YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 9, No. 50
Including Surrounding Communities
Quick thinking rescues pets by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
A funny thing happened to Zak Owen and Andrew Kegle on their way to a community service appointment last week. A splitsecond decision by the Freedom High School seniors resulted in the fulfillment of their volunteer requirements, but not in the way they had expected. As they were driving down Neroly Road on their way to log some service hours at Bridge Marina Yacht Club, the two students spotted smoke coming from a nearby residence. “We were on our way (to Bridge Marina) when my friend (Kegle) noticed smoke that looked like more than just a fireplace coming out of the house,” said Owen. “So we pulled in and he called 911. After that, the adrenaline just kicked in.” Owen and Kegle arrived at
the home of Helen and Robert Dominguez – who were not home at the time – in the 5200 block of Neroly Road at around 4 p.m. As neighbors yelled to the boys that there were three dogs inside the house (two pit bulls and a herding dog), Kegle kicked down the back door of the house and ran inside with Owen. “I didn’t really think about it,” said Kegle. “I just saw the smoke and kicked it (the door) in.” Once inside, the knee-high smoke made it difficult for the boy’s to navigate through the house. “There was a lot of smoke, and once we got inside we found two of the dogs passed out – I thought one of them was dead,” said Owen. “They were stiff and unresponsive. Around that time, a neighbor came in and found the third dog and carried it out.” see Fire page 30A
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Yuletide sparkler
THIS WEEK
Guidelines for gifting
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On the firing line Photo by Samie Hartley
akley ushered in the holidays with its annual tree lighting event on Saturday, the main attraction of which (besides Santa, of course) was the 31foot Christmas tree now lighting up the plaza at City Hall. For more on the event, see Page 3A.
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by Samie Hartley Staff Writer
Photo by Samie Hartley
District V Supervisor Federal Glover presents outgoing mayor Carol Rios with a proclamation from the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors. Rios will finish out the rest of her elected term, which ends next year, as a councilmember. will continue at the new commercial center at Laurel Road and O’Hara Avenue. “When you look at Slatten Ranch (in Antioch), and you see a lot of empty store fronts there, our little pause in our commercial and retail development may have been a blessing in disguise,” Anderson said. “Better to begin the opening of business on the upswing, so this particular plaza is in an ideal location near schools and parks and neighborhoods, and we all look for-
December 11, 2009
Hoping to wrap up your holiday shopping swiftly and smoothly? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide.
Anderson (re)takes City Council helm For the third time in Oakley’s 10 years of cityhood, Pat Anderson will serve as mayor. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the council unanimously appointed Anderson for the position and promoted junior councilman Jim Frazier to the office of vice mayor. Anderson, who will serve as mayor for the customary one-year term, said she expects next year to be a welcome challenge, as many important issues will be brought before the council: “It won’t be a quiet year. It will be a really busy year. We’re going to have a lot of things going on.” The council will continue to acquire properties along Main Street to make way for the expansion and redirection of the city’s main roadway as part of the Downtown Specific Plan. 2010 will also be the year in which a signal is placed at the intersection of West Cypress Road and O’Hara Avenue, sidewalks will be installed on the west side of O’Hara Avenue across from Freedom High School, and construction
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ward to seeing the businesses open there.” Anderson said one of the new year’s most important tasks will be continued discussions about the proposed Oakley Generating Station, a power plant currently being evaluated by the California Energy Commission: “(Like) many of you, I’m still not sure if it’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing or a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’m not sure, but we’re all going to continue to study and learn and figure out what is best for this
community.” Other items expected to go before the council next year include improvement of police and fire services and implementation of a new recycling program. Following a brief reception to celebrate their appointments, Anderson and Frazier took their new seats in the council chambers and proceeded with regular agenda items. While their nametags had yet to be replaced with new titles, Anderson and Frazier added another title to their resumés as representatives on the new East Contra Costa Fire District Board of Directors. The council voted 4-1 to appoint the new mayor and vice mayor, along with Councilman Kevin Romick, to the newly formed board, which will assume governance of the fire district next February. Anderson, Frazier and Romick will join four Brentwood representatives, who were also appointed on Tuesday, and two members who have yet to be appointed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisee Council page 30A
A contentious vibe dominated a recent town hall meeting where a new congressman provided a stationary target.
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Time to take it to the mat
Freedom wrestlers got an upclose scouting report on the competition at the annual Falcon Shootout.
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INSIDE Calendar ..........................19B Classifieds ........................12B Cop Logs ..........................13A Entertainment .................. 8B Food ................................... 9B Health & Beauty .............18A Holiday Gift Guide ........... 1B Milestones .......................10A Opinion ...........................12A Sports ...............................21A
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A