Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net
ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 11, No. 34
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
August 26, 2011
Frazier takes personal approach by Samie Hartley Staff Writer
Oakley Mayor Jim Frazier wants to be accessible to the residents he represents. His cell phone number and personal email address are posted on the Oakley website, and his activities and thoughts can be viewed on Facebook. But Frazier has decided to take his outreach a step further by initiating the Walk and Talk with the Mayor program. On the first and third Saturdays of the month, Frazier meets with residents at the Marsh Creek Trail entrance on East Cypress Road, next to the Kragen’s parking lot. At 7:30 a.m., the mayor and his guests take off for a casual three-mile walk along the creek and discuss issues facing the community. Frazier got the idea from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, who hosted walks when he was a
Photo by Samie Hartley
Oakley Mayor Jim Frazier, right, talks with residents during his Walk and Talk with the Mayor program on Saturday. state senator. Frazier appreciates the personal approach, so when he began walking the trail on a daily basis as part of a new exercise regimen, he decided to invite fellow Oakleyites to join him. “We don’t get a huge turn-
out at the City Council meetings, so I wanted to offer another venue for residents to voice their concerns,” Frazier said during Saturday’s walk. “And this is a great way to meet other people in your community. Come out
rs
Na t
pe
ion
for a walk. It’s good exercise and we’ll chat about things happening in Oakley.” Susan Morgan has taken a recent interest in local politics and joined the mayor for both of the August walks. An Oakley resident of two years, Morgan showed up to get a better understanding of what’s going on in Oakley, and plans to attend the event regularly. “This is a really nice thing the mayor is doing,” Morgan said. “How many mayors are willing to come out and walk and talk with community? It’s just another thing that makes Oakley really special. Mayor Frazier is out here in a shirt and shorts walking his dog like any other member of the community. It’s reassuring to know that our local representatives are so accessible and truly want to hear what’s on our minds.” During Saturday’s walk,
Breaking the huddle
Our BVAL Football Preview gives you an insider’s take on the upcoming high school gridiron season. Page 1B
Church faces lawsuit The Oakley school district is taking Mountain View Christian Church to court for reneging on the rent. Page 3A
Water wizards set their goals
see Frazier page 19A
Shootings spur community workshop by Samie Hartley Staff Writer
In response to the recent gang-related shootings and deaths in Oakley, the city will host an informational workshop to address residents’ concerns and educate the community about how to work with local law enforcement to curtail future incidents. The workshop, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 3231 Main St., will feature a presentation by a representative by the County Sheriff’s Office and information about ways to set up Neighborhood Watch programs. The meeting was spurred by the number of residents who showed up at the Aug. 9 City Council meeting expecting an informational workshop regarding the increase in violence in Oakley. Since no such workshop was on the agenda – and therefore could not be addressed by the council under the state open meeting laws – many attendees left. Not
wanting to disappoint the crowd of more than 40 who attended the council meeting expecting a discussion to take place, Councilman Randy Pope proposed that city staff organize a meeting to address residents’ concerns and reassure them that measures are being taken to maintain peace and safety in Oakley. “We need to let people know that Oakley is a place for families,” Pope said. “It’s not a place for gang members. We need to send a message that this gang culture will not be accepted in our community.” During the public comment period of the council meeting, a resident said Oakley is getting a bad reputation due to the recent shootings and something needs to be done before people start to associate Oakley with violence. Police Chief Bani Kollo was surprised to see so many people attend the council meeting. As chief, he receives numerous calls from the public, but until the recent council meeting, he hadn’t received any calls about the
“ We need to let people know that Oakley is a place for families. It’s not a place for gang members. We need to send a message that this gang culture will not be accepted in our community.
”
City Councilman Randy Pope recent violence in Oakley. While he wouldn’t specify measures being employed by the police department to manage the recent violence, he did say that the situation is under control. “We’ll get through it,” Kollo said. “It see Shootings page 19A
Which high school water polo teams will be plying the sweet waters of success? Check out our preview. Pages 23-24A Calendar ............................ 23B Classifieds .........................27A Entertainment ................. 22B Football Preview ............... 1B Food .................................... 20B Health & Beauty .............. 18B Milestones ........................20A Opinion ..............................18A Sports .................................23A FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A