Week In Review: Close Elections, Fire Stations, Tree Lightings

Council election ballots nearly counted

Contra Costa County Clerk Steve Weir said Friday the final results of the Pleasant Hill City Council election may be announced Monday afternoon.

Weir's department is still counting write-in and provisional ballots from the Nov. 6 election.

The third and final open seat on the Pleasant Hill council is still too close to call.

At the moment, Planning Commissioner Tim Flaherty leads fellow commissioner Jim Bonato by 71 votes.

Four fire stations may be closed

Contra Costa County supervisors at their Tuesday meeting will consider a plan to close four stations, including the one on Shell Avenue in Martinez.

Contra Costa Fire District Chief Daryl Louder said the closures are necessary because of the failure of a fire district parcel tax on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The other three stations are in Clayton, Walnut Creek and Lafayette.

Louder said the closures will save the district $3 million a year.

Annual tree lighting celebration

The rains held off and allowed several hundred people to enjoy the city's annual tree lighting ceremony in downtown Pleasant Hill.

There were also horse-drawn carriage rides, two choirs and, of course, a place for children to visit Santa.

The city began the downtown tradition five years ago and some families in the crowd said they had attended every years.

Breast cancer a concern in the region

A statewide breast cancer mapping project this week identified Contra Costa County as an area of concern.

The study said breast cancer rates in the county were higher than most other regions of the state.

Concord had the highest rate in the county, followed by Walnut Creek.