Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff are looking for 22-year-old Antonio Morales of Oakley in connection to an attempted homicide incident in Byron.
At about 2:04 AM on September 2, 2017, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of a shooting on the 3000 block of Taylor Road in Bryon. Callers also reported an unknown suspect speeding through a parking lot with his vehicle aimed toward a group of people. Initial reports indicated the vehicle, a Nissan Maxima, struck numerous people, shots had been fired and several people were injured.
The suspect vehicle fled the scene. Two people were hit by the car. They were treated and released from the hospital. Detectives later identified Morales, the driver, as the suspect. There is a warrant for his arrest for two counts of attempted murder.
Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Morales or on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip line at (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.
Read MoreEmerging drone technology moves construction and engineering into the future
On Tuesday morning, September 12, 2017, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and Alta Vista Solutions showcased two emerging technologies on a construction project aimed to improve commutes on Highway 4 in Brentwood (aka the Bypass). Engineers piloted drones equipped with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) lasers–a surveying tool that uses a laser to create high-resolution geographical data.
The combination of the two emerging technologies has never been done in construction before and opens untold possibilities for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and related jobs in the future. CCTA featured the system in action by providing a live feed of a drone flight. The feed from this morning’s drone flight can be viewed at altavistasolutions.com/media – bar .
With assistance from engineering firm Alta Vista Solutions (Alta Vista), who proposed the new method, CCTA is flying the LiDAR scanners to measure the volumes of earth that need to be moved during this $74-million project to rework the Balfour Road interchange. The drones ensure that the cut-and-fill earthwork goes efficiently. With LiDAR’s pinpoint accuracy, CCTA can now make needed calculations and monitor site conditions faster, eliminating the unavoidable guesswork involved in manual surveys. Putting LiDAR on drones gathers 15 gigabytes of precise, high-quality data per month, cutting down drastically on time spent surveying. The drones also improve safety by taking workers out of live traffic.
Drone capabilities enable CCTA to track construction progress firsthand as work on Highway 4 continues.
“We are always looking for new ways to increase safety and efficiency on construction projects,” said CCTA Executive Director Randy Iwasaki. “Drones give us aerial views of the site that were hard to come by before, making it safer for surveyors to do their job and helping us manage the large volumes of dirt that are being used to improve this intersection. This technology also allows us to monitor environmentally sensitive areas without disturbing the habitat.”
“This will change engineering and surveying,” said Ed Greutert, principal engineer at Alta Vista Solutions. “Innovations like combining LiDAR and UAVs are opening doors in infrastructure and making us efficient, effective, and safe in ways we couldn’t achieve before.”
Greutert also addresses fears of job loss as automation increases. “Using technology to do the surveying work can lead people to ask if this is the next step to the robot apocalypse – are drones going to take our jobs?” he speculates. “Not quite. It’s going to change jobs. It’s going to create new jobs in technology—and in the Balfour Road case, help people get to work faster.”
CCTA has faced challenges in being the first to test these technologies together.
“This has never been done. LiDAR on a UAV hasn’t worked until now – there are huge possibilities if we can be creative enough to really tap into them,” Greutert noted.
Handling the unprecedented quantity of data generated has also posed a challenge. However, in recent months, the team has succeeded in processing the hundreds of gigabytes collected.
“There are always challenges to pioneering new technology,” Iwasaki said. “But with the benefits this technology can provide in terms of keeping workers safe and managing a complicated construction project, I believe we’ll start to see more widespread use of drones on construction sites within a few years – especially as we discover new applications that can help save time and money. Right now, CCTA is excited to be leading efforts in this new frontier.”
About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.
About Alta Vista Solutions
Alta Vista is a California-based engineering firm that has been recognized as the 20th fastest-growing engineering firm in America by Inc. 5000 and was named by Zweig Group as one of America’s Hot Firms. Alta Vista has quickly differentiated itself by performing customized quality management strategies for some of the most complex infrastructure projects in the world. Over the past decade, Alta Vista has worked with public and private organizations to complete large-scale engineering projects that better serve their regions. Known for engineering services that include engineering, inspection, testing, unmanned aerial systems, quality management, and structural health monitoring, Alta Vista has grown and diversified and has been acknowledged in 2017 by ENR Magazine and other media outlets for using innovative solutions and technologies to deliver infrastructure projects faster, better and more cost effectively. For more information about Alta Vista, visit altavistasolutions.com.
Read MoreNearly one million people across the country to face deportation unless Congress acts
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the Trump Administration announced the end of DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This compassionate program allowed undocumented children and youth brought to America the opportunity to pursue the American Dream. These strivers are our friends, classmates, coworkers and community members who don’t have any other place they call home.
“We must fight to preserve and expand the American Dream,” said Jonathan Bash, President of the Contra Costa Young Democrats. “DACA has provided an opportunity for nearly one million children across the country to come out of the shadows and participate fully and freely in American society. To see their legal status ripped away is heartbreaking.
“We urge the Republican-led Congress to pass permanent legislation that will rescind this cruel decision by Donald Trump. We also call on all California state and local officials to announce their support for Dreamers, and resist any efforts by the federal government to target our law-abiding immigrant population.”
The DACA program was never presented as a permanent solution, but it was a way to protect deserving residents who have not called any other nation their home. Local Democrats, including the Contra Costa Young Democrats, believe that this move is a senselessly destructive action delivered by a xenophobic and divisive president who should have instead demonstrated care and compassion.
“Immigrants are America’s past, present and future. We cannot let fear and prejudice become the law of the land. The Contra Costa Young Democrats stand with our immigrant brothers and sisters, and will continue fighting on their behalf.”
Read MoreThree County Supervisors prefered retired Judge Diana Becton as Interim Contra Costa District Attorney over Supervising Deputy DA Paul Graves. Supervisors Gioia, Burgis and Glover favored Becton, while Andersen and Mitchoff favored Graves.
The 33rd Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, the state’s largest volunteer event, is going to take place this Saturday, September 16, 2017 from 9 AM to Noon.
On Friday, Sept. 15 in Antioch will be the 4th Annual Coastal Cleanup Kayak Day. (Click here for details). Then on Saturday in Richmond another kayak cleanup will take place at Shimada Friendship Park. (See below)
The event is expected to draw more than 70,000 volunteers who will combat marine debris at over 800 locations throughout the state by removing the trash that has accumulated on California’s beaches and inland shorelines over the past year.
There are multiple locations throughout Contra Costa County where you can volunteer. Click on the name, below of the one you’re interested in to go to the information page for that location:
Marsh Creek Watershed, East County
Garrity Creek at Hilltop, Richmond
Antioch – 3 locations to choose from. Details here.
Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Richmond
Richmond Greenway at Carlson Avenue
Richmond Greenway Rain Garden & Bioswale
Shimada Friendship Park, Richmond
Shimada Friendship Park-Kayak cleanup
Wildcat Creek at Verde Elementary School, Richmond
Wildcat Creek Staging Area, North Richmond
Read MoreComment Period Runs from September 1 – 15, 2017
Your input is welcomed as Contra Costa County and our regional planning partners have now completed a draft update to the County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. In November 2016, a coalition of Contra Costa County cities and special districts embarked on a planning process to prepare for, and lessen the impacts of, specified natural hazards by updating the County’s Plan. Responding to federal mandates in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), the partnership was formed to pool resources and to create a uniform hazard mitigation strategy that can be consistently applied to the defined planning area and used to ensure eligibility for specified grant funding success.
The County and regional planning partners invite residents and other stakeholders to review and comment on the recently completed draft update. The 14-day public review period of the Draft Plan began on September 1st and ends on September 15th, at 5:00 p.m. You can attend one of the public meeting below to hear a brief presentation regarding the Draft Plan; you can also offer public comment at the meeting:
September 12, 2017 4:00 PM 7:00 PM
San Ramon City Hall, 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA 94583
Members of the Public can also provide written comments of the draft plan via the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan website, which can be found at: http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/6415/Local-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan. The Plan contains two volumes:
- Volume 1 contains components that apply to all partners and the broader planning area.
- Volume 2 contains all components that are jurisdiction-specific. Each planning partner has a dedicated annex in Volume 2.
Please direct your comments and questions on the HMP to Rob Flaner, Tetra Tech, Inc. at: rob.flaner@tetratech.com<mailto:rob.flaner@tetratech.com>, or (208)939-4391.
Read MoreDeadline for applications is Monday, Sept. 18
Do you know a local non-profit in need of funding? Tell them about the 2017 Dow Community Advisory Panel (CAP) Grant. We invite eligible organizations in East Contra Costa County to submit grant proposals for projects supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and contribute to improving our community and environment.
Last year, the Dow Community Grant helped our friends at Discovery Bay Odyssey of the Mind prepare for their trip to the Odyssey of the Mind Eurofest competition in Minks, Belarus. The teams, consisting of 8th graders from Excelsior Middle and 5th graders from Discovery Bay Elementary, took home 1st and 2nd place trophies from the GLOBAL competition.
We continue to support STEM/STEAM organizations this year with our 2017 CAP Grant. Apply today. Deadline to apply is September 18.
Don’t …miss out on this opportunity to do great things for your organization. #STEM #STEAM #Grant #ContraCostaCounty
For questions, contact Taylor Gonzalez at tgonzalez2@dow.com. More info: http://www.dow.com/pittsburg/community/cap/ Apply here: http://www.cybergrants.com/dow/applications/open
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