YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
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Vol. 21, No. 44
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Multiple fires rage across East County by Tony Kukulich Staff Writer
High winds and red flag conditions roared into East County in the early hours of Sunday, Oct. 27, sparking four significant fires in the region and prompting the evacuation of parts of Bethel Island, Oakley, Knightsen and Morgan Territory. A press release issued by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Wednesday afternoon placed the blame for two of the fires – the Bethel Island and Oakley incidents – on PG&E. The press release said video evidence and eyewitness statements indicated that malfunctioning transformers were casting sparks into the tinderdry vegetation below at the location of both of these fires. As of press time, PG&E did not respond to a request for comment regarding the
Photo by Tony Kukulich
High winds and red flag conditions contributed to the outbreak of four fires in East County, Sunday, Oct. 27. origin of the East County fires. Peak wind gusts were estimated at 75 mph, while sustained winds exceeded 30 mph, said ECCFPD)
Fire Chief Brian Helmick. Despite the challenging weather and the number of incidents that occurred over a relatively short time frame,
only one minor injury was reported, and minimal property damage occurred. Helmick credited an emergency staff increase and the tactics implemented by fire crews — from multiple agencies that responded to the area — with protecting the lives and property of area residents. The district’s extra staffing was expected to remain on duty until Wednesday, Oct. 30, due to a second high-wind incident expected to blow through the area. “Utilizing emergency recall and having our members respond back to the jurisdiction, we were able to upstaff an additional three engines to be able to respond to incidents over the 24-hour wind event,” said Helmick. “The response back from our members is something that I don’t take for granted. I think it shows the level of commitment
Staff Writer
The time-saving and safety benefits of the Balfour Road Interchange Project have been a dream come true for many East County motorists. But one Brentwood family and their neighbors say the reconfigured highway has turned their home life into a nightmare. Sukumar Dash, a Siena Village subdivision resident whose sound wall-shielded home is one of an estimated 12 that back up to the reconfigured roadway, says additional noise precludes his family from getting a full night’s sleep, causes health problems, shakes their residence, sours outdoor neighborhood gatherings and leaves them stressed and irritated. “This is our haven, we want to sleep, we want to have peace,” said Dash, who has lived in the Carrara Street home with his family since
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Sukumar Dash lives in Brentwood’s Siena Village and is seeking a fix for the traffic noise he says burdens his family. 2014. “We can’t even sit and just talk because of the constant noise.” The sound struggles zoomed in immediately after a portion of the interchange opened in July 2018, bringing the road an estimated 89 feet from his property — about 204 feet closer than the old configuration, Dash said. To make matters
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worse, the section of wall erected to guard his residence dips slightly lower than other homes in the subdivision, due to the land’s contours. “Our heads start pounding with the noise of emergency vehicles,” said Shivangi Dash, Sukumar’s wife. The Dash family is not alone.
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Measure L Goes To Polls
With the special election looming, voters take a last minute look at Measure L. Page 5
Scarecrows In The Park
see Fires page 26
Traffic noise rattles Brentwood neighborhood by Kyle Szymanski
November 1, 2019
“We have young kids who, when they sleep, are woken up because the house shakes from all the noise,” said Jason Hillin, whose home is also near the wall. Nearby resident Shauna White said she moved to Brentwood from Concord, but the change has blown up in her face. “I moved to Brentwood because I wanted to get away from the noise, the congestion, the pollution,” she said. “Now Highway 4 has been expanded and my quality of life has completely decreased.” Sukumar says he’s expressed his concerns with city staff; the city council; the home builder, Lennar Homes; the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, which managed the project; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Assemblymember Jim Frazier, with no resolution materializing.
The community came out to enter their straw creations. See who won this year’s competition. Page 13
Game, Set And Match
Heritage girls’ tennis team has wrapped up another league title. Page 19
see Noise page 26
Calendar................................27 Classifieds.............................23 Entertainment.....................13 Food........................................12 Milestones............................11 Opinion..................................17 Pets of the Week...................8 Sports.....................................19
Shelter Drill
Goodguys Show
www.thepress.net/news/webextras
18th annual countywide shelter-in-place drill coming to East County.
www.thepress.net/news/press_releases
Popular Goodguys Car Show is coming to the Alameda Fairgrounds.