YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 7, No. 38
Including Surrounding Communities
www.thepress.net
Seven apply Extreme fun for P-6 committee
September 18, 2009
THIS WEEK
Dusk falls on A.D. 2009
County still accepting applications
Tuesday marks the beginning of autumn, and the beginning of the end to an epic journey.
by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Page 6A
Seven Discovery Bay residents have thrown their hats into the P-6 advisory committee ring, applying for one of the five available seats on the panel that will oversee the expenditure of police services and P-6 dollars. Dannica Earl, who lives in the Centex area of Discovery Bay, has submitted an application and sees the volunteer position as a way to keep the P-6 playing field level. “I was informed that we didn’t have any representation from our particular part of Discovery Bay, and since it’s a pretty big area, I thought I would apply,” said Earl. “I absolutely think it is a good idea to have someone from each zone to sit on the committee to make sure that everyone is comfortable with the way things are being handled.” see P-6 page 18A
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Road funds take detour When tax revenues slow to a trickle, some transportation plans make a long pit stop.
Page 3A Photo by Stacey Chance
ski boat, captured by Press photographer Stacey Chance, sends up a plume of spray during a sunset cruise in Discovery Bay. Water enthusiasts will have another opportunity to enjoy some extreme H20 at this weekend’s Extreme Water and Air Show at Orwood Resort. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.brentwoodskishow.com.
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Great walls of water
Delta advocates hail water bill impasse by Dave Roberts Staff Writer Local Delta advocates are breathing a sigh of relief after a package of state water bills that they consider all wet were bottled up in Sacramento last week when legislators failed to reach agreement on their passage. The water legislation included support for a water conveyance system such as the proposed peripheral canal that would take fresh water from the Sacramento River near Sacramento and directly convey it south, bypassing much of the Delta. Local advocates are concerned that the canal would decrease local water quality, including adding more salinity, resulting in a further decline in the fish population. A 14-member conference committee that included only one legislator representing the Delta (Sen. Darrell Steinberg) failed to reach agreement on the water bills before adjourning its latest session Saturday morning. “We won the battle for now, but the war will still rage on,” said Oakley Councilman Bruce Connelley, who has been an East County leader in the lobbying effort to save the Delta, includ-
“ I think the failure to pass the (water) bills is definitely a victory for us that have been trying to preserve the ecology of the Delta. This is probably the first round (of what) will probably be a long fight.
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Jim Cox, California Striped Bass Association ing the recent Million Boat Float from Antioch to Sacramento. “This isn’t going to be the end of it. (They) are still working hard and heavy and still fully intend to destroy the Delta and put the peripheral canal in. “I don’t see how any logical person can think that will get more water. By putting in a canal, that will actually get less. But I guess it’s money
that’s talking. There hasn’t been a proper legislative process whatsoever.” Roger Mammon, an Oakley resident and board member of the advocacy organization Restore the Delta, credits the lobbying efforts by sport fishing groups, recreational boaters, conservation and environmental organizations, commercial fishing businesses and Delta farmers for helping head off the peripheral canal legislation for now. “I was with a group of us that lobbied in all of the legislative offices on Friday,” said Mammon. “We didn’t get to talk to any of the legislators because they were all on the floor; we talked to the staff members. The feeling was that their legislator wasn’t going to vote for anything that they didn’t understand. There were too many things that weren’t adding up on the bills. They withdrew it from the floor because it was obvious to Senator Steinberg and (Assembly Speaker Karen) Bass that they didn’t have the votes to pass.” Connelley believes the opposition to the water bills by representatives from the five coun-
Diablo Shores erupted in shimmering sheets as world-class skiers converged on East County for a recent pro-am.
see Delta page 18A
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Page 3B
INSIDE Calendar ..........................23B Classifieds ........................17B Cop Logs ..........................14A Entertainment ................10B Food .................................12B Health & Beauty ............... 8B Milestones ......................... 7B Opinion ...........................13A Sports ................................. 1B Talk About Town ..............5A WebExtras! ....................... 1B