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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 19, No. 50
Romick chosen as new mayor
December 13, 2019
Welcoming The Season
by Deanna Gordon Staff Writer
The Oakley City Council voted during its special meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 10, to select longtime councilmember Kevin Romick to take the helm as mayor for 2020. Romick, who was first elected to the council in 2004, will be mayor for the fifth time, previously serving in 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2016. “Thank you, council, for once again having faith in me to lead for another year,” Romick said. “We have a busy year ahead of us.” Chief among priorities for the City of Oakley in the coming year, Romick said, are job creation, public safety and improving traffic flow. Duarte Ranch Park — Oakley’s 35th park — was also opened on Monday, Dec. 9. The park, located on the corner of Diasee Mayor page 22A
Check out last-minute gift ideas, holiday events and more in ‘Tis The ONLY Season special section. Page 1B DOWNTOWN BRENTWOOD Across From City Park
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by Tony Kukulich Staff Writer
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Frank Davis, seen here with his wife Hiwanah, shared his memories of growing up in Brentwood’s Davis Camp. Frank’s uncle, O.R. “Cal” Davis, opened Davis Camp in the late 1920s. all starving to death in Oklahoma,” said Frank Davis. “The Depression hit. They were los-
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ing their farms left and right. So, Cal and his brothers and two sisters came to California
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Photo by Patrick Gordon
Kevin Romick, who was first elected to city council in 2004, will take over as Oakley’s new mayor in 2020.
Davis Camp – a piece of East County history Sitting largely unnoticed alongside Brentwood Boulevard is a nondescript building, boarded up and falling into disrepair, with little left to indicate the central role it played in the lives of many families who moved to Brentwood during the early part of the last century. Descendants of families who passed through those nowshuttered doors and shopped in what was once a grocery store and gas station are still common in East County. One man, Frank Davis, is the nephew of O.R. “Cal” Davis, who built that general store and camp that grew up around it: Davis Camp. “Cal Davis came on out to California because we were
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... They could find work in the fruit fields. That’s what brought us out here.“ Davis Camp was situated along Marsh Creek, on the southeast corner of Brentwood Boulevard and Sunset Road. In the days before the Highway 4 bypass was built, Brentwood Boulevard was Highway 4, and the paths of it and Sunset Road have been moved in the years since the camp got its start. When Cal Davis arrived in the late 1920s, the property was used as a dump. Frank Davis explained that Cal Davis cut a deal with Contra Costa County to take over the property in exchange for cleaning the area. Using scrap materials, Cal Davis began building the Davis Log Cabin Grocery, small cabins and other facilities at the see Camp page 22A
Holiday Joy
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The Brentwood Community Chorus is preparing for annual holiday concerts.
Brentwood Union School District middle school teachers recognized with state honors. Page 5A
New Coach At Freedom
Former Final Four player Michael Moses takes over as Freedom’s new basketball coach. Page 15A Classifieds..........................19A Cop Logs.............................13A Education ............................4A Entertainment.................... 9A Food....................................... 8A Holiday Happenings..........8B Opinion...............................14A Adopt A Pet.......................10A Sports..................................15A
Triathlon Time
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Sign-ups are underway for the popular Discovery Bay Triathlon.