YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 19, No. 6
READ BREAKING NEWS AT WWW.THEPRESS.NET
Fighting for Snow dusts Mount Diablo a path to residency
February 8, 2019
Changing Young Lives
by Aly Brown Staff Writer
It’s been a year since Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would end for Salvadorans who arrived in the U.S. as refugees nearly 20 years ago, but the fight for change remains heavy on the minds of families racing the clock. This month, TPS holders along with their U.S. citizen children and allies – as part of NorCal TPS Delegation – will convene to the Capitol in mass numbers to convince lawmakers to support legislation that would offer pathways to permanent residency or citizenship before their protected status ends. For Salvadorans, that deadline is this September. Requesting to be called Santiago Flores, see Path page 30
Local resident brings life experience and support to youth at the Byron Boys Ranch. Page 18
For The Love Of Kayla Photo by Tony Kukulich
R
ecent cold temperatures have left a visible mark on East County, and the sun rose on Tuesday to reveal a Mount Diablo blanketed in snow. Tony Kukulich, photographer for The Press, captured this image from Brentwood on Tuesday, Feb. 5. To view more photos of the event, visit www. thepress.net/multimedia/slideshows
Consultant analyzes Oakley retail potential as population rises by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
Oakley’s prospects of attracting large grocery or drug stores will increase as the city’s population grows, according to an outside consultant’s retail development analysis. The report, completed by retail strategies consultant Michael Berne, suggests that once the city’s population reaches 57,000 – an increase of about 15,000 from today’s – Oakley will be in a good position to attract at least one additional grocery and drug store. The study was conducted to explore current market dynamics, the city’s struggles to attract retail
establishments and the viability of various commercially zoned sites. “Really, the message is patience,” Berne said. “The growth of the city is ultimately going to bring additional operators in those (grocery and drug) categories.” The analysis also concluded that Oakley could support additional family restaurants, sports bars, coffee houses, urgent care facilities and fast-casual restaurants, such as Panera Bread or Chipotle. But its location and other market factors likely preclude it from attracting large regional retailers capable of drawing outside city customers, said Berne, noting
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that retailers tend to gravitate toward large shopping areas near other retailers and away from their existing locations. “These factors put Oakley in a bit of a bind, because if you look at how retail lays out in East County now, Oakley is kind of in between,” he said. “There is a large concentration of shopping close to the south, large concentration to the west and the issue of the State Route 4 Bypass,” Berne said, noting that one broker told him the State Route 4 Bypass turned Oakley into a cul-de-sac. The changing state of the retail industry, including e-commerce competition, is also at play, driving some large retailers out of
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business, while many others have chosen to invest in other business development tools, such as digital advancement, instead of opening new brick-and-mortar stores. “What we are looking for as a community are those big boxes that unfortunately aren’t coming to help supplement our budget,” said City Councilmember Kevin Romick. Berne said there is a chance Oakley could attract grocery or drug stores now, but that the city will be a much more attractive option as the surging population creates future demand. Oakley’s three current grosee Retail page 30
Pet Blood Bank www.thepress.net/news/webextras
The California Pet Blood Bank Modernization Act has been introduced into legislation.
Garin Elementary creates Kayla’s Korner in remembrance of student who loved books. Page 5
League Title Winners
Liberty boys’ basketball team wins league title for first time since 1985. Page 21 Calendar................................31 Classifieds.............................26 Cop Logs................................29 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Health & Beauty....................7 Milestones..............................8 Opinion..................................20 Pets.........................................25 Sports.....................................21
Autism Walk
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Children and adults with autism will join the Bay Area Autism Speaks Walk.