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Brentwood Press - DiscoveryBayPress_08.15.08 - Index

AUGUST 15, 2008 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 21A
Election from page 1A
terest in the community and a desire to
make a difference. “At this point, I feel the
biggest issue is that the board has become
so separated from the folks who live in the
town,” said Simon, a local businessman and
resident since 1983.
“I don’t feel as though they (CSD
board) represent what the town wants. And
what they want is less traffi c, more protection,
more police and fi re. I understand
that the CSD doesn’t have much say about
the police and fi re, but it does operate as a
MAC (Municipal Advisory Council) and
has the ability to let the Board of Supervisors
understand the town’s concerns.
“Ray and I have pretty much teamed
up because we both seem to have the same
Marines from page 9A
about school. Also, changes to the GI Bill
coming in 2009 will provide $80,000 in
post-service educational benefi ts that will
be assignable to a spouse or child.
“We don’t expect them to be with us
for 20 years,” Salinas said of the education
and ethics training provided. “We want
them to return to civilian life and be good
citizens.”
The educators marched through the
week as best they could (said one, mimicking
the tone of his drill instructor, “Forward,
mosey!”), taking in combat aircraft,
amphibious assault craft and rifl e ranges.
They were given a chance to fi re M-16
rifl es and 9mm pistols on a computerized
kind of feelings about the town and its direction.
I’m hoping that people just want
enough of a change for both of us (to be
elected). It would be better with two of us.”
Lakes resident and business owner
Jennifer Finetti is also making a fi rst-time
run for the CSD board and says a concern
for her growing community and its future
prompted her to take the plunge.
“I’ve been thinking about it (running
for the board) for a while, and the main
reason is because I feel I have something to
contribute to the community,” said Finetti.
“Discovery Bay is a great town and some
of the issues it faces are a continued need to
improve our schools. That’s very near and
dear to my heart. I would also like to see the
community center come to fruition. I have
shooting range, and to gear up and run the
grueling bayonet assault course.
Divided into squads, they attempted
to solve fi eld problems such as ammo supply
and wounded evacuation missions,
learning through it all that what is seen in
movies and news video is far more diffi cult
than it appears. They visited the barracks,
learned about the famed Marine Bands,
and twice ate lunch with recruits at various
stages of the transformation.
For many, the highlights were the same
as for the recruits: a pair of ceremonies that
marked signifi cant milestones. One involved
the pageantry of boot camp graduation, but
the other, even more moving, came earlier,
when the recruits received the eagle, globe
great communication skills and I believe I
could help with communication between
the CSD and the public. I believe I bring a
diverse background to the table.”
Of the two incumbents, Patty Knight
and Bob Doran, only Doran is running for
re-election. Knight says increased job responsibilities
and commitments prevent her
from running for a second term.
Doran, who has been on the CSD
board since 1998, says he is running again
because he wants to serve his community.
“I think we’ve done a lot of good
things over the years and I would like to see
that continue,” he said. “It’s an enjoyable
position and an important one.”
On the BUSD board, incumbent Ken
Silman and newcomer Bobbi Nugent are
and anchor emblem for their uniform.
That ceremony came at the end of the
intense exercise known as “the crucible,” a
54-hour marathon of fully equipped hikes
totaling 60 miles, weapon fi ring, maneuvering
and problem-solving, all accomplished
on four hours of sleep and three 2,500-calorie
meals. The recruits, now in their 11th
week, marched directly from the fi eld to the
ceremony, and, exhausted, fi lthy and famished,
they received the congratulations of
their drill instructors and were addressed
for the fi rst time as “Marines.”
To a person, the educators came away
highly impressed at what they’d seen.
“I have a much stronger feelings of respect
for what the military does for us,” said
on the ballot, looking to fi ll the positions
for the next four years. Nugent, the current
Discovery Bay Elementary School PTA
president, said she’s excited at the prospect
of representing the people for the Byron
School Board.
“I think there are good things coming
(for the district) and I’m excited to be a part
of that,” said Nugent, who made an unsuccessful
bid for a board seat last time. “I look
forward to being a part of the district.”
Incumbent Ken Silman says he is looking
forward to a second term on the board.
“I believe we have done a lot of good
work and are heading in the right direction,”
said Silman.
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Black. “I’m impressed by the dedication
and the true passion they showed about
what they do here.”
As for the recruits, they were proud of
what they were doing.
“I’ve done things I never thought
I’d do, like climb 60-foot towers,” said 19year-old
Andrew Meyers, who passed up
a soccer scholarship to Washington State
University to enlist. He said he joined not
despite the probability that he will soon face
combat, but partly because of it. “I want to
make a difference, and the Marines give you
a real sense of pride that you are. This was
defi nitely the right thing to do.”
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