UPDATE: Filed the case with DA’s office for prosecution; parishioners weren’t wearing masks nor practicing social distancing according to the Deputy Sheriff. Pastor denies those claims.
By Allen Payton
In a press release from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Lee wrote, “at about 12:32 PM on Sunday, April 12, 2020, the Office of the Sheriff received an anonymous complaint of an unlawful assembly at the All Nations Church of God in Christ at 1225 York Street in North Richmond.
A deputy responded to the location and saw approximately 40 people inside the church. None of them were wearing a face mask and they did not practice social distancing.
The deputy first spoke to the deacon and asked to speak to the pastor who was in front of the parishioners. The pastor was uncooperative and refused to talk to the deputy.
The deputy left the location and wrote a report.
On April 13, 2020, a Deputy responded to the church and issued a misdemeanor citation for violation of the Health Officer order (California Health and Safety Code § 120295).
The Sheriff’s Office later filed a case with the Contra Costa DA’s Office for prosecution.
‘Our focus has been on education of the Health Officer Order and in the vast majority of cases we ask for voluntary compliance and that solves the problem,’ said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. ‘This was different. The pastor refused to cooperate and put the lives of dozens of parishioners at risk.’”
Asked if the deputy attempted to interrupt the church service to speak to the pastor, Lee responded, “no” and reiterated that the deputy first spoke to the deacon. Asked if the deputy waited until after the church service was over to speak to the pastor, Lee responded, “I don’t have that detail but the Deputy made several attempts to talk to the pastor, who refused to talk to him.”
Attempts to reach the church’s pastor, Wyndford Williams, Sr., for comment by phone and email were unsuccessful prior to publication time. A message on the church’s Facebook page Thursday afternoon stated media inquiries were to be sent to the pastor’s email address and that “a reply will be sent within 24 hours.”
5:11 PM UPDATE: The following “official statement” was received from the pastor refuting the Sheriff Deputy’s claims in his report – “Easter Sunday is one of the most important celebrations in the Christian faith. A small service was held with approximately forty people in attendance. Masks were worn. Hand sanitizers were provided. Families that lived together sat together. Otherwise, social distancing was observed.”
On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Barr issued a statement on “Religious Practice and Social Distancing”.
In it, he wrote, “In exigent circumstances, when the community as a whole faces an impending harm of this magnitude, and where the measures are tailored to meeting the imminent danger, the constitution does allow some temporary restriction on our liberties that would not be tolerated in normal circumstances.
But even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers. Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity. For example, if a government allows movie theaters, restaurants, concert halls, and other comparable places of assembly to remain open and unrestricted, it may not order houses of worship to close, limit their congregation size, or otherwise impede religious gatherings. Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens.”
The Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of a church in Mississippi that sought to hold “parking lot worship services, in which congregants listened to their pastor preach over their car radios, while sitting in their cars in the church parking lot with their windows rolled up.” That was because the “city (of Greenville) appears to have…singled churches out as the only essential service (as designated by the state of Mississippi) that may not operate despite following all CDC and state recommendations regarding social distancing… while permitting citizens to attend nearby drive-in restaurants, even with their windows open.”
In the case of the All Nations Church of God, neither the pastor nor parishioners were following the guidelines and practices of social distancing as outlined in the county health officer’s order of “no gatherings”. (See related article)
Asked if the Sheriff’s Office wouldn’t have cited the church if the parishioners had been wearing masks and practiced social distancing, or if it was because more than 10 people were gathered, Lee responded, “Everything we want to say is in the press release.”
See the complete statement by Attorney General Barr, here:
Attorney General William P. Barr Issues Statement on Religious Practice and Social Distancing; Department of Justice Files Statement of Interest in Mississippi Church Case
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President has issued guidelines calling on all Americans to do their part to slow the spread of a dangerous and highly contagious virus. Those measures are important because the virus is transmitted so easily from person to person, and because it all too often has life-threatening consequences for its victims, it has the potential to overwhelm health care systems when it surges.
To contain the virus and protect the most vulnerable among us, Americans have been asked, for a limited period of time, to practice rigorous social distancing. The President has also asked Americans to listen to and follow directions issued by state and local authorities regarding social distancing. Social distancing, while difficult and unfamiliar for a nation that has long prided itself on the strength of its voluntary associations, has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of American lives from an imminent threat. Scrupulously observing these guidelines is the best path to swiftly ending COVID-19’s profound disruptions to our national life and resuming the normal economic life of our country. Citizens who seek to do otherwise are not merely assuming risk with respect to themselves, but are exposing others to danger. In exigent circumstances, when the community as a whole faces an impending harm of this magnitude, and where the measures are tailored to meeting the imminent danger, the constitution does allow some temporary restriction on our liberties that would not be tolerated in normal circumstances.
But even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers. Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity. For example, if a government allows movie theaters, restaurants, concert halls, and other comparable places of assembly to remain open and unrestricted, it may not order houses of worship to close, limit their congregation size, or otherwise impede religious gatherings. Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens.
Today, the Department filed a Statement of Interest in support of a church in Mississippi that allegedly sought to hold parking lot worship services, in which congregants listened to their pastor preach over their car radios, while sitting in their cars in the church parking lot with their windows rolled up. The City of Greenville fined congregants $500 per person for attending these parking lot services – while permitting citizens to attend nearby drive-in restaurants, even with their windows open.[1] The City appears to have thereby singled churches out as the only essential service (as designated by the state of Mississippi) that may not operate despite following all CDC and state recommendations regarding social distancing.
As we explain in the Statement of Interest, where a state has not acted evenhandedly, it must have a compelling reason to impose restrictions on places of worship and must ensure that those restrictions are narrowly tailored to advance its compelling interest. While we believe that during this period there is a sufficient basis for the social distancing rules that have been put in place, the scope and justification of restrictions beyond that will have to be assessed based on the circumstances as they evolve.
Religion and religious worship continue to be central to the lives of millions of Americans. This is true more so than ever during this difficult time. The pandemic has changed the ways Americans live their lives. Religious communities have rallied to the critical need to protect the community from the spread of this disease by making services available online and in ways that otherwise comply with social distancing guidelines.
The United States Department of Justice will continue to ensure that religious freedom remains protected if any state or local government, in their response to COVID-19, singles out, targets, or discriminates against any house of worship for special restrictions.”
Read More
Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Saf. Code, § 120295.)
By Kim McCarl, Assistant to the Director, Communications, Contra Costa Health Services
A new health order in Contra Costa County requires anyone working at or visiting an essential business, such as a grocery store or gas station, to wear face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The order, effective Wednesday, April 22, also requires public transit and government workers to wear masks when they come close to others, or where the public is likely to be present. (See the complete, six-page order, here.)
Members of the public must mask when they:
- work at an essential business
- are inside an essential business, such as a grocery store
- visit a healthcare provider or facility
- wait in line for or ride public transportation
Businesses must take reasonable measures, such as posting signs, to remind visitors about masking, and not serve customers who do not observe the order. Workers do not need to mask if they are alone in a personal office but must put them on when others enter.
“We now know that a significant number of people with COVID-19 lack symptoms, or become infectious before they start showing symptoms,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County’s health officer. “That is why we all need to start wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where it’s sometimes hard to maintain physical distancing, such as standing in line at the store.”
The new order does not extend to people driving in personal vehicles alone or with members of their households. Contra Costa residents are encouraged to continue to observe safe physical distancing when they go out to exercise or for recreation.
When outside, everyone must carry masks or face coverings and use them whenever they come near six feet of others outside their own households.
People engaged in more strenuous exercise, such as running or bicycling, should stay further apart from others while breathing heavily and take steps to avoid breathing on others, such as moving to the other side of the road to avoid pedestrians and wearing a mask if possible.
The new order does not replace the county’s stay-at-home health order or the need to maintain physical distancing, wash hands frequently and cover coughs and sneezes – all fundamental to reducing the spread of COVID-19.
“Stay in place, maintain your space, cover your face,” Dr. Farnitano said. “One key way the COVID-19 virus spreads is through respiratory droplets that people expel when they breathe or sneeze. By masking and observing physical distancing, we can help protect everyone in the community.”
The order does not require children 12 and younger to wear masks. Children 2 years old or younger must not wear them because of the risk of suffocation.
Face coverings can be anything made of cloth, fabric or other permeable material that covers the nose and mouth and the lower part of the face. Medical-grade masks are not required – a T-shirt or bandana works fine, Dr. Farnitano said.
Masks with one-way valves for easy breathing do not qualify as face coverings under the order because they can release respiratory droplets into the surrounding air.
Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the order or for more information about COVID-19. Visit the Centers for Disease and Control at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html for video instructions to make and use cloth face coverings.
Read MoreCited for misdemeanors and released, after menacing family twice in the same night; “We’ll get it submitted to the DA” – Brentwood Police Chief Tom Hansen
By Allen Payton
In an effort to get the man put in jail, who Brentwood Police arrested early Saturday morning for vandalism after menacing a family outside their front door, twice and once with a machete at 4:00 a.m., and stealing their security cameras, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office said they will consider the case once the police send it to them.
“We are still filing cases but only if they are serious or violent felonies and certain misdemeanors, like domestic violence,” wrote Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer for the Contra Costa District Attorney on Thursday, “Brentwood PD can bring the case over to us for a filing decision. They have a year to do so if it is a misdemeanor and three years for a felony. For this instance, they did not bring the case over for our review given the ongoing crisis and impacts on the court. Since March 30 we have been able to file only the most serious cases.”
“We are working well with our justice partners to reduce the threat of COVID-19 among our jails,” he continued. “We are doing the following with our partners (Sheriff, Public Defender, Probation and Courts): Delayed the prosecution of non-violent crimes and other crimes which do not impact Public Safety; Identified and released elderly and vulnerable inmates whose release does not impact Public Safety; and Arranged the early release of inmates with less than 60 days left to serve in their sentences.”
Later Saturday morning, the homeowner, Voltaire Apse, posted a comment to the Brentwood Police Facebook page along with a screenshot of the surveillance video of the man, showing a scene that appeared to be straight out of a horror movie, which was shared on social media and with the Herald late Tuesday night. Apse explained the frightening ordeal he and his family experienced.
A KTVU Fox 2 news report on Wednesday showed the surveillance video of the man approaching the residents’ front door with a machete in hand and stealing the surveillance cameras. The report claimed the man wasn’t taken to county jail due to COVID-19 concerns and was merely cited for misdemeanors and released.
Then according to a KPIX CBS 5 news report on Thursday, the Brentwood Police explained why they had only charged the man with misdemeanors of vandalism, for stealing the family’s security cameras and slashing one of the tires on their car, citing and then releasing him. That’s because they weren’t aware the man had a machete, since the homeowner hadn’t shared that information.
“We didn’t know about the machete until later,” said Brentwood Police Chief Tom Hansen Thursday evening.
The suspect’s name is Adam Scott Ortega.
“We know this guy. He’s a regular,” the chief stated. “That was a poor Channel 2 news report that people weren’t going to jail (because of COVID-19). The picture was scary. We arrested him.”
“Even if it wasn’t COVID-19, possession of a machete isn’t a crime,” Hansen explained. “You have to brandish or assault someone with it. It was a misleading story that got everyone worked up. That’s why I got on it, this morning. I got messages out to the city council. We put it out on our Facebook page.”
“The county chiefs talked to the sheriff, today and we talked about these kinds of cases,” he shared. “The sheriff is very supportive of the chiefs, as is the DA. We’ll get it sent to the DA. We have to meet certain elements of crime in order to arrest and charge someone. We didn’t recover a machete. We don’t know if he wasn’t using it to pry off something. He stole some stuff. It looks like a machete. He didn’t threaten anyone. He did scare some people. I would have been scared, too if he came to my house.”
Asked if the case was sent over to the DA’s office, Hansen replied, “not today, but it will go over with the misdemeanors. I’m hoping with the information that I released, today that it didn’t take 15 minutes to get there, it took five minutes, then it took a minute and 30 seconds to get there (the second time), it will help alleviate some concern in the community.”
The post on the Brentwood Police Department’s Facebook page reads as follows:
“We are receiving a lot of feedback about a story on social media and the local news that has raised concerns with some in the community. And, that response is understandable given the partial information that has been reported.
The story involved a suspect, holding a machete, who was on the front porch of a Brentwood home, who vandalized the property, and ultimately was arrested and cited by our officers for a misdemeanor and not taken to county jail.
But, there is a key element missing from this story.
As far as our officers were concerned when they responded that morning, there was no machete. Nor was there any reason to think a machete was part of this incident. The homeowner did not report that the man had a machete. The photos from the video surveillance the homeowner provided did not show the suspect holding a machete. When officers found the suspect, he wasn’t holding a machete.
The photos attached to this post are the images the officers saw that morning.
It was only on the NEXT DAY that we were provided a new portion of the video by the homeowner showing the suspect holding a machete.
It was clearly a traumatic night for the homeowner and his family. Often times, in situations like this, important information does not come out immediately and, given the dramatic nature of these events, that’s not unreasonable.
At the time, what our officers were confronted with was a suspect that had knocked on the homeowner’s door shortly after 2 AM, was seen on-camera wearing a mask and looking into cars, he slashed a car tire, and had damaged and removed two security cameras.
Officers responded within five minutes but the suspect was not there. He did return to the home at around 4 AM, and this time our officers, responded in one minute and found the suspect near the home.
All of the stolen items, which were returned to the homeowner, were valued at $300. Under state law this is petty theft, a misdemeanor. He was arrested but released with a notice to appear in court. This is how petty theft and vandalism investigations are currently handled.
If the officers had information at the time about a machete, it could have altered the outcome of the investigation and arrest. This new evidence will be delivered to the District Attorney’s Office for further consideration of additional charges.
In addition, we are working under this new directive provided by Sheriff Livingston to all Contra Costa Police Agencies:
‘The highest risk of exposure and spread of the virus will come from arrestees brought into the facility. Therefore, the Office of the Sheriff will only be accepting arrestees charged with felony on-view crimes and warrants, domestic violence related misdemeanors, and restraining order violations. We ask all arresting agencies make reasonable efforts to limit the number of transports to the Martinez Detention Facility by exercising authority to cite release in the field in lieu of transporting and booking. If exceptions to this policy become necessary, please have your on-duty supervisor or watch commander contact the jail supervisor or sheriff’s office watch commander to discuss.’
We have received several questions as to how we would allow an armed person with a machete get away.
We hope this provides an understanding of what we did, and why, given the information we had at the time.
Sometimes the law can be very frustrating and confusing, but know that we will always do our utmost to provide our community with the best service possible.”
Apse responded to the post by the Brentwood Police in a post on his own Facebook page, Thursday evening, writing:
“After the officers left (that would be approximately between 4:30-5am) I took time to review my video footage. That was when I saw the suspect holding the machete and was attempting to get inside the house. (Banging on the door). Right after this, I downloaded the video footage, and sent it via text message right away to the responding officer. I sent the message exactly at 6:48 am. She did not respond to me. This is not the NEXT DAY.
This was just a couple of hours after the incident. I even called her once around 10am, she did not respond. So, I called BPD exactly at 10:15am. I was told that the only person who can help was the responding officer herself. So, whoever answered the phone transfered [sic] me to the responding officers voice mail. Around 6:45pm, she was calling me and left a voice message stating that she received the video I sent earlier that day.
So, that means, she acknowledged that I informed her about the machete, on the same day. Eventually, late that evening, I was able to talk on the phone with the responding officer and she said she will add the machete incident to the case.”
Reached for comment about the incident on Wednesday night, Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor said he would call the police chief Thursday morning, and Councilwoman Claudette Staton said she would call District Attorney Diana Becton on Thursday, as well.
“The Chief of Police got right on it,” Taylor said on Thursday. “He heard from the city manager. He covered every detail of what we were upset about. He did a recap of what happened, and he took action where it was appropriate” and now the case is going to be sent to the DA’s office.
“There’s even more to the story. The Sheriff’s Office wouldn’t take him,” Taylor added. “And they’re letting out the criminals. I don’t want them to catch the virus. But, meanwhile I’m in an 8 by 12 cell, myself.”
“I put a call into District Attorney Diana Becton, today,” said Councilwoman Staton. “DA Becton told me she’s aware of the incident but that it will have to be brought to her for her to consider it. It hasn’t been brought to the DA’s office, yet.”
Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs for the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff was asked Wednesday night if Sheriff David Livingston would make an exception in this case and put the man in jail.
He responded Thursday evening, “I have not heard back from him, yet.”
However, Livingston can’t make a decision until the case has been sent to the DA’s office and they decide to file charges against Ortega. Then the sheriff can decide if he will make an exception to the COVID-19 situation and put the suspect in jail.
Read MoreBy Allen Payton
As of Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is reporting a total of 631 cases of COVID-19/coronavirus, and a total of 16 deaths in the county on their dashboard. There are 37 people diagnosed with the virus currently hospitalized.
There were 41 new cases reported on Monday, 16 more on Tuesday and 18 more cases reported on Wednesday.
Of those who have tested positive in the county, the cities or communities with the most cases are as follows: Richmond has 66 cases, Concord has 60, Pittsburg has 49, Antioch has 46 cases, Brentwood has 40, Walnut Creek has 37, Orinda has 36 cases, Pleasant Hill has 32, Bay Point and San Pablo each have 31 cases, San Ramon has 27, Oakley has 25 cases, followed by Danville with 22.
A total of 8,282 people have been tested for the virus in the county.
The county’s coronavirus dashboard is now offering hospital information. It shows the daily Intensive Care Unit Occupancy Rate and Ventilator Utilization for all hospitals in the county.
The largest category of those who have been diagnosed with the virus continue to be people ages 41-60 with 227 cases, 188 cases for those age 21-40, 144 cases among those age 61-80, another 47 cases of those age 81-100 and 24 cases of those age 20 and under.
To see the all the statistics provided by CCHS, click here.
Read MoreBy Kim McCarl, Assistant to the Director, Communications, Contra Costa Health Services
Contra Costa County and several of its cities are working to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in local homeless encampments by placing handwashing stations and portable toilets near them.
Four handwashing stations and four portable toilets with attached handwashing stations were placed at Martinez’s Waterfront Amphitheater on Tuesday, the first of several sanitation equipment deliveries planned in coming days.
The stations were ordered through the Contra Costa County Emergency Operations Center in support of local cities that requested the assistance, including Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek.
“We must work proactively with our homeless population to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to save lives,” said Candace Andersen, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “People who lack housing are particularly vulnerable. Without running water, it is very difficult to wash your hands and practice the hygiene needed to reduce your risk of infection.”
City governments in Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek are now determining where to place as many as 10 handwashing or portable toilet stations each, based on locations frequented by residents in their communities who are experiencing homelessness.
“During this challenging time, we need to support each other. We have been working closely with all cities in Contra Costa to ensure they have what they need to meet the most pressing response needs at the local level,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes Martinez.
Nearly 2,300 people need housing on any given night in Contra Costa, according to the most recent data available through the county’s annual homeless point-in-time count.
“Assisting people who need housing during this challenging time helps everyone,” Martinez City Councilmember Noralea Gipner said. “To flatten the curve and keep our healthcare system ready to respond, we need to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to the most vulnerable people in our community.”
CORE outreach teams from Contra Costa Health Services’ Division of Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3) have been delivering sanitation supplies, such as hand sanitizer, to people living outdoors for several weeks to help improve sanitation at area homeless encampments.
H3 has also coordinating closely with county homeless service providers to identify clients who are at elevated risk due to age or health and place them in hotel rooms, and to temporarily transfer occupants of crowded shelters to hotels to better maintain physical distancing.
Through California’s Project Roomkey, H3 has secured 450 hotel rooms in the county for temporary use by homeless residents. As of Tuesday, no COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported at homeless shelters or service providers in Contra Costa County.
Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the order or for more information about COVID-19.
Read MoreContra Costa County residential and commercial tenants clobbered from COVID-19 financial impacts might be on the receiving end of some monetary relief as county supervisors requested Assistant County Counsel Mary Ann Mason on Tuesday to draft an emergency ordinance that could deliver rent and eviction moratoria.
Supervisors will meet at a special Tuesday, April 21 afternoon meeting to potentially act on a countywide rent control and eviction moratorium ordinance modeled after one the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors adopted recently.
About 70 persons submitted written comments asking supervisors meeting remotely via teleconference to adopt a moratoria ordinance. Each comment was read into the record.
Amelia Hernandez, a single mother who rents a room in a San Pablo house, requested that supervisors adopt a moratoria ordinance in order to “protect all tenants like her who has seen her work cut to 3 days a week.”
Mark Mahone told supervisors “the best solution is a countywide solution” citing that only a few Contra Costa cities have addressed moratoria on evictions and rent. Those cities are Antioch, Concord, Richmond, and Pittsburg.
District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, who two weeks ago initiated the request to have the board adopt a moratoria ordinance, recommended the Santa Clara County ordinance because it also best addresses the needs of citizens and property owners in Contra Costa County.
In a comment on Facebook, during the meeting, explaining his support for the moratorium, Gioia wrote “What I said and the majority of the Board agreed was that only during this health emergency, an owner cannot evict a tenant who is paying their rent just so the owner can leave the unit vacant. Think about that – you want a tenant who is paying rent evicted during this crisis and leave the unit unoccupied? I stand by my and the Board majority’s decision! The owner can evict if the owner and immediate family wants to move back in or for a health and safety reason”
The Santa Clara County moratoria on evictions applies countywide. Residential evictions are prohibited if due to nonpayment of rent caused by COVID-19 until May 31, 2020 unless extended. Small business evictions are prohibited only if due to nonpayment of rent caused by COVID-19 Until May 31, 2020. The Santa Clara ordinance includes a 120-day grace period from the expiration of the ordinance. The ordinance bans “no fault” evictions. The Santa Clara ordinance does not have a rent freeze provision, except for Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act exemption cases.
Supervisors said cities like Antioch, Concord, Richmond and Pittsburg that already have rent and eviction moratoria in place will have those moratoria honored if and when a county ordinance that is adopted.
“Ordinarily I’m not in favor of moratoria,” said board chair Candace Andersen of Danville. “but I realize we have a high number of unemployed. I know we need to find ways to help people reenter the economy.”
“I feel this should be countywide for cities that don’t have ordinances in place,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg. “I am also concerned what will happen when this moratoria ordinance is lifted.”
In the meantime, Contra Costa County Health Director Anna Roth reported since the supervisors last met two weeks ago, the number of persons stricken with COVID-19 symptoms has risen from 187 cases to 552 cases and the number of deaths has quadrupled from 3 to 12 deaths.
County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said the county along with efforts of John Muir and Kaiser Permanente have stepped up training at county nursing home facilities to combat the spread of COVID-19 infections among the population’s most vulnerable, senior citizens.
In addition, the county health officials have begun to move the homeless into 300 hotel rooms that the county has bought mostly in the Richmond area, Dr. Farnitano reported.
Approve Executive Order to Conduct November Election by Mail
Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution presented by County Clerk-Recorder Deborah Cooper to conduct the November election only by mail. The board resolution in coordination with other counties will request Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue an Executive Order directing that the November 2020 election be conducted by mail.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency will be in place for an indefinite period, County Clerk-Recorder Cooper said the county would best serve the voting needs of its citizens and save the county thousands of dollars.
“Eliminating polling places, poll workers and their training, election day ballots, and voting supplies would provide significant costs savings in the vicinity of $320,000,” Cooper wrote in her letter to supervisors. “Increased vote-by-mail costs, including postage, and processing time, are estimated to be $360,000.”
Cooper wrote: “Many of our polling places and volunteers have indicated that they will not serve in November due to the virus and the state of emergency. On March 3, 2020, over 200 volunteers failed to show up to work at the polls. Experts indicate that it is likely that the virus will remain active or re-emerge this fall during the election season posing a persistent risk to citizens.”
“Our request is that the Board, possibly in coordination with other counties, pass a resolution requesting the Governor to issue an Executive Order substantively the same as the March 20, 2020 order directing the election to be conducted by mail, “wrote Cooper.
So Far, No Deaths in County Jails
Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston reported that since the board of supervisors passed a state of emergency on March 17, there has not been one reported COVID-19 related death in county jails.
“Eighty-nine percent of the prisoners are in single cells to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the sheriff said.
Among those being held for serious offenses are murder, 164; children underage, 98; rape, 22; robbery, 108; burglary, 101; and deadly weapon, 186, the sheriff reported.
Read MoreThe Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are providing special tax filing and payment relief to individuals and businesses in response to the COVID-19 Outbreak. The filing deadline for tax returns has been extended from April 15 to July 15, 2020. The IRS urges taxpayers who are owed a refund to file as quickly as possible. For those who can’t file by the July 15, 2020 deadline, the IRS reminds individual taxpayers that everyone is eligible to request an extension to file their return.
This filing and payment relief includes:
The 2019 income tax filing and payment deadlines for all taxpayers who file and pay their Federal income taxes on April 15, 2020, are automatically extended until July 15, 2020. This relief applies to all individual returns, trusts, and corporations. This relief is automatic, taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify.
This relief also includes estimated tax payments for tax year 2020 that are due on April 15, 2020.
Penalties and interest will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of July 16, 2020. You will automatically avoid interest and penalties on the taxes paid by July 15.
Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline can request a filing extension by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov. Businesses who need additional time must file Form 7004.
State tax returns
This relief only applies to federal income returns and tax (including tax on self-employment income) payments otherwise due April 15, 2020, not state tax payments or deposits or payments of any other type of federal tax. Taxpayers also will need to file income tax returns in 42 states plus the District of Columbia. State filing and payment deadlines vary and are not always the same as the federal filing deadline. The IRS urges taxpayers to check with their state tax agencies for those details. More information is available at https://www.taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies.
Read More
By Brentwood Police Department
On April 13, 2020 at 10:21 PM, Brentwood Police officers were dispatched to the area of Balfour Road at Griffith Lane for a report of gunshots being heard in the area. Upon arriving, officers located a 56-year-old white male from Brentwood in the area suffering from multiple gunshot wounds that had been fired into his vehicle.
The victim was able to drive to his residence where he called for help. According to East Contra Costa Fire Battalion Chief Craig Azune, he had a gunshot wound to the head. He was flown to a local hospital where he is in critical but stable condition at this time. The victim is expected to survive.
The suspect vehicle was described as a dark 4-door sedan.
This case is currently under investigation. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call Brentwood PD Detective Joe Nunemaker at 925-809-7761 and can remain anonymous.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA
No. HO-COVID19-07
SUSPENDING INTAKES AT HOMELESS SHELTERS
SOCIAL DISTANCING AT HOMELESS SHELTERS
DATE OF ORDER: April 14, 2020 Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code, § 120295.)
SUMMARY OF THE ORDER California is in a State of Emergency because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is a substantial danger to the health of the public within the County of Contra Costa (“County”). COVID-19 can easily spread between people who are in close contact with one another. This Order is issued based on scientific evidence and best practices as currently known and available to protect vulnerable members of the public from avoidable risk of serious illness or death resulting from exposure to COVID-19. The age, condition, and health of a significant portion of the population of the County place it at risk for serious health complications, including death, from COVID-19. There is growing evidence of transmission risk from infected persons before the onset of symptoms. Thus, all individuals who contract COVID-19, regardless of their level of symptoms (none, mild or severe), may place other vulnerable members of the public at significant risk. Currently, there is no vaccine available to protect against COVID-19 and no specific treatment. The Health Officer of the County of Contra Costa has determined that there is an increased risk of COVID-19 among persons living in large homeless shelters, and that the shelters must be depopulated temporarily to help slow COVID-19’s spread and prevent the healthcare system in the County from being overwhelmed. On April 14, 2020, the depopulation of Bay Area Rescue Mission located at 200 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond CA 94801 (“the Shelter”), will commence.
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF SECTIONS 101040 AND 120175 OF THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:
- Commencing on April 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m., the owner and operator of the Shelter (collectively “Shelter Operator”) and all staff members and volunteers who work in the Shelter shall suspend the intake of persons to reside at the Shelter, including but not limited to accepting applications, conducting interviews and background checks, or otherwise authorizing any person to stay overnight at the Shelter if the person is not a resident of the Shelter as of the time and date set forth above.
- To the extent that the Shelter Operator currently provides or arranges for services to be provided to residents of the Shelter or other homeless persons, other than providing space for overnight stays, those services may continue to be offered, but only on the condition that all participants practice social distancing as set forth in Paragraph 3.
- All residents of and other persons who enter the Shelter shall practice social distancing by remaining at least 6 feet away from all other persons while in the Shelter.
- This Order shall become effective at 2:00 p.m. on April 14, 2020 and will continue to be in effect until it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer.
- Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at the Office of the Director of Contra Costa Health Services, 1220 Morello Avenue, Suite 200, Martinez, CA 94553; (2) posted on the Contra Costa Health Services website (https://www.cchealth.org); and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy.
- If any provision of this Order or its application to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, then the reminder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.
- Questions or comments regarding this Order may be directed to Contra Costa Health Services at (844) 729-8410.
IT IS SO ORDERED:
Chris Farnitano, M.D. Health Officer of the County of Contra Costa Dated: April 14, 2020
Read MoreSACRAMENTO (April 14, 2020) – Governor Gavin Newsom today unveiled six key indicators that will guide California’s thinking for when and how to modify the stay-at-home and other orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. (View presentation here)
The Governor noted that the progress in flattening the curve, increased preparedness of our health care delivery system and the effects of other COVID-19 interventions have yielded positive results. However, these actions have also impacted the economy, poverty and overall health care in California. Any consideration of modifying the stay-at-home order must be done using a gradual, science-based and data-driven framework.
“While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order,” said Governor Newsom. “As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before.”
Until we build immunity, our actions will be aligned to achieve the following:
- Ensure our ability to care for the sick within our hospitals;
- Prevent infection in people who are at high risk for severe disease;
- Build the capacity to protect the health and well-being of the public; and
- Reduce social, emotional and economic disruptions
California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
- The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
- The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
- The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
- The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
- The ability for businesses, schools, and childcare facilities to support physical distancing; and
- The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.
The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision.
He also noted that things will look different as California makes modifications. For example, restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured.
For more information on California’s response, visit covid19.ca.gov.
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