YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 15, No. 40
WWW.THEPRESS.NET | FAMILY FRIENDLY NEWS!
October 6, 2017
In Residents recount Vegas shooting Women Business by Ruth Roberts
Discovery Bay resident Brett Eastwood, with Kurt Allison, guitarist, for Jason Aldean, was caught in the chaos at the Las Vegas concert.
Staff Writer
Discovery Bay resident Brett Eastwood was watching Jason Aldean perform in Las Vegas from the right-hand side of the concert stage when the first rounds of gunfire erupted. “All of a sudden you hear this pop, pop, pop and the first thing in my mind was, ‘What idiot just threw a firecracker?’” said Eastwood. “Then 10 seconds later, you hear pop, pop, pop again, and you begin to see people hit the ground.” Eastwood and his friends were next to some bleachers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1 when the shooting began, and as they climbed beneath the metal bleachers, the reality of the situation began to sink in. “It was really loud and the band was off the stage at that point, and in my mind, every shot I hear I’m wondering if the next shot is going to be me,” he said. “It was dark, people were screaming and yelling and I honestly thought I might be down to my last few seconds.”
Photo courtesy of Brett Eastwood
In what is being called the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, the world now knows that a 64-year-old gunman named Steven Paddock opened fire on the crowd from his sniper’s nest on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 500.
Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Board is moving toward asking voters early next year if they approve reducing the number of board members from nine to five. The question is expected to be posed during an all-mail ballot election in March at an estimated cost of $225,000. It’s likely a second election utilizing an at-large format will be held November 2018 to select either seven board members, if the decrease in board members is approved, or nine members, if the measure fails. The board is expected to finalize the details of its decision during its meeting next month. The board’s future was kickstarted with the November 2016 passage of Measure N, which approved the transition from an
see Vegas page 30A
“ I believe – and I always have believed –
that as soon as you go by ward with the size of district that we have, you drastically reduce your representation.
”
Fire board member Erick Stonebarger appointed board to one elected at-large. Board members are currently assigned: four selected by the Brentwood City Council, three by the Oakley City Council and two by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors. “Proponents of reducing the size of the board suggest that such a move could make administration of the district easier and that it may be difficult to fill nine seats with individuals not only qualified and willing to serve but willing to fund and run an election,” said interim Fire Chief Brian Helmick. The board this week pre-
Looking for something to do? Connect with The Press!
Scan QR code with your mobile device.
www.thepress.net/ calendar
Waiting On A Miracle
The rampage lasted just 8 to 11 minutes according to authorities, but for Eastwood and his friends, the time seemed endless. As they waited for the shooting to stop, Eastwood remembers looking around at the carnage unfolding.
Fire board moves to reduce members by Kyle Szymanski
Local women are making their mark in the business world. See who they are. Page 1B
liminarily agreed that the future number of board members, if approved, should be five, as in almost all other fire districts in the county. But it struggled to determine how they should be elected. An at-large format would allow board members to reside anywhere in the district, while a ward-based system would break the district into five geographic divisions, with one representative coming from each area. The 249-square-mile district covers the cities of Brentwood and Oakley, along with the unincorporated areas of Discovery Bay,
Bethel Island, Knightsen, Byron, Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory. Board members Susan Morgan and Dr. Cheryl Morgan argued that a ward system would improve representation for district residents, but other board members proposed that an at-large system would provide similar representation, since board members represent the district as a whole not just the geographic region in which they reside. If the board had opted to break the district into divisions, a map specifying the different wards would have had to be created, altering every census to account for changes in population. “Yes, once you are on the board, you serve as a whole area, but at the same time, you can bring the concerns that the board might not know about that are unique to that area,” Susan Morgan said. see Board page 30A
Saving Wetlands www.thepress.net/news/webextras
CONNECTING PARKS TO PEOPLE www.ebparks.org/features/rin
LOOK INSIDE FOR THE NEW
Activity Guide
Assemblymember Jim Frazier authors bill limiting pesticides in Delta Wetlands.
Ally Jenkins is in need of a double lung transplant, the third one in eight years. Page 5A
Bragging Rights
Lions triumph against rivals Heriage High in annual Brentwood Bowl game. Page 23A Breaking News..................12A Calendar............................. 31A Classifieds.......................... 27A Entertainment.................. 11A Food..................................... 10A Health & Beauty............... 18A Milestones......................... 15A Opinion............................... 22A Pets.........................................6B Sports.................................. 23A
Going Green
www.thepress.net/news/press_releases
Countywide Sustainable Enterprise Conference set for Nov. 1.