YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 17, No. 37
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Basketball gets a new mentor by Heather Brewer Correspondent
It’s been said basketball players don’t play against opponents, but against the game itself. East County has a new face in the game, helping youth learn to play their best. Oakley resident Shawn Smith, a well-known high school and college basketball player, has started The Skill Factory – a place to mentor and coach kids who want a future in the sport. “What I provide is basketball training and mentoring to the youth that I work with,” said Smith, who coaches freshmen boys at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon. “We practice different basketball skills and training methods, while mentoring them on doing well in school. I want to help kids with their skills as an athlete and young adult and to be
the mentor and coach students not only look up to but learn from as well.” With a storied background in basketball, Smith, 24, was waylaid by medical issues while in college at Marshall University, but he has plenty of knowledge and wisdom to pass along to those coming up through the ranks. The junior transfer finished his first season at Marshall averaging 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. He scored in double digits in 12 games and recorded five or more rebounds in 13 games on the year. In his senior year, he started the first five games of the season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury and reached double-figure scoring in three of five games played. “I’ve played basketball since I was a sophomore in high school see Basketball page 30A
Great Homes And Gardens
The Press’ special edition has all you need to make your home and garden beautiful. Page 3B
New DA In Town
Photo courtesy of Shawn Smith
Shawn Smith, center, a well-known college basketball start, is hosting basketball training and mentoring classes throughout East County for children hoping to get a leg up in the sport.
Fire district looking at funding options by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
As the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) continues to seek solutions to its funding woes, at least three community-suggested options appear to be off the table – for now. The district’s legal team this week released an analysis that downplayed the feasibility of the district declaring a state of emergency or relying on property-tax revenue reallocation measures. “This is truly just an opportunity to talk through the issues,” said Shayna van Hoften, legal counsel for the district. “These are issues that have been the subject of discussion.” The ECCFPD, which comprised eight stations in 2008, is down to just three sta-
tions to serve nearly 115,000 residents over 249 square miles. The problem stems almost entirely from the district’s property-tax allocation being set with the approval of Proposition 13 in 1978 when volunteer departments were sufficient to cover all of East County. The grassroots organization East County Voters for Equal Protection (EVC) has publicly advocated that the district declare a local emergency under the California Emergency Services Act, which the group states was written into law as a tool for public servants who find themselves in a situation in which they are unable to provide adequate public services. However, van Hoften said only a city or county – or a city and a county together – can declare a state of local emergency. Examples of local emergencies under the act include air pollution, fire, flood, epidemic, riot and drought.
“There is often rhetorical value in using words like ‘emergency,’ and there is certainly no legal prohibition against doing that,” van Hoften said. “However, there is also no legal vehicle for this board to take any sort of enforceable action to declare a state or condition of emergency.” Van Hoften has previously expressed concern about another ECV plan that calls for all property tax-receiving agencies in ECCFPD’s coverage area – including Brentwood and Oakley, the county and several special districts – to permanently shift 5.2 percent of their allocated funds to the district over the course of three or four years. That money would be sufficient for the district to operate six stations without raising district residents’ taxes. To avoid violating the law, that plan can-
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September 15, 2017
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see Funding page 30A
Parkinson Forum www.thepress.net/news/webextras
Parkinson Association of Northern California set to hold their annual conference.
Supervisors choose a replacement for former District Attorney Mark Peterson. Page 5A
Tennis Star Breaks Slump
Freedom High tennis phenom breaks school’s 20-year losing streak. Page 23A Business................................ 6A Calendar............................. 31A Classifieds.......................... 27A Cop Logs............................. 29A Entertainment.................. 10A Food..................................... 11A Health & Beauty............... 21A Milestones......................... 18A Pets...................................... 15A Sports.................................. 23A
Harvey Victims
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Kaiser Permanente donates $1 million to victims of Hurricane Harvey.