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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 8, No. 15
Boat pageant to salute Pixar by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
To infinity – and beyond – Delta boaters and water enthusiasts will be setting sail for the Discovery Bay Opening Day Parade on April 17. The community’s official kickoff to the boating season embarks at Lighthouse Bay beginning at 1 p.m. and disembarks at the Discovery Bay Yacht Harbor between 3 and 4 p.m. Those without waterside access to the action can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the parade as it makes its way through the town’s many sloughs and bays before dropping anchor at the Discovery Bay Marina. This year’s theme – It’s a Pixar Day – will pay homage to Pixar Studios, the creative force behind such classic family films as “Toy Story,” “Cars,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters Inc.,” “The Incredibles,” “A Bug’s Life,” and this year’s Acad-
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This entry in last year’s Opening Day Boat Parade was appropriately decked out for the Circus-Circus theme. This year boaters will draw their inspiration from animated motion picture studio Pixar. emy Award winner for an animated and we thought it would be a fun and easy theme to work with,” film, “Up.” “Our fleet captain came up said Pat Anderson, organizer of with the idea for this year’s theme the event. “Everyone has a favorite
Pixar movie so we expect a lot of variety and creativity.” Anderson also expects good weather. “I’ve spoken to the weather gods and it’s going to be a beautiful day,” she said. “It’s going to be a great success, just as it always is.” Sponsored by the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, the parade is a family fun event open to the public. Members and non-members alike are invited to enter their boat in the parade and enjoy a variety of activities and exhibits at the Discovery Bay Marina throughout the day. “All participants in the parade are invited and welcome to come back to the yacht club for the awards ceremony and party afterward,” said Anderson. “There will be food and dancing; it should be a fun day.” For a map of the parade route, or to sign up for the event, call Anderson at 925-216-4411, or e-mail pat4411@sbcglobal.net. A map can also be viewed at www.thepress.net.
Proposal could keep Old River flowing by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
A local developer has approached the Knightsen School Board with a proposal to convert the soon-to-be closed Old River Elementary into a charter school – possibly as soon as September. Brentwood resident Ron Nunn and a coalition of local supporters presented the idea to the school board during a special workshop meeting on March 31. “We’re just kind of developing the idea at this point,” said Nunn, who has longtime roots in East County. “But the prospect of a using a vacant school that is very nice, and the opportunity to provide some alternative sites in East County, is appealing.” Knightsen School Superintendent Vickey Rinehart agreed that a charter in Knightsen could be a good option for students county-
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wide, and can’t deny the possible financial boon to her district that has struggled to make ends meet since opening Old River in 2008. The district owes an annual $265,000 on a bank loan that was secured to finish Old River School, and Rinehart has said coverage of that loan through a lease with Nunn’s group would be a powerful incentive. “One of the obvious benefits to Knightsen would be to have the yearly payments on our loan covered,” said Rinehart. “It would also be an advantage to other students who live in any area that touches Contra Costa County because they would be able to enroll in the charter. It (a charter) offers the possibility of drawing kids from a variety of sources that might not otherwise be available.” Funded with public money, charter schools fall somewhere between private and public schools,
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April 9, 2010
This Week Witness to grim fiction
The sobering consequences of drunk driving were driven home in an enactment that left students shaken. Page 8A
Images in memoriam Antioch’s Memorial Day observances will feature a display of photos – contributed by the community – that honor the fallen. Page 3A
Taking the plunge
Competitive divers know how to pack a lot of twisting, tumbling and jackknifing into two short seconds. Page 1B Photo by Ruth Roberts
A local grassroots group is exploring the possibility of converting Old River Elementary School, above, to a charter school. The Knightsen school is scheduled to close at the end of the school year due to the district’s financial difficulties. and their traditionally smaller class size and range of studies make them attractive to students. Charter schools typically have more leeway in their curriculum than public and private schools (although
Top trainer
go to news/WebExtras! A Los Medanos athletic trainer was honored as one of best in the state.
they are required to adhere to state benchmarks and testing schedules) and are generally believed to offer a more intensive, rounded educasee Old River page 22A
Rehab garden
go to news/press releases An ingenious outdoor environment will make rehab more fun – and realistic.
Plus: Calendar ............................ 27B Classifieds ......................... 18B Cop Logs ............................17A Entertainment ................. 12B Food .................................... 14B Health & Beauty .............. 10B Milestones ........................ 16B Opinion ..............................16A Sports ................................... 1B
Having a ball
go to multimedia/videos A recent bash honored the men and women who put their lives on the line.