ThePress 10.09.2020

Page 1

Want the newspaper delivered to your home?

Candidate faces accusations by Ruth Roberts Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD A Change.org petition urging residents not to elect candidate Christina Dalton to the Liberty Union High School District (LUHSD) Board has logged nearly 1,300 virtual signatures since its inception three weeks ago, and proponents of the grassroots movement are hoping it will be enough to keep the retired educator from securing a seat they say she is unfit to hold. “I care about my children’s foundation and their right to be treated as equals,” said petition organizer Chantae Orozco. “I can’t look them in the eyes and say I didn’t fight for their right to an abuse-free education.” Opponents of Dalton’s bid for the school board said the retired math teacher and guidance counselor was verbally abusive to students over the course of her nearly 40-year tenure with the Antioch Unified and Liberty

Liberty Union High School District board candidate Christina Dalton is the subject of an online petition urging her to withdraw from the election.

being successful in my run for the school board,” said Dalton. “I had a perfect record, no complaints … If there was really something so evil, then why did I last 39 years?” Orozco, who was a student in Dalton’s (then Zahn) class in 2001-2002, said the accusations are real. “There was a time I had been

“ I think the town board needs to be as

by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent

DISCOVERY BAY The Community Services District (CSD) Board appointed resident Ashley Porter to fill a vacancy left by former director Robert Leete, who moved to Texas last month. Porter was one of eight applicants who sought the appointment and was chosen unanimously at a special meeting of the board on Thursday, Oct. 1. During the meeting, each of the four directors submitted a list of their top three choices to narrow down the field, and Porter figured on the lists of board president Bill Pease and directors

diverse as the town, and I’m hoping that I can bring that voice of a working mom with kids in the community.

Discovery Bay CSD Director Ashley Porter Bryon Gutow and Kevin Graves. With no public comments and almost no board discussion, Graves made a motion that Porter be appointed to the seat, and Gutow seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved, and Porter became the town’s newest CSD director

Adopt-A-Pet......................................11A Classifieds.........................................20A

|

in approximately 11 minutes. “I’m excited,” Porter said after the meeting. “I’m excited to learn a bunch of stuff; I’m excited to see the whole process. I always tell my kids if they are going to complain about something, they better be willing to jump in with both feet and help

Cop Logs............................................19A Entertainment...................................9A

SAVE NOW

|

15% OFF ANY REPAIR FAIRVIEW HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING, INC.

Local News ~ On Demand

Service • Repair • Installation

Contractor’s Lic. #533790 C-20

925-625-4963 • www.fairviewair.com

by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer

see Director page 22A

see Assignment page 22A

home sick with the stomach flu, and my peers had 50 minutes to take the class test,” Orozco recalled. “When I went in for a makeup, she only allowed me to do so during lunch period, without a lunch, for about 25 minutes. When I failed (the test), she asked me in front of see Candidate page 22A

Legals.................................................21A Milestones........................................10A

To subscribe, visit www.thepress.net/subscribe

Council eyes committee assignment procedures

be a part of solving that thing they are complaining about.” Porter has lived in Discovery Bay for 18 years, raising her family right on the Delta. She comes to the board with work experience in sales, marketing, operations and corporate management. She has experience in municipality and vocational sales, as well as the bid process for small purchases and large contracts. She has participated in volunteer work in the Byron Union School District and the local community. Pease said he chose Porter because he felt she would be a

Photo provided by Christina Dalton

Union High school districts. Dalton said she was never disparaging to students during her time as an educator, and maintains she is qualified to serve on the LUHSD board of trustees — claiming the virtual campaign is just dirty politics. “This is nothing more than a smear campaign to keep me from

October 9, 2020

BRENTWOOD The city council may shake up how its members are assigned to committees in an effort to broaden their understanding of the municipality’s affairs. Currently, the mayor suggests — and then the full council approves — the one or two councilmembers assigned to about 25 local or regional committees on a host of different topics ranging from agriculture to land use and development to the Police Activities League. There are no assignment rotation schedules or term limits, although the council generally reviews committee appointments each January, with more substantive committee membership revisions in odd-numbered years, following the previous November’s election. But that could soon change. The council has unanimously directed city staff to explore rotation options, factoring in current assignments, workload and learning opportunities. “For me, all these committees and groups are not about building one person or one individual — it’s about educating everyone on the council on the different committees and things that go on, so we can be stronger as a council,” said City Councilmember Johnny Rodriguez, who first suggested the rotation exploration. City Clerk Margaret Wimberly stated that a committee rotation would allow decision-makers

Community services director named

Get The Press App!

Call or sign up online: 634-1441 www.thepress.net/subscribe

YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS | SERVING EAST COUNTY

Vol. 22, No. 41

www.thepress.net

BECOME A SUBSCRIBER!

Opinion..............................................12A Sports.................................................16A

To advertise, call 634-1441

The Press’ Fall Auto Guide

Farm Life At The Broken Road

Page 1B

Page 3A


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
ThePress 10.09.2020 by Brentwood Press & Publishing - Issuu