So This Happened…Week of Oct. 12-18

With Halloween creeping up on us, there are several local opportunities to get in the spirit.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY–The Orinda Starlight Village Players have created an interactive murder mystery theater online on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek will host a socially distanced Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 24. Even closer to home, you can throw your own mini Oktoberfest after purchasing a “Porch Pour Party” from participating Concord restaurants, or let your mind wander as Debbie Eistetter weaves a tale of Clayton’s paranormal past in this month’s Clayton Historical Society column.

Creating community: Speaking of local history, the Concord City Council has given the Neto Community Network more time to come up with a plan for repurposing the Don Fernando Pacheco Adobe. “We went in knowing that our proposal wasn’t as comprehensive as the city would’ve wanted, but we’re willing to go the distance,” said Lisa Fulmer, a community arts advocate and a member of the Strategy Council at Neto.” Read the full story.

Ready to respond: A small group gathered at Concord’s Buchanan Field Airport recently to complete the last step in becoming California Disaster Airlift Response Team (DART) operators. “If you look at what’s happening right now with COVID and the wildfires, things can happen really fast. DART is like the Minutemen – ready to go any time,” says pilot Stephen Tucker. Read the full story.

Helping those in need: De La Salle’s record-breaking Cereal Drive for the Monument Crisis Center and the Family Justice Center’s successful virtual gala show, once again, that our community continues to come together for the greater good. Read the full story.

Here are some other local stories the Pioneer covered recently

• Concord City Council to take first steps to strengthen mental health crisis response.
• GSA takes Coast Guard property to public auction.
• Mt. Diablo High football player David Clark gets college offers from two Oregon schools.
• De La Salle returns to SoCal for rematch of state title game to open football season.
• District, Clayton Valley Charter still far apart from settling financial differences.
• Concord Police Dept. will use state grants to improve traffic safety.
• Sweet new standards at MDUSD – but with 10 lbs. less sugar

Check out our past weekly news summaries