YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 17, No. 41
WWW.THEPRESS.NET | MOBILE-FRIENDLY NEWS!
Students get local industry training On Friday, Oct. 6, close to 250 Contra Costa County Career Technical Education and Regional Occupational Program (CTE/ROP) high school students visited local modern industrial businesses in observation of Manufacturing Day. These students are currently attending CTE/ ROP engineering and industrial-related courses at Antioch USD, Mt. Diablo USD and Pittsburg USD high schools. Through this partnership with Earn and Learn East Bay and the Contra Costa Office of Education (CCCOE), students received a firsthand look at their hosts’ manufacturing operations and possible career opportunities. “These students are the future generation of scientists and engineers,” said Charles Marino, QuickMount PV vice president of operations. “We’re excited to share real-world insights and show them firsthand the skills and education needed for careers in the solar industry.” Started in 2012, National Manufacturing Day is an annual celebration of modern manufacturing, during which manufacturers invite their communities – including students, educators, businesspeople, media and politicians – to their facilities in a collective see Students page 30A
Staff Writer
The Oakley Police Department will soon utilize additional tools to combat crime. The Oakley City Council recently approved the purchase of automated license plate-reading cameras. The sophisticated tools, which capture images of vehicle license plates that pass the camera locations, will be positioned along Laurel Road, east of Highway 4, and will photograph the plates of eastbound motorists. Other cameras are already installed at the intersection of Main Street and Neroly Road. “We have been setting aside and appropriating funds for cameras on an annual basis for some years now,” said Nancy MarquezSuarez, human resources manager
Teen Bands Rock N’ Roll Photo by Jonathan Lance, CCCOE
Deer Valley High School students visit Fresenius, a medical equipment manufacturer in Concord, during a recent career day. Students from the County Career Technical Education and Regional Occupational Program participated in the event.
“ These cameras allow for real-time and recorded video, capturing images of passing license plates as vehicles enter our community,
”
Oakley City Councilman Kevin Romick and assistant to the city manager. “Cameras are in our parks, city hall, other public places and at some intersections. The license plate-reader cameras have been in some (police) cars, but now we are placing those at key intersections.” The system of license platereading cameras along Laurel Road, expected to cost about $29,000, will allow officers to input the license plates of wanted vehicles and receive notification if they pass by the cameras. Officers can also scroll through the history to determine if and when a par-
ticular plate passed the location. “We know if (wanted plates) are entering or exiting the city,” said Oakley Police Sgt. Steve Perata. In a city staff report, Police Chief Chris Thorsen said the city’s current license plate-reading cameras have been instrumental in helping identify suspects in a variety of incidents. Perata said he expects the department will soon add the equipment to five or six of the town’s main thoroughfares, but a precise timeline and locations have yet to
POST AN EVENT! FIND AN EVENT! Connect with The Press!
Scan QR code with your mobile device.
The Press’ Auto Guide
If it has wheels or floats, then it’s in the pages of this week’s special edition. Page 1B
City OK’s more license plate-readers by Kyle Szymanski
October 13, 2017
www.thepress.net /calendar
be determined. “I can imagine they are going to start making some decisions pretty quickly and start putting some additional cameras up,” he said. The benefit of license platereading cameras for East County law enforcement was on full display last month, when devices picked up a suspected vehicle thief in Brentwood, who was later apprehended after crashing in Oakley. “These cameras allow for real-time and recorded video, capturing images of passing license plates as vehicles enter our community,” said Oakley City Councilman Kevin Romick. “The technology has several applications that will assist Oakley (Police Department) by checking plates see License Plate page 30A
Coverage Plans www.thepress.net/news/webextras
Medicare open enrollment is underway. Find out if you need to reassess your plan.
RPM Records to host teen bands organized through Police Activities League. Page 4A
Game, Set And Match
Girls’ tennis team at Heritage High looking to win seventh league title. Page 21A Calendar............................. 31A Classifieds.......................... 26A Cop Logs............................. 29A Entertainment.................. 11A Food..................................... 10A Milestones......................... 17A Opinion............................... 20A Pets...................................... 18A Sports.................................. 21A
Rate Increase
www.thepress.net/news/press_releases
U.S. Postal rates, including stamps, are likely to see an increase in 2018.