YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS
Vol. 23, No. 35
Hometown hero made his mark in the NFL
August 27, 2021
Major crash
School district addresses COVID cases
by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
BRENTWOOD Floyd Reese, Liberty High graduate and former general manager of the Tennessee Titans NFL franchise , died on Saturday, Aug. 21, following a battle with cancer. He was 73 years old. Reese was a popular figure locally and despite a successful career with the NFL, never outgrew the love he had for his hometown. “He was the nicest guy you could ever know, and he never flaunted his athletic endeavors,” said friend and former coworker Jack England. “Even when he was with the Houston Oilers, he always had his ties in Brentwood and would come back and visit. Brentwood was his hometown and Brentwood did a lot for him see Reese page 22
by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
ing it easier and faster for cities to zone for multi-unit housing is a critical piece of the puzzle,” Wiener said in a statement. “This voluntary tool will help local governments throughout California fundamentally reshape their zoning in infill areas, and help our state climb out of the housing crisis we face. Today is a
BYRON The Byron Union School District (BUSD) cleared the air this week about a reported rise in COVID-19 cases in the district over the past two weeks. The case reports started coming in from Excelsior Middle School on Friday, Aug. 13, a day BUSD Superintendent Reyes Gauna had to be off-campus. By Monday, a COVID testing response team from Contra Costa County had been brought in to offer testing to the district and surrounding community. “From Monday to Thursday, they conducted over 500 individual rapid tests, and they are trained professionals certified to conduct these tests,” said Gauna. “This included parents and family members, and community members. Of the 500 individuals tested, 60 individuals tested positive. Of those 60, an estimated 38 were students. We are sharing all of this with parents.” Gauna further noted that the numbers could be inaccurate if someone did not report a COVID-19 case. Until Aug. 13, the district had very few positive cases. After last week’s tests, several classes were quarantined, including a class with only one positive case. “We did shut down a class with only one case,” said Guana. “I don’t want to blame anyone, but there was a miscommunication between the district and Public Health. ... We determined where the miscommunication may have been and we have corrected it. Since Wednesday, we are no longer closing classes. We are following a strict procedure that is outlined.” The testing site — located on the Excelsior
see Housing page 22
see COVID-19 page 22
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Photo by Melissa van Ruiten
ne person died and another was injured after a vehicle hit a train on East Cypress Road in Oakley on Aug. 25. For updated information, visit bit.ly/3DhMJdU.
Bills take aim at housing crisis “ California’s severe housing shortage requires many
by Tony Kukulich Correspondent
REGIONAL The first of a pair of controversial Senate housing bills was passed Aug. 23 by the California State Assembly, and will likely go to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature early next month. Senate Bill (SB) 10 is intended to diminish the impact of the state’s affordable housing crisis by increasing housing density in both urban and suburban neighborhoods. The legislation, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-11, allows local governments to approve the construction of small, multi-unit housing buildings in areas otherwise zoned for single-family homes. Apartment buildings with up to 10
strategies, and making it easier and faster for cities to zone for multi-unit housing is a critical piece of the puzzle
”
Sen. Scott Wiener units can be approved and built if the parcel is located in close proximity to mass transit, or if the parcel is located in a developed urban area. The legislation also removes barriers to construction by waiving the requirement for a review under the California Environmental Quality Act . “California’s severe housing shortage requires many strategies, and mak-
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Locals sew for school district
Kids fishing derby begins
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