www.thepress.net | Local news you can trust!
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 14, No. 29
East County girls ride into winner’s circle by Dawnmarie Fehr
July 15, 2016
Getting Back To School
Correspondent
The month of June is usually a time to relax and kick back, but for those who are chasing world titles, there is no off season. Local teens and longtime friends Alexis Steele of Discovery Bay, and Hailey Powers of Oakley, spent their June training hard in preparation for the Appaloosa Youth World Show, which took place in Fort Worth, Texas, last month. Both girls worked tirelessly to prepare themselves and their horses for the show, which showcased dozens of events in both English and Western riding styles. Carol Dal Porto, of Dal Porto Ranch in Brentwood, coached the girls to their present success. It was at Dal Porto’s ranch that the girls first met and became friends while riding 10 years ago. Steele, 16, has been riding since she was 5 years old. To prepare for the show, she spent hours keeping her horse, Intoxisee Girls page 26A
Tips and tools for the new school year in this week’s special edition. Page 1B
SAG Winner At It Again
Photo courtesy of Kimberly Powers
Hailey Powers, left, and Alexis Steele, recently took home top honors at the Appaloosa Youth World Show in Texas.
Voters to decide future of fire board by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board approved a plan this week that could bring sweeping changes to the governing body, but the plan comes with challenges. The board agreed this week to ask voters in November to approve a plan to have all nine members of the board elected at large. If voters sign off on the adjustment, a second election could be held in May or June 2017 to approve reducing the board to seven or five members. “The district’s legislation allows for the district to switch from an appointed board to an elected board,” Fire Chief Hugh Henderson said. “We may also increase or decrease the number of directors, and we can allow the voters to elect directors, either at-large or by divi-
“ The district’s legislation allows for the district to switch from an appointed board to an elected board.
”
Fire Chief Hugh Henderson sion. That being said, the enabling legislation does not lay out how to do that all at the same time.” Additionally, if the size of the board were reduced, a third election would be held in November 2017 to fill the seats on the five- or seven-member body. “Legally, we have to go (from nine appointed to nine elected) in order for the law to tell us how to roll it out without whatever we do being subject to challenge,” said Shayna van Hoften, fire district attorney. “If we go from nine appointed to nine elected, the law is really clear. If we go from nine
appointed to anything else, the law isn’t clear.” The board’s plan comes seven months after the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors pledged $312,000 to help open a fourth station if the district made changes, including switching to an elected body. Since 2009, the cities of Brentwood and Oakley and the board of supervisors have appointed the nine board members. Prior to that, the board served as the district board for the first seven years of its existence. Opinions have varied among board members on whether future
board members should be elected at-large or by wards, but the easiest transition appears to start with an at-large system, Henderson said. Under the current proposal, the board would wait until after the 2020 census to decide whether to switch to a ward system. Transitioning now would require wards to be drawn and later redrawn after the census, according to the law. Board Member Joe Young cast the lone dissenting vote for an elected board. He pointed out the various elections could be costly for the cash-strapped district. For example, the November election is slated to cost about $100,000. It’s unknown what future ballot measures would cost, van Hoften said. “My feeling is this is a question that can be answered later, when we know (what) the funding see Fire page 26A
EFT Change
go to news/WebExtras! ✔Plan your weekend. ✔Join a class. ✔Register for sports.
Connect with The Press!
Scan QR code with your mobile device.
Find & Post Events for FREE! thepress.net/calendar
The State of California has changed its electronic payment processes.
Brentwood stuntman makes latest appearance in “The Legend of Tarzan.” Page 5A
Pitching In Big Leagues
Freedom High School graduate Joe Navilhon gets drafted by MLB’s Detroit Tigers. Page 19A Calendar.............................25A Classifieds............................ 5B Cop Logs.............................24A Entertainment..................11A Food.....................................10A Health & Beauty...............12A Milestones.........................16A Opinion...............................18A Pets......................................13A Sports..................................19A
Summer Tour
go to news/press releases Houghton Mifflin Harcourt begins playful learning experience, Curious World Tour.