The Press 05.26.2023

Bryant wants people to stay in Brentwood as city keeps growing

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD Mayor Joel Bryant wants the people of Brentwood to stay in Brentwood to both live and work.

In last Wednesday’s State of the City meeting at Brentwood City Hall, Bryant displayed an overview on the recent activities throughout the city through the last couple of years as it celebrates its 75th anniversary, along with what the community can look forward to in the years to come.

Along with the various events that the city has planned that were announced through the rest of the calendar year, Bryant stayed focused on his goal to continue to build Brentwood and foster its growth.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of progress,” he said to

The Press. “We’re able to start planning for some infrastructure needs and bringing in high-paying, highquality jobs for local residents.”

“The goal is to keep them from having to be gone so much, spending two to four hours of their life just commuting every day and being able to work a great career and great job here in town.”

Brentwood Mayor Joel Bryant delivers his State of the City speech at City Hall on Wednesday, May 16.

Council scolds itself

come to Brentwood would mean less commuting time and stress for the local residents.

“We are at the point where we are now getting out in the fields of different medical venues and tech venues,” Bryant said. “They are now becoming aware that we are an option for them, technologically, infrastructure, and quality of life as well. We’re able to work with the property owners to attract this out here and the ‘reverse commute’ or the ‘no commute.’

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD City Council members are not behaving well these days.

Months of lapses in decorum came to head for the City Council during their May 23 meeting in which the members voted to admonish themselves and hold themselves accountable for their behavior.

According to the World Population Review, more than 65,000 people call Brentwood home. According to a U.S. Census report from 2021, the median household income in Brentwood is $150,167.

Bryant explained to The Press that companies are starting to see the city as an option for them and that more major companies that

“The idea is that business has changed so dynamically since COVID. A lot of business plans and their business model for the next 10 to 20 years are going to be heavily partnered with commute-less work or work from home, so we are ideally situated as an option for them.”

Part of that tech growth will come from the planned Innovation

see Bryant page 22

Locals learn at police Citizens Academy

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD Ruben Aguilar wants to work in law enforcement. Not only that, but the Oakley resident wants to be a part of the Brentwood police department one day.

Although the Brentwood police Citizens Academy isn’t the typical police academy type of training, he said the insight into the insides of the department makes him want to be a part of it that much more.

“This was just something that came up off of my Instagram, and I thought that this is something I

want to do,” Aguilar said. “I want to get more insight into police departments, and hope to probably even be a part of Brentwood police someday. Personally, I wanted to be a nurse, but it’s very competitive. I feel like just helping my community in general.”

The nine-week course offered by Brentwood police that just finished its fourth week sees the department open its doors, pull back the curtain and show those who registered and got into the program how the department operates – from a full tour of the department building on Brentwood Boulevard, lecture series on things

see Citizens page 22

The original agenda item had been a discussion brought forth by Councilmember Jovita Mendoza on whether the council would censure Councilmember Tony Oerlemans following an outburst during the April 25 City Council meeting.

A censure is a formal statement officially reprimanding a council member, according to the city’s ethics policy. It is considered a punitive action and serves as a penalty imposed for wrongdoing.

“I don’t want to censure you,” a choked up Mendoza told Oerlemans while discussing the topic.

“But I think what we saw that night was more than I could handle… we need to do something because it wasn’t right and it needs consequences.”

Oerlemans had received backlash from council members and residents following a conflict between him and Mayor Joel Bryant that led to Oerlemans berating Bryant before storming out of the room.

An admonition is a warning or reminder about behavior, City Attorney Damien Brower explained during the meeting. It reminds everyone on the council; a sanction

see Council page 22

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Oakley sets timetable for new library

Officials hope it’s built in 3-5 years

By Hemananthani Sivanandam Correspondent

The City of Oakley hopes to start construction of its new library in the next three to five years.

The project is still in its preliminary stages, but an initial analysis by Management Partners, a San Jose government consulting firm hired by City of Oakley, found that it is potentially feasible to sell the land at the O’Hara Avenue/Acme Street intersection for a mixed-use public private partnership development.

Oakley Assistant City Manager Danielle Navarro said the development will combine a private residential project with a public community center.

“Additional analysis is needed to determine the appropriate size and costs of the center as well as the density of the residential project,” said Navarro in an email.

The Initial Feasibility Analysis report by the consulting firm showed that the entire O’Hare and Acme block will be needed to make the project feasible, due to the lack of space in Contra Costa County that can accommodate both public and private residential uses.

Additional public funds will also be necessary as the development of a private resi-

dential center will generate only a portion of the funding required for the public community center, the report noted.

Navarro said the additional analysis is needed to determine the appropriate size and costs of the center as well as the density of the residential project.

Last year, the City agreed with Contra Costa County to share the cost of demolishing a vacant Sheriff’s Office substation to pave the way for the downtown community library.

The city and the county will split the $400,000 substation demolition costs.

The agreement further notes a provision to transfer ownership of the building from the County to the City if library funding is secured by Oakley by the end of July next year.

The Oakley Library sits on a borrowed space that it initially leased from Freedom High School. The month-to-month lease be-

gan in 1999 and was extended until 2010.

Navarro said the funding plan for the ownership transfership is a work in progress.

“Initial analysis has been conducted and the City will hire consultants to assess potential funding sources and develop a comprehensive funding plan.”

“The project is still in the preliminary stages and the City has not yet identified the consultants,” Navarro said. “We expect that to happen in the next three months and then anticipate a three-to-four-month timeframe to determine the appropriate size and costs of the community center and the density of the residential project with input from the community.”

Navarro said the city is focused on “strategic and thoughtful growth,” adding that a project of this scale takes time to ensure the funding, furnishing, design,

constructions, and future maintenance plans are well-planned and fiscally sound to meet community needs.

Lorena Campos, president of the Friends of the Oakley Library, said the community is excited about a new library and what it could offer.

Campos said the organization has received much community feedback this past year during their outreach at various events.

“At the Heart of Oakley festival, Friends of the Oakley invited our neighbors to imagine and dream up what a new library in Oakley would look, feel, and sound like and there were so many wonderful submissions.

“We’d like to encourage the City to host some focus groups with library staff, Friends (of the Oakley Library) and the community so that people can share their ideas for a new library directly with City staff and the architect,” said Campos.

She noted that advocating for more community spaces like study areas and meeting rooms will benefit the community, adding there is also a need for a bigger venue to host performers that draw a large crowd.

“We’d like to work with Oakley Library staff and County Library leadership to advocate for a state-of-the-art library that serves everyone in Oakley.

“We look forward to connecting with different nonprofits in Oakley to advocate for a space that will benefit all groups in the community,” said Campos.

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

the simplest of gestures reading to or talking with someone has a meaningful impact. Visit our website to learn about ways that you can put your talents and abilities to work by serving others in your community.

The city’s library currently operates out of Freedom High School library.

Submitted Photo

N ews i N B rief

Brentwood Community Chorus to perform its spring show on June 4

Have you ever wondered why we sing?

The Brentwood Community Chorus, under the direction of Susan Stuart, will perform at Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. in, Brentwood on Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. The ladies quartet, Replay, will be featured performers.

Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. Tickets $10; children 12 and under are admitted free.

The chorus also is accepting donations of used athletic shoes in the lobby. The group also will be selling raffle tickets in the lobby for some baskets.

For tickets and more information, visit brentwoodcommunitychorus.com.

The chorus welcomes new members on Aug. 15, from 7-9 p.m. at Brentwood Community United Methodist Church at 809 Second St. in Brentwood.

SONIC gives $1.5 million to local teachers

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Month in May, SONIC Drive-In’s SONIC Foundation donated $1.5 million to match all public contributions made to requests

on DonorsChoose, a national nonprofit that enables individuals to donate directly to public school classroom requests submitted by teachers.

As part of SONIC’s ongoing Limeades for Learning initiative, the $1.5 million donation matched 50 percent of each donation made to all teacher requests. SONIC helped fully fund nearly 15,300 projects from teachers and schools across the country.

The following are among the Brentwoodarea teachers who received a total of $818: Brentwood

Seven teachers from four schools received a combined donation, including:

• Mrs. Simpson at Heritage High School for the project “Read Great BooksOur Lives and Literacy Depend on It!” for grades 9-12

• Ms. Klinger at Heritage High School for the project “Music as Literature: Books on Music!” for grades 9-12

• Mrs. Brassart at J Douglas Adams Middle School for the project “Books Are Our Guiding Light!” for grades 6-8

• Mrs. Elliot at Loma Vista Elementary School for the project “Sensory Input For Learning” for grades Pre-kindergarten-2

• Mrs. Gandara at Loma Vista Elementary School for the project “Help Young Minds Grow With Hands-On Learning Tools” for Grades Pre-kin-

dergarten-2

• Mrs. Eaton at Pioneer Elementary School for the project “Sharing Our Stories With the World” for Grades Pre-kindergarten-2

• Mrs. Mulholland at Pioneer Elementary School for the project “Keep Us In The Loop!” for Grades 3-5

Oakley

Eight teachers from four schools received a combined donation of $505.00, including:

• Mr. Mabry at Freedom High School for the project “Music for Our Boomwhackers!” for grades 6-8

• Mr. Mabry at Freedom High School for the project “Starting from Scratch” for grades 6-8

• Mrs. Faggiano at Freedom High School for the project “More Than Two Genders” for grades 9-12

• Mr. Buckman at Oakley Elementary School for the project “Marvelous Mathematicians” for grades 3-5

• Mrs. L. at Oakley Elementary School for the project “STEAM: Exploring Science and Art” for grades 3-5

• Mrs. Minder-Maldonado at Oakley Elementary School for the project “Lifting Our Lunches and Whiteboard Writers!” for grades 3-5

• Ms. Montano at Oakley Elementary School for the project “Art Supplies for Kindergarten Special Education” for Grades Pre-kindergarten-2

• Mrs. Furnary at Orchard Park School for the project “More‚ Äú Who Was and Who Is‚ Äù Books Please II” for grades 3-5

• Ms. Carrico at Summer Lake Elementary for the project “Guided Reading Fun!” for Grades Pre-kindergarten-2 Through the SONIC Limeades for Learning initiative, the brand donates a portion of proceeds from every drink, slush and shake purchase to the SONIC Foundation, which is used to support local public education. Since 2009, SONIC has donated more than $26 million to local classrooms, becoming one of the largest programs to

education in the U.S. Free access to state parks for military on Memorial Day

support public

California State Parks is offering free admission for veterans and active-duty members to 130 participating state parks on Memorial Day. The list of participating parks is at parks.ca.gov/MemorialDay2023.

Veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel must show a valid military ID, or proof of discharge other than dishonorable or bad conduct, to receive free admission. AB150 (Olsen), signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013, authorized California State Parks to offer veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel from the United States Armed Forces and the National Guard of any state a reduced or free day use at participating state parks.

“State Parks invites these brave people and their families to enjoy the beauty, peace, and rich history of their public lands,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Thank you for sacrificing so much for your nation, for your families, and for our freedom.”

ABBA tribute band to play at El Campanil on May 27

ABBAFAB will be appearing at the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch on Saturday, May 27 at 8 p.m.

This tribute band will take you on a journey through the discography of the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA that includes hits such as “Dancing Queen”, “Mamma Mia”, and “Waterloo”.

Tickets for the ABBAFAB are on sale at El Campanil Theatre’s box office or through its website.

For further information about upcoming shows or tickets,visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call 925-757-9500.

Brentwood author’s new book explores young autistic minds

Mark Valencia wanted to write a book that would pique kids’ interest in the joys of reading. But he also wanted it to educate kids and their parents about autism.

Valencia, a Brentwood native and resident, invites young readers to join Gavin on a voyage into the imaginative world of Gabriel’s autistic mind. “Gabriel’s My Vida Logo,” Valencia’s first book, is a tale that celebrates the power of imagination, friendship, and empathy.

In this story told by both Gabriel and his dad, Gavin is introduced to Gabriel, the captain of a spaceship who takes him on a journey through the landscapes of Gabriel’s mind. As Gavin explores this realm, he soon realizes that this captivating world can also be overwhelming, and even frightening at times.

Gabriel proves to be a skilled and compassionate guide, helping Gavin navigate the complexities of his imaginative world.

Valencia draws inspiration from his own sons, who served as catalysts for his writing journey. He discovered his passion for storytelling through his experiences as a youth sports coach -- coaching the freshman football team at Liberty High -- and talent acquisition professional.

Through his book, Valencia wants to ignite a love of reading and foster creativity in young readers. Valencia wrote the book “in collaboration with my autistic son, Gabriel, who is limited verbally to get his voice out there,” he said in an email. “As a father we want to support our children however we can and this is my way of helping him. To be honest, I wrote the story with him 10 years ago but never thought about publishing it until earlier this year.”

Valencia said a particular situation gave him the impetus to write it. “I decided to publish the story that I privately wrote 10 years ago because my wife, Melissa, loved the story and has always asked me to publish it. So I did. The reason I wrote it 10 years ago was during the early years of Gabriel’s diagnosis. It was difficult for

me to understand what he was thinking and why he was obsessed with his logos. Writing the book helped me have a better understanding of that. Also, to write a story for Gavin, Gabriel’s younger brother to understand him too.

The story is told by two people -- Gabriel and his

dad, but Valencia said readers will know who is talking. “The book explains this,” he said. “First line on top is Gabriel’s voice, bottom is my explanation of the story and his feelings.

Valencia said the book also offers lessons to adults, especially those with autistic children.

“What is important for adults is to learn empathy and patience for neuro-diverse humans,” he said. “Humans with autism are a fabric of our society and we need to take the time to understand their pace.”

“Like the story, a boy could be drawing logos on the blacktop and there could be so much more going on in their mind than meets the eye. Children like my son use their custom anchors to communicate with us in our world. It could be logos, singing, art, history facts, etc... We just need to be patient to hear them out. Also, I want adults and children to never take for granted their mental privilege. Many children and adults like my son do not have that luxury to be heard and do the things they want, when they want like many of us.”

Valencia said writing the book “was effortless. Publishing it and allowing others into our world was the hardest part. Opening yourself to criticism and critique isn’t easy, but the story comes from love so I hope others feel that too.”

“The only gain we are hoping for is for autism awareness and for parents and their kids to have empathy for autistic children and adults,” he added. “The book is very personal as the characters are named after Gavin and Gabriel; who are my son’s names. To be honest, any monetary profit will be going to my son Gabriel’s Education Fund.

Even though this is Valencia’s first book, he said he is planning to release a coloring book that is an addition to the children’s book on Amazon and a follow- up of Gabriel’s My Vida Logo series telling the history of one of the logos he loves.

“Gabriel’s My Vida Logo” was released in May 2023. It is self-published and available in print and digital formats through Amazon Kindle Direct. https://a. co/d/8DHablF.

Tyson poses with his miniature Cristiano Ronaldo he created for school. Well done, Tyson!

Mark Valencia of Brentwood wanted to write a book to get kids interested in the joys of reading and to educate kids and their parents about autism.

Photo courtesy of Mark Valencia

Eagles nest delays Sand Creek road project

By Chris Campos

BRENTWOOD A single golden eagle nest has laid an egg on top of the Sand Creek Road extension project. As a result, nobody’s moving any dirt until at least late summer.

Golden eagles are a protected species under state and federal wildlife laws, but they also are steadily losing their foraging habitat and territories as a result of encroaching development, according to Heather Beeler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Our goal is to work with applicants and project proponents to reduce impacts on eagles and their territories and habitat, while helping projects to move forward and meet the legal requirements under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act,” Beeler said recently.

Beeler said that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is working with California Department of Fish and Wildlife and with project proponents to balance wildlife protections and construction project progress, while meeting the appropriate requirements, policies and laws.

The Service’s policy is to wait until one month after the hatchlings take their first flight. Young golden eagles rely on the nest for a few months after hatching, so in this case, it could be around late July

before a hatchling is self-sufficient. There are also certain requirements regarding construction and minimizing impacts to active nests associated with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan, which covers this construction project.

East Contra Costa County developed a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to protect listed and sensitive wildlife species, including golden eagles, while also allowing for streamlined permitting processes for covered development projects. Some habitat loss is covered by the HCP permit. However, projects must not result in the “take” of eagles or disturb or destroy nests. If an active nest is found before or during project construction, no covered activities can take place within half a mile of the nest until it is no longer active. The HCP also requires monitoring of both construction and the nest, according to Beeler.

Beeler added, “We are working with the City of Brentwood, Contra Costa County, and the developers to ensure that the eagles and their young are protected until the young are old enough to fly on their own.”

For more information on the Service’s eagle management program, visit: https:// www.fws.gov/program/eagle-management.

There are no live web cameras covering the nest.

Liberty students debut mariachi band

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

After four practices over two weeks, mariachi band “Grupo L” made their debut performance in front of the English Learner Advisory Committee Monday, May 22 at Liberty High School quad.

The group came to life when campus officer Mike Rucker wanted to create something the students could be a part of and be proud of. So he contacted English teacher Elizabeth Gonzalez to see if she had any students interested in joining.

The two put this group together. “I wanted to kinda do something for them they could be proud of. Oftentimes, the (EL) kids are excluded because of a language barrier or cultural differences and I thought it would be fun to create a kind of program that would include these kids,” said Rucker.

Gonzalez is the adviser of the group and helped to get a majority of the kids interested in the group.

So far, “Grupo L” has been continuously growing with a new member joining each practice over the groups first two weeks to reach a total of 11 so far. According to Gonzalez, the group enables the students to forget about the stresses in the classroom and just be who they are outside of the classroom. They practice mostly in the English Learning classroom.

“Each time we practice, there’s a new student that joins or someone brings a

friend,” Gonzalez said. “It’s really just become a place for students to not have to worry about language in that room and they just get to be themselves and play the music they like.”

She said the group has motivated students and made them happy to come to school because they have something fun to look forward to.

Guitar player Salvador Arceo explained that being in the group has helped the group overall and himself.

“I think it’s something that made us

feel good,” Arceo said. “Our teacher always helped us with anything we needed, and thanks to her we’re here.”

The group said this performance at their high school was just the beginning of what is possible for this group, with Arceo wanting the group to be well known.

“I hope we go further; we want to be more known by people,” Arceo said.

The band is mostly for Liberty students, and those who are interested in possibly joining the band may contact Gonzalez at Cruze@luhsd.net.

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

information, email contacthalo@ yahoo.com or visit www.eccchalo.org

Meet Frankie & Dustin

Both boys are little loves. Frankie couldn’t be cuter, or sweeter. Dustin has long hair and wants to be in your lap. At almost three months old, the boys love to play and be loved on. For more information, email verleneanddavid@ sbcglobal.net

Grupo L, a new mariachi band made up of English learner students at Liberty High School, made their debut performance in the quad at the school on May 22.

Photo by Juan Cebreiros

“

I think it’s something that made us feel good. Our teacher always helped us with anything we needed, and thanks to her we’re here.

Salvador Arceo, guitar player

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, May 26

Shavout: Ice Cream Party & Dairy Buffet

The Chabad of the Delta is hosting a free community Shavout event at 1062 Somersby Way. It starts at 5 p.m. and will feature a reading of the Ten Commandments, a special program and prizes for children and a dairy buffet. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://bit.ly/3nn4jdC.

Be Exceptional Masquerade Ball

Be Exceptional is hosting a Masquerade Ball at the Brentwood Senior Center at 193 Griffith Lane from 6-9 p.m. The event is for ages 14 and older. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3I8lAyj.

Saturday, May 27

Oakley Memorial Day Ceremony

The city of Oakley is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony at Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. from 10-11 a.m. For more information, contact Alicia at oleary@ci.oakley.ca.us.

Sunday, May 28

Bags & Brews Cornhole Tournament

The Downtown Brentwood Coalition and the city of Brentwood are hosting a cornhole tournament in downtown Brentwood on First Street from noon6:30 p.m. Teams of two can register in the backyard or competitive divisions for $75. Check-in begins at 10:30 a.m. with a military tribute at noon, and the tournament begins at 1 p.m. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/3pjX0nz.

Monday. May 29

Oak View Cemetery Memorial Day

Ceremony

The Rivertown Lions Club is hosting a Memorial Day service at Oak View Memorial Park, at 2500 E. 18th St. The event begins at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast and then a 10 a.m. ceremony honoring veterans.

Memorial Day Ceremony

The Veterans of Foreign War Post 10789 and the Marine Corps League Det. 1155 are hosting an annual memorial ceremony at the Union Cemetery at 11545 Brentwood Blvd. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m.. For more information, contact Bill Weber at vfw11B@gmail.com.

On the Horizon

Saturday, June 3

Miles for Mayo 5K

The second annual Miles for Mayo 5K will be held at Veterans Park at 3841 Balfour Road. The race starts at 9 a.m. and benefits the Delta Limitless youth running program. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/3VL8bBZ.

Luncheon and Fashion Show

Fundraiser

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas court number 2714 is hosting a luncheon and fashion show fundraiser at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall at 500 Fairview Ave. at noon. Raffle baskets and hat prizes will be available. The cost is $35 for adults, and $15 for kids 12 and under. For tickets, contact Marina at 925-997-5927.

Sunday, June 4

Brentwood Community Chorus Spring Concert

The Brentwood Community Chorus is hosting their annual spring concert at the Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and the concert will feature special guests Replay Barbershop Quartet. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3oi9n3t.

Saturday, June 17

Oakley Juneteenth Celebration

The city of Oakley is hosting a Juneteenth celebration at Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will feature music, food, craft and food vendors and stage performances. For more information, contact Alicia at oleary@ci.oakley.ca.us.

Sunday, June 18

Antioch Father’s Day Car Show

The Celebrate Antioch Foundation is hosting a car show on 2nd and G streets in downtown Antioch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Awards will be given for Best in Show, Hot Rod, Classic Low rider, Sport, Truck and People’s Choice. The event will also feature music, street vendors, food, beer and wine and family activities. Car entry is $25. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/3VIxxAa.

Ongoing Events

East County Veteran Meetings

Brentwood: The American Legion Post 202 monthly meeting (on the second Wednesday of the month) is 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 St.. For more information, call 925-783-0818 or visit http://bit.ly/3mugBjv.

East Contra Costa Historical Museum

Season Open

The East Contra Costa Historical Museum at 3890 Sellers Ave, season is open till Oct. 28 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 https://eastcontracostahistory.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. This month’s speaker is Marian Woodward, and she will speak about gardening in the summer.

Hope Hospice Support Group Meetings

Hope Hospice is hosting virtual support groups every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through July 5. The support groups include the General Grief and Loss of a Child support groups are from 6-7:30 p.m. on Mondays until June 26 and Spousal/ Partner Loss groups on Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. until June 27 and Wednesdays from 1:30-3 p.m. until July 5. Call 925-829-8770 to register and learn more about teen support group information.

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 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/.

East County 4-H Club Meetings

Oakley: The Oakley 4-H Club has monthly meetings the secondWednesday 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 secondThursday at 6:30 p.m at 3840 Brown Road in Oakley. For more information contact Megan andTiffany 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 firstWednesday 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.

Widow and Widower Grief Support Group

A widow and widower grief support group from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church meets every Thursday from 5 to 6:15 p.m. at the church library at 500 Fairview Ave. in Brentwood The group focuses on finding a new normal as attendees walk the grief trail with others experiencing the same loss. For more information, contact Mary Ann Smith at 925-240-1706 or Sandy Heinisch at 925-513-3412.

East County Lions Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Lions Club meets the firstWednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza on LoneTreeWay. 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://eclubhouse.org/sites/oakleyd/ 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 firstTuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Discovery BayYacht 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/.

Applications accepted for Administrative Careers Training

The nonprofit Opportunity Junction is accepting applications for its administrative careers training program. Classes are taught via Zoom.The intensive training is 12 weeks, followed by up to four months of paid internship. Participants will learn life and business skills, and can earn their Microsoft Office Skills certificate. For more information, visit https:// www.opportunityjunction.org/program-application.

ACA Women’s Group

The ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) Women’s Group meets every Wednesday at 5 p.m. at 809 Second St. in Brentwood. For more information, contact Cici at 530-306-7034.

Free ESL Classes

The nonprofit organization Opportunity Junction

hosts free online English as a Second Language courses online through Zoom on Mondays and Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m. or 7:30-9 p.m. The classes are intended to help attendees learn to speak, write and read in English or improve their English. For more information, call 925-776-1133. To apply, visit https://sforce.co/3KdEfac.

Opportunity Junction

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.

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.

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.

California Striped Bass Association

West Delta Chapter Meeting

The California Striped Bass Association meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Sportsmen Yacht Club, 3301 Wilbur Ave., Antioch. For more information, call Moe Adams five days before meeting at 916-529-1192. For more information, visit www.csbadeltachapter.org.

Marine Corps League, Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, monthly meeting

The Marine Corps League, Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, hosts its monthly meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St., in Brentwood. The group is open to all active or retired U.S. Marines. Attendees are encouraged to bring a veteran friend, and spouses are always welcome. The meetings feature camaraderie, food, drink, conversation and updates on upcoming events. For more information, call 925-338-1775, email MCL1155@outlook. com or visit https://www.mcl1155.org/.

Community Resource Classes

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hosting non-denominational community resource classes at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2350 Jeffery Way in Brentwood. The free, 10-week courses will touch on personal finance, starting and growing your own business, emotional resilience, English as a second language, finding a better job and life skills. These are 10-week courses that meet once per week. To register or for more information, visit https://linktr.ee/antiochSR.

Splashball classes

The nonprofit Brentwood Seawolves are accepting registrants for its splashball program. Splashball is an official program of USA Water Polo designed to introduce the sport of water polo to children. “Noodles” are provided to assist with flotation while working on skills and drills, but children must be able to swim to participate. To sign up, or for more information, visit www.brentwoodseawolves.com/ registration-information.

Where to honor fallen service members on Memorial Day

Below is a list of Memorial Day ceremonies in Brentwood, Antioch and Oakley where East County veterans and residents can honor fallen service members.

BRENTWOOD:

Monday. May 29

Memorial Day Ceremony

The Veterans of Foreign War Post 10789 and the Marine Corps League Det. 1155 is hosting an annual Memorial Ceremony at the Union Cemetery at 11545 Brentwood Blvd. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m.. For more information, contact Bill Weber at vfw11B@gmail.com

ANTIOCH:

Monday. May 29

Oak View Cemetery

Memorial Day Ceremony

The Rivertown Lions Club is host-

ing a Memorial Day service at Oak View Memorial Park at 2500 E. 18th St. The event begins at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast, then a 10 a.m. ceremony honoring veterans.

OAKLEY:

Saturday, May 27

Memorial Day Ceremony

The city of Oakley is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony at Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. from 10-11 a.m. For more information, contact Alicia at oleary@ci.oakley.ca.us.

Veterans monthly meetings

For local veterans looking for support, comaraderie and resources, Brentwood and Oakley veterans groups have monthly meetings:

Brentwood: The American Legion Post 202 monthly meeting (on the second

Wednesday of the month) is 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 St. For more information, call 925-783-0818 or visit http://bit. ly/3mugBjv

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Letters to the editor

Girl is excited about agriculture in Brentwood

Editor:

As cherry season is starting, this is the perfect time and opportunity to talk about how important our agriculture is to our community.

Hi. My name is Arianna Hammer, and I am 11 years old. I have a deep passion for our community, agriculture and our world. I am an active member of Brentwood 4-H and I am your Miss Agriculture America California Preteen.

This year, I was wanting to challenge myself in many ways. I wanted to educate and reach as many people as I can about our environment, agriculture and need to better our world through education and example. Every year, I try to pick a new topic to learn as much as I can and try to figure out how to educate others.

This year, I picked corn and how important it is to our community of Brentwood, and our agriculture. I had the absolute privilege of meeting Joe from G and S Farm, and spent the afternoon with him learning, taking notes, and taking as many photos as I can to retain as much information as I could. At the end of the day, I felt ever more driven to talk about corn and to let even more people know about it.

So I did an Agricultural Education display and presentation and submitted it to our Contra Costa County 4-H presentation day. It was a hit. The judges said they learned so much, and I was given the opportunity to do another presentation and teach even more people about corn at West Coast Regionals.

I was so excited, and I knew I needed to do more. So, I asked my teacher from last year and he allowed me to do my presentation about corn to his class. We all planted corn seeds and the whole class took home seeds for their gardens. It was absolutely amazing.

Fast-forward to this past week, I had the opportunity to educate our community at the Contra Costa County Fair about corn and how amazing Brentwood corn and agriculture is. Also, this coming weekend, I have been given the opportunity to talk about Agriculture Education and Corn at UC Davis for California state 4-H.

I feel incredibly lucky and proud that I can represent our town of Brentwood and Brentwood 4-H at the state level. Hopefully, I can show the state of California that you can make a difference no matter how young you are. We can all be the change.

Arianna Hammer

Meeting about BART ‘crisis’ on June 13 in Walnut Creek

Editor: BART is in crisis. Ridership remains at only 40% of 2019 levels, and those who

use the system often deal with unsafe and unsanitary conditions. BART and other California transit agencies are now seeking more than $5 billion in emergency state aid and plan to put a half-cent sales tax increase measure on the November 2026 ballot to offset projected more than $330 million in annual operating budget deficits. Before taxpayers bail out public transit, we should be discussing reforms that could reduce or eliminate further subsidies.

Join us on June 13 to discuss the future of BART. Our speakers will be:

• Debora Allen, BART Board Director from Contra Costa. Dubbed the ‘Lightning Rod’ of the BART board in 2020, Debora has been the leading, and sometimes only, advocate for rider safety, fare enforcement, and responsible financial management.

• Marc Joffe, Policy analyst at the Cato Institute. See Marc’s latest op-eds on BART and transit bailouts generally in The East Bay Times and at California Policy Center.

• Lawrence J. McQuillan, a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute. Lawrence co-authored a 2022 study for the Institute enumerating BART’s defects and recommending privatization. Having escaped to Arizona, Lawrence will be joining us remotely.

The event will start at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13 at The Mercer Clubhouse, 1655 N. California Blvd, 1st floor, in Walnut Creek. This location is three blocks south of the Walnut Creek BART Station. If driving, you can park in Mercer’s commercial parking area, which is accessible from Trinity Place. Most spaces are free for two hours.

Attendance is free, but we request that you RSVP to mdjoffe@gmail.com given space limitations. Also, we will have a jar to accept donations of $5 or $10 to offset our costs of holding the event.

This event is sponsored by The Libertarian Party of Contra Costa County.

Marc Joffe

Brentwood post office should take care of its facility

Editor:

Every day, I pick up mail from the Brentwood post office. Over the years, I have observed the lack of pride in facility maintenance. I once complained to the USPS desk clerk about the disgrace of the American flag (and the POW flag) being flown ripped and tattered.

On an ongoing daily basis over the years, the floors are dirty, windows are never clean full of remnants of old signs and stickers, door handles black with ground in grime, the side door with an automatic opener that is often broken and left unrepaired heating and cooling the great outdoors.

Every time I go, I wonder where is the pride in management by the local

postmaster??? Currently, the grass is over 30 inches tall, no mowing or landscape maintenance in months.

The parking lot has garbage like we’ve living in a trash yard but the post office is just down the street from our beautiful and well maintained downtown. Weeds 18 inches tall greet you as you enter the main entrance. With the announcement of postal rate increases in July, I have to wonder, “Where does the maintenance budget for the Brentwood post office go??”

Clearly, the USPS doesn’t inspect or have a facilities manager or they are just asleep at the wheel. Maybe the Scouts could adopt the post office as a community service project, but should they have to?

I’d love to know the maintenance budget and see where it goes.

Kathy Bushman Brentwood

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall

150 City Park Way

Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-516-5440

www.brentwoodca.gov

City of Antioch

City Manager and City Council

City Hall

3rd and H streets

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

www.ci.oakley.ca.us

Town of Discovery Bay

Town Manager and Community Services

District

1800 Willow Lake Road

Discovery Bay, CA 94505

Phone: 925-634-1131

Vintage Elementary invites everyone to celebrate Class of 2023

Editor:

We invite you to celebrate with us. Past Vintage Elementary students who will soon be Freedom High School Class of 2023 graduates will be returning to Vintage for a final “clap-out” by past, and current teachers and faculty on June 6 at 3:15 p.m. This year’s graduating class has lost parents, siblings and friends in tragic ways. Some of the first people to step up and support the families affected directly by these tragedies were the amazing teachers. This is also a chance for the teachers and former teachers of Vintage to be recognized with a moment of gratitude from the parents and students. They deserve to see how their love and support carried this class to the finish line.

Nicole Adams

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

www.todb.ca.gov

County Supervisor, Dist. III

Diane Burgis

3361 Walnut Blvd., Suite 140

Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-252-4500

Fax: 925-240-7261

dist3@bos.cccounty.us

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

Publisher Greg Robinson

Controller Sandie McNulty

Editor Chris Campos

Production Manager Eric Kinnaird

Ad Services Manager Connie O’Neill

Founder & Publisher Emeritus Jimmy Chamoures

ext. 115

Classifieds 925-634-1441, ext. 142

Editorial 925-634-1441, ext. 110

Delivery Questions 925-584-7773

Subscription Questions 925-634-1441

Editorial email editor@brentwoodpress.com

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

LETTERS POLICY

The Press invites your comments. Letters must be no longer than 325 words and include name, address and phone number for confirmation.

The Press reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity, potential libel and taste, or to not print letters we feel violate our standards of acceptance.

Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily the opinions of The Press, whose opinions are contained in clearly marked editorials.

Send correspondence to The Press, 248 Oak St., Brentwood, California, 94513; or email editor@ brentwoodpress.com.

Robert Wayne Whittern

Aug. 7, 1969 - March 21, 2023

Robert is survived by his mother, Teresa Anderson; daughter Ashley (Chris) Sorrells; grandson Sterling Sorrells and many cherished friends. Robert grew up in Brentwood and graduated from Liberty High School in 1987. He was an avid Oakland Raiders and Athletics fan. Robert had accepted Jesus into his life and truly

Diana Jones

May 11, 2023 - Oct. 25, 1945

Diana Jones, a resident of Brentwood, Calif, formerly of Danville, Calif., returned to the Father on May 11, 2023. She passed peacefully at home at the age of 77 surrounded by the love of her family and friends.

Diana was born the second child of George and Haide (Larson) Griese in Muskogee, Okla. on October 25, 1945, in between Gaird (Griese) Wallig and Daniel Griese. The family later moved to Oakland, Calif. where Diana attended Bishop O’Dowd High School and, later, Providence College of Nursing. It was at Bishop O’Dowd where she met and later married Robert “Bob” Jones on Oct. 1, 1966. They were married for 56 years and had three children: Lisa (Jones) Scott, Amy (Jones) Allen, and David Jones.

Diana is survived by her best friend and husband, Bob, their three children, brother Daniel Griese, seven grandchildren – John Scott, Kelsey Scott, Doug Scott, Alyssa (Allen) Vandeventer, Rebecca (Allen) Tarry, Joshua Allen, and Noah Allen – and 1 ½ great-grandchildren – Adam Allen and Baby Tarry (due December, 2023) . Also survived by nephews Matt Nobriga, Joey Wal-

OBITUARIES

loved the Lord.

A memorial service and celebration of Robert’s life will be held on Saturday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at Brentwood Neighborhood Church, 50 Birch St., in Brentwood. A luncheon will be served after the service.

lig and Eddie Wallig and by niece Ann (Nobriga) Marquez.

Diana, who was known for her compassion, vivacity, beautiful smile, and artistic ability, loved hiking Yosemite’s Panorama Trail, tent camping, photography, hanging out with her grandchildren, and walking her dogs. Diana spent 40 years as a nurse, spending a large amount of that time in Labor and Delivery. As a result, she had the great honor of helping deliver five of her seven grandchildren as well as assisting the countless women and babies who came through her unit throughout her long career.

Diana and Bob were very involved in their home parish of St. Joan of Arc in San Ramon. One of the founding families of that parish, they were part of the music ministry and led the choir at Saturday evening Mass. They were also active in the Marriage Encounter Community for over 10 years, 2 years as Executive Team for the Oakland Diocese. They made many lifelong friends throughout those years and helped couples enrich their marriages throughout the diocese and in other cities and states.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Joan of Arc in San Ramon on June 19 at 11 o’clock. Please join the family at a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Yosemite Conservancy, your local food bank or Hospice non-profit.

Celebration of Life: Steve Lopez-Todd

Please join us as we celebrate the life of Steve Lopez-Todd: husband, father, son, veteran, soldier, police officer, neighbor, friend, and much more.

Steve was a man of character who never missed an opportunity to help others. He always gave back to our community, and he made this a better place to live. Every life he touched was made better by Steve. Veterans held a special place in his heart, and he was always available to help, listen, and lend a hand to any veteran in need.

We will honor Steve’s amazing life on Saturday, June 24 at 11 a.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. in Brentwood. After the celebration of life, there will be a lunch provided in exchange for memories, smiles, laughter, and hugs. Let us all come together and commemorate the life of this amazing man.

Steve Lopez-Todd was the commander of the VFW Post 10789 from 2009 to 2019. Steve was California Assembly District 11 California Veteran of the year in 2016. He was also a member of American Legion Post 202 and the Delta Diablo Marine Corps League Det.1155 and a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans Post 7. He was also the past Second Vice President of the Brentwood Lions Club.

Milestones Milestones

Have you or someone you know recently reached a “milestone”?

If so, we’d like to know about it!

Trip to State meet helps build culture for Liberty High School STUNT team

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD “He said, ‘You can’t go in one year and just win State.”

Liberty High School STUNT head coach Kelly Iserloth is building more than just a STUNT team in Brentwood while at the same time trying to prove her husband wrong – and she and the program are close to where they want to be.

In just two years as the head coach of Liberty’s STUNT team, Iserloth had instilled the pillars for not just a strong culture for her girls and the program, but a culture that will have a tradition of winning.

“We’re making a name for ourselves this year,” senior Zoe Dix said. “I feel like more and more people are wanting to know about it.”

After just two years, including the recent trip to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Tournament in Southern California last week, the former cheer coach and cheer gym owner Iserloth is off to a fast start.

“That was my first time ever going to State, and to just see the progress from last year to this year and knowing that I trained them to get that far,” Iserloth said. “I feel like that was a big accomplishment to see their progress in one year because we were just starting over from scratch.”

Team cohesiveness was important to their success.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so close with the team,”Dix said. “I think it was a big focal point of the parents, coaches, and everyone just wanting to have a strong team to support one another. Last year, we didn’t focus on that so much. This year, focusing on that made us a really strong team, and I hope that continues.”

Dix is heading to the University of

Kentucky in Lexington on a full-scholarship for STUNT, becoming the first member of the program to earn a fullride Division-I scholarship, but she’s also the first in her family to play a Division-I sport.

“I’m super excited,” Dix said. “D-I STUNT is so cool. D-I sports (in Kentucky) is a big thing.”

The Bay Valley Athletic League champion Liberty took down local rivals Freedom and Heritage to win the league, then lost by a single point in doubleovertime to San Ramon’s California High School in the finals of North Coast Section tournament. Liberty defeated Rocklin High School in their opening match of the CIF state tournament before losing to eventual champion Centennial High of Corona in Day 1.

The trip to State was Liberty’s first since 2019.

“It made all the work worth it,” Iserloth said. “I felt like all of the hours that I’ve invested in them, I was proud that they just got that far.”

“It is a lot about technique, and other teams are seeing that. I was just happy to be sitting alongside some of the teams that were best in the state and getting compliments from coaches. Centennial’s coach even came up and said her girls were scared because my girls looked robotically sharp.”

STUNT is one of the fastest growing female sports in the country, created by USA Cheer as an opportunity for schools to meet Title IX requirements of a sport, according to its website. The sport provides an avenue for the female athletes

involved to use their cheerleading backgrounds in a new format that focuses on the technical and athletic components of competitive cheerleading.

Teams compete against one another at the same time, splitting halves of the floor while performing the same routine simultaneously. A point is awarded to the team that performs the routine perfectly. The match is spread across four quarters, each quarter with its own focus – partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling, and team routine.

“There’s no room for error,” Iserloth said. “Me and my staff are up till three o’clock in the morning reviewing videos and counts and stuff like that.”

Iserloth said the biggest takeaway from STUNT is that it’s not cheerleading. The athletes wear volleyball-type uniforms, and the focus is on the details of the routine at hand, rather than a crowd reaction.

That same attention to detail is one of the key pillars that Iserloth has instilled in the program.

“If one person is out of sync and their rhythm is a half-count off, that stunt falls,” Iserloth said.

The next step for Iserloth and Liberty STUNT is winning State, now that they’ve had a taste of the rest of the competition in California this spring. This offseason includes strength training with head varsity football coach Mike Cable and open gyms starting in November.

Iserloth’s husband’s questions changed a bit as well. From saying they can’t win State in a year to asking if Iserloth herself is done coaching after just two seasons at the helm.

“No, no,” she said. “We have to win.”

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

Local baseball teams lose early in NCS playoffs

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

The journey through the North Coast Section baseball playoffs ended quickly for Heritage, Liberty, and Freedom. None of the three high schools made it past the quarterfinals with Heritage getting knocked out in the first round. Here’s a recap of our area’s quick trip into the NCS. Liberty unable to keep up with De La Salle

Lions senior starter Cole Ehrhorn was knocked around early and often as Liberty fell to the top-seed Spartans 9-1 last Friday in the NCS quarterfinals.

Ehrhorn went just three innings on the mound, allowing six runs on five hits with four strikes and three walks. Fellow senior Andrew Dodgson fared no better in relief, al-

lowing three runs on six hits with three strikeouts in the final three innings.

The Lions had a chance to score early against Spartans junior starter RJ Meyn in the second inning. However, junior Zach Madrigal, who singled earlier in the inning, was thrown out at home to end the inning trying to score from first. Liberty also had a chance to score a run in the third inning. However, they stranded a runner that would’ve clawed them back from an early 2-0 hole.

Liberty’s lone run came in the seventh inning off of an RBI double from Sutter Doctolero off of Spartans junior Jack Karst.

Freedom watches playoff run end at Pittsburg Freedom’s late-game magic in the NCS emptied out

with just one out left in their NCS quarterfinals game at Pittsburg last Friday.

Down 4-2 with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh inning, senior Gabe Ribero struck out looking to end the game with the Falcons looking to rally late.

Junior Carson Emmons singled to lead off the inning. That was followed by another single by his younger brother Caleb Emmons. Two batters later, Angelo Solis drew a walk to load the bases for Ribero.

Pittsburg junior starter Cole Leschak earned the complete-game win, allowing just two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

Freedom starter Adrian Boles kept the Falcons

see NCS playoffs page 13

Liberty STUNT performs one of their team poses.

Photo courtesy Kelly Iserloth

Freedom’s Gabe Ribero watches a pitch go for strike 3 to end the game with the bases loaded in the Falcons, 4-2 loss at Pittsburg in the NCS quarterfinals.

NCS playoffs

from page 12

through most of the game, allowing four runs on five hits.

Falcons catcher Landon Clenney struggled behind the plate, allowing three passed-balls in the second inning to give the Pirates a 3-1 lead early.

“Just one of those days, and I wish (Pittsburg) the best of luck going forward,” Falcons head coach Ken Evanson said.

Heritage offense a no-show in first-round loss to Berkeley

What should have been a deeper run for the Patriots turned to disappointment quickly in the first round as Heritage’s lineup was only able to manage four hits against the Berkeley Yellowjackets in their NCS first-round matchup back on May 16.

“Anytime you end the season, it’s kind of bittersweet,” Patriots head coach Kevin Brannan said. “Some of the struggles we had with some of the younger kids will definitely pay off for us. This

is still a young team.”

Heritage had a chance to take the opening lead as early as the first inning, loading the bases before junior Elijah Ward struck out swinging to end the inning. They would get two more into scoring position in the fourth with the Jackets up just a run. However, catcher Tyler Williams popped out to shortstop to end the threat.

The win for Berkeley is revenge for their playoff losses against Heritage in 2017 and 2016.

Heritage’s lineup struggled mightily toward the end of the season. Despite defeating Pittsburg 1-0 in the Bay Valley Athletic League tournament final on May 11, the Patriots tallied just three hits, and in their 1-0 over Liberty to win the BVAL league on May 4 they managed just five hits.

“We just didn’t get the bats going,” Heritage senior Anthony Potestio said. “We weren’t hitting that well.”

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

Discovery Bay diver makes a splash

Discovery Bay resident Riley Lee finished 13th in the 1-meter springboard event at the California Interscholastic Federation State Diving Championships on May 11 in Clovis. Riley, a junior at Saint Mary’s High School in Stockton, finished the event with a new personal high score of 451.90 and broke the previous school record set in 2011. While at the State Championships, Riley also earned her second All-American consideration score for the 2023 season. Pictured (left to right): Jeff Hoornaert (Saint Mary’s aquatics director), Riley Lee and Robert Wimberly (Saint Mary’s diving coach)

Photo courtesy of Michelle Lee

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Brentwood Chamber seeking nominations for Citizen of the Year

Voting and nominations are open to pick your favorite person who has done great things for the City of Brentwood over the years to be recognized as Citizen of the Year.

The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is also looking for nominations for Business of the Year. Let them know the business that you feel went above and beyond, and deserves to be recognized.

The chamber is also seeking nominations for Non-Profit of the Year, Youth of the Year, Employee of the year and new category this year -- Start-up Business of the Year. To vote, visit www.brentwoodchamber.com/events/details/2022-celebrating-brentwood-gala-event-11548

Let the Chamber know why you are picking them, how long they’ve been doing their specific activity and the extent of their involvement.

Winners are based on a ranking sys-

tem, so the Chamber encourages you to have multiple people vote, listing all the wonderful things your nominee did and for how long to deserve this award. The winners will be honored at the Celebrating Brentwood Gala on Sunday, July 30 in the Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. from 4-9 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale in the next few weeks and can be purchased at www.brentwoodchamber.com/celebratingbrentwood.

A new twist this year is that the Gala will be Academy Award style, where the top three nominees will announce ahead of time who will be recognized and honored at the Gala. Then the winners are announced that evening. For more information, contact the Brentwood Chamber at 925-634-3344 or go to www.brentwoodchamber.com Nominations close on Friday June 30.

Members of the Oakley Rotary Club recently spent the day building and installing Little Free Libraries, public bookcases that allow residents around the city to share books. From left to right are David Wahl, Michael Hale, Lynn Mackey, Vera Martinez and Joseph Patrick Bray Jr.

Photo by Christian Raitt

City residents can be part of photo mosaic

Brentwood’s 75th anniversary celebtration

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD The city is keeping with its 75th anniversary celebration going with an upcoming opportunity to be part of a photo mosaic celebrating the city as well as a 38-part video series featuring interviews with residents.

Submissions for the photo mosaic are being accepted through the Fourth of July, according to City Manager Tim Ogden. After this, the completed mosaic is expected to be unveiled in the late summer or early fall, he said. The city’s website says that submitted photos may be used in the mosaic, an accompanying video animation, the city’s website and the city’s social media pages as well.

More information about the photo

Ana Gutierrez

Becky Bloomfield

Brett Swisher

Brian Swisher

Carlos Sanabria

Craig Bronzan

Daniel Navarette

David Spearman

Dewey De Martini

Doug Adams

Glen Stonebarger

Greg Robinson

Ike Montanez

Joe Ghiggeri

Katie Rogina

Dee Olmedo & Joe Ghiggeri

Kiko Ceja

Laura Ceja

Lori Meyers

Lillian Pierce

Lilly Beatty

Mark Myers

mosaic, including the submission form, can be found at https://bit.ly/3Bh76bk

Although submissions for the photo mosaic are still open to the public, the video series was completed earlier in the year, and interviewees were curated by the city.

“We felt it important to recognize the individuals who’ve got rich history in Brentwood and helped play roles in its development,” Ogden said. “We solicited names from members of the East Contra Costa Historical Society, Council and staff as to who’d be great interviewees. We showed the videos during our birthday party on Jan. 21, and have them hosted on our website all year to be reviewed.”

The videos range from less than two minutes to more than 10 minutes. Most feature a single resident talking about their memories of Brentwood as the city has grown and developed during their time living here, although some videos feature more than one resident. The interviewees include prominent residents, many of whom are known for their community service efforts.

Marty Papagni

Mary Casey Black

Mary Lou Lozano Klovee

Mike & George Clement

Patricia Piquero

Paul Ramirez

Peter Jacoway

Robbie Myers

Robert Taylor

Ron Nunn

Roy Ghiggeri

Roy Schuler

Sharyn Metez

Shaun Samuels

Shirley McCall

Sue & Joey Nardone

Wanda Hill

The videos will likely also play at future events all year, according to Ogden. The full video series can be also found at https://bit.ly/41S9nVV

Cop logs

A case of vandalism was reported on Las Colinas Drive. The reporting party’s silver Audi was egged and sustained damage.

BRENTWOOD - May 7, 8:43 a.m

The following is a selection of recent law enforecement activity:

OAKLEY

May 5, 4:04 a.m. A public nuisance was reported at the 1400 block on Laurel Road.

May 5, 5:32 a.m. A public nuisance was reported at the 1500 block on Port Way.

May 5, 7:56 a.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 300 block on Parkfield Way.

May 5, 8:27 a.m. A petty theft was reported at the 500 block on Vanek Drive.

May 5, 9:26 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 4800 block on Claret Court.

May 5, 11:07 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 1700 block on Gamay Drive.

May 5, 11:08 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported at the 100 block on Celsia Way.

May 5, 11:13 a.m. A trespasser was reported at the 500 block on 3rd Street.

May 5, 11:55 a.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 1800 block on Locke Court.

May 5, 12:34 p.m. An abandoned vehicle was reported at the 4600 block on La Vista Drive.

May 5, 4:25 p.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Main Street/Gardenia Avenue.

May 5, 5:54 p.m. A fight was reported on Mehaffey Way/Ponderosa Drive.

May 5, 8:07 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the Oakley Police Department.

May 6, 12:38 a.m. A reckless driver was reported at the Main Street/Charles Way.

May 6, 1:44 a.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 5900 block on Bridgehead Road.

May 6, 2:46 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was stopped at Laurel Fields.

May 6, 2:59 a.m. A misdemeanor DUI was reported on Laurel Road/O’Hara Avenue.

May 6, 9:22 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 10 block on Leila Court.

May 6, 12:33 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported at the 1900 block on Gateway Drive.

May 6, 1:56 p.m. A case of fraud under false pretenses was reported at the 4900 block on Winchester Drive.

May 6, 3:25 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 4900 block on Dawson Drive.

May 6, 3:58 p.m. A fight was reported at the 10 block on Terri Court.

May 6, 5:03 p.m. An arrest warrant was served on W. Cypress Road/Fall Lane.

May 6, 5:48 p.m. A public nuisance was reported on Bernard Road/Big Bear Road.

May 6, 9:39 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Main Street/Laurel Road.

May 6, 10:26 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the Best Western in Oakley.

May 7, 1:11 a.m. An unwanted guest was reported at the Chevron in Oakley.

May 7, 9:54 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported on Tuolumne Way.

May 7, 12:45 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 4800 block on Burgundy Drive.

May 7, 1:34 p.m. A reckless drive was reported on Everlasting Way/Safflower Cour t.

May 7, 1:52 p.m. A suspicious vehicle was stopped at the 6000 block on Bridgehead Road.

Brentwood police promote two officers to lieutenant

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

May 7, 1:59 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 1500 block on Larkspur Court.

May 7, 2:14 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the Raleys in Oakley.

May 7, 2:22 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 10 block on Terri Court.

May 7, 2:54 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 4600 block on Burgundy Drive.

May 7, 2:57 p.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported at the 10 block on Big Bend Court.

May 7, 4:09 p.m. An abandoned vehicle was reported on Woodglen Drive/Woodridge Place.

May 7, 4:51 p.m. An assault with a deadly weapon was reported at the 4300 block on Lorenzetti Drive.

May 7, 5:51 p.m. A shooting at an occupied dwelling was reported at the 200 block on E. Ruby Street.

BRENTWOOD

May 6, 3:48 a.m. A fight was reported on Ranchwood Drive.

May 6, 6:54 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Summerset Drive.

May 6, 8:12 a.m. A grand theft was reported on Demartini Lane. A laptop was taken from the vehicle.

May 6, 8:23 a.m. A threats complaint was reported on Oak Street.

May 6, 11:00 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Griffith Lane. Two pool vacuums were taken.

May 6, 1:31 p.m. A grand theft was reported on Orfanos Ranch Drive/Michalia Lane. A catalytic converter was taken overnight.

May 6, 3:24 p.m. A suspicious person was reported on Lone Tree Way. This incident led to the arrest of an adult.

May 6, 3:57 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Lexington Street. The vehicle of the reporting party’s transmission is

Aguiar, who has been with the department for 17 years, will oversee the patrol division. Peart, who’s spent the last 18 years with Brentwood, will oversee the investigations division. “Both are tenured staff members that bring a great deal of experience and professionalism to the administrative ranks and leadership team,” said Capt. Walter O’Grodnick.

messed up, and she believes someone tried to vandalize her vehicle.

May 6, 4:21 p.m. A threats complaint was reported on Blue Ridge Avenue.

May 6, 11:39 p.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Lone Tree Way. People refused to leave the store and spit at the reporting party.

May 6, 11:50 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Sand Creek Road. The reporting party’s husband lost his wallet earlier on in the day, and fraudulent charges were made on his card later that day.

May 7, 12:15 a.m. A hit and run with no injuries was reported on Oak Street. The reporting party was rear-ended by a gray Ford pickup truck.

May 7, 12:27 a.m. A case of disturbing the peace was reported on Oak Street.

May 7, 2:22 a.m. A harassment complaint was made on Brentwood Boulevard. The reporting party received messages from someone saying they are going to come and harm her.

May 7, 5:16 a.m. A suspicious person was reported on Amber Lane/Jeffery Way. Someone was trying to break into a trailer at a construction site.

May 7, 5:53 a.m. An accident with no injuries was reported on Apricot Way/Empire Avenue. An unoccupied white vehicle looks like it hit a light pole.

May 7, 8:43 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Las Colinas Drive. The reporting party’s silver Audi was egged and sustained damage.

May 7, 10:13 a.m. A warrant was served on Orchard Drive/Walnut Boulevard.

May 7, 11:01 a.m. A missing adult was reported on Cornell Drive.

May 7, 6:14 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the Home Depot on Lone Tree Way. Two males were cutting cages to get to the power tools.

May 7, 7:27 p.m. A case of forgery/fraud on Anastasia Drive. The reporting party was scammed out of $500 in gift cards. The person who asked for the money said he was with a church and is now asking for $1,000.

ANTIOCH

May 7, 1:19 a.m. A weapons violation was reported at the 900 block on St. Frances Drive.

May 7, 2:32 a.m. A welfare check was reported at the 1400 block on Hill Drive.

May 7, 8:28 a.m. A simple assault was reported at the 0 block on Bryan Avenue.

May 7, 8:44 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 300 block on W. 10th Street.

May 7, 8:56 a.m. A simple assault was reported at the 200 block on Wilbur Avenue.

May 7, 10:59 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported at the 1800 block on Hillcrest Avenue.

May 7, 11:55 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported at the 5700 block on Lone Tree Way.

May 7, 12:04 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 3000 block on Wilbur Avenue.

May 7, 1:32 p.m. A weapons violation was reported at the 1700 block on Lilac Lane.

May 7, 2:19 p.m. A reckless driver was reported at the 0 block on Madill Street.

May 7, 5:19 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 600 block on Wilbur Avenue.

May 7, 5:36 p.m. A grand theft was reported at the 5700 block on Lone Tree Way.

May 7, 7:12 p.m. A hit and run with no injuries was reported on Lone Tree Way/Canada Valley Road.

May 7, 7:25 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 5300 block on Fairside Way.

May 7, 8:08 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 2500 block on San Jose Drive.

May 7, 8:23 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 900 block on W. 5th Street.

May 7, 9:29 p.m. A hit and run with injuries was reported on W. 18th Street/L Street.

May 8, 9:52 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 2300 block on Lemontree Way.

May 8, 1:01 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 2700 block on San Elijo Court.

May 8, 1:33 p.m. A residential vehicle was reported at the 700 block on O Street.

May 8, 2:14 p.m. A case of commercial vandalism was reported at the 300 block on W. 10th Street.

May 8, 2:34 p.m. A threats complaint was reported at the 1900 block on Paradise Peak Court.

May 8, 3:35 p.m. A grand theft was reported at the 2500 block on Somersville Road.

May 8, 3:46 p.m. An unwanted guest was reported at the 5700 block on Lone Tree Way.

May 8, 4:08 p.m. A case of battery was reported at the 5400 block on San Martin Way.

May 8, 4:35 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 2200 block on Mandarin Way.

May 8, 6:09 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 3300 block on Blythe Drive.

May 8, 7:11 p.m. A missing adult was reported at the 5100 block on Pray Court.

Long-time Brentwood police officers Miguel Aguiar (right) and Chris Peart (left) were sworn in by Chief Tim Herbert (center) to their new ranks in front of friends and family at a promotional ceremony at the department on May 17.

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of lights and fixtures for any project. With competitive prices, five-year warranties for products and services and supreme safety practices, the team aims to be the premiere electrical contractor for the Brentwood area.

“Our intent is to provide optimal customer satisfaction,” said Richard Bertel, owner. “No job is too big or too small.”

would be a similar action directed at one person.

“It’s a general reminder,” he said. “Here’s what our rules are; here’s our expectations.”

The decision to admonish the entire council came down to a 3-2 vote, with Bryant, Oerlemans and Councilmember Pa’tanisha Pierson voting for it while Mendoza and Vice Mayor Susannah Meyer voiced their opposition.

“I have self-control,” Oerlemans said during the discussion. “I know it didn’t show that night – my passion showed that night.”

Oerlemans said that his request for a recess before storming out of the room was proof that he was not “out of control” that night. He apologized for his behavior and for making anyone feel unsafe.

“I guarantee you it won’t happen again.”

Decorum has been a recurring topic at Brentwood City Council meetings for several months, with the council even undergoing team building exercises. One example was a Feb. 7 workshop on good governance.

“It’s important for us to be what the community deserves,” Bryant said at the start of that workshop. “There are examples throughout history of concerning behavior in leadership roles of government, and I really

Citizens from page 1

want us to be the example of what to be.”

Although council members ended the workshop speaking positively of it and saying they felt it had made them a more effective team, they have continued to clash at meetings, such as the incident between Oerlemans and Bryant.

Issues with decorum have also extended to the public, not just among the council. During the April 11 City Council meeting, Brower gave a presentation that focused on public conduct at meetings.

“Council meetings will be governed by common sense and good taste,” he explained, citing the council’s ethics and conduct policy. Brower also noted that residents attending meetings should not personally attack each

like patrol operations, how the department handles citizen complaints, and records, to training explanations like how police prepare for and handle active shooter, or critical incident, situations, and showing how officers train for tough situations with the simulator that mimics certain situations.

At the end of each session, the participants fill out a reflection sheet detailing what they like and didn’t like or wanted more of from the course.

“It gives me a little bit more background,” Aguilar said.

“If there was no age limit, absolutely,” said Yvette Gomez on whether or not this program would make her want to be a cop. “It definitely educates you on what routes you can take and not just being on the street, but also there’s a lot behind the scenes that play a big part in the entire department.”

While the Citizens Academy has inspired some to possibly want to get involved with police work and law enforcement, there are still those who are interested in what goes on

Bryant from page 1

Center. The $25 million infrastructure improvement project is a privately-owned jobcreating business park that has seen its share of challenges as the land that it’s planned to be developed on isn’t owned by the city. However, Bryant and the city of Brentwood are confident that once they get the deals done with the property owners, that the technology corporations and medical technology corporations that the city has talked to will start making their way over to Brentwood.

“(Brentwood) is making partnerships with companies that were totally unaware that Brentwood isn’t just agricultural anymore,” Bryant said in his presentation.

Brentwood has seen a massive amount of growth since the turn of the millennium. According to World Population Review, Brentwood’s population in 2000 was about 23,300, doubling a decade later to about 51,500 in 2010. Bryant’s 64,513 total population from his presentation is almost triple that of just two decades ago.

“I love that we have a lot of great families moving to Brentwood,” Bryant said.

other or council members, and should not interrupt others or disrupt the flow of a meeting. In any such instance, the mayor may take action that could include asking that person to leave the room.

“I’m going to state something that I want the council to consider,” Bryant said at the conclusion of the May 23 discussion. “Should there be, on any council person, the necessity to go through this process again, I am going to recommend bypassing any other option other than censure. We cannot lose the confidence of our community. We cannot lose the respect and confidence of each other, whether we agree or not. There’s no question in my mind that every single one of us up here are up here for the solitary purpose of serving

in the department, but wouldn’t want to be cops.

Best friends Sally Allison-Goddard and Jenny Shirk, both long-time Brentwood residents and both a part of the Neighborhood Watch, are happy that they’re taking part in the Citizens Academy. But they said, without elaboration, that the program isn’t pushing them to want to join the department.

“There’s really informative things that I wouldn’t even think about,” Goddard said. “The little details really clarify what the backside of the whole police department is.

“There are some interesting things,” Shirk said. “I think there are people in here who potentially want to encourage more people to do it because they’re learning about the different positions and stuff.”

In a time of public distrust in police nationally, students said the Brentwood Police Citizens Academy tries to go the extra step to bridge the gap and be as transparent as possible to the public. A Gallup poll from 2022 found that just 45% of surveyed Americans are confident in the police nationwide.

“Over 20 years ago, it was significantly smaller, but at the same time finding a good balance in the growth point, focusing on the traditional values, the agricultural values and foundation that we have as a community and bringing in new, diverse cultures into our community. We’re becoming a stronger, more integrated community so that we can more appreciate the strengths of different cultures and the ideas that they bring.”

In addition to the continued growth of the city and with the desire to bring the technology industry to Brentwood, Bryant still wants the city to hang onto its agricultural roots. Brentwood declared itself the ‘U-Pick’ capital of the world.

“Agricultural technologies and the future, that’s absolutely essential for the city of Brentwood,” Bryant said. “It is our identity.

Bryant also gave several other updates through the hour-long presentation.

He mentioned in his presentation that the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant is in the second year of its three-year, $65 million project and is going according to schedule, and that once the expansion of the

our community and making this community a better place for our families and the families that are our neighbors here.”

Bryant expressed his unhappiness that other local mayors have been given reason to refer to Brentwood as “a circus.” With the agenda item closed, he proposed the council move forward.

Other topics discussed at the May 23 meeting included the council’s approval of $176,744 in economic development grants to fund local events throughout the year and a design review of the Wendy’s restaurant recently approved by the Planning Commission. The full meeting can be watched at https://bit.ly/3BRnm3l

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

“It could bridge the gap,” Rachel Hawkins, another participant, said about the importance of the Citizens Academy. “It’s huge. There’s so much that I did not know that police officers go through. But attending this meeting, learning what the police do and all the different departments, it opened my eyes to look at them differently.”

Sgt. Miguel Aguilar was a speaker during one of the earlier sessions of Citizens Academy who explained in detail how the department handles citizens’ complaints.

“Communication’s huge,” Aguilar said. “If you’re communicating with the members of your community, they will better understand the operating principles and how you do business. Then you get to hear feedback as to what works or doesn’t work. So I think communication is huge.

“I think this is a great forum. It gives people a chance to kind of hear a different perspective and for us to give them information that they can share.”

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

water treatment plant is complete that the city “will be able to take care of any of the future growth of the city far into the future.”

He also gave an update to the improvements of the parking garages by City Park and the Highway 4 Livorna Road sound wall project this summer.

Bryant gave new details on the Sand Creek Road extension that was approved by the county and that it was delayed due to 11 mating pairs of golden eagles that all found a tree in the middle of the construction area. The project will continue once the eagles leave their nest, officials said.

One of the other big projects that has begun is the Highway 4 overcrossing at Mokelumne trail.

According to Bryant, the trail will link six Bay Area counties, starting near South San Francisco and going all the way out to the foot of the Sierra Nevada. The city also did not pay anything toward the project as it was funded by the developers as part of a multi-county regional transit system.

He also commended the police department, especially after they released their

video explaining the events of the March 12 shooting on Sycamore Avenue.

“Some of the recent incidents that have happened here in the city of Brentwood highlighted the professionalism, the bravery, and the sacrifice that our officers show on a daily basis,” Bryant said. “The video is out everywhere and I want to thank the staff and our police department. I have friends and acquaintances from all over the world that are in military and law enforcement, and every single one of them said (they) have never seen an incident reported with such clarity, transparency and such professionalism.”

The city is also getting two new fire stations within city limits.

In the next two years, Station 51 will take its place on Empire Road and Amber Lane, while Station 54 will call downtown Brentwood on First Street home. The goal of the new station houses is to cut down response time by ConFire, especially to areas like Knightsen, Bethel Island, and Discovery Bay.

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

BRYANT MEYER MENDOZA OERLEMANS PIERSON

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK UP AND VOTE for your favorite business or person.

Who is your favorite attorney or veterinarian? Where do you go for steak?

Who’s your gardener, handyman or florist? You get the idea – now get voting! We list more than 150 categories to help you weigh in on the Best of Oakley.

$50

GIFT CERTIFICATE TO

Submit your ballot by Monday, June 12 at 5 p.m. to qualify.

Three lucky voters will win.

Vote online now at www.thepress.net/boo_ballot.

6 rules to follow so your ballot counts:

1. Vote for Oakley and Bethel Island-based businesses only.

2. Vote for a minimum of 10 categories.

3. Provide your name, email and phone number on the ballot.

4. Full-sized,11 x 17 photocopied newspaper ballots are OK, but entries must be written by hand in ink.

*Additional copies available at The Press.

5. When voting for a person, enter the person’s FULL name AND their COMPANY’S name.

6. When voting for a company, enter the company’s complete name.