The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. At the presentation were from left, Chairperson John Gioia of Richmond, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, Visit Concord Marketing Specialist Shelley Mitchell, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Visit Concord Market & Outreach Shelbi Walker, Vice Chairperson Candace Andersen of Danville and Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.
Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival; Sheriff opposes oversight bill
By Daniel Borsuk
A mission undertaken by two Tice Valley Boulevard residents to sway the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to overturn a county planning commission land use permit approved to convert an existing elderly care facility into a psychiatric care facility backfired when the supervisors voted 5-0 to support the $2.5 million development on Tuesday.
About a dozen people spoke in favor of the project while two petitioners were against the development. Another Tice Valley resident, Penny Mahoney, opposed the project on grounds the development won’t care for patient’s older than 60 years old because the proposed National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation facility planned by Dr. Gregory Braverman will administer psychotropic drugs that can only be administered to patients ages 18 to 60 years old.
“This project morphed into something different,” said Mahoney.
Tice Valley Boulevard property owners Amy Majors, who was represented by land use attorney Terry Mollica, and neighbor Linda Uhrenholt appealed a planning commission’s decision supporting the developer Braverman and his National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Services (NPCRS) plans to build a 12-bed facility at 2181 Tice Valley Blvd. in unincorporated Walnut Creek that had previously served as an elder care facility for eight residents. .
The new state licensed facility planned for Tice Valley Boulevard would specialize in providing 24-hour care for adult patients referred by Kaiser Permanente for stays on average lasting 18 days even though opponent Uhrenholt contended the developer’s letter of intent states “under no circumstances may a client’s length of stay exceed 3 months.”
Uhrenholt also cited “poor” Tice Valley area cellular connectivity presents potential emergency response problems and patient privacy violations.
Psychiatric disorders that will be treated at the Tice Boulevard facility will include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“I just wanted them (County Planning Commissioners) to be on a level playing field,” appellant Majors told the Contra Costa Herald. Majors, the parent of a mentally disabled adult daughter, contends during the county planning commission process, commissioners, not the planning staff, did not give her and her fellow appellant, Uhrenholt, a fair hearing. “We were not given due process,” she contends.
Majors asserts political factors swayed the Planning Commission’s action.
Real estate attorney Mollica said it is too early to say whether his client will take any legal action against the county. The lawyer said the project is beginning to negatively impact home real estate sales in the area with some home prices recently dropping about $25,000 per transaction, a claim that District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville disputed.
“Property values have not been impacted,” Andersen said. The supervisor also said prices of three homes in the Tice Valley Boulevard area have risen, recently. Additionally, the board vice chairperson supported the NPCRS development saying, “We need to demystify mental illness. I have family members with mental illness. I am for more mental health care facilities like this in the county.”
Rosemary Friedman, the mother of a bipolar daughter who stays at the University of California Davis, supports the NPCRS project because it would mean her daughter could be treated closer to home. “I want to let you know how badly we need this social rehabilitation facility in Contra Costa County,” she said.
Walnut Creek attorney Daniel Roemer said he supports the project because of his increased concerns about the shortage of mental health services and “I want to live in a community that takes care of itself.”
“These types of facilities are desperately needed in Contra Costa County,” said county mental health commissioner Douglas Dunn of Antioch.
“This is one type of facility that we don’t have in our county where people have to go out of county,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg. “Our families need these facilities so that they can be near their family members. This is something I would encourage more of in Contra Costa.”
Sheriff Livingston Opposes Sheriff Office Oversight Bill
At a rare public appearance before the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston said he opposes state legislation, Assembly Bill 1185, that is sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for potential ratification or veto. The sheriff believes the governor will veto the bill.
During the hearing, supervisors and the sheriff listened to a number of speakers support state Assemblyman Kevin McCarty’s (Dem-Sacramento) bill, AB 1185. The supervisors’ hearing was held to comply with state law, the 2016 Truth Act signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown that lays out the rules whereby sheriffs must comply when dealing with persons in their jails and ICE agents.
Sheriff Livingston said he and sheriffs in 57 other counties in the state have gone on record opposing the AB 1185 legislation pushed by human rights organizations to hold sheriff offices more accountable.
“I am an elected official. To say we don’t have oversight is ridiculous,” Livingston told the supervisors. “We have a lot of oversight. I’m happy to have people come to the jail for visits.”
“Until this year, between 2015 and 2017 we had no deaths in the jails,” said the sheriff. “Then, in 2018 there were six deaths.”
The sheriff’s office has recently installed ligature-proof bedding in all jail cells to reduce suicides. So far, this year there has been one death by suicide and one by pulmonary failure, the sheriff reported. In 2018 there were six jail related deaths, two by suicide and four to health or medical reasons.
Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival
The Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival, begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. The inaugural event drew 17,000 fans to a park that what would be later designated as Dave Brubeck Park, in recognition of jazz great and Concord native Dave Brubeck. Over the course of the last 50 years, the Concord Jazz Festival has featured jazz greats Count Basie, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Marian McPartland, Poncho Sanchez, and Brubeck. The festival was the idea of Carl Jefferson, who in 1973 started Concord Records which for 26 years had a strong jazz history in Concord, where talented musicians recorded albums that made the billboard charts.
From August 1 through August 10, the Concord Jazz Festival will sponsor jazz related events at different venue in the city. For schedule information, go to www.concord.com. Today, on August 3, the 50th Anniversary Jazz Festival and Art & Wine Expo will be held starting at 4 p.m. at the Concord Pavilion It will feature Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns, Esperanza Spalding, Chick Corea – The Spanish Heart Band, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra featuring Patti Austin, Jamison Ross, Carmen Bradford and Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band, and many more musicians.
Read More
Petty Officer 3rd Class Aries Socrates. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Finley.
By Lt. Courtney Prizer, Navy Office of Community Outreach
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – A 2006 Contra Costa Christian High School graduate, 2013 Diablo Valley College graduate and Concord, California, native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided-missile destroyer, USS Chung-Hoon.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Aries Socrates works as a Navy fire controlman AEGIS aboard the forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer operating out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
Socrates credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Concord.
“My hometown taught me the value of hard work and patience,” said Socrates, “Also, that the same day you plant the seed is not the same day that you will eat the fruit.”
Chung-Hoon measures approximately 500 feet and is powered by four gas turbines that allow the destroyer to achieve more than 30 mph in open seas.
Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the ship’s company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. The jobs range from maintaining engines and handling weaponry to washing dishes and preparing meals.
As a Navy fire controlman AEGIS, Socrates is responsible for the computers and servers that provide the ship’s overall navigation and combat picture.
According to Navy officials, destroyers are tactical multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, as well as humanitarian assistance. Fast, maneuverable, and technically advanced, destroyers provide the required war-fighting expertise and operational flexibility to execute any tasking overseas.
Being stationed in Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means Socrates is serving in a part of the world taking on a new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Socrates is most proud of graduating from boot camp and technical school and now serving on a ship stationed in Hawaii.
“Dedication and persistence to my personal goals and family helped to push me through to reach where I am now,” said Socrates.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Socrates and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving the Navy means working on and reflecting on myself and my goals,” added Socrates. “Through various obstacles presented on the job, I am constantly being tested, allowing me to build myself up in some way. I have been growing in patience, resilience, and physical strength, as well as taking more initiative.”
Read More
Assemblyman Jim Frazier
SACRAMENTO – Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1019 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) that would add two additional seats to a statewide advisory committee on apprenticeships and had overwhelming and bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.
AB 1019 would add both the Director of Rehabilitation and the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships (IACA). This move would be to specifically address job and apprenticeship rates for Californians living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) by the creation of a subcommittee with that exact purpose.
“Since 2013, California has had an employment first policy for the IDD community,” Assemblymember Frazier said. “Yet California has seen minimal growth in the employment rate for persons living with disabilities despite continued economic growth since the great recession.”
The American Community Survey reports that in 2017, the employment rate of working age people living with a disability (ages 21 to 64) in California was 36.9 percent compared to the percentage of working age people without a disability which was 77.3, a stark difference of 40.5 percent. Additional data from 2017 shows that 23.1 percent of working age people living with a disability on California are living in poverty.
Read More
By Paul Burgarino, Community Education and Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department
Forget having to make multiple stops to government offices to take care of that “to do” list. We’ve got you covered with a Summer Block Party.
Contra Costa County, the County’s Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) and the City of Richmond are collaborating to provide a fun, festive event that offers a wide variety of on-the-spot government services at one single location.
The County’s 3rd Annual “Summer Block Party” will be held on Thursday, August 15, 2019 from 5:00 to 7:30 pm at Civic Center Plaza, 440 Civic Center Drive, Richmond.
“This is an opportunity for any Contra Costa County resident to come learn about services and to take care of business you might have,” said Board Chair, Supervisor John Gioia. “Staff will be ready to help you.”
“It’s exciting to bring all of our different services together to benefit the community, at a time and place more convenient to their busy schedules,” Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department Director Kathy Gallagher said. “Our goal is to make it not only convenient, but fun.”
Richmond Mayor Tom Butt added, “So many of our local service needs are provided through the County in partnership with City government, and this event will give Richmond residents a great chance to discover those resources and programs that they can use. I hope the community will take advantage of this opportunity to get connected with their public services.”
This is the third consecutive year that Contra Costa County has hosted the increasingly popular event. The “Summer Block Party” rotates locations each year to provide opportunities to engage with us in each geographic area of the County.
Available services at the Summer Block Party event will include, but are not limited to:
Animal licensing
Vouchers for pet vaccinations
Marriage licenses
Copies of vital records
Library card signups
Job training opportunities and information
Signups for free benefits, such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal
Foster parent applications
Signups for Veterans’ benefits
Voter Registration
Child ID kits
Information about Contra Costa County’s Clean Slate program
Energy efficiency rebates
Contra Costa Television (CCTV) — and many more County programs.
For more information, please call the County’s Employment and Human Services Department at 925-608-4808 or visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/7625. Free parking will be available around the Civic Center Plaza in Richmond.
Read More
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announces that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the November 3, 2018 death of 33-year-old Laudemer Atienza Arboleda of Newark. The majority finding of the jury is that the death was at the hands of another person, other than by accident. (See related articles, here and here)
The Coroner’s Jury reached the verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer Matthew Guichard.
A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident, suicide, natural causes, or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.
Read More
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Office, Contra Costa District Attorney
Earlier this month, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged defendant Simon Chavez, a 64-year-old resident of Antioch, California and his son Simon Magana Chavez, 31-year-old resident of Atwater, California for the sexual abuse of multiple children and unlawfully having sex with a minor.
The elder Chavez was a foster father at his home in Antioch with Contra Costa County’s Children and Family Services. Overall, he fostered young children under his care for at least 18 years.
Simon Chavez entered a not guilty plea to the 63 felonies on July 16 in the Pittsburg Superior Court before the Honorable Leonard Marquez. Chavez is in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility and his bail is $31.5 million.
Chavez’s son, Simon Magana Chavez was arraigned this past Friday in the Pittsburg Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to the complaint. The younger Chavez is charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors related for crimes against two children, including lewd acts against a child and unlawful sex. As recently as 2018, Simon Magana Chavez was a correctional officer with the state of California. The bail for Simon Magana Chavez is $1.23 million.
Both cases are assigned to Deputy District Attorney Diana Weiss with our Office’s Sexual Assault Unit.
Our Office does not release how a victim may know a defendant in a sexual assault case as well as the age or name of a victim to protect their confidentiality.
The investigation is ongoing and active. Members of the public with information about the case should call Antioch Police Detective Kelly Inabnett at 925-779-6932.
Case information: People v. Simon Chavez, Docket Number 04-197245-4; People v. Simon Magana Chavez, Docket Number 04-197264-5.
Read MoreSuspects from Antioch, Bay Point
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Two suspects involved in a homicide and assault with a deadly weapon case in Bay Point that occurred on Thursday, July 18, 2019 have been formally charged with murder by the Contra Costa D.A.’s Office. Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division presented their case to the D.A.’s Office on Thursday, July 25, 2019.
Both suspects remain in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. 20-year-old Abel Garcia of Antioch, who was arrested on July 18, 2019, is held being held on murder, conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon, and robbery charges. 24-year-old Erick Ruiz of Bay Point was arrested Friday, July 19, 2019. He is being held on the same charges. Both are being held without bail.
On Thursday, July 18, 2019, at about 9:09 PM, Muir Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance in the area of Riverside Drive and Mariners Cove in Bay Point. The caller stated that there was a man who appeared to be beaten in the street. Deputies arrived and found an unresponsive man in front of a home on the 200 block of Riverside Drive. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. He is identified as 38-year-old Johnny Burns of Bay Point. Later at about 9:21 PM, Deputy Sheriffs responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon on the 2700 block of Willow Pass Road in Bay Point. The victim was later treated and released from a local hospital.
The suspect vehicle and suspect descriptions were broadcast to law enforcement agencies in the area. The Concord Police Department later located the vehicle. Deputies responded to that location and took custody of Abel. An arrest warrant was issued for the Ruiz, who was arrested the next day.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441 or Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read More
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) will host a town hall meeting at the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville on Thursday, August 8th at 6:30 p.m.
This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 86th town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress four years ago. During the town hall, he will provide an update on conditions at the southern border, the work the House has been doing on behalf of the American people, and Congress’s oversight of the Trump Administration.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
Danville Town Hall
Thursday, August 8, 2019
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Building
115 E. Prospect Ave, Danville, CA 94526
Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
This event is open to the public, press, and photographers.
To confirm your attendance, please RSVP online at https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. To request ADA accommodations or for more information, contact one of Congressman DeSaulnier’s offices in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read More
Vincent Timmons and Gary Dillahunty. Photos by Concord PD
By Concord Police Department
On May 12th, 2019, Concord Police Officers responded to Round 1 (185 Sun Valley Mall) for an armed robbery in progress. Two masked men forced two employees into a locked cash room at gunpoint where the employees’ hands were zip tied behind their backs and cash was stolen. One of the employees was able to free herself and called for help. Numerous officers responded, cleared the business and found the suspects had fled. It was determined the suspects gained access through a normally secured employee entrance.
Detectives from the Concord Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit began a two month investigation into this robbery. They uncovered a conspiracy involving Round 1 security guard Gary Dillahunty, who was working the night of and facilitated the robbery. Detectives also identified 37-year-old Vincent Timmons as one of the suspects who committed the robbery. Last week a search warrant was served at Timmons’ home in San Francisco. Evidence linking Timmons to the Round 1 robbery as well as an illegal assault weapon, a handgun, and a large quantity of cocaine was found. Timmons, who is on parole for kidnapping, was located at the home and arrested for robbery.
Yesterday, with the assistance of the United States Marshals, 43-year-old Dillahunty, who is on parole for assault with a deadly weapon, was located at a home in Vacaville. He was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant for the Round 1 robbery as well as a warrant for violating his parole.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged both men with multiple felonies including robbery, conspiracy, and kidnapping. They both remain in custody at the Contra Costa County Jail.
The investigation into others involved with this robbery, including the second masked suspect continues. The Concord Police Department would like to thank our partners with the San Francisco Police Department and the US Marshal’s for their assistance in bringing both of these suspects safely into custody.
The security guards working at Round 1 at the time of this robbery were employed by an outside security contractor. This information is being shared with the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, a regulator of the private security industry.
Anyone with information about this case may call the Concord Police Department Tip-line at (925) 603-5836.
Read More
Adam Renfroe. Photo courtesy of Concord PD.
By Concord Police Department
Earlier this month, Concord Police Officers responded to Motel 6 on Clayton Road for a possible shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. Information was quickly gathered, and the suspects were identified as Adam Renfroe and Robert Brown. Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit immediately obtained arrests warrants for Renfroe and Brown. (See related article.)
Yesterday morning, July 24, 2019, Adam Renfroe was arrested by US Marshals in Pierre, South Dakota on the murder warrant. Concord Detectives are in South Dakota to continue this investigation and arrange extradition to California. The second suspect, Robert Brown remains wanted in connection to this homicide. His whereabouts are unknown. No further information is available for release at this time.
Anyone with information about this case can contact Detective Giacoletto at (925) 671-3040 or the Anonymous Tip-line at (925) 603-5836.
Read More
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. At the presentation were from left, Chairperson John Gioia of Richmond, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, Visit Concord Marketing Specialist Shelley Mitchell, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Visit Concord Market & Outreach Shelbi Walker, Vice Chairperson Candace Andersen of Danville and Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.
Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival; Sheriff opposes oversight bill
By Daniel Borsuk
A mission undertaken by two Tice Valley Boulevard residents to sway the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to overturn a county planning commission land use permit approved to convert an existing elderly care facility into a psychiatric care facility backfired when the supervisors voted 5-0 to support the $2.5 million development on Tuesday.
About a dozen people spoke in favor of the project while two petitioners were against the development. Another Tice Valley resident, Penny Mahoney, opposed the project on grounds the development won’t care for patient’s older than 60 years old because the proposed National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation facility planned by Dr. Gregory Braverman will administer psychotropic drugs that can only be administered to patients ages 18 to 60 years old.
“This project morphed into something different,” said Mahoney.
Tice Valley Boulevard property owners Amy Majors, who was represented by land use attorney Terry Mollica, and neighbor Linda Uhrenholt appealed a planning commission’s decision supporting the developer Braverman and his National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Services (NPCRS) plans to build a 12-bed facility at 2181 Tice Valley Blvd. in unincorporated Walnut Creek that had previously served as an elder care facility for eight residents. .
The new state licensed facility planned for Tice Valley Boulevard would specialize in providing 24-hour care for adult patients referred by Kaiser Permanente for stays on average lasting 18 days even though opponent Uhrenholt contended the developer’s letter of intent states “under no circumstances may a client’s length of stay exceed 3 months.”
Uhrenholt also cited “poor” Tice Valley area cellular connectivity presents potential emergency response problems and patient privacy violations.
Psychiatric disorders that will be treated at the Tice Boulevard facility will include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“I just wanted them (County Planning Commissioners) to be on a level playing field,” appellant Majors told the Contra Costa Herald. Majors, the parent of a mentally disabled adult daughter, contends during the county planning commission process, commissioners, not the planning staff, did not give her and her fellow appellant, Uhrenholt, a fair hearing. “We were not given due process,” she contends.
Majors asserts political factors swayed the Planning Commission’s action.
Real estate attorney Mollica said it is too early to say whether his client will take any legal action against the county. The lawyer said the project is beginning to negatively impact home real estate sales in the area with some home prices recently dropping about $25,000 per transaction, a claim that District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville disputed.
“Property values have not been impacted,” Andersen said. The supervisor also said prices of three homes in the Tice Valley Boulevard area have risen, recently. Additionally, the board vice chairperson supported the NPCRS development saying, “We need to demystify mental illness. I have family members with mental illness. I am for more mental health care facilities like this in the county.”
Rosemary Friedman, the mother of a bipolar daughter who stays at the University of California Davis, supports the NPCRS project because it would mean her daughter could be treated closer to home. “I want to let you know how badly we need this social rehabilitation facility in Contra Costa County,” she said.
Walnut Creek attorney Daniel Roemer said he supports the project because of his increased concerns about the shortage of mental health services and “I want to live in a community that takes care of itself.”
“These types of facilities are desperately needed in Contra Costa County,” said county mental health commissioner Douglas Dunn of Antioch.
“This is one type of facility that we don’t have in our county where people have to go out of county,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg. “Our families need these facilities so that they can be near their family members. This is something I would encourage more of in Contra Costa.”
Sheriff Livingston Opposes Sheriff Office Oversight Bill
At a rare public appearance before the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston said he opposes state legislation, Assembly Bill 1185, that is sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for potential ratification or veto. The sheriff believes the governor will veto the bill.
During the hearing, supervisors and the sheriff listened to a number of speakers support state Assemblyman Kevin McCarty’s (Dem-Sacramento) bill, AB 1185. The supervisors’ hearing was held to comply with state law, the 2016 Truth Act signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown that lays out the rules whereby sheriffs must comply when dealing with persons in their jails and ICE agents.
Sheriff Livingston said he and sheriffs in 57 other counties in the state have gone on record opposing the AB 1185 legislation pushed by human rights organizations to hold sheriff offices more accountable.
“I am an elected official. To say we don’t have oversight is ridiculous,” Livingston told the supervisors. “We have a lot of oversight. I’m happy to have people come to the jail for visits.”
“Until this year, between 2015 and 2017 we had no deaths in the jails,” said the sheriff. “Then, in 2018 there were six deaths.”
The sheriff’s office has recently installed ligature-proof bedding in all jail cells to reduce suicides. So far, this year there has been one death by suicide and one by pulmonary failure, the sheriff reported. In 2018 there were six jail related deaths, two by suicide and four to health or medical reasons.
Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival
The Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival, begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. The inaugural event drew 17,000 fans to a park that what would be later designated as Dave Brubeck Park, in recognition of jazz great and Concord native Dave Brubeck. Over the course of the last 50 years, the Concord Jazz Festival has featured jazz greats Count Basie, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Marian McPartland, Poncho Sanchez, and Brubeck. The festival was the idea of Carl Jefferson, who in 1973 started Concord Records which for 26 years had a strong jazz history in Concord, where talented musicians recorded albums that made the billboard charts.
From August 1 through August 10, the Concord Jazz Festival will sponsor jazz related events at different venue in the city. For schedule information, go to www.concord.com. Today, on August 3, the 50th Anniversary Jazz Festival and Art & Wine Expo will be held starting at 4 p.m. at the Concord Pavilion It will feature Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns, Esperanza Spalding, Chick Corea – The Spanish Heart Band, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra featuring Patti Austin, Jamison Ross, Carmen Bradford and Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band, and many more musicians.
Read MorePetty Officer 3rd Class Aries Socrates. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Finley.
By Lt. Courtney Prizer, Navy Office of Community Outreach
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – A 2006 Contra Costa Christian High School graduate, 2013 Diablo Valley College graduate and Concord, California, native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the guided-missile destroyer, USS Chung-Hoon.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Aries Socrates works as a Navy fire controlman AEGIS aboard the forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer operating out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
Socrates credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Concord.
“My hometown taught me the value of hard work and patience,” said Socrates, “Also, that the same day you plant the seed is not the same day that you will eat the fruit.”
Chung-Hoon measures approximately 500 feet and is powered by four gas turbines that allow the destroyer to achieve more than 30 mph in open seas.
Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the ship’s company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly, according to Navy officials. The jobs range from maintaining engines and handling weaponry to washing dishes and preparing meals.
As a Navy fire controlman AEGIS, Socrates is responsible for the computers and servers that provide the ship’s overall navigation and combat picture.
According to Navy officials, destroyers are tactical multi-mission surface combatants capable of conducting anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, as well as humanitarian assistance. Fast, maneuverable, and technically advanced, destroyers provide the required war-fighting expertise and operational flexibility to execute any tasking overseas.
Being stationed in Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means Socrates is serving in a part of the world taking on a new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Socrates is most proud of graduating from boot camp and technical school and now serving on a ship stationed in Hawaii.
“Dedication and persistence to my personal goals and family helped to push me through to reach where I am now,” said Socrates.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Socrates and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving the Navy means working on and reflecting on myself and my goals,” added Socrates. “Through various obstacles presented on the job, I am constantly being tested, allowing me to build myself up in some way. I have been growing in patience, resilience, and physical strength, as well as taking more initiative.”
Read MoreAssemblyman Jim Frazier
SACRAMENTO – Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1019 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) that would add two additional seats to a statewide advisory committee on apprenticeships and had overwhelming and bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.
AB 1019 would add both the Director of Rehabilitation and the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships (IACA). This move would be to specifically address job and apprenticeship rates for Californians living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) by the creation of a subcommittee with that exact purpose.
“Since 2013, California has had an employment first policy for the IDD community,” Assemblymember Frazier said. “Yet California has seen minimal growth in the employment rate for persons living with disabilities despite continued economic growth since the great recession.”
The American Community Survey reports that in 2017, the employment rate of working age people living with a disability (ages 21 to 64) in California was 36.9 percent compared to the percentage of working age people without a disability which was 77.3, a stark difference of 40.5 percent. Additional data from 2017 shows that 23.1 percent of working age people living with a disability on California are living in poverty.
Read More
By Paul Burgarino, Community Education and Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department
Forget having to make multiple stops to government offices to take care of that “to do” list. We’ve got you covered with a Summer Block Party.
Contra Costa County, the County’s Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) and the City of Richmond are collaborating to provide a fun, festive event that offers a wide variety of on-the-spot government services at one single location.
The County’s 3rd Annual “Summer Block Party” will be held on Thursday, August 15, 2019 from 5:00 to 7:30 pm at Civic Center Plaza, 440 Civic Center Drive, Richmond.
“This is an opportunity for any Contra Costa County resident to come learn about services and to take care of business you might have,” said Board Chair, Supervisor John Gioia. “Staff will be ready to help you.”
“It’s exciting to bring all of our different services together to benefit the community, at a time and place more convenient to their busy schedules,” Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department Director Kathy Gallagher said. “Our goal is to make it not only convenient, but fun.”
Richmond Mayor Tom Butt added, “So many of our local service needs are provided through the County in partnership with City government, and this event will give Richmond residents a great chance to discover those resources and programs that they can use. I hope the community will take advantage of this opportunity to get connected with their public services.”
This is the third consecutive year that Contra Costa County has hosted the increasingly popular event. The “Summer Block Party” rotates locations each year to provide opportunities to engage with us in each geographic area of the County.
Available services at the Summer Block Party event will include, but are not limited to:
Animal licensing
Vouchers for pet vaccinations
Marriage licenses
Copies of vital records
Library card signups
Job training opportunities and information
Signups for free benefits, such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal
Foster parent applications
Signups for Veterans’ benefits
Voter Registration
Child ID kits
Information about Contra Costa County’s Clean Slate program
Energy efficiency rebates
Contra Costa Television (CCTV) — and many more County programs.
For more information, please call the County’s Employment and Human Services Department at 925-608-4808 or visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/7625. Free parking will be available around the Civic Center Plaza in Richmond.
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announces that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the November 3, 2018 death of 33-year-old Laudemer Atienza Arboleda of Newark. The majority finding of the jury is that the death was at the hands of another person, other than by accident. (See related articles, here and here)
The Coroner’s Jury reached the verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer Matthew Guichard.
A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident, suicide, natural causes, or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.
Read MoreBy Scott Alonso, Public Information Office, Contra Costa District Attorney
Earlier this month, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged defendant Simon Chavez, a 64-year-old resident of Antioch, California and his son Simon Magana Chavez, 31-year-old resident of Atwater, California for the sexual abuse of multiple children and unlawfully having sex with a minor.
The elder Chavez was a foster father at his home in Antioch with Contra Costa County’s Children and Family Services. Overall, he fostered young children under his care for at least 18 years.
Simon Chavez entered a not guilty plea to the 63 felonies on July 16 in the Pittsburg Superior Court before the Honorable Leonard Marquez. Chavez is in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility and his bail is $31.5 million.
Chavez’s son, Simon Magana Chavez was arraigned this past Friday in the Pittsburg Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to the complaint. The younger Chavez is charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors related for crimes against two children, including lewd acts against a child and unlawful sex. As recently as 2018, Simon Magana Chavez was a correctional officer with the state of California. The bail for Simon Magana Chavez is $1.23 million.
Both cases are assigned to Deputy District Attorney Diana Weiss with our Office’s Sexual Assault Unit.
Our Office does not release how a victim may know a defendant in a sexual assault case as well as the age or name of a victim to protect their confidentiality.
The investigation is ongoing and active. Members of the public with information about the case should call Antioch Police Detective Kelly Inabnett at 925-779-6932.
Case information: People v. Simon Chavez, Docket Number 04-197245-4; People v. Simon Magana Chavez, Docket Number 04-197264-5.
Read MoreSuspects from Antioch, Bay Point
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Two suspects involved in a homicide and assault with a deadly weapon case in Bay Point that occurred on Thursday, July 18, 2019 have been formally charged with murder by the Contra Costa D.A.’s Office. Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division presented their case to the D.A.’s Office on Thursday, July 25, 2019.
Both suspects remain in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. 20-year-old Abel Garcia of Antioch, who was arrested on July 18, 2019, is held being held on murder, conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon, and robbery charges. 24-year-old Erick Ruiz of Bay Point was arrested Friday, July 19, 2019. He is being held on the same charges. Both are being held without bail.
On Thursday, July 18, 2019, at about 9:09 PM, Muir Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance in the area of Riverside Drive and Mariners Cove in Bay Point. The caller stated that there was a man who appeared to be beaten in the street. Deputies arrived and found an unresponsive man in front of a home on the 200 block of Riverside Drive. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. He is identified as 38-year-old Johnny Burns of Bay Point. Later at about 9:21 PM, Deputy Sheriffs responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon on the 2700 block of Willow Pass Road in Bay Point. The victim was later treated and released from a local hospital.
The suspect vehicle and suspect descriptions were broadcast to law enforcement agencies in the area. The Concord Police Department later located the vehicle. Deputies responded to that location and took custody of Abel. An arrest warrant was issued for the Ruiz, who was arrested the next day.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441 or Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read More
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) will host a town hall meeting at the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville on Thursday, August 8th at 6:30 p.m.
This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 86th town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress four years ago. During the town hall, he will provide an update on conditions at the southern border, the work the House has been doing on behalf of the American people, and Congress’s oversight of the Trump Administration.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
Danville Town Hall
Thursday, August 8, 2019
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Building
115 E. Prospect Ave, Danville, CA 94526
Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
This event is open to the public, press, and photographers.
To confirm your attendance, please RSVP online at https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. To request ADA accommodations or for more information, contact one of Congressman DeSaulnier’s offices in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read More
Vincent Timmons and Gary Dillahunty. Photos by Concord PD
By Concord Police Department
On May 12th, 2019, Concord Police Officers responded to Round 1 (185 Sun Valley Mall) for an armed robbery in progress. Two masked men forced two employees into a locked cash room at gunpoint where the employees’ hands were zip tied behind their backs and cash was stolen. One of the employees was able to free herself and called for help. Numerous officers responded, cleared the business and found the suspects had fled. It was determined the suspects gained access through a normally secured employee entrance.
Detectives from the Concord Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit began a two month investigation into this robbery. They uncovered a conspiracy involving Round 1 security guard Gary Dillahunty, who was working the night of and facilitated the robbery. Detectives also identified 37-year-old Vincent Timmons as one of the suspects who committed the robbery. Last week a search warrant was served at Timmons’ home in San Francisco. Evidence linking Timmons to the Round 1 robbery as well as an illegal assault weapon, a handgun, and a large quantity of cocaine was found. Timmons, who is on parole for kidnapping, was located at the home and arrested for robbery.
Yesterday, with the assistance of the United States Marshals, 43-year-old Dillahunty, who is on parole for assault with a deadly weapon, was located at a home in Vacaville. He was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant for the Round 1 robbery as well as a warrant for violating his parole.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged both men with multiple felonies including robbery, conspiracy, and kidnapping. They both remain in custody at the Contra Costa County Jail.
The investigation into others involved with this robbery, including the second masked suspect continues. The Concord Police Department would like to thank our partners with the San Francisco Police Department and the US Marshal’s for their assistance in bringing both of these suspects safely into custody.
The security guards working at Round 1 at the time of this robbery were employed by an outside security contractor. This information is being shared with the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, a regulator of the private security industry.
Anyone with information about this case may call the Concord Police Department Tip-line at (925) 603-5836.
Read MoreAdam Renfroe. Photo courtesy of Concord PD.
By Concord Police Department
Earlier this month, Concord Police Officers responded to Motel 6 on Clayton Road for a possible shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. Information was quickly gathered, and the suspects were identified as Adam Renfroe and Robert Brown. Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit immediately obtained arrests warrants for Renfroe and Brown. (See related article.)
Yesterday morning, July 24, 2019, Adam Renfroe was arrested by US Marshals in Pierre, South Dakota on the murder warrant. Concord Detectives are in South Dakota to continue this investigation and arrange extradition to California. The second suspect, Robert Brown remains wanted in connection to this homicide. His whereabouts are unknown. No further information is available for release at this time.
Anyone with information about this case can contact Detective Giacoletto at (925) 671-3040 or the Anonymous Tip-line at (925) 603-5836.
Read More