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Vol. 13, No. 40
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
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October 7, 2011
Barr takes aim at mayoral seat by Rick Lemyre
Muir arouses arboreal awe
Staff Writer Getting a big jump on the currently empty field, Brentwood Vice Mayor Steve Barr has announced that he’ll run for mayor next November. “I’ve been asked by a lot of people if I was running,” Barr said Wednesday. Some of those asking were considering running for City Council, and part of their decision is based on whether he would be running for mayor. The early announcement allows more time for the candidate pool to sort itself out, he said. The official nomination period for the election doesn’t open until July 16, 2012. “It’s not official until we can pull papers, but I am definitely running,” Barr said. Barr, who was elected to the City Council in 2010 and served on the Liberty Union High School District Board of Trustees before that, said his interest stems from a desire to help direct the city through important see Barr page 15A
Within striking distance of East County is a place that’s home to the tallest living things on the planet. Page 1B
Spirited seniority Press file photo
Vice Mayor Steve Barr and Liberty High School student Leo Colbert discuss the ins and outs of local government during the fourth annual Youth in Government program in February. Barr announced this week he plans to run for mayor in 2012.
Train-truck crash under investigation by Rick Lemyre Staff Writer
Railroad officials and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office are investigating the collision between a passenger train and a big rig that injured 39 people near Orwood Resort in Byron last Friday night. There were 204 passengers aboard the Amtrak San Joaquin train headed east toward Stockton on its way to Bakersfield when the accident occurred at 7:27 p.m., according to East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Chief Hugh Henderson. The injured included two of the train’s crew. None of the injuries were serious, and two life-flight helicopters brought in departed without passengers. “There was a ‘bang’ and I knew we’d hit something,” said Kay Beyett, who commutes on
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Officials inspect the damage to an Amtrak train that struck a big rig Friday night, sending 39 people to local hospitals with minor to moderate injuries. the train between Stockton and Martinez and was in the fourth car from the front. “The train
shook back and forth. At first I was afraid it was going to derail.”
Independent truck driver Fidel Pinon said he was at the wheel of a tandem-trailer hopper truck carrying feed corn over the private railroad crossing. A row of roadside trees obstructed his view of the tracks until it was too late to avoid the collision, he said. The intersection has no lights or cross arms, and is marked only with stop signs. The train ripped the second trailer off the truck, blasting kernels of corn more than 100 feet but leaving the rest of the truck upright and intact. Pinon was uninjured. “The best part of this whole thing is that no one was seriously hurt on the train, and I get to go home to my family,” he said. Halima Gentry was in the last car of the train commuting home from work to Stockton when the see Crash page 15A
An upcoming Halloween Masquerade Ball will unleash the deviltry lurking within the city’s senior citizens. Page 6A
Lions get goal-oriented
An 8-4 splashdown over Deer Valley boosted Liberty’s water polo record to 5-0. Page 19A Calendar ............................ 15B Classifieds ........................... 9B Cop Logs ............................17A East County Life ................ 1B Entertainment ................... 5B Food ...................................... 6B Health & Beauty ................ 4B Milestones ........................ 13B Opinion ..............................16A Sports .................................19A FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Los Vaqueros marina building and boat docks will be closed for reservoir expansion construction activities starting Monday, Oct. 10 Shoreline fishing will continue to be available along the reservoir’s south shore, and bait and tackle sales will continue from the south side entrance kiosk. For information, call us at 925-371-2628 or visit www.ccwater.com.