YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 19, No. 23
READ THE DAILY NEWS AT WWW.THEPRESS.NET
Dozier-Libbey honors top students by Aly Brown
June 7, 2019
Generation Of Volunteers
Correspondent
This week saw the close of classes, the beginning of summer and recognition for some of the highest-achieving students in the county. In Antioch, Dozier-Libbey Medical High School named three students for their academic achievements: Jewelina Culcasi, Seenam Shah and Aliha Mughal. Tied with Seenam for the title of valedictorian, Jewelina earned a cumulative GPA of 4.3 for all four years of high school. A runner, she participated in cross-country and track for her freshman year and made the varsity cross-country team by the time she was a sophomore. Jewelina said she resurrected the Interact Club this last year, also serving as the club’s president. The group would help the community by picking up trash and volunteering to help at elementary school fall celebrations and various Rotary Club of the Delta events.
First Generation Farmers welcomes public to first volunteer event. Page 6A
Turning The Tassles CULCASI
MUGHAL
An involved community member, Jewelina further organized fellow students to serve the Salvation Army and helped with chamber galas. She also gave her time to students in need of tutoring for AP calculus,
precalculus, algebra and geometry. And she participated in leadership at Golden Hills Community Church. see Top page 22A
Planning for the next century for the Contra Costa Canal by Tony Kukulich Staff Writer
Construction of the Contra Costa Canal began in 1937 as part of the Central Valley Project under the auspices of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, but efforts are now underway to transfer ownership of the aging canal to the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD). Transferring the canal to local control is likely good news for the 500,000 residents of East and Central Contra Costa County who depend upon the 48-milelong canal for at least a portion of their water supply. “The tunnel transfer is a really good thing regarding local control, because the Bureau has owned the title, while we maintain it and we’ve paid for
SAVE NOW
“ It is an aging canal. It’s primarily a
concrete-lined, open channel running through the community. There are safety issues related to having an open-water canal in more urbanized area than when it was farmland.
”
Jennifer Allen CCWD director of public affairs it,” said Connstance Holdaway, vice president at CCWD. “To be able to take the title is a great opportunity because we’re looking at almost 90 years of age. It was built when it was a rural community. Times have changed and it’s time to look at maintaining and improving the structure ... Without the Bureau involved, we’re able to do these things quicker.”
10% OFF Any Service
FAIRVIEW HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING, INC. Service • Repair • Installation
Contractor’s Lic. #533790 C-20
925-625-4963 • www.fairviewair.com
While upkeep and maintenance are important to current operation of the canal, the transfer fits into CCWD’s long-term plan for providing water service to the county. “We’re looking forward to the next 100 years of what that system will look like,” said Jennifer Allen, CCWD director of public affairs. “For several rea-
EYE EXAM
69
$
sons, we’re looking at a modernization of that system — for safety, for water supply reliability, for water quality issues — which will probably mean that, rather than an open-channel canal, that we’d be looking at some form of a pipeline that will be more appropriate for the landscape that the canal runs through now.” In the early years of its operation, the canal primarily supported agriculture in the central and Sacramento valleys. Increasing urbanization in Contra Costa County has transformed the canal into a vital component of water delivery for homes and businesses. “It is an aging canal,” said Allen. “It’s primarily a concretelined, open channel running see Canal page 22A
Students at La Paloma High School celebrate the annual rite of passage. Page 20A
Angling For The Prize
Logan Huntze, 19, takes all at prestigious fishing tournament as youngest participant. Page 1B Calendar............................. 11B Classifieds............................ 5B Cop Logs............................... 9B Education ............................7A Entertainment.................... 9A Food....................................... 8A Milestones.........................19A Opinion...............................16A Pets......................................17A Sports.................................... 1B
Brentwood
Food Maxx Shopping Center 925.308.5756 SiteforSoreEyes.com
www.ebparks.org/activities/rin/default.htm
Activity Guide INSIDE