Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - OakleyPress_08.15.08 - Index

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
National Award Winning Newspapers
Vol. 8, No. 33 Including Surrounding Communities www.oakleypress.com August 15, 2008
Witnessing the making of Marines
by Rick Lemyre
Staff Writer
They scramble off the buses wearing typical
teenager haircuts, Nike T-shirts and looks
of bewilderment, trepidation and uncertainty.
Driven by sharp commands from a cadre of
men in crisp uniforms and impatient countenances,
they attempt to comply with orders to
both “Hurry up!” and “Stop running!” and
form up on precisely aligned yellow footprints
stenciled on the sidewalk. In a few moments,
they will be ushered through a nearby door
– which they will soon learn is properly called a
“hatch” – never to be seen again.
That’s because these young men are arriving
at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD)
San Diego, and over the next 12 weeks they will
be stripped of their hair, their civilian clothing
and their uncertainty as they are transformed
from what they were when they arrived into
United States Marines.
Jerry Black, an administrator with the
Liberty Union High School District, and David
Koch, a teacher at Antioch High School,
were among 72 educators– and one journalist
– from the San Francisco Bay Area, and San
Diego and Las Vegas areas recently given the
opportunity to observe that transformation
process up close during a weeklong Educators
Workshop hosted by the Corps. The workshop
was held at MCRD, the Corps’ Air Station
Miramar and Camp Pendleton in Southern
California.
The purpose of the workshop, said Brig.
Gen. Angela Salinas, commander of MCRD
Oakley officials oppose high school site
by Dave Roberts
Staff Writer
City Council members
Tuesday night denounced a plan
to locate a new high school on
the southwest corner of Sellers
Avenue and Delta Road, citing
concerns about traffi c accidents
and congestion, possible nearby
gas explosions, inadequate police
and fi re protection, fl ooding in
Marsh Creek and students causing
crime.
The school, which has yet to
be named, is scheduled to open in
2012 and will accommodate 2,200
students. The project by the Liberty
Union High School District
(LUSHD) is designed mainly for
students from the Oakley area, relieving
the overcrowding at Freedom
High School.
But if Oakley offi cials have
Visiting educators receive orders to fi nd a bunk: “Today, people, today!” during
an Educators Workshop at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.
San Diego and the Corps’ Western Recruiting
Region, was to “show community leaders
our commitment to excellence” and to give
them fi rsthand knowledge and experience they
could bring back to their students.
More than 22,000 recruits began the process
last year and 93 percent of them completed
it. The success rate is due to numerous
Oakley offi cials and nearby residents are concerned about
the plan to build a high school in a rural area at Sellers
Avenue and Delta Road.
their way, the school will never
open at that site.
“What’s being created here
is a situation that will have innumerable
problems that the city
of Oakley will be asked to fi x by
default,” said Councilman Brad
Nix. “This is spectacularly bad
planning.
“This is a rural area that was
pre-screenings that ensure only the best wouldbe
Marines ever get a chance to stand in the
yellow footprints. The days are long gone when
the Marines accepted recruits who only wanted
to escape problems.
“If you have problem kids, don’t send
Press file photo
see Marines page 12A
Photo by Rick Lemyre
always intended to stay rural.
It’s diffi cult to get police services
out there. We have had incidents
at Liberty and Freedom (high
schools) where offi cers are needed.
This is a poor location from
every public infrastructure need
a school could have. This is just
plain a bad site from every way
you look at it.”
Nix drew up a two-page list
of concerns for the school district
to address in its upcoming environmental
studies. The council
agreed to add to it a two-page list
of concerns from Frank Spinelli,
who lives near the school site.
“I fi nd it hard to believe that
the Liberty Union High School
District can honestly feel that they
are making the right decision to go
forward and build a high school
see Site page 13A
THIS WEEK
An affinity
for caninity
A pack of house pets proved
that you don’t need to be
Kennel Club certified to lap up
the honors.
Page 3A
Friends cast
wide net
An innovative community
group has been formed geared
to come to the aid of any good
cause.
Page 5A
Revvin’ up
for Reno
An Oakley softball star put pen
to paper and nailed down a
spot in the Wolf Pack’s infield.
Page 2B
INSIDE
Art .................................. 9A
Calendar ........................23B
Classifieds ......................15B
Community .................... 3A
Education .....................10A
Entertainment ..............14B
Food .............................. 12B
Health & Beauty............11B
Milestones .......................9B
Opinion ........................16A
Public Notices ................18B
Sports ...............................1B