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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 9, No. 30
Back-to-school Along for the ride déjà vu for family by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Twenty-seven years ago, Robbie Ellsworth kissed his mother goodbye and set off for his first day of kindergarten. Next week, Robbie’s daughter Isabella, 4, will do the same, becoming the second generation of Ellsworth children to attend Discovery Bay Elementary School, and perpetuate a family tradition. “I think it’s pretty cool,” said Robbie, 31. “It’s nice that she’ll be going to the same school in the same little town. It’s a nice community.” Not to be outdone, however, Terrie’s daughter Molly will also be enrolling her twin boys, Matt and Mike, in kindergarten at Discovery Bay Elementary next week. Matt and Mike will breeze through the same classroom doors as their
cousin Isabella. “It’s wonderful,” said Terrie of her grandchildren. “Molly’s son attended kindergarten there last year and now the three of them are going this year. For me personally, it means a lot. As a kid I changed schools almost every year, so for my children and grandchildren to go to the same school is very special.” The Ellsworths first set down roots in Discovery Bay in 1981, when the community was so small that the children were sent to a nearby Byron school until Discovery Bay Elementary was built. Over the years, the Ellsworths raised their children in the quiet Delta town where today all three children have remained to raise their own families. The elder Ellsworths too have remained in town, living in the home on Discovery Bay Boulevard
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July 29, 2011
Live long and prosper
From Summerset to summer safety, our Senior Living Section spotlights a vital force in our community. Page 1B
Superstar superstition Photo by Richard Wisdom
t was a perfect weekend to Live Where You Play, as demonstrated by John Flath and his daughter Bailey, 5, as they rode the breeze around Lido Bay on Sunday. Forecasters expect similar fabulous weather for this weekend, but the way weather patterns have gone this year, don’t rule out snow, either.
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see Family page 22A
Columnist Vicki McKenna explores the weird rituals that propel athletes to victory – or so they believe. Page 11A
Courage corraled
Residents discuss Delta’s murky future by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer
Photo by Justin Lafferty
Roger Lund, left, and Mike Hall, representing the California Striped Bass Association and the Restore the Delta campaign, express their opposition to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
A Southern California water official recently touted the proposed peripheral canal as a safety measure against the next big earthquake, but Antioch’s residents and City Council members were wary. The proposed Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) would create a canal from the northern part of the San Joaquin Delta, near Sacramento, and pump water through the Central Valley and ultimately into Southern California. Curt Schmutte, a consultant for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, believes the Delta is unsustainable right now. Schmutte predicted a
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Mutts’ Day celebrates those lovable dogs and cats of “diverse heritage.”
grim future – such as increased salinity and widespread flooding when the next big earthquake hits – for the Delta if changes aren’t made. “We think it’s important to be prepared, to be prepared and thinking ahead and not be reactive,” Schmutte said. “We believe, in order to benefit all of California, that we need to reduce these risks that I just talked about.” Schmutte warned that there’s a 62-percent chance of a quake with a magnitude 6.7 or greater before 2032. Should that happen, he claimed the levees would give way and flood several islands. A peripheral canal would provide an escape valve. However, Antioch officials
A blue-ribbon equestrian has harnessed her love of horses to overcome a traumatic childhood incident. Page 19A Arts .....................................10A Calendar ............................ 19B Classifieds ......................... 13B Cop Logs ............................17A Food .................................... 10B Opinion ..............................16A Senior Living ...................... 1B Sports .................................19A
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Riders revered
go to news/press releases The work of Warriors’ Watch Riders was lauded in the U.S. Congress.
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FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Dynamic demo go to multimedia/videos The traditional culture of India was on display at the Oakley Library.