U.S. Marshals and Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Deputies on the scene of the arrest of Timothy Demetrius “Boo” Jeffrey on Almondwood Drive in Antioch on Wed., March 27, 2024. He was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney and convicted on March 12, 2025. Herald file photo.
Timothy “Boo” Jeffrey attempted to sell an assault rifle; became fugitive, later captured by U.S. Marshals and Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies; faces 15 years in prison
By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California
SAN FRANCISCO – On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, a federal jury found Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif. (born 4/24/80), guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, following a trial before Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, a Pittsburg Police Department officer attempted to stop the vehicle that Jeffrey was driving. Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot, parked, exited the car, and fled on foot away from the officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.
Jeffrey became a fugitive soon after his arrest, and his whereabouts were unknown until an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service led law enforcement to suspect Jeffrey’s presence at a relative’s home in Antioch. On March 27, 2024, the United States Marshals Service surveilled the address and spotted Jeffrey entering the home. U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, after which the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence.
According to Abigail Meyer of the United States Marshals Service Office of Public Affairs, “The Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) arrested Timothy Jeffrey, 43, on both his federal Supervised Release Violation warrant and Pittsburg PD Failure to Appear (FTA) warrant, the original charges for both were distribution of dangerous drugs. In addition, his FTA included charges for felon in possession of a firearm, possession of large capacity magazine, and resisting arrest. (See Fugitive task force arrests Antioch man for violating federal supervised release, failure to appear on gun, drug charges)
Sheriff’s deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.
At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
“The defendant, a convicted felon, not only possessed a semi-automatic pistol and assault rifle but also attempted to sell the rifle on the black market. His actions endangered the community, and law enforcement’s work on this case helped prevent this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the presence of illegal firearms in our communities.”
“ATF works closely with our partners to track the illegal movement of firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The defendant is a convicted felon who attempted to illegally sell firearms. ATF will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that our communities are safe. We will continue to focus on reducing gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and ensuring that firearms stay out of the hands of prohibited persons.”
Jeffrey was convicted of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025. The defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Harvey are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
In addition to the two aforementioned arrests, according to localcrimenews.com, the five-feet, eleven-inch tall, 200-pound Jeffrey is Black and was previously arrested on Feb. 29, 2016, by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department for federal (21 U.S. Code Section 846) attempt and conspiracy charges and again on Nov. 16, 2020, by Alameda County Sheriff’s Department for unspecified charges. He was also arrested in Jan. 2010 by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department for vehicle theft.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Program will empower a Northern California nonprofit with up to $39,000 in grant funding
By Michelle Sabolich, AVP, Corporate Communications, Travis Credit Union
Travis Credit Union Foundation announces the application deadline has been extended for its 2025 Financial Coaching Grants program until March 31. This initiative is an opportunity for one Northern California nonprofit organization to access $30,000 in unrestricted funding and up to $9,000 to train its staff to become financial coaches. Those interested in applying can start here.
“Our hope is that through this grant, we can create a ripple effect of positive financial behaviors that will benefit not only the individuals directly involved but the broader community,” said Damian Alarcon, president of Travis Credit Union Foundation. “Financial stability is a cornerstone of a thriving community, and we are committed to making a lasting impact.”
Eligibility requirements are:
• Organizations benefiting people in Napa, Solano, Yolo, Contra Costa and Merced counties.
• Organizations classified as public charities.
• Organizations with the ability to reach diverse communities, including those that are unbanked/underserved.
• Organizations that do not discriminate by race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or military status.
• Organizations with the capacity to allocate time and resources for two staff members to become financial coaches (self-study) and provide 10 or more one-hour financial coaching sessions to beneficiaries each month.
• Organizations that are willing to promote their participation in the Financial Coaching Grant Program and acknowledge funding received from Travis Credit Union Foundation in traditional and social media.
Those who apply and are selected as coaches will undergo comprehensive, three- to five-month long, self-study training through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and/or Financial Counseling for Empowerment Program (FICEP). Upon completing the course, coaches will be equipped to address a wide range of financial topics, from summarizing saving principles to educating community members about credit reports, credit scores and the wise use of tax refunds.
The TCU Foundation is committed to supporting nonprofits throughout the grant’s lifetime, ensuring that financial wellness outcomes are achieved. The foundation will monitor financial coaching goals, metrics and outcomes related to reduced debt, increased savings and established and/or improved credit scores. Renewal preferences are given to nonprofits with a demonstrated record of coaching more beneficiaries.
The grant application will close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
About Travis Credit Union Foundation
The Travis Credit Union Foundation supports financial education and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union. The Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves through financial education, charitable giving, and community support. Travis Credit Union generously funds the administrative costs of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, allowing for 100% of funds raised to go back to the community. To learn more about the Travis Credit Union Foundation’s mission and how to participate in all it’s doing to build financial wellness in the communities it serves, visit tcufund.org.
The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Tax ID #82-4159040
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Suspects Lagashia Williams (left source: Pittsburg PD) and Graciela Amar (right, source: unknown) at the scene of the incident on Feb. 19, 2025.
Kicked neighbor’s dog; both out of custody; older suspect has previous arrest for assault
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged two women with cruelty to an animal, brandishing an imitation firearm, and making a false report to peace officers.
46-year-old Lagashia Shante Williams and 18-year-old Graciela Amar were arrested and booked into the Martinez and West County Detention Facilities on February 27th, 2025. The Sheriff’s Office released both Williams and Amar after posting bail of $172,500 on March 1st and March 2nd, respectively. Their arrests followed an investigation by Pittsburg Police into an incident that occurred on February 19th.
On that day, Williams and Amar confronted a homeowner in his driveway regarding an incident involving his elderly neighbor. The previous day, the neighbor had accidentally run over the homeowner’s growing plant while backing a vehicle into a driveway.
Security video shows neighbor being confronted in his driveway by Lagashia Williams (left) and Graciela Amar (right). Source: Unknown
During their conversation, which escalated into an argument, Amar walked toward a vehicle, retrieved what turned out to be an imitation firearm, and handed it to Williams. As the argument between the three individuals continued, Williams brandished the imitation weapon, causing the homeowner to back away.
The homeowner picked up one of the two dogs that were with him. As he was walking away, Williams told Amar to kick the other dog, which she did. The force of the kick sent the animal aloft, through the air, landing several feet away on the lawn of the homeowner’s property. The homeowner picked up the wounded animal, who was crying out, and went inside his home.
Security video shows Graciela Amar kicking the dog into the air. Source: Unknown
Williams called 911 and reported to police dispatch that the homeowner had a gun, a claim that proved to be false.
Both women will be arraigned in court on the following charges:
• PC 597(a) Cruelty to Animals (Williams and Amar)
• PC 417.4 (a) Drawing or exhibiting imitation firearm in a threatening manner (Williams and
Amar)
• PC 148.5 False report (Williams)
If convicted, both could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in county jail and fined up to $20,000.
According to localcrimenews.com, the five-feet, two-inch tall, 160-pound Williams is from Concord and was also arrested in 2016 by Oakland Police for assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm.
Also, according to localcrimenews.com, Amar is from Oakland.
The People of the State of California v. Williams, Lagashia Shante
The People of the State of California v. Amar, Graciela
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Ribbon cutting at 7:30 a.m, opens at 8:00 a.m.; police warn of traffic delays
Part of a planned Town Center Development in Eastern Contra Costa County
By Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager, City of Brentwood
The City of Brentwood in Contra Costa County, will celebrate the grand opening of a new Costco Wholesale warehouse store Friday, March 7th at 7:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The store will officially open at 8:00 a.m. in the Lone Tree Plaza at 5151 Heidorn Ranch Road off Lone Tree Way.
The retailer with stores across the nation and Bay Area has eyed the City of Brentwood for some time. This new store will represent one of the City’s largest sales tax generators. It will also serve as the first commercial development to break ground and open in the City’s highly anticipated Innovation Center; a 260-acre town center development strategically situated along Highway 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road.
Mayor Susannah Meyer shared the following as it relates to Costco’s effect on the city, “The arrival of Costco in Brentwood marks a significant milestone for the development of the Innovation Center at Brentwood. Costco is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs, boost our local economy, and generate millions in tax revenue to fund local improvements and community services, including public safety, road maintenance, and many other City services.
After breaking ground on July 23, 2024, Costco’s new store provides well over 150,000 local residents of both Brentwood and our surrounding East Contra Costa County neighbors reduced travel times to Costco, decreasing traffic congestion and improving air quality. This store will also serve as a catalyst to attract new national retailers to the remaining four-acre site adjacent to the store and continue to strengthen Brentwood’s role as a leader in the East Contra Costa County shopping experience. The new store will also help foster a planned mixed-use development just south, along Heidorn Ranch Road as part of the Innovation Center.
City Manager Tim Ogden stated, “Brentwood is excited to have Costco make a home here and offer great jobs for so many. The additional revenue to the City will continue to help maintain the high quality of life residents enjoy. Costco will also be a catalyst for more commercial development to follow in our Innovation Center @ Brentwood master planned community.”
Antioch Police warned of traffic delays in a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 4 writing, “We’re anticipating traffic delays due to the grand opening of Costco. If you’re heading to Costco, they recommend using the Sand Creek exit for easier access. Please plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Thank you for your patience!”
The City’s Economic Development staff are pro-actively seeking a developer(s) to acquire and assemble approximately 25 acres just south of Costco and adjacent to both a pedestrian and bicycle trail and the future Brentwood BART Station, which will create a new town center. The town center will consist of townhomes and apartments with upwards of 100,000 square feet of retail and office development in a Main Street format. To learn more about this mixed-use development opportunity, please contact the City’s Economic Development Team at https://www.brentwoodca.gov/business/economic-development.
For more information on the Costco development, please contact Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager at dgale@brentwoodca.gov.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Photo: Hilton House Facebook page.
Pepper sprayed employee, customers
By Orinda Police Department
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at about 11:44 AM, Orinda police officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery at a business in the first block of Orinda Way. Several male suspects entered a store and pepper-sprayed an employee and some customers. They fled after stealing multiple items. Police checked the area and notified other law enforcement agencies. The suspects were not located. The victims were treated at the scene.
According to a KTVU FOX 2 news report, five suspects entered the store with hammers, breaking glass display cases and robbed the Hilton House Consign & Design in Orinda and pepper sprayed one employee and some customers.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at (925) 254-6820. Tips could be email to: orindatip@cityoforinda.org.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Uninvolved vehicle struck by bullet
By Contra Costa CHP
ORINDA, Calif. – Officers assigned to the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Contra Costa Area Office are investigating a freeway shooting that occurred on westbound State Route (SR) 24 near Wilder Road.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at approximately 10:27 a.m., officers assigned to the CHP’s Contra Costa Area office were dispatched to a report of a possible freeway shooting on westbound SR-24 near the Wilder Road overcrossing. While responding to the scene, officers were informed that a vehicle traveling in the area at the time of the incident had been struck by a bullet. Fortunately, the victim was uninjured.
Contra Costa CHP officers arrived at the scene to assist the victim and initiate an investigation. To facilitate a thorough assessment, all lanes of westbound SR-24 between Camino Pablo and the Caldecott Tunnel were temporarily closed for approximately 50 minutes.
Upon initial investigation, CHP officers determined the victim vehicle appeared to have been an uninvolved passing motorist at the time of the shooting and was not an intended target.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation, with CHP officers diligently working to identify the suspect(s) and vehicle(s) involved, as well as to establish a potential motive. CHP requests anyone with information related to this incident to contact the CHP Contra Costa Area at (925) 646-4980 or via email at 320investigations@chp.ca.gov.
The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
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By California Family Council
SACRAMENTO, CA — A new bill introduced by Assemblyman Mark González, a member of the California LGBTQ Caucus, is poised to impose LGBTQ advocacy on every public and private school in the state. Assembly Bill 727 mandates that all 7-12 schools—both public and private—as well as public and private universities print the contact information of an LGBTQ advocacy organization, the Trevor Project, on every student identification card. Most concerningly, the bill offers no exemptions for religious schools that hold faith-based objections to the ideological positions promoted by this private organization.
AB 727: A Mandate That Violates Religious Freedom
The Trevor Project is one of the most well-known, influential, and well-funded LGBTQ advocacy groups in the country. According to its website, its mission is “ending suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people.” The organization not only provides 24-hour, seven-days-a-week crisis hotline and chat support, but also provides peer support that connects minors ages 13-17 with adults 18 to 23, education curriculum and teacher training, as well as pushing public policies and research that promote LGBTQ ideology as the answer to troubled teens.
The text of the bill reads:
(4) Commencing July 1, 2026, a public school, including a charter school, or a private school that serves pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, and that issues pupil identification cards shall have printed on either side of the pupil identification cards The Trevor Project’s 24 hours per day, 7 days per week suicide hotline that is available through both of the following options:
(A) Telephone number: 1-866-488-7386.
(B) Text line, which can be accessed by texting START to 678-678.
While no one wants to see a child struggle with bullying, depression, and suicidal thoughts, many family-oriented faith-based groups do not want students pushed further toward a transgender identity or encouraged to embrace same-sex desires and sexual behaviors, which only results in further despair and long-term harm.
Under the guise of suicide prevention, this bill would compel Christian and religious schools to print the contact information of the Trevor Project on the back of student identification cards, even though this organization promotes beliefs contrary to their deeply held faith. This is a direct violation of First Amendment rights and an egregious overreach of government authority into the affairs of religious institutions.
The Trevor Project’s Troubling Track Record
The California Family Council (CFC) has extensively documented the dangers of the Trevor Project’s influence in schools. These concerns go beyond simple political or ideological disagreements—they touch on serious risks to children’s mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.
1. Role-Playing LGBTQ Scenarios in Schools
CFC has reported on how The Trevor Project has been used as an entryway to LGBTQ indoctrination in schools. Parents in Vista Unified School District (VUSD) were shocked to discover that students were required to participate in a role-playing exercise in which they had to “come out” as LGBTQ. This activity, known as Coming Out Stars, was taken directly from materials provided by The Trevor Project.
Students who objected due to religious beliefs were pressured to comply, and parents were not informed that such content was being introduced into their children’s education. CFC Vice President Greg Burt called out this coercion:
“The California Family Council stands with these parents in their fight for truth and transparency. Schools should be teaching kids math and reading, not coercing them into role-playing as LGBTQ+ individuals or pushing the false ideology that gender is fluid.”
2. Online Predator Risks on Trevor Space
Santa Ana Unified School board member and former teacher Brenda Lebsack investigated The Trevor Project’s online chatrooms and exposed alarming risks to minors. She found that their online platform, Trevor Space, connected vulnerable youth with unverified adults in private chatrooms under the guise of offering “support.”
Lebsack, posing as a child questioning her gender, was granted immediate access without age verification and directed to clubs promoting witchcraft, polyamory, and even age-regression kinks. This has led organizations like Gays Against Groomers to refer to Trevor Space as a “pedophile’s paradise.”
Despite these risks, The Trevor Project remains deeply embedded in California’s public education system, promoted by school counselors, the Attorney General, and even legislative bodies pushing LGBTQ policies.
3. Suicide Hotline on CA Student IDs Surveys Kids on Gender Identity
Another major concern is how suicide prevention hotlines have become tools for ideological indoctrination. In California, students as young as 7th grade already have suicide hotline numbers printed on their ID cards, and when they call for help, they are immediately asked about their gender identity.
Instead of focusing on providing genuine support for mental health struggles, hotline operators already push children toward gender identity exploration and funnel them into pro-LGBTQ organizations like The Trevor Project. This bill will bypass the supposedly objective counselors and connect students directly with Trevor Project advocates. This is not suicide prevention—it is grooming children into gender ideology.
A Direct Violation of President Trump’s Executive Order
This coercive government policy stands in direct opposition to President Trump’s recent Executive Order on Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling. The order specifically aims to eliminate: “Federal funding or support for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.”
AB 727 contradicts this order by mandating schools to promote LGBTQ advocacy, even against their religious convictions. If allowed to stand, this bill could set a dangerous precedent—paving the way for further government-mandated ideological messaging in private religious institutions.
“We Must Protect These Vulnerable Kids”
Greg Burt, Vice President of California Family Council, has strongly condemned this legislation: “No child should experience bullying, but The Trevor Project takes advantage of troubled and vulnerable youth who need our compassion and help, and leads them down a path that will destroy their futures. These struggling kids are being offered lies about their true God-given identity as a boy or a girl and told to let their sexual desires determine their identity and behavior. That’s not the answer to depression and suicidal thoughts—it’s a path toward deeper confusion and despair.”
Students experiencing distress deserve real help, not further indoctrination into a harmful and misleading worldview.
About California Family Council
California Family Council works to advance God’s design for life, family, and liberty through California’s Church, Capitol, and Culture. By advocating for policies that reinforce the sanctity of life, the strength of traditional marriages, and the essential freedoms of religion, CFC is dedicated to preserving California’s moral and social foundation.
Photos: Target.com and Waymarking.com
From Walnut Creek, San Ramon Target stores
Has history of arrests dating to 2014
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
A Vallejo man has been charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney with multiple counts of second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft for stealing nearly $25,000 worth of merchandise from Target.
32-year-old Michael Ivory Fletcher (born 7/10/92) is currently in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility, awaiting a preliminary hearing on a 12-count felony complaint filed in court on February 20th.
His bail has been set at $467,500.
Fletcher’s offenses go beyond Contra Costa County. He is suspected of thefts in Solano, Alameda, San Joaquin, Sonoma, and Santa Clara Counties.
The thefts at Target stores in Walnut Creek and San Ramon occurred between August 15th, 2024, and February 15th, 2025. Fletcher’s actions followed a similar method of entering a store alone, filling up a shopping cart of LEGO products, and exiting with the stolen merchandise in a matter of minutes. Before fleeing from a store, he would load the stolen items in a vehicle parked in a disabled parking space.
District Attorney Diana Becton said, “The effective investigative efforts of the Walnut Creek and San Ramon police departments were crucial in bringing this case forward. We are committed to holding this individual accountable. Moreover, these brazen retail thefts demonstrate the necessity of reporting these crimes to law enforcement. Collaborative efforts are essential to ensuring the safety of our communities and businesses.”
Case No. 01-25-00704 | The People of the State of California v. Fletcher, Michael Ivory
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the five-feet, 10-inch, 165 lb. Fletcher is Black, and as of March 5, he is being held in the West County Detention Facility. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 8:30 AM in Superior Court in Martinez.
According to localcrimenews.com, he was arrested on Feb. 15, 2025, by Walnut Creek Police for felony committed while released on bail or own recognizance, revocation of probation, conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, grand theft and organized retail theft. 01-25-00704 – MIFletcher Charging Document
In addition, Fletcher has a history of arrests dating back to 2014 by multiple agencies including Oakland, Emeryville, Albany and Vallejo PD’s, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Solano and San Joaquin counties Sheriff’s Departments and Castro Valley CHP for multiple gun-related and drug-related crimes, grand theft, burglary, organized retail theft, battery on a spouse, ex-spouse or co-habitant, and resisting arrest.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Said Measure T would raise district parcel taxes from $112 to $130, but will actually increase from $301 to $431, plus annual inflation increases
By Contra Costa Taxpayers Association
The Honorable Edward G. Weil of Contra Costa County Superior Court ordered Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) and the Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters to alter the ballot question, ballot measure title, and impartial analysis of Measure T, a new parcel tax for the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHD) being placed before voters in a May 6th special election. Judge Weil issued the order in response to a complaint filed by attorney Jason Bezis whose lead plaintiff was Marc Joffe, President of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association (CoCoTax).
“As written, the ballot materials were highly deceptive,” said Joffe. “The impartial analysis gave the false impression that Measure T would raise district parcel taxes from $112 to $130, when, in fact, they will increase from a current total of $301 to $431, followed by annual inflation increases. The ballot question tried to confuse voters by calling these inflationary increases ‘adjustments’.”
CoCoTax has taken a “NO” position on the measure, and Joffe has written opposition ballot arguments which voters will see next month. CoCoTax is especially concerned with AUHSD’s decision to call a costly special election to decide the tax measure.
The County Registrar of Voters will charge the district between $11 and $14 per registered voter to conduct the election, and with 95,000 registered voters in AUHSD, the total cost will exceed $1 million. This is close to a quarter of the amount the parcel tax is expected to raise in its first year, if enacted.
“The District could’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by combining this with a regular election,” Joffe said.
Aside from ordering the insertion of the word inflation into the ballot question and removing deceptive information about the current level of parcel taxes, Judge Weil’s ruling will also require AUHSD to change the name of the measure from the “Sustaining Educational Excellence Act” to the “Sustaining Educational Funding Act.” Joffe said: “That is an improvement because the new title at least gives some idea of what the measure will do. Ideally, the District would call this measure what it is: a parcel tax increase.”
Judge Weil denied several of the plaintiffs’ requests, including a move to strike the descriptor “independent” from the oversight board that would report on spending of parcel tax revenue. Because the school board-appointed committee is not required to include a taxpayer advocate and because the district superintendent will serve as an ex officio member, plaintiffs did not see it as truly independent.
A more technical change the judge ordered required a significant change to the ballot question. State law requires ballot summaries to follow the template: “Shall the measure (stating the nature thereof) be adopted?” AUHSD’s language neither began with the phrase “Shall the measure” nor did it end with “be adopted”.
“The purpose of a ballot question is to quickly inform busy voters of what a ballot measure would do if adopted,” Joffe said. “Instead, AUHSD, other Contra Costa agencies, and their counterparts across California treat the ballot question as free advertising for new taxes and bonds. In fact, like many other agencies, AUHSD paid consultants and pollsters to fashion the most marketable ballot question, with little regard for actually informing voters.”
See copies of Judge Weil’s order and the plaintiffs’ amended petition: N25-0353 – Order After Hearing & Amended Petition
Interested parties can see all documents related to this matter by going to the Superior Court’s case management system at https://odyportal.cc-courts.org/Portal/Home/Dashboard/29 and entering case number N25-0353.
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U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hannah Fry.
As USS Ralph Johnson departs Sasebo, Japan
U.S. Navy sailors serve and protect from around the globe, and every sailor got their start somewhere.
By Ashley Craig Public Affairs Specialist Media Outreach Dept. Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan (February 18, 2025) – Electronics Technician 3rd Class Gabriel Alas from Pittsburg, California, right, and Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zane Cunningham from Rusk, Texas, middle, stand along port side on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) while getting underway from Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, Feb. 18. Ralph Johnson is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force.
USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) pulls into Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jamaal Liddell
SASEBO, Japan (July 22, 2023) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) pulls into Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, July 22. Ralph Johnson is assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
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U.S. Marshals and Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Deputies on the scene of the arrest of Timothy Demetrius “Boo” Jeffrey on Almondwood Drive in Antioch on Wed., March 27, 2024. He was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney and convicted on March 12, 2025. Herald file photo.
Timothy “Boo” Jeffrey attempted to sell an assault rifle; became fugitive, later captured by U.S. Marshals and Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies; faces 15 years in prison
By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California
SAN FRANCISCO – On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, a federal jury found Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif. (born 4/24/80), guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, following a trial before Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, a Pittsburg Police Department officer attempted to stop the vehicle that Jeffrey was driving. Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot, parked, exited the car, and fled on foot away from the officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.
Jeffrey became a fugitive soon after his arrest, and his whereabouts were unknown until an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service led law enforcement to suspect Jeffrey’s presence at a relative’s home in Antioch. On March 27, 2024, the United States Marshals Service surveilled the address and spotted Jeffrey entering the home. U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, after which the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence.
According to Abigail Meyer of the United States Marshals Service Office of Public Affairs, “The Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) arrested Timothy Jeffrey, 43, on both his federal Supervised Release Violation warrant and Pittsburg PD Failure to Appear (FTA) warrant, the original charges for both were distribution of dangerous drugs. In addition, his FTA included charges for felon in possession of a firearm, possession of large capacity magazine, and resisting arrest. (See Fugitive task force arrests Antioch man for violating federal supervised release, failure to appear on gun, drug charges)
Sheriff’s deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.
At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
“The defendant, a convicted felon, not only possessed a semi-automatic pistol and assault rifle but also attempted to sell the rifle on the black market. His actions endangered the community, and law enforcement’s work on this case helped prevent this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the presence of illegal firearms in our communities.”
“ATF works closely with our partners to track the illegal movement of firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The defendant is a convicted felon who attempted to illegally sell firearms. ATF will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that our communities are safe. We will continue to focus on reducing gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and ensuring that firearms stay out of the hands of prohibited persons.”
Jeffrey was convicted of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025. The defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Harvey are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
In addition to the two aforementioned arrests, according to localcrimenews.com, the five-feet, eleven-inch tall, 200-pound Jeffrey is Black and was previously arrested on Feb. 29, 2016, by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department for federal (21 U.S. Code Section 846) attempt and conspiracy charges and again on Nov. 16, 2020, by Alameda County Sheriff’s Department for unspecified charges. He was also arrested in Jan. 2010 by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department for vehicle theft.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Program will empower a Northern California nonprofit with up to $39,000 in grant funding
By Michelle Sabolich, AVP, Corporate Communications, Travis Credit Union
Travis Credit Union Foundation announces the application deadline has been extended for its 2025 Financial Coaching Grants program until March 31. This initiative is an opportunity for one Northern California nonprofit organization to access $30,000 in unrestricted funding and up to $9,000 to train its staff to become financial coaches. Those interested in applying can start here.
“Our hope is that through this grant, we can create a ripple effect of positive financial behaviors that will benefit not only the individuals directly involved but the broader community,” said Damian Alarcon, president of Travis Credit Union Foundation. “Financial stability is a cornerstone of a thriving community, and we are committed to making a lasting impact.”
Eligibility requirements are:
• Organizations benefiting people in Napa, Solano, Yolo, Contra Costa and Merced counties.
• Organizations classified as public charities.
• Organizations with the ability to reach diverse communities, including those that are unbanked/underserved.
• Organizations that do not discriminate by race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or military status.
• Organizations with the capacity to allocate time and resources for two staff members to become financial coaches (self-study) and provide 10 or more one-hour financial coaching sessions to beneficiaries each month.
• Organizations that are willing to promote their participation in the Financial Coaching Grant Program and acknowledge funding received from Travis Credit Union Foundation in traditional and social media.
Those who apply and are selected as coaches will undergo comprehensive, three- to five-month long, self-study training through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and/or Financial Counseling for Empowerment Program (FICEP). Upon completing the course, coaches will be equipped to address a wide range of financial topics, from summarizing saving principles to educating community members about credit reports, credit scores and the wise use of tax refunds.
The TCU Foundation is committed to supporting nonprofits throughout the grant’s lifetime, ensuring that financial wellness outcomes are achieved. The foundation will monitor financial coaching goals, metrics and outcomes related to reduced debt, increased savings and established and/or improved credit scores. Renewal preferences are given to nonprofits with a demonstrated record of coaching more beneficiaries.
The grant application will close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
About Travis Credit Union Foundation
The Travis Credit Union Foundation supports financial education and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union. The Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves through financial education, charitable giving, and community support. Travis Credit Union generously funds the administrative costs of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, allowing for 100% of funds raised to go back to the community. To learn more about the Travis Credit Union Foundation’s mission and how to participate in all it’s doing to build financial wellness in the communities it serves, visit tcufund.org.
The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Tax ID #82-4159040
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Suspects Lagashia Williams (left source: Pittsburg PD) and Graciela Amar (right, source: unknown) at the scene of the incident on Feb. 19, 2025.
Kicked neighbor’s dog; both out of custody; older suspect has previous arrest for assault
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged two women with cruelty to an animal, brandishing an imitation firearm, and making a false report to peace officers.
46-year-old Lagashia Shante Williams and 18-year-old Graciela Amar were arrested and booked into the Martinez and West County Detention Facilities on February 27th, 2025. The Sheriff’s Office released both Williams and Amar after posting bail of $172,500 on March 1st and March 2nd, respectively. Their arrests followed an investigation by Pittsburg Police into an incident that occurred on February 19th.
On that day, Williams and Amar confronted a homeowner in his driveway regarding an incident involving his elderly neighbor. The previous day, the neighbor had accidentally run over the homeowner’s growing plant while backing a vehicle into a driveway.
Security video shows neighbor being confronted in his driveway by Lagashia Williams (left) and Graciela Amar (right). Source: Unknown
During their conversation, which escalated into an argument, Amar walked toward a vehicle, retrieved what turned out to be an imitation firearm, and handed it to Williams. As the argument between the three individuals continued, Williams brandished the imitation weapon, causing the homeowner to back away.
The homeowner picked up one of the two dogs that were with him. As he was walking away, Williams told Amar to kick the other dog, which she did. The force of the kick sent the animal aloft, through the air, landing several feet away on the lawn of the homeowner’s property. The homeowner picked up the wounded animal, who was crying out, and went inside his home.
Security video shows Graciela Amar kicking the dog into the air. Source: Unknown
Williams called 911 and reported to police dispatch that the homeowner had a gun, a claim that proved to be false.
Both women will be arraigned in court on the following charges:
• PC 597(a) Cruelty to Animals (Williams and Amar)
• PC 417.4 (a) Drawing or exhibiting imitation firearm in a threatening manner (Williams and
Amar)
• PC 148.5 False report (Williams)
If convicted, both could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in county jail and fined up to $20,000.
According to localcrimenews.com, the five-feet, two-inch tall, 160-pound Williams is from Concord and was also arrested in 2016 by Oakland Police for assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm.
Also, according to localcrimenews.com, Amar is from Oakland.
The People of the State of California v. Williams, Lagashia Shante
The People of the State of California v. Amar, Graciela
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Ribbon cutting at 7:30 a.m, opens at 8:00 a.m.; police warn of traffic delays
Part of a planned Town Center Development in Eastern Contra Costa County
By Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager, City of Brentwood
The City of Brentwood in Contra Costa County, will celebrate the grand opening of a new Costco Wholesale warehouse store Friday, March 7th at 7:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The store will officially open at 8:00 a.m. in the Lone Tree Plaza at 5151 Heidorn Ranch Road off Lone Tree Way.
The retailer with stores across the nation and Bay Area has eyed the City of Brentwood for some time. This new store will represent one of the City’s largest sales tax generators. It will also serve as the first commercial development to break ground and open in the City’s highly anticipated Innovation Center; a 260-acre town center development strategically situated along Highway 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road.
Mayor Susannah Meyer shared the following as it relates to Costco’s effect on the city, “The arrival of Costco in Brentwood marks a significant milestone for the development of the Innovation Center at Brentwood. Costco is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs, boost our local economy, and generate millions in tax revenue to fund local improvements and community services, including public safety, road maintenance, and many other City services.
After breaking ground on July 23, 2024, Costco’s new store provides well over 150,000 local residents of both Brentwood and our surrounding East Contra Costa County neighbors reduced travel times to Costco, decreasing traffic congestion and improving air quality. This store will also serve as a catalyst to attract new national retailers to the remaining four-acre site adjacent to the store and continue to strengthen Brentwood’s role as a leader in the East Contra Costa County shopping experience. The new store will also help foster a planned mixed-use development just south, along Heidorn Ranch Road as part of the Innovation Center.
City Manager Tim Ogden stated, “Brentwood is excited to have Costco make a home here and offer great jobs for so many. The additional revenue to the City will continue to help maintain the high quality of life residents enjoy. Costco will also be a catalyst for more commercial development to follow in our Innovation Center @ Brentwood master planned community.”
Antioch Police warned of traffic delays in a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 4 writing, “We’re anticipating traffic delays due to the grand opening of Costco. If you’re heading to Costco, they recommend using the Sand Creek exit for easier access. Please plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Thank you for your patience!”
The City’s Economic Development staff are pro-actively seeking a developer(s) to acquire and assemble approximately 25 acres just south of Costco and adjacent to both a pedestrian and bicycle trail and the future Brentwood BART Station, which will create a new town center. The town center will consist of townhomes and apartments with upwards of 100,000 square feet of retail and office development in a Main Street format. To learn more about this mixed-use development opportunity, please contact the City’s Economic Development Team at https://www.brentwoodca.gov/business/economic-development.
For more information on the Costco development, please contact Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager at dgale@brentwoodca.gov.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MorePhoto: Hilton House Facebook page.
Pepper sprayed employee, customers
By Orinda Police Department
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at about 11:44 AM, Orinda police officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery at a business in the first block of Orinda Way. Several male suspects entered a store and pepper-sprayed an employee and some customers. They fled after stealing multiple items. Police checked the area and notified other law enforcement agencies. The suspects were not located. The victims were treated at the scene.
According to a KTVU FOX 2 news report, five suspects entered the store with hammers, breaking glass display cases and robbed the Hilton House Consign & Design in Orinda and pepper sprayed one employee and some customers.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at (925) 254-6820. Tips could be email to: orindatip@cityoforinda.org.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Uninvolved vehicle struck by bullet
By Contra Costa CHP
ORINDA, Calif. – Officers assigned to the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Contra Costa Area Office are investigating a freeway shooting that occurred on westbound State Route (SR) 24 near Wilder Road.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at approximately 10:27 a.m., officers assigned to the CHP’s Contra Costa Area office were dispatched to a report of a possible freeway shooting on westbound SR-24 near the Wilder Road overcrossing. While responding to the scene, officers were informed that a vehicle traveling in the area at the time of the incident had been struck by a bullet. Fortunately, the victim was uninjured.
Contra Costa CHP officers arrived at the scene to assist the victim and initiate an investigation. To facilitate a thorough assessment, all lanes of westbound SR-24 between Camino Pablo and the Caldecott Tunnel were temporarily closed for approximately 50 minutes.
Upon initial investigation, CHP officers determined the victim vehicle appeared to have been an uninvolved passing motorist at the time of the shooting and was not an intended target.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation, with CHP officers diligently working to identify the suspect(s) and vehicle(s) involved, as well as to establish a potential motive. CHP requests anyone with information related to this incident to contact the CHP Contra Costa Area at (925) 646-4980 or via email at 320investigations@chp.ca.gov.
The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
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By California Family Council
SACRAMENTO, CA — A new bill introduced by Assemblyman Mark González, a member of the California LGBTQ Caucus, is poised to impose LGBTQ advocacy on every public and private school in the state. Assembly Bill 727 mandates that all 7-12 schools—both public and private—as well as public and private universities print the contact information of an LGBTQ advocacy organization, the Trevor Project, on every student identification card. Most concerningly, the bill offers no exemptions for religious schools that hold faith-based objections to the ideological positions promoted by this private organization.
AB 727: A Mandate That Violates Religious Freedom
The Trevor Project is one of the most well-known, influential, and well-funded LGBTQ advocacy groups in the country. According to its website, its mission is “ending suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) young people.” The organization not only provides 24-hour, seven-days-a-week crisis hotline and chat support, but also provides peer support that connects minors ages 13-17 with adults 18 to 23, education curriculum and teacher training, as well as pushing public policies and research that promote LGBTQ ideology as the answer to troubled teens.
The text of the bill reads:
(4) Commencing July 1, 2026, a public school, including a charter school, or a private school that serves pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, and that issues pupil identification cards shall have printed on either side of the pupil identification cards The Trevor Project’s 24 hours per day, 7 days per week suicide hotline that is available through both of the following options:
(A) Telephone number: 1-866-488-7386.
(B) Text line, which can be accessed by texting START to 678-678.
While no one wants to see a child struggle with bullying, depression, and suicidal thoughts, many family-oriented faith-based groups do not want students pushed further toward a transgender identity or encouraged to embrace same-sex desires and sexual behaviors, which only results in further despair and long-term harm.
Under the guise of suicide prevention, this bill would compel Christian and religious schools to print the contact information of the Trevor Project on the back of student identification cards, even though this organization promotes beliefs contrary to their deeply held faith. This is a direct violation of First Amendment rights and an egregious overreach of government authority into the affairs of religious institutions.
The Trevor Project’s Troubling Track Record
The California Family Council (CFC) has extensively documented the dangers of the Trevor Project’s influence in schools. These concerns go beyond simple political or ideological disagreements—they touch on serious risks to children’s mental, emotional, and even physical well-being.
1. Role-Playing LGBTQ Scenarios in Schools
CFC has reported on how The Trevor Project has been used as an entryway to LGBTQ indoctrination in schools. Parents in Vista Unified School District (VUSD) were shocked to discover that students were required to participate in a role-playing exercise in which they had to “come out” as LGBTQ. This activity, known as Coming Out Stars, was taken directly from materials provided by The Trevor Project.
Students who objected due to religious beliefs were pressured to comply, and parents were not informed that such content was being introduced into their children’s education. CFC Vice President Greg Burt called out this coercion:
“The California Family Council stands with these parents in their fight for truth and transparency. Schools should be teaching kids math and reading, not coercing them into role-playing as LGBTQ+ individuals or pushing the false ideology that gender is fluid.”
2. Online Predator Risks on Trevor Space
Santa Ana Unified School board member and former teacher Brenda Lebsack investigated The Trevor Project’s online chatrooms and exposed alarming risks to minors. She found that their online platform, Trevor Space, connected vulnerable youth with unverified adults in private chatrooms under the guise of offering “support.”
Lebsack, posing as a child questioning her gender, was granted immediate access without age verification and directed to clubs promoting witchcraft, polyamory, and even age-regression kinks. This has led organizations like Gays Against Groomers to refer to Trevor Space as a “pedophile’s paradise.”
Despite these risks, The Trevor Project remains deeply embedded in California’s public education system, promoted by school counselors, the Attorney General, and even legislative bodies pushing LGBTQ policies.
3. Suicide Hotline on CA Student IDs Surveys Kids on Gender Identity
Another major concern is how suicide prevention hotlines have become tools for ideological indoctrination. In California, students as young as 7th grade already have suicide hotline numbers printed on their ID cards, and when they call for help, they are immediately asked about their gender identity.
Instead of focusing on providing genuine support for mental health struggles, hotline operators already push children toward gender identity exploration and funnel them into pro-LGBTQ organizations like The Trevor Project. This bill will bypass the supposedly objective counselors and connect students directly with Trevor Project advocates. This is not suicide prevention—it is grooming children into gender ideology.
A Direct Violation of President Trump’s Executive Order
This coercive government policy stands in direct opposition to President Trump’s recent Executive Order on Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling. The order specifically aims to eliminate: “Federal funding or support for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.”
AB 727 contradicts this order by mandating schools to promote LGBTQ advocacy, even against their religious convictions. If allowed to stand, this bill could set a dangerous precedent—paving the way for further government-mandated ideological messaging in private religious institutions.
“We Must Protect These Vulnerable Kids”
Greg Burt, Vice President of California Family Council, has strongly condemned this legislation: “No child should experience bullying, but The Trevor Project takes advantage of troubled and vulnerable youth who need our compassion and help, and leads them down a path that will destroy their futures. These struggling kids are being offered lies about their true God-given identity as a boy or a girl and told to let their sexual desires determine their identity and behavior. That’s not the answer to depression and suicidal thoughts—it’s a path toward deeper confusion and despair.”
Students experiencing distress deserve real help, not further indoctrination into a harmful and misleading worldview.
About California Family Council
California Family Council works to advance God’s design for life, family, and liberty through California’s Church, Capitol, and Culture. By advocating for policies that reinforce the sanctity of life, the strength of traditional marriages, and the essential freedoms of religion, CFC is dedicated to preserving California’s moral and social foundation.
Photos: Target.com and Waymarking.com
From Walnut Creek, San Ramon Target stores
Has history of arrests dating to 2014
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
A Vallejo man has been charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney with multiple counts of second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft for stealing nearly $25,000 worth of merchandise from Target.
32-year-old Michael Ivory Fletcher (born 7/10/92) is currently in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility, awaiting a preliminary hearing on a 12-count felony complaint filed in court on February 20th.
His bail has been set at $467,500.
Fletcher’s offenses go beyond Contra Costa County. He is suspected of thefts in Solano, Alameda, San Joaquin, Sonoma, and Santa Clara Counties.
The thefts at Target stores in Walnut Creek and San Ramon occurred between August 15th, 2024, and February 15th, 2025. Fletcher’s actions followed a similar method of entering a store alone, filling up a shopping cart of LEGO products, and exiting with the stolen merchandise in a matter of minutes. Before fleeing from a store, he would load the stolen items in a vehicle parked in a disabled parking space.
District Attorney Diana Becton said, “The effective investigative efforts of the Walnut Creek and San Ramon police departments were crucial in bringing this case forward. We are committed to holding this individual accountable. Moreover, these brazen retail thefts demonstrate the necessity of reporting these crimes to law enforcement. Collaborative efforts are essential to ensuring the safety of our communities and businesses.”
Case No. 01-25-00704 | The People of the State of California v. Fletcher, Michael Ivory
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the five-feet, 10-inch, 165 lb. Fletcher is Black, and as of March 5, he is being held in the West County Detention Facility. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 8:30 AM in Superior Court in Martinez.
According to localcrimenews.com, he was arrested on Feb. 15, 2025, by Walnut Creek Police for felony committed while released on bail or own recognizance, revocation of probation, conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, grand theft and organized retail theft. 01-25-00704 – MIFletcher Charging Document
In addition, Fletcher has a history of arrests dating back to 2014 by multiple agencies including Oakland, Emeryville, Albany and Vallejo PD’s, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Solano and San Joaquin counties Sheriff’s Departments and Castro Valley CHP for multiple gun-related and drug-related crimes, grand theft, burglary, organized retail theft, battery on a spouse, ex-spouse or co-habitant, and resisting arrest.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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Said Measure T would raise district parcel taxes from $112 to $130, but will actually increase from $301 to $431, plus annual inflation increases
By Contra Costa Taxpayers Association
The Honorable Edward G. Weil of Contra Costa County Superior Court ordered Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) and the Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters to alter the ballot question, ballot measure title, and impartial analysis of Measure T, a new parcel tax for the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHD) being placed before voters in a May 6th special election. Judge Weil issued the order in response to a complaint filed by attorney Jason Bezis whose lead plaintiff was Marc Joffe, President of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association (CoCoTax).
“As written, the ballot materials were highly deceptive,” said Joffe. “The impartial analysis gave the false impression that Measure T would raise district parcel taxes from $112 to $130, when, in fact, they will increase from a current total of $301 to $431, followed by annual inflation increases. The ballot question tried to confuse voters by calling these inflationary increases ‘adjustments’.”
CoCoTax has taken a “NO” position on the measure, and Joffe has written opposition ballot arguments which voters will see next month. CoCoTax is especially concerned with AUHSD’s decision to call a costly special election to decide the tax measure.
The County Registrar of Voters will charge the district between $11 and $14 per registered voter to conduct the election, and with 95,000 registered voters in AUHSD, the total cost will exceed $1 million. This is close to a quarter of the amount the parcel tax is expected to raise in its first year, if enacted.
“The District could’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by combining this with a regular election,” Joffe said.
Aside from ordering the insertion of the word inflation into the ballot question and removing deceptive information about the current level of parcel taxes, Judge Weil’s ruling will also require AUHSD to change the name of the measure from the “Sustaining Educational Excellence Act” to the “Sustaining Educational Funding Act.” Joffe said: “That is an improvement because the new title at least gives some idea of what the measure will do. Ideally, the District would call this measure what it is: a parcel tax increase.”
Judge Weil denied several of the plaintiffs’ requests, including a move to strike the descriptor “independent” from the oversight board that would report on spending of parcel tax revenue. Because the school board-appointed committee is not required to include a taxpayer advocate and because the district superintendent will serve as an ex officio member, plaintiffs did not see it as truly independent.
A more technical change the judge ordered required a significant change to the ballot question. State law requires ballot summaries to follow the template: “Shall the measure (stating the nature thereof) be adopted?” AUHSD’s language neither began with the phrase “Shall the measure” nor did it end with “be adopted”.
“The purpose of a ballot question is to quickly inform busy voters of what a ballot measure would do if adopted,” Joffe said. “Instead, AUHSD, other Contra Costa agencies, and their counterparts across California treat the ballot question as free advertising for new taxes and bonds. In fact, like many other agencies, AUHSD paid consultants and pollsters to fashion the most marketable ballot question, with little regard for actually informing voters.”
See copies of Judge Weil’s order and the plaintiffs’ amended petition: N25-0353 – Order After Hearing & Amended Petition
Interested parties can see all documents related to this matter by going to the Superior Court’s case management system at https://odyportal.cc-courts.org/Portal/Home/Dashboard/29 and entering case number N25-0353.
Read MoreU.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hannah Fry.
As USS Ralph Johnson departs Sasebo, Japan
U.S. Navy sailors serve and protect from around the globe, and every sailor got their start somewhere.
By Ashley Craig Public Affairs Specialist Media Outreach Dept. Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan (February 18, 2025) – Electronics Technician 3rd Class Gabriel Alas from Pittsburg, California, right, and Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zane Cunningham from Rusk, Texas, middle, stand along port side on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) while getting underway from Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, Feb. 18. Ralph Johnson is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force.
USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) pulls into Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jamaal Liddell
SASEBO, Japan (July 22, 2023) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) pulls into Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, July 22. Ralph Johnson is assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
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