Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025
From The Press Vol. 27, No. 47
YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS SOURCE | WWW.THEPRESS.NET November 21, 2025
Brentwood officer in fatal incident case still on active duty Police decision based on ‘factual circumstances’ By Jake Menez Staff Writer
Aaron Peachman — the officer involved in a Sept. 26 arrest that ultimately ended with Brentwood resident Yolanda Ramirez dead following a medical emergency in custody — is still on active duty, according to Interim Chief Walter O’Grodnick. “He is not on leave or reassigned given the totality of factual circumstances related to this matter,” O’Grodnick said on Nov. 18. O’Grodnick’s comment comes in the wake of public outcry at the Nov. 12 City Council meeting, during which
Breaking the ice in Oakley
residents called for greater transparency, including clarity on whether or not Peachman was still on active duty. The case is under investigation by the County District Attorney’s Office as part of their fatal incident protocol. Ted Asregadoo, the public information officer for the District Attorney’s Office, said that the office can only confirm that the incident is under investigation but cannot provide further details. “Whenever an officer or civilian is shot or dies during an encounter with law enforcement in Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office (CCCDAO), as well as every law enforcement agency in the county, follow a county protocol to investigate an incident,” according to
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
O
akley on Ice is set for its grand opening on Nov. 22 at 3350 Main St. across the street from Oakley City Hall, to the right of Grocery Outlet and behind The Beer Aisle. The seasonal skating rink had been in downtown Brentwood for the past seven years. The rink will open at 4:45 p.m., beginning with a performance by the San Francisco Ice Theatre. The city of Oakley agreed to a deal with Tom Gregory, who operated Brentwood on Ice, for a $30,000 partnership fee. In addition, the City of Oakley will cover PG&E and water costs, provide a dumpster for trash that will be emptied weekly, and will market the event with Oakley on Ice, according to Assistant City Manager Danielle Navarro. The funding for the incoming ice rink is budgeted by the city’s General Fund for fiscal year 2025-26, she said.
see Case page 19A
Oakley approves Brownstone housing design Planning Commission also recommends redesignating Bridgehead Road properties By Connor Robles Correspondent
Graphic courtesy of City of Oakley
The Oakley Planning Commission unanimously approved the design review for a 44-unit housing subdivision on Brownstone Road near its intersection with Main Street, next to the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church at 280 Brownstone Road. In a work session, the commission also voiced support for re-
This is an artist rendering of Schematic Street Scene of Brownstone Oakley homes. designating a trio of properties, totaling 1.36 acres, at the intersection of Bridgehead Road and Wilbur Avenue for light industrial use. Prevously, they were designated as a business park. The Brownstone development will
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feature single- and two-story homes in five floor plans, ranging from the 2,100 square feet Plan 1 to the 3,595 squarefeet Plan 5; Plan 1 is single-story, while all other floor plans are two-story. Each floor plan will come in three of four pos-
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see Housing page 19A
Pets...............................................................................5A Sports.........................................................................10A
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sible styles, known as Craftsman, Spanish Eclectic, Prairie, and California Ranch, and each style will come in three color and material schemes. All homes in the development will come with solar panels, as required by state law. The site will be partially surrounded by sound walls to block out the noise of Brownstone Road, but around the nearby church it will be bordered with nylon fences to keep out horses from nearby properties. The project was approved with certain conditions, such as having additional reviews of the bounding walls, fences, and the neighborhood entrance after approval. When the original parcel map was approved in 2007, the subdivision was