“Strabismus” could affect as many as 30,000 people in Contra Costa and is correctable
“I look at the picture and go ‘wow’! I just feel good.” – patient Kyle Emard
“It’s an out-patient surgery. You go home the same day.” – Dr. Daniel Greninger
By Allen D. Payton
After living with being both cross-eyed and deaf for most of his life, 49-year-old Kyle Emard can now see straight thanks to the talent and skills of Kaiser Permanente ophthalmologist, Dr. Daniel Greninger, whose office is in Antioch. He corrected Emard’s vision impairment known as strabismus.
“After I was born my eyes would look straight ahead. But when I was five, my eyes started to go inward,” Emard shared through a sign language interpreter. “My mom asked me if I wanted surgery. I said, ‘no, no’.”
And he never did have the corrective surgery, until last year.
“I never had any bullying,” Emard said. “I was playing football, wrestling and traveling all over the country. My grandfather had a travel agency. It didn’t bother me. People would ask me what was wrong with my eye. They thought I was blind in one eye. During conversations people would look past me, not sure which eye to look at. I’d think, ‘they’re not looking at me’. I’d say, ‘I’m looking at you’.”
“I graduated from high school. I got ready for college. Then I bought a house,” Emard continued. “My mom asked me, again if I wanted surgery, and I told her ‘no’.”
“Strabismus describes eye misalignment problems,” Greninger explained. “In Kyle’s case this is most likely attributed to accommodative esotropia. That’s a condition where a person’s eyes turn in excessively due to them trying to focus. Kyle is far sighted.”
“This is very common for eye misalignment problems,” the doctor added. “People have a hard time looking at those with strabismus.”
“Sometimes it would be a serious discussion and people would say, ‘look at me’, And I was,” Emard shared. “It was annoying.”
“For some people it’s more than annoying,” Greninger interjected. “For people with strabismus it’s a quality-of-life impact issue.”
“What is particularly unique for me from the doctor’s side of it is Kyle also has hearing impairment. He has to communicate visually,” he continued. “Sometimes people with strabismus and hearing impairment have double vision. Sometimes depth perception is affected.”
Emard began wearing his first pair of glasses when he was five years old. But his vision progressively worsened, through the years.
“Kyle mainly looked out of one eye,” the doctor shared. “But surgery was done on both eyes. More on the right eye than the left.”
“For people with hearing impairment it’s called Usher Syndrome in which people have both hearing and vision impairment,” Greninger continued. “People assumed Kyle had that. Usher syndrome is a completely different genetic condition in which patients often have very significant hearing and vision deficits and are often functionally blind. In Kyle’s case, I think people knew he was deaf, and then saw his eye drifting and assumed that he also couldn’t see due to Usher syndrome, which would be incorrect.”
“People assumed I was blind in one eye,” Emard shared.
Asked if it was difficult to read a book, watch TV or go to the movies, he said, “No.”
“His sight was fine. He could see 20/20 but he was only looking out of one eye,” the doctor replied. “If you have strabismus as a child, often the brain learns to ignore one eye to avoid seeing double. In adults, acquired strabismus can often result in double vision. Kyle’s problem, accommodative esotropia, typically develops between 2-6 years of age, and is related to hyperopia, or far-sightedness.”
Emard said he continued to wear glasses, then mainly contacts in high school. He went snow skiing, snowboarding and dirt biking.
“I wouldn’t go up high places, just small hills,” he shared. “I played roller blade hockey, defensive end in football. That was all before.”
A graduate of Leigh High School in San Jose, Emard attended Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.
“It’s one of the best known colleges for the deaf. All the instruction is in ASL (American Sign Language),” Greninger added.
“It’s a muscle issue. There are six muscles that are attached to the eye that move it in different directions. Up and down, left and right, and torsion that twists the eye,” he explained. “In strabismus, sometimes it’s a disease of the eye muscles. More commonly it’s the brain not telling the eye to do something. Our brains are usually hardwired to know how much to turn to focus.”
The Surgery
Asked when he decided to have the surgery Emard responded, “After my mom passed away three years ago. My family had money. Everything I was doing was done for the deaf organization. I felt it was the right time.”
The surgery took place last September.
“I met Kyle in 2022 after I had received a referral from one of my colleagues, a consult request. We set up a video chat with an interpreter,” Greninger shared. “We do video consults, first. For this condition it’s important for me to know the history of the condition.”
“We had that first video visit. We used some remote tools which allowed Kyle to take photos and videos at home,” the doctor continued. “We were able to use the components of technology that we didn’t have five years ago. I then had him come in for a complete eye exam to make sure his eyes were healthy.”
Asked if the technology is better, Grenginer said, “It’s safer, now. It’s about an hour-and-a-half surgery.”
“I can’t go into the brain and turn a screw a quarter inch to change how the brain controls the eye,” he explained. “In the surgery, we put in an eyelid speculum, make a small incision over the white part of the eye and find where the eye muscle is located. We put in a small suture where the muscle connects to the white of the eye. Then I detach the muscle with surgical scissors and move it to a new position. If we move it back, this creates some slack and decreases the force on the eye for turning.”
“I wear special surgical loops to help me see. But it’s all done with hands no lasers,” the doctor stated. “The amount we move the muscles is determined by the measurements we take in the office. Deciding which muscles to move and in which pattern based on the person’s problem are the intellectual work of my specialty.”
“I don’t want to over-compensate or under do it,” he continued. “It’s done in millimeter precision. We’re measuring the half-millimeter. Each millimeter moves the eye three degrees.”
“I knew I was nervous out of fear of losing my eye,” Emard shared.
“Each time I saw you I was more comfortable,” he said to the doctor.
“I don’t remember the surgery. When I woke up, I thought, ‘I’m ready’. But I looked and was shocked,” Emard exclaimed.
“It’s general anesthesia surgery so you’re asleep the whole time,” Greninger said. “We were able to get a sign language interpreter to be there in Walnut Creek the whole day, which I think is very important to give people the same level of care. I was really happy the leadership and nursing staff were able to provide that.”
“We had to move three muscles on Kyle’s eyes. One muscle on his left eye and two muscles on his right eye,” the doctor explained. “First, we relaxed the muscle on the left eye. Then on the right eye we tightened the outside muscle and relaxed the inside muscle.”
“I remember the right eye was much more red than the left,” Emard explained. “After surgery I did have double vision for a little while but then it went away. I had full vision. I could see all the way around. It was strange.”
“After the surgery I felt the same,” he added.
He used eye drops for a few a days, “but the redness lasted a few weeks,” Emard shared.
Asked how long the recovery time is Greninger said, “About six to eight weeks. I usually tell patients in two months’ time people won’t be able to tell they had the surgery. Kyle came back to see me about six months later to see if everything was fine, about March of this year.”
“Sometimes I forgot. ‘Did I have surgery?” Emard stated. “I posted and let everyone know on Facebook and showed the before and after photos and got almost a thousand likes. After my surgery I cried a lot because my mom wasn’t around to see it. But she’s happy, now.”
Emard lives in Livermore, works in Fremont as a middle school counselor and has one child, a 15-year-old son.
Asked what his son thought Emard said, “He said ‘wow!’ He was shocked. He just kept looking around my eye, opening my eye. He was used to looking at me inward.”
“On the day of my surgery my son was at school, and he was all worried. He said my dad’s fine and the teacher said, ‘good’. The week after he had a football game and my friend drove me. I sat alone by the goal post. I told people I didn’t want to talk yet I’m still healing. But I had to be there.”
Asked if it has impacted his job Emard said, “It’s about the same” then spoke of the difference between the school pictures from last year compared to this year.
Asked if he feels different about himself, he said, “Oh, yes. I look at the picture and go ‘wow’! I just feel good.”
“After surgery my friends were gathering and said they missed my lazy eye,” Emard said with a laugh. “I’m happy every day.”
Asked if people who have the surgery get counseling after, Dr. Greninger said, “The psycho-social impact of strabismus has been well studied. Characters in movies with strabismus often are portrayed with other disabilities, and people may wrongly assume that all people with eye misalignment have other intellectual handicaps. Studies have shown that childhood strabismus can negatively impact a teacher’s perception of a student’s motivation or focus. In addition, strabismus in adulthood can sometimes be a barrier to success in the workplace or finding a romantic partner.”
“Even the term lazy eye – we don’t use that term,” he continued. “Some people despite having strabismus they use the term lazy eye. It has a certain connotation to it. We think if it as a negative There’s a misunderstanding of people with strabismus.”
30,000 County Residents Have Correctable Vision Impairment
With offices at Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center on Deer Valley Road, Dr. Greninger grew up in San Ramon, graduated from Cal High and earned his undergrad at Dartmouth College. He did his residency at UCSF Medical Center in Ophthalmology followed by a Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Oregon Health Science University in Portland.
“I started at the Antioch Medical Center in 2013. It’s been about 10 years of offering the surgery in Contra Costa County,” the doctor shared. “About half of my practice is adult strabismus and about half are children. We do about 100 to 150 surgeries like this each year.”
“We estimate we have about 15,000 with eye misalignment problems in our service area,” Greninger stated. “Sometimes people can have a medical problem like a stroke, thyroid eye disease, a neurological condition or facial trauma from an accident or assault. They can cause eye alignment problems. Probably half my adult patients had it as children and it either came back or it was never dealt with.”
He also estimates there are as many as 30,000 people in Contra Costa County suffering from strabismus which is correctable.
“Many people have this and don’t know something can be done or has been on the back burner for a long time,” Greninger stated. “Sharing stories like Kyle’s is good to let people know something can be done. I have patients come to me and say, ‘I wish I had come to you earlier’.”
“I try to put myself in the patient’s shoes to see how they’re thinking. It’s a leap of faith for a patient. It takes a lot of bravery to trust a doctor with your eyesight,” he said.
“It’s an out-patient surgery. You go home the same day. Most of the eye surgeries are done in Walnut Creek,” Greninger added.
Read More
Celebrates the power of movies to bring us together, with all movies, all formats, all showtimes, all day for no more than $4
Maya Cinemas in Pittsburg is excited to partner with the Cinema Foundation to celebrate the second annual National Cinema Day this Sunday, August 27th.
Maya Cinemas will be participating in the one-day event, which celebrates the power of movies to bring us all together, and discounted admissions for all movies in all formats (including Premium Large Format screens) will be no more than $4. Maya Cinemas will also offer $4 Medium Popcorn, $4 Large Soda and a $4 Kid’s Tray.
To celebrate National Cinema Day on August 27th, dozens of movies in all formats at all participating theaters will be no more than $4, including new films opening this weekend like Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, The Hill and Retribution, current box office hits like Barbie, Oppenheimer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Sound of Freedom, recent family hits like Blippi’s Big Dino Adventure and Disney’s The Little Mermaid Sing-Along, to classic re-releases like Jurassic Park.
For more details, visit NationalCinemaDay.org or MayaCinemas.com. Join friends, families, and communities of moviegoers at a theater near you.
ABOUT MAYA CINEMAS
Maya Cinemas was chartered in 2000 with a mission to develop, build, own and operate modern, first-run, multi-plex movie theaters in underserved, family oriented, Latino-dominant communities. Maya Cinemas offers first-run Hollywood movies and unique content through its Canal Maya program in high-end theaters focused on quality of design, state-of-the-art film presentation technology, and providing first-rate entertainment with superior customer service. The Maya Community Foundation is dedicated to the development and enrichment of the lives of people in the community in which Maya Cinemas serve.
ABOUT THE CINEMA FOUNDATION
The Cinema Foundation is a donor-supported 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit – is dedicated to promoting the essential cinema exhibition industry by developing future diverse workforces and growing moviegoing communities through research, education and philanthropy.
Since March 2022, the Cinema Foundation’s mission is dedicated to shaping the future of the great collective experience of moviegoing and the cinema industry. It works to support and impact the health of the cinema sector both in the short term and for years to come and is continuously expanding its contributions to the magic of moviegoing. The Cinema Foundation builds on NATO’s mission and relationships and expands NATO’s impact in ways that help individual employees and companies as well as the industry as a whole. We are the Foundation of a great industry, thecinemafoundation.org.
Read MoreDavis also winner
By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media
Antioch, CA…August 19…Trevor Clymens of Brentwood won the 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The first win of the season for Clymens kept his championship hopes alive.
Dylan Connelly of Antioch set the early pace ahead of Clymens and Billy Garner of Antioch. Kenny Shrader of Pacheco slipped past Garner for third with an inside pass on Lap 5, and Garner spun in Turn 4 for a Lap 7 yellow flag. Connelly led the restart with Shrader slipping past Clymens for second. An inside pass on the front stretch on Lap 10 put incoming point leader Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley into third. The intense battle for second saw Clymens get past Shrader on Lap 14, but Shrader made an inside pass on Clymens on Lap 15 to reclaim second.
Undaunted, Clymens went around the outside and made a big move to take the lead from Connelly in Turn 4 on Lap 17. Clymens maintained a good pace and ran smoothly down the stretch to claim the much needed victory. Connelly settled for second ahead of Shrader, Tanner Thomas of Turlock and Jacob Mallet, Jr. of Oakley.
Troy Foulger of Oakley won the 25 lap IMCA Modified Main Event. This was the fourth win of the season for the current point leader aboard the Bowers Motorsports owned entry.
Josh Combs of Roseville set the early pace ahead of Andrew Pearce of Oakley, but an inside pass on the front stretch on Lap 3 put Foulger into second. Foulger slowly reeled in Combs and made an inside pass on the front stretch of the ninth lap to take the lead. Pearce was next to run down Combs, finally making an inside pass on the front stretch on Lap 18 to claim the runner-up spot. However, nobody was stopping Foulger as he won ahead of Pearce, Combs, Chris Sieweke of Santa Rosa and Terry DeCarlo Sr of Martinez.
Tom Davis of Los Molinos won his seventh Print Club Mini Stock Main Event. This was the Mini Stock Mayhem race with purse money greatly increased for the occasion thanks to a fundraising effort by Laina Bales. Point leader Davis was piloting the Delbert Rios owned entry.
The race had to be restarted after Kelly Campanile spun on the front straightaway and was hit by Wyatt Lakin of Diamond Springs. Davis led Rick Berry of Modesto after that. Daniel Bond of Oakdale settled into third and made an inside pass on Berry for second on a Lap 8 restart. The leaders caught slower traffic, which proved to be the undoing of Bond when Brycen Bragg of Placerville spun in Turn 4 on Lap 15 and collected him for a yellow flag.
Davis led Berry and Tyler Applebaum of Antioch on the restart. However, Patrick Kelley of Clovis slipped past Applebaum for third on Lap 18. Tony Quinonez of Corning made a late surge from an earlier yellow flag. Davis pulled away to victory with Quinonez crossing the line second ahead of Berry, Kelly and Applebaum.
Danny Wagner of Bay Point won the 20 lap Delta Dwarf Car Main Event. It made a clean sweep weekend for the reigning champion, who won at Watsonville the night before.
Wagner led fiance Ellie Russo of Bay Point on the start with Pete Piantanida of Discovery Bay running third. Piantanida made a Turn 4 pass on Russo for second on Lap 2 with Dublin’s Devan Kammermann making an inside pass on Turn 4 for third on Lap 3. Russo came back strong on the outside in Turn 2 a lap later, but the tenacious Kammermann made another inside pass in Turn 2 on Lap 6 to reclaim third. A yellow flag waved for a Turn 4 tangle between Russo and Chris Durden of Hollister on Lap 8.
Wagner led Piantanida and Kammermann on the restart. Championship contenders Kammermann and Chance Russell of Antioch battled fiercely for the third position. However, Kammermann began to pull away as the race wore on. Barrett Gooch III of Anderson spun on the back stretch for a Lap 19 yellow flag. Wagner led Piantanida and Kammermann on the restart and they finished in that order with Russell and Gooch completing the Top 5.
Nick DeCarlo of Martinez won the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car Main Event ahead of Raymond Noland of Porterville. DeCarlo led most of the way until Noland made an inside move with two laps to go. DeCarlo came back strong on the inside on the final lap and won a photo finish against Noland.
Racing resumes next Saturday night with the second round of the Triple Threat Series for the BCRA Midgets. BCRA Lightning Sprints and Vintage Midgets will also be in action along with the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks, West Coast Sport Compacts, Delta Dwarf Cars and Hardtops. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Antioch Speedway Race Results – August 19, 2023
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Kenny Shrader, Dylan Connelly. Main Event (20 laps)-Trevor Clymens, Dylan Connelly, Kenny Shrader, Tanner Thomas, Jacob Mallet Jr, Joseph Pato, Billy Garner, Jason Ryan Jr, Mark Garner, Dutch Jantz.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Buddy Kniss. Main Event (25 laps)-Troy Foulger, Andrew Pearce, Josh Combs, Chris Sieweke, Terry DeCarlo Sr., Buddy Kniss.
Delta Dwarf Cars
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Danny Wagner, Pete Piantanida. Main Event (20 laps)-Danny Wagner, Pete Piantanida, Devan Kammermann, Chance Russell, Barrett Gooch III, David Rosa, Justin Bingman, Joe LeDuc, Ellie Russo, Chris Durden.
Print Club Mini Stocks
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Rick Berry, Tom Davis. Trophy Dash (4 laps)-Tom Davis. Main Event (20 laps)-Tom Davis, Tony Quinonez, Rick Berry, Patrick Kelley, Josh Applebaum, Daniel Bond, Logan Lakin, William Fogle, Brycen Bragg, David Carson.
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Raymond Noland. Main Event (20 laps)-Nick DeCarlo, Raymond Noland, Andrew Pearce DNS.
Read MoreHas history of arrests by multiple agencies; group committed more than 100 thefts in 7 counties
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office and officials with the California State Lottery announced today that Ryan Anderson plead guilty to nine felony charges as the ringleader of a sophisticated organized retail theft ring.
The 32-year-old Antioch resident (born 1/18/91) was the mastermind behind a group responsible for committing more than 100 organized retail crime thefts from stores authorized to sell California Lottery Scratchers and redeem winning Scratcher tickets for prize money. Anderson, and other associated with him, targeted convenience and grocery stores throughout the counties of Contra Costa, Alameda, Marin, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, and Stanislaus.
“Organized retail crime is serious a crime that will not be tolerated in our communities,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “We will continue to work with our retailers and all of our state and local justice partners to hold these offenders accountable with arrest, prosecution, conviction, incarceration, and full restitution.”
By early 2022, the California State Lottery investigators — working with multiple law enforcement agencies and Contra Costa DA’s Major Financial Crimes division — identified Anderson as the ringleader of a group responsible for 71 separate thefts of lottery tickets valued at a total of $95,565.00 and an additional $59,105.00 in prize money stolen from 65 retail locations across 7 Northern California counties between March 27th, 2022, and October 25, 2022. The retail crime spree stopped when Contra Costa prosecutors were able to keep Anderson in custody.
Under state laws, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office was able to prosecute Anderson for all his crimes, even though they occurred in multiple counties. This is because state laws allow a single county to prosecute offenses if a crime — or the effects of a crime — crosses county lines.
During a court hearing in Martinez today, the California State Lottery made a victim impact statement noting that “tens of thousands of dollars” Anderson and others stole victimized not only the California State Lottery, but also its retail partners, many of which are “small, independently owned businesses that rely on the sale of Lottery games to thrive.” Moreover, lottery players were victims who lost out on the opportunity to win, and “public school students who have been robbed of additional funds to support important programs and enriching learning environments.”
The terms of the plea mean that Anderson will spend three years in state prison, admit probation violations, and pay full restitution to the California State Lottery. In court, Anderson presented a letter of apology to the victims of the crimes he committed saying, in part, that he wants to make an “honest living” so he will be able to “pay back any money [that] is owed.”
The lengthy investigation into these incidents was favorable due to the partnerships between the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Contra Costa Probation Department, the Security/Law Enforcement Division of the California State Lottery, and the collaborative efforts of dozens of local law enforcement agencies.
According to localcrimenews.com, Anderson, a 5’11”, 170 lb. Black male, has a history of arrests dating back to 2015 by multiple agencies including Antioch PD, Concord PD, Walnut Creek PD, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and Sacramento Sheriff’s Office for a variety of crimes such as assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm, vandalism, vehicle theft, attempted robbery, petty theft, DUI and while license suspended, and burglary.
Case No. 04-22-01154 | The People of the State of California v. Anderson, Ryan
Case No. 04-203281-1| The People of the State of California v. Anderson, Ryan
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreMary Vigil
December 7, 1921 – August 11, 2023
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Mrs. Mary Vigil, a beloved member of our community. Mary passed away peacefully on August 11, 2023, at the age of 101.
Mary was born in 1921 in Pittsburg, California to Andres and Elvira Moreno. Mary was well-known in the community for her kindness and generosity. During and after her 39 years of working at the telephone company, Mary dedicated herself to community service. She was an active member of her church and spent many hours volunteering her time and talents to various charitable causes. Throughout her life, Mary was recognized for her altruism by the City of Pittsburg, the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce among others.
Known for her volunteer work at the Church of the Good Shepherd, the Pittsburg Historical Society, Sutter Delta Medical Center, and for delivering holy communion to local parishioners who were homebound, Mary earned an esteemed reputation for her all of her charitable work.
Aside from her public service, Mary selflessly served as a caretaker for over 50 years to her beloved sister who was confined to bed for most of her life.
Mary was a devoted wife to her late husband, Leo Vigil, Sr., a loving sister to her late siblings Lillian and Joe Moreno, and a dedicated mother to her three children, Sylvia Gray, Judy Dunning and Leo Vigil, Jr. Mary is remembered for her warm smile, her love of dancing, and her unwavering faith. Her memory will live on through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who will carry on her legacy of love, kindness, and strength.
Rest in peace, dear Mary. You will always be in our hearts.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at the Church of the Good Shepherd at 10:00 am, the reception will immediately follow at The Good Shepherd Parish Hall.
Read MoreTwo connected deaths; business remains closed
By Contra Costa Health
Laboratory testing results show that water and swab samples collected from a Richmond spa contained high levels of legionella bacteria, making it the likely source of Legionnaires’ disease among multiple customers.
Contra Costa Health (CCH) began investigating Zen Day Spa at 12230 San Pablo Avenue on Aug. 4, after area hospitals reported two deaths from Legionnaires’ disease. Both people visited the business before becoming ill.
The business voluntarily closed Aug. 5, and remains closed under a health order issued by CCH. CCH collected water and swab samples and, while still awaiting final reports from the lab, initial results show high concentrations of legionella bacteria.
CCH has contacted more than 30 recent customers of Zen Day Spa as part of its investigation, as well as recent cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported through community healthcare providers.
Beyond the two people who died with lab-confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, CCH has as of Aug. 21 identified two other people who visited the business and had lab-confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, and two people who reported becoming ill after visiting the business, whom investigators suspect had Legionnaires’ disease.
CCH will not release personal information about these people, in accordance with medical privacy laws.
Legionnaires’ disease can cause serious pneumonia. While legionella bacteria naturally live in fresh water, health concerns can arise in hot tubs and pools where the bacteria can grow if the water is not maintained properly. People can become infected after breathing mist containing the bacteria. The disease does not spread from person to person.
Hot tubs in commercial day spas or massage parlors generally require health permits and are regularly inspected by CCH. The tub at Zen Day Spa did not have a permit and was never inspected by CCH.
Given the preliminary laboratory results, CCH today issued an abatement order declaring the business a public nuisance and ordering it to contract for professional cleaning of the affected space and removal and disposal of the hot tub within 30 days to ensure the elimination of legionella. The business may not reopen until re-inspected by CCH.
CCH will be in communication with civic partners, such as municipal code enforcement programs, about investigating other spas and massage parlors across the county to ensure that those with hot tubs also have proper health permits to operate.
“Proper maintenance of hot tubs and pools is becoming increasingly important, both for businesses and private citizens who own tubs, as we continue to experience climate change,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County health officer. “Higher temperatures make growth of legionella and bacteria more likely, and more prolific, in water that is not properly treated.”
Anyone can use CCH’s swimming pool and spa inspection database to see recent inspection results of permitted public pools and hot tubs in Contra Costa County.
People who suspect an establishment is operating a public spa without a health permit can file a complaint online or by phoning 925-608-5500. Links to both the database and complaint form are available at cchealth.org/eh.
Information about which pools and spas need permits, as well as advice and instructions about proper maintenance, are available at ccheath.org/eh/recreational-health.
Read MoreUrges voters, taxpayers to call the Capitol to protect Prop 13, see committee members phone numbers below
ACA 1 would make it easier to raise local special taxes by removing the Prop. 13 taxpayer protection of the two-thirds vote of the electorate required to pass
ACA 13 was just introduced last week as a devious attempt to stop the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act from passing when it’s on the ballot in Nov. 2024.
By Jon Coupal
Prior to the successful passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, Howard Jarvis tried several times to bring property tax relief to beleaguered California homeowners. While coming close, it wasn’t until 1978 when voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 13 over the opposition of virtually every political institution and newspaper in California.
As they say, timing is everything. What changed the political dynamic so abruptly in 1978 was the fact that thousands of California homeowners were being taxed out of their homes. That also explains why, to this day, Proposition 13 retains its popularity even as the state has become more “progressive.”
Last week there were two competing press events over Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1 (ACA 1), a proposal that would erase part of Proposition 13. As the head of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, I was joined at a news conference on the Capitol’s west steps on Wednesday by several legislators who have unequivocally expressed their continued support for Proposition 13 and opposition to ACA 1. Also present were several representatives of other taxpayer groups as well as business organizations suffering under California’s excessive tax burdens.
ACA 1 is a direct attack on Proposition 13 because it would cut the vote threshold needed to pass local special taxes, dropping it from the current two-thirds vote required by Proposition 13 to only 55%. That change would make it easier for local governments to raise taxes.
Since Proposition 13 was enacted in 1978, voters have continued to support the important two-thirds vote protection. That support was reaffirmed with the passage of pro-taxpayer initiatives in 1986, 1996 and 2010.
Many people may not know that the two-thirds vote requirement did not originate in 1978. It has been in the California Constitution since 1879! For more than a century, local property owners have been protected against excessive bond debt by the requirement that local bonds – repaid only by property owners – need a two-thirds vote of the local electorate.
ACA 1 repeals the two-thirds vote protection for tax increases to support “infrastructure,” a term so expansive that local governments would be able to raise taxes for almost any purpose with a vote of just 55% of the electorate. This is a hatchet that chops away at the taxpayer protections in Proposition 13.
ACA 1 proponents are aware of Prop. 13’s enduring popularity, so not once in their over one-hour press event did they mention Proposition 13 by name. Instead, they talked about “protecting democracy,” “local control,” and taking on “right-wing interests.” (Are Californians “right wing” for wanting to keep their home instead of being taxed out of it?) Nor did the supporters of ACA 1 provide any specific example of exactly what lowering the two-thirds vote would purchase, other than to claim that it was essential to address California’s dual crises of housing and homelessness.
Opponents of ACA 1 have noted that making it easier to raise taxes makes no sense in one of the highest taxed states in America. No other state comes close to California’s 13.3% top marginal income tax rate, and we also have the highest state sales tax in America as well as the highest gas tax, not to mention gas prices. And even with Prop. 13, we rank 14th out of 50 states in per capita property tax collections. Californians pay enough.
This is a critical time. As of this writing, ACA 1 has cleared one legislative committee and may be heard by the full Assembly as early as this week. However, its main proponent, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, admitted at her press conference that she didn’t quite have the votes yet. For that reason, the time is now for all defenders of Proposition 13 and advocates for limited taxation to contact their Assembly representatives and let them know that a vote for ACA 1 is a vote against Proposition 13.
This issue is so important to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that we will withhold our endorsement from any current legislator who fails to vote no on ACA 1.
Committee Hearings this Week, Taxpayers Urged to Call the Capitol
Your immediate help is needed to fight against two proposed constitutional amendments moving fast through the state Assembly. Both of these measures are attacks on PROPOSITION 13. We’re asking all HJTA members and supporters to please call the members of two committees that will be hearing these bills on Wednesday. Please call as soon as possible! Here’s all the information:
NO on ACA 1 – Hearing date: Wednesday, 8/23, Assembly Appropriations Committee
ACA 1 is a direct attack on Proposition 13 that would remove the taxpayer protection of the two-thirds vote of the electorate required to pass local special taxes. If this measure is enacted, local taxes and bonds for “infrastructure” (nearly everything) and public housing projects would pass with just 55% of the vote instead of 66.67%. This makes it easier to raise taxes, and your taxes could go up after every election.
Please call the members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and urge a NO vote on ACA 1:
Chris Holden (Chair) – (916) 319-2041
Megan Dahle (Vice Chair) – (916) 319-2001
Isaac Bryan – (916) 319-2055
Lisa Calderon – (916) 319-2056
Wendy Carrillo – (916) 319-2052
Diane Dixon – (916) 319-2072 (Please thank Assemblywoman Dixon for opposing ACA 1)
Mike Fong – (916) 319-2049
Gregg Hart – (916) 319-2037
Josh Lowenthal – (916) 319-2069
Devon Mathis – (916) 319-2033 (Please thank Assemblyman Mathis for opposing ACA 1)
Diane Papan – (916) 319-2021
Gail Pellerin – (916) 319-2028
Kate A. Sanchez – (916) 319-2071
Esmeralda Soria – (916) 319-2027
Akilah Weber, M.D. – (916) 319-2079
Lori Wilson – (916) 319-2011 – Represents portions of Eastern Contra Costa County
NO on ACA13 – Hearing date: Wednesday, 8/23, Assembly Elections Committee
ACA 13 was just introduced last week as a devious attempt to stop the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act from passing when it’s on the ballot in November 2024. The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act is our initiative constitutional amendment that will restore the Proposition 13 protections that have been eroded by the courts.
Some of the measure’s key provisions include:
- Require all new taxes passed by the Legislature to be approved by voters
- Restore two-thirds voter approval for all new local special tax increases
- Clearly define what is a tax or fee
- Require truthful descriptions of new tax proposals
- Hold politicians accountable by requiring them to clearly identify how revenue will be spent before any tax or fee is enacted
But ACA 13 would create special rules that make it harder to pass citizen initiatives like this one. If ACA 13 is enacted, the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act would require a two-thirds vote to pass, instead of the simple majority vote that has been required for all other constitutional amendments since 1849!
Please call the members of the Assembly Elections Committee and urge a NO vote on ACA 13:
Gail Pellerin (Chair) – (916) 319-2028
Tom Lackey (Vice Chair) – (916) 319-2034
Steve Bennett – (916) 319-2038
Bill Essayli – (916) 319-2063
Alex Lee – (916) 319-2024
Evan Low – (916) 319-2026
Blanca Rubio – (916) 319-2048
Please also call your own state representatives and urge them to vote NO on ACA 1 and NO on ACA 13. You can look up their names and contact information at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
Thank you for your help in this critical fight to protect Proposition 13. We greatly appreciate you!
Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Follows lead of City, Concord Historical Society
Irony: only a British encyclopedia website offers the historical origin of the name of both the city and school
Contact school board members to reconsider their vote, or vote out two of them, next year
By Allen D. Payton
This past week, the Mt. Diablo Unified School Board voted 4-1 to change the name of the mascot for Concord High School from the Minutemen to the Bears, supposedly in response to a request by students, which is in dispute. According to a news report by The Pioneer, the change has many people upset including some students who say they weren’t asked during the process, as well as alumni.
“Several alumni spoke before the board vote, all in opposition to the change. One of those speakers mentioned that of 2,400 comments on the issue in an online forum there was not one comment in favor of the change.” Board members took “the action in order to make the school ‘more welcoming and inclusive’ to its students”, according to The Pioneer’s report.
According to USHistory.org, “Minutemen were a small hand-picked elite force which were required to be highly mobile and able to assemble quickly. Minutemen were selected from militia muster rolls by their commanding officers. Typically, 25 years of age or younger, they were chosen for their enthusiasm, reliability, and physical strength. Usually about one quarter of the militia served as Minutemen, performing additional duties as such. The Minutemen were the first armed militia to arrive or await a battle. By the time of the Revolution, Minutemen had been a well-trained force for six generations.”
They sound like pretty good examples for students at any school or any American to follow – elite, prepared, ready, responsive, enthusiastic, reliable, with physical strength and the first to arrive.
According to the staff report for the board meeting agenda item, “Concord High School, through the New Mascot Student Committee, is requesting the review and approval of a mascot change at Concord High School. The Student Body has conducted multiple petitions, town hall meetings, as well as conducted multiple rounds of student discussions and voting over several months, involving all stakeholders of the Concord High School community including students, alumni and staff. As a result of the discussions and multiple rounds of student voting, the Concord High School community has selected the mascot name ‘The Bears’ to replace the name ‘Minutemen’ as presented to the Board on May 10, 2023 and June 28, 2023.”
Supposedly, one of the reasons is because the “Latinx” students (the “woke” term they were referred to during the board meeting even though most Hispanic or Latino Americans don’t use that term to describe themselves) which make up the majority of the student body don’t share that culture.
The Pioneer article shares more about the decision. School Board Area 4 Trustee Cherise “Khaund said, ‘The Mt. Diablo Unified School District Governing Board is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in education. We as a school district should listen carefully to student concerns, especially if they feel unwelcome or unsafe on our campuses.’ She also pointed to MDUSD board policy 0410 which states that ‘District programs and activities shall also be free of any racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team names, mascots, or nicknames.’”
How is the Minutemen mascot racially derogatory or discriminatory? Because it refers to only men? Seriously? The women didn’t fight in the militia during the Revolutionary War in the 1770’s. How ignorant of history do you have to be to not understand that fact? How patronizing and actually racist to assume Latino students aren’t aware of or know the history of our country, or that it’s not part of their “culture”? If that’s truly the case, then work to make it part of their culture. Why do you think their ancestors who weren’t born here, came to this country? For the freedoms won during the Revolutionary War and the opportunities they afford.
Interestingly enough, girls in the school’s marching band wear the same three-cornered hat and uniform as the boys do.
How do any students feel “unwelcome or unsafe” with the Minutemen mascot? Nobody on any of the school’s sports teams, cheerleading squads, in the band nor any faculty or staff member actually carries a real musket or any other gun on the campus. Do they? Of course, not. (Well, maybe security personnel do. But that’s doubtful.)
Name Change Originated with Teachers, Not Students
Yet, while explaining the history of both the original name and its change, The Pioneer claims the proposal for a new mascot came from teachers not students.
“The name Minutemen was chosen as the mascot when the school opened in 1966 in honor of the men who formed the Minutemen militia in Concord, Massachusetts as the American Revolution was beginning in 1775,” the report reads. “The Pioneer first spoke to former Concord High principal Rianne Pfaltzgraff during the 2020-21 school year when she stated she had a discussion with some of her teachers when the idea was brought up that ‘Minutemen’ refers to only one gender and the symbol holding a rifle is not reflective of the school in the third decade of the 21st Century. At that time, it was not mentioned that students had brought the issue forward.”
Board Votes Switch from 2-2 to 4-1
The board vote on June 28 to change the mascot name failed on a two-two tie with Trustee Khaund absent. But then with her in attendance at the board meeting on August 16 and Area 2 Trustee Linda Mayo flip-flopping, the mascot name change passed 4-1.
Decision Ignores and Attempts to Erase U.S. History
Whatever the reasons, the fact is the decision completely ignores our nation’s undisputed history.
It also shows the board’s disinterest in actually educating the students who attend the school about the rich history of the name of both the city in which it is located and the school itself, as well as what the Minutemen signify in the history of our nation, as shared by The Pioneer. They helped us win our freedom from the King of England and beat the British troops in the Revolutionary War! Hello?
Heaven forbid the Minutemen carried guns. Well, what do you think helped them fight and win the war? What do you think helped all of our military men and women fight and defeat the enemies in all the wars we’ve ever won? Guns! It was accomplished by bearing arms, as it’s written in the Second Amendment of the 10 Bill of Rights to the Constitution – another historical fact that should be taught to high school students. (I hope it still is during U.S. History classes in both 8th and 11th grades). That amendment mentions the militia as it reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Another interesting fact is the Drum Major of the Concord High Marching Band carries a replica of a musket while leading the band – even as of last year while in a parade at Disneyland.
Even today’s Army National Guard logo is of a Minuteman.
The School Board is Not Alone, Ironic Source for Name Origin
Yet, the school board is not alone in ignoring and even appearing to bury and hide the history of the origin of the name of both the city and school. The most ironic thing about this entire matter is, you have to find the origin of the name Concord, California on a British encyclopedia website. No joke!
On Britannica.com about Concord, California it reads, “the city was renamed in 1869 for Concord, Massachusetts.” For those who don’t remember their U.S. History classes, as The Pioneer reported, that was the city where the American Revolution began. (I learned as an adult after I bought a set, that the Encyclopedia Britannica is written from a British perspective, and at that time didn’t even include Niagra Falls as something important to Americans, while the Encyclopedia Americana is written from an American perspective).
But you won’t find that origin fact on the History page of the City’s website, the Concord Historical Society’s website nor even on the Wikipedia page about the city. The City’s website only provides links to other websites without mentioning anything about the city’s history. On the historical society’s concordhistory.com website’s chronology page, under the section entitled, “1860’s: Todos Santos Town Established”, it merely reads, “Name ‘Concord’ is used immediately by new settlers to re-identify town of Todos Santos.” On the Early History page it reads, “Within months after Todos Santos has been recorded as the official name, CONCORD was heralded by the Contra Costa Gazette as the actual name. In an article dated April 17, 1869, the paper, published in Pacheco town, congratulated the residents of Concord for adopting such a meaningful name for their new village. They highlighted the harmonious spirit and euphony of this fine name.” But there’s no mention of the origin of the name nor why it was so “meaningful”.
Concord Massachusetts Location of “Shot Heard Round the World”
Also, for an additional history reminder, it was during the battles of Concord and Lexington, Mass. on April 19, 1775, where the opening shot, referred to as the “shot heard round the world”, sparked the American Revolutionary War.
In fact, in Concord, Mass. is The Minute Man statue by Daniel Chester French erected in 1875 and located in Minute Man National Historical Park, which looks a lot like the Concord High Minutemen mascot.
Board Spending $200K on Name Change
Oh, one more thing. The board is literally going to spend, actually waste, $200,000 of taxpayer money on the mascot name change at a time those funds could be spent in the classroom to actually help students obtain a better education – and maybe learn some U.S. history. The three-corrnered hats worn by the marching band members will have to be replaced, as they represent the hats worn by the Minutemen during the Revolutionary War. (That’s the same type of hat I wore as part of the uniform for the band I was a member of during my first semester in high school – the Marching Patriots of Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. As of last year, in front of the school, the mascot could still be seen wearing the three-cornered hat and – surprise – holding a musket with even a bayonet attached! Oh, and a painting of the American flag on the front wall could also be seen. Hope that doesn’t offend the four school members’ delicate sensibilities).
Their action follows the cancel culture decisions in professional sports to rename teams that some oversensitive people have found offensive – usually on behalf of others, such as the Washington Redskins to the Commanders. Guess what? Now, a group of Native Americans are petitioning to get the name changed back because they believe it honors rather than degrades them and promotes their history.
School Board Must Reconsider Their Vote
The board must reconsider its vote and spend the $200,000 educating the students at Concord High on the history of the school’s and city’s name and of our nation, and how the Minutemen played a significant role in obtaining the freedoms we enjoy, today – including property ownership and representative government in our constitutional republic.
If not, then Mt. Diablo School district voters need to replace the four who voted for this foolishness and who are failing their students by not educating them properly. Shame on those board members, especially the one who changed her vote, Trustee Mayo who caved between the meetings of June 28 and August 16, for some reason. Kudos to the one board member, Area 1 Trustee Debra Mason, who used wisdom and demonstrated having a backbone to stand up for common sense by voting both times against the change. (By the way, Common Sense is the name of the pamphlet published in 1775 by Thomas Paine, one of our nation’s Founding Fathers, that sparked the American Revolution, as it argued that the colonists had a natural right to self-government and independence from the British monarchy. Perhaps the $200,000 should be spent buying copies of that and distributed to the Concord High School students each year during their American History classes!)
Oh, and how do I know this information about U.S. history? Because I’m a graduate of Northgate High School in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, where I attended the U.S. History class in my junior year (as required for graduation) taught by a great teacher, actually did my homework and learned the subject matter!
Two Trustees Who Twice Supported Change Face Re-Election Next Year
Seriously, voters in the district, there are only two trustees, who voted for the change both times, that are up for re-election, next year when their terms expire: Board President and Area 3 Trustee Keisha Nzewi and Board Vice President and Area 5 Trustee Erin McFerrin. If they don’t reconsider their vote and change the mascot name back, it’s indicative they don’t care about our nation’s history, the history of the City’s and school’s name nor about educating the students in your district and specifically, at Concord High, about it all. Take back your government from the foolish, wasteful, weak leaders who are contributing to the dumbing down of the education system in the largest school district in Contra Costa County. Just maybe, this latest decision will serve as a lightning rod to wake people up, get them to take action and change things for the better for our future and the benefit of our youth.
Here’s how to contact each of the five trustees by email:
Board President & Area 3 Trustee Keisha Nzewi, Term expires 2024 – nzewik@mdusd.org
Vice President & Area 5 Trustee Erin McFerrin, Term expires 2024 – mcferrine@mdusd.org
Area 1 Trustee Debra Mason, Term expires 2026 – masond@mdusd.org
Area 2 Trustee Linda Mayo, Term expires 2026 – mayol@mdusd.org
Area 4 Trustee Cherise Khaund, Term expires 2026 – khaundc@mdusd.org
Historical Society, City Must Stop Hiding History and Origin of Their Name
One final thing, to the Concord Historical Society, you really need to add the fact of the origin of the city’s name to your website and the Concord History website, and don’t make it so difficult to find; and to the City of Concord council members and staff, you should actually provide some history about your city on the history page of your website.
Read MoreHalf marathon, 10K, 5k and 1-mile Family Fun Run fundraiser benefiting Delta Realtors Community Service Foundation
By Patti Shaner Runners and Volunteers are needed to participate in the 12th Annual Delta Harvest Run. 100% of the net proceeds goes to the Delta Realtors Community Service Foundation. The DRCSF is a non-profit organization run by local Realtors and affiliates. Since its establishment in 2005, the DRCSF has been offering scholarships to graduating high school seniors at each of the high schools from Pittsburg to Discovery Bay. It is estimated that the Foundation has awarded over $100,000 in high school scholarships since its inception. In addition to scholarships, the Foundation consistently donates money to local food banks, Community Chests, Homeless Shelters, Elderly Make A Wish, and other charitable organizations in East Contra Costa County. The Delta Harvest Run offers a half marathon, 10K, 5k and a 1 Mile Family Fun Run. The DHR begins and ends at the beautiful City Park in downtown Brentwood at the corner of Oak and 2nd Streets. The flat route meanders thru the tree lined city streets and on the peaceful and scenic Marsh Creek trail. The run is facilitated by a professional race and timing company. All participants will receive a finishers metal, a custom performance-shirt, a swag bag and snacks at the finish line. Back by popular demand the runners will receive a token for a free beer, an ice cream or a coffee. The DHR will also award age group metals as well as overall male and female trophies. The half marathon begins at 7:30 a.m., with a prerace warm-up lead by a professional instructor prior to race time. The awards ceremony will take place at The City Park immediately following the race. For more information about the run or to registration as a runner or a volunteer go to the website at www.deltaharvestrun.com. You can also call the race director Patti Shaner at 925-584-1614. Applications for scholarships will be available at each of the high school career centers by early December. Interested seniors can also call Tonia at the Delta Associate of Realtors at (925) 757-8283 to receive an application. The Delta Realtors Community Service Foundation is proud to support our community. Read MoreDuring early Friday morning response; assault on officer reported
By Martinez Police Department
On August 18, 2023, around 3:27 a.m., the Martinez Police Department received a report of a video alarm at Velvet, a cannabis dispensary, located at 4808 Sunrise Drive. While enroute, officers were advised of multiple subjects at the business along with two vehicles.
Officers arrived on scene around 3:32 a.m. and one of the vehicles, described as a white SUV, fled the scene. Officers broadcast that shots were fired and there was an assault on an officer. The second vehicle attempted to flee and then crashed into a fire hydrant. The two occupants of the vehicle were transported to the hospital.
Additional law enforcement agencies responded to secure the scene. The Martinez Police Department initiated an investigation with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office in accordance with the countywide protocol for officer-involved shootings. One officer is receiving treatment at the hospital for what is believed to be a minor injury.
Based on the investigation, it is believed that four Martinez police officers discharged their firearms in this incident. The four officers have been placed on administrative leave as per department policy.
One of the civilians in the incident who was transported to the hospital is deceased. In accordance with Assembly Bill 1506 (https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents), the Martinez Police Department notified the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The CADOJ is leading the investigation and will independently review the officer-involved shooting.
The investigating agencies have responded with extensive resources to determine exactly what took place. The area where the incident occurred remained closed while crime scene investigators collect evidence. The officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras and footage is being reviewed as part of the investigation.
The investigation is in its early stages and ongoing. Our understanding of the incident may change as more individuals are interviewed and evidence is collected and analyzed.
If you have information regarding this incident, please contact Investigations at 925-372-3450.
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