Week In Review: Police Shooting, Trail Links, Water Supply

Here are some of the stories in Walnut Creek that made news this past week.

Officer-Involved Shooting

A 22-year-old Walnut Creek man was fatally shot early Thursday morning by officers responding to a 9-1-1 call.

Authorities say officers went to an apartment on Creekside Drive at 3:13 a.m. after dispatchers received a call about a disturbance.

Investigators say they encountered an agitated Anthony Banta and, fearing for their safety, fired shots at him.

Banta's family members say they are devastated. They also have questioned the use of lethal force by officers, saying Banta was armed only with a knife.

A vigil was held Saturday night at Salon Amour, where Banta worked as a hairdresser.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's office is investigating the incident. Their findings are expected late this week.

Trail extensions

A proposal is being studied to link the regional trails in Walnut Creek and Lafayette.

The plan calls for improving bike lanes and sidewalks that could link the Iron Horse Trail and the Lafayette-Moraga bike trail.

The proposal will be discussed next month by the Lafayette City Council.

Lots of water

Our local rainfall is already more than half our normal season average with the usually wet months of January and February still ahead.

As of Dec. 11, East Bay Municipal Utility District reservoirs were already at 76 percent of capacity. Water had been released at some storage facilities in anticipation of future storms.

Fire station hearing

A town hall hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 22 to discuss the impending closure of a Walnut Creek fire station.

The hearing will take place at 7 p.m. at Walnut Heights Elementary School.

Contra Costa County supervisors voted early this month to close three fire stations and cut back staffing at a fourth to help erase a deficit in the Contra Costa Fire Prevention District's budget.

One of those stations is on Hawthorne Drive in Walnut Creek.