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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 12, No. 3
A World of Discovery for all alia Migay, assisted by her mother, CiCi, is wowed by the World of Discovery allabilities playground, which opened at Crockett Park in Oakley last weekend. City Councilman Jim Frazier, one of the driving forces behind the playground’s installation, lends a hand. The grand opening of the facility, the first of its kind in East County, drew dignitaries from all over the region. The playground features a soft seamless surface, slides, ladders and an array of interactive skill and learning panels to engage children of all abilities.
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January 20, 2012
Getting all dolled up
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A 10-year-old Oakleyite and Barbie buff took the grand prize in a national mini-mannequinmaven contest. Page 6
Rapid response time A firefighter’s battle against cancer sounded the alarm for his colleagues, who answered the call with overwhelming force. Page 4
Photo by Mike Burkholder
Officials exploring eBART options by Justin Lafferty
BART is considering an 11-mile extension of eBART service from the planned stop at Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch all the way to Byron. The tracks would be aligned with the Highway 4 Bypass.
Staff Writer Transportation officials are exploring a plan that could help realize a long-held dream for East Contra Costa: A mass-transit connect to the greater Bay Area for Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood and Discovery Bay. As construction workers lay ground for the Hillcrest Avenue eBART station in Antioch – the currently planned end of the line – BART is exploring the feasibility of extending eBART service through East County along the Highway 4 Bypass. Possible stops include Laurel Road, Lone Tree Way, Sand Creek Road, Balfour Road and a station serving Byron and Discovery Bay, a total of roughly 11 miles southeast of the Hillcrest Avenue Station. BART officials plan to pres-
John Carter/ Press Graphic
ent their proposal at local city council meetings throughout February and March, and hold a series of town hall meetings for public input in June. “We want to keep that momentum going and
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involve the public,” BART Director Joel Keller said at a recent eBART meeting. Ellen Smith, the eBART project manager, noted that eBART technology is not only
Dream lives on go to news/WebExtras!
A celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King emphasized courage, love and faith.
more earth-friendly, but much cheaper. According to the BART environmental impact report issued in 2008, a 10-mile stretch see eBART page 34
Call for jurors
go to news/press releases Seats are open for the county’s watchdog agency: the Civil Grand Jury.
Geared for gridiron glory
Two East County athletes take the field this weekend for a shot to play in Super Bowl XLVI. Page 21 Arts ........................................10 Calendar ...............................35 Classifieds ............................31 Entertainment ....................27 Food .......................................28 Milestones .............................9 Opinion .................................14 Sports ....................................21 FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Rink revue
go to multimedia/videos Figure skaters – from amateurs to stars – twirled through an icy extravanganza.