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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 19, No. 3
Calls leave gaps in fire coverage
Rallying For Coach Gooch
Standing tall
by Kyle Szymanski
Supporters protest the firing of Liberty volleyball coach Linda Ghilarducci. Page 5
Staff Writer
A series of recent incidents highlight the vulnerability of East County residents who need emergency services from the struggling East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD). At 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 14, a residential structure fire tied up all but one of the district’s four engines. Ten minutes after that call, the lone available engine was dispatched to help a Discovery Bay resident who might have been suffering from a stroke. This required a Cal Fire engine from Marsh Creek Road to be dispatched 10 minutes later to West Oakley to tend to a person see Fire page 26
The Perfect Prom Dress Photo by Tony Kukulich
T
his flooded orchard off Byron Highway in Byron withstood the recent downpour of storms throughout East County, fairing better than other farmlands and low spots in the area.
Report claims NorCal drought is over by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
As East County residents were dodging the rain last week, the deluge was sweeping the drought right out of Northern California. The U.S. Drought Monitor – a weekly map of drought conditions produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Drought Mitigation Center – says that 40 percent of California is no longer experiencing drought, including all of Northern California. “The north is drought free and dry free so far this year,” said meteorologist David Miskus, a U.S. Drought Monitor author and member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After receiving up to 2 feet
“ The north is drought free and dry free so far this year … it’s a long time coming.
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meteorologist David Miskus of precipitation last week in lower elevations and between 10 to 15 feet of snow in higher elevations, reservoirs and snowpacks in the northern part of the state are above normal levels and stream flows are running near record levels, according to Miskus. “It’s a long time coming,” he said. “Last winter, the northern portion saw close to normal amounts of snow and rain. Then, this winter, the water year has just been incredible for the west.” The report comes about eight months after the state pulled the plug on mandatory conservation, instead letting water agencies self-certify conservation requirements. Some water restrictions
are still in place, such as only irrigating landscaping within 48 hours after measurable rainfall. News that the drought is unofficially over garnered mixed reactions from state and local officials. Ted Thomas, a spokesman for the California Department of Water Resources, said the state is always monitoring drought conditions, and it’s likely going to take more than one year of good precipitation to erase the long-term, multiyear effects of the drought. Furthermore, he said not much credence could be given to the drought report. According to Thomas, the report is not the best, moment-
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by-moment reflection of actual conditions in California, because it’s based on short-term precipitation, mainly rainwater. Other flaws in the report include omission of California’s reliance on groundwater and the state’s massive plumbing system, which sometimes faces challenging restrictions. “There are occasions when we are restricted in the water we can export through the Delta to protect the sensitive fish species from the effects of pumping,” he said. “That affects delivery of water south of the Delta. The monitor doesn’t truly reflect that.” Locally, officials were more optimistic about the U.S. Drought Monitor’s findings. Chris Ehlers, Brentwood’s assistant director of public works, said he agrees with the report’s assessments. see Drought page 26
East Bay Dress Day provides new or gently used prom dresses to teen girls. Page 4
Lions Lap Up Another Win
The Lions (13-3) bounce Pittsburgh 59-34 for their ninth straight win. Page 17 Calendar................................27 Classifieds.............................22 Cop Logs................................25 Entertainment.......................9 Food..........................................8 Health & Beauty..................12 Milestones............................10 Opinion..................................16 Pets.........................................11 Sports.....................................17
John Muir Health
Hospice East Bay
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John Muir Health Foundation Gala raises $1.8 Million to support cardiovascular services.
Hospice East Bay receives $950,000 grant from Thomas J. Long Foundation.