PORT COSTA CONSERVATION SOCIETY

 SPRING, 2004

Photo:  Jerry Graham

Princess Po-Mo-Na in 2002

The Port Costa Talent Show will celebrate its tenth anniversary at the historic Port Costa School on Sunday, August 22, marking a decade of spectacular hometown entertainment.

Many famous entertainers got their start in talent shows. Frank Sinatra launched his career as one of the Hoboken Four on radio’s Major Bowle’s Original Amateur Hour. Tony Bennett, Gene Kelly, Patsy Cline and Gladys Knight gained stardom after winning talent shows. Elvis Presley himself entered a talent show at age ten, standing on a chair to sing "Old Shep."

One need not be a professional singer, dancer or comedian to enter the Port Costa Talent Show. Amateurs are welcome. Many contestants make their stage debut for the very first time. Who can forget the fabulous Crockettes, tap-dancing their way into Talent Show history. And the Who-La-La’s, in their crinoline skirts and coconut shells, where are they now?

The Port Costa Talent Show is the main fund-raiser this year for the Port Costa Conservation Society. It is staged by all volunteer workers. Proceeds from the show will be used for restoration work on the school and to keep the playground and ball field open year around.The fast-paced show is performed on a 20x10-foot stage on the steps of the school, each act timed for three minutes or less. Giant tents shade the audience, which at the 2002 Talent Show exceeded 600 exuberant fans. Delicious barbecue and ice-cold beverages are sold, along with commemorative Talent Show T-shirts and posters.

A popular feature of the Talent Show is the Raffle Drawing, with prizes donated by businesses and individuals. Past raffle prizes have included fine dining at Port Costa and Crockett restaurants, handmade quilts, works of art by local artists, baseball tickets, soothing massages and overnight stays at the Bodega Bay Lodge and on the Sacramento riverboat Delta King. Tickets will be sold in advance and at the Talent Show. Three drawings will be held at intervals during the show. Winning ticket holders need not be present to win.  For information call (510) 787-2254.

Photo:  Lewis Stewart

Large sections of roadway slough off during winter rains.

Planning is underway to repair a closed section of Carquinez Scenic Drive and restore it as a pedestrian and bicycling trail. The 1.7-mile long section of pavement was closed by the county in 1982 after heavy landslides, and has remained in a state of disrepair ever since. The winding country road offers spectacular views of the Carquinez Strait. The beauty of the historic road, once a state highway, was noted as long ago as 1900 in Sunset magazine: "The landscape and the combination of grand hills, the bluffs along the strait and the picturesque bits on the further shore is said to rival in natural beauty any six miles of the famous eighteen mile drive of Monterey."

At a public workshop on February 26, Contra Costa County Public Works and the East Bay Regional Parks District presented plans to convert the damaged road into a "multi-use, paved pathway" for hikers and bicyclists. The closed portion of the road begins just beyond TXI-Pacific Custom Materials (The Brickyard) and ends approximately 2.3 miles west of Martinez. Extensive soil stabilization as well as reconstruction of existing pavement will be necessary, officials say. Initial planning phase of the project is sponsored by the State Coastal Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Trail Project.

"I think it will be a long-time project," said Al Schaal of Contra Costa County Public Works. "We are waiting for the next report from Cal Engineering and Geology on development plans and ways to finance and phase it. Our next step, which should be in the next couple of months, is a public hearing at the County Board of Supervisors."

Public input is invited. Comments and questions about the proposed San Francisco Bay Trail – Carquinez Strait Segment project may be sent to Al Schaal, Public Works Department, 255 Glacier Drive, Martinez, CA 94553-4825, or by phone at (925) 313-2234.