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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 11, No. 20
Fair gearing up for banner year by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer As the Contra Costa County Fair prepares to set up shop at the fairgrounds in Antioch, organizers are pleased with how things are going leading up to the annual event. According to CEO Lori Marshall, the fair regularly draws roughly 60,000 people each year. Marshall said that with the talented on-stage acts and fun activities for children, organizers are hoping for even larger crowds this time around. The fair will run from noon to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, June 2 and 3; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5. A host of tribute bands plus a couple up-and-coming acts headline the fairās popular concert
series. The country band Whiskey Dawn will play on June 2 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Based in Northern California, Whiskey Dawn has received regular airplay on KNCI and performed live for popular country artists such as Brad Paisley, Faith Hill, Eric Church, Clay Walker and Lady Antebullum. Award-winning rock group The Lost Boys, comprising five teenage boys from Lake County, will take the stage twice on Friday. The Lost Boys earned the Rock Album and Rock Artist of the Year awards from the 2010 Los Angeles Music Awards. Theyāve opened for a variety of singers such as 3 Doors Down, AllAmerican Rejects, Kelly Clarkson, Journey, Tim McGraw and Foreigner. see Fair page 19A
A high-tech surveillance device not only takes the bad guyās picture; it orders him to bug off. Page 3A Photo courtesy of Whiskey Dawn
Whiskey Dawn, a Northern California-based country music band, will take the stage at the Contra Costa County Fair in Antioch on June 2.
Staff Writer
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Photo by Richard Wisdom
Trafļ¬c congestion at Heritage High School could be eased soon, as a local transportation improvement board has voted to place a trafļ¬c light at the intersection of the student parking lot and American Avenue.
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The lure of Point Lobos
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by Justin Lafferty
2012 deadline. āItās been an ongoing, major need,ā TRANSPLAN chairman Brian Kalinowski said. āHaving signalized lights is going to create a better traffic flow.ā Installation of a traffic signal will cost roughly $300,000
May 20, 2011
The jewel in Californiaās coastal crown lies within easy striking distance of East County. Page 1B
Grant could ease student traffic at Heritage A federal grant, approved, will ease traffic congestion on Heritage High Schoolās main thoroughfare by paying for a traffic light at American Avenue outside the student parking lot. At a recent meeting of the East County transportation improvement board TRANSPLAN, board members voted in favor of using a $726,000 grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Committee as part of the Caltrans Safe Routes to School Program. The board has until May 26 to submit the project to the committee, which has until the end of the month to give it preliminary approval. If the Federal Highway Administration OKs the plan by Aug. 31, the board can start working on the design to submit to Caltrans ā a process with a Feb. 1,
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and take about a year, if everything is approved on time. The grant will also fund the replacement of 66 solar-powered crosswalk lights in Brentwood, an $85,000 project, as well as closure of a sidewalk cap adjacent to Marsh Creek Elementary
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Capt. Jon Bloom debunks the elitist connotations of āyacht club.ā
School, which will cost about $50,000. The rest of the $726,000 grant will go toward the 511 Contra Costa East County Bicycle/Pedestrian Program, which improves access for bikes and pedestrians around schools. Measure J money would also contribute to the 511 program, which includes bicycle and pedestrian road safety programs at local middle and elementary schools, as well as safety assemblies. The cash from Measure J would satisfy the 11.47 percent in matching funds necessary for the projectās approval. āIt gets very congested in the afternoon as well as the morning because everyone has to stop at the stop sign,ā Heritage High School principal Andy Parsons said. āI think itās a move in the right direction.ā see Traffic page 19A
Terminator packs punch
The Deer Valley volleyball teamās outside hitter is making life miserable for playoff opponents. Page 23A Business ............................... 5B Calendar ............................ 19B Classifieds ......................... 13B Cop Logs ............................21A East County Life ................ 1B Entertainment ................... 9B Food .................................... 10B Health & Beauty ................ 6B Milestones .......................... 8B Opinion ..............................20A Sports .................................23A ravemotionpictures Brentwood 14 +
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FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
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The Antioch WaterPark invites you to experience a Tropical Summer.
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Mic Gillette of Tower of Power performed with Liberty Highās jazz band.