YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 7, No. 51
Including Surrounding Communities
www.thepress.net
Harvest Park Bowl named Brentwood Business of the Year by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Discovery Bay residents Jim and Ann Wangeman’s Harvest Park Bowl has been chosen Business of the Year by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce. The announcement was made Thursday evening at the chamber’s annual Holiday Mixer. Throughout the years, the Wangemans have been strong supporters of the community, lending their business and time to a variety of fundraising groups and organizations including the annual Brentwood CornFest, the Strike Out Hunger Drive program and the BBQ King Cook-off, which benefits the Brentwood youth Police Activities League. “As a business they have continually given to all kinds of organizations,” said Brentwood Chamber President Harry York. “They have been sponsors of the CornFest for
years and they give to the Rotary and countless other organizations. They are always, always, ready to help, and we’re just thrilled they have been recognized this year.” The chamber has also named Discovery Bay Press Managing Editor Rick Lemyre its 2010 Citizen of the Year. “We are extremely proud of Rick for being named Citizen of the Year,” said Press Publisher and former Brentwood Citizen of the Year Greg Robinson. “Rick has been a mainstay in this community for years. He has volunteered his time for countless groups and organizations, and is very deserving of this honor.” York agreed: “Because of the diversity of the things that Rick gives his time to, he is the perfect Citizen of the Year. If it’s a nonprofit group or a charity, then he’s involved. He’s everywhere and does everything. Rick is so giving of his time, and that is worth everything. We’re very pleased he has been chosen.”
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December 18, 2009
THIS WEEK
Ally alliance cheers Aaron
An organ transplant candidate is relishing the support of someone who understands what he’s going through.
Page 4A Press file photo
The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce has named Ann and Jim Wangeman’s Harvest Park Bowl as the 2009 Business of the Year. And over the years there have been plenty of causes. The longtime Brentwood resident serves on myriad community service boards and is a member of the Brentwood Diversity Committee, the Kiwanis Club and the Brentwood Regional Community Chest, to name a few. The honorees will be feted at a gala dinner held Jan. 30 at Nines in Brentwood. For reservations or ticket information, contact the Chamber office at 925-634-3344.
Czarina of scenery The town’s new landscape manager brings experience to the job – and an awareness that DB’s water and soil pose unique challenges.
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Torrid turnaround
Study: East Hillcrest eBART option iffy by Dave Roberts Staff Writer
The eastern location for the Hillcrest eBART station that Antioch officials prefer might not be worth the additional cost – possibly as much as $51 million extra, according to a recent study. “Despite modestly higher ridership, we find that implementing the Median-East Station alternative may not be cost-effective for ridership development,” concludes the study by Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates. City officials have been pushing for that station location, which is 700 feet east of the Median Station option, because it would allow for more transit-oriented development near the station, including 54 percent more residential units, 130 percent more retail space
“ Despite modestly higher ridership, we find that implementing the Median-East Station alternative may not be cost-effective for ridership development.
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Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates and 32 percent more office space. However, the big advantage of the Median Station location, which is about 1,200 feet east of the Hillcrest Avenue interchange with Highway 4, is that it’s fully paid for. Funds have been secured for the $462 million cost of constructing a 10-mile eBART line from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station in the median of Highway 4, including stations in the median at Railroad Avenue and Hillcrest. Both Hillcrest station options would accommodate
nearby development, but the difference might not be enough to justify the cost difference. “There is not likely to be a significant difference in the general economic development potential of these two station site alternatives,” the consultant’s report states. Although nearly 400 additional daily eBART trips would be generated at the Median-East station site, they “may not be worth the additional costs, which amount to approximately $130,000 for each additional daily trip.” That station is more ex-
pensive because it would include more track and relocation of eBART parking and maintenance facilities and extension of Slatten Ranch Road to a below-grade intersection with the planned Viera Avenue extension. But cost-saving alternatives could reduce the additional cost for the MedianEast Station to $22 million, equating to about $57,000 for each additional daily eBART trip. The report recommends seeking construction bids on both station alternatives, however, because of the current low-bidding environment. Due to companies seeking work during the recession, construction costs have been averaging 30 to 40 percent less in the past year for major projects. see eBART page 22A
The Lions’ hardwood heroines turned a season-opening loss into motivation to get rolling and take the Stonebarger title.
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