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Newsom Spreading positivity lifts regional stay-at-home orders
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
jacent public infrastructure. The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority estimates 10 daily trains will serve the station – five westbound toward Oakland and five eastbound toward Bakersfield. Annual ridership numbers are expected to range between 35,000 and 52,000 in 2025. A consultant team projected that the project will fuel retail and lower-density mid-rise residential growth. “The study concluded that the impacts are positive,” said Community Development Director Joshua McMurray. The council, whose three
BRENTWOOD The community has long suggested that Susannah Meyer should be on the city council. Now it’s a reality. The 12-year city resident and state senate senior district representative secured the District 3 seat in a three-person race in November’s election. “A lot of people over the years have said, ‘You should be on council,’” Meyer said. “I was like, ‘I don’t think it is my thing.’ But it comes up in conversation, and you really start to think, especially during a crisis. When something that impactful and life-altering comes your way, it makes you think, on a really grand level, ‘What am I doing? How can I be involved? What can I do to make my community and the lives of the people around me better?’” Meyer’s new role is a natural extension of her passion to serve. The mother of two adult sons has been a senior district representative for California State Senator Steve Glazer (D Contra Costa) since 2019. She previously held multiple autism support roles and positions with Meals On Wheels Diablo Region and the Volunteer Center of the East Bay. The pandemic, she said, only amplified her desire to give back. “In thinking about it after COVID hit, it was all about what can I do for Brentwood? What
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Staff Writer
REGIONAL In a move that appeared to catch many by surprise, Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted the regional stay-at-home order that, until Monday, impacted more than 90% of all Californians. “California is slowly starting to emerge from the most dangerous surge of this pandemic yet, which is the light at the end of the tunnel we’ve been hoping for,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Seven weeks ago, our hospitals and front-line medical workers were stretched to their limits, but Californians heard the urgent message to stay home when possible, and our surge after the December holidays did not overwhelm the health care system to the degree we had feared.”
Photo by Tony Kukulich
F
eeling the need to share a positive message during challenging times, Hannah Smith held this sign while standing on the corner of Balfour Road and Griffith Lane in Brentwood, Tuesday, Jan. 26. The Brentwood youth said she just wanted to give people some expression of hope and To view a video of the event, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia optimism.
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Future train platform could arrive in 2022 “ Once you are part of this network, the sky
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
OAKLEY The long-awaited downtown Amtrak train platform project continues to inch forward, city officials said during a recent council update on the plans. The estimated 700-foot-long grant-funded train platform, which could be completed in 2022, will be situated north of Main Street, between Second Street and O’Hara Avenue. It will likely allow commuters to jump on a train and arrive in Oakland in under an hour. A transit center connecting existing transit service to the station, a 300-space parking lot,
is the limit for where you want to travel.
Oakley City Manager Bryan Montgomery a plaza (expected to be used for civic events), and new roadways designed to streamline access, circulation, parking and drop-offs will also be included nearby. “While this is intended to be a commuter rail that can get you to Oakland, moving west, at a very early hour — say, before 8 o’clock — this is also part of a network,” said Oakley City Man-
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ager Bryan Montgomery. “Once you are part of this network, the sky is the limit for where you want to travel.” The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority has secured an $8.6 million grant comprising state and federal money to pay for the platform, with the city agreeing to fund the roadway design and construction, parking lot and ad-
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January 29, 2021
Meyer ready for council role
by Tony Kukulich
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