The Press 03.31.2023

Antioch loses Amtrak station to Oakley

By Chris Campos Staff Writer

OAKLEY Antioch’s Amtrak train stop will be coming to an end. Antioch’s loss is Oakley’s future.

Concerned by the rising number of assaults on Amtrak personnel in Antioch where the city’s train station was demolished in 2019, the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (JPA) voted 6-1 on Friday, March 24, to decommission the Antioch stop.

Tamika Smith, the JPA director of rail services, told her board that the Antioch stop had produced 69 police calls of service between January 2021 and December 2022. Those included several assaults on Amtrak personnel mostly due to problems with the homeless community that had sprung up around the location across the street from City Hall.

“Our staffers are being assaulted,” Amtrak Police Inspector Doug Calcagno said.

As a result, the train stops

to open only one door to board passengers. Smith’s presentation displayed a photo of the former station’s roof where a homeless person had set up a tent as living quarters.

Smith also noted that in December 2022, unhoused persons were camped inside the shelter; Amtrak staff requested they va-

cate. When staff returned later, the individuals had stolen the wheelchair lift valued at $11,000. Since then, passengers who use a wheelchair were forced to board in either Martinez or Stockton.

The city demolished the structure in August 2019. Passengers waiting to board the train must stand in the open next to a

A passenger waits for the arrival of an Amtrak train at the downtown Antioch train stop. The San Joaquin JPA has decided to decommission the train stop and award the route to Oakley’s new train platform.

Ban on oil drilling extended

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

crossing gate.

Despite an impassioned plea from Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, who attended the meeting to oppose the move, the board voted 6-2 to award the stop to Oakley. That city is constructing a new train platform now that it ex-

see Train page 18

Oakley to sell building to Skipolini’s

By Chris Campos Correspondent

OAKLEY The city decided to get out of the pizza business Tuesday night. But it will deliver the dough it made to the city’s General Fund.

Acting as the landlord of

3070 Main St. the City Council voted unanimously to sell the property to the current lessee, Skipolini’s Pizza, for $641,714. The Oakley Redevelopment Agency built the building in 2013 to attract business to its budding downtown core. It was home to two previous failed restaurants, Carpaccio’s and Buon Appetito, which struggled to survive at the location. Skipolini’s moved in

during the fall of 2020 with a favorable lease from the city running through May 2035.

“I see this as an awesome opportunity for Oakley,” former City Council member Sue Higgins said at the time.

Also, as consideration for terminating the lease early as a result of the sale, the buyer, Kent Ipsen, indicated he would offer almost half of the remain-

ing lease payments as part of the sale, which equals $62,500. The family-owned restaurant chain has six other locations in Northern California with one in Reno, as well. The firm expected to invest $600,000 to $750,000 in building improvements at the site when it moved in.

City Manager Josh McMurray told the Council that managing the property had put a strain on city staff in an area outside their expertise and urged the sale.

In other actions Tuesday night, the Council: Heard a presentation from

see Oakley page 18

BRENTWOOD

The Brentwood City Council didn’t have to dig deep to find support for their extension of a ban on oil and gas drilling in Brentwood during their March 28 meeting.

The Council’s unanimous vote was preceded by more than 30 minutes of public comment from residents as well as a speaker from Kern County who expressed support for a Council that prioritized community health and safety over profits — something he said differs from his own county’s approach.

The goal of the ordinance would be to temporarily halt oil and gas drilling from occurring 3,200 feet from “sensitive receptor” areas. A sensitive receptor area is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as an area whose occupants are more susceptible to harm from pollutants.

Examples include hospitals, schools and nursing homes.

“I was raised in the Midwest in Oklahoma. Right next to a field that had been used, stripped and abandoned by the industry,” Mayor Joel Bryant said of his own concerns over drilling. “It can have some devastating long-lasting or even permanent effects.”

“There’s a reason they call some of these abandoned areas ‘brownfields,’” Bryant agreed. “Because nothing can ever grow there again.”

The agenda item was a continuation of one that came before the council in April of last year. At that time, the council enacted see Drilling page 18

Photo by Chris Campos

LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILE

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Art in the Park – the place to get creative

By Rene De Amaral Staff Writer

The Oakley Recreation Department is encouraging residents to show off their creative talents at the town’s second annual Art in the Park in Civic Center Plaza Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

This year’s Art in the Park takes place on World Art Day, and is an expansion of Oakley’s popular Rock the Chalk, according to the city of Oakley’s Recreation and Events Coordinator Alicia O’Leary.

“Last year, we expanded the event to be more inclusive of all art forms by including stage performances and an artist showcase exhibit with local works of art,” she said. “We also hosted a Meet-The-Artist walk where local artists set-up tables and were able to showcase their works of art and network as community members visited the event. We’re excited to bring back Art in the Park this year to showcase the artistic talents of the Oakley and East County community.”

The event will feature an Artist Showcase made up of all original artwork from Oakley residents, will include art and performances from more than 30 artists and performances from artist Cole Fitche at 10:15 a.m., the East County Performing Arts Center at 11

a.m., Stepz Dance Fitness Studio at noon and Be Exceptional at 12:15 p.m. The event will also feature a Meet-TheArtist walk and the return of the Rock the Chalk art contest.

Meet-The-Artist walk has seven artists participating and will allow residents to view participants’ artwork, along with viewing live artwork displays

from local artists, O’Leary said. The goal is for artists to not only showcase their work, but to network with Oakley residents and demonstrate their skills, according to the city of Oakley website.

The Rock the Chalk Art Contest is open to ages 6 and older and has an estimated 30-40 artists participating. Work will begin at 11 a.m. and awards will be

given out at 1 p.m. Registration is free and includes the age categories 6-10, 11-14, 15-18 and 19 and older. A watertheme category is also available, and a prize will be provided by the Diablo Water District.

For more information and to register for the Rock the Chalk Art Contest, visit http://bit.ly/40oX1Eo

”

Discovery Bay planning meeting looks back, ahead

fourth quarter, and a new fencing project on Ravenswood Drive was begun.

By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent

Discovery Bay doesn’t have enough security in place over town-owned buildings and other assets, according to town General Manager Dina Breitstein. She wants to change that.

“Another thing we will be focusing on next year, and in the future, is security,” Breitstein told the town’s Community Services District (CSD) Board during its annual planning meeting on March 16. “I think with the state things are in these days, it’s very, very important to manage that and have the best we can, as a small town, afford. That’s cameras, gates, locks, a lot of cyber security controls in place.”

In addition to security, Breitstein wants to increase asset management and inventory control.

“That’s something we don’t have in place,” she said. “I think for future planning, we really need that in place. It helps us look ahead, helps us budget, helps us plan financially, so I think those are projects we are really going to be focusing on.”

Management and security were just two of the topics discussed during the planning meeting, when town staff and the board came together on March 16 to review the district’s goals, accomplishments of 2022 and plans for 2023. Breitstein said the planning meeting helped keep everyone in the district on track.

“This is something we like to do every year,” she said at the beginning of the meeting. “We go through a review of our mission, goals and values, a review of the district in 2022, and a look ahead at 2023.”

Breitstein led the board through a slideshow listing all the district had done in each quarter of last year. First-quarter highlights included passing final inspections for the refurbished pool at the community center, repairs in the dog park, installation of new doors at the community center and a blood drive.

Community Center

The second quarter was also busy. Several of the community center’s tennis courts were resurfaced, security cameras were installed near the community center pool, and the pool opened for the first time since it closed for repairs in fall 2018. Events like outdoor movies also made a comeback.

Breitstein said community center projects and hiring of part-time summer staff were the focuses of last year’s second quarter.

“I think one of the fun projects was golf cart parking,” she said. “It was making an unusable space a usable space.”

She said the community center had some trouble last year augmenting its staff with part-time summer employees such as lifeguards, but was already gearing up this spring for summer 2023 with nine guards hired and a 10th in the process of being hired.

Finance

A major finance accomplishment in the second quarter of last year was the town gaining control of its finances from the county, noting the change saved both time and money.

“We are now our own treasurer and I think that is something to really applaud,” said Breitstein. “We had been trying to do that for years, it was not an easy task, and it’s been great. We are able to pay things earlier, we have real time financials and it’s been a great accomplishment.”

Third-quarter projects included con-

tinued aquatics programming, movies in the park and the establishment of an ad hoc committee to explore options for a new district office building. The town also refinanced 2012 bonds, gaining $1 million in savings over the next 20 years.

The town had conducted banking services with BAC Community Bank. But when BAC announced the Discovery Bay Branch would close, other options were explored.

“We moved our funds from BAC,” said Breitstein. “Our money was not working for us, and now we have it in Five Star Bank and it is working for us, so that was a fabulous move that we all worked very hard on.”

The move was followed closely by the town diversifying its investment strategy, with money earned from investment funds flowing into the town’s general fund to cover new projects or repairs.

Clipper Drive

The Clipper Drive revitalization project – widening walking paths, creating natural seating areas, using decorative wall paneling, adding new dry scape landscaping, droughttolerant plants, and solar lighting, according to the town’s website – began in the fourth quarter, with Breitstein noting the ongoing project “looked fabulous” so far.

“We will continue that, and won’t quit til it’s done,” she added.

Ravenswood Drive fencing

Assistant General Manager Alan Cantando joined the town’s staff during the

“Looking ahead at 2023, this is exciting stuff,” said Breitstein. “We are looking to hire summer staff at the community center, the pool opening and extended aquatics programing, Cornell Park projects … Ravenswood fence repair, and once we are done with that we will move to the other fences along Newport Drive.”

Water use and supply

Discovery Bay operates its own water and wastewater services with the help of contract company Veolia, and during 2022 completed pipeline replacement projects, infrastructure upgrades, state-mandated projects and began work on a new well. Staff are also researching secondary water sources — potentially the Byron-Bethany water district — noting two sources are better than one.

At the end of the meeting, board members applauded the work of Breitstein and her staff, adding comments of their own.

“There is a lot going on, a lot of good, proactive looking forward, and important things,” said longtime director Kevin Graves. “I look at a lot of the things in here with a big smile because I look at it as the maturation of a district that was yearning to mature. We were kind of stuck with some things because we were problem-solving and got hit with a lot of things from the state. But now we can get ahead of that, get some of these big projects off our back and concentrate on security and some other things we might be behind on.”

After Breitstein’s presentation, the board reviewed the Brown Act, which governs how legislative bodies may operate. CSD Board President Ashley Porter expressed her appreciation of the “Brown Act Primer,” noting it is especially important for board members to remember their roles on social media.

“We are used to functioning as individuals, and I think it’s important to understand the scope of what that looks like,” she said. “Everyone’s intent is good, but I appreciate you being detailed and giving good examples of what that looks like.”

Fore more information on the Town of Discovery Bay, or to view the slide shows from the planning meeting, visit www.todb. ca.gov

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

The Clipper Drive revitalization project in Discovery Bay is sprouting some progress.

Photo courtesy of Town of Discovery Bay

Focus is on building security and managing town assets better

Sibling duo cleans up after the dead

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD After spending the first three decades of their professional lives working behind a desk as a banker and as an analyst, Mary and Mike McIntosh were ready for a change of scenery.

In May 2016, the sibling duo left their office jobs and started the Diablo Crime Scene Cleaners Inc., (DCSC) a company that cleans up crime scenes, mainly scenes of death.

“I didn’t know if I would be okay with gore,” Mike McIntosh said. “And then it just happened. I started my first job and you just get used to it.”

Mary got the idea after a regular customer at the bank where she worked started crime scene cleanup in Orinda. She was fascinated by it. And since she and her brother were ready for a new challenge professionally, both decided to step into the scene.

“It’s absolutely fascinating,” Mary McIntosh said. “For one, it’s different. We really wanted a better work-life balance. We wanted to find a way that we could help people and be valuable to the community and make money, to be quite frank.”

They definitely make their money. The pair charge $1,000 minimum followed by a rate of anywhere from $250$550 an hour on the weekends.

Mary and Mike started with private

clients who would call in after seeing their ad on Google, although those calls would come few and far in between.

“People find us on Google when they search ‘blood cleanup,’” McIntosh said. “A lot of times the police will recommend us any time there’s anything from a car accident to an unattended death.”’

In 2019, DCSC landed their first big contract with the Contra Costa County Of fice of the Sheriff.

They developed their reputation working with Contra Costa County cleaning the jails, including on Christmas Day during the COVID-19 pandemic where they cleaned 42 jail cells.

Contra Costa found out about DCSC like everyone else did before: through Google.

“They liked our website,” Mike said. “(Contra Costa County) basically just Googled us and the sergeant called Mary and talked for about 15 minutes, and the rest is history.”

“During COVID, it was pretty hard,”

Mary said. “We were doing the jails three times a day, wiping down all the common areas and it was just the two of us. So we were at Martinez county jail three times a day, plus (on-scene) jobs. The inmates like to paint with feces on the walls if they’re frustrated. And we’d go in and clean that up.”

Along with Contra Costa, DCSC has also been under contract with Oakland since last year and now handles all of the Bay Area, although they’re not the only company out there, joining the likes of Crime Scene Cleaners in Orinda and 911 Hazmat Cleanup. Companies like these are easy to find on Google by simply searching “crime scene cleanup.”

“It was very difficult to get started,” Mary said. “(The contract with Contra Costa) really put us on the map.”

Now with a staff of their own, Mary and Mike have learned how to balance their staff and where to send them to, and which situations to not send them to.

“We’ve got some guys on our team

that have families, they’ve got children,” Mary McIntosh said. “I wouldn’t ask them to respond to a scene involving a child, that would be something that Mike and I would do. Everybody is really different in what their stresses are.”

The DCSC also gives their team extensive training. They go over proper fittings of the personal protective equipment along with what chemicals to use to clean the blood and how to use them, how those on the scene can protect themselves from blood and feces, and they also offer Hepatitis A and B shots to keep their staff as protected as possible, the couple said.

“The most important thing, part of our job is to protect (themselves and their staff),” Mary said.

DCSC can be reached at diablocrimescenecleaners.com and at 925933-8407.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

“ A lot of times the police will recommend us any time there’s anything from a car accident to an unattended death.

Mike McIntosh

24th century gets to meet 1953 Bryant’s vision for Brentwood based on diversity, agricultural roots

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

“What is the vision?” Brentwood Planning Commissioner Dirk Zeigler asked of his Council colleagues at a joint CouncilPlanning Commission meeting last week.

Zeigler was referring to the vision of Brentwood going forward and what city officials want Brentwood to be.

“For years, we talked about establishing and we finally got things passed, and I have heard nothing about anything going on out there other than the $50 million bridge that’s going across (Highway 4),” he said.

Zeigler challenged the City Council and Mayor Joel Bryant about Brentwood failing to attract businesses and companies that would benefit the city.

“We say things out loud,” Zeigler said. “Saying and our actions: where are they?”

Brentwood City Manager Tim Ogden also responded that the city almost landed a Fortune 100 biotech company that eventually decided to go to Vacaville, but the city has made strides in trying to attract the right companies to build in Brentwood. He also added that one of the biggest challenges of the city’s Priority Area 1 Specific Plan (PA-1) that the Council adopted in 2018 is that the city owns none of the 400 acres that

sits just off of the Brentwood/Antioch border and south of Lone Tree Way. The entire area has yet to be connected for utilities and that no actions being taken has affected who the city can actually attract.

Bryant agreed that while actions do need to be taken, that the future of Brentwood is really within its roots.

“The future is with the history of an area,” Bryant said. “I would like Brentwood to be Buck Rogers in the 24th and a half century, and on the other side there in PA-1 married to 1953 and our agriculture and our family and our interaction as far as how we actually individually care for each other.”

Bryant elaborated to The Press afterward the meeting on having the technology of the future mesh with Brentwood’s historical agricultural roots.

“I think moving forward, we have to take advantage of the long history and very successful history of the agricultural community and marry that with the new technologies that we want to bring in here,” he said. “The agricultural core (of Brentwood) has been permanently protected. Because of that, I think, with the advancement in the different types of technology that the agricultural families have, they can do more. They are really taking great steps to use technology to get what’s available out to

the public.

“The focus of our council, and all of our commission is to make sure that we incorporate into Brentwood these complementary technologies without changing the identity of Brentwood as a small-town, family-oriented community.”

During the meeting, Bryant added that he’d like to see greater diversity in Brentwood to strengthen the city. “The communities that I’ve lived in that have a greater diversity of cultures, they’re stronger communities,” he said. “They have a greater appreciation for people that the difference of a person and the similarity of the person instead of letting that be a separator, that is what brings them together.”

He explained afterward that Brentwood has seen an influx of diversity moving into the higher- end homes and hiring departments, mostly those who work in the technology industry. At the same time, while Brentwood welcomed The Silvergate luxury apartments that rent for nearly $3,000 per month, Bryant and the city are still working to bring in and bring back the middle class.

“The state calls it the missing middle homes that are designed to be able to be sold at an affordable rate that a normal person can purchase, so by design they’re affordable,” he said. “I want it to be focused

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on our families that the kids can come back from school and live here, but that our teacher and normal people can afford to live here. In order to have our families living here they have to be able to afford to buy a house here.”

While Brentwood continues to grow, Bryant says that he likes the growth of the city so far, but wants to make sure that it stays close to its roots no matter what.

“Five years from now, I see the city having some very high-paying jobs in the innovation center area,” he said. “I see all of that becoming a destination opportunity for our community and drawing that kind of outside traffic. I see local, small owned businesses thriving because they have outside money coming in. When we have these guys that are coming into our community, those are the families that when they see Brentwood, they want to move here. I see us marrying the technology that our agricultural core has with the new technologies that are coming on board and allowing our families to get two-to-four hours of their life back every single day.”

“If we ever move away from the roots of what Brentwood is now, we’ll just be another California high-density community that will fall into the urban sprawl. I want to live in Brentwood, I don’t want to live in San Francisco.”

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For print, email your events to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. For online, post your events for free on The Press Community Calendar www.thepress.net/calendar.

This Week’s Events

Friday, March 31

Knights of Columbus Fish Fry

The St. Anne Council Knights of Columbus is hosting a Fish Fry dinner at the St. Anne Community Life Center at 2800 Camino Diablo from 5-7:30 p.m. The dinner also features a raffle. The cost is $12 for adults (age 13 and up) and $9 for children 12 and under. For more information, contact Mike Stoiber at mjs2082@aol.com or 925-759-4669.

Saturday, April 1

Easter Spring Fling

Four Legs Brewing at 2010 Elkins Way is hosting an Easter Spring Fling from 1-5 p.m. and will feature free Easter Bunny photos and free Easter baskets for the first 200 kids. The event will also feature 25 vendors, an egg hunt for adults, and a DJ. For more information, visit https://bit. ly/3JiPf92

Trinkets & Treasures Flea Market

The Oakley Senior Center is hosting a Trinkets & Treasures Flea Market from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 215 Second St. Vendors will be showcasing new and used items, along with collectibles and antiques.

East Contra Costa Historical Museum

Opening Day

The East Contra Costa Historical Museum, located at 3890 Sellers Ave, begins its season Saturday, April 1, from 2-4 p.m. The museum features displays of early pioneer life in the Byer/Nail House built in 1878, lessons in the Eden Plains schoolhouse and a variety of outdoor activities. For more information visit http://bit.ly/3nhfHai Market in the Park Easter Hop Market in the Park is hosting a Easter hop, in Brentwood City Park at 790 Second St. from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The event will feature vendors, a free Easter egg hunt, live music from D.J. Jack Wabbit, cornhole and photos with the Easter Bunny. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/42Kdg0d.

Hello Spring

The Urban Edge Farm is hosting their Hello Spring event from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at 2017 Walnut Boulevard. The event will feature vendors and their first Easter egg hunt.

Sunday, April 2 through Saturday, April 8

Visit the Easter Bunny

at The Streets of Brentwood

The Streets of Brentwood is hosting visits and photos with the Easter Bunny Monday through Thursdays from 3-7 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from noon-6 p.m. The Easter Bunny will be located between Sports Fever and Zumiez. For more information visit https://bit. ly/3JSBr4d

Wednesday, April 5

The Passover Community Seder

Chabad of the Delta is hosting a community Passover Seder at the Apple Hill Clubhouse at 700 Apple Hill Drive at 6:30 p.m. The event will include a traditional Seder dinner, community singing and insights. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://bit. ly/3yPXuU3

Wednesday, April 5 and April 12

Oakley’s Got Talent Auditions

The Oakley Youth Advisory Council is hosting auditions for Oakley’s annual talent show on May 20. Auditions will take place on April 5 from 6-7 p.m. and April 12 from 7-8 p.m. at the Oakley Recreation Center at 1250 O’Hara Ave. Performances are limited to 5 minutes. For those unable to audition in person, video submissions can be sent to http://bit. ly/3yzpVFt

Friday, April 7

Brentwood Rotary 13th Annual Poker Tournament: No Limit Texas Hold ’Em

The Brentwood Rotary Club is hosting their annual poker tournament at the Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the tournament starts at 7 p.m. The cost is $75 per player and includes a buffet dinner, drink ticket and tournament play. Participants must be 21 or older to play. First prize is $500. For more information and to buy tickets, call Steve Gursky at 925-584-8708 or email at sgursky@ sbcglobal.net

On the Horizon

Saturday, April 8

Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Annual Romano Marchetti Memorial Tri-Tip/ Chicken Dinner

The Kiwanis Club of the Delta is hosting their annual tTri-tip/chicken Dinner at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building at 815 Fulton Shipyard Road from 5-9 p.m. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. with social hour beginning at 5 p.m. The dinner will benefit local Kiwanis programs, youth charities and music scholarships. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children. For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://bit. ly/3ZHZkBX

Annual Egg Hunt and Pet Event

Lori Abreu of Delta Ranches and Homes and Patti Shaner of The Loan Ladies are hosting their annual free egg hunt and pet event at Knightsen Elementary School, located at 1923 Delta Road from 10 a.m.-noon. The egg hunt is for registered children ages 13 and younger. The event will also feature a treasure map for additional prizes. For more information and to register, visit http://bit. ly/3JNyMbO

Discovery Bay Easter Egg Hunt

The Discovery Bay Lions Club is hosting their annual free Easter Egg hunt at the Discovery Bay Community Center located at 1601 Discovery Bay Boulevard. Gates open at 9 a.m. and the egg hunt starts at 10 a.m. The event will also feature a bonnet contest and pictures with the Easter Bunny.

Multicultural Fair

The Brentwood Youth Commission is hosting a multicultural fair from 1:30-4 p.m. in Brentwood City Park at 790 Second St. The event will feature live music, food trucks, performances, booths and a fashion show.

Antioch Police Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The Antioch Police Department is hosting their annual Easter egg hunt at 8 a.m. The event will also feature a visit from the Easter Bunny. The location of the hunt will be announced the morning of on the department’s Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor and Twitter pages.

Friday, April 14

Liberty Lions Band Boosters Poker Night

The Liberty Lions Band Boosters is hosting a poker night at the Brentwood Community Center at 760 First St. Dinner will start at 5:30 p.m., with poker beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dinner is $20, poker entry is $65, and the top prize is $500. For more information and to buy tickets, visit https://bit. ly/3YMywzj

Saturday, April 15

Art in the Park in Oakley

The Oakley Recreation Department is hosting their annual Art in the Park in Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will feature original work from artists from Oakley, along with music and family-friendly activities.

Saturday, May 6

Senior Center’s Concours D’Elegance

The Oakley Senior Center is hosting their annual Concours D’Elegance at the Oakley Senior Center at 215 Second St. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The event showcases antique and collector cars, trucks and motorcycles. Ribbons and awards will be given for Best of Show. The deadline to register is April 30. For more information and to register, call 925-626-7223.

Sunday, May 7

Brentwood Literary Stroll

The Friends of the Brentwood Library is hosting a literary stroll from 1-4 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. The event features 10 authors – Rosie Bank, Michael Barrington, T.L. Bequette , Mark Clifford, Jim Hamilton, Carol Jensen, Josephine Mele, Dana Mentink, Gail Tsukiyama and Dallas Woodburn – from different restaurants and businesses throughout downtown. Check-in tables will be at the corner of First and Chestnut streets and on the corner of Second and Oak streets. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at http://bit. ly/42Lo1zp

Ongoing Events

East County Rotary Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Rotary Club meets weekly on Monday at noon at the Wedgewood Banquet Center at 100 Summerset Drive in Brentwood. For more information, visit https:// www.brentwoodrotary94513.com Oakley: The Oakley Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, 3201 Main St. in Oakley. For more information, visit http://rotaryclubofoakley.com. Antioch: The Antioch Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at noon at Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center, 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. For more information, visit http://www.antiochrotaryclub.com/. The Rotary Club of the Delta meets weekly on Wednesday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s, 4823 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. For more information, visit https://www.rotaryclubofthedelta.org/.

Delta Informal Gardeners

Monthly Meetings

Delta Informal Gardeners encourages local residents to join them at their local meeting at the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church at 809 Second St. on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Brentwood Community Chorus Rehearsals

The Brentwood Community Chorus meets on Tuesdays from 7- 9 p.m. at Brentwood Community United Methodist Church on 809 Second St. It is open to all ages and abilities as they prepare for their spring season. For more information visit http://bit.ly/3lsKIHP8

Friday Night Al-Anon Meeting

Al-Anon meetings, which offer a supportive place for friends and families of alcoholics, are held every Friday from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at the Brentwood United Methodist Church at 809 Second St. in Brentwood. There is no need to register. For details, call Trisha at 510-910-1389.

East County Lions Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Lions Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza on Lone Tree Way. For more information, visit: https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Oakley: The Oakley Lions Club meets the fourth Wednesdays of every month at 7 p.m. at the Oakley Senior Center, for more information, visit https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Antioch: The Antioch Lions Club meets every second and fourth Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Denny’s on Delta Fair Blvd. Discovery Bay: The Discovery Bay Lions Club meets the first Tuesday

of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club. For more information, visit:https:// discoverybaylions.com/who-we-are/meetings/

Byron: The Byron Delta Lions Club meets every first Friday of each month at 10 a.m. at St. Anne’s Church for more information https://e-clubhouse. org/sites/byron_delta/

Discovery Bay Corvette Club

Meetings

The nonprofit Discovery Bay Corvette Club meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, 5871 Marina Road, Bilge Room. The club is dedicated to the enjoyment of owning and driving America’s sports car. For more information, drop by a meeting or contact the membership vice president at 925-341-9433. For more information on the club, visit www.discoverybaycorvetteclub.com

East County 4-H Club Meetings

Oakley: The Oakley 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. For more information, email Amanda at oakley@contracosta.org. The Delta-Diablo 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Thursday at 6:30 p.m at 3840 Brown Road in Oakley. For more information contact Megan and Tiffany at deltadiablo@contracosta4h.org, Brentwood:

The Brentwood 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m at the Knightsen Farm Center located on 3020 2nd Street. For more information, contact Angela at brentwood@contracosta4h.org

Knightsen: The Knightsen 4-H Club has monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m at Knightsen Elementary School located at 1923 Delta Road. 4-H members are girls and boys ages 5–19 years old.

Coffee with Carolyn

Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection’s Coffee with Carolyn is a cancer support group for women, hosted by Carolyn George and financially supported by The Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection of Byron. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. The location is at the Kaleidoscope Sacred Garden behind the Byron United Methodist Church (14671 Byron Highway in Byron). For more information, contact Carolyn George at 925-577-3325.

Oakley Senior Center Food Distribution

The Oakley Senior Center at 215 2nd St. gives out free food every Thursday from 1-2:30 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their own grocery bags.

East County Veteran Meetings

Brentwood: The American Legion Post 202 monthly meeting (on the second Wednesday of the month) is held at 6:30 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. in Brentwood. The meeting is open to all U.S. Armed Services veterans. The organization encourages all veterans in East County to come and see what is available to them. For more information, visit https://www.aml202.org Oakley: The Veterans of Oakley monthly meeting (on the first Wednesday of each month) is held at 5:30 p.m. at the Oakley Senior Center on 215 2nd Street. For more information call 925-783-0818 or visit http://bit.ly/3mugBjv

Nonprofit offers Health Care Career Courses

The nonprofit Opportunity Junction is accepting applications for its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at two locations including the Opportunity Junction Antioch office at 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. Classes began in September. The CNA program includes 12 weeks of training, life skills training, hands-on clinical experience, and job placement assistance. The first step in taking the course is to complete an application form online by visiting https://opportunityjunction. secure.force.com/apply/HCP

BIRTHS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OBITUARIES

M ilestones

Centenarians to be honored

Cogir of Brentwood

Senior Living is hosting a March monthly celebration for two Brentwood centenarians, Lillian Hinrichs and Dr.

Gail Pursley Della Nina

July 21, 1945 – March 17, 2023

Gail Della Nina, 77, of historic Byron, Calif, passed away on March 17 after a hard-fought battle with an illness.

She was the loving wife of the late Don Della Nina and doting mother to her several pets.

Gail was a very strong, determined,

Elizabeth Walker

giving woman with a kind heart and a loving soul.

She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

“I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.” Psalm 52:8.

No services will be held.

Joe Poco. Hinrichs was born March 10 in 1921, and Poco was born March 22 in 1923. The celebration is March 31 at 3 p.m.

Brentwood water skier contributes to U.S. at world championships

Jerry Kanawyer of Brentwood participated in the 2023 Barefoot Waterski World Championships as a reserve skier and Independent Manager for the United States in Mulwala, Australia from Feb.14-19. His involvement with the Elite Team contributed to the third-place finish for the U.S.

Hospice of the East Bay CEO Hatton retires

Cindy Hatton, a leader in the world of hospice care and a compassionate CEO for Hospice East Bay, has retired.

Hatton joined Hospice East Bay in 2009. Under her leadership, the organization grew tremendously. Through her commitment to the mission of providing compassionate endof-life care to patients and their families, Hospice East Bay became a place of hope and comfort for those in need.

HATTON

Jan. 12, 1935 – Jan. 18, 2023

Elizabeth Walker, known to her friends as “Betty”, was born in Decoto, California, to Edward and Anna Ward.

Her family moved to the Hayward area where Betty met and married Lucas Sanchez. They lived most of their lives in San Leandro raising their children.

Betty was very active in the Catholic church and sent all her children to St. Leander’s Catholic School in San Leandro. Betty enjoyed working at the school during lunch and at other school functions. She became friends with the priests and nuns working at the school.

All her children went on to attend Catholic high schools in the area.

Betty worked at several local restaurants and enjoyed keeping busy.

After the death of her husband, Betty moved to the Summerset development in Brentwood. Betty worked at Costco handing out samples. She

Milestones Milestones

loved meeting and talking with new people. Betty later met and married Jimmie Walker. They lived the rest of their lives in their home in the Summerset home in Brentwood.

They enjoyed trips to Monterey, Carmel, and the Central Coast. Betty enjoyed taking long trips in the car. She also loved watching TV and her favorite show was the “Golden Girls”.

Betty enjoyed her daily “Diet Coke” from Jack in the Box where she became friends with the workers there.

She loved seeing the peacocks at the edge of town.

Betty was also fond of her 11 grandchildren and her great grandchildren, and enjoyed spending time with them. Betty passed away quietly at her home in Brentwood on Jan. 18, 2023.

A funeral mass will be held on Monday, April 3 at 11 a.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 500 Fairview Ave., Brentwood, Calif.

After the Mass, there will be a reception at the Summerset Club House at 1581 Regent Drive in Brentwood, Calif.. Use the Baldwin Drive entrance to enter the subdivision.

Hometown SportS

Pickleball courts to be built at Creekside Park

By Hemananthani Sivanadam Correspondent

Pickleball enthusiasts will soon get permanent courts at the Creekside Park in summer this year.

The Brentwood City Council approved the Creekside Pickleball Court project to construct between four and six permanent pickleball courts in place of the basketball court at Creekside Park.

Players have been using three makeshift courts overlaid in 2018 on the Creekside Park basketball court.

The City Council approved a budget of $306,000 for constructing the permanent pickleball courts.

Park Maintenance Manager Aaron Wanden said the conceptual design was approved by the Park and Recreation Commission at its July 28 meeting last year.

Wanden noted, “Staff are currently working with a design firm to finalize the site plan and the construction documents. Once the construction documents are complete in the next two weeks, staff will formally put the construction phase of the project out to bid. We anticipate taking the contract to the City Council on May 23 for (an) award. Upon approval, we are anticipating construction to begin in early June and be complete in early Summer 2023,” said Wanden via email on March 14.”

Wanden said the move to have permanent pickleball courts in the city was part of the 2019 Update to the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan.

He said the City Council had identified the project as part of its 2019 Strategic Plan,

with funding set to be approved in early 2020.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was put on hold.

Other amenities in the construction would include court lighting, a shade structure, picnic tables and benches.

The courts will also be free for public use.

However, some ardent pickleball players in Brentwood said they felt the City was slow in addressing the growing number of people interested in the sport.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) report, participation in pickleball nearly doubled in 2022, increasingly by 85.7% year-overyear and a staggering 158.6% over three years.

There are now some 8.9 million players in the United States aged six and over, an increase from 4.8 million, stated in the 2022 SFIA Report.

David Smookler, who started the

Brentwood Pickleball Club at Creekside Park in 2015, said many players were forced to look for pickleball courts outside the city.

Smookler said the number of people playing at the Creekside Park was getting smaller as people were frustrated with the conditions of the makeshift courts.

“Discovery Bay has less than 15,000 people, yet they have at least 12 tennis and six pickleball courts.

“We have (about) 70,000 people here in Brentwood, but we only have three (makeshift) pickleball courts.

“The City needs to get serious (about pickleball),” he said.

Local pastor Destined Wright said pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports, but it’s hard to keep people interested if the courts are in bad condition.

“If you have permanent courts, then more people would be interested. It just seems like an afterthought because other cities have

proper courts,” said Wright.

He added that pickleball is also good for the local economy as tournaments will attract players from other cities.

“People usually have lunch or meet afterwards, so it is good for restaurants (and shops) in the area,” said Wright.

Smookler’s daughter Britney, a secondyear college student, hopes to introduce and teach pickleball to younger kids who can learn to play what is essentially a form of mini-tennis. It is often described as a combination of tennis, Ping-Pong and badminton on a smaller court on which players hit a plastic pickleball with a composite or wooden paddle over a net.

Britney, who played tennis in high school, said she fell in love with pickleball because it is a social sport.

“It’s a fast-paced game and a good family sport too. I want to teach more young kids to pick up pickleball,” said Britney, who has participated in several tournaments.

Wanden said until the 2019 update to the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan, the city has not had many opportunities to provide pickleball courts in the city’s park system.

However, he acknowledged that given the rising popularity of pickleball, the city would continue to explore possibilities of adding new courts when the opportunity arises with the development of new parks.

“The city recently held the second community meeting for the Sand Creek Sports Complex, and pickleball continues to be identified as a potential amenity at this site,” he added.

Rain, mud, good teams beat Delta Breeze Lacrosse

The Delta Breeze Lacrosse teams faced significant challenges against the well-established Danville Raptors, the Berkeley Lacrosse Club, and the Oakland Lacrosse Club recently.

On Saturday March 11, heavy rain and a muddy field did not deter the athletes from battling it out at the Berkeley School District La Paloma High School field. As is typical, in the 8U boys game scores were not kept in the evenly competitive match between Delta Breeze and Berkeley. In the boys 10U match good defense and offense plays from 8U and 10U Delta Breeze players Asher Bosco, Declan Salazar, Henry Garner, Jax Johnson, Lucas Pistello, Max P., and Ryder Mayorga, enabled Callahan Veach to score 5 goals in the 12-5 loss to Berkeley.

In the boys 12U game against Berkeley, good defense and offense plays from 8U, 10U, and 12U Delta Breeze players Alexander Bentancourt, Bryson Clark, Callahan Veach, Cyrus Faghih, Devin

Pryor, Eden Bosco, and James Lord pushed Jayden Parks to score one goal and Noah Shappet 7 goals in the 9-8 loss to Berkeley.

In the boys 14U game, dominant play and goaltending kept Delta Breeze to one goal by Evan Lopez in the 18-1 loss against Berkeley. In the boys JV game, dominant play and goaltending kept Delta Breeze to one goal by Garner Plumlee in the 17-1 loss to the Oakland Lacrosse club.

On Sunday March 12, playing as the visiting team against the Danville Raptors, the girls 10U and 12U teams fared better. In their 16-8 loss, goals came from several 10U Delta Breeze players, including Korinna Romero with 4 goals, Sophia Garner with 2 goals, and one goal each from Cailey Feague, and Arianna Ventling. In their 10-5 loss, goals came from several 12U Delta Breeze players including Addelyn, Kori, Vivian, Cameron and Sriyanka.

Later on Sunday, and with the rain

still alternating between downpours and drizzle, the boys 10U team lost to the Raptors 9-5 with two Delta Breeze goals from Ryder Mayorga and one goal each from Callahan Veach, Henry Garner, and Henry Wyatt.

With some players already having

battled it out in three games between Saturday, and Sunday, several of the Delta Breeze 12U players were exhausted in their 13-1 loss to the Danville Raptors with one goal from Noah Shappet.

– Daren Shappet is a coach for Delta Breeze.

David Smookler and his daughter Britney gather at the courts with Maria Aguirre and Destined Wright.

Photo by Hemananthani Sivanandam

JV Player #69 Evan Lopez passes to #51 Harrison Johns on an attempted scoring drive against Oakland.

Photo courtesy of Delta Breeze

Edna Hill takes first place at Odyssey of the Mind

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD Noah Shappet faced what might have been his last hurrah at the Odyssey of the Mind state tournament last weekend. The eighth-grader at Edna Hill Middle School is familiar with the tournament, and saved his best work for maybe his last.

Shappet, along with teammates Jaedel Garcia, Emily Ko, Makena Mathews, Jonathan Tjandra, and Rylan Truesdell took first place in their challenge and division at the Odyssey of the Mind state tournament at Adams Middle School, securing them their second consecutive trip to the World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. on May 24-27.

“We just all wanted to put in our best effort,” Shappet said. “Last year, we went to Worlds and this year we wanted to go to Worlds again.”

At the Worlds, Edna Hill will compete against more than 800 schools from all over the world that also won their respective state and regional tournaments.

Edna Hill’s “best effort” saw them come within .54 points shy of a perfect 350 score for their challenge titled “Where’s the Structure?” In it, teams are required to build an eight-inch tall by two-inch wide structure made only of natural balsa wood and glue, weighing no more than 15 grams which is designed to carry something well more than its weight. While presenting it, the team has to put on a performance where they place three unfastened, re-

movable parts into the structure all hidden in plain sight, challenging not only their creativity, but also their engineering skills.

Shappet took his inspiration for the structure from a bridge.

“I modeled it after things I saw, like bridges and those AT&T towers,” Shappet said. “When I built it, I made sure the sides were really thick. Balsa wood is pretty strong, but it can bend easily, so I used a lot of connections in between to prevent it from bending.”

The judges weren’t impressed with just the architectural feat, but also with Edna Hill’s performance and overall creativity. Shappet and his team put on a scene that portrayed an old farmer, his grandchildren,

and a magician where they all eventually put the structure together. The structure ended up holding 370 pounds.

Odyssey of the Mind is a worldwide tournament in which students from elementary through high school team up and put their creativity and problem-solving skills together to solve complex problems without any outside assistance.

“We put these kids together into teams and make them work on problems in a team, and it goes directly to develop these types of skills that kids need right now,” said Bruce Mackinlay, the association director for the Northern California Odyssey of the Mind group. “It involves problem solving and teamwork and learning new things, but then applying them to build something.”

Teams throughout Northern California, let alone the rest of the country, have been working on their specific challenges since the fall, and working on them after entering in different regional tournaments and improving from the judges’ critiques. The judges would not comment on what criteria they use in their critiques.

“It’s really unique in that it’s student driven,” said Isabel Gervis, the events director for Odyssey in Northern California. “It emphasizes these applicable building skills, problem solving teamwork rather than just memorizing something or performing something that is perfect. There’s a lot of value in the imperfection and the improvisations.”

Edna Hill was just one of four total schools from Brentwood that qualified for

the state tournament. They were joined by host Adams Middle School along with Mary Casey and Marsh Creek Elementary Schools.

Marsh Creek challenged with “Because iCan.” In it, the team of Jaxon Whatley, Shubhra Singh, Bentley Hanson, and Logan Dix were tasked with creating a device that can raise and flag and ring a bell at the same time, set to the theme of a zombie restaurant. Despite missing two people on the day, the fourth graders from Marsh Creek carried on with their challenge and fun skit. Unfortunately for them, the judges weren’t too impressed and they finished in last – not that the result mattered too much in the end for the young team.

“I’m proud of them,” said Jody Hanson, one of Marsh Creek’s coaches and Jaxon’s mother. “They worked and rehearsed really hard in my living room for weeks. This was an experience for them to come together and really all show their different strengths between artists, singing, engineering. They all work together great.”

“They work together and they’re smart. I could tell they were nervous, but I just told them beforehand to pretend like this is the living room and that they’ve done this for weeks.”

Marsh Creek and Mary Casey also entered the “Where’s the Structure” for the elementary school division and took third and fourth place, respectively.

To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia

The winning team from Edna Hill Middle School poses in their costumes after taking first place in their challenge.

Submitted photo

N ews i N B rief

Amaro to be named new Freedom High principal

Steve Amaro Ph.D. will be the new principal at Freedom High School effective July 1.

Following the resignation of Lauren Kelly in February, the Liberty Union High School District Board of Trustees voted 4-0 at their March 8 meeting to name Amaro as the new leader.

Amaro has been a part of the Freedom High School faculty since 1998 as an English teacher, tennis coach, Instructional coach, athletic director, and for the last four years, assistant principal. Recently, Amaro was named the Association of California Administrators Region IV Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year.

Previously, Amaro was named California State Athletic Directors Association Athletic Director of the Year. In 2011, he was named LUHSD Teacher of the Year. Amaro becomes the seventh Principal to serve Freedom.

9th annual César E. Chávez Celebration and Youth Hall of Fame ceremony on April 4

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will honor César E. Chávez in a celebration recognizing his commitment to social justice and respect for human dignity.

The 29th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 4, in Board Chambers at 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez.

“We honor César E. Chávez and recognize his legacy of fighting injustice and improving the lives of farmworkers, their families, and their communities. We are inspired to commit ourselves to service to others,” said Board Chairman Supervisor John Gioia. “We also recognize our 2023 Youth Hall of Fame awardees whose commitment to service and community are to be applauded and are the force moving forward Cesar Chavez’s legacy.”

The theme for this year’s celebration is Hope and Healing – Esperanza y Bienestar. The festival will feature keynote speaker Genoveva Garcia Calloway, community leader and former San Pablo mayor and behavioral health professional, who will share her perspective on César E. Chávez’s legacy.

The event will include presentation of the 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Awards to students who make outstanding community contributions, live performances by Mariachi Monumental and Ballet Folklórico Netzahualcoyotl, and remarks from county Supervisors.

Here are the County’s 2023 Youth Hall of Fame award winners:

High school awardees:

• Volunteerism: Frances Kellman-Lima, El Cerrito High School, 12th grade Teamwork: Prisha Purohit, San Ramon Valley High School, 11th grade

• Perseverance: Anayely Arreola Caldera, Liberty High School, 12th grade

• Leadership & Civic Engagement: Anay Pant, Athenian School, 11th grade

• Good Samaritan: Aria Capelli, Athenian School, 11th grade

Middle School Rising Stars:

• Volunteerism Rising Star: Makenzie Lee-Foster, Visions in Education, 6th grade

• Teamwork: Zihan Cherry Chou, Adams Middle School, 8th grade

• Perseverance: Jered E. Clark, Black Diamond Middle School, 8th grade

• Leadership & Civic Engagement Rising Star: Carter Considine, Head Royce, 9th grade

• Good Samaritan: Gianna Baglieri, Rio Vista Elementary School, 3rd grade For more information, visit https://www. contracosta.ca.gov/6039 on the Contra Costa County website. The event will be broadcast live at www.contracosta.ca.gov/6086 or www. contracostatv.org or Contra Costa Television channels: Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse 99, and Astound 32 and 1027.

The Sneakers and Paws Walk for Hospice scheduled for April 17

The Sneakers and Paws Walk for Hos-

pice is scheduled for April 17, rain or shine, from 8:30-11 a.m. at Creekside Golf Course in Walnut Creek.

Early bird registration of $25 ends on April 7.

Everyone is encouraged to participate, with or without your pet, in a leisurely walk around the golf course. There will be raffle prizes, pet play dates, refreshments, and opportunities for photos—all while raising funds to benefit the Music Therapy Program for Rossmoor residents under Hospice East Bay care.

To register, visit https://interland3. donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink. aspx?name=E87436&id=21.

Hospice of the East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, while offering emotional, spiritual, and grief support for the entire family, according to a press release. As a not-for-profit organization, they accept all medically qualified patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Hospice East Bay has been caring for patients and their families since 1977. Proceeds from our thrift shoppes support the programs of Hospice East Bay.

For more information, contact either Donna Chase, Friends of Hospice Rossmoor, at tipchase@sbcglobal.net or 925-9471628 or Jyoti Gandhi, Hospice East Bay, at jyotig@hospiceeastbay.org or 925-586-0962.

Newsom announces $30 insulin through CalRx program

Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that CalRx has secured a contract with a manufacturer (CIVICA), to make $30 insulin available to all who need it. The governor also announced that California will seek to manufacture its own Naloxone.

The announcement will bring down the price of insulin by about 90%, saving cash-paying patients between $2,000 and $4,000 annually. It’ll cost the company $30 to manufacture and distribute, and that’s how much the consumer can buy it for. You don’t need a voucher or coupon to access this price, and it’s available to everybody regardless of insurance plan. This is a crucial step in not just cutting the cost for the consumer, but cutting costs across the board in order to bring cheaper prescription drugs to all Californians.

Key parts of the move include:

• A 10mL vial will be made available for no more than $30 (normally $300)

• A box of 5 pre-filled 3mL pens will be made available for no more than $55 (normally more than $500)

• No new prescription will be needed. Californians will be able to ask for the CalRx generic at their local pharmacy or via mail order pharmacies. Pharmacies must agree to order/stock the product.

• CalRx plans to make biosimilar insulins available for: Glargine, Aspart, and Lispro (expected to be interchangeable with Lantus, Humalog, and Novolog respectively)

The announcement makes good on Newsom’s promise on his first day in office –to bring down the price of prescription drugs for Californians and increase accountability and transparency in health care. Californians can learn more about CalRX on the new website.

People should not be forced to go into debt to get life saving prescriptions,” Newsom said.

“Through CalRx, Californians will have access to some of the most inexpensive insulin available, helping them save thousands each year. But we’re not stopping there – California will seek to make our own Naloxone as part of our plan to fight the fentanyl crisis.”

Videos sought for first Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander cultural celebration

The Contra Costa County Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Cultural Celebration Planning Committee wants your help as they look for videocontent/performances to be featured as part of the Board of Supervisor’s first AANHPI cultural celebration on May 9.

The event will feature local speakers, performers and a brief glimpse into the rich and diverse cultures and contributions of AANHPI communities.

The program will be aired live on Zoom and CCTV. The committee is requesting video submissions to be shown as part of the program, and would like to feature you or your group’s performance.

To submit a video, contact Peter Myers in county Supervisor Diane Burgis’ office at peter.myers@bos.cccounty.us.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

TAX SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK

Opini O n

Help support community journalism

Among the dearly departed in the Bay Area:

• Oakland Tribune

• San Mateo Times

• Alameda Times-Star

• Fremont Argus

Editorial

Your newspaper, The Press, is still here. Why should you care that you still have a local newspaper, and why should you subscribe? Because it’s becoming rarer. Why should we matter to you? Because we’re the only news organization that regularly reports on your City Council, your Planning Commission, your county Board of Supervisors, your fire department, your police department, your sheriff, your legislators, your school board, your congressman, your water district and yes, your sewer district. We’re there to keep an eye on how your taxes get spent and why. It’s dry stuff sometimes, but critical to a functional democracy. We’re not bloggers with an axe to grind. We try to give you the news straight with balanced reporting and without bias. Social media postings can’t replace trained professional reporters.

Local newspapers have taken a big hit since 2008. The Pew Research Center has reported that nearly 41,000 newspaper newsroom employees have lost their jobs since the 2008 Great Recession. The Washington Post reported in 2021 that about 2,200 print newspapers have closed since 2005. The dawn of the Internet age robbed newspapers of their main sources of income: real estate sales, auto sales and classified advertising.

• Hayward Daily Review

• Tri-Valley Herald

• Antioch Ledger

• West County Times

• Concord Transcript

Although the San Francisco Chronicle provides some reporting on Contra Costa County, the only local daily newspaper is the East Bay Times, which is what remains of the old Contra Costa Times. Only one reporter is assigned to regularly cover East Contra Costa County, an area with a population of more than 250,000 people. Job cuts and layoffs have decimated the Times’ editorial department and every other surviving daily newspaper not called the Washington Post or New York Times. Many local newspapers send some of their editing and ad building to workers in the Philippines or elsewhere. To keep jobs local and maintain accuracy and

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall

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Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-516-5440

www.brentwoodca.gov

City of Antioch City Manager and City Council

City Hall

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Antioch, CA 94509

Phone: 925-779-7000

www.ci.antioch.ca.us

City of Oakley City Manager and City Council

City Hall

3231 Main St. Oakley, CA 94561

Phone: 925-625-7000

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Town of Discovery Bay

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1800 Willow Lake Road

Discovery Bay, CA 94505

Phone: 925-634-1131

www.todb.ca.gov

County Supervisor, Dist. III

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Brentwood, CA 94513

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dist3@bos.cccounty.us

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GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

County Supervisor, Dist. V

Federal D. Glover

190 E 4th St.

Pittsburg, CA 94565

Phone: 925-608-4200

Fax: 925-427-8142

district5@bos.cccounty.us

State Sen. Steve Glazer

Seventh Senate District Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 4082

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: 916-651-4007

District Office: 420 West Third St. Antioch, CA 94509

Phone: 925-258-1176

Fax: 925-258-9982

Cell: 925-963-1611 http://sd07.senate.ca.gov

Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson

11th Assembly District Capitol Office: P.O. Box 942849

Sacramento, CA 94249

Phone: 916-319-2011

District Office: One Harbor Center, Ste. 270

Suisun City, CA 94585

Phone: 707-438-7359

Fax: 707-438-7344 www.asmdc.org/members/a11

Gov. Gavin Newsom

State Capitol, Suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: 916-445-2841

Fax: 916-558-3160 www.gov.ca.gov

U.S. Rep.Mark DeSaulnier

Assemblyman, 10th District

Washington DC Office 503 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: 202-225-2095

Fax: 202-225-5609

Antioch District Office

4703 Lone Tree Way

Antioch, CA 94531

Phone: 925-754-0716

Walnut Creek District Office

3100 Oak Road

Suite 110

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Phone: 925-933-2660

Fax: 925-933-2677

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla

Washington, DC Office: 408 Dirksen SOB

Washington, DC 20510

Phone: 202-224-3553

Fax: 202-224-2200

www.padilla.senate.gov

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Washington, DC Office: 331 Hart SOB

Washington, DC 20510

Phone: 202-224-3841

Fax: 202-228-3954

San Francisco Office:

One Post St., Room 2450

San Francisco, CA 94104

Phone: 415-393-0707

Fax: 415-393-0710

www.feinstein.senate.gov

President Joe Biden

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20500

Phone: 202-456-1111

Fax: 202-456-2461

Cop logs

Suspicious circumstances were reported on Central Park Place. The reporting party woke up and noticed her window was shattered. BRENTWOOD – March 9, 6:23 a.m.

The following is a selection of recent law enforcement activity:

OAKLEY

March 9, 4:09 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported on Summer Lake Drive/Park Place Drive.

March 9, 5:10 a.m. A welfare check was conducted on Main Street/Live Oak Avenue.

March 9, 6:57 a.m. A reckless driver was reported on Main Street/Norcross Lane.

March 9, 8:18 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 1500 block on Port Way.

March 9, 8:25 a.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported at the 1600 block on Rio Vista Court.

March 9, 9:36 a.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 700 block on Walnut Ranch Way.

March 9, 10:03 a.m. A case of grand theft was reported at the 4000 block on Wilbur Avenue.

March 9, 11:42 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 4200 block on Rio Vista Place.

March 9, 1:44 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 1800 block on Walnut Grove Court.

March 9, 3:32 p.m. A hit and run misdemeanor was reported at the 100 block on Kings Canyon Way.

March 9, 3:50 p.m. An arrest warrant was served at the Oakley Police Department.

March 9, 3:59 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on W. Cypress Road/O’Hara Avenue.

March 9, 5:45 p.m. A traffic hazard was reported at the 3000 block on Frandoras Circle.

March 9, 5:46 p.m. A traffic hazard was reported on E. Cypress Road/Main Street.

March 9, 9:02 p.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported at the 100 block on Lariat Court.

March 9, 9:17 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the Dominos in Oakley.

March 9, 10:14 p.m. A suspicious vehicle was stopped at the AM/PM in Oakley.

March 9, 11:28 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the Chevron in Oakley.

March 10, 3:23 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 2100 block on Main Street.

March 10, 3:23 a.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 50 block on Carol Lane. March 10, 6:23 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the AM/PM in Oakley.

March 10, 8:40 a.m. A reckless driver was reported on E. Cypress Road/Sellers Avenue.

March 10, 9:03 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 200 block on McClelland Way.

March 10, 10:47 a.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 2100 block on Main Street.

March 10, 11:26 a.m. An abandoned vehicle was reported at the 4600 block on Bayside Way.

March 10, 1:27 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 200 block on Merganser Drive.

March 10, 2:04 p.m. A domestic disturbance was reported at the 5400 block on Piper Lane.

March 10, 2:50 p.m. A reckless driver was reported at the Lucky in Oakley.

March 10, 4:52 p.m. A misdemeanor DUI was reported on Brownstone Road/Main Street.

March 10, 4:55 p.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported at the 3000 block on Frandoras Circle.

March 10, 7:27 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on Zinfandel Road/Rhine Way.

March 10, 8:31 p.m. A trespasser with a vehicle was reported at Freedom High School.

March 10, 9:51 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 1700 block on Chianti Way.

BRENTWOOD

March 7, 9:00 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Walnut Boulevard. A back shed was broken into. It is unknown what items were taken.

March 7, 9:31 a.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Brentwood Boulevard. Someone took two hedge trimmers and fled in a silver Nissan.

March 7, 10:03 a.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Collis Street. The reporting party received a notice that he was delinquent on a $93,000 business loan despite not owning a business.

March 7, 10:49 a.m. A vehicle burglary was reported on Shady Willow Lane. A work truck was broken into days prior to the report. Gas was siphoned out of the truck the morning of the report and the fuel line had been cut.

March 7, 1:02 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on San Jose Avenue.

March 7, 1:06 p.m. A missing adult was reported on Upton Pyne Drive.

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March 7, 1:51 p.m. A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Tachella Way. Account fraud totaling $5,534.88, with the charges all being from Philadelphia.

March 7, 1:51 p.m. A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Lone Tree Way. The reporting party says someone has been using his debit account number to make purchases, even though he has the card.

March 7, 1:55 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 7, 2:02 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported on Myrtle Beach Drive. Someone was reported to be drunk and screaming.

March 7, 2:04 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Tachella Way. The reporting party was on disability in March of 2022

March 7, 3:40 p.m. A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 7, 4:27 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 7, 5:48 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 7, 6:19 p.m. An accident with no injuries was reported on Sand Creek Road/ Highway 4.

March 8, 12:06 a.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Campanello Way. The reporting party’s husband was served a restraining order and then came into the house.

March 8, 6:14 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported on W. Country Club Drive. A fence was broken into and a golf cart and service cart were taken.

March 8, 7:59 a.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Second Street. A homeless person was drunk and swinging around a knife.

March 8, 3:24 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Peach Tree Court. The reporting party’s card that was in the mail had been used.

March 9, 6:23 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Central Park Place. The reporting party woke up and noticed her window was shattered.

March 9, 9:56 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 9, 10:01 a.m. A hit and run with no injuries was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.

March 9, 12:11 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Sand Creek Road.

March 9, 2:58 p.m. A hit and run with no injuries was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 9, 4:06 p.m. An accident with no injuries was reported on Sand Creek Road/ Highway 4. There was a verbal disagreement between drivers.

March 9, 4:08 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Beverly Place. The reporting party said he just got to his residence and the window to the side of the garage is broken.

March 9, 4:18 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.

March 9, 4:19 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported on Spanish Bay Drive.

ANTIOCH

March 12, 3:07 a.m. A simple assault was reported at the 4500 block on Sand Creek Road.

March 12, 8:36 a.m. A trespasser was reported at the 3000 block on Longview Road.

March 12, 11:21 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 2200 block on Sycamore Drive.

March 12, 11:27 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported at the 2700 block on W. 10th Street.

March 12, 12:02 p.m. A traffic hazard was reported at the 1000 block on E. Tregallas Road.

March 12, 1:00 p.m. An attempted robbery was reported at the 4100 block on Amargosa Drive.

March 12, 1:04 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 1800 block on Mount Conness Way.

March 12, 1:08 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 4600 block on Botticelli Court.

March 12, 1:28 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Candlewood Way/Stagecoach Way.

March 12, 2:45 p.m. A hit and run with injuries was reported on San Jose Drive/Delta Fair Boulevard.

March 12, 3:33 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 2200 block on San Jose Drive.

March 12, 4:10 p.m. An accident with injuries was reported at the 4800 block on Golf Course Road.

March 12, 5:10 p.m. A residential burglary was reported at the 2300 block on Spanos Street.

March 12, 5:41 p.m. A simple assault was reported on Hillcrest Avenue/Terrace View Avenue.

March 13, 2:21 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 1100 block on W. 6th Street.

March 13, 4:16 a.m. An auto theft was reported at the 2700 block on Hillcrest Avenue.

March 13, 6:59 a.m. An auto theft was reported at the 200 block on Texas Street.

March 13, 7:52 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported at the 2900 block on Lone Tree Way.

March 13, 11:59 a.m. A residential burglary was reported at the 2000 block on Field Street.

March 13, 1:43 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 4700 block on Lone Tree Way.

March 13, 2:08 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 100 block on Hillside Road.

March 13, 2:34 p.m. A missing adult was reported at the 2900 block on Winding Lane.

March 13, 4:05 p.m. A strong arm robbery was reported at the 700 block on W. 18th Street.

March 13, 4:13 p.m. An auto theft was reported at the 1500 block on W. 10th Street.

March 13, 7:33 p.m. A weapons violation was reported on W. 6th Street/O Street.

March 13, 10:33 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 900 block on Mulberry Way.

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Drilling from page 1

a 45-day temporary ban on oil and gas drilling while they researched more “ironclad” options.

The moratorium was extended another 10 months and 15 days in May 2022 to give city staff the time to draft a permanent ban that would stand up to potential legal challenges. The maximum length of time a temporary ban can last is one year, according to Damien Brower, the city attorney, during the March 28 meeting.

Brower presented the agenda item to the Council that would extend the moratorium another year while city staff finished drafting the ordinances that were first discussed last year.

“Staff and special counsel have been studying the is-

Train from page 1

pects to finish by the third quarter of 2024, according to City Manager Josh McMurray.

Thorpe insisted that he “didn’t know anything about this” and repeatedly blamed the then-city manager, Ron Bernal, for taking down the train station. Bernal retired from his Antioch post in December 2021. Smith noted during the meeting that JPA staff had been discussing the train stop issue with Antioch City Manager Cornelius Johnson for about a year. The Antioch City Council placed Johnson on administrative leave on March 17.

Thorpe told the board that his program of police reforms and mental health crisis teams had brought down crime rates dramatically in Antioch, which he called “the epicenter of East County.” Going through the city’s history as a “sundown city” where persons of color “were not welcomed,” the mayor said Antioch was “white by design in the 1990s.”

He called the decommissioning decision “a knee-jerk reaction” that will “discriminate against people of color.”

Representing Oakley in supporting the switch to their under-construction train platform were Oakley Public Works Director Kevin Rohani and former mayor Kevin Romick. County Supervisor Diane Burgis, who sits on the JPA board, also spoke in support of the Oakley site.

“Oakley has stepped up” to fill the need, Burgis said, emphasizing the added parking and easier public access at the new site, which is about 7 miles from the Antioch stop.

Following the meeting, Burgis stated via email, “East County as a region is growing fast, and needs a modern Amtrak station with parking, safety and full capabilities. The City of Oakley has invested $6 million

Oakley from page 1

sues related to preparing the ban and preparing the ordinances,” Brower said. “Specifically two ordinances. The first being a permanent ban on new oil and gas drilling in the city and the second being updating our current regulations. That ordinance would only go into effect if the permanent ban was successfully challenged, so you’d still have regulations in place if the permanent ban went away for whatever reason.”

The ordinances are expected to be completed and presented to both the Planning Commission and the City Council this spring or in early summer, according to Brower. The need for the vote on an extension of the temporary ban was because the previous extension from last year will expire before the ordinances can be present-

and worked nearly a decade with the San Joaquin JPA to plan their station and begin construction, while the City of Antioch has been in agreement to close their station for the past several years. The San Joaquin JPA vote was important to keep Oakley’s development on the right track and not throw our region’s transportation off the rails.”

McMurray also added Monday, “The city has been working towards the development of the Downtown train platform project for a decade. We are very appreciative for our partners who have worked side by side with us, including the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, and look forward to the completion and opening of the Oakley train platform.”

The new 700-foot-long train station platform will be located behind Main Street between Second Street and Norcross Lane and will include a 300-space parking lot. Once complete, Oakley commuters will be able to get from downtown Oakley to downtown Oakland in less than an hour, according to Amtrak projections.

The JPA secured an $8.6 million grant composed of state and federal money to pay for the platform, with the city agreeing to fund the roadway design and construction, parking lot and adjacent public infrastructure. The JPA estimates 10 daily trains will serve the station – five westbound toward Oakland and five eastbound toward Bakersfield. Annual ridership numbers are expected to range between 35,000 and 52,000 in 2025.

For more information: https://sjjpa. com/ and https://www.ci.oakley.ca.us/trainplatform-inform

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Planning Director Ken Strelo who announced that the city had received a tentative approval from the state Housing and Community Development on the city’s 2023-2031 housing plan. By state law, cities and counties must designate sites and plans to foster affordable housing developments. Receiving state approval has been rare for most agencies to date.

Sal Evola of Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery told the Council that their organic green recycling program for residences will be launched in Oakley in June, earlier than originally projected, and will soon encompass commercial customers as well. The refuse company has begun an information campaign via mail and social media to inform customers of the new three-container service for collection. The service, mandated by state law, entails no increase in cost to customers.

McMurray outlined his plan to transfer the emer-

gency management program from the Police Department to the City Manager’s Office and designate a new Assistant City Manager to serve as the Assistant Director of Emergency Services. The Council earlier authorized the hiring of an assistant city manager who will also be the city’s public information officer.

Police Chief Paul Beard offered a report to the Council on his staffing levels saying he expects the department to soon hit its authorized staffing number of 40 officers including himself, two lieutenants, six sergeants, 31 line officers and one trainee. He strongly urged the Council to authorize ‘overhiring” of two positions in anticipation of expected medical retirements on the force. Most of the Council expressed their support of his plan.

A spirited discussion on police mutual aid followed the chief’s report on staffing. At a previous meeting, Council member George Fuller, a former police officer, had questioned the wisdom of offering mutual aid to the

ed and, potentially, implemented.

The emphatic public comments following Brower’s presentation included several local high school students who expressed concern for the environmental impact drilling would have on Brentwood and the surrounding area, causing the council to praise them for their involvement.

Brower said of the students who had made their concerns known, “We’re in pretty good hands.”

Other topics discussed at the meeting included a performance report by Police Chief Tim Herbert and a proclamation that April is Autism Awareness Month.

The full city council meeting can be Swatched online at https://bit.ly/3FXJwDm

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

neighboring city of Antioch. Fuller, at the meeting and through his social media postings, expressed his frustration with police reforms instituted by Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe and said he didn’t want to place Oakley police officers at risk by sending them to answer crime calls there. Beard outlined in detail the legal documents each area agency signs that requires them to provide law enforcement mutual aid. Fellow Council members Shannon Shaw and Anissa Williams spoke out in support of the chief and the system of mutual aid. Beard also bluntly told Fuller that his statements had placed him in an awkward position with neighboring cities and his own staff. “I don’t want to get into disparaging comments about neighboring police departments,” he said. “It’s not my job to get into political debates.”

For more information: https://www.ci.oakley.ca.us/ agendas-minutes-videos-archive/ To comment, visit www.thepress.net

Bulldozers are busy building the new Oakley train platform on Main Street recently.

Photo by Chris Campos

Profile

Paul Turner, local owner of Handyman Paul, has been a handyman since 2001 and has owned Handyman Paul since 2009. Turner and his small but dedicated and talented staff serve all of Contra Costa County. They specialize in windows, siding, decks, acoustical ceiling removal, all flooring and tile, concrete and landscaping. Turner thrives on working with his hands, and says that he enjoys working with the public, completing challenging projects and earning the homeowner’s appreciation for a job well done.