By Pittsburg Police Department
One call for service leads to much, much more.
Back in January, Officer Mejia made contact with a woman during an enforcement stop. At that time, she was in possession of multiple firearms and drugs for sale. Over the past few months, officers continued to work the case, conducting hours of investigation. It became clear the woman was heavily involved in the sale of drugs and guns.
On Thursday, June 10, 2021, the Pittsburg Police Department Vice Team, along with additional patrol officers, served the search warrant at the woman’s Oakley house. As you can see in the photos, officers found a little of everything including a half-pound of methamphetamines, cocaine, a ghost handgun, parts of an assault rifle, over $3,000 in cash, and even illegal fireworks.
In addition, officers searched a car belonging to man at the house and found two more illegal ghost guns and drugs for sale.
Both were arrested, the cash seized, and the two of them will be sending the weekend at the county jail.
#ppd #pittsburg #onecallatatime #alloffthestreet
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By Richmond Police Department
On June 9, 2021 at approximately 12:25PM, RPD received a ShotSpotter activation in the 3000 block of Shane Drive. Shortly thereafter, the RPD Communications Center received multiple emergency calls regarding an individual who had been shot.
Arriving RPD officers located an unresponsive victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving measures, the victim was pronounced deceased by medical personnel, on scene.
More than forty (40) rifle and pistol casings were located at the scene; attached is an audio of the incident captured by the RPD ShotSpotter system.
If you witnessed, or believe you have further information regarding this incident, please contact Detective Savannah Stewart at SStewart@RichmondPD.net or 510-620-6541, or call our tip line at 510-307-T1PS (510-307-8177); you can always remain anonymous while providing information.
#CommunityPolicing #RichmondPDCali #RichmondCA
Read MoreIn buybuy Baby store parking lot
By Pleasant Hill Police Department
On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at about 10:00 AM, Officers were sent to a call that a female subject attempted to take a mother’s baby from her arms in the parking lot of buybuy Baby (at 3250 Buskirk Ave) Officers determined that the female suspect was attempting to steal the victim’s car using force. The mother and baby were not injured. The suspect ran away before officers arrived. Officers located the suspect nearby at Extended Stay America (at 3220 Buskirk Ave). The suspect was arrested and booked into jail for attempt carjacking, PC 215.
This case was presented to the DA’s Office. Charges of attempted carjacking and battery were formally filed against the suspect, who remains in custody.
Read MoreBy Richmond Police Department
On June 3, 2021 at approximately 1:38PM, the RPD Communications Center received emergency calls regarding a shooting that had occurred in the 1400 block of Kelsey Street, near the Shields Reid Community Center.
One victim sustained a gunshot wound to his head, and was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition. A second victim was shot in his lower extremity and was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Multiple rifle and pistol casings were located at the scene.
Investigators are seeking additional witnesses who may have seen a white compact sedan in the area at the time of the incident. A ShotSpotter audio of the incident has been released.
6/7/21 UPDATE – HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION ***
Unfortunately, the victim who was airlifted in critical condition has succumbed to his injuries.
If you have further information regarding this incident, please contact Detective Michael Sagan at MSagan@RichmondPD.net or 510-620-6622, or call our tip line at 510-307-T1PS (510-307-8177); you can always remain anonymous while providing information.
#CommunityPolicing #RichmondPDCali #RichmondCA
Read More21-year-old man shot in Brentwood shopping center parking lot Thursday, police seek unknown suspects
By Brentwood Police Department
On Thursday, June 10, 2021 at around 5:31 p.m., Brentwood officers responded to the southwest parking lot of the Streets of Brentwood, located at 2501 Sand Creek Road to investigate a shooting. When officers arrived on scene, preliminary information revealed two shooters associated with two separate vehicles exchanged gunfire. During the exchange of gunfire, a 21-year-old, male, Brentwood resident sustained what appeared to be non-life threatening gunshot wounds and was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment.
The two vehicles involved were described as a silver-colored sedan (associated with the person shot) and a black colored sedan with no direction of travel. The suspects associated with the dark colored sedan were described as light-skinned, black or Hispanic males.
Investigative information strongly suggests this was not a random act of violence and there is no threat to public safety. A firearm was recovered from the scene and the motive is unknown, pending further investigation.
No additional information is being released at this time.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Ruth Talley at 925-809-7911
Read MoreLocated near the future BART Station; another Brentwood project from Tekin & Associates and Guardian Capital partnership; contribute $5,000 to Brentwood Regional Community Chest
Brentwood, California – June 10, 2021. Tekin & Associates and Guardian Capital are pleased to announce today’s official groundbreaking of the 288-unit luxury residential rental community, The Blossoms @ Brentwood, which offers a wonderful Craftsman Style architecture, modern one- two- and three- bedroom luxury apartment homes with car ports, garages, private patios, and exceptional interior finishes. A modern clubhouse complex with expansive mountain views, featuring a fitness center featuring the latest personal fitness equipment and an entertainment deck adjacent to a large swimming pool and spa, presents a resort-like, private amenity experience.
“We are extremely proud to bring such an amenity-rich, active lifestyle community to Brentwood,” stated Jim Previti, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Capital. “The Blossoms represents the first of three luxury rental communities with aggregate project costs in excess of $300 million that we will deliver during the next year with our partner, Tekin & Associates.”
Guardian Capital is a privately-held real estate investment firm with a portfolio in excess of $1 billion primarily in the Western United States and has in excess of $1 billion of assets in various stages of development. Guardian currently operates more than 1,500 residential rental units and has more than 1,500 units under construction with an additional 2,500 units in its development pipeline. In the last three years, Guardian has delivered ten residential rental communities valued at more than $650 million. Based in Carlsbad, California with offices in Newport Beach and Sacramento, Guardian focuses primarily on the development and operation of institutional-quality multifamily communities, grocery-anchored retail centers and well-located office properties.
Tekin & Associates is a boutique commercial real estate firm focusing on real estate developments with fundamentally superior locations in mature markets with high barriers to entry.
“When we developed the General Plan, we had in mind that we could have a place for residents who were born here and left, that could come back and raise their families,” said Mayor Joel Bryant. “When we had the opportunity to partner with this project this is exactly the kind of project we envisioned. So, our students who go away to college can return and live here.”
“I’m excited about this project,” he added.
Developer Mark Tekin, of Tekin & Associates, which also has built the Shops @ Lone Tree Way between Highway 4 and Jefferey Way, shared his thoughts.
“About two-and-a-half years ago, we stumbled onto this project,” he said. “What has culminated here is a project that will fill a need for attainable housing.”
“We’re happy to be back in Brentwood as part of this Tekin community,” Previti added. “It’s a great project and a great location.”
“We build these, and we hold these, normally for 10 years,” Rich Alexander, Previti’s partner stated. “That makes us a part of the community.”
He then introduced Lill Pearce, president of the Brentwood Regional Community Chest, to whom Tekin and Guardian contributed $5,000.
“I’d like to thank everyone here for your generous donation to our organization,” Pierce said. “We provide Christmas meals and toys to children. We also help the community in emergency situations with food and clothing, as well.”
A ceremonial check was then presented to Pierce and the organization’s treasurer, Jane Rodriguez by Tekin and Previti.
That was followed by the ceremonial turning of the shovels of dirt by Tekin, Previti, Alexander and other Guardian team members, who were joined by Mayor Bryant, Planning Commissioner Dirk Zeigler, City Manager Tim Ogden and Police Chief Tom Hansen, to officially break ground on the project that’s already under construction, and ahead of schedule.
Completion of The Blossoms at Brentwood community, located on Shady Willow Lane, along the future Amber Lane extension, and next to Jeffrey Way, across Highway 4 from the future Brentwood BART Station, is expected to be in early 2023 with leasing to begin in July 2022.
Read MoreMitchoff questions holding July 4th parades; approve funds to address illegal dumping
By Daniel Borsuk
Fourth of July celebrations are around the corner and the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday took a strident step in minimizing fires by unanimously passing a stronger fireworks ordinance that pins financial liability on owners of property and vessels where fireworks are used in unincorporated areas of the county.
Recognizing the extreme dry vegetation conditions the county now faces due to low winter rain fall, supervisors passed the ordinance as a consent item without hearing citizen comments on Ordinance No. 2021-19 that amends the county’s fireworks ordinance, Chapter 44-2 of the County Ordinance Code.
Contra Costa County received only 30 percent of average rainfall, said Brian Garcia, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “The fuels that we have for fire this year are already at record levels. It’s really bad already and we’re not at the peak of the fire season.”
Conditions are so dry, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Deputy Fire Chief Aaron McAlister said, “Whether its moderate, high or very high, the risks are here in this county. We definitely have that potential that existed south of us and north of us in previous years. That potential now exists here in Contra Costa County.”
Under the new ordinance, property and vessel owners are responsible for ensuring that the use of illegal fireworks does not occur on their property. Owners may be liable for ordinance violations if illegal fireworks are used on their property or vessel.
Board Chair Diane Burgis of Brentwood was the supervisor who shepherd the tougher fireworks ordinance, citing an increase in fireworks violations in her District 3 area.
“Illegal fireworks are a drain on our system,” Burgis said. “We simply don’t have the resources to address this continued problem. I would encourage cities and towns to adopt stronger ordinances and send the message that illegal fireworks will not be tolerated in Contra Costa County.”
“Due to unseasonably dry fuel conditions in Contra Costa County, we urge the public to take every precaution to prevent wildfires,” said Contra Costa County Fire Department Chief Lewis T. Brouschard III. “The use of illegal fireworks caused a recent fire in our county that destroyed two apartment buildings and displaced 30 residents. Playing with illegal fireworks is dangerous and poses the very real possibility of causing wildland fires that could easily destroy homes and threaten lives in this time of critically high fire risk. We urge everyone to follow the regulations and stay safe.”
“Illegal fireworks in our county continually pose a threat to the safety of our communities,” said East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Chief Brian Helmick in a press release. “On behalf of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, we would like to thank Supervisor Burgis for taking these necessary actions to curb the use of illegal fireworks and for helping to protect all citizens who have been impacted by illegal fireworks.”
Passage of the fireworks ordinance, a supervisors’ meeting consent item that did not draw public comment.
According to the supervisors’ agenda background information:
“Chapter 44-2 of the County Ordinance Code prohibits the possession, manufacture, sale, use and discharge of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of the County. The Sheriff and fire department in the County receive numerous calls for service each year stemming from illegal fireworks, including calls to address vegetation fires, structure and exterior fires, personal injury or death, and noise or other public nuisances.
“The proposed ordinance would amend Chapter 44-2 and authorize the Sheriff to arrest and cite a responsible party as defined in the ordinance, for violations of Chapter 44-2. The proposed ordinance established that a responsible party is required to maintain, manage and supervise the property or vessel for which they are responsible to prevent violations of Chapter 44-2. A responsible party is liable and violates the prohibition on fireworks under Chapter 44-2 if any person possesses, manufactures, sells, offers to sell, uses, or discharges, any fireworks at the property, or on the vessel, for which the responsible part is responsible, regardless of whether the responsible party is present when the violation occurs.
“The proposed ordinance defines a responsible party as any of the following:
- A person that owns, rents, leases, or otherwise has possession of, or is in immediate control of a residence or other private property or a vessel.
- A person that organizes, supervises, sponsors, conducts, allows, controls, or controls access to the possession, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, use, or discharge of fireworks at a residence or other private property or on a vessel.
“If a residence or other private is rented or leased for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, the landlord or lessor is not a responsible party unless the landlord or lessor: has possession of, or is in immediate control of, the residence or other private property; or has knowledge of the possession, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, sue, or discharge of fireworks at the residence or other private property.
The owner of a residence that is rented for a period of 30 consecutive days or less (a short-term rental) is a responsible party and is liable for violations of Chapter 44-2 if the short-term renter, or any other person, possesses, manufactures, sells, offers to sell, uses, or discharges, any fireworks at the residence, regardless of whether they owner of the short-term rental is present when the violation occurs.”
Mitchoff Questions Holding July 4th Parades
At one point during the meeting, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill questioned the wisdom of cities permitting July 4th parades at least this year even though the county and all other counties will be off the Centers for Disease Control color tier system effective June 15.
“If you have not been vaccinated, people need to take this seriously for one more year,” said the supervisor. “There are communities that think they can handle this. I am not so sure that is the case. The public needs to take this seriously. People will show up at parades and will be unvaccinated.”
Contra Costa County Deputy Health Director Ori Tzvilell said the state’s mask mandate will be relaxed effective June 15 “only if everyone has been vaccinated.” Mask requirements will remain in place for retail businesses, he noted.
County Chief Equity Officer Gilbert Salinas said the health department will conduct a mobile vaccination unit in a census tract in Antioch (North of Highway 4 from L Street to Sommerville Road) to vaccinate about 16,000 unvaccinated persons on June 11.
Salinas said future mobile vaccination activities are planned for Antioch Park, Antioch Middle School and Pittsburg City Park.
Stormwater Utility Assessments Approved
Even in severe drought conditions, supervisors had to think about the potential of stormwater pollution issues, especially funding. Supervisors approved assessments for Stormwater Utility Areas 1 through 18 that will provide $15,914,283 in funding for the cities and county for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program and drainage maintenance activities during fiscal year 2021-2022.
Approve Initial Illegal Dumping Funds
In other action, supervisors launched the county’s Illegal Dumping Initiative with the allocation of $350,000. “This is exciting,” said Burgis, who served as one of the key catalysts to jump start the initiative three years ago.
The board’s action instructs that $200,000 of the $350,000 will be spent for the installation of lighting and $150,000 will be directed to remove 50 derelict boats and recreational vehicles during the current 2021-2022 fiscal year.
Burgis and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover were key players in initiating in 2018 the formation of an interdepartmental “Think Tank” team of professionals from county departments to propose how to address the illegal dumping problems. County departments involved in the Think Tank are the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Public Works, the Environmental Health Division of the Health Services Department and the Department of Conservation and Development.
Read MoreSACRAMENTO, CA—On Thursday, June 10th, the 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) will launch the first in a series of Communities of Interest (COI) virtual hearings to capture community specific data that will help Commissioners to respect community boundaries to the best of their abilities when drawing district lines, as is mandated by California’s line drawing criteria.
When the Commission begins drawing maps using census data, they will need to follow this set of criteria, in this order, as outlined in the California Constitution.
- Districts must be of nearly equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution.
- Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have a fair opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
- Districts must be drawn contiguously, so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.
- Districts must minimize the division of counties, cities, neighborhoods, and communities of interest to the extent possible.
- Districts should be geographically compact such that nearby areas of population are not bypassed for more distant populations.
- Where practicable, each Senate District should consist of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts, and Board of Equalization districts should consist of ten complete and adjacent State Senate Districts. This is known as nesting.
We can obtain the city and county information from those jurisdictions, but we need the neighborhood and communities of interest information from Californians directly.
“The Commission is excited to hear directly from Californians about their Communities of Interest during our initial COI input meeting on Thursday, June 10th from 12 – 8 PM. Although we have been accepting Communities of Interest submissions online since March, these virtual input sessions are yet another opportunity for communities to share with the Commission about their Communities of Interest,” stated Commission Chair Isra Ahmad.
During these input meetings, participants will be asked to describe their community and will be encouraged to consider highlighting the following:
- Begin with your county or city.
- Mention the street names and significant locations in your neighborhood to help us identify the parameters of your community.
- What are your shared interests?
- What brings you together?
- What is important to your community?
- Are there nearby areas you want to be in a district with?
- Nearby areas you don’t want to be in a district with? Why or why not?
- Has your community come together to advocate for important services, better schools, roads, or health centers in your neighborhood?
Registration is not required to participate in these public input meetings. The call-in number for public input on the day of each event will be (877) 853-5247.
For more information regarding the June 10th event, please visit our website at: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/june_10_mtg. To view a full list of upcoming meetings, please visit: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/meetings. Additionally, Californians can skip the line and provide their input online by visiting: https://drawmycacommunity.org/. The online COI tool is available in fourteen languages and includes tutorials.
Every 10 years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its electoral districts so that the state’s population is evenly allocated among the new districts.
In 2008, California voters passed the Voters First Act, authorizing the creation of the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw new State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization district lines. In 2010, the Voters First Act for Congress gave the Commission the responsibility of drawing new Congressional districts following every census.
For more information, please visit WeDrawTheLinesCA.org.
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Following 2018 complaint filed by Contra Costa County resident with California Attorney General’s Office.
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney
Martinez, Calif. – On May 20, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the District Attorneys’ Offices of Ventura, Sonoma, and San Joaquin Counties, entered into a negotiated settlement agreement with former MoviePass affiliated executives, Theodore Farnsworth and Mitchell Lowe, for engaging in numerous unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business acts and practices, while overseeing the operations of the now defunct movie theater subscription service. CCCDA MoviePass Documents
In total, Farnsworth and Lowe will have to pay $400,000 in civil penalties and cy pres restitution, as part of the signed Stipulated Judgment approved by the Honorable Nancy Davis Stark. In addition to the monetary payments, Farnsworth and Lowe are enjoined from engaging in any of the alleged unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business acts or practices committed during their tenure as MoviePass managers. The settlement gets divided by all the DA’s involved and some goes to the state. The DA’s then use the monies for consumer protection activities.
MoviePass, Inc. (MoviePass) was an American subscription-based movie ticket service headquarter in New York City. Founded in 2011, the service initially allowed subscribers to purchase up to three movie tickets per month for a discounted monthly fee. The service utilized a mobile phone app where users checked into a theater and chose a movie and showtime, which resulted in the cost of the ticket being loaded by MoviePass to a prepaid MoviePass debit card, which was then used to purchase the ticket from the movie theater.
In 2017, Helios and Matheson Analytics purchased MoviePass. Around the time of the purchase, the business model for MoviePass, shifted from a three movie per month subscription to offering, among other things, an “unlimited” subscription plan at $9.95 a month and an “unlimited” fixed rate annual subscription. However, over the course of the next two years, the business model and terms of service changed multiple times to the detriment of the consumers.
After the acquisition of MoviePass by Helios and Matheson Analytics, the Defendants engaged in numerous unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent acts and practices. These acts and practices include, but are not limited to:
• Falsely advertising that MoviePass subscriptions offer “unlimited” movie watching. Specifically, “any movie”, “any day”, at “any theater”, when in reality MoviePass continually added limitations to customers’ subscriptions.
• Unconscionably changing terms of service during a subscription period.
• Converting all prepaid “unlimited” plans to three movies per month.
• Shutting down the availability of movies when a certain dollar amount is reached. (Trip wire).
• Failing to notify autorenewal customers of material changes to their subscriptions.
• Continuously charging customers’ debit or credit cards after receiving notice of cancellation from customers.
In addition to the above acts and practices, in 2019, MoviePass suffered a data breach. The data breach was the result of a MoviePass engineer creating an unsecured and unencrypted server as a debugging tool. This server had more than 161 million pieces of personal identifying information, including names, MoviePass card numbers, credit card numbers, billing information, email addresses and login information, belonging to at least 58,000 consumers. Despite being notified by private individuals, MoviePass allowed this server to operate for three months before it was taken down. MoviePass failed to advise the California Attorney General’s Office of the data breach, as required by law
MoviePass shut down its operations in September of 2019. Both MoviePass and its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January of 2020.
In 2018 a local Contra Costa County resident filed a complaint against MoviePass with the California Attorney General’s Office. The complaint alleged that MoviePass was in violation of the Terms of Service as the company was not showing available tickets in the mobile app and limited the number of movies to the consumer even though they paid in advance for a year of “unlimited” service. In turn, the complaint was forwarded to our office for further investigation.
We welcome residents to file consumer complaints with our office via our website, www.contracostada.org. Case information: People v. Theodore Farnsworth and Mitchell Lowe, Docket C21-01045, Contra Costa County Superior Court.
Read MoreAlso honors “Port Chicago 50” Black sailors he defended against court martial
By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District
On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously voted to name the new regional park at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.”
The name “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” recognizes the service of young African American sailors who served their country, both by serving in the US Military during WWII, and also by standing up to the US Military’s racially discriminatory policies of the day.
Their courage, and the advocacy of NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall on their behalf, ultimately led to desegregation of the military and changed the course of history.
This naming itself is historic, as this is the first regional park in Contra Costa County to be named after an African American.
“The Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 park name acknowledges this important Black American history and social justice significance,” said East Bay Regional Park District Board Director Beverley Lane who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District Board since 1994. “Thurgood Marshall brought national attention to the case that prompted the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to order desegregation of the U.S. Navy in 1946,” added Lane.
Several community organizations, including the NAACP and Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial support the naming of the park in honor of Thurgood Marshall and the Port Chicago 50. The Park District’s citizen-led Parks Advisory Committee unanimously supported the name at its meeting on May 24. The City of Concord unanimously endorsed the park name at its May 29 City Council meeting.
“The new Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 park name has both historical and representational significance,” said Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. “As a defender of the Port Chicago 50 in their historic fight against discrimination and wrongful conviction, Thurgood Marshall played an important role in their story. The trial, and Marshall’s role in it, helped to play a role in the desegregation of the Armed Forces. As the first African American Supreme Court justice, Marshall is more than deserving of this honor.”
The plan for the newly named “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” includes a joint visitor center with the National Park Service highlighting the history of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial and the Diablo Valley, along with staging areas, and several miles of recreational trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing. The Park District is partnering with the National Park Service on the future visitor center where this story can be told, along with all of the stories of this land, including its military history, agricultural history, natural history and restoration, and the stories of the Chupcan people who lived here.
“We appreciate all of the community’s input and engagement on this naming process, and we hope the support will continue as we work with our partners and elected officials to raise the funding needed to build a world-class visitor center in the park to tell these important stories,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth.
The Park District is currently designing road improvements and plans to open a portion of the expansive park south of Bailey Road within the next two to three years. The U.S. Navy and National Park Service officially transferred the 2,500 acres of open space to the Park District in 2019 after a two-decade process brought about by the decommissioning of the Concord Naval Weapons Station in the 1990s.
The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 121,000 acres in 73 parks including over1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature learning.
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