Over the weekend I noticed two women with placards at the corners of S. Main St. and Olympic Blvd. in downtown Walnut Creek protesting the George Zimmerman trial that concluded last week. They pointed me to the We Are Not Trayvon Martin website:
It’s not enough to know you aren’t Trayvon. What will you do to change our country?
Hi, we are Joseph and Tobias, and we are here to recruit YOU in the fight against racism.
Discussion on John Steinbeck’s Works:
Swans’ Fine Books
1381 Locust St, Walnut Creek
Thursday, July 18th, 2013
7:30pm – 8:30pm | FreeIf you are interested in Steinbeck…
…please join us on Thursday evening, July 18th, for an informal discussion on John Steinbeck and collecting his works. Leading the discussion will be James M. Dourgarian, ABAA, one of the country’s foremost experts on John Steinbeck and a Walnut Creek resident. This will be the first of several events which will be offered throughout the year, with additional events planned for further discussion on Steinbeck as well as other authors.The format will be informal, with Jim beginning the evening talking about John Steinbeck’s life and moving into some of his works. You will learn more about what went into writing the works and how they are viewed today by collectors. Questions and open dialogue will be welcome towards the end of our time together.
Since seating is limited, please R.S.V.P. to hold a space. There is no charge to attend and light refreshments will be served.
Saranap Village
Thanks to a reader for sending word about a new development being proposed called Saranap Village to be located in Saranap between Lafayette and Walnut Creek. Check out the site plan here. Renderings can be found here. This mixed use development with apartments located above retail stores reminds me of what Broadway Plaza wanted to do with their redevelopment last year. What do you think of this new development? Will Saranap Village eventually become a destination location for shopping?
From their website:
Hall Equities Group is pleased to introduce an exciting mixed-use plan to create a branded area with the character and atmosphere of a vibrant neighborhood village.
Our proposed project design entails three distinct building components clustered around the intersection of Saranap Avenue and Boulevard Way. Buildings will consist of street-level retail shops with parking structures below and behind the retail stores. High quality housing will be constructed above the retail space in multiple levels. At present, we anticipate approximately 325 residences in three separate structures. Some of this housing would be for sale and some would be for rent.
From the Moraga Police Department:
On Thursday July 11th at approximately 3:10 p.m., a citizen reported a suspicious individual walking slowly in the area on Larch Avenue near Wandel Drive. Moraga officers responded and contacted Hector Mauricio Salazar, a 21-year-old San Pablo resident. Salazar stated he had been painting at a nearby residence. A consensual search of his person and property revealed that Salazar was in possession of jewelry that was found inside his lunch box. Salazar’s explanation for his possession of the jewelry was inconsistent and he was detained for investigation.
Subsequent investigation resulted in officers contacting the homeowner that had employed Salazar to paint at her home. Officers showed the homeowner, an elderly female, the jewelry that Salazar had in his possession, and she identified the jewelry as her property. The homeowner said the jewelry had been stolen from her master bedroom while she was away from the residence. Based on probable cause, Officers placed Salazar under arrest for possession of stolen property, and burglary.
On Monday July 15th, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office issued a criminal complaint against Salazar alleging felony violations of grand theft, possession of stolen property, and financial elder abuse.
Salazar was convicted of robbery in Alameda County on December 14, 2012 and is currently in custody in Contra Costa County.
1633 Bonanza St, Walnut Creek
In May I noted that Harvest Market closed on Bonanza St. and now a new, ‘event-driven, social’ cafe focusing on South American coastal cuisine, Cafecitos Cafe & Food Pavilion, will be opening sometime in August at this location. Check out their website here. This sounds like a very interesting concept, I look forward to checking it out when it opens.
Email from the owner:
Theme & decor “Modern-Vintage” 1915 – 1925 San Francisco’s “Panama Pacific International Expo” (World’s Fair).
Host special events.
Monthly “Food Pavilions” introducing new international foods.House menu: South American Coastal Cuisine. Latin flavored (peppers/spicy) chocolates. Coffee. Yerba Mate & specialty drinks. Alcohol Cocktails.
Cafecitos Cafe & Food Pavilion is located at 1633 Bonanza St in downtown Walnut Creek.
Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
Saturday, July 20th, 2013
10:00am – 4:00pm | Free (tickets on sale for individual performances)The 7th annual Chevron Family Theatre Festival welcomes you and your family to a day of affordable, high quality family entertainment.
This year’s entertainment line-up brings some exciting new performances including headliner Aga-Boom whose slapstick silliness and physical comedy promises a riot of unrestrained laughter from children and adults alike. Another new addition is Alex Ramon Magic, who will captivate audiences of all ages with his fresh approach to modern day magic.
Other favorite artists returning to the festival include Sesame Street star puppeteer Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, who will perform Robin Hood, and the Pushcart Players who will perform Stone Soup and Other Stories, a blend of folk tales from around the world.
Plenty of free activities and entertainment will be available, including sock puppet making in the Bedford Gallery, face painting and performances on the outdoor stage.
1539 N Main St, Walnut Creek
Back in March I noted that the kitchen and bath studio At Home with Baystone would be opening in downtown Walnut Creek and they have now opened. In addition to selling cabinetry, countertops and tiles they also have several in-house designers to work with and plan people’s remodels. The official opening won’t be until September but there is an ongoing ‘soft’ open now.
The City of Walnut Creek has released the confidential investigative report about the Lesher Center employee who was charged with unlawful sexual conduct with children. Read the entire report here.
From the city website:
At the direction of the Walnut Creek City Council, the City today is releasing an independent investigator’s report that examines City employees’ actions, or failure to act, upon learning of alleged improper and/or illegal behavior by part-time employee Jason Pedroza. The report is available on the City’s website.
The report states that on Nov. 3, 2012, certain City staff learned of allegations that Pedroza, 28, sent inappropriate texts and Facebook messages to a 13-year-old Danville girl he met while both were actors in a Contra Costa Musical Theatre production, a non-profit theatrical company that performs at the Lesher Center.
City staff took “proactive steps” to “protect minors at the Lesher Center for the Arts, not to hinder efforts by any law enforcement agency – including the Walnut Creek Police Department – to investigate suspected child abuse,” the report states.
Those steps included terminating Pedroza on Nov. 8, and removing him from the cast of an upcoming Center REP production.
In addition, the report notes that staff knew the Danville Police were investigating the Nov. 3 allegations.
The internal investigation also finds in part that:
- The Danville Police concluded on Nov. 11 that no crime had occurred in relation to Pedroza’s messages to the 13-year-old girl.
- Until Nov. 3, none of the witnesses interviewed was aware of, or suspected, that Jason Pedroza had been acting appropriately in any way with minors.
- No witness interviewed had observed, or was aware of, inappropriate contact between minors and adults at the Lesher Center for the Arts.
The internal investigation also finds that the City Manager and Assistant City Manager knew about the Nov. 3 allegations and did not share that information prior to being interviewed in connection with the internal investigation.
