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Vol. 16, No. 30
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
New superintendent proves you can go home again by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
If there’s such a thing as an education pedigree, Greg Hetrick’s is pretty pure. As the new superintendent of the Oakley Union Elementary School District (OUESD), Hetrick, 48, comes from a long line of Oakley educators. His mother is a substitute teacher in the district, his mother-in-law retired from the OUESD as the office manager at O’Hara Park Middle School and his late father-in-law, Frank Hengel, served as the long-time and much loved superintendent. “I eat here, I shop here, my friends are here; I’m all about Oakley,” said Hetrick. “I figure this will end one of three ways - I’ll retire from the district, I’ll get fired or I’ll die. This is a big deal ... this is the only job I would have left Brentwood for.” Following a two-year stint as the director of student services in Brentwood, Hetrick,
Press takes home national awards The Brentwood Press & Publishing Corporation recently won seven awards in the National Newspaper Association’s 2015 Better Newspapers Competition. Sports writer and Associate Editor Kyle Szymanski took home a secondplace award for best sports story for his coverage of the Pittsburg Diamonds. The Press also won a first-place award for best classified section; a second-place award for best advertising idea; a second-place award for best small-page ad; a second-place award for best use of ad color; a third-place award for best multiple advertiser section; and a third-place award for best sales promotion section or edition.
HETRICK who took over the reigns at OUESD on July 1 following the abrupt departure of superintendent Pam Conklin, is all about looking ahead and not behind.
“This district is not broken,” said Hetrick, referring to the tumultuous 10 months Conklin served as superintendent and her surprise resignation in May. “The staff here is amazing, and they are doing great work. We’re not going to spend all our time looking back; we’re moving ahead.” In his first few weeks on the job, Hetrick has hit the ground running. Focusing on the coming school year and acclimating himself to his new role, the Knightsen resident has been working with staff, consultants and the school board to prepare a $31 million bond measure to present to voters in November. Among other items, the bond will provide for an eventual new school in the Summer Lake development area, which will be paid for in part with developer fees. “The bond measure is the big topic, and my first days will definitely be spent on that,” see Superintendent page 34
Fragile levees could have dangerous consequences by Corey Hunt A recent study has concluded that some of the most significant flood-defense mechanisms in Contra Costa County appear to be deteriorating to a point where the mash-up of agencies responsible for their performance need to consider a policy overhaul. Authored by a civil grand jury and accepted by a superior court judge in Martinez, the report provides evidence suggesting the county’s many levees are not up to the modern standards that ensure they can hold back the waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Fearing the levees could collapse like dominoes, if even just one should breach, jurors stated boldly that no one
A ceremony signaled the completion of the Highway 4 widening projects. Page 8
Deliveries In Distress
Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services is in need of drivers. Page 6
Blasting The Competition
Brentwood Blast team turns heads at Cooperstown All-Star Village Tournament. Page 23 Photo by Corey Hunt
A levee runs along Dutch Slough Road on the outskirts of Oakley. While a small segment of mostly urban levees in Contra Costa County are said to be meeting or exceeding acceptable standards, a report says many more require more upkeep. should be taking chances, since critical bulwark against flooding more than a quarter of the coun- that could have disastrous consety’s population and property rely quences for the county and even on them. “The Delta levees form a see Levees page 34
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District Refund
go to news/press releases Refunding for local school district saves taxpayers millions in interest costs.