Read the full article here.

One of many goal line stands for the Gauchos.

BY MATT DURNING //

The El Cerrito Gauchos fell just short of an improbable upset to clinch the conference title Friday night, losing a nail biter to perennial powerhouse Berkeley High, 21-16, in the final game of the regular season.

Both teams entered the contest undefeated in league play and tied atop the ACCAL conference standings. Berkeley was the undeniable favorite, however, having shut out their five other conference opponents by a combined scored of 220-0.

But the young Gaucho squad, led by first year head coach Kenny Kahn, was not intimidated by the larger, stronger, more experienced Berkeley players.

“We might have a small army but that’s who I’m going to war with each and every game,” said Kahn. “They left their hearts on the field tonight – I have nothing but respect for my players.”

El Cerrito’s defense kept things close in the first half, holding Berkeley to just one score and denying the vaunted Yellow Jacket running attack on three of four goal line stands. Their effort was all the more impressive considering the entire half was played inside Gaucho territory with Berkeley dominating time of possession by a 3-to-1 margin.

“Three stops on the goal line – what more can you say,” said Kahn at half time. “Our defensive line just came up and crushed them. They’re keeping us in it.”

With the half time score just 7-0, Coach Kahn praised his players and challenged them to dig deeper.

“Do you see the score?” he asked them. “We are not out of this by any means. Let’s get aggressive, let’s get greedy, let’s get angry. This is why we play this game.”

The Gauchos responded, led again by their defense.

On the second half’s opening drive, El Cerrito captain Malcolm Carson intercepted a pass from Berkeley quarterback Ian Anderson and took it back 29 yards for a score. His touchdown marked the first points scored against Berkeley by any conference opponent this season and, more importantly, provided the Gauchos with a much needed spark.

“That really got our momentum going for the rest of the game,” Carson said.

Less than a minute later, an errant snap on a Berkeley punt attempt allowed El Cerrito to regain possession inside the five-yard line. Three plays after, Gaucho quarterback Andre Williams ran a bootleg to the right and raced untouched into the end zone behind a key block from tight end Lyonel Louis.

Pandemonium ensued on the El Cerrito sideline as Williams’ score gave the Gauchos their first lead of the game, 13-7.

But the jubilation didn’t last long. A strong kickoff return and a series of powerful runs from Ricky Galvin quickly put the Yellow Jackets right back on the Gaucho doorstep.

For three plays, the El Cerrito defense fought to protect their lead. But on 4th-and-1, Galvin broke defiantly through the Gaucho line to tie the game. Berkeley’s kicker hit the extra point to regain the lead, 14-13.

Things started badly for El Cerrito on their next drive. A pair of runs went nowhere and their star quarterback, Williams, limped off the field with a leg injury. On third down and long, sophomore backup quarterback Byron Thomas stepped in and threw a forty-yard pass into double coverage. Wide receiver Demare McElmore made a spectacular, acrobatic catch to keep the Gauchos’ hopes alive.

When El Cerrito failed to gain any yards on their next three plays, Coach Kahn placed his team’s fate in their young kicker, Jose Fuentes, with a 47-yard field goal attempt. Fuentes, who had been inconsistent in warm-ups and missing from much shorter distances, struck the ball perfectly and sent it end over end through the uprights.

“I wasn’t thinking about the kicks I missed in practice,” said Fuentes.  “I was focused. All I wanted to do was kick it and make it good.”

As the referee raised his arms to signal the successful field goal, Fuentes jumped into the air and the Gaucho sideline erupted in cheers. El Cerrito had reclaimed the lead, 16-14.

Fuentes left the field to a hero’s welcome from fellow players and fans alike. The kick was his second longest make of the season and earned him conference “Player of The Week” honors following the game.

“I was happy for myself and happy that I made it for all the fans and all my teammates,” Fuentes said.

But just five minutes from realizing the unthinkable, El Cerrito ran out of gas. Berkeley’s relentless offense penetrated the cracks in the Gaucho armor and drove the ball steadily down the field to the El Cerrito 7-yard line.

“Berkeley did not give up on themselves,” said Coach Kahn after the game.  “They came back and they did what they needed to, so I have to give them credit.”

On 1st-and-goal, Berkeley quarterback Ian Anderson threw a perfect 13-yard fade route to receiver Morris Norrise in the back corner of the end zone, putting Berkeley ahead for good, 21-16, with 1:24 to play.

The Gauchos’ final possession ended in perfect anticlimax when a fumbled snap on 4th-and-4 sealed their fate.

As Berkeley fans rushed the field in celebration, Coach Kahn pulled his disbelieving team together on the field and told them to huddle in close.

“Do not look at this as failure,” he said. “I want you to hold your heads up high and know that you’ve accomplished something big tonight. This loss is only going to help us prepare for what comes next.”

What is next for the Gauchos is the playoffs, an accomplishment no one would have predicted at the start of the season.

“We want a championship,” said Carson, the team captain. “That’s all I can say.”

Because Berkeley and El Cerrito are in different divisions, there is no chance for them to meet again this season. Still, Kahn is already looked forward to next year.

“We showed Berkeley that we are a force to be reckoned with,” Kahn said. “People now know El Cerrito can play with Berkeley. I’m proud of my boys, I’m proud of my coaches. The Gauchos might have lost tonight but we are still on the attack.”

Playoff seeds and first round matchups for both teams will be announced on Sunday.

Fire as seen from Albany Bulb

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

A small blaze, producing a big plume of smoke and flames visible from Interstate 80, broke out Friday afternoon on the west side of Albany Hill. Fortunately, due to a quick response, crews were able to prevent any serious damage.

Initially, the fire came close to threatening the high-rise Gate View apartment building at 555 Pierce Street in Albany, that is nestled between I-80 and the hill.

Albany police officer Steve Foss said, that at its climax the fire stretched from north to south about the width of the apartment complex and seemed to be moving down the hill.  ”It was going pretty good, but it’s well under control now,” he said.

Since most of the hill is a park, there were no other structures immediately in danger, according to Foss.

The Albany Fire Department, with assistance from El Cerrito and Richmond, were able to use fire roads in the heavily forested park to access the blaze and get control quickly.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Albany Hill, with an elevation of 338 feet above sea level, is a local landmark for both Albany and El Cerrito.

The upper portion of the hill, Albany Hill Park, is a Eucalyptus clad public open space.

(Photo by Deane Little/Courtesy of East Bay Parks)

BY ALEXIA UNDERWOOD //

On November 4, voters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties passed Measure WW with 71 percent approval. The measure extended an existing regional park bond measure to the tune of $500 million, to be distributed over the next 20 years.

“I think that it’s a tribute to the people [for] recognizing the value of the park district and wanting to have more parks and more opportunities in the future,” said Jack Kenny, chief of parks for the East Bay Regional Park District.

The bond money will uphold ongoing park district projects including urban creek restoration, wildlife protection and additional land purchases according to park district officials.

The money will also be used to acquire, develop, and improve local and regional parks, trails, and recreational facilities for East Bay residents.

Measure WW is an extension of original bond Measure AA, passed in 1988, which imposed a maximum $10 tax per year on every $100,000 of assessed property valuation, according to the park district website. For the owner of a $300,000 house, this would translate into paying about $30 a year.

Seventy-five percent of the new money will go towards buying new parkland and funding projects, and 25 percent will go to cities and local park districts, like El Cerrito’s.

Kenny explained that the measure allotted for a series of bond sales that take place over 20 years. The property tax begins soon, with the first installment due in December, he said.

Some people were surprised to see the widespread support the measure received, said Kenny. “Especially in really tough economic times, I think that [percentage] is surprising,” he said.

Rosemary Cameron, assistant general manager of public affairs with the park district said cities still had some time to put together their proposals for the bond money.

“We’ll be rolling out all the formal procedural guides on how the local grant program will work – right at the beginning of 2009,” said Cameron. “This isn’t something that cities will have to apply for immediately. They will have several years in which to do this.”

BY MATT DURNING //

Residents of El Cerrito voted to support the current direction of their local city government Tuesday, electing council-endorsed newcomers Ann Cheng and Greg Lyman while also reelecting incumbent Mayor Bill Jones.

Cheng, the only woman running and the youngest candidate at 30 years old, won the election with 4,852 votes, or 25.8 percent. Jones received 4,553 votes, or 24.2 percent, and Lyman had 4,364 votes, or 23.2 percent.

In winning, Cheng becomes the first Asian American councilmember in the 90-year history of El Cerrito.

“Those who have the ability and resources to widen the boundaries of inclusion should be encouraged to step up,” said Cheng, reflecting on her victory. “I am very proud to fill this role and definitely hope to cultivate an interest in local government by all ages.”

The two newcomers bring years of professional experience in city planning and infrastructure projects. Both advocate a vision of mixed-use, transit-oriented, sustainable community development in El Cerrito.

Cheng, an urban planner, said her top priority would be making sure there is sufficient community input and involvement in developing the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan.

Lyman, a civil and environmental engineer and the former chair of El Cerrito’s Park & Recreation Committee, said one of his first orders of business would be to get more trees planted in Canyon Trail Park and around the city.

Both agreed the controversy surrounding the closing of Portola Middle School is a primary concern that requires serious attention.

“The City Council really needs to be active in healing the city’s divide on this issue,” Lyman said. “We need to make sure the [WCCUSD] school board reaches a decision that is in the best interest of our residents.”

Mayor Jones said he was very happy with the election outcome and pleased that all of the candidates ran positive campaigns.

“I think anytime a person gets reelected for a second term it makes them feel good,” he said.  “It’s a confirmation that people think you’re doing a good job, or at least can be trusted moving forward.”

Jones said he expected the next four years to be more difficult than the previous four, citing the desperate financial climate facing California and the country as a whole.

The Mayor said he intends to complete those ongoing projects already with dedicated funding – such as the second phase of redevelopment on San Pablo Avenue and improvements to the recycling center – before taking on anything new.

All three candidates expressed excitement over the outcome of the US presidential election and said they look forward to working in an environment of new ideas and new energy at the federal level.

“Government that is good for Main Street,” said Jones. “Governing rather than ruling.”

The two other candidates in the race, Andrew Ting and David Boisvert, finished well behind the winners with 2,514 votes and 2,477 votes respectively. This was the second unsuccessful city council campaign for both men, who also ran in 2004.

Boisvert congratulated the winners on running a well-orchestrated campaign and said he thought the endorsements they received from the current city council had a major impact.

“I think the voters of El Cerrito perceive that the way the city is being run is good and there is no real need for change,” he said.

Cheng and Lyman will replace sitting councilwomen Jan Bridges and Leticia Moore, both of whom chose not to run for reelection.

Mayor Jones praised Bridges and Moore and said they would be missed.

“Jan and Leticia were always well prepared,” he said. “They put in the extra work to understand the issues and brought some levelheadedness to the process. Although I’m sorry to see them go, I think Ann and Greg will be great additions.”

The new city council will be sworn in during a special council meeting on December 2, the deadline by which Contra Costa Registrar Stephen Weir must certify the election results.  The public is invited to attend.

“On election night, we were clicking through channels, hoping to hear something new. Doha is eight hours ahead of East Coast time, so I knew we probably wouldn’t hear any real results till at least the middle of the night. I flipped through CNN, Al Jazeera, the BBC and a few other channels that we get in Doha. My wife Carmel (a Modesto native) and I stayed up past 2 a.m., anxiously listening to the few results that were coming in. Then it was off to bed, but I was back up at 4 a.m. – there were reports of polling irregularities, but not enough to keep Obama from winning. Carmel and I were up again at seven, on the computer searching for news. ‘We won!’ I heard Carmel yelling, ‘Big time!’ she said. Kenya was declaring a national holiday. America was cheering.

We drove to our classes at Qatar University around noon, and our sweet students were all congratulating me and Carmel on the Obama victory. I hadn’t said anything about the presidential race until the day before, when I was ending a media lab class. I projected my ‘Obama’ campaign button that my sister Peggie had given me onto the big screen in the class before letting the students go. Today, the students seemed as confused as some of the McCain and Palin supporters, as I heard talk in Arabic about a new Muslim president, or something like that.

After classes, Carmel and I drove to a big villa behind the Spanish embassy and across from the Arabian Gulf to the Brookings Institution event – an election party we were invited to through the Georgetown University branch in Doha. There wasn’t a big crowd, but it was an interesting one, full of many nationalities. Surprisingly, some of the people we knew – an African woman, an Indian woman and a few others – announced that they had voted for the first time and were new American citizens. We had known them for more than a year and had not known they held a U.S. passport until today.

A good discussion ensued, with much dialogue on what the future would bring for the world, the Middle East, the world economy, health care in America, etc. CNN was mutely playing on a large screen, and I remember the images: Jesse Jackson with tears streaming down his cheeks, Obama and his lovely daughters waving, the totals coming in and emotions rising. Pizza and soft drinks were passed around, and the microphone was passed from one person to another. There were lots of good comments and interesting questions and answers about how the electoral system works and how the power will flow between now and January.

Many were interested in how the situation in the world could change. Iran is very close to Doha, and with Iran standing firmly in favor of nuclear power and the U.S. adamant about the impossibility of a nuclear Iran, people wondered how this divide could be healed diplomatically.

It seemed that ‘hope’ and dialogue might lead to some solutions. The audience was hopeful, but also quarreling and questioning. Most thought that perhaps the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, a political body that includes many of the Arabian Gulf states) could play a role with Obama’s stated desire to involve other parties in decisions and not go at things unilaterally – and if this was the case, then there could be hope. Who would benefit more from a rational and peaceful solution than the individuals in that room and all of their families and loved ones?

Soon the event was over, and I was driving back along the blue waters of the Gulf, the beautiful golf course, and onto the Qatar University campus to drop Carmel off to teach her next class. I was done for the day and drove home. For some reason, the phrase ‘a chicken in every pot’ kept playing through my mind – was that Hoover or FDR? I think it was Hoover, but I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind. So, I stopped at the little grocery store in our housing compound and walked in. I ‘salaamed’ the fellows working there who were my friends and headed to the freezer section. There were tiny chickens, frozen like ice and shipped from Brazil, but prepared for shipment in the Islamic ‘Halal’ fashion as stated clearly on the wrapper. One of the chickens could easily thaw in a little cool water before Carmel got home. I bounced a couple around in my palm, picked up a few onions and potatoes, passed a few Qatari Riyals to the gentlemen at the cash register (when I mentioned Obama had won, they smiled) and headed home to put a chicken in our pot for dinner tonight.

As I write this, Carmel is euphoric. She is happy, happy and declaring her new faith in the American people and America. Something good has happened! The moon on this historic night is just a small crescent in a starless sky in the Arabian Gulf. I know it will grow larger and stronger. Tomorrow will be a better and brighter day and may those who rejoice with hope retain their euphoria.”

Jennings, right, campaigning on Tuesday with Sharon Lewis.

BY SWETA VOHRA//

For Joyce Jennings, Tuesday’s election brought both a sense of jubilation and a measure of defeat. While Jennings was thrilled about the country electing its first black president, California passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, a move that meant, “racism is still prevalent in our culture,” according to Jennings.

“I’m feeling really sad,” said Jennings on Wednesday afternoon. She said that she was still hanging on to sliver of hope, as the absentee ballots had not been counted yet. But a win for the other side had already been declared on many news stations, and it was unlikely things were going to change.

The issue of marriage has been a long and emotional journey for Jennings, a Berkeley resident, and her partner, Patty Mead. After the California Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages this past May, Jennings and Mead were married for the second time. The two had previously married in 2004, when Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco allowed weddings of same-sex couples. However, that license was nullified six months later as the Supreme Court determined the mayor had acted outside his authority. For Jennings, the ceremony this past June was exceptionally emotional.

“It felt very different to me to have the government saying of course you can get married,” said Jennings.

To their surprise and delight, the person who conducted the ceremony was a part-time public health officer who had requested the chance to marry same-sex couples. According to Jennings, the woman had just attended her own lesbian daughter’s wedding and was so moved that she felt she had to be a part of this tremendous moment and asked to wed couples.

“That made the whole ceremony even more special,” said Jennings.

However, with Tuesday’s election results, California will add an amendment forbidding same-sex marriages, and it is unclear whether marriages like Jennings will still be upheld. The vote on Proposition 8 passed with 52 percent of the votes and was one of the most expensive social proposition campaigns in the country with over $73 million dollars spent between both sides.

Jennings, who believes Proposition 8 strips away basic human rights, said, “I’m a consenting adult – cannot I decide who I want to spend the rest of my life with…who my family is?”

Almost 10 years ago, Jennings met partner Mead and her then 9-year old son at a lesbian ballroom dancing class. Jennings said Mead knew right away she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Jennings, but it took Jennings a bit longer. The couple did fall in love and were engaged six months later. In 2001, the couple held a private commitment ceremony in Tilden Park with a 100 of their closest friends and family.

Jennings said when people really get to know a lesbian or gay couple, they understand that they share many of the same beliefs and encounter many of the same compromises and sacrifices other families experience. She said it’s time to “break down [opponents'] assumptions.”

She said she understands people have their opinions, but she also said that voters have to separate themselves emotionally from these issues. “I’m not asking them to be okay with [same-sex marriages], but I’m asking them to be fair.”

She adds that she is also angry about the entire legislative process. A constitution is supposed to protect people’s rights, according to Jennings, rather than change them with just a simple majority vote. “How can people be voting on other people’s basic rights?”

Late Wednesday, San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera filed a lawsuit requesting the court prevent the action from taking place, but it is unclear what will happen next. Many opponents argue that such a ban is an illegal constitutional revision and only the legislature can make such revisions, not the people.

For people like Jennings, the next steps are very uncertain. Although she is experiencing a lot of hurt and disappointment, Jennings is not backing down. “I want to know if there is an effective way to fight this – that’s what I’m focusing on now.”

El Cerrito Focus writer Sweta Vohra had a local story about Prop 4 in El Cerrito: You can find it here.

From Berlin, to Dubai, to Buenos Aires read the world’s reactions on this New York Times Blog.

Let me know your thoughts and feelings from the streets of El Cerrito, (or from wherever you are reading).

Leave a comment or email me at danielmcglynn@gmail.com.

A rundown of local and county-wide election results impacting El Cerrito. These are official figures from the Contra Costa Registrar’s office, with all precincts reporting.

EL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL:

Cheng: 4,852 (25.82%) ELECTED

Jones: 4,553 (24.23%) ELECTED

Lyman: 4,364 (23.22%) ELECTED

Ting: 2,514 (13.38%)

Boisvert: 2,477 (13.18%)

WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT:

Medrano: 27030 (30.74%) ELECTED

Thurmond: 25,748 (29.28%) ELECTED

Pfeifer: 23,893 (27.17%)

Studdiford: 10,960 (12.46%)

MEASURE D: PASSED

Yes: 50,392 (79.21%)

No: 13,226 (20.79%)

MEASURE VV: PASSED

Yes: 31,668 (70.14%)

No: 13,483 (29.86%)

MEASURE WW: PASSED

Yes: 238,041 (71.17%)

No: 96,440 (28.83%)

For official county results, visit the Contra Costa County Registrar’s website here.

For complete state-wide results, visit the Secretary of State website here.