are White, of those eligible for relief have not must make sure that California inal history data from the Cali- 15% are Latinx, 2% are Asian/ received it. lives up to the obligation of Prop- fornia Department of Justice, and Pacific Islander, and 2% are other With the aid of Code for Amer- osition 64 and now AB 1793,” securely and accurately analyzes or unknown. ica’s Clear My Record technology, said Jennifer Pahlka, Founder eligibility for record remediation Contra Costa is the fifth Cali- and Executive Director, Code for under state law. This technology fornia District Attorney’s Office See CONVICTIONS on page B6

PAGE B2 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com OPINION / POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT

It was a beautiful day in Martinez, a place be happy and safe. But, now a place without a newspaper. How could it be true? Your ad WHAT HAPPENED? Middle East. As of my deadline, we are still from B1 just (just!?!) in the back and forth threatening here for stage. “If you do this, we’ll do worse”. How did the final day’s publication. Many news writ- we get here? We got here by ‘hiring’ a know- ers, civic leaders, readers, business folks gath- it-all real estate tycoon from NYC who has no only ered their forces and provided an historic fi- integrity, and no idea of how a president of the nal edition of the Morning News-Gazette, the behaves, or how to lead a nation 161-year-old purveyor of news and advertising of good people with ethics and rules of law and (never fake news!!), maybe a rumor or tad of order. He also does not know how a leader of gossip along the way. As a famous newspaper this “best nation of all time” should behave has stated, “All the news fit to print”. when out on the international scene. THEN, as the old story line which has been When we hear explanations of why we had used in plays, etc., a strange thing happened to assassinate a very popular Iranian general on the way to the funeral for the beloved pub- from the Oval Officed Occupant, knowing that lication. has lied or made mistaken facts over 15,000 The grave diggers had completed their grave times since January 20, 2017, how confident digging chores, and were standing by for the can we be that what he and Mike Pompeo are procession. Their grave site was prepared ac- now saying is the truth? Scary? You bet, Mr. cording to specifications. A large crowd of and Ms America!! mourners had gathered to be part of the ser- As we citizens at home are waiting for the vices. Anything reaching the venerable age BIG BOOM, or whatever the Iranians and of 161 years deserved proper mourning and their supporters around the world might do, respect. They were ready with hankies, tis- we have our thoughts on the upcoming 2020 LIMITED sues and dark glasses. It was a beautiful day national election next November. in Martinez, a place be happy and safe. But, OH, YES, THAT!! How do you feel about now a place without a newspaper. How could candidates chasing around the landscape try- TIME it be true? ing to be presidential wannabees? Anyone As the gathering of friends, mourners and stand out for whom you would like to plunk longtime subscribers waited for the procession down $$ to help? Anyone know the details of OFFER to arrive, some began to be restless, began to the proposals for health care? Have you heard fiigit. Has something happened, they won- that drug costs are going to increase about dered? What could possibly delay a funeral for five-plus percent in 2020? Make a difference? such an important member of the community? Or, are you more concerned about the interna- Than, ‘the word’ came down from out there tional situation? How about the immigration some place…there would be no funeral today. problems? How about crime in your neighbor- What?? Why not?? Answer: The reported de- hood? Then, of course, there are the homeless. mise of The Gazette (for Harriett, the Gazoo) So much of which to be concerned. Or, are had been apparently premature (not fake news) you concerned? but, certainly official sounding on Page One CHEERS to those who stepped up to save the day it appeared. Was it a ‘played closed to our local newspaper. As of this columnist’s the vest’ move, or was it a case of saved by the deadline, we are, fortunately, not in a new Mid- bell? Hopefully, we will hear the story one day dle East war, the SF 49ers made it to the NFL soon. All of us are most anxious to know what playoffs, and it looks like we are not headed is ahead. Meanwhile, how about a cup of coffee for another California drought. And, so long and a print newspaper to read? I will buy! to the former Oakland Raiders. If the Warriors WE ALL KNEW 2020 was going to be an ex- can just get it all together! citing (?) year, right?!? What we did not know was that our unfit Oval Office Person was go- Wish to comment? ing to get us into another potential war in the [email protected] www.martinezgazette.com Sunday, January 12, 2020 PAGE B3 ENTERTAINMENT B OPINION / POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT Be a tourist in your city! Weekly Calendar AAUW branch’s International Soup Supper WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 The Pleasant Hill-Martinez American Association of American Women (AAUW) Branch will hold its annual International Soup Supper on Jan 15 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 1601 St. Mary’s Drive in Pleasant Hill followed by the speaker, Hiro Okawachi. Hiro was a biology teacher at Alhambra High School in Martinez for many years. As a child, he was living in Martinez when Courtesy Illustration World War II began, and Hiro and his family were relocated to the Santa Rita Camp in Topaz, Utah. He will share his vivid and interesting memories of that time. PARK IT BY NED MACKAY: Please join the branch for hearty, homemade soups, breads and desserts. Coffee, tea and water will be provided, but be sure to bring your own soup bowl and spoon. Dinner starts promptly at 6 p.m. AAUW members will provide crock pots of soup, and the cost to nonmembers is $10 at the door. All are most welcome. Contact Nancy Hobert at 925-228-7271 or Marilyn Thelen at 925-228-2600 to reserve a spot. For more information about the Pleasant Hill Martinez AAUW branch, please visit their website at aauw-pleasanthill-martinez.org. Enrolling a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) or Kindergarten Student 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR Mushrooms Students who will reach 5 years of age between September 2, 2020 and December 2, 2020 are NED MACKAY eligible to enroll in TK. Students who will reach 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2020, are eligible to enroll in Kindergarten. MARTINEZ NEWS-GAZETTE COLUMNIST All required TK/K registration documents will be available electronically at the above link. 2020-2021 TK/K Registration Days are scheduled as follows: ith the winter rains, re- not sought immediately. • February 4, 2020: Las Juntas Elementary • February 5, 2020: John Swett Elementary Wnewing grasses spread a “Both the Death Cap and • February 6, 2020: John Muir Elementary welcome green blanket over the Western Destroying Angel grow • February 7, 2020: Morello Park Elementary hills and fields. The rains also near oak trees,” said naturalist All Registration Days will be held at the District Office located at 921 Susana St., 9:00 - 1:00 pm. Please attend the Registration Day for your home school as determined by your place of stimulate lots of other growth, Trent Pearce, who works at Til- residency. including mushrooms. So it’s an den Nature Area near Berkeley. Visit www.martinez.k12.ca.us for more information about the registration process and to appropriate time to give both a “They can be lethal to both hu- determine your home school. warning and an invitation. mans and pets if consumed.” Martinez Marina and the Martinez Bait and Tackle Store It’s against the rules to har- Dog owners should keep a SATURDAY JANUARY 25, 2020 vest and remove any plants or close watch on their pets during 14th Year Anniversary of The Diamond Classic. Catch and Release Sturgeon Derby. animals from the East Bay Re- the winter months, and contact a Saturday January 25, 2020. Starts @ 7:00 AM Concludes @ 4:00 PM. Awards presentation at gional Parks, except of course for veterinarian immediately if they the Martinez Yacht Club @ 5:00 PM. state regulated fishing at district believe the pet has eaten a toxic $25.00 (CASH) Entry Fee. Kids 15 & Under Enter Free. 100% of the entry fees are paid in cash prizes (1st place through 7th place). lakes. The regional parks are es- mushroom. Additional prizes awarded at the Pre-Derby Seminar (see details below) and at Weigh In are sentially preserves where plants The Death Cap is a medium courtesy of our sponsors. and animals are supposed to be to large mushroom that typical- All entries/registrations must be submitted in person and paid in cash at: Martinez Bait & Tackle, 95 Tarantino Drive. Phone: 925-229-9420 left undisturbed. This is espe- ly has a greenish-gray cap, white cially important with regards to gills, a white ring around the Election Preview goes Prime Time mushrooms, some of which are stem, and a large white sac at the FROM ENGAGE CONTRA COSTA extremely poisonous. base of the stem. Be sure to tune in as CCTV, the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley, League of Women The most dangerous mush- The Western Destroying Angel Voters of West Contra Costa and the Clerk-Recorder bring you this opportunity to see and hear the local candidates that will be on your ballot for the March 3rd election. rooms commonly found in the is a medium to large mushroom For the first time in the 26 year history of this voter education programming, we will be broad- Bay Area are the Death Cap that usually has a creamy white casting a few races LIVE, starting next Thursday, January 16th, at 5:00 pm. (Amanita phalloides) and West- cap, white gills, a white ring Here are the slated live broadcasts: • 5 pm - State Senate District 7 ern Destroying Angel (Amanita around the stem that disappears • 6 pm - State Assembly District 14 ocreata). Both contain powerful with age, and a thin white sac at • 7 pm - County Board of Supervisors District 5 toxins. Symptoms don’t usually the base.Other mushrooms in All recorded broadcasts will be available on the Contra Costa Elections website, starting on January 22nd. You have a chance to participate. If you would like to submit a question for any local appear until up to 12 hours after this area that contain deadly tox- race, please either reply to this post or DM us. consumption. Severe gastrointes- ins include Galerina and Lepiota We’re looking forward to helping Contra Costa votes be informed as they cast their ballot. tinal distress progresses to liver and kidney failure if treatment is See PARK IT on page B6

PAGE B4 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com OPINION / POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT

AT HOME cials across the nation in seven from B1 different American cities. Palm- er organized nationwide raids Martinez was a hubbub of in November 1919 and January change. Hundreds of laborers 1920 arresting 10,000 suspects. arrived to fill jobs at the new After trial, 3,500 were held in Shell refinery. This drove unprec- detention and 556 deported. On edented construction all over September 16, 1920, a massive town. Between 1915 and 1918, blast shook Wall Street at noon. A hundreds of houses and dozens wagon with one hundred pounds of buildings were completed, in- of dynamite and five hundred cluding three residential hotels. pounds of lead shot exploded The magnificent Hotel Ohem at killing 38 people and injuring 700 Alhambra Avenue was one. 143. The blast was so intense Twelve masonry commercial that shrapnel penetrated the 34th buildings sprung up during the floor of the Equitable building. same time including a new City Courtesy Photo Worst of all, a massive influen- Hall Building at 706 Main Street. Vivian and Jeff Roubal's three grandchildren at Christmas 2019. za epidemic raged in 1918. The It was a time of great change “Spanish Flu” infected 500 million for the whole country. The Amer- egregious that national troops nez. America quickly drafted 2.8 people (one third of the world’s ican Temperance Movement pre- had to be deployed. State mili- million men. By summer 1918, population) and killed over 50 mil- vailed in January 1919 with the tia conduct was so bad in Gary, the United States was shipping lion. In the United States, the flu 18th amendment prohibiting Indiana that the U.S. Army was another 10,000 fresh American killed 675,000 people - six times alcohol in the United States for forced to occupy the town un- troops to France every day. Nine the number of Americans who thirteen years. Violent criminal der Marshall Law. Federal troops million combatants and seven died fighting in World War I. On gangs armed with machine guns were called in again when 35,000 million civilians died as a direct October 18, 1918, The Morning fought in the streets to control striking shipyard workers and result of hostilities. Tribune reported that the entire the flow of illegal liquor. The sympathizers took control of Se- Fearful of attack, Congress city of San Jose was in quarantine. women’s suffrage movement cul- attle food, water, heat, and elec- enacted onerous laws including San Francisco had a flu death rate minated in the 19th Amendment trical distribution for five days. the Espionage Act of 1917 which of 673 per 100,000, one of the worst that states fiercely debated rati- Foreign terrorism was also made any protest of military op- in the nation. fying in June 1919. According to widespread. On July 30, 1916, the erations or recruitment a crime. My take on all this is, as bad as Melissa Jacobson writing in the United States suffered one of the In 1918, Congress expanded things seem now, we are much bet- Martinez News Gazette, Mar- largest ever disasters in our his- this with the Sedition Act which ter off than Americans were one tinez was a hotbed of activity in tory -- The Black Tom Explosion made any speech or opinion crit- hundred years ago. Even the chil- the suffrage movement kicked off in New York -- when German ical of our government or of the dren of our grandparents did not by a visit from Susan B. Anthony agents sabotaged over a ton of war effort a crime. In October fare better. They had the Great De- herself in 1896. munitions bound for the war in 1918 the Immigration Act man- pression of 1929-1939 when half Domestic terrorism was a se- Europe. The explosion incinerat- dated deportation of all non-cit- the country’s banks failed causing rious concern in America 100 ed $20 million worth of military izens who disbelieved in orga- staggering unemployment and years ago. On October 1, 1910, goods, killed 7, and destroyed nized government -- specifically poverty. That is why I look around disgruntled steel workers used the Black Tom pier. The Statue anarchists. and can’t believe how lucky we are 16 sticks of dynamite to blow up of Liberty’s torch has been closed In retaliation, anarchists today. the Los Angeles Times building, to the public since the explosion bombed dozens of government Vivian and I just celebrated killing 21 and injuring dozens. due to structural damages. The and law enforcement officials Christmas with our children and Across the nation, steel workers explosion, measuring 5.5 on the in the Spring of 1919. In April, grandchildren. I wonder what the blew up 110 iron works between Richter scale, was felt as far away postal workers discovered 36 dy- little ones will live through before 1906 and 1911. On July 22, 1916, as . namite filled bomb packages ad- they reach our age in 2080. It is a suitcase bomb exploded at the World War I raging in Europe dressed to prominent politicians impossible to tell but I can say that San Francisco Preparedness Day forced Congress to pass the na- and businessmen. On June 2, an their prospects are much better Parade killing 10 and wound- tional Selective Service Act on suicide bomber targeted Attor- than 100 years ago. 2020 is already ing more than 40. Labor strikes May 18, 1917. Twenty-three days ney General A. Mitchell Palmer off to a great start right because erupted across the country. Law later, 6,298 Contra Costa County in Washington DC. Eight more we once again have our Martinez enforcement violence against men registered for military ser- bombs were detonated the same News-Gazette newspaper! strikers was so widespread and vice, including 393 from Marti- day, targeting government offi- Happy New Year! www.martinezgazette.com Sunday, January 12, 2020 PAGE B5 OPINION / POLITICS / ENTERTAINMENT

PARK IT Nearby at Coyote Hills Region- from B4 al Park, there’s a rare opportunity to see changing wildlife activity at species. dusk during a hike from 4:30 to 6 In sum, if you collect mushrooms in areas where it is permitted, p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11. expertise is a must. For most of us, the best place for mushroom The hike is for ages six and old- gathering is the local supermarket. er, and registration is required. To If you want to learn more about mushrooms, and see some in register, call 888-327-2757, select the wild, join naturalist Kevin Dixon on a mushroom safari from option 2, and refer to program 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Jan. 12 at Briones Regional Park near 27787. And there’s more. The park’s new Dumbarton Quarry Bayside Martinez. Campground is scheduled to open this year. Naturalist Francis Men- Meet Kevin at the Alhambra Staging Area. It’s off of Reliez Valley doza will lead a preview hike to the site for ages 12 and older, from 1:30 Road about a mile south of the intersection with Alhambra Valley to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12. Road. For information, call 888-327-2757, ext. 2750. It’s an easy 2½-mile out-and-back walk, during which Francis will And the Tilden Nature Area plans a Fungal Fair from 10 a.m. to talk about the history of the quarry and campground. Meet him at the 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 and 26 at the Environmental Educa- visitor . tion Center. The center is at the north end of Central Park Drive. Coyote Hills is at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre More on the fair in a future column. Parkway. For information, call 510-544-3220.

Another seasonal phenome- At Crab Cove Visitor Center non in the regional parks is the in Alameda, naturalist Morgan annual overwintering of monarch Guenther will host two adult craft butterflies at Ardenwood Historic night social gatherings. Both are Farm in Fremont. from 5:30 to 7 p.m. One is on Jan. Unfortunately, for unknown 12, the other on Feb. 8. reasons, very few monarchs have The project on Jan. 12 is mac- appeared this year in Arden- ramé plant hangers from T-shirt wood’s eucalyptus groves. How- yarn. On Feb. 8 it’s picture frames ever, programs are still planned that describe the butterflies’ life cycle and wall hangings from magazine paper reeds. The park will provide and emphasize how the insects can be protected. the project, instruction and supplies. There are programs at the Ardenwood greenhouse from 2 to 2:30 Registration is required, and there’s a fee of $10 ($12 for non-district p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in January, and from 11 to 11:30 a.m. residents). To register, call 888-327-2757. Select option 2 and refer to on Sundays, Jan. 12 and 19. program 27675 for Jan. 12, 27684 for Feb. 8. A slide presentation on monarchs is scheduled at the Ardenwood Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Ave. Call 510-544-3187. granary from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26. The historic farm is at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of The New Year brings lots of new programs to the regional parks. For Highway 84. For information, call 510-544-2797. full information, visit the website, www.ebparks.org.

CONVICTIONS will also make it easier for courts 64 — the development of policy digital age, starting with the peo- from B2 to update records, ensuring that and technology that expands, ple who need it most. We build individuals can obtain relief as streamlines and automates the digital services that enhance a DA’s office can automatically soon as possible. record clearance process at scale. government capabilities, and we and securely evaluate eligibility These partnerships set the Code for America has been help others do the same across for record clearance for thou- standard for the statewide imple- making it easier for people to re- all levels of government. We or- sands of convictions in just a few mentation of Assembly Bill 1793, move eligible convictions from ganize thousands of volunteers minutes. which tasks prosecutors with af- their records through Clear my across nearly 80 chapters nation- This requires no action on the firmatively reviewing convictions Record technology since 2016. wide who improve government part of the individual, and mini- eligible for dismissal or reduction in their local communities. Our mal staff time and resources from under Proposition 64. This novel About Code for America goal: a 21st century government the DA’s office — two obstacles approach also creates a blueprint Code for America believes that effectively and equitably for record clearance. Streamlin- for the future of record clearance government must work for the serves all Americans. Learn more ing conviction data processing for remedies beyond Proposition people, and by the people, in the atcodeforamerica.org.

PAGE B6 Sunday, January 12, 2020 www.martinezgazette.com