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SUNDA Y
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 18, No. 19
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Freedom honors top students by Aly Brown
May 11, 2018
Boating On The Delta
Staff Writer
In celebration of Oakley’s highest academic achievers this year, Freedom High School has named its one valedictorian and the two who tied for salutatorian. The class of 2018’s valedictorian was Meredithe De Guzman with a cumulative GPA of 4.42, and the two salutatorians are Madeline LaBute and Melanie Campos. Meredithe was part of the swim team her junior year and has been an active church member, helping to transcribe music to English from Tagalog, her first language. As she was born in the Philippines, she noted languages to be of particular importance to her along with her love of art history. After earning her black belt in taekwondo, Meredithe began assisting in classes at Kang’s Taekwondo Academy. And she has also volunteered in a dialysis center for the last
Check out fun boating tips and exclusive guide to the Discovery Bay Boat Show. Page 1B
Meet The Principal DE GUZMAN
CAMPOS
LABUTE
three years. One of her favorite teachers was Mrs. LaVallee, who teaches English. “I love writing and reading, and I wanted a teacher who critiqued me more,” Meredithe said. “I might minor in English. Coming from an
immigrant family, I recognize the importance of language.” Mrs. Tang, her guidance counselor was another advocate for her early on, and a few other teachers she recognized were Ms. Kolomenskaya and Ms. Stephenson. “Since she was young, she has
loved to study,” said her mother Marlene De Guzman. “My husband and I are just so proud of her.” Meredithe will attend UCLA in the fall. “Meredithe has been an active see Freedom page 30A
Residents oppose Sand Creek measure by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
A group of Antioch residents plan to qualify a counter initiative governing the future of part of the Sand Creek Focus Area to counteract one filed earlier this year. Both measures take aim at future plans for a portion of the 2,712-acre area bounded by Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve to the west, city limits to the south and the City of Brentwood to the east – a place where city officials have considered building 4,000 homes. In March, a band of Antioch residents and community groups launched efforts to qualify the Let Antioch Voters Decide initiative for the November ballot, mandating that a 1,800-acre stretch between Deer Valley Road and Black
“ (The counter West Sand Creek initiative) is a big question mark at this point. They have a limited time to do that. We are really just focused on our own signature-gathering and explaining things to the public ….
”
Seth Adams, Save Mount Diablo conservation director Diamond Mines be zoned for rural residential, agricultural and openspace uses with a minimum parcel size of 80 acres. It would also require a vote for more intensive development and force voter approval of all changes to the city’s urban limit line. Now another group of Antioch residents plans to qualify a separate measure, the West Sand
Creek initiative, that would preserve about 1,244 acres at the western and southern boundaries of the Sand Creek Focus Area west of Deer Valley Road by designating it for open space, agriculture and rural uses, while also approving a 550-acre, 1,180-unit scaled-down housing project west of Deer Valley Road and east of Empire Mine Road.
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The West Sand Creek initiative would also ban hillside and ridgeline development in the 1,244acre area and pave the way for the developer to fund public safety, transportation and infrastructure improvements. Each new home in the proposed development would also contribute funds to high school sports and performing-arts facilities, and the measure would require voter approval of urban limit line changes. If both the Let Antioch Voters Decide initiative and the West Sand Creek initiative qualify for the ballot, the one receiving the higher number of votes would take effect. Richland Communities – the applicant of The Ranch residential development project – is backing see Sand Creek page 30A
Election Meeting www.thepress.net/news/webextras
Workshop for interested candidates to be held this weekend in Pacheco.
Meet Almond Grove Principal Christina Edwards in this week’s issue. Page 7A
Cheer Team Champions
Freedom’s competitive sport cheer team takes league, NCS titles. Page 21A Calendar.............................31A Classifieds..........................24A Cop Logs.............................29A Entertainment..................10A Food.....................................11A Health & Beauty...............19A Opinion...............................20A Pets......................................12A Sports..................................21A
Realtor Awards
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Weichert, Realtors recently announced their 2017 Office Award Winners.