Contra Costa Herald

The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will repair guardrails on Vasco Road from Camino Diablo Road to the Alameda County line. The work will occur from June 3rd – June 6th between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The work may be rescheduled based on weather conditions. Electronic message boards will alert drivers of the scheduled work. There will be traffic control through the work area and drivers can expect delays.

Each year, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), in partnership with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), participates in the California State Classified School Employee of the Year (CSEY) program, coordinated by the California Department of Education. This program highlights the contributions of exemplary classified school employees that support and play a key role in promoting student achievement, safety, and health in California public schools, from preschool through 12th grade. On May 3, the CCCOE and ACSA introduced this year’s 13 county esteemed county award nominees, as well as three California State Award honorees at a well-attended reception, held at the CCCOE, in Pleasant Hill.

The following three are the 2019-2019 Contra Costa County Classified Employees of the Year Honorees:

• Para-Educator and Instructional Assistant category – Jennifer Broder Haglund, Classroom Para Educator, San Ramon Valley Unified School District
• Maintenance, Operations, and Facilities category – David Argueta, Head Custodian, Lafayette School District
• Office and Technical category – Michelle Brobak, School Secretary, Orinda Union School District

And, one of those three honorees was recently named by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond as a California State Classified School Employee of the Year! Congratulations to Michelle Brobak, school secretary, at Del Rey Elementary, in the Orinda Union School District. Brobak is one of six 2018-2019 Classified School Employees of the Year, representing the “Office and Technical” category. Brobak and her fellow 2018-2019 State Classified School Employees of the Year, will be honored by Thurmond at a luncheon in Sacramento on Thursday, May 23.

The following 13 are the 2018-2019 Contra Costa County Classified Employees of the Year Nominees:

Maintenance, Operations, & Facilities category:

• Donald Golinveaux, Night Custodian, Brentwood Union School District
• Michael Lent, Maintenance Craftsmen, Orinda Union School District
• Michael Fobbs, Grounds Equipment Operator, Pittsburg Unified School District
• Rolly Valdez, Head Custodian, Walnut Creek School District

Office and Technical category:

• Andrea Zeigler, Secretary, Brentwood Union School District
• Gina Schenk, Purchasing Technician, Contra Costa County Office of Education
• Christie Quinn, School Administrative Assistant, Contra Costa County Office of Education
• Anita Dumay, Child Nutrition Senior Technician, Pittsburg Unified School District

Para-Educator and Instructional Assistant category:

• Sharon Caldwell, Paraprofessional, Liberty Union High School District
• Janice Taconni, Para-Educator, Martinez Unified School District
• Celia Cornejo, Instructional Assistant, Orinda Union School District
• Bonnie Flannery, Para Educator, Pittsburg Unified School District
• Ljubica Chase, Para-Professional, Walnut Creek School District

Contra Costa County Public Works will begin construction on the Byron Highway Traffic Safety Improvements Project. The project consists of an asphalt overlay on Byron Highway between Byron Hot Springs Road and the Alameda County line, restriping the centerline to feature double yellow no-passing lines and a centerline rumble strip, and replacing striping and pavement markings. Additionally, all signs along Byron Highway will be replaced to meet new reflectivity standards. The total project length is approximately 3.8 miles.

Construction will begin on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, with completion in late July 2019, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work hours will generally be in the evening from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am to minimize impacts to commute traffic. Drivers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes during construction.

Funding for this project is provided by the Highway Safety Improvement Program, and gas tax revenues provided by the SB1 Road Repair and Accountability Act. More information for this project can be found at http://www.cccounty.us/pwdmap.

Residence Inn Pleasant Hill. From their website.

By Sgt. Janayla Pierson, Pleasant Hill Police Department

On June 2nd at 01:00 AM, officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired at the Residence Inn located at 700 Ellinwood Way. A large number of people were leaving the area when officers arrived. Nearly fifty casings were located in the parking lot where numerous vehicles were struck and a round was fired into an occupied room. There were no injuries reported. The investigation is ongoing.

According to a KRON4 news report a party was going on in the room. But authorities do not know yet if there was a connection between the party and the shooting.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Pleasant Hill Police Department at (925) 288-4600.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Jeremy Orr was sentenced to 30 months in prison for wire fraud after filing more than 200 fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, David L. Anderson and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter.  The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.

Orr, 36, of Richmond, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on March 12, 2019.  According to his plea agreement, Orr admitted he devised a scheme to defraud the IRS of hundreds of thousands of dollars by filing false federal income tax returns.  Orr obtained the personal identification information of individuals in and around the Bay Area and prepared false 2011 federal income tax returns in the names of those individuals.  The tax returns reported false wages, false education expenses, or both, that generated a fraudulent income tax refund.  In sum, Orr electronically filed more than 200 false tax returns with the IRS resulting in claimed fraudulent tax refunds totaling $335,142.

A federal grand jury indicted Orr on January 15, 2015, charging him with four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.  Orr pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and the remaining charges were dismissed.

In addition to the prison term, Judge White ordered the defendant to serve a three-year period of supervised release.  The defendant was remanded into custody on June 12, 2018, and will begin serving his prison term immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Olivera is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez and Katie Turner.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.

Rendering of the Alexan Downtown Danville project in downtown Danville. Courtesy of Trammell Crow Residential.

Trammell Crow Residential (TCR), the multifamily real estate developer, along with Town of Danville Mayor Robert Storer, City Councilmembers and other local leaders, recently celebrated a construction milestone on the first new residential rental community in Danville, the Alexan Downtown Danville, which will offer 144 luxury apartment homes located within walking distance of Danville’s Historic Downtown District. The new $90 million apartment community located at 375 Diablo Road in Contra Costa County commenced framing and is scheduled for completion in summer 2020.

“This is the first apartment development of scale that has been approved by the Town of Danville in decades,” said TCR’s Senior Managing Director Bruce Dorfman. “Danville is one of the East Bay’s most prestigious and supply-constrained communities. The existing apartment stock is very limited and does not contain any Class A product and, with an average vacancy of 1 percent, renters have very few options. Pair that with the lack of affordability of for-sale housing, and Alexan Downtown Danville will provide a favorable option for first-class living in a highly sought-after, walkable downtown location.”

Danville Town Councilmembers Newell Americh, Renee Morgan and Lisa Blackwell, Bruce Dorfman, Senior Managing Director, Trammell Crow Residential, Davnville Mayor Robert Storer, Vice Mayor Karen Stepper, Vice Mayor, and Town Manager Joe Calabrigo at the ceremony for the Alexan Riverwalk project, May 15, 2019. Photo courtesy of Trammel Crow Residential

Situated at the intersection of Diablo Road and I-680 on 3.75 acres, Alexan Downtown Danville will offer convenient access to I-680 freeway and the East Bay’s major job centers as well as the Walnut Creek BART Station, just eight miles north from the site. Danville’s community of nearly 48,000 people provides a small-town atmosphere, with highly regarded schools and an outstanding quality of life. Furthermore, Danville was once again named the safest city in the state of California, according to SafeWise, an online safety resource, which analyzed the state’s communities to find the 50 safest cities.

“This is truly a remarkable day in Danville history,” said Mayor Robert Storer, Town of Danville. “This project will allow Danville to achieve its workforce housing numbers, but more importantly, it will allow 144 families to appreciate the comfort and safety this town offers its residents. It’s a wonderful community to live, work and raise your family.”

According to Dorfman, TCR is working with the Town to build a pedestrian bridge over San Ramon Creek to provide a direct link from the new apartment community to Danville’s Historic Downtown District, the public library, Danville Community Center, quality schools, and other public amenities. Residents will also have convenient access to shopping, restaurants, services, entertainment, museums and parks, making this site an ideal location for individuals as well as families.

In addition to the amenities of the Town of Danville, residents of Alexan Downtown Danville can enjoy residential units that are well-appointed and offer finishes more frequently found in custom single-family homes. The apartment community’s amenities include a clubhouse with a lounge, conference room and business center, state-of-the-art fitness center, and a package concierge. Outdoor amenities include a resort-style pool and spa, fire pit, an outdoor kitchen, grill stations and dining area, a children’s play area, pet park, and vista overlooking the adjacent San Ramon Creek. Alexan Downtown Danville will also have gated, private subterranean parking with electric vehicle charging stations.

The unit mix consists of a wide variety of floor plans including studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes, ranging in size from approximately 500-square feet to 1,600-square feet. According to Dorfman, over half of the units will offer two- and three-bedroom configurations, which is not typical of apartment communities. “We think the townhomes and larger units will be very appealing to young families and single-parent households with children,” noted Dorfman.

“I appreciate the long-term relationship between Trammell Crow [Residential] and the Town of Danville and acknowledge your good work towards making apartment living in Danville a reality,” said Mayor Storer. “Together we will enjoy a place that will bring new families to Danville who will enjoy all of its splendor and allow the next generation of families to call Danville home.”

TCR’s equity partner for the Alexan Downtown Danville is Barings Real Estate Advisers and the construction lender is Wells Fargo. LCA Architects is the project architect; Gates + Associates is the landscape designer; and Carlson, Barbee & Gibson is the civil engineer.

About Trammell Crow Residential

Trammell Crow Residential (TCR) is a national multifamily real estate developer with a local presence in 13 key U.S. markets.  Over 40 years, TCR has built over 250,000 premier multifamily residences, delivering amenity-rich communities in economically thriving locations nationwide. TCR and Crow Holdings Industrial (CHI) are part of the development platform of Crow Holdings, a privately-owned real estate investment and development firm with a 70-year history and a proven track record of performance, partnership, and innovation. For more information, please visit TCR.com.

Frazier, Grayson, Wicks vote against resolution, as well

Sacramento, Calif. — While presiding over last Friday’s session of the California State Assembly, Assemblywoman and Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD-16), who represents parts of the San Ramon Valley, voted in opposition to House Resolution 22 which would have condemned the comments of a University of California, Davis professor who advocated for the murdering of police officers.

Bauer-Kahan along with 53 of her Democratic colleagues defeated HR22, effectually condoning specific statements such as “it’s easier to shoot cops when their backs are turned,” and “people think cops need to be reformed. They need to be killed.”

Assemblymen Jim Frazier D-Discovery Bay (AD-11), Tim Grayson D-Concord (AD-14) and Buffy Wicks D-Oakland (AD-15) who each represent other parts of Contra Costa County, also voted against the resolution condemning the professor’s statement.

“On the eve of Memorial Day weekend, it is especially disgusting that Assemblywoman Bauer-Kahan would lead the Assembly to effectively condone rhetoric advocating for the murder of police officers,” said Contra Costa Republican Party Chairman, Matt Shupe. “The men and women who serve us as police officers routinely put themselves in harm’s way for our safety and don’t deserve this type of brazen disrespect from our legislative leaders.”

By CHP-Contra Costa

At just about noon today, approximately 11:53am, Contra Costa CHP received a call of a two-vehicle collision on I-680, just north of the North Main Street off ramp in Walnut Creek. Upon CHP and emergency personnel arrival, a black 1974 Porsche was involved in a collision with a black Jeep SUV. The driver of the Porsche (63-year-old man from San Ramon) was unresponsive and quickly transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek.

Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The Contra Costa County Sheriffs Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of identity of the deceased man.

The two occupants of the Jeep sustained only minor injuries, complaints of pain, and were not transported. The cause of the collision is still under investigation. There was a SigAlert issued and the #1, 2, & 3 lanes of I-680 at this location were closed but the roadway has been completely reopened as of 2:00 pm.

Alcohol or drugs were not involved in this collision. If anyone has information regarding this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP at (925) 646-4980.

Photo by CCCSheriff.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

With the start of boating season this weekend, the Marine Services Unit of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is hosting a Delta Blitz on Sunday, May 26, 2019.

Numerous local, state, and federal agencies will be taking part in this operation and will focus on boating safety, education and enforcement in the Delta.

The ‘ABC’s of Boating’, a handbook of boating rules, is available from most boating shops. Boaters can go to the California Division of Boating and Waterways website at www.dbw.ca.gov for information on boating safety and the California Boater Card. If anyone has any questions about boating safety, please contact the Marine Services Unit at (925) 427-8507.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized National Emergency Medical Service Week, May 19 through 25, by handing out resolution to Contra Costa County Fire Chief Lewis Broschard and EMS Director Pat Frost on Tuesday. The supervisors’ resolution recognizes the vital work of responders including medical technicians, paramedics, police, firefighters, emergency nurses, emergency physicians, emergency medical dispatchers, EMS educators, and EMS administrators for the roles they play in the EMS system. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

Exclude Blackhawk, Bollinger Canyon from commercial cannabis ordinance; prevent rail service from returning to line through Richmond park

By Daniel Borsuk

The possibility Contra Costa County residents might be voting on a sales tax measure, perhaps in the November 2020 general election, gained traction Tuesday when Supervisor Karen Mitchoff convinced supervisors to have the Finance Committee study the feasibility of placing a tax measure before the voters, next year.

Supervisors voted 5-0 to assign the Finance Committee to examine the pros and cons of putting a sales tax proposition on the November 2020 ballot while also considering another agenda item — the pros and cons of placing a half-cent sales tax ballot measure to fund transportation projects laid out in the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s Transportation Expenditure Plan.

As it turned out, supervisors rejected the idea of pushing ahead on a new transit tax proposition, thinking the timing might be off-track. Mitchoff reasoned another half-cent sales tax for transportation projects might not draw the necessary two-thirds majority voter approval particularly when voters remember passing the half-cent Measure J by a 71 percent voter approval in 2004. Measure J’s $2.5 billion will not be exhausted until 2034.

“I don’t believe our taxpayers will support a transit tax measure requiring a two-thirds voter approval” Mitchoff said. “We need to have a conversation on a countywide general sales tax.”

The supervisor from Pleasant Hill thinks a county sales tax that needs a 50 percent voter approval might be a better route to go, even though the revenue would have to be disbursed to diverse services like medical, social services, public defender, sheriff, public works, district attorney and other county services.

“You should focus on other services,” said Justin Decker of the International Federation of Professional Technical Engineers Local 21. “We’re against the transit proposal.”

County eligibility worker Kathy Beverly said the county is seriously understaffed with eligibility workers at 170 unfilled positions.

“County workers oppose a transit sales tax proposal,” she said.

SEIU Field Representative Ye Do cautioned supervisors that placing a transit tax on the ballot could backfire when there is a need to financially address social services. She cited how a single father of three children needed county assistance when he had to move three time under hardship conditions.

San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Alameda counties assess sales taxes in order to generate additional revenues to fill in funding gaps that property tax and state and federal resources fall short on funding county services, especially social and medical services. Alameda county draws $150 million in annual revenue from its sales tax.

“It’s very clear we need a sales tax for transportation, “said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, who also serves as the county representative on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “It’s a quality of life issue. It may not be optional. Just to get to work, to go home. These services are so crucial. I don’t know if we have any other bargaining chips.”

“This is a helpful issue,” said Vice Chair Candace Andersen of Danville. “What we need are more park and ride lots.”

Board Chair John Gioia, who has at previous board meetings promoted the county sales tax concept, remarked because of passage of Measure J, “Things have changed. When one sales tax measure for transportation passes, it makes the next sale tax measure much harder to pass.”

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors presented a resolution to Contra Costa County Director of Health Services Anna Roth recognizing May as Menth Health Month. During the month of May, county agencies have made a commitment to raise awareness and public education to replace misinformation and eliminate stigma concerning mental health and promote understanding that people living with mental health challenges can lead to productive lives. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

Supervisors Exclude Blackhawk, Bollinger Canyon from Commercial Cannabis Ordinance

In other action, supervisors voted 5-0 to add Blackhawk and Bollinger Canyon to the list of areas to be excluded from the county’s commercial cannabis ordinance. The ordinance had prohibited commercial activities in Alamo, Bethel Island, Contra Costa Centre, Sandmound Slough, and Saranap.

Dan Clancy, owner of the Bollinger Canyon property that he had planned for cannabis cultivation and distribution purposes, pleaded with supervisors “give us a shot.”

But the site, which was a former Nike missile site, apparently fell through the cracks during the planning process, according to Ruben Hernandez of the Department of Conservation and Development and was meant to be excluded for any type of cannabis activity.

Supervisor Andersen, who represents the Bollinger Canyon area, said the Bollinger Canyon site was “a clerical error” during the planning review process.

Blackhawk Police Tax Election Set for August 28

Supervisors voted 5-0 to authorize an August 28 election in the County Service Area P-2 Zone A Blackhawk area even though there was opposition from the Blackhawk Country Club that did not want to be included in the police assessment district for the first time in the 35-year history of the police zone. The country club claims it does not need the police services provided by the county sheriff’s department because of the low crime activity emanating from the club. There have been two calls for police services in the past year.

The Blackhawk Police Department consists of one lieutenant and three deputies provided by the county Sheriff-Coroner’s Office, but according to Ron Banducci, chairman of the Blackhawk Police Advisory Committee and president of the Blackhawk Homeowners Association, unless voters pass the August tax measure the police department will have to cut one of the deputy positions.

“Although physically within the district, the Blackhawk Country Club has not historically been included in the parcel tax structure” Banducci told supervisors. “This means that for 35 years, the country club has been receiving services from the Blackhawk police, but has not provided financial support. The Blackhawk Police Advisory Committee believes it’s time for the country club to pay its fair share. The Blackhawk County Club is the largest country club in Contra Costa County. It’s not fair for our residents to be subsidizing police services for a county club which has annual revenues of over $20,000,000.”

Supervisors Oppose BNSF Railway Co. reactivating rail service through Richmond park  

Supervisors voted 5-0 in approving a resolution opposing the plans of BNSF Railway Co. to reactivate rail service through Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park and Ferry Point in Richmond. Supervisors cited potential safety, health, and environmental impacts should the railroad resume rail service through the popular park owned and maintained by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD).

No one from the railroad spoke, but based on an Oct. 9, 2018 letter to the EBRPD, the railroad has “indicated that regarding extending use of the rail line through Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park, including Ferry Point, that ‘it has notified the Park District of its expanding business of Richmond Terminal, necessitating the reactivation of its rail use with the easement in the near future.”

Among the impacts the supervisors concurred would affect residents frequently using the park are:

• Creating a significant safety hazard for the community, especially children at the park.
• Allowing trains to cut off visual and physical access to the shoreline and Bay.
• Bisecting a heavily used community and regional park.
• Allowing storage of railroad cars carrying hazardous substances.
• Increasing harmful diesel emissions in the community and the park, leading to increased health risk, a community which is already disproportionately impacted by local emissions.
• Increasing asthma rates in a city that already has one of the highest asthmas rates in the Bay Area.
• Increasing blockage of the West Richmond Avenue railroad grade crossing.

Supervisors receive report on performance bond reduction for solid waste collection ordinance

Supervisors also approved as a consent item a two-page report from Environmental Health Director Marilyn Underwood about the effects of the board’s 2018 decision to reduce the performance bond amount from $50,000 to $20,000 for the Solid Waste Collection & Transportation Ordinance.

“Environmental Health issued the first non-franchise solid waste collection and transport permit on March 19, 2019 to JUNKCAT, LLC, “Underwood’s report states. The company serves mostly West County.

“More recently, EH staff have had productive conversations with local representatives from O2E Brands (parent company of 1-800-GOT-JUNK) and anticipate an application for a non-franchise solid waste collection and transport permit from the Central Contra Costa County branch office in the near future,” the report states.

Underwood’s report also mentions, “EH staff continues to attempt to engage with companies such as Junk Beez and Vets Move Junk (local companies that have begun advertising to Contra Costa County residents) in an effort to inform these companies about the requirements of the non-franchise waste collection and transport permit program.”