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Vol. 17, No. 17
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
District Calling all kids changes grad stance
A Long Road To Recovery
Local student’s dream of college in jeopardy after severe injury from car accident. Page 5
by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Parents, family and loved ones wishing to attend the 8th-grade, end-of-year promotional celebrations at O’Hara Park and Delta Vista middle schools on June 7 will now be able to do so – but they’ll have to bring their own chair. “The celebrations for both schools will be held outside (not in the gym) to allow any and all family members to attend,” wrote Oakley Union Elementary School District (OUESD) Superintendent
Bar Takes Back Roads Photo courtesy of the City of Oakley
O
n Wednesday, April 19, the students of A Child’s Place Preschool visited city hall and the Oakley Police Department. A group of 20 youngsters explored the city council chambers and learned where city rules are made. The children, all wearing police caps they constructed from paper plates and stickers, also got a lesson on why it is important to always be buckled up – ‘so we don’t roll around!’ For tours of Oakley City Hall and Oakley Police Department, contact Christina Connor at connor@ci.oakley.ca.us.
see District page 34
Sane verdict rendered in Almgren murder Shultz facing 25 years to life by Tony Kukulich Correspondent
Jurors in the William Shultz murder trial returned a verdict of sane in the 2015 murder of 9-yearold Jordon Almgren. The verdict was read in court on Friday, April 21. “On so many levels – emotionally, factually and legally – this is a really complex case,” said District Attorney Simon O’Connell. “Mental illness and insanity are two very separate and distinct versions of someone’s mental state. I was confident that when the jurors (heard) what the law was and they applied everything that Shultz said and did, cognitively – and
“ On so many levels – emotionally, factually and legally – this is a really complex case.
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Simon O’Connell, district attorney that’s the key to this, his cognitive awareness of what he was doing – they were going to reach this verdict of finding him sane.” Shultz’s case was comprised of two phases. The 20-year-old was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary at the conclusion of the guilt phase on March 30. The sanity phase of the trial commenced on April 10 to determine if Shultz was sane when he stabbed Almgren to death. If Shultz had been found insane, his murder conviction in the guilt
phase would have reverted to not guilty by reason of insanity. He would have avoided prison and instead been treated in a mentalhealth facility until such time attending physicians determined him to be eligible for release. “First of all, I want to personally express my condolences to the Almgren family,” said Shultz’s attorney Cynthia Scofield. “In terms of the trial itself and the verdict, I am disappointed in the result of the verdict finding him sane. My feelings about this case and about my client have been
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April 28, 2017
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that this is a horrible tragedy and that people need to educate themselves about mental illness; about being aware that mental illness is not a choice. It can have really devastating effects on the family and clearly devastating effects on the community, as we have in this case where the Almgren family lost Jordy.” Following the verdict, the Almgren family released the following statement: “The Almgren family thanks District Attorney Simon O’Connell for his dedication to this case and for performing above and beyond in his presenting the facts. Much appreciation to District Attorney Office Advocate Anthony Harris, for providing services and care to our family; see Verdict page 34
Chief of Police
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Carlos Rojas recently named as new chief of police for Bay Area Rapid Transit.
A local watering hole has undergone a change in name and ownership. Page 16
Falcons Pound Pittsburg High
Freedom’s hot Bay Valley Athletic League start continues in rout of Pittsburg High School. Page 23 Calendar................................35 Classifieds.............................29 Cop Logs................................33 Entertainment.....................16 Food........................................15 Health & Beauty....................8 Meet The Beat........................7 Opinion..................................22 Pets.........................................10 Sports.....................................23
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Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility helps out with spring cleaning.