Midnight to 6:00 am for Mokelumne Trail overcrossing
BRENTWOOD, CA – In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4. The overnight closure will facilitate final adjustments to the falsework as part of the construction work installing the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing over State Route 4. This closure will impact State Route 4 in both the Eastbound and Westbound directions. CCTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have scheduled the closure during the early morning hours in order to minimize impacts to the motoring public.
Overnight Freeway Closure of State Route 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road
In order to ensure crew and public safety during the planned construction work, a temporary nighttime freeway closure in both directions of State Route 4 will occur between Friday, May 5, 2023 and Saturday, May 6, 2023 on the following schedule (weather permitting): Eastbound and Westbound Highway 4 will be closed from midnight on Friday, May 5 until 6:00am on Saturday, May 6, 2023.Detours
Detours will be in place to reroute drivers around the closure and are planned as follows:Eastbound traffic will be directed to exit at Lone Tree Way, go eastbound to Shady Willow Lane, then southbound on Shady Willow Lane to Sand Creek Road, before proceeding westbound on Sand Creek Road to the eastbound State Route 4 on-ramp.
Westbound drivers having to detour will exit on Sand Creek Road and go eastbound on Sand Creek Road to Shady Willow Lane, then northbound on Shady Willow Lane to Lone Tree Way, and proceed westbound on Lone Tree Way to the westbound State Route 4 on-ramp.
Future Freeway Closures
Additional overnight closures will be needed over the course of the next eight weeks (weather dependent) to facilitate concrete pours for the stem and soffit and deck of the future Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing. Additional information regarding dates and detours will be provided once the schedule is confirmed. This project is anticipated to be complete in late summer or early fall of 2023.
About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multi-billion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.
Read MoreBy Anay Pant
Last year I participated as a High School student poll worker in the 2022 November Midterm elections. This was the first time I felt civically engaged practicing democracy in some form in my country. In a couple of years, I can cast my vote!
Historically, youth voter turnout has stayed around the 25% mark in the USA. It does not indicate that the youth are averse to voting, however studies show that there are structural barriers for youth to participate.
One such barrier is early education and awareness. The USA high school curriculum requires at least 1 semester of American Government class. Topics include the constitutional framework, federalism, the three branches of government, bureaucracy, civil rights and liberties, political participation and behavior, and policy formation. However, the content is not realized in an interactive way, as most students stop at reading a few chapters or watching a documentary.
The reason I got inspired and action oriented was due to my teacher. My teacher gave us practical opportunities such as forums to hear from and interact with our elected representatives e.g., Rep. Mike Thomspon (CA-4), Monica Tranel (MT-02 runner up) and authors such as Mick Rappaport, who have written extensively on the subject. We had lively discussions in class and homework assignments that did not feel like regular homework. We spoke about current events such as the Nov 2022 midterms, and the importance of student poll workers. I only wish I had been exposed to this subject and my teacher much earlier.
Another structural barrier is the individual themselves. At home, early civic education largely depends on the motivation of parents and children’s interest in the subject. Most teens spend little time (<120 minutes per day in the USA) with parents due to the many engagements and distractions.
Teens are constantly occupied (I know it firsthand!) with daily activities such as schoolwork, sports, after school clubs, internships, hobbies, spending time with friends, social relationships, college admissions planning etc. It is also a period of emotional growth and hormonal changes with ups and downs and mood swings. A smartphone is perhaps the biggest time sink. Research shows that 95% of US teens have access to smartphones today.
I am a second generation American, with interest in the subject. However, my parents are not well versed in this subject and are themselves learning their civic duties. Therefore, for the 7.2 million second-generation Americans, civic education at school might be the only option.
As an example, as a Junior, I spend about an hour with my parents daily, maybe two on weekends. Our conversation is usually about academics, family, sports, our pet dog, a movie or food. In my case, my dad and I share a love of history and politics, so we occasionally talk about WWII or political satire from Saturday Night Live or John Oliver. For a second-generation teen like me, school becomes the most important and sometimes the only resource for civic education.
Considering these barriers, it makes sense to start civic education and engagement much earlier. I can also attest through experience that:
- Middle schoolers have more time than High Schoolers
- Middle schoolers are at the age where they start to form their own opinions about the world around them. Giving them a chance to get involved in their community can help them develop a sense of duty, ownership and responsibility.
Why is this so important?
It is important for each individual to understand their civic duty and make it a habit to vote. The habit should be inculcated in the younger years. Over time when diverse voices from all walks of life exercise their right to vote, it will lead to an equitable and just democracy that most communities can benefit from.
In the 2022 mid-terms, the youth (ages 18-24) turnout was the second highest in three decades6 and quite impactful. Young people across the country had their voices heard and were able to support causes they cared about. According to a Harvard poll around 40% of young voters indicated that they would vote in the election. Overall, around 27% youth ballots that were issued were cast in total.
So, in conclusion I urge my readers to advocate for civic education in Middle School and share the tips below with your school boards and community leaders.
What can schools do
- Start civics education early – in middle school
- Encourage students to participate as volunteers in polling stations – local or state-level
- Expose students to experts, community leaders, and other activists
- Allow students to organize and run creative programs such as podcasts, talks
- Recognize students who participate in civic engagement programs
What can communities (Non-Profits, Community Leaders) do
- Community leaders can create educational programs e.g. field visits to city hall, high courts, etc.
- Recognize students who participate in Civic engagement programs
- Nonprofits e.g. Campus Votes could expand their college programs to create school specific programs as well.
I would also love to hear more tips from the readers!
Research Links
[3] https://www.financialsamurai.com/the-average-amount-of-time-parents-spend-with-their-kids-a-day/
[4] https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/
[5] https://cis.org/Report/ForeignBorn-Population-Hits-Nearly-48-Million-September-2022
[6] https://circle.tufts.edu/2022-election-center#youth-turnout-second-highest-in-last-three-decades
[7] https://iop.harvard.edu/fall-2022-harvard-youth-poll
[8] https://www.campusvoteproject.org/
About Anay Pant
I am a Junior at The Athenian High School in Danville, California. I got interested in civic engagement during the American Politics class I took last semester. The class had a profound effect on me. I was motivated to participate as a student poll worker in the Nov 2022 midterms. I wanted to continue with finding ways to motivate my peers to become aware and action oriented. I launched a civic engagement platform called Qrated (https://qrated.weblium.site/) last year with some success. I am working towards finding avenues to help me outreach my platform
On April 4th, I was awarded the Contra Costa County – Youth Hall of Fame Awards for Leadership & Civic Engagement by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. (See related article here)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anay-pant/
Read More
Finley Road ranch property
By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District
The East Bay Regional Park District has purchased the 768-acre Finley Road ranch property located in Contra Costa County at the western edge of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the southern edge of Mount Diablo State Park. The acquisition preserves forever one of the largest remaining pristine open spaces adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park. The property was officially acquired on April 24, 2023. Park District board of directors voted to authorize purchase of the property on March 7, 2023.
“The acquisition is an important step toward a long-desired staging area at the end of Finley Road,” said Park District Board Director John Mercurio. “Access to western Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and southern Mount Diablo State Park has been limited over the years and this property is an important step toward improving public access.”
The Finley Road Ranch property includes a flat, accessible area for a potential staging area that would provide access to the property and significantly improve public access to the Park District’s Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the adjacent Mount Diablo State Park.
“The Park District thanks our partners for their contributions toward the acquisition, including the California Coastal Conservancy and Save Mount Diablo,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “The acquisition supports the Park District’s mission of habitat preservation and providing public access for recreation, and furthers California’s 30×30 Initiative goal of conserving 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.”
The Park District is a supporter of the state’s 30×30 Initiative and participates in the initiative’s partnership coordinating committee, which works toward implementing the policies of the 30×30 Initiative and facilitates coordination among state and federal public agencies, tribal partners, and other non-governmental partners.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read MoreSixth arrest this year including one the day before, has history of arrests dating to July 2018
By Chief Paul Beard, Oakley Police Department
On April 27, 2023 at 9:11AM Officers B. Jackson and A. Hurtado were on patrol in the area of Main Street at Neroly Road when they saw a white Saturn vehicle being driven in a reckless and haphazard manner. Officers Jackson and Hurtado attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver fled from them and lead them on a pursuit.
The pursuit went into the City of Antioch via Laurel Road. The driver briefly yielded at the intersection of Laurel Road and Canada Valley only to take off again. The driver then took several routes through the City of Antioch with Officers Jackson and Hurtado being joined by Officer Radcliffe and his canine partner “Harkon”.
Eventually the driver ended up driving down Fulton Shipyard Road to the dead end. The driver attempted to drive beyond what is typically able to be navigated at the end of the road, but then he came to a stop. The driver also opened his door and showed signs he was getting ready to run from our officers.
The driver, identified as Matthew Quiroz (Antioch, 36), however opted to surrender and comply at that point, and he was taken into custody.
Quiroz was booked into jail for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and for leading our officers on a pursuit.
Matthew Quiroz has been arrested five times so far in 2023. It appears as if Quiroz was released from jail (in Martinez) this morning, for the crime he committed yesterday, and quite possibly the first thing he did was steal a car to come to Oakley. The following constitutes Quiroz’ known criminal activities in 2023:
- February 8, 2023- arrested for being under the influence of drugs and unable to care for himself (Brentwood PD)
- February 22, 2023- identified as the suspect in a carjacking involving threats of harm and death (Oakley PD)
- March 5, 2023- arrested for robbery, terrorist threats, false imprisonment and probation violation (Antioch PD)
- April 15, 2023- arrested for being drunk in public and unable to care for himself (Antioch PD)
- April 26, 2023- arrested for lewd conduct and theft (Antioch PD)
- April 27, 2023- arrested for evading officers and being in possession of a stolen vehicle (Oakley PD)
I suspect some people will look at the pattern of Quiroz’ activities and come to the conclusion many of his offenses have been “victimless crimes”. What I see however, is a strong pattern of criminal activity. We are barely past one quarter of 2023 and Quiroz has been arrested more times in this quarter than most readers of this article have been in their whole lives. When I consider the fact pattern of our carjacking case in February, the fact Quiroz was arrested for robbery and false imprisonment in March, and when I consider the lives Quiroz placed at risk during today’s pursuit I see many opportunities for his actions to create a great number of victims, so I am not apt to equate no harm to no foul. These crimes (fouls) did occur and there are victims associated to them.
Are you tired of the consistent pattern of crimes that occur time and time again? Are you tired of the more violent society we have? Are you tired of organized retail thefts when you spend your time working hard to pay for everything you need? If you answered ‘yes’ to all three of these questions I am in complete agreement with you. We need better legislation. We need legislation that would work for the people to undo the damage AB 109, Prop 47 and Prop 57 have done and we need to return necessary tools back to prosecutors, and the criminal justice system as a whole, in order to establish much more accountability for criminal behavior and a much greater degree of safety for society. Until then I will continue to appreciate and rely on the police officers of the Oakley Police Department, and the region as a whole, to keep doing what they do to keep the public safe.
Stay safe everybody.”
Suspect Has History of Arrests
In addition to his arrests this year, ccording to localcrimenws.com, Quiroz has a history of arrested dating back to July 2018 by the Solano County Sheriff’s, Antioch, BART Police, Vallejo, American Canyon and San Leandro Police Departments for outstanding warrants, parole violations, drug possession, assault with a deadly weapon or with force likely to cause great bodily harm, threats of violence, vandalism of $6,000 or more and failure to appear.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read More
Bike Month begins May 1, Bike to Wherever Days all month, Bike to Work Day is May 18
Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days (BTWD) organizers have named the winners of the 2023 Bike Champion of the Year (BCOY) awards. Given to individuals for inspiring bicycling in their Bay Area communities, this award recognizes riders in the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties for their commitment to cycling as the primary mode of transport.
Here are the 2023 Bike Champion of the Year award winners:
- Contra Costa County: Alan Kalin, who almost single handedly made bicycling on Mount Diablo safer through a first-of-its-kind project that has become a model for biking safety across the nation.
- Alameda County: Demorea “Truckie” Evans, part of Oakland’s Roll Out Crew, believes that “It’s going to take all of us to see the change that we desire to see.”
- Marin County: Dave Rhoads actively volunteers with the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) and advocated for safer bicycle infrastructure and the use of bicycles as a means of transportation.
- Napa County (co-winners): Violet Grove, our youngest champions ever at age 13 and a great inspiration for the future, and Donal O’Briain, who started riding his bike for transportation just about the age of Violet and has never stopped pedaling or advocating for bicycles.
- San Francisco County: Hansel Palarca-Reiva, who learned to bike as an adult during the pandemic. “I know that learning to ride as an adult can be terrifying, embarrassing, and intimidating,” he said. “But the joy that awaits you is truly worth the struggle, and I say all this from personal experience.”
- San Mateo County: Marin Holt founded Coastside on Bikes, connecting people who need bikes to people who have bikes that need a new home – over 200 bikes to date!
- Santa Clara County: April Beyersdorf is this year’s second youngest rider as a junior in high school, and the founder of her school’s Sustainable Commuting Club. The club’s mission is to encourage other students to feel confident biking and taking public transit, with a goal of reducing traffic congestion and protecting the environment.
- Solano County: Robert “Bob” Haran, who was inspired by the kids in “Spanky and Our Gang” at age 10 to start riding and hasn’t looked back since.
- Sonoma County: Bill Petty says his morning bike commute is better than coffee, and he brings that enthusiasm to his participation as a Climate Rider with Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition’s Green Fondo fundraising team and weekly rider with the Santa Rosa Taco Tuesday Ride.
About the Contra Costa County Winner
Alan Kalin’s passion for cycling isn’t just about the ride. “My story is one of dogged determination to prevent collisions and save lives on the roads of Mount Diablo,” says Alan. A Danville resident and Bay Area native, he started riding Mount Diablo three days a week in 2010 after he retired. He grew alarmed by the ambulances and medivac helicopters that were too often seen transporting cyclists off the mountain. Seeing that little was being done to prevent bike vs. car collisions, he set to work.
Alan started by first establishing the Mount Diablo Cyclists and analyzing hundreds of traffic reports.
Using the data and his own experiences on the mountain, he recognized that the accidents were largely occurring on or near blind curves. Picturing an old county road with car turnouts, Alan envisioned a solution that would separate cyclists from the cars with bike turnouts. He became a driving force behind the now 45 turnouts that give bicyclists safe harbor as they ride the 11-mile Summit Road on Mount Diablo. With its resulting 80% reduction in collisions, the first-of-its-kind project has become a model for biking safety across the nation.
But he isn’t done yet. Alan continues his advocacy and fundraising efforts to finish Phase II of the Bike Turnout Project in honor of friend and fellow cyclist Joe Shami who was killed in a collision in 2021. This phase will add the final 43 turnouts called for in the safety plan. He’s also working to redesign the Lafayette roundabout that was the site of his friend’s death and is involved in numerous projects as the Chairman of the Bike Danville Bicycle Advisory Commission.
“Cycling is about the people you meet and the journey,” Alan says. He loves that every ride is different, and that he is part of an ever-growing community of cyclists in Contra Costa County that take care of each other. He still loves riding today as much as he did when he was a kid, remembering fondly that back then “Mount Diablo felt like just a big hill,” and a train still ran on the Iron Horse Trail.
Full details about the winners can be found here.
Each winner will receive a Public Bikes handlebar bag from Mike’s Bikes, a $50 gift card from Sports Basement, a laminated, boxed set of San Francisco Bay Trail map cards from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)/Bay Trail, and a picnic/stadium blanket from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).
Don’t miss Bike to Wherever Days during the entire month of May, as well as Bike to Work Day on May 18! Details can be found online at Bayareabiketowork.com. Follow us on Facebook at @biketoworkday, Twitter @BikeToWorkSFBay, and Instagram @biketoworkday_bayarea.
Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days is presented by MTC (the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area), 511 (the region’s traveler information system), Amazon, and Stanford Medicine. BTWD 2022 also receives regional support from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), as well as from many sponsors at the local level. Prizes for the Bike Champion of the Year winners were donated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), MTC, Sports Basement, and Mike’s Bikes.
Read MoreDuring the 29th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration
On April 4, 2023, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored César E. Chávez’s legacy and a group of students as part of the Youth Hall of Fame Award during the 29th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration. This year’s theme was Hope and Healing – Esperanza y Bienestar. (See event video here)
The festival featured keynote speaker Genoveva Garcia Calloway, a community leader, former Mayor of San Pablo and behavioral health professional, who shared her perspective on César E. Chávez’s legacy. The event included a presentation of the 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Awards to students who have made outstanding community contributions, live performances by Mariachi Monumental and Ballet Folklórico Netzahualcoyotl, and celebratory remarks from members of the Board of Supervisors.
Four of the award winners were in attendance while five others provided videos offering thanks for the honor that were shown during the event.
2023 Youth Hall of Fame Award Winners
High School Awardees
Leadership & Civic Engagement – Anay Pant
Anay Pant is an 11th grade student at Athenian School in Danville, and from the start, it was abundantly clear that he had a keen interest in being engaged with his community. Anay has been involved in a host of activities in which he has eagerly volunteered for.
It started on Election Day 2022 when Anay volunteered to be a poll watcher in Contra Costa County and his engagement only gained momentum since. With a keen interest in getting more young people tuned into what’s happening around them, he developed an app called Qrated, to keep his peers up to date on local events. Along with his app, Anay is planning a TEDx talk to promote the app to students around the Bay Area. Additionally, he will be hosting a Youth TEDx forum at Athenian to encourage his young peers to lean into civic engagement at the local level.
Anay is a natural leader amongst his peers and inspires others with his energy and tenacity to do good in his community.
Teamwork – Prisha Purohit
San Ramon Valley High School Junior Prisha Purohit is no stranger to working with others. She is actively engaged with several school and community organizations that are dedicated to the betterment of her peers and the community at large. Prisha serves on the executive board for the Golden Bear Foundation and as President of the Danville Chapter. GPF is a charitable organization, founded by high school students, that helps provide care to economically disadvantaged persons through charitable giving. Prisha worked alongside other members to organize clothing and school supply drives for local families in need.
Prisha supports other students at her high school by providing clarity and bringing them closer to their academic goals as a peer tutor. She provides a reassuring voice to students who start the year late, helping them catch up with their classmates. Prisha has also created a school club for lovers of tea and philosophy. Cleverly named Philosotea, members meet over lunch and are encouraged to sample new teas and discuss philosophical ideas, concepts, and media.
Outside of school, Prisha volunteers her time as part of the local library’s Teen Advisory Club. As a teen advisor, she works with library staff to develop teen programs, expand the young adult collections, and improve services the library can offer teens. No photo or video of Prisha was provided.
Perseverance – Anayely Arreola Caldera
Anayely has been described as a fighter. She has not had an easy path in her young life. Through her encounters growing up she decided early on to see herself through adversity and was determined to become a success story. Anayely is in her senior year at Liberty High School in Brentwood and will be the first in her family to attend college.
Anayely is also the first in her family to play a competitive sport. She runs track on Liberty High’s team and always looks forward to training. She continues to push herself to do her best when she’s out on the track, for both her and her teammates. Participating and playing a sport is truly a privilege not lost on Anayely and she recognizes that not all kids have the opportunity to do so. Anayely can often be found spending her extra time in school clubs and sports as she is working to help support herself through college with a track scholarship.
In addition to her love for track, Ana’s favorite subject is English. Her goal is to be a lawyer and she notes that the reading comprehension and critical thinking skills learned in English will be invaluable to her future career path. Anayely understands the power of being a role model to her younger sister. She strives to show her sister that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Volunteerism – Frances Kellman-Lima
Frances Kellman-Lima is a Senior at El Cerrito High School, where she consistently achieves top grades and is involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities. She acts as a Peer Counselor and Conflict Mediator, and was selected as a “Culture Keeper” mentor. Culture Keepers are youth leaders trained in dynamic mindfulness and restorative practices who work to transform the school’s culture and put an end to the “school-to-prison pipeline.”
For the last year and a half, Frances has been a standout voice on the topic of teen dating violence. She began as a member of a school-led support group, before joining Contra Costa County’s Youth Against Violence leadership group. She regularly goes out of her way to help other leaders in the group, presents great ideas, and displays strong leadership skills. Frances also takes time to volunteer at a preschool, specifically working with children who are living with intellectual and developmental delays.
Outside of school and volunteering, Frances has taken a Latino psychology class and was a teaching assistant for a cognitive neuroscience class at UC Berkeley, both of which she hopes to utilize for helping others.
Good Samaritan – Aria Capelli
Aria is co-founder of a non-profit called Meaningful Teens which connects teens with volunteer opportunities where they can make a real difference. Meaningful Teens offers a literacy and math platform Aria created which has been a wonderment in this time of COVID-19. Her compassion to help the underserved and to lead a group of young people from diverse backgrounds to reach a common goal has been remarkable.
Fueled by a passion to meet the needs of others, Aria saw opportunities in the distant learning modality even as others viewed its limitations. She recognized the hardships and life challenges that low-income families and immigrants face. Being open-minded, she brought her vision of bringing literacy and math instruction over a Zoom one-to-one platform to reality by tutoring underserved students in low-income housing, immigrants, and refugee communities. To ensure the quality of the lessons, she recruited credentialed teachers to roam the breakout rooms, while Aria aided anyone in need of help, thus providing on-the-spot solutions to problems.
Over the past three years Meaningful Teens has grown from a small project with four friends to a huge success with over 1,900 high school and college volunteer tutors from around the United States with almost 1,500 student-learners worldwide. As Meaningful Teens continues to expand and grow, Aria keeps the students, and their needs, at the forefront.
Rising Stars
Perseverance – Jered E. Clark
Jered Clark currently attends Black Diamond Middle School in Antioch where he holds a 4.0 GPA and will be graduating with his 8th grade class at the end of this school year. He is a self-motivated person who is determined, outgoing, intelligent, and a stand-up scholar. He takes initiative to work on his assignments as well as his extracurricular activities which include volunteering with local nonprofits and playing volleyball.
At two years of age, Jered was a victim of child neglect and diagnosed with behavioral challenges. After tragically losing his parents to domestic violence, he entered the foster care system. Today he faces obstacles head on, remains focused and determined to overcome barriers. His perseverance at just 14 years old clearly shows he has a bright future ahead of him.
Teamwork – Zihan Cherry Chou
Zihan Cherry Chou is an 8th grade honor student at Adams Middle School in Brentwood. She has been volunteering with NAMI Contra Costa for over 4 years and has been invaluable to their organization and the clients they serve. Cherry has a kind and gentle spirit and is always eager to assist where she can. She is a glowing example of the characteristics you hope to see in both youth and adults.
Cherry is passionate about building mental health friendly communities and works to eliminate mental health stigma and discrimination. She is non-judgmental and recognizes love and compassion should be shown to those impacted by mental health challenges. Cherry is part of NAMI’s Outreach Team which provides services and supplies for those who are unsheltered. She helps distribute food, personal hygiene products, and aids with their pets as well.
Cherry has been a presenter at NAMI Contra Costa Suicide Prevention events and advocates for youth mental health in all her activities. While Cherry is warm-hearted and a happy child, she has also experienced an emotionally trying time in her life. She immigrated from China to the United States with her parents when she was 7 years old. Adapting to an unfamiliar environment, with language barriers and cultural differences was challenging. She experienced repeated bullying in elementary school. Remaining optimistic, she got through this time in her life with bravery and strength. She doesn’t want others to experience what she did, so she makes it a point to welcome new students and takes initiative to introduce them to their new school.
Leadership & Civic Engagement – Carter Considine
Carter Considine is a 9th grade student from Lafayette and has started three organizations with helping the community in mind, Teen Art Market, Meaningful Teen, and Humon.
When Carter started Teen Art Market, it was inspired by local youth artists needing to promote their work. Teen Art Market is an online platform that allows teen artists to share their work and connect directly with art enthusiasts, buyers, and other artists.
Carter also co-founded an online nonprofit called Meaningful Teens during the pandemic. Unable to continue the weekly in-person ELL tutoring program at the senior center in Walnut Creek, it became virtual. Since then, the program includes 1,800 + youth tutors and 800+ students, many of the tutors are based in Contra Costa County. Now, tutors are paired up with other non-profits, educational institution serving low-income communities increasing their footprint and positively impacting the lives of many other young people.
Today, Carter is starting an app, Humon, linking people with different perspectives to come into community by identifying commonalities. This app works with a wrist device that lights up when people nearby have certain commonalities, expected to be available on the Apple app store very soon.
Volunteerism – Makenzie Lee Foster
Makenzie is a homeschooled straight A 6th grade student who balances her school time with acting, writing books, and volunteering to read books to others.
Makenzie has written three books, two of which have been published and available on Amazon. She embodies what she writes about in her books; Kickin’ it With Kenzie – What’s Meant for Me Will Be, Kickin’ it with Kenzie – Luckily My Luck is Me! And Seeing Me is Believing in Me!
Makenzie has partnered with First 5 of California and has visited over 20 classrooms as well as UCSF Children’s Hospital. She visits with the children and reads her books to them, sharing how important it is to foster a love of reading and encouraging them to follow their dreams. With each visit, she donates copies of her book along with mini bookmarks and encourages kids to create their own stories.
Good Samaritan – Gianna Baglieri
Gianna is a 3rd grade student at Rio Vista Elementary in Bay Point. According to those who know her, Gianna demonstrates excellent problem-solving skills and leadership for such a young age. She is a kind friend and cares for others. She befriends new students, so they won’t feel alone.
For more information see the 29th César E. Chávez Program.
Read MoreThe five remaining Antioch Police Officers being sued in the racist text scandal must resign or be fired
It’s a sad, frustrating, embarrassing and difficult time in Antioch, right now. People are angry, want something done, especially our Black residents and rightfully so. The people of our city must have accountability from those paid to protect us and assurances that the racist and offensive texts sent by several Antioch Police officers will never happen again. Plus, our community needs healing. But things need to be done in a way that is fair to all concerned. (See related articles here and here)
The scandal is the real-life fulfillment of what’s written in the Bible verse, Numbers 23:32, “you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” After reading the texts sent on their personal cell phones and reading the federal lawsuit against them, it’s clear that one officer in particular, and four others should resign immediately to start that healing process and if they’re ever going to be considered men of integrity, again in their lives. Furthermore, they need to find another career path, seek counseling and guidance to become better human beings, be required to publicly ask the forgiveness of the people they texted about, as well as of the people of Antioch that they were sworn to protect, not cost us taxpayers any additional money on investigations, salaries or benefits, and not embarrass us any further. If they don’t quit, they must be fired as soon as the investigation is completed.
Clearly, the worst of them is Officer Eric Rombough, followed by Sergeant Josh Evans and Officer Morteza Amiri, as well as Officers John Ramirez and Scott Duggar, plus Timothy Manley Williams, who already quit in 2021. It’s no surprise they’re the officers listed in the lawsuit filed last week as they clearly have the most culpability. What they wrote is so disgusting, the fact they found humorous injuring suspects and violating their rights is horrendous, and offering a reward to anyone who would shoot, even with a non-lethal weapon, to injure a sitting city council member is horrific.
Others, including Sgt. James Stenger and Detective Robert Gerber, need to be demoted as a form of discipline within the department for their responses to the texts and not doing what was necessary to stop them. Sgt. Jimmy Wisecarver retired last November, so he can’t face any discipline for his part in commenting on the texts and apparently not doing anything to stop them.
To be fair to the officers, the texts in the two reports were clearly cherry-picked by the DA’s Office Investigator out of all the pages of text messages. (The Herald requested them on Thursday, April 27, 2023. They have 10 days to respond.) Since some mistakes have been found in the two reports, any and all texts between officers during the timeframe of September 2019 through April 2022 should be released. Plus, we should know if there are any texts from any of the department leaders telling the officers to stop what they were doing.
The officers who remain in the department must hold each other accountable, as well – be the first check and balance on the misbehavior and bad attitudes of other officers. They need to remember who pays their very generous salaries and benefits and who they are hired to serve – we the people!
But not all of the 44 APD officers named in the reports, including 13 to 15 remaining department leaders who received the texts, should be fired, nor should they lose their pensions. Nor does the department need the U.S. Attorney General or his Department of Justice to provide oversight. All such demands by officials and residents are a serious and unnecessary overreach. The politicians need to help calm things down and be voices of reason, instead of further stirring up emotions trying to appear sympathetic and pander to certain audiences to get votes.
For most of the others included in the text threads, there’s been an overreaction, specifically blowing out of proportion one text message sent by Antioch Police Officers Association president Rick Hoffman, who is also a sergeant in the department. He merely made fun of one of his fellow officers who claimed he was called a racist. Hoffman didn’t write any texts that were racist or offensive about any citizen.
Here’s that exchange:
On 05/04/2020, At 8:59 p.m., APD Sgt. Josh Evans text, “Kardell’s mom was yelling how we shot and killed someone today. That rumor getting around quick.”
At 9:00 p.m., APD Sgt. Jimmy Wisecarver text, “Laughed.” APD Sgt. Evans replies, “That was right after she called me a racist as cop….” APD Officer Rick Hoffman laughed at the above listed comment and stated, “Well she has a point.
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While he and other leaders and officers were included in some of the group text threads, to be fair, how can they be held accountable for something they received, and didn’t respond to, as they may have not read those texts?
Ask yourself if you’ve ever been part of group text threads, group chats in Facebook Messenger or even participated in comments made below the post by someone else or yourself on Facebook or Twitter and may not have seen and read all the texts or comments. Just because somebody included you doesn’t mean you took the time to read what the others wrote. I know I’ve been included in text threads, in Facebook Messenger groups and in posts on Facebook, including my own posts, and haven’t had time to read all the texts or comments nor did I respond to all of them. Maybe I’ll respond to only one or two texts, or even a thread of comments under my own Facebook posts. But who has time to read all of them? I know I don’t. So, how can I or anyone be held accountable for something somebody else wrote that you or I didn’t even see, read or respond to? We can’t. Nor should any of the officers who merely were on the receiving end of one or more of the texts. Lumping all the officers into one group of the guilty is wrong, irresponsible and unfair.
Furthermore, had annual reviews been done for each officer – which haven’t been done for anyone in the department since 2017 – the texts sent or received using their personal cell phones would not have been included. So, the leadership would never have known about them anyway. So, that’s a non-issue as far as the text scandal is concerned. But I believe some of the leaders had to know at least the content of some of the texts and didn’t do enough to stop them.
There are what are referred to as sins of commission and sins of omission. While those leaders who received the texts may not have committed any wrongdoing because they didn’t send out any texts, they are guilty of either not doing what they should by reading the texts to know what those who serve under them were sharing or if they did, not doing something or enough to stop it. There’s only one text referenced in the reports in which one officer said to another that one of the leaders, Sergeant Matt Koch told them to knock it off.
The second report reads, On March 31, 2021 At 3:11 p.m., APD Officer Adams texted…“Haha. I forgot that Koch wanted us to stop sending dumb sh-t. Oops.” (a comment that Rombough “laughed” at)
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As for Hoffman, he needs to be a good leader, fall on his sword and at least resign as APOA president for his sins of omission. Because as a sergeant, some of the officers, including Rombough, served under him.
But let’s all slow down a bit, and for all but the five officers still with the department who are listed in the lawsuit, let the investigations be completed before passing judgment. Everybody who screwed up needs to be held accountable however they can be, and that includes those in the Antioch Police Department, as well as the DAs office. That includes disciplining the staff members who merely semi-redacted the first report revealing officers’ phone numbers and the names of the officers included in the FBI investigation as well as the charges they’re facing, as well as to whom the redacted reports were sent and by whom. (See related article)
New Personal Cell Phone Use Prohibition Policy Must Be Implemented
According to Chief Ford, a new policy was implemented last year regarding use of personal cell phones and a restriction on the discussion of police business including suspects with anyone outside of the department. But he said officers can still use their personal cell phones, not just their department issued cell phones, while on duty. I believe that’s wrong, and a new policy must be implemented prohibiting the use of personal cell phones while on duty, and only on their lunch and other breaks, except in a family emergency. I don’t know what other employees are allowed to use their personal cell phones when they’re at work. Officers shouldn’t either. They should be focused on police work and only use their department issued phones while on the job.
Let’s be clear the racist and offensive texts are wrong, horrible, vile, offensive and hurtful whether they were sent on personal cell phones or not. They were egregious, shocking and the entire thing is embarrassing to those of us who live and/or have a business in Antioch and no doubt to the officers who had nothing to do with sending or receiving the texts, and I’m sure to many who merely received the texts and didn’t read them. The bottom line is the five remaining officers named in the lawsuit must be fired and frankly, if they’re going to demonstrate any kind of remorse, responsibility, maturity and respect for the residents of Antioch, resign immediately. Rombough and Co. have to go. That’s what’s necessary to improve the department and begin healing our community. Please join me in praying for that to occur.
Read MoreDecisive victory against Laney College puts Los Medanos College on top
By Juliet V. Casey, Marketing Director, Los Medanos College
Pittsburg, Calif. – In a staggering 18-7 victory over the Laney College Eagles on Thursday, April 27, the Los Medanos College Mustangs baseball team secured the top spot as 2023 Bay Valley Conference champions.
“I’m just so proud of this group,” LMC Head Baseball Coach Matt Lisle. “It isn’t just one player that has stood out. I’ve preached since Day One, that we are in in this together and for us to win a championship it’s going to take everyone all-in. All-in on the field, in the classroom and together as a family and that’s exactly what we did. Truly a championship effort by each and every player.”
The Mustangs head into post-season play with a 28-10 season record and 17-3 in conference. The team is poised to break the school record for season wins – the most wins has been 29 – with at least four games left.
The last home game of the season will be today at 2:30 p.m., 2700 E. Leland Road. LMC hosts the first round of postseason baseball competition May 5 and May 6.
“Congratulations to our new Baseball Head Coach Matt Lisle, his assistant coach, Sparky Bray, and our student-athletes for such a phenomenal season,” said Tanisha Maxwell, athletics director and vice president of student services. “I hope to see everyone come out and support our championship team.”
Maxwell noted the team has shown outstanding character and attributed their success to “covenants” players adopted to keep each other positive, productive and accountable to each other on an off the field. Among the promises, “Make smart decisions off the field, make healthy decisions, represent LMC well and sharpen skills.”
“Last night’s victory is a testament of the quality program and tradition in place at Los Medanos College,” Interim President Pamela Ralston said.
Several players this season are being recruited by NCAA Division I and II schools, and two players are being drafted by Major League Baseball teams for the upcoming June Amateur Draft.
Since the 2012 baseball season, 114 LMC baseball players have taken their athletic and academic careers to the four-year level and 67 have received All-Bay Valley Conference Honors. LMC has had 67 Academic All-Conference and 25 Academic All State selections. Since its founding, the Los Medanos Baseball Program has also produced 21 professional draft picks.
Read more details of Thursday’s game on LMC’s Experience student news website.
Read MoreCity faces possible lawsuit if they don’t switch to district elections; next public hearing Monday, May 1
By Pleasant Hill Community Alliance
Kevin Shenkman of the law firm Shenkman and Hughes has issued a notice of an impending lawsuit against the City of Pleasant Hill if they do not move to by-district elections. The attorney is representing the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) and the Pleasant Hill Community Alliance.
Founded in 1974, SVREP is the oldest and largest non-partisan Latino voter participation organization in the United States.
The Alliance is a community group composed of residents and California Voting Rights advocates who have been working tirelessly to ensure that the city’s district maps are drawn in a fair and equitable manner that accurately reflects the communities of interest within the city. However, their efforts have been met with resistance from the City Council, who have refused to take into account the input of residents and instead have instructed a demographer to create two maps that appear to be based only on councilmember input.
According to the City’s districting process webpage, the Council is considering remaining with five council members and a rotated mayor and maps with five districts or changing to a city-wide, directly elected mayor and maps with four council districts. Following the April 17, 2023, public hearing, the City demographer prepared a draft electoral division map with five districts and another with four districts. In addition, five more five-district maps were submitted by members of the public, including Draft Map 2 submitted by the SVREP and the Alliance referred to below as the “Minority Coalitions”. The seven draft maps are available for viewing by clicking on the links on that page. The City will hold public hearings on May 1, May 6, and May 22, 2023, to discuss and gather feedback on the draft maps.
The draft maps look to protect incumbency, with jagged lines drawn around councilmembers’ homes and the homes of candidates from the 2022 City Council election. In addition, it appears that Councilmembers have instructed the demographer to diminish minority votes in East Pleasant Hill by creating only one minority majority coalition, when there could be two. The minority coalitions in Pleasant Hill which are largely composed of Asian, Latino, and mixed-race residents.
The Alliance is deeply concerned about the City Council’s actions and the potential harm that could be done to the democratic process if these maps are adopted. They have called on the City Council to reconsider their approach and to work with the community to create district maps that accurately reflect the interests of all residents.
“We cannot stand by and allow the City Council to ignore the voices of the community and create district maps that are designed to protect their own interests,” said Alliance spokesperson Michelle Simone. “We will take all necessary action to ensure that the democratic process is upheld and that the voices of all residents are heard.”
The Alliance is urging residents to attend the next City Council meetings on May 1 at 7pm and May 6 at 2pm to voice their concerns about the proposed district maps. They are also calling on the City Council to work with the community to create district maps that accurately reflect the diversity of Pleasant Hill.
A post on the group’s Facebook page challenges the districting maps claiming they result in “cracking” which reduces the influence of Communities of Interest, specifically minority communities. The post reads, “Cracking refers to the practice of drawing electoral districts that divide the population of a community or constituency across several districts. In doing so, the influence of the community or constituency may be reduced, preventing the group from forming a voting block within any single district sufficient to elect the group’s preferred candidates. This practice contrasts with packing, in which the population of a community or constituency is consolidated within a small number of districts, thereby minimizing its influence in other districts. Cracking and packing may be used in conjunction to minimize the influence of a particular voting bloc to benefit another, a practice referred to as gerrymandering.” https://ballotpedia.org/Cracking
For more information, please contact the Pleasant Hill Community Alliance at Community94523@gmail.com, visit their website or Facebook page.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read More“Our systems are more aligned now than ever”
By BART Communications Staff
On Friday, April 21, ten transit CEOs from across the Bay Area gathered for a multimodal, three-hour-long voyage that carried them from the green hills of Orinda to the dry heat of Pittsburg. The “All Aboard with Transit CEOs” event was held in celebration of Earth Day as well as the ongoing coordination and collaboration of local transit agencies in the face of immense financial challenges. Members of the public were invited to join the ride-along to meet and ride with the CEOs.
Following the success of the first “All Aboard” event in September, which carried the CEOs from Oakland to San Francisco and back, the second ride-along saw the travelers ride a bevy of East Bay transit operators, including BART, Tri-Delta Transit, and County Connection. Leaders in attendance included BART General Manager Robert Powers, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Executive Director Andy Fremier, Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman, Director of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeffrey Tumlin, SamTrans General Manager/CEO April Chan, County Connection General Manager Bill Churchill, Tri Delta Transit CEO Rashidi Barnes, WestCAT General Manager Robert Thompson, Napa Valley Transportation Authority Executive Director Kate Miller, and Contra Costa Transportation Authority Executive Director Timothy Haile.
The ride-along kicked off with a press conference at BART’s Orinda Station, where regional leaders stressed the importance of securing long-term sustainable funding for public transportation.
“At the heart of any region’s economy is public transit. As goes public transit goes the economy,” said BART General Manager Robert Powers, who noted that regional transportation systems “are more aligned now than ever.”
MTC Executive Director Andy Fremier urged the state legislature to “pass a new budget that supports transit operations … to keep us going so we have a multi-year transit recovery program we can count on.” (Reference this handy Twitter thread to learn more about the distinction between transit agencies’ operating and capital budgets.)
“California cannot meet its climate goals unless we do something about getting people on transit,” Fremier added, acknowledging the Earth Day holiday. “Part of that involves advocating aggressively to keep transit operating.”
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