Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net
ward Winning News al A pa
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 12, No. 11
Resident champions preservation by Samie Hartley
rs
Na t
pe
ion
March 16, 2012
Invaluable intersection
Staff Writer Diane Burgis isn’t a scientist, but she sure sounds like one as she discusses the chemistry and biology of water quality in Marsh Creek. “I’m not an expert by any means,” said Burgis, executive director of Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed (FOMCW). “But I can hold down a conversation. I’m very passionate about protecting our local water resources.” Burgis’ commitment to protecting the environment has been gaining statewide attention – she was recently named State Assembly District 15 Woman of the Year by Assem-
Got a hankering to hike our communal mountain? Head for the hub from which adventures radiate. Page 1B
Devastation dramatized How to impress on students and parents the danger of drunk driving? Act it out. Page 12A Photo by Samie Hartley
Oakley Mayor Kevin Romick presents Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed Executive Director Diane Burgis with a proclamation honoring her contributions to the community.
see Preservation page 13A
Boys ranch library makes reading cool by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
They come in quietly, a few at a time, each with a book or two tucked under their arms and a greeting on their lips. “Hey Nadia, what’s good today?” asks one visitor. “Do you have that new book yet?” asks another. The questions are commonplace, the answers rote. But for Nadia Bagdasar, such requests are anything but ordinary. “It’s a great feeling when they ask me for a certain book or a recommendation from an author they’ve read before,” said Bagdasar. “I love that their interest has been sparked by something positive.” Bagdasar is the librarian at the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility – also known as the Byron Boys Ranch – and two days a week she opens the doors
Photo by Ruth Roberts
Nadia Bagdasar, librarian at the Byron Boys Ranch, chooses books she thinks will speak to the residents’ experiences and appeal to their interests. of the makeshift library to these young men 13 to 17 and helps them build their minds, vocabu-
Online now! WebExtras! press releases videos
Connect with The Press! Scan QR code with your smart phone.
www. thepress.net Your Hometown Website
laries and ultimately their selfesteem. “I’m always amazed at what
voracious readers they are,” said Bagdasar. “Some of these boys had never read a book cover to cover until they came here. It’s very satisfying to see.” The Byron Boys Ranch is an unlocked county facility designed to rehabilitate low-level delinquent youths who have committed non-violent, misdemeanor crimes. The average stay varies from one month to more than a year, depending upon the crime and the program imposed on them by the courts. The Ranch’s library is tiny. More than 4,000 titles are crammed into available spaces – some perched on racks or moveable carts, others stacked on nearby shelves. But they’re all there: Gatsby, Harry Potter, Holden Caulfield and even a vampire named Edward. “Oh, they read the ‘Twisee Library page 13A
Highway headway Creek caregivers go to news/WebExtras! The next phase of the State Route 4 Widening Project keeps rolling along.
go to news/press releases Efforts to preserve Marsh Creek and environs are meeting with success.
The best of intentions
A Freedom soccer star who’d set her sights on Holy Names University made her goal official. Page 17A Arts ....................................... 6A Calendar ............................ 15B Classifieds ........................... 7B Cop Logs ............................ 14B East County Life ................ 1B Entertainment ................... 3B Food ...................................... 4B Milestones ........................14A Opinion ..............................16A Sports .................................17A FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Hizzoner huddle go to multimedia/videos Oakley business owners recently sat down to Breakfast with the Mayor.