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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 18, No. 50
BUSD Let it snow! settles fourth suit
December 9, 2016
Bring On The Holidays
by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Insurance representatives for the Brentwood Union School District (BUSD) have settled a lawsuit against the district for $1 million, which levied charges of physical and emotional abuse at former BUSD special-education instructor Dina Holder. The case of Hirsch v. Brentwood School District was settled on Dec. 1, alleging Holder had abused two former students, now adults, in the 1998 to 1999 and 2001 to 2002 school years. Each plaintiff will receive $500,000. “The decision to settle was made by the district’s former insurance companies,” said BUSD Superintendent Dana Eaton. “The insurance company handled this situation from the past, but the school district is 100 percent
Look no further for a complete list of local holiday concerts, festivals and fun. Page 10
Awarded For Excellence Photo by Tony Kukulich
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ocal residents celebrated the City of Brentwood’s annual tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 2, at City Park. The event was sponsored by the city and the Brentwood Neighborhood Committee and featured music, singing and a special visit from Santa.
see Suit page 30
Brentwood resident Rachael Ortiz receives Technician Achievement Award for 2016. Page 8
Fire expert says students possible ECCFPD fix Tough Loss “ Using student firefighters is a solution that
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
As East County officials continue to seek ways to strengthen the struggling East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD), one retired fire chief believes he has a solution. Pat Coughlin, a retired Kansas and Minnesota fire chief and international speaker on community fire risk, thinks the district could benefit from hiring college-student firefighters at a savings of between 20 and 50 percent. “They are full-time firefighters, work nine shifts or ten shifts a month, have the same training and meet the same physical conditions,” said Coughlin, who served
will work.
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Pat Coughlin as executive director of the nonprofit Residential Fire Safety Institute, a public interest group created in 1982 to promote firesafe homes. “The only difference is they are full-time, temporary firefighters.” Coughlin’s idea follows voters’ rejection of Brentwood’s Measure Z and Oakley’s Measure E last month. If additional funding isn’t found by June, one of four district stations will close, leaving only nine firefighters on duty at a time to serve the needs of
110,000 residents spanning 249 square miles. “(Using student firefighters) is a solution that will work,” said Coughlin. Compensation for student firefighters varies among the roughly 250 agencies that use them nationwide, including 11 in California, but typically include free or subsidized college education, free housing at fire stations or both. Examples of successful programs include the 57-yearold UC Davis Fire Department,
which employs 15 student firefighters selected from a large applicant pool every two years, after undergoing rigorous physical abilities testing, an intensive interview process and a firefighting academy program. One of the biggest departments is the 30-yearold Auburn Fire Division, in Alabama, which serves 50,000 residents with five stations using 100 firefighters, including 60 students. “It is a great opportunity for the students, and it provides us a hiring pool when there are career openings,” said Bill James, director of Auburn’s Public Safety Department. “Even after 27 years, we continue to evaluate the program to make it work the see ECCFPD page 30
For Freedom
Freedom football team falls to De La Salle in NCS championship game. Page 21 Calendar................................31 Classifieds.............................26 Cop Logs................................29 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Health & Beauty..................14 Milestones............................15 Opinion..................................20 Pets.........................................19 Sports.....................................21
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Contra Costa explores possible community choice energy (CCE) programs.
CONNECTING PARKS TO PEOPLE www.ebparks.org/features/rin
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