YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 9, No. 51
Including Surrounding Communities
www.thepress.net
Freedom grad shares Time with Obama by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer
Earlier this month when President Obama traveled to West Point to sell his plan for sending additional troops to Afghanistan, former Freedom High School grad Andrew Ng had a front row seat. This week, the nation got a front row look at Ng and his fellow cadets thanks to a Time Magazine cover photo featuring Ng and a throng of West Pointers awaiting their turn to shake the president’s hand. “It was pretty amazing to see that photo,” said Freedom High School Principal Eric Faulkner of the Dec. 14 Time cover. “I remember Andrew as a phenomenal student who not only took care of his academic life, but was very active in school as well. He played ten-
Ally alliance cheers Aaron
An organ transplant candidate is relishing the support of someone who understands what he’s going through.
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Press editor top citizen Freedom High School grad Andrew Ng, second from left, made the cover of Time Magazine this week along with his fellow West Point cadets during the President’s recent visit to the military academy.
Study: East Hillcrest eBART option iffy by Dave Roberts Staff Writer
The eastern location for the Hillcrest eBART station that Antioch officials prefer might not be worth the additional cost – possibly as much as $51 million extra, according to a recent study. “Despite modestly higher ridership, we find that implementing the Median-East Station alternative may not be cost-effective for ridership development,” concludes the study by Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates. City officials have been pushing for that station location, which is 700 feet east of the Median Station option, because it would allow for more transit-oriented development near the station, including 54 percent more residential units, 130 percent more retail space and 32 percent more office space. However, the big advantage of the Median Station location,
“ Despite modestly higher ridership, we find that implementing the Median-East Station alternative may not be cost-effective for ridership development.
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Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates which is about 1,200 feet east of the Hillcrest Avenue interchange with Highway 4, is that it’s fully paid for. Funds have been secured for the $462 million cost of constructing a 10-mile eBART line from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station in the median of Highway 4, including stations in the median at Railroad Avenue and Hillcrest. Both Hillcrest station options would accommodate nearby development, but the difference might not be enough to justify the cost difference. “There is not likely to be a significant difference in the general economic development potential of
December 18, 2009
THIS WEEK
nis and football and was a positive role model who was a popular, well-liked individual. We feel very proud that Andrew is a Freedom grad and to think that we maybe played a small part in some of his success.” His grandmother, Mary Ng is proud too. “Andrew and the rest of the Brigade Staff (he is now a Cadet Captain) were sitting in the front row,” wrote Mary in an e-mail to Faulkner last week. “Andrew got to shake the President’s hand … Needless to say we are so proud of him and the fact that he graduated from Freedom High School.” It’s been a publicity-intensive month for Ng and his historic face time with the president. His West Point see Grad page 22A
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these two station site alternatives,” the consultant’s report states. Although nearly 400 additional daily eBART trips would be generated at the Median-East station site, they “may not be worth the additional costs, which amount to approximately $130,000 for each additional daily trip.” That station is more expensive because it would include more track and relocation of eBART parking and maintenance facilities and extension of Slatten Ranch Road to a below-grade intersection with the planned Viera Avenue extension. But cost-saving alternatives could reduce the additional cost for the
Weigh in!
Median-East Station to $22 million, equating to about $57,000 for each additional daily eBART trip. The report recommends seeking construction bids on both station alternatives, however, because of the current low-bidding environment. Due to companies seeking work during the recession, construction costs have been averaging 30 to 40 percent less in the past year for major projects. Antioch Councilwoman Martha Parsons is encouraged by that, and is not ready to pull the plug on the Median-East Station. “I believe that the Eastern station should be a bid alternate because it is the preferred station location,” she said via e-mail. “And until we see the actual bids in the current economic environment no one can accurately determine the incremental cost. If the bid turns out to be see eBART page 22A
Oakley Press Managing Editor Rick Lemyre was named Citizen of the Year by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce.
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Underdogs overcome
The Falcons got their homecourt season off to a flying start by beating a battle-tested College Park squad.
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