YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 17, No. 12
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Raising awareness for moyamoya by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
One year ago, Janet Dominguez of Discovery Bay had no idea her life was about to dramatically change. While vacationing in Hawaii with her husband and friends, she suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a mini-stroke. Local doctors said the causes were low blood pressure and a virus. Dominguez followed up with her physician when she came home and was referred to a cardiologist and a neurologist. Both doctors assured her she was fine and that the TIA was, indeed, a result of low blood pressure. “From (March through August), I started to experience multiple TIAs that caused lightheadedness and arm twitching, (causing) my arm to lose all control,” Dominguez said.
“During these episodes, I knew something was wrong with me.” Dominguez persisted with her doctors, advocating for herself until her neurologist finally ordered additional tests including separate MRIs for her head, neck and brain. These MRIs proved to be the keys to revealing the cause of her problems. “I recall the day so vividly,” Dominguez said. “The neurologist walked in the room and looked at me and said, ‘You have a rare brain disease called moyamoya. It is not curable, but it is treatable.’ This was my first introduction to moyamoya.” Moyamoya disease is a progressive brain disorder caused by blocked arteries in the brain. Small blood vessels begin to Photo courtesy of Janet Dominguez grow around the blocked artery to compensate for the blockage. Janet Dominguez, seen here with her husband Steve, was Dominguez was referred diagnosed a year ago with a rare progressive brain disease to Dr. Gary Steinberg, a world- called moyamoya. It is not curable, but is treatable, and she is working to bring awareness to the disease with an see Moyamoya page 30 upcoming fundraiser.
Fire district to examine service fees by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will hire a consultant to evaluate a series of currently collected fees to ensure they accurately match the costs they are intended to cover. NBS Government Finance Group, at a cost of $93,280, will study the development impact fees collected by Brentwood, Oakley and Contra Costa County, along with the possible formation of additional community facility districts and the organizations’ current emergency response, plan review and code enforcement fees. Development impact fees generate funds to pay capital and equipment costs associated with
“ Establishing a cost-effective plan review and inspection program will require the district to review its fees and ensure that they are appropriate for the services the district is providing and the district’s costs.
” Fire Chief Brian Helmick
new developments, while capital facilities districts fund a certain geographic area’s improved fire prevention and emergency response facilities and services. The effort comes amid the district’s attempts to shore up an improved economic future. The fire district, which covers 249 square miles and over 114,000 residents, has shrunk
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from eight stations in 2008 to three today, and since 2012, district residents have shot down a revenue-generating parcel tax, a benefit assessment and a utility-user tax. “The district has adopted several schedules for cost recovery and other forms of revenue generation,” Fire Chief Brian Helmick wrote in a district
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staff report, “many of which are based on outdated studies, limiting the district’s ability to recover costs permitted under state law.” The fire service-related development impact fees collected by Brentwood, Oakley and Contra Costa County were calculated and adopted at different points — Contra Costa County’s in the mid-1980s, Oakley’s during its inception around 1999, and Brentwood’s more recently, but they are all due to be updated, Helmick said. “If I remember correctly, the establishment of these impact fee levels predate the formation of the district and vary widely
March 22, 2019
Taming The Water Weeds
State begins treatment of invasive aquatic plants along the Delta waterways. Page 4
Ghostlight’s Festival 10
Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble brings a one-day play festival to Brentwood. Page 10
Getting Into The Scrum
Heritage, Liberty students get into the competition by joining Freedom rugby team. Page 21
see Fire page 30
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Airport Land Use
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A nonprofit organization is currently looking for volunteer host families.
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County is seeking individuals for Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC).