YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 15, No. 41
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Helmick named permanent fire chief East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) interim fire chief Brian Helmick is officially onboard. At the ECCFD’s meeting Oct. 2, the board of directors unanimously voted to offer the permanent fire chief position to Helmick, who has been serving as interim fire chief since March 31. Helmick accepted and his new, permanent title is effective immediately. Helmick, 40, started with the district as a firefighter in 2002 and successfully worked through the ranks. He was promoted to battalion chief July 2006, serving as the district’s operations chief leading up to his appointment as interim fire chief. Helmick offered the following statement on the appointment: see Helmick page 30A
The Press’ Auto Guide
Ripe on the vine
If it has wheels or floats, then it’s in the pages of this week’s special edition. Page 1B
Teen Bands Rock N’ Roll
Photo by Tony Kukulich
T
omatoes are in season and ready to pick at Smith Family Farm in Brentwood. Harvest season at the popular farm also features pumpkins and a variety of other fall fruits and vegetables.
BUSD settles sexual assault suit The Brentwood Union School District (BUSD) has settled a lawsuit brought by the parents of a child who was sexually assaulted by another student during the 2013-2014 school year at Adams Middle School. The BUSD will pay $2 million to the plaintiff in compensation and legal fees, and the plaintiffs will dismiss their lawsuit against the district and individual employees. The money will be paid through a risk pool for the BUSD. This case stems from the 2014 arrest and subsequent conviction of a 14-year-old student. Investigators determined the boy had pressured a female student to send nude or partially nude photos of herself via text message and then used the photos to force the victim into engaging in sexual conduct with him. The boy pled guilty to felony charges of sexual assault and is currently incarcerated at a youth correctional facility. “All of us in the district were deeply disturbed by this occurrence in one of our schools,”
“ As educators and parents,
we shared the community’s distress at learning one of our students had been victimized in our school.
”
BUSD Superintendent Dana Eaton said Eaton. “As educators and as parents, we shared the community’s distress at learning one of our students had been victimized in our school. “In the years since this incident, we have sought to strengthen our procedures to guard against anything like this happening again. Student movement on our campuses is more
carefully overseen, and we have undertaken an extensive outreach program to educate students and parents on online safety. We continue to work with the Brentwood Police Department and other community organizations to help make our students safe at school and on social media.” The terms of the settlement were negotiated between attorneys for the plaintiffs and representatives of the joint powers authority that runs the district’s risk pool. The terms were not subject to approval by the Brentwood Union School District Board of Education. The risk pool will pay the settlement amount; it will not come from the Brentwood Union School District’s operating budget. “In the end, a child was hurt on one of our campuses,” Eaton said. “I am ultimately responsible for the safety of all children. We have sought to learn all we can from this incident and to find opportunities to improve student safety.”
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October 13, 2017
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Medicare open enrollment is underway. Find out if you need to reassess your plan.
RPM Records to host teen bands organized through Police Activities League. Page 4A
Game, Set And Match
Girls’ tennis team at Heritage High looking to win seventh league title. Page 21A Calendar............................. 31A Classifieds.......................... 26A Cop Logs............................. 29A Entertainment.................. 11A Food..................................... 10A Milestones......................... 17A Opinion............................... 20A Pets...................................... 18A Sports.................................. 21A
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U.S. Postal rates, including stamps, are likely to see an increase in 2018.