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Vol. 24, No. 46
Tours recently restarted after COVID restrictions lifted
Vasco Caves Regional Preserve is home to various native and rare flora and fauna, and is considered a sacred place to the indigenous peoples who once inhabited the area.
specify what sort of turf would be used, City Manager Tim Ogden said during the meeting, but could be amended to clarify that design element. “You folks don’t even want to get the party started unless it’s specifically artificial turf,” resident Danny Dohrmann said during public comments. Dohrmann expressed concerns that artificial turf would not be usable yearround due to getting hot in the summertime, a concern echoed by resident Brayden Haena, who had formerly played football on artificial turf, he said. Other residents spoke both in see Sand Creek page 18A
see RSV page 18A
Staff Writer
REGIONAL Tucked away in the hills, and protected by the East Bay Regional Park District, lies an ecologically vibrant space that has been sacred to the indigenous peoples of this area for centuries. Guided tours of Vasco Caves Regional Preserve are a popular way for locals to learn about the nature and history of the area. The park district only recently restarted these reservation-only tours after COVID-19 restrictions prevented the district from offering these explorations.
Photo by Melissa van Ruiten
The area surrounding the preserve is home to the Bay Miwok, Ohlone, and Yokuts people, specifically the Ssaoam and Volvon villages. Ancient pictographs scatter the walls and cupules (a
form of ancient rock art) and mortars, used for grinding herbs and acorns, dot the bedrock. While the immediate area surrounding the preserve didn’t house the native population, it
lies at the center of a network of ancient trade routes that linked Bay Area Ohlones, Bay Miwoks, and Northern Valley Yokuts, see Vasco page 18A
Brentwood approves sports complex design two submitted documents for consideration. Following an interview process, the council decided unanimously that Verde Design Inc., a California-based firm, was the frontrunner and that the council would vote on whether or not to award them the contract. “Upon approval of this agreement, services will commence by the end of November,” according to the agenda packet. “Following completion of a public outreach process and workshop with the Park and Recreation Commission, staff will return to City Council with the concept designs and cost estimates.” Verde Design will provide consultation services in five phases
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beginning with the preliminary design services and including all construction documents and bidding services for the construction of the sports complex. The estimated cost for the services, according to city staff reports, is $1,945,331.95. This amount includes both the agreed upon base estimate of $1,691,593 and a 15% “contingency amount” of $253,738.95 for potential additional services as the project progresses. While the council generally agreed that the city should maximize the number of soccer fields at the future complex, a point of contention was the council’s interest in using artificial turf. The initial Strategic Plan did not
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BRENTWOOD The Brentwood City Council voted unanimously at their Nov. 15 meeting to begin the design phase of the long-awaited Sand Creek Sports Complex. “This is very, very exciting,” Mayor Joel Bryant said following the vote. “I’m very much looking forward to this.” Construction of the sports complex was considered a “top priority” as part of the city’s Strategic Initiative, according to Director of Parks and Recreation Bruce Mulder, who presented the agenda item. To this end, the city began seeking applications from firms that could potentially provide their design services to the city. Of the 23 firms that expressed interest,
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What to know about RSV As the number of RSV cases continues to spike across parts of the U.S. — with some areas nearing seasonal peak levels — those typical “bugs” your child brings home may have you feeling on edge. It can be difficult to know what’s behind a constant cough, especially if your child is very young. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, can include symptoms similar to a common cold. However, the virus can develop into something more serious. RSV can infect people of all ages but is most severe for older adults and young children. Usually, almost every child under the age of 2 has been exposed to RSV, but due to the pandemic response over the last few years, kids have not been exposed as much to RSV. That is one of the reasons why we are seeing such a spike this year, as well as RSV in children older than 2. RSV symptoms may vary and typically begin four to six days after infection. The most common symptoms might include: • Runny nose • Low appetite • Coughing • Sneezing • Fever • Wheezing For infants with RSV, they might be irritable, sluggish or find it harder to breathe. Your pediatrician will be able to figure out whether it’s a common cold, COVID-19 or RSV, if you have concerns about symptoms
By Melissa van Ruiten
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