YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa
Vol. 9, No. 18
Including Nearby Communities
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DA to continue all prosecutions by Dave Roberts Staff Writer
East County officials and residents’ outrage at a plan by County District Attorney Bob Kochly to no longer prosecute a variety of minor crimes turned into temporary relief this week after he announced Tuesday that he will hold off on that plan for 120 days. Kochly told the County Board of Supervisors that the recent resignations of three assistant district attorneys receiving benefits will free up nearly enough funds to prevent the need to lay off, for now, six contracted assistant DAs who do not receive benefits. Kochly also agreed to take a 10-percent pay cut. As a result, he rescinded a plan that was to go into effect on Monday to no longer prosecute felony possession of small amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin as well as misdemeanor drug crimes of all kinds. He also had planned to no longer prosecute traffic offenses,
Photo by Dave Roberts
Antioch Mayor Jim Davis expresses concerns about the district attorney budget cuts to Bay Area media at the Pittsburg Courthouse last Friday as Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor looks on. property crimes, simple assault or battery, trespassing, loitering cases and a variety of other misdemeanor crimes. That plan, which Kochly an-
nounced in an April 20 memo to police chiefs in the county’s cities, produced outrage among East County officials and residents after it was leaked to the public.
“The message we have today is for the Board of Supervisors to work with the district attorney’s office to restore the budget and allow them to continue doing the job that they have in the past,” said Antioch Mayor Jim Davis last Friday at the Pittsburg Courthouse in a press conference he held with Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor and Oakley Mayor Carol Rios. “This is not the time to be cutting back the budget; this is the time to increase the budget. With the economic situation that this country is in, we all know that crime is going to increase. We need to continue prosecuting the crimes as they have been doing in our communities.” Hans Ho, chairman of the Antioch Crime Prevention Commission, said, “When I received word that we are not going to prosecute some of the crimes, I was in shock. I thought we might as well write out an invitation to the criminals:
May 1, 2009
THIS WEEK
Mending the murals
Murals suffering from wear and tear are being rescued by their creators.
Page 9A
City stalwart venerated One of modern Antioch’s most influential citizens is being awarded an honorary degree.
Page 4A
see DA page 21A
$54.5M sewage plant breaks ground by Dave Roberts Staff Writer
Twenty-five years ago, Ironhouse Sanitary District Board Member Lenny Byer dug a shovel into Oakley’s sandy soil to ceremonially break ground on a sewage treatment plant that has done a number-one (and two) job for Oakley and Bethel Island residents ever since. He kept a pile of dirt from that groundbreaking as a souvenir. On Earth Day last week, Byer, now the board president, dug a shovel into a freshly mowed hay field a quarter-mile east of the existing plant to inaugurate a $54.5 million state-of-the-art plant designed to serve residents for the next 25 years. Byer, the other board members and General Manager Tom Williams were not only flushed with pride but relieved to finally begin construction on a plant that has been many years in the planning. “I don’t know much about Earth Day, but I do know this is a big, big day for me,” said Byer, adding that he had planned to bring the souvenir dirt from that first groundbreaking and scatter it at this one, “but I forgot. I can’t say enough for the plant over there. It’s done an outstanding job for the citizens of Oakley. I’m elated, I’m proud to be standing here to witness a new state-of-the-art treatment plant. It’s a privilege to be here, a privilege to serve on the Ironhouse board.”
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New waters to explore
Seniors on the Deer Valley swim team will soon be diving into the deep end of college competition.
Page 4B
Photo by Dave Roberts
Ironhouse Sanitary District officials officially break ground on a sewage treatment plant designed to meet the needs of future growth in the Oakley area while abiding by stricter state regulations. District customers are paying extra for the privilege of having their waste treated with membrane bioreactor technology. Two years ago the residential rate increased 14 percent to $412 per year from the previous $360 fee. The fee has been rising about $50 annually since then, and had been scheduled to top off at $680 annually
in three years. The good news is that now it will take longer to reach that top rate because the contractor’s bid came in $12 million lower than estimated, according to Williams. “Which helps our ratepayers
Check it out!
see Plant page 21A
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