YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 21, No. 4
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January 25, 2019
Chamber honors brightest stars
Get Financially Savvy in 2019
Eaton, Koch take top awards by Aly Brown Staff Writer
A group of community members were recently honored for their service to the community by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, and the common theme amongst the winners was surprise. Announcement of the winners for Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, among others, took place Thursday, Jan. 17. Dr. Dana Eaton, Brentwood Union School District superintendent, was named as the Citizen of the Year. East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC) was named the Business of the Year. Several others were selected in the following categories:
Community Service Member of the Year – Vicky Little; Nonprofit of the Year – Working Wonders; Director of the Year – Karen Kendall; and Ambassador of the Year – Michele Lane. For Eaton, working with three entities in the community fostered opportunities to make a difference. “I’ve had the good fortune of being part of the Brentwood Regional Community Chest for the last 15 years, and it’s been an honor to serve the community with all of the people who help make that work,” said Eaton. “I’ve also been very fortunate to be a part of the Brentwood Rotary, which is an outstanding group of people who do a lot of amazing things behind the scenes to help make this community better. And then I’ve just been lucky to be a part of the Brentwood Union School District, which supsee Chamber page 22A
The Press’ special edition offers a look at finances, taxes, mortgages and more. Page 1B
A Ceremonial Boat Launch
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Nina Koch, owner of East County Performing Arts Center, and Dana Eaton, BUSD superintendent, are Brentwood’s Business and Citizen of the Year.
Council to adopt district elections by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
In the face of mounting legal pressure, the Brentwood City Council voted this week to alter how its future members are selected. The plan would replace the current at-large election process with a system in which council members are elected by a district that each would represent. However, the mayor would still be elected at-large. The move comes amid a Walnut Creek attorney’s lawsuit threats alleging that Brentwood’s current voting system violates the California Voting Rights Act
“ This community is growing quickly, and there have been times in the past the membership of the council has been concentrated in one area. That has some disadvantages.
(CVRA) by fostering an arrangement that dilutes the Latino vote. The CVRA, signed into law in 2002, bans at-large election methods that impair a protected class’s ability to elect its selected candidates or influence an election outcome. “I live in this county, and I have been concerned for some time
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that we don’t have a completely diverse cadre countywide of elected officials, particularly Latinos, and in part of the county, Asians,” said attorney Scott Rafferty, who’s 2017 letter initiated the council’s action. “ … This community is growing quickly, and there have been times in the past the membership of the council has been concentrated in
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one area. That has some disadvantages.” The council’s unanimously approved intention likely means the city’s election map will be divided into four council-chosen areas beginning in 2020, possibly allowing boundaries drawn to prevent the city’s majority-race voters from overpowering minority voters’ choices. Candidates would be elected by and represent districts in which they live. The city must adopt an ordinance establishing the future district election process by late July to avoid litigation, according to a deal the city and Rafferty struck. see Council page 22A
DA Classes
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Diana Becton announces the launch of a second Community Academy class this March.
The Deputy Gary Campbell was christened in a recent Marine Services Unit dedication. Page 4A
Beating The Buzzer
Liberty boys’ basketball team defeats Freedom with a lastsecond shot. Page 14A Calendar.............................23A Classifieds..........................17A Cop Logs.............................21A Entertainment.................... 8A Food....................................... 9A Health & Beauty................. 7A Milestones.........................10A Opinion...............................11A Pets......................................12A Sports..................................14A
A No WIIN
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Assemblyman Frazier applauds Sen. Feinstein’s withdrawal of WIIN support.