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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 13, No. 32
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August 12, 2011
Heritage welcomes new principal Cultivating community by Samie Hartley Staff Writer Like his students, Heritage High School Principal Larry Oshodi is doing some homework of his own now that school is back in session. Oshodi took over the role of principal during the summer after predecessor Andy Parsons left for an administrative post with the San Mateo school district. For the past weeks, Oshodi has been busy brushing up on Heritage culture and policies, but now that students are walking the halls again, he plans to observe the complete Heritage experience in and out of the classroom. “The Liberty Union High School District has got it right,” Oshodi said. “There is a strong commitment to excellence and student achievement, and the small-learning community model that the district uses is the future of education. It’s not a fad. This is what is best for the students, and I’m excited to be a part of this.” Oshodi, who moved with his wife to see Principal page 26A
Jewish congregations are finding East County fertile soil for the flourishing of a great culture and religion. Page 1B
Heartfelt harvest The bounty of a local church’s garden is being donated to a food pantry and distributed to families in need. Page 5A
Photo by Samie Hartley
Dialed in to dreams
Heritage High School Principal Larry Oshodi looks forward to building on the school’s reputation for excellence.
Radio upgrade for police department by Rick Lemyre Staff Writer The Brentwood Police will soon begin receiving state-of-the-art radios designed to make communication with other emergency providers easier and more dependable. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a lease agreement that will provide 150 police radios to replace the VHF radios now in use. Part of the current capital improvement budget, the radios were estimated to cost $927,000 and be installed in phases over the next 12 monthsw. But by entering a lease-to-buy agreement offered by the manufacturer, Motorola, the city cut the cost by about $100,000. The discount allowed the department to customize the radios for the SWAT team,
“ This is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade our communications. It basically gives us the most sophisticated portable radio system in the world.
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Brentwood Police Chief Mark Evenson as well as provide more wireless headsets for officers without exceeding the budget. The agreement also means the department will receive all the radios at once, by Sept. 15. Installation will cost about $30,000 and be performed by outside vendors, accord-
ing to city staff. The new sets are compliant with the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA) Radio Project currently being implemented by Alameda and Contra Costa counties and local emergency response agencies. Brentwood Police Chief Mark Evenson said the project is a direct result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Response to those catastrophes was hampered by agencies’ inability to communicate with each other due to incompatible radio systems. “This is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade our communications,” Evenson said Tuesday. “It basically gives us the most sophisticated portable radio system in the world.” EBRCSA was officially created on
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A national campaign invites Americans to take a vitamin-packed pledge.
see Radio page 26A
Slick ticketing
go to news/press releases The county’s online museum pass reservation system has gone mobile.
Three local baseball players are on the roster for the Area Code games, a national showcase of talent. Page 21A Arts ....................................... 9A Calendar ............................ 15B Classifieds ......................... 10B Cop Logs ............................19A East County Life ................ 1B Food ...................................... 8B Health & Beauty ................ 5B Milestones .......................... 6B Opinion ..............................18A Sports .................................21A FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Loaded lanes
go to multimedia/videos More than 1,800 local bowlers tried to help break a world record.