YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 18, No. 38
READ NEWS YOU CAN TRUST AT WWW.THEPRESS.NET!
City takes on youth smoking
Home And Garden Guide
Sailing the high seas
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
New tobacco-control regulations may soon be wafting into the City of Oakley. The city council is exploring ways to further inhibit youth access to in-town tobacco products. “Adults will do what they want to do, kids will do what they want to do, but I feel it’s our obligation and responsibility to make it one step harder for them to get their hands on things they shouldn’t be doing,” said Vice Mayor Claire Alaura, who spearheaded the idea after the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors introduced her to new measures. California’s legal age to purchase tobacco is 21, but widespread research indicates that youth are still obtaining such products, said Mary Jaccodine, co-chair of the Contra Costa Tobacco Prevention Coalition.
The Press offers ideas for your home, garden needs in this week’s special edition. Page 1B
Bringing On The Books Photo by Rick Horn
H
istory will come alive next month at the Antioch Marina as the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain make their return to the city. The ships will arrive and open to the public from Oct. 17 to 31, at 5 Marina Plaza. On weekdays, the tall ships are available to schools by reservation for their maritime field trip Voyage of Explorers. For directions and schedule information, call 800-200-5239.
see Smoking page 26A
Best of Oakley is here This year’s Best of Oakley magazine has arrived and is filled with hundreds of categories describing the best places to get your car fixed, find a meal for under $10 or take a visitor to show off your hometown. Who are the snappiest pizza delivery guys? Who’s a reliable accountant? Where should you go to get your pearly whites polished? You’ll find the answers there. If you haven’t received your magazine bundled with your weekly Press delivery, call 925-634-1441 or stop by our office at 248 Oak St., in downtown Brentwood.
Fire budget approved by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board recently passed a balanced fiscal-year budget, but the need for additional resources hangs over the agency. “We are going to be well ahead of 8,000 calls this year, which tells us we need more stations,” said Fire Chief Brian Helmick, who noted that the district ran about 7,500 calls in 2017. The three-station agency, tasked with protecting over 114,000 residents and 249 square miles, projects its total revenue will rise by about 7.8 percent this fiscal year to $16.2 million, with expenses increasing about 7.4 percent to $15.2
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million. The district will end the year with an $11.2 million ending fund balance, factoring in $3.2 million in operating carryover and $8 million in excess carryover, including $6.2 million erroneously left behind years ago when the district transferred its funds and financial operations from the county to the district. “The excess operating revenue and operating fund balance are available to finance future inflationary operating cost increases, cover one-time costs for capital and equipment, bridge economic downturns, and implement strategic alternatives currently being studied as part of the district’s strategic planning imitative,” said Helmick. About $15,550,672 (96
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percent of the district’s fiscalyear revenue) will come from property taxes, with the district’s largest expense (personnel costs) rising by about 10.7 percent to $10,464,966, or 69 percent of the district’s expenses. About 40 percent of that $10.5 million will go toward salaries and incentives, with another 31 percent covering past retirement costs. Normal retirement costs will account for another 9 percent. “Our personnel costs are about 69 percent (of our expenses), but that is not unique to us,” Helmick said. “That is how every public safety agency is.” Going forward, Helmick projects that the district’s budget can remain balanced for 10 years, but that’s assuming the see Fire page 26A
New Schedules www.thepress.net/news/webextras
Tri Delta Transit Bus schedule to change, effective September 30.
Brentwood’s much-anticipated new library is set to open its doors to the public. Page 4A
Racketing Up The Wins
Heritage girls’ tennis team is on pace to win seventh-straight league title. Page 19A Calendar.............................27A Classifieds..........................24A Cop Logs.............................17A Education.............................7A Entertainment..................11A Food.....................................10A Health & Beauty...............12A Milestones.........................18A Pets......................................22A Sports..................................19A
DOJ Grant
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Department of Justice grant provides antiviolence funding for new project.