By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Public Information Officer, CCC Public Works
El Sobrante, CA – The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will begin construction of the San Pablo Dam Road Traffic Safety Improvements project between the city limits of Richmond and city limits of Orinda. Construction will start Wednesday, May 27, 2020 through July 31, 2020, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday, barring unforeseen circumstances. Drivers can expect traffic delays up to 30 minutes.
The project will consist of installing a centerline rumble strip and channelizers, reconstructing median islands, replacing roadside signs to meet new retro-reflectivity standards, installation of speed feedback signs, partial slurry seal, removal and replacement of thermoplastic stripes and pavement markings, and restriping of a bike lane at two intersections of San Pablo Dam Road and Old San Pablo Dam Road. Current shelter-in-place and social distancing protocol will be followed.
Funding for this project is gas tax revenues provided by the SB1 Road Repair and Accountability Act and the Highway Safety Improvement Program funds. More information for this project can be found at http://www.cccounty.us/pwdmap.
Read More![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CHP-fatal-hit-run-victims-car-03-06-20.jpg)
Fatal hit and run victim’s car and the railroad overpass in Martinez on March 3, 2020. Photos by CHP.
By CHP – Contra Costa
On the morning of Friday March 6, 2020, at approximately 5:25am, Contra Costa CHP responded to a collision on I-680 southbound, north of Highway 4 in Martinez. The victim of the collision was driving a 1990’s blue Toyota Corolla, that had spun out across the lanes of traffic and collided with a light pole and tree on the right shoulder area, sustaining major damage. The driver of the Toyota was not responsive and transported to John Muir Hospital. Tragically the man died days later due to his injuries from the collision.
A witness related they saw a vehicle bump into the Toyota, which caused it to go out of control resulting in the crash, and then fled the scene. They described the second vehicle as being a dark colored lowered sedan with oversized rims. They were unable to see the make or model. They also related they saw it approaching quickly through their rearview mirror and moving in and out of the traffic lanes just before the crash.
CHP is asking for your HELP to locate the second vehicle described by the witness above. If you were traveling on I-680 southbound in this location on the morning of March 6 between about 5:20am to 5:30am, and may have witnessed this collision (either just before, at the moment of the crash, or just after) or think you remember seeing a dark colored lowered sedan with oversized rims in the same location, or any information that could help in this investigation, please contact the Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Ask for Investigating Officer Lane and leave your contact info for him.
Read More“It’s encouraging. We’re wanting it to continue going down. It certainly isn’t going up.” -County Health Officer, Dr. Chris Farnitano regarding COVID-19 statistics in Contra Costa.
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Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Christ Farmitano speaks during a press conference on Friday, March 20, 2020. Screenshot of YouTube video.
By Allen Payton
Due to the positive results over the past few weeks with the COVID-19 statistics in Contra Costa County, County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano issued a new order, yesterday, Monday, May 18, 2020 that went into effect, today allowing certain retail and other businesses to reopen, within certain guidelines.
But, concerns from business owners and retail center property manager asking how it’s supposed to work raised questions.
Asked if he or his staff spoke with retail store owners or shopping center property managers about the order before issuing it and how it’s supposed to work, Dr. Farnitano replied, “We’ve been getting feedback from different stores and businesses. We haven’t specifically asked them to review this particular language. This comes from state guidelines. So, our guidelines are in line with the state’s Phase 2. They allowed it on the 8th of May, 11 days ago.”
“It may be more helpful for small retail stores that don’t have an online presence, not a larger store that does,” he added. “Like craft breweries that weren’t allowed prior, or other products that folks that people were used to going to the retail store for.”
“The other big changes are the associated manufacturing and logistics, which pretty much covers any manufacturing that wasn’t already allowed, like refineries, or agricultural product manufacturing,” Farnitano continued. “The Tesla plant in Alameda County is one example.”
“We might be going in a slightly slower pace than the state,” he shared. “But there’s less variability from one county to the next for the particular rules for a business to reopen.”
When asked if the shelter-in-place order still ends on May 31st, Dr. Farnitano answered, “the new order that was issued yesterday and went into effect, today doesn’t have an end date. That’s really not practical or the intent, which was to reevaluate the situation before that date.” (See related article)
“What we’re really doing is to make a change, give it some time to see the affects of that change, and see the impact on our matrix,” he continued. “We did that the last time two weeks ago on May 4 and because of the positive results from that we’re able to open up more.”
So, the reopening will be through a gradual, step by step process “driven by the data,” Dr. Farnitano added.
“It’s been pretty flat,” he said about the curve. “We’ve been looking at seven-day averages. We’ve been running at 10 to 15 new cases a day for the past two weeks, and 15 to 20 in the hospital, each day”
“It’s encouraging. We’re wanting it to continue going down. It certainly isn’t going up,” Dr. Farnitano stated.
Asked when will the next order for more reopening be issued,” We don’t really have a time or particular day,” he said. “We give it a couple weeks which is the incubation period for someone to be exposed and then experience symptoms.” Then they reevaluate the situation at that time.
So, we can expect another update and hopefully more reopening of businesses and activities the first week of June.
Read MoreThanks to progress made in containing the spread of COVID-19, Contra Costa County has relaxed restrictions in its shelter-in-place order to allow retail stores and their suppliers to reopen on Tuesday.
As of May 19 at 6 a.m., retail stores in Contra Costa County may now offer curbside sales or other outdoor pickups of orders as long as they abide by certain safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Stores may not display merchandise for sale on tables or otherwise outside the stores. Customers may not enter the store or interior of any indoor shopping mall. Stores must also employ reasonable measures to require customers to comply with social distancing requirements at the pickup areas, including marking locations at six-foot intervals for customers to stand while waiting in line.
“While this is not a return to normal, it is one step in that direction” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County’s health officer. “We will be closely monitoring the effects of allowing curbside retail on the spread of COVID-19 in the community.”
Contra Costa will also allow businesses that manufacture retail goods and provide warehousing or logistical support to retail stores to operate, but they must limit the number of staff in enclosed areas so that personnel can comply with social distancing requirements.
The changes mark a shift from allowing people only to shop at essential businesses, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. Dr. Farnitano said encouraging progress has been made in the two weeks since the most recent shelter-in-place order in reaching five goals or “indicators” went into effect:
- The number of new cases of COVID-19 has been stable or decreasing, even with increased testing
- The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is stable, and we have adequate hospital capacity. As of May 17, there were 19 COVID-positive patients in Contra Costa hospitals – down from a high of 44 in mid-April.
- More COVID-19 tests are being performed in our region each day
- Hospitals are reporting improved supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), though shortages continue in other healthcare settings
- There is increased capacity for case investigation and contact tracing.
Residents are still required by health order to stay home as much as possible, wear face coverings when they leave home, and to follow the precautions that have helped Contra Costa make progress to slow the spread of COVID-19, such as regular handwashing and social distancing. COVID-19 continues to pose a very significant risk to our communities, and continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that we do not see an increase in spread as more activities resume.
Read MoreDefendant faces new federal drug charges as well as allegations he violated conditions of supervised release from his 2015 conviction
OAKLAND – Jeremy Donagal was charged in a criminal complaint filed Friday morning May 15, 2020 with possession of equipment for producing counterfeit drugs as well as the manufacture and sale of counterfeit drugs in a scheme to distribute counterfeit generic alprazolam (the active ingredient in the brand-name anti-anxiety medication Xanax), announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King; and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter. In a separate filing, Donagal also is alleged to have violated the conditions of his supervised release from his 2015 conviction, where he was originally charged in the 2014 indictment as “Jeremy Donagal, a/k/a/ “Xanax King”, a/k/a “XK”.
According to the criminal complaint, Donagal, 41, of Martinez, Calif., signed a lease in December of 2018, for a warehouse in Concord, Calif. Donagal allegedly visited the warehouse on May 14, 2020, let himself into the building, and was detained shortly after stepping outside. As explained in the motion to revoke his supervised release, inside the building, were multiple pill presses, plastic trays with punches and dies in them, thousands of pressed tablets, packaging and shipping materials, and other equipment consistent with a mail-order business. The tablets had the same markings as are used by Sandoz Inc., a company that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized to manufacture and distribute generic alprazolam. Donagal is charged with possession of equipment to produce counterfeit drugs, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(a)(5), and the manufactured and sale of counterfeit drugs, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 331(i)(3).
Donagal already was on supervised release from a previous conviction. Donagal’s previous sentence included a three-year term of supervised release. Donagal was released on June 27, 2018, subject to the terms of a supervised release order that required Donagal to refrain from committing additional federal crimes and work regularly at a lawful occupation. In papers filed this morning, the government seeks to revoke Donagal’s release for violating these terms of his supervised release. The motion to revoke supervised release states as follows:
[A]lmost immediately after being released from prison to supervised release, Donagal began work setting up a new counterfeit drug operation. He set up a laboratory and pill press operation to manufacture the counterfeit pills, and he established a dark web vendor site to sell the pills nationwide. He also established vendor pages on dark web criminal marketplaces like Samsara and Empire. On May 14, 2020, agents executed search warrants at Donagal’s residence and warehouse and seized pill presses, punch-dies designed to produce counterfeit drugs, and that packaging materials in the same brand name he used on the dark web marketplaces. That same day, agents arrested him.
Donagal was made his initial federal court appearance on May 15, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. Donagal is next scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse on May 18, 2020, at 10:30 AM for an attorney appointment hearing.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of possessing equipment to produce counterfeit drugs, Donagal faces a maximum statutory penalty of four years in prison and one year of supervised release. If convicted of the counterfeit drug manufacturing and sale charge, Donagal faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and one year of supervised release. However, any sentence following conviction would 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.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, HSI, and IRS. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is assisting with the investigation.
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Thanks to the steadfast commitment of our residents to stay home, practice social distancing, and follow public health guidance, we have seen sustained progress on several key indicators regarding containment of COVID-19. This has remained true a full incubation period after the reopening of construction, outdoor businesses, and certain outdoor activities on May 4, 2020. Region-wide progress on the COVID-19 Indicators jointly set by Bay Area Health Officers includes:
- The trend of new cases of COVID-19 has been stable or decreasing, even with increased testing;
- The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is stable or declining, and hospital capacity is sufficient for both COVID-19 patients and other patients who need hospital care;
- More COVID-19 tests are being performed in our region each day;
- Hospitals are reporting improved supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), though shortages continue in certain healthcare settings; and
- There is increased capacity for case investigation and contact tracing.
While much work remains to be done, in light of this progress, we are issuing a new order today that allows retail establishments to offer storefront pick-up, and also allows the manufacturing, warehousing, and logistical operations that support retail to resume. We are counting on these businesses to consistently follow social distancing protocols and public health guidance to protect their employees and customers as these activities resume. COVID-19 continues to pose a very significant risk to our communities, and that continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that we do not see an increase in spread as more activities resume.
As we reopen certain sectors, Bay Area residents are still required by health order to stay home as much as possible, wear face coverings, and follow the precautions that have helped the region make progress to slow the spread of COVID-19. As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by our COVID-19 Indicators and other data related to the spread of COVID-19 in our region.
Read MoreSAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson today announced that counties and cities throughout the Northern District of California have been allocated a total or more than $7 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice to respond to the public safety challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Justice awarded the grants through the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, which was authorized by recent federal stimulus legislation.
Contra Costa County will receive $82,337, Antioch was granted $161,353, Concord $105,655, Pittsburg $63, 695 and Richmond $221,800.
“First responders continue to work hard to keep the public safe at this time,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “They deserve not just our admiration and appreciation, but also our support. We are pleased to announce this funding to assist law enforcement and public safety efforts throughout our district.”
“The outbreak of COVID-19 and the public health emergency it created are sobering reminders that even the most routine duties performed by our nation’s public safety officials carry potentially grave risks,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “These funds will provide hard-hit communities with critical resources to help mitigate the impact of this crisis and give added protection to the brave professionals charged with keeping citizens safe.”
The law gives jurisdictions considerable latitude in the use of these funds for dealing with COVID-19. Potential uses include hiring personnel, paying overtime, purchasing protective equipment, distributing resources to hard-hit areas and addressing inmates’ medical needs.
Agencies that were eligible for the fiscal year 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program are candidates for the emergency funding. Local units of government and tribes will receive direct awards separately according to their jurisdictions’ allocations. Information on how to apply for grants is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/bja-2020-18553.
California counties and municipalities throughout the Northern District received grants through the program:
Jurisdiction Name | Grant Allocation |
ALAMEDA CITY | $41,660 |
ALAMEDA COUNTY | $133,882 |
ANTIOCH CITY | $161,353 |
BERKELEY CITY | $135,693 |
CONCORD CITY | $105,655 |
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY | $82,337 |
DALY CITY | $56,072 |
EAST PALO ALTO CITY | $32,226 |
EMERYVILLE CITY | $32,903 |
EUREKA CITY | $50,185 |
FREMONT CITY | $89,657 |
GILROY CITY | $43,922 |
HAYWARD CITY | $132,068 |
HUMBOLDT COUNTY | $60,602 |
LAKE COUNTY | $45,281 |
LIVERMORE CITY | $43,242 |
MARIN COUNTY | $58,008 |
MENDOCINO COUNTY | $69,733 |
MONTEREY COUNTY | $58,337 |
MOUNTAIN VIEW CITY | $33,660 |
NAPA CITY | $65,354 |
NAPA COUNTY | $58,008 |
OAKLAND CITY | $1,330,582 |
PETALUMA CITY | $51,091 |
PITTSBURG CITY | $63,695 |
REDWOOD CITY | $42,488 |
RICHMOND CITY | $221,800 |
ROHNERT PARK CITY | $47,469 |
SALINAS CITY | $235,764 |
SAN FRANCISCO CITY AND COUNTY | $1,449,067 |
SAN JOSE CITY | $865,998 |
SAN LEANDRO CITY | $107,391 |
SAN MATEO CITY | $58,562 |
SAN MATEO COUNTY | $70,864 |
SAN PABLO CITY | $46,867 |
SAN RAFAEL CITY | $51,242 |
SANTA CLARA CITY | $39,923 |
SANTA CLARA COUNTY | $70,261 |
SANTA CRUZ CITY | $107,845 |
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY | $65,506 |
SANTA ROSA CITY | $149,879 |
SONOMA COUNTY | $140,146 |
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CITY | $40,751 |
SUNNYVALE CITY | $37,584 |
UNION CITY | $60,450 |
WATSONVILLE CITY | $63,318 |
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Read More“We have made a lot of progress this spring, but COVID-19 is still circulating in our community,” – Dr. Chris Farnitano.
Outdoor gatherings during which participants stay in their vehicles are now permitted in Contra Costa County if organizers follow instructions in a new health order issued today.
The new order, which takes effect May 19, provides new options for religious organizations that have been unable to hold services since COVID-19 began spreading in the county, and for schools planning graduation ceremonies.
“The evidence suggests that the shelter-at-home order and other social distancing measures that we have undertaken as a community are helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our area,” Contra Costa Board of Supervisors Chair Candace Andersen said. “We must remain cautious, but the time has come for some controlled community gatherings.”
Gatherings permitted by the new order would take place in large, outdoor areas such as parking lots for three hours or less. Except for the host and staff running the gathering, participants would attend in enclosed vehicles – no motorcycles – with only members of the same household in each vehicle.
Each gathering must have a designated host, permission from the property owner and a written plan to ensure physical distancing and other safety requirements are followed. For gatherings larger than 10 vehicles, the host is required to provide security for traffic and safety purposes.
The order includes guidance for allowing participants to use on-site restrooms and transfer of items such as diplomas. Sale of food or concessions is not permitted, and attendees must wear face coverings if they roll down the windows.
“We have made a lot of progress this spring, but COVID-19 is still circulating in our community,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, county health officer. “We are carefully tracking data related to infections and hospitalization to determine when and how to gradually ease social restrictions in the health orders.”
Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the order, which includes the details of the required gathering plan, and for COVID-19 health information and updates for Contra Costa County.
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Out of 1,089 cases in the county 919 have recovered; death toll increases to 33; 75 on staff for contact tracing;
As of this morning, Thursday, May 14, 2020 there were 1,089 people who had tested positive for COVID-19 in the county, but 919 have recovered according to a new statistic being provided on the county health services’ Coronavirus Dashboard. There was one more death as of Tuesday, bringing the total to 33.
Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano also issued orders extending the amount of time people must remain in isolation from 7 to 10 days after the onset of symptoms or a positive test for those without symptoms.
Dr. Farnitano said the change is being done based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about how long COVID-19 patients remain infectious.
“We’re learning more and more about the virus every day,” Dr. Farnitano said. “Based on our latest understanding, we want people with COVID to remain isolated a little bit longer in order to reduce the chance of infecting others.”
However, those who have been exposed but haven’t tested positive, yet are to quarantine for 14 days, according to Contra Costa Health Services spokesman Will Harper.
The updated isolation and quarantine orders also define the infectious period for asymptomatic people with the virus as beginning 48 hours prior to being tested for COVID-19. Public Health staff will identify close contacts during this 48-hour period.
The orders also expand the definition of close contacts to include individuals who were within six feet of a case for at least 15 minutes during the infectious period.
On April 3, the health officer issued a mass order for residents with COVID-19 and their close contacts to isolate and quarantine themselves. The mass orders were issued so public health staff wouldn’t have to individually serve isolation orders to those who tested positive as COVID-19 cases steadily grew.
The order also requires those who test positive to notify those they have recently had close contact with.
Contra Costa has increased the number of staff dedicated to disease or “contact tracing” investigation from pre-COVID number of 14 to 75 since the emergence of COVID-19 in the county. The state recently allocated $800,000 to the county to hire even more disease investigators.
The ability to do widespread contact tracing is one the County’s five indicators for reopening.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreClaims a mix up with coaching staff due to the coronavirus pandemic
By Jesus Cano & Luke Johnson
Tre’Vante Daniels left many confused after he posted a video of himself signing a letter of intent to play football at Texas Tech University.
Even his coaches couldn’t confirm its legitimacy.
However, the Texas Tech athletic department could and said Daniels was never offered a spot on the team.
In the video, Daniels hosted what appeared to be a National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing ceremony with family and close friends at a park. It was posted to his Instagram page Saturday but, has since been removed.
“It’s official Ya boy a Red Raider. Just know all my haters was my motivators,” he said in the caption.
Daniels, a sophomore defensive back at Los Medanos College (who previously played for Contra Costa College in San Pablo), claimed he was duped by someone who posed as a Texas Tech coach on Twitter. The person in question extended the offer to Daniels, he said.
However, after the Herald initially informed Daniels that Texas Tech’s coaches said they never offered him a roster spot, he replied saying there was a mix up on behalf of the university’s coaching staff due to the ongoing pandemic.
“They sent an offer, but there’s a lot going on with Corona, so it’s a lot of coaches going and coming,” Daniels said.
Matt Dowdy, the director of communications at Texas Tech, said there were no coaching staff changes in relation to the COVID-19 situation.
Daniels, a graduate of Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, would have been the first LMC football player in 15 years to sign to a Power 5 Conference school if the offer was real.
But Texas Tech wasn’t the only Power 5 school Daniels claimed he had an offer from. He also posted on his Instagram that he had scholarship offers from The University of Arkansas, Kansas University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Arizona. The posts have since been deleted.
When asked by the Herald if he could provide documentation of those scholarships, Daniels said all of it might have been purged.
“I have to check the house to see what I can get you, but more than likely it’s in storage or my mom threw it away after we moved,” Daniels said.
All of his Power 5 offers were posted exclusively to his Instagram. However, only offers from lower-division schools were shared on Twitter. In those posts, Daniels tagged members of LMC’s coaching staff and the school that offered him.
Daniels said all of his offers were pulled as soon as he committed to Texas Tech.
Rice University was another school Daniels said offered him a scholarship. But Chuck Pool, the assistant athletic director, explained the team didn’t even know about Daniels.
“Our coaches said they never recruited Tre’vante Daniels or anyone else from Los Medanos College,” Pool said.
This isn’t the first time a counterfeit NLI was signed. Back in 2008, Kevin Hart of Fernley High School in Nevada faked his commitment to the University of California, Berkeley. He was exposed days later by members of the Golden Bears coaching staff who said they never offered him a scholarship, according to Mercury News. Hart later admitted to fabricating the whole situation.
Daniels insists he was the victim of a scam.
“Why would I put my family and myself through anything like this to lie about a piece of paper to play football?” Daniels said. “It doesn’t matter to me what’s real and what’s fake. I know the truth and that’s all that matters.”
According to Kevin Hartwig, former Freedom High School football head coach for 15 years, most recruiters talk to the coaches before offering scholarships to their players to have a better scouting report of the athlete on and off the field.
Daniels was one of LMC’s best players last season. He was voted First Team All-Pacific 7 and had three interceptions with 15 pass deflections.
Some of his peers were excited to see him post the NLI signing on Instagram. It was shared by a few of his teammates, who supported the move.
“It was not surprising at all,” said teammate Javier Hernandez. “He was very confident and aware of the player he was and came out big when we needed him most… He was grinding all throughout the season.”
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