Mitchell Lee Bacom, now and as he looked in the 1980’s. Photos courtesy of APD
“Justice for Suzanne” means “Antioch is safer, tonight”
Suzanne Bombardier. Herald file photo
By Allen Payton
At around 5:00 p.m. Monday evening, the family of Suzanne Bombardier whose kidnapping, rape and murder had gone unsolved for 37 years, finally had closure when Antioch police arrested 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom at his home in Antioch. During a press conference Monday night, Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks announced the arrest saying he was “ecstatic” and credited retired Captain Leonard Orman, DNA testing by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Lab and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.
Bacom, an Antioch resident, was arrested without incident in front of his house in the 300 block of West Madill.
“This closes the oldest, open cold case homicide on record with the Antioch Police Department,” Brooks stated, and then thanked “Suzanne Bombardier’s family for not giving up hope,” although “it would not bring Suzanne back.” He further said it was solved through “patience and persistence.”
Orman was brought back to work on the case, earlier this year after the DNA was sent to the crime lab two years ago and got a hit by CODIS, the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, in May. Interim DA Diana Becton gave credit to Paul Holes, her office’s Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensic and the Safe Streets Task Force.
“Justice may not have come as swiftly as we would like,” she stated, and said her office will be filing charges against Bacom tomorrow of “murder with use of a deadly weapon and additional charges, as well.”
Bombardier was taken in the middle of the night from her sister’s home at 3421 Hudson Court in Antioch while babysitting. She was missing for approximately five days and eventually found deceased in the San Joaquin River near the Antioch Bridge. Her cause of death was determined to be one stab wound to the chest which penetrated her heart. Evidence at the time indicated she had been sexually assaulted.
Numerous suspects and persons of interest were developed and investigated over the years. Some were eliminated while others remained unresolved until recently. Bacom was one of the original suspects in the case, “the prime suspect” according to former Antioch Detective Greg Glod who worked the case, along with retired Detective Ron Rackley who first took the report that initiated the investigation in 1980.
Two years ago, during the 35th anniversary of the murder, they and retired Antioch Sgt. Larry Hopwood asked then Chief Allan Cantando to reopen the case and offered to serve as a volunteer cold case squad. They launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the cold case. (See related article). Later that year the DNA was sent to the crime lab for testing.
Through that DNA testing, one of the suspects, 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom of Antioch, has been determined to be responsible for these heinous crimes. He is currently being held on the charges of murder, kidnapping, rape and oral copulation.
“He was never off the suspect list,” Brooks stated, and that “he was known to Suzanne and the family.”
“That’s who we always suspected,” Rackley stated, when reached for comment following the press conference. “We can finally sleep again.”
“I knew this all along,” Glod said when reached at his home in the Washington, D.C. area, where he now works for the U.S. Secret Service as an instructor at their academy. “He was clearly the prime suspect, clearly in my mind, from the beginning.”
Suspect Had History of Violent Crime
Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks was joined by (L-R) Antioch Police Captain Diane Aguinaga and retired Captain Leonard Orman, as well as Paul Holes, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensics, and Interim Contra Costa DA Diana Becton.
In 1973, Bacom was arrested in Mountain View, Ca. for rape, robbery, assault with intent to commit murder and oral copulation. As a result of that investigation, he was convicted in 1974 of first and second-degree burglary, assault with intent to murder and sodomy. He was sentenced to five years to life.
In February of 1981, Bacom was arrested for robbery and rape in Isleton, California. As a result of that case, he was convicted of first degree burglary, robbery, rape and sodomy. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
In 2002, Bacom was convicted in Contra Costa County of failing to properly register as a sex offender and sentenced to four years in prison. This conviction was the result of a Pittsburg PD investigation.
When the biological evidence was originally collected in this case, DNA testing did not exist as a method of determining guilt in our justice system. Over the years, the Antioch Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office have monitored developments in DNA testing in the hopes that advancements would be made allowing this evidence to be processed and a DNA profile developed. In 2015, the decision was made to submit the biological evidence to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory in an effort to develop a DNA profile. This lab was equipped to conduct some of the most advanced available DNA testing. In early 2017, the department was notified that a CODIS hit was made tentatively identifying Mitchell Lynn Bacom as the perpetrator. Additional testing was required in order to confirm the identification.
Glod spoke about Bacom’s history of crime, saying, “I’m amazed how he got out of prison on the first one” and that “he was on parole when this took place,” referring to the Bombardier murder.
Media from throughout the Bay Area was in attendance for the Tammany Brooks’ first press conference as Antioch Police Chief.
He gave credit to former Antioch Detective Guy Worth, who is currently battling cancer, and “is probably dancing, right now. He was instrumental…he did all he could to keep this case alive, in spite of all he’s going through.”
Glod also thanked the media for their articles and TV news segments in 2015 and 2016.
“I appreciate people like you (referring to the Herald), Henry Lee from KTVU, the Contra Costa Times and Jennifer Gibbbons, the author who wouldn’t let this go,” he stated.
“Although we are ecstatic an arrest has been made in this case it will not bring Suzanne back into her family’s lives,” Brooks said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Suzanne Bombardier’s family and we hope this mystery being solved offers some level of comfort for them.”
“Although in recent years there was some question relative to our commitment regarding this investigation, we never gave up on bringing this case to a resolution,” he shared. “The reality was that science had to make advances in order for a positive identification of the killer to be made. It was through patience, persistence, networking, modern investigative techniques and scientific advances that this case was solved.”
“I’m glad that people didn’t forget, the Antioch Police Department and District Attorney’s Office,” Glod said. “They were instrumental in solving this. It’s a good day for Antioch. Antioch did not forget their citizen. It’s great news for the family and all the friends who have been traumatized by this. We finally got some justice for Suzanne Bombardier.”
“It’s bringing some closure for me in my life,” he added. “This is a great moment for me. I’m glad to see it was him they arrested. This is big news.”
More Work Still To Be Done
When reached for comment, Orman said, “It was good to see it to this point,” knowing that there is still more work to be done following the arrest. “Antioch is safer tonight and that’s what matters,” he added.
“This does not constitute the end,” Brooks confirmed during his first press conference since becoming Chief in May, stating that the department needed to determine if Bacom has been involved in any other crimes.
As such, the Antioch Police Department will be networking with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to determine if Mitchell Lynn Bacom has been involved in other murders and/or sexual assaults. We encourage anyone with information regarding this case to contact the Antioch Police Department. Additionally, we are hoping to hear from any of Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s past victims, including those who may have never made reports to law enforcement.
Anyone wanting to provide information relative to Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s criminal conduct may contact Detective Leonard Orman at (925) 779-6918. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH
Read More
Due to state sanctuary policies, county policy to go into effect next year; response due today
By Daniel Borsuk
With neither Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston nor one of his representatives in attendance at a meeting of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee on Thursday, there was more concern as to why the sheriff wasn’t in attendance than the topic at hand: the possibility the county could lose up to $24.7 million in federal assistance.
Representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation, Employment and Human Services, and County Administrator were present at the committee meeting conducted by Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond and attended by Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg.
Without Livingston or his representative at the committee table, supervisors and citizens serving on the committee could not get a proper read on the status of the sheriff’s policy on the arrest and detention of undocumented immigrants primarily at West County Jail, and how well deputies interface with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and United States Marshals.
Some $19.8 million of the $24.7 million in federal aid that the county receives from the federal government is allocated to the Sheriff-Coroner Office. Employment and Human Services receives $1.9 million in federal aid, Probation pulls in $1.1 million, the County Administrator draws $983,971, the District Attorney gets $563,848, and the Public Defender collects $180,412.
“I am surprised and disappointed that the sheriff is not here,” said Supervisor Gioia. “I don’t know if this has ever happened before where the sheriff has not appeared at a Public Protection Committee meeting.”
“I’m shocked and dismayed that no one from the Sheriff’s Office is here,” said Renee Zeimer representing Organizing for Contra Costa Action. “How is the sheriff held accountable to the public?”
About four other also persons complained that the sheriff or a representative should have been in attendance at the committee meeting.
The fate of federal money that California cities and 58 counties receive will probably be decided in United States District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 13, when U.S. District Judge William Orrick is expected to rule on whether California Senate Bill 54 or “the Sanctuary State Bill” that was recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown and goes into effect Jan. 1 conflicts with Executive Order 1373 that President Donald J. Trump inked on Jan. 25, 2017.
Executive Order 1373 assigns broad powers to the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Marshalls to investigate, arrest, and deport undocumented immigrants in order to secure the safety of the interior of the nation. The executive order also gives the DOJ investigative power to determine if states, cities, and counties are in compliance with Executive Order 1373.
In Sanctuary States like California, Contra Costa County and other counties are aligning policies to conform with SB 54 unaware how Judge Orrick will rule.
When asked if the county has a Plan B should the U.S. District Court strikes down SB 54 and uphold Executive Order 1373, Supervisor Gioia remarked, “That’ll be an issue for the state and every city and county effected by SB54.”
Sheriff Receives DOJ Letter
The Sheriff-Coroner Office received on November 15 a letter from U.S. Department of Justice Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan Hansen inquiring whether the sheriff office is in conflict with Executive Order 1373 if a custody deputy does not inform ICE of the immigration status of inmates. “The department is concerned that this appears to restrict the sending or requesting of information regarding immigration status in violation of section 1373 (a) and (b),” wrote Hansen.
The letter was directed to Mary Jay Robb, the Chief for Management Services in the Sheriff’s Office.
Livingston would not respond to calls from the Herald with questions about the letter. The Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Jimmy Lee instead referred calls to County Administrator David Twa.
One program that wasn’t included in the DOJ inquiry is the Stand Together CoCo program, which the Board of Supervisors approved in September with $500,000 in state AB 109 funds to help launch the program. The Public Defender’s Office is overseeing the program.
Twa confirmed that the DOJ letter is about the state’s sanctuary policies, not the county’s new policy that will not go into effect until next year.
County Has Until Today to Respond to DOJ
The county needs to respond to the DOJ inquiry by today, Friday, Dec. 8.
The Stand Together program will monitor ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants in the county. The program that is also funded through private sources will have counselors visiting undocumented immigrants held at West County Jail. The Stand Together CoCo program expects to counsel up to 180 undocumented immigrants held at the jail during the first six months of the program. The program gets underway January 1, 2018.
Read More
Example of a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry instrument. Photo by Polimerek – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=425348
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Forensic Services Division Crime Laboratory has received a state grant for “Improved Technology for Identification of Impairing Substances in DUID Cases”.
This $207,100 grant will fund the purchase of two new Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) instruments. These instruments will have the ability to routinely identify and quantitate compounds that are commonly encountered in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases.
The two new GCMS instruments offer increased sensitivity and will be replacing older instrumentation within the Crime Lab. The new instruments will enable the Forensic Services Division to provide analysis in alignment with recommendations set by national organizations for DUID cases.
“The new GCMS instruments will allow the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab to provide more comprehensive and timely results for the investigation and prosecution of DUID cases in Contra Costa County,” said Forensic Services Chief Pam Hofsass.
On January 1, 2014, changes to driving under the influence laws (Sections 23152 and 23153 of the Vehicle Code) went into effect making it unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any drug to drive a motor vehicle; this not only includes illegal narcotics and stimulants, but also some legal prescriptions, herbs, marijuana and over-the-counter drugs.
The purchase of these instruments and method validation is anticipated to take ap-proximately one year. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Read More
Eddie Hart with his new book entitled “Disqualified”.
Meet the two-time World Record-holder at Barnes & Noble in Antioch Monday, Dec. 18
By Allen Payton
Having previously equaled the World Record, Martinez-born and Pittsburg-raised Eddie Hart was a strong favorite to win the 100-Meter Dash at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. The inexplicable happened, he was disqualified for arriving seconds after his quarterfinal heat. Ten years of training to become the “World’s Fastest Human.” The title attached to the Olympic 100-meter champion was lost in a heartbeat. How could this have possibly happened on athletics’ biggest stage, the Olympic Games?
Hart provides his story in a new book he’s written with the help of friend and former Oakland Tribune sports reporter, Dave Newhouse, entitled “Disqualified – Eddie Hart, Munich 1972, and the Voices of The Most Tragic Olympics.”
A Champion Since High School
Hart moved to Pittsburg when he was eight years old, and attended Village Elementary and Central Junior High. He graduated from Pittsburg High in 1967 where he lettered every year as a member of the track team, in the 100, 200 and long jump. He won “the conference in four events, including the 4×100 relay in 1966, then he repeated in the 100 and 200 in 1967,” Hart shared.
He then went on to attend Contra Costa College in San Pablo.
“That’s where I really blossomed,” Hart said.
It’s where he won the 100 and 200 at the junior college state meet in 1969.
Hart then transferred to U.C. Berkeley where he majored in Physical Education, because he wanted to be a track coach. In his first year, he won the 100-meter race at the PAC-8 championships and placed second in the 200.
Then at the NCAA national championships that year, Hart won the 100 and running anchor, helped his team win the 4×100 relay, as well.
One of his teammates, Isaac Curtis, who went on to play wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, came in second in that same 100-meter race, making it the only time in NCAA history that teammates from the same school placed first and second in the championship race.
“At the end of that year I made the U.S. national team and toured Europe for six weeks competing in various meets,” Hart shared. “We competed in France, in Russia and Oslo, and Sweden, also.”
Champion in the 5,000-meter Steve Prefontaine was on that same team.
“I knew Pre, well,” Hart said.
First Major Challenge
Then in 1971 he placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 at the NCAA Championships due to an injury earlier in the year, having missed half the season and not even competing in the conference championships.
First Comeback
Hart withdrew from school to train for the Olympics and became an assistant to the head track coach in 1972, at the same time. He entered open competition that year and during the meets Hart made the qualifying times in the 100. In fact, he missed the World Record by just 1/10th of a second running 10 flat at the West Coast Relays in Fresno.
Second Major Challenge
Three weeks before the Olympic trials Hart injured his right hamstring while running in the 200 at the U.S. Championships in Seattle. He couldn’t do any starts between that injury and his first race at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.
“It was terrifying,” he said. “It was tough.”
Then at the trials, “It was a nightmare,” Hart said. “Each race, everyone was ahead of me. I just kept pulling up.”
Asked if he was hesitant, he replied, “Oh, very much so. I was afraid I was going to reinjure myself.”
“You have to run four races,” Hart explained. “A heat, a quarterfinal, a semi-final and then the final.”
Second Comeback
In the semifinal I was fourth and they only took four to the final. “I barely made it,” he stated.
“It was a wind-aided race and the first five guys ran a 9.9 in the 100 meters and the fifth-place guy didn’t even qualify,” Hart continued. “I was the fourth guy and I was scared to death, because from the finals they only took the top three.”
In the blocks at the starting line, he was still thinking about his leg, which was bothering him.
“This was all the marbles right here, there was nothing to save,” he shared.
“The gun went off and I was in a dream,” Hart explained. “I ran the best race of my life.”
Before or after, “Ever,” he said. “That was it.”
“I was an Olympian, an Olympic trials champion and the World Record holder at 9.9,” Hart stated proudly.
“It was legal, not wind-aided,” he added.
Hart had equaled the World Record in the 100-meter dash, which had been achieved by only two others before. It wasn’t broken until 1991 when Carl Lewis ran it in 9.86.
He also qualified for the Olympics as the anchor for the U.S. Men’s 4×100 relay team, which was made up of the four finalists in the 100-meter race.
From Triumph to Tragedy
About a month later he was with the U.S. Olympic Team in Boden, Maine for a few weeks to train in similar weather as Munich, Germany. They then competed in Oslo, Norway, France and Italy before arriving in the Olympic Village just a few days before the Opening Ceremony.
A few days later he ran and won his heat.
“It was easier to make it to the finals at the Olympic games than it was to make the finals at the Olympic trials,” Hart shared. “Of the top 10 to 15 sprinters in the world, the top 10 were in the U.S. at that time.”
After all three U.S. sprinters had won their heats, the coach said “let’s go back to the Olympic Village and rest” Hart explained, “because there was so much time between races. But, that was his schedule.”
The Village was only about a mile or less away from the Olympic Stadium. But, the coach had the incorrect time for the start of the quarterfinals.
They rushed back to the stadium, but it was too late for Hart. He had missed his race and was disqualified. Thus, the title of his book.
Tragedy Ends in Triumph
Hart’s Olympic story didn’t end there. The following week after the tragic murder of the 11 Israeli team members had halted the games for a day for the memorial, Hart once again ran anchor for the U.S. 4×100 relay team. They won that race in World Record time and he became an Olympic Gold Medalist and a World Record holder, once again. See video of Hart’s leg of the race here.
Returning to Pittsburg he was met with celebrations by the Mayor of Pittsburg and the city.
Hart returned to college to complete his degree, and became a paid assistant track coach at Cal Berkeley. He has since started his philanthropic efforts through his Eddie Hart All In One Foundation which holds an Olympian Track Education Clinic at Pittsburg High, each year.
Faith has been a big part of his life, all of his life. Hart has been a member of Stewart Memorial Methodist Church in Pittsburg since elementary school. He’s taught Sunday School for 35 years and for the past 20 years he’s taught the men’s class.
Asked if faith played a part in his Olympic journey, Hart responded, “In every aspect. I grew up in the church, it couldn’t have been any other way.”
“I never prayed to God for success in track,” he shared. “I asked God to give me strength in life to face the challenges as they come.”
“My prayer is that His will be done. God is interested in spiritual things, in our soul not our flesh,” Hart continued. “Ultimately at the end of the day whatever physical things we’ve accomplished here will be left here. It’s about our souls which are eternal. Our flesh is going to burn up. The Bible is clear.”
Asked if his story will become a movie, Hart said, “We’re working on it.”
But, he has to think about who will play the part of him, he shared with a laugh.
His book includes a foreword by Harvard professor, Dr. Cornel West who has been a friend since high school, and whose brother Cliff was Hart’s roommate at Cal.
See Eddie Hart and get your copy of his book signed on Monday, Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Barnes & Noble book store in Antioch at 5709 Lone Tree Way.
Read More
Board of Supervisors Chairman Federal Glover with Interim D.A. Diana Becton following her oath of office ceremony on Sept. 18, 2017. Photo by David Fraser, Office of Supervisor Federal Glover
Today, Wednesday, December 6, 2017, District Attorney Diana Becton issued the following statement:
“It’s official: today, I filed my papers to run for District Attorney of Contra Costa County.
“I was selected as District Attorney by the Board of Supervisors to restore faith and trust in the District Attorney’s Office in the wake of scandal. I have rolled up my sleeves and I am hard at work. I am committing to restoring integrity to the office. I am confident that I will succeed. I am a collaborative leader who knows how to get things done.
“We cannot continue to look at the criminal justice system in a vacuum. We need a broad, universal approach to how we prevent crime, make our communities safe, and treat everyone fairly.
“As a longtime judge of the Superior Court in Contra Costa County, I am proud of my reputation for hard work, fairness, and integrity. I will bring these qualities to the campaign trail – and to the job.”
In September, Becton was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to fill the position made vacant by the resignation of Mark Peterson. She joins Contra Costa County Senior Assistant District Attorney Paul Graves and Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Patrick Vanier who announced their campaigns and entered the race prior to Peterson’s resignation. The Primary Election will be held June 4, 2018. If no candidate receives a majority of vote, the top two candidates will face off in the General Election in November.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read More
Sheriff David Livingston, center, speaks with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (to his left) and staff during a tour of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Photos by CCCSheriff
Rep. DeSaulnier and staff, other officials tour facility
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The investigation by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff continues regarding complaints made by several female ICE detainees held in the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond, California.
WCDF is a dormitory-style, program-based facility where all inmates are free to leave their rooms to go to educational and vocational programs, medical appointments or visits; the amount of free time all inmates receive exceeds state requirements.
The West County Detention Facility in Richmond.
“Although complaints such as excessive ‘lock down’ time or improper use of bio-hazard bags are extremely rare within the jail system’s 1,600 inmates and detainees, the fact that some ICE detainees have made such allegations demands a full and thorough investigation, which is well underway,” said Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston. “We routinely pass stringent state and federal jail inspections and are com-mitted to running safe, secure and Constitutionally compliant detention facilities.”
To date, Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Investigators have conducted over 110 interviews of both inmates and staff, reviewed hundreds of hours of building surveillance video, identified and inspected physical/documentary evidence (such as log books, booking information, bio-hazard red bag storage, etc.), and inspected the cells, bathrooms and open areas of the women’s dormitory.
On Monday, Nov. 27, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, (D, CA-11), and his staff, toured WCDF and was invited to view any area he wished to visit and speak to any detainee he liked. A number of other state and local officials have also recently visited the facility.
“Congressman DeSaulnier can now publicly call for any additional investigation he wants,” said Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston. “However, as the political rhetoric from some around this issue continues to boil, we remain undeterred in providing professional and diligent custody services for our county inmates and federal detainees.”
The Office of the Sheriff has been in close communication with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and his staff as it is working to complete this investigation. A.G. staff have already met with us and conducted a tour once, on November 16, 2017, and will be conducting another review at the facility soon. The Sheriff’s Office will make its investigatory materials available to the Attorney General and have asked that he review our full investigation, and findings therein, when we complete the investigation on or about December 15, 2017.
Read More
Richard Chew from his now deleted LinkedIn profile. Herald file photo.
On Tuesday December 5, 2017, Richard Chew, a 58-year-old resident of Lafayette, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. As a result of his guilty plea, Chew was sentenced to 150 days in jail, three years of probation and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Chew has been out on bail since his arrest and was ordered to surrender at a later date to begin serving his sentence.
On August 19, 2017, the Contra Costa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation into Chew. Agencies involved in this investigation include the Office of the Sheriff, District Attorney’s Office, and Lafayette and Concord Police Departments.
During the investigation, search warrants were served on Chew’s home on Harper Court in Lafayette and at his office at the Oakland Fire Department. Child pornography was found on a laptop computer belonging to Chew. On September 7, 2017, Chew was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography by the District Attorney’s Office. By his guilty plea, Chew admitted that on August 31, 2017, he possessed photographs and videos depicting minors engaged in sexual activity.
ICAC is a multi-agency task force managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Martinez, San Ramon, Concord, and Moraga police departments, the Office of the Sheriff, County Probation Department, and District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force.
Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org for further information.
Read MoreEfforts since 2011 to pass ordinance
By Daniel Borsuk
After years of foot-dragging by the county officials and Contra Costa’s two major solid waste haulers – Republic Service and Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery – county supervisors voted 4-0 to pass an ordinance aimed at cracking down on illegal solid waste hauling activities in unincorporated parts of the East Bay County.
District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen left the board meeting before the vote because she had a medical appointment.
With “dozens” of unsanctioned truck drivers illegally hauling trash and, in most cases, illegally dumping their loads in unincorporated East or West county locations at public expense for appropriate removal and disposal, supervisors finally took the bold step to crack down on the illegal activity.
For obvious reasons no one spoke in opposition to the ordinance up for consideration at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting and, for that matter other than representatives for the two major waster haulers, no one from the general public spoke in favor of the ordinance too.
Even then the ordinance’s passage did not come easily. Attorneys for Republic Service and Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery insisted on five last minute wording changes that supervisors agreed to in order to move forward the law that has been on the drawing boards for at least six years.
“This ordinance will be a tool for county code enforcement officers to use to clean up this illegal activity,” said Sal Evola, representing Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery. “We’ve been attempting to put a stop to this illegal activity since 2011.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” concurred board vice chair Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, who played a key role in finally getting the ordinance passed. “We’re basically telling illegal haulers that they will have to play by the same rules as the legal haulers. We view this as an economic development issue.”
“East County is definitely affected by illegal dumping,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. “This ordinance means the county is taking the appropriate steps to hold these people accountable.”
Beginning March 2018, the ordinance will be enforced mainly by the Contra Costa County Health Service Department. The county Sheriff-Coroner Office and local police departments will play law enforcement roles.
The county ordinance spells out what is considered to be a solid waste hauler under terms of the law. The ordinance establishes vehicle inspection procedures, annual permit renewal will be required every December, revocation procedures, setting liability insurance requirements with policy limits of $1 million per occurrence and $1 million aggregate, and requiring drivers to hold performance bonds.
The county ordinance requires permit holders to transport solid waste load and recycled waste to properly licensed solid waste and recycling facilities.
It is too early to tell how much revenue the county will generate from the new ordinance.
$2 Million Waste Clean-up Contract Approved
In other action, supervisors approved as a consent item a $2 million contract with Pacheco-based Debri-Tech Inc. to do trash and abandoned waste cleanup and removal for the Contra Costa County Watershed Program. The contract with Debri-Tech has been doubled from $1 million because the contract has been extended two years rather than one year.
Supervisors gave the District Attorney’s Office the green light to apply for $1.2 million in state funding for the county’s Victim/Witness Assistance Program. The funding will be spent from Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018.
In addition, supervisors approved the issuance of an additional $1.6 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee for the completion of the 58-family unit apartment development at 1515 and 1735 Riviera Ave. in Walnut Creek. In March 2016, supervisors approved the $19.2 million development, but learned additional tax-exempt funds were needed to complete the construction.
Read MoreCongressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced he will host an End of the Year town hall meeting in El Cerrito on Monday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. Since taking office in 2015, Mark has hosted 53 town halls and mobile district office hours throughout Contra Costa County, interacting with over 17,500 constituents.
Following a busy year filled with controversial actions by the Trump Administration and Republican Leadership, Congressman DeSaulnier invites residents to attend his final town hall of 2017. During the town hall constituents will be provided with a legislative update, and have an opportunity to ask questions or share their thoughts on issues of importance.
El Cerrito Town Hall
Monday, December 4, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Harding Elementary
Auditorium
7230 Fairmont Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Please RSVP by visiting https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or calling (925) 933-2660. For more information or to request ADA accommodations, contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read More
New DVC President Susan Lamb
MARTINEZ, CA – The Contra Costa Community College District (District) has selected Susan Lamb as the next president of Diablo Valley College (DVC).
The announcement was made following a nationwide search that began in May 2017. Potential candidates were reviewed and four finalists were selected to participate in public forums and final interviews last week.
“I was extremely impressed with all four finalists. They are all strong leaders with a unique skillset and experiences” said Chancellor Fred Wood. “In the end, I chose Susan Lamb because of her deep understanding of the California community colleges and her understanding of both DVC and the District, having worked at both Contra Costa College and DVC in progressively complex administrative roles. In addition, we will benefit from her leadership experience as interim chancellor/president at City College of San Francisco where she successfully led that college through financially challenging times, the restoration of accreditation, and developed strong partnerships with the community. Those are major accomplishments, and we welcome her back to DVC and the District.”
The District will begin negotiating the contract with Ms. Lamb with the goal of placing the item on the December 14, 2017, Governing Board meeting agenda for review and approval.
“I am so pleased and humbled to be selected as the next president of Diablo Valley College,” says Ms. Lamb. “My last four years at City College of San Francisco gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and I am now better prepared to lead DVC. I have deep respect and look forward to returning to this great college, and joining my colleagues to transform the lives of our students.”
Diablo Valley College (DVC) is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. For nearly 70 years, Diablo Valley College has provided quality education to the community it serves. The larger of DVC’s two campuses is located in Pleasant Hill while the newer San Ramon Campus serves the south county in Dougherty Valley. Between its two campuses, DVC serves more than 22,000 students each semester with a wide variety of program options. DVC is not only recognized as one of California’s best community colleges, but it also leads the state in transfer to four-year institutions. For more about DVC, visit www.dvc.edu.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
Read More
Mitchell Lee Bacom, now and as he looked in the 1980’s. Photos courtesy of APD
“Justice for Suzanne” means “Antioch is safer, tonight”
Suzanne Bombardier. Herald file photo
By Allen Payton
At around 5:00 p.m. Monday evening, the family of Suzanne Bombardier whose kidnapping, rape and murder had gone unsolved for 37 years, finally had closure when Antioch police arrested 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom at his home in Antioch. During a press conference Monday night, Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks announced the arrest saying he was “ecstatic” and credited retired Captain Leonard Orman, DNA testing by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Lab and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.
Bacom, an Antioch resident, was arrested without incident in front of his house in the 300 block of West Madill.
“This closes the oldest, open cold case homicide on record with the Antioch Police Department,” Brooks stated, and then thanked “Suzanne Bombardier’s family for not giving up hope,” although “it would not bring Suzanne back.” He further said it was solved through “patience and persistence.”
Orman was brought back to work on the case, earlier this year after the DNA was sent to the crime lab two years ago and got a hit by CODIS, the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, in May. Interim DA Diana Becton gave credit to Paul Holes, her office’s Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensic and the Safe Streets Task Force.
“Justice may not have come as swiftly as we would like,” she stated, and said her office will be filing charges against Bacom tomorrow of “murder with use of a deadly weapon and additional charges, as well.”
Bombardier was taken in the middle of the night from her sister’s home at 3421 Hudson Court in Antioch while babysitting. She was missing for approximately five days and eventually found deceased in the San Joaquin River near the Antioch Bridge. Her cause of death was determined to be one stab wound to the chest which penetrated her heart. Evidence at the time indicated she had been sexually assaulted.
Numerous suspects and persons of interest were developed and investigated over the years. Some were eliminated while others remained unresolved until recently. Bacom was one of the original suspects in the case, “the prime suspect” according to former Antioch Detective Greg Glod who worked the case, along with retired Detective Ron Rackley who first took the report that initiated the investigation in 1980.
Two years ago, during the 35th anniversary of the murder, they and retired Antioch Sgt. Larry Hopwood asked then Chief Allan Cantando to reopen the case and offered to serve as a volunteer cold case squad. They launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the cold case. (See related article). Later that year the DNA was sent to the crime lab for testing.
Through that DNA testing, one of the suspects, 63-year-old Mitchell Lynn Bacom of Antioch, has been determined to be responsible for these heinous crimes. He is currently being held on the charges of murder, kidnapping, rape and oral copulation.
“He was never off the suspect list,” Brooks stated, and that “he was known to Suzanne and the family.”
“That’s who we always suspected,” Rackley stated, when reached for comment following the press conference. “We can finally sleep again.”
“I knew this all along,” Glod said when reached at his home in the Washington, D.C. area, where he now works for the U.S. Secret Service as an instructor at their academy. “He was clearly the prime suspect, clearly in my mind, from the beginning.”
Suspect Had History of Violent Crime
Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks was joined by (L-R) Antioch Police Captain Diane Aguinaga and retired Captain Leonard Orman, as well as Paul Holes, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office Cold Case Investigator and Chief of Forensics, and Interim Contra Costa DA Diana Becton.
In 1973, Bacom was arrested in Mountain View, Ca. for rape, robbery, assault with intent to commit murder and oral copulation. As a result of that investigation, he was convicted in 1974 of first and second-degree burglary, assault with intent to murder and sodomy. He was sentenced to five years to life.
In February of 1981, Bacom was arrested for robbery and rape in Isleton, California. As a result of that case, he was convicted of first degree burglary, robbery, rape and sodomy. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
In 2002, Bacom was convicted in Contra Costa County of failing to properly register as a sex offender and sentenced to four years in prison. This conviction was the result of a Pittsburg PD investigation.
When the biological evidence was originally collected in this case, DNA testing did not exist as a method of determining guilt in our justice system. Over the years, the Antioch Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office have monitored developments in DNA testing in the hopes that advancements would be made allowing this evidence to be processed and a DNA profile developed. In 2015, the decision was made to submit the biological evidence to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory in an effort to develop a DNA profile. This lab was equipped to conduct some of the most advanced available DNA testing. In early 2017, the department was notified that a CODIS hit was made tentatively identifying Mitchell Lynn Bacom as the perpetrator. Additional testing was required in order to confirm the identification.
Glod spoke about Bacom’s history of crime, saying, “I’m amazed how he got out of prison on the first one” and that “he was on parole when this took place,” referring to the Bombardier murder.
Media from throughout the Bay Area was in attendance for the Tammany Brooks’ first press conference as Antioch Police Chief.
He gave credit to former Antioch Detective Guy Worth, who is currently battling cancer, and “is probably dancing, right now. He was instrumental…he did all he could to keep this case alive, in spite of all he’s going through.”
Glod also thanked the media for their articles and TV news segments in 2015 and 2016.
“I appreciate people like you (referring to the Herald), Henry Lee from KTVU, the Contra Costa Times and Jennifer Gibbbons, the author who wouldn’t let this go,” he stated.
“Although we are ecstatic an arrest has been made in this case it will not bring Suzanne back into her family’s lives,” Brooks said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Suzanne Bombardier’s family and we hope this mystery being solved offers some level of comfort for them.”
“Although in recent years there was some question relative to our commitment regarding this investigation, we never gave up on bringing this case to a resolution,” he shared. “The reality was that science had to make advances in order for a positive identification of the killer to be made. It was through patience, persistence, networking, modern investigative techniques and scientific advances that this case was solved.”
“I’m glad that people didn’t forget, the Antioch Police Department and District Attorney’s Office,” Glod said. “They were instrumental in solving this. It’s a good day for Antioch. Antioch did not forget their citizen. It’s great news for the family and all the friends who have been traumatized by this. We finally got some justice for Suzanne Bombardier.”
“It’s bringing some closure for me in my life,” he added. “This is a great moment for me. I’m glad to see it was him they arrested. This is big news.”
More Work Still To Be Done
When reached for comment, Orman said, “It was good to see it to this point,” knowing that there is still more work to be done following the arrest. “Antioch is safer tonight and that’s what matters,” he added.
“This does not constitute the end,” Brooks confirmed during his first press conference since becoming Chief in May, stating that the department needed to determine if Bacom has been involved in any other crimes.
As such, the Antioch Police Department will be networking with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to determine if Mitchell Lynn Bacom has been involved in other murders and/or sexual assaults. We encourage anyone with information regarding this case to contact the Antioch Police Department. Additionally, we are hoping to hear from any of Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s past victims, including those who may have never made reports to law enforcement.
Anyone wanting to provide information relative to Mitchell Lynn Bacom’s criminal conduct may contact Detective Leonard Orman at (925) 779-6918. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH
Read More
Due to state sanctuary policies, county policy to go into effect next year; response due today
By Daniel Borsuk
With neither Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston nor one of his representatives in attendance at a meeting of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee on Thursday, there was more concern as to why the sheriff wasn’t in attendance than the topic at hand: the possibility the county could lose up to $24.7 million in federal assistance.
Representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation, Employment and Human Services, and County Administrator were present at the committee meeting conducted by Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond and attended by Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg.
Without Livingston or his representative at the committee table, supervisors and citizens serving on the committee could not get a proper read on the status of the sheriff’s policy on the arrest and detention of undocumented immigrants primarily at West County Jail, and how well deputies interface with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and United States Marshals.
Some $19.8 million of the $24.7 million in federal aid that the county receives from the federal government is allocated to the Sheriff-Coroner Office. Employment and Human Services receives $1.9 million in federal aid, Probation pulls in $1.1 million, the County Administrator draws $983,971, the District Attorney gets $563,848, and the Public Defender collects $180,412.
“I am surprised and disappointed that the sheriff is not here,” said Supervisor Gioia. “I don’t know if this has ever happened before where the sheriff has not appeared at a Public Protection Committee meeting.”
“I’m shocked and dismayed that no one from the Sheriff’s Office is here,” said Renee Zeimer representing Organizing for Contra Costa Action. “How is the sheriff held accountable to the public?”
About four other also persons complained that the sheriff or a representative should have been in attendance at the committee meeting.
The fate of federal money that California cities and 58 counties receive will probably be decided in United States District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 13, when U.S. District Judge William Orrick is expected to rule on whether California Senate Bill 54 or “the Sanctuary State Bill” that was recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown and goes into effect Jan. 1 conflicts with Executive Order 1373 that President Donald J. Trump inked on Jan. 25, 2017.
Executive Order 1373 assigns broad powers to the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Marshalls to investigate, arrest, and deport undocumented immigrants in order to secure the safety of the interior of the nation. The executive order also gives the DOJ investigative power to determine if states, cities, and counties are in compliance with Executive Order 1373.
In Sanctuary States like California, Contra Costa County and other counties are aligning policies to conform with SB 54 unaware how Judge Orrick will rule.
When asked if the county has a Plan B should the U.S. District Court strikes down SB 54 and uphold Executive Order 1373, Supervisor Gioia remarked, “That’ll be an issue for the state and every city and county effected by SB54.”
Sheriff Receives DOJ Letter
The Sheriff-Coroner Office received on November 15 a letter from U.S. Department of Justice Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan Hansen inquiring whether the sheriff office is in conflict with Executive Order 1373 if a custody deputy does not inform ICE of the immigration status of inmates. “The department is concerned that this appears to restrict the sending or requesting of information regarding immigration status in violation of section 1373 (a) and (b),” wrote Hansen.
The letter was directed to Mary Jay Robb, the Chief for Management Services in the Sheriff’s Office.
Livingston would not respond to calls from the Herald with questions about the letter. The Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Jimmy Lee instead referred calls to County Administrator David Twa.
One program that wasn’t included in the DOJ inquiry is the Stand Together CoCo program, which the Board of Supervisors approved in September with $500,000 in state AB 109 funds to help launch the program. The Public Defender’s Office is overseeing the program.
Twa confirmed that the DOJ letter is about the state’s sanctuary policies, not the county’s new policy that will not go into effect until next year.
County Has Until Today to Respond to DOJ
The county needs to respond to the DOJ inquiry by today, Friday, Dec. 8.
The Stand Together program will monitor ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants in the county. The program that is also funded through private sources will have counselors visiting undocumented immigrants held at West County Jail. The Stand Together CoCo program expects to counsel up to 180 undocumented immigrants held at the jail during the first six months of the program. The program gets underway January 1, 2018.
Read MoreExample of a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry instrument. Photo by Polimerek – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=425348
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Forensic Services Division Crime Laboratory has received a state grant for “Improved Technology for Identification of Impairing Substances in DUID Cases”.
This $207,100 grant will fund the purchase of two new Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) instruments. These instruments will have the ability to routinely identify and quantitate compounds that are commonly encountered in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases.
The two new GCMS instruments offer increased sensitivity and will be replacing older instrumentation within the Crime Lab. The new instruments will enable the Forensic Services Division to provide analysis in alignment with recommendations set by national organizations for DUID cases.
“The new GCMS instruments will allow the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab to provide more comprehensive and timely results for the investigation and prosecution of DUID cases in Contra Costa County,” said Forensic Services Chief Pam Hofsass.
On January 1, 2014, changes to driving under the influence laws (Sections 23152 and 23153 of the Vehicle Code) went into effect making it unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any drug to drive a motor vehicle; this not only includes illegal narcotics and stimulants, but also some legal prescriptions, herbs, marijuana and over-the-counter drugs.
The purchase of these instruments and method validation is anticipated to take ap-proximately one year. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Read MoreEddie Hart with his new book entitled “Disqualified”.
Meet the two-time World Record-holder at Barnes & Noble in Antioch Monday, Dec. 18
By Allen Payton
Having previously equaled the World Record, Martinez-born and Pittsburg-raised Eddie Hart was a strong favorite to win the 100-Meter Dash at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. The inexplicable happened, he was disqualified for arriving seconds after his quarterfinal heat. Ten years of training to become the “World’s Fastest Human.” The title attached to the Olympic 100-meter champion was lost in a heartbeat. How could this have possibly happened on athletics’ biggest stage, the Olympic Games?
Hart provides his story in a new book he’s written with the help of friend and former Oakland Tribune sports reporter, Dave Newhouse, entitled “Disqualified – Eddie Hart, Munich 1972, and the Voices of The Most Tragic Olympics.”
A Champion Since High School
Hart moved to Pittsburg when he was eight years old, and attended Village Elementary and Central Junior High. He graduated from Pittsburg High in 1967 where he lettered every year as a member of the track team, in the 100, 200 and long jump. He won “the conference in four events, including the 4×100 relay in 1966, then he repeated in the 100 and 200 in 1967,” Hart shared.
He then went on to attend Contra Costa College in San Pablo.
“That’s where I really blossomed,” Hart said.
It’s where he won the 100 and 200 at the junior college state meet in 1969.
Hart then transferred to U.C. Berkeley where he majored in Physical Education, because he wanted to be a track coach. In his first year, he won the 100-meter race at the PAC-8 championships and placed second in the 200.
Then at the NCAA national championships that year, Hart won the 100 and running anchor, helped his team win the 4×100 relay, as well.
One of his teammates, Isaac Curtis, who went on to play wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, came in second in that same 100-meter race, making it the only time in NCAA history that teammates from the same school placed first and second in the championship race.
“At the end of that year I made the U.S. national team and toured Europe for six weeks competing in various meets,” Hart shared. “We competed in France, in Russia and Oslo, and Sweden, also.”
Champion in the 5,000-meter Steve Prefontaine was on that same team.
“I knew Pre, well,” Hart said.
First Major Challenge
Then in 1971 he placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 at the NCAA Championships due to an injury earlier in the year, having missed half the season and not even competing in the conference championships.
First Comeback
Hart withdrew from school to train for the Olympics and became an assistant to the head track coach in 1972, at the same time. He entered open competition that year and during the meets Hart made the qualifying times in the 100. In fact, he missed the World Record by just 1/10th of a second running 10 flat at the West Coast Relays in Fresno.
Second Major Challenge
Three weeks before the Olympic trials Hart injured his right hamstring while running in the 200 at the U.S. Championships in Seattle. He couldn’t do any starts between that injury and his first race at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon.
“It was terrifying,” he said. “It was tough.”
Then at the trials, “It was a nightmare,” Hart said. “Each race, everyone was ahead of me. I just kept pulling up.”
Asked if he was hesitant, he replied, “Oh, very much so. I was afraid I was going to reinjure myself.”
“You have to run four races,” Hart explained. “A heat, a quarterfinal, a semi-final and then the final.”
Second Comeback
In the semifinal I was fourth and they only took four to the final. “I barely made it,” he stated.
“It was a wind-aided race and the first five guys ran a 9.9 in the 100 meters and the fifth-place guy didn’t even qualify,” Hart continued. “I was the fourth guy and I was scared to death, because from the finals they only took the top three.”
In the blocks at the starting line, he was still thinking about his leg, which was bothering him.
“This was all the marbles right here, there was nothing to save,” he shared.
“The gun went off and I was in a dream,” Hart explained. “I ran the best race of my life.”
Before or after, “Ever,” he said. “That was it.”
“I was an Olympian, an Olympic trials champion and the World Record holder at 9.9,” Hart stated proudly.
“It was legal, not wind-aided,” he added.
Hart had equaled the World Record in the 100-meter dash, which had been achieved by only two others before. It wasn’t broken until 1991 when Carl Lewis ran it in 9.86.
He also qualified for the Olympics as the anchor for the U.S. Men’s 4×100 relay team, which was made up of the four finalists in the 100-meter race.
From Triumph to Tragedy
About a month later he was with the U.S. Olympic Team in Boden, Maine for a few weeks to train in similar weather as Munich, Germany. They then competed in Oslo, Norway, France and Italy before arriving in the Olympic Village just a few days before the Opening Ceremony.
A few days later he ran and won his heat.
“It was easier to make it to the finals at the Olympic games than it was to make the finals at the Olympic trials,” Hart shared. “Of the top 10 to 15 sprinters in the world, the top 10 were in the U.S. at that time.”
After all three U.S. sprinters had won their heats, the coach said “let’s go back to the Olympic Village and rest” Hart explained, “because there was so much time between races. But, that was his schedule.”
The Village was only about a mile or less away from the Olympic Stadium. But, the coach had the incorrect time for the start of the quarterfinals.
They rushed back to the stadium, but it was too late for Hart. He had missed his race and was disqualified. Thus, the title of his book.
Tragedy Ends in Triumph
Hart’s Olympic story didn’t end there. The following week after the tragic murder of the 11 Israeli team members had halted the games for a day for the memorial, Hart once again ran anchor for the U.S. 4×100 relay team. They won that race in World Record time and he became an Olympic Gold Medalist and a World Record holder, once again. See video of Hart’s leg of the race here.
Returning to Pittsburg he was met with celebrations by the Mayor of Pittsburg and the city.
Hart returned to college to complete his degree, and became a paid assistant track coach at Cal Berkeley. He has since started his philanthropic efforts through his Eddie Hart All In One Foundation which holds an Olympian Track Education Clinic at Pittsburg High, each year.
Faith has been a big part of his life, all of his life. Hart has been a member of Stewart Memorial Methodist Church in Pittsburg since elementary school. He’s taught Sunday School for 35 years and for the past 20 years he’s taught the men’s class.
Asked if faith played a part in his Olympic journey, Hart responded, “In every aspect. I grew up in the church, it couldn’t have been any other way.”
“I never prayed to God for success in track,” he shared. “I asked God to give me strength in life to face the challenges as they come.”
“My prayer is that His will be done. God is interested in spiritual things, in our soul not our flesh,” Hart continued. “Ultimately at the end of the day whatever physical things we’ve accomplished here will be left here. It’s about our souls which are eternal. Our flesh is going to burn up. The Bible is clear.”
Asked if his story will become a movie, Hart said, “We’re working on it.”
But, he has to think about who will play the part of him, he shared with a laugh.
His book includes a foreword by Harvard professor, Dr. Cornel West who has been a friend since high school, and whose brother Cliff was Hart’s roommate at Cal.
See Eddie Hart and get your copy of his book signed on Monday, Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Barnes & Noble book store in Antioch at 5709 Lone Tree Way.
Read More
Board of Supervisors Chairman Federal Glover with Interim D.A. Diana Becton following her oath of office ceremony on Sept. 18, 2017. Photo by David Fraser, Office of Supervisor Federal Glover
Today, Wednesday, December 6, 2017, District Attorney Diana Becton issued the following statement:
“It’s official: today, I filed my papers to run for District Attorney of Contra Costa County.
“I was selected as District Attorney by the Board of Supervisors to restore faith and trust in the District Attorney’s Office in the wake of scandal. I have rolled up my sleeves and I am hard at work. I am committing to restoring integrity to the office. I am confident that I will succeed. I am a collaborative leader who knows how to get things done.
“We cannot continue to look at the criminal justice system in a vacuum. We need a broad, universal approach to how we prevent crime, make our communities safe, and treat everyone fairly.
“As a longtime judge of the Superior Court in Contra Costa County, I am proud of my reputation for hard work, fairness, and integrity. I will bring these qualities to the campaign trail – and to the job.”
In September, Becton was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to fill the position made vacant by the resignation of Mark Peterson. She joins Contra Costa County Senior Assistant District Attorney Paul Graves and Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Patrick Vanier who announced their campaigns and entered the race prior to Peterson’s resignation. The Primary Election will be held June 4, 2018. If no candidate receives a majority of vote, the top two candidates will face off in the General Election in November.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreSheriff David Livingston, center, speaks with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (to his left) and staff during a tour of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Photos by CCCSheriff
Rep. DeSaulnier and staff, other officials tour facility
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The investigation by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff continues regarding complaints made by several female ICE detainees held in the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond, California.
WCDF is a dormitory-style, program-based facility where all inmates are free to leave their rooms to go to educational and vocational programs, medical appointments or visits; the amount of free time all inmates receive exceeds state requirements.
The West County Detention Facility in Richmond.
“Although complaints such as excessive ‘lock down’ time or improper use of bio-hazard bags are extremely rare within the jail system’s 1,600 inmates and detainees, the fact that some ICE detainees have made such allegations demands a full and thorough investigation, which is well underway,” said Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston. “We routinely pass stringent state and federal jail inspections and are com-mitted to running safe, secure and Constitutionally compliant detention facilities.”
To date, Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Investigators have conducted over 110 interviews of both inmates and staff, reviewed hundreds of hours of building surveillance video, identified and inspected physical/documentary evidence (such as log books, booking information, bio-hazard red bag storage, etc.), and inspected the cells, bathrooms and open areas of the women’s dormitory.
On Monday, Nov. 27, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, (D, CA-11), and his staff, toured WCDF and was invited to view any area he wished to visit and speak to any detainee he liked. A number of other state and local officials have also recently visited the facility.
“Congressman DeSaulnier can now publicly call for any additional investigation he wants,” said Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston. “However, as the political rhetoric from some around this issue continues to boil, we remain undeterred in providing professional and diligent custody services for our county inmates and federal detainees.”
The Office of the Sheriff has been in close communication with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and his staff as it is working to complete this investigation. A.G. staff have already met with us and conducted a tour once, on November 16, 2017, and will be conducting another review at the facility soon. The Sheriff’s Office will make its investigatory materials available to the Attorney General and have asked that he review our full investigation, and findings therein, when we complete the investigation on or about December 15, 2017.
Read More
Richard Chew from his now deleted LinkedIn profile. Herald file photo.
On Tuesday December 5, 2017, Richard Chew, a 58-year-old resident of Lafayette, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. As a result of his guilty plea, Chew was sentenced to 150 days in jail, three years of probation and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Chew has been out on bail since his arrest and was ordered to surrender at a later date to begin serving his sentence.
On August 19, 2017, the Contra Costa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation into Chew. Agencies involved in this investigation include the Office of the Sheriff, District Attorney’s Office, and Lafayette and Concord Police Departments.
During the investigation, search warrants were served on Chew’s home on Harper Court in Lafayette and at his office at the Oakland Fire Department. Child pornography was found on a laptop computer belonging to Chew. On September 7, 2017, Chew was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography by the District Attorney’s Office. By his guilty plea, Chew admitted that on August 31, 2017, he possessed photographs and videos depicting minors engaged in sexual activity.
ICAC is a multi-agency task force managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Martinez, San Ramon, Concord, and Moraga police departments, the Office of the Sheriff, County Probation Department, and District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force.
Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org for further information.
Read MoreEfforts since 2011 to pass ordinance
By Daniel Borsuk
After years of foot-dragging by the county officials and Contra Costa’s two major solid waste haulers – Republic Service and Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery – county supervisors voted 4-0 to pass an ordinance aimed at cracking down on illegal solid waste hauling activities in unincorporated parts of the East Bay County.
District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen left the board meeting before the vote because she had a medical appointment.
With “dozens” of unsanctioned truck drivers illegally hauling trash and, in most cases, illegally dumping their loads in unincorporated East or West county locations at public expense for appropriate removal and disposal, supervisors finally took the bold step to crack down on the illegal activity.
For obvious reasons no one spoke in opposition to the ordinance up for consideration at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting and, for that matter other than representatives for the two major waster haulers, no one from the general public spoke in favor of the ordinance too.
Even then the ordinance’s passage did not come easily. Attorneys for Republic Service and Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery insisted on five last minute wording changes that supervisors agreed to in order to move forward the law that has been on the drawing boards for at least six years.
“This ordinance will be a tool for county code enforcement officers to use to clean up this illegal activity,” said Sal Evola, representing Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery. “We’ve been attempting to put a stop to this illegal activity since 2011.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” concurred board vice chair Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, who played a key role in finally getting the ordinance passed. “We’re basically telling illegal haulers that they will have to play by the same rules as the legal haulers. We view this as an economic development issue.”
“East County is definitely affected by illegal dumping,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. “This ordinance means the county is taking the appropriate steps to hold these people accountable.”
Beginning March 2018, the ordinance will be enforced mainly by the Contra Costa County Health Service Department. The county Sheriff-Coroner Office and local police departments will play law enforcement roles.
The county ordinance spells out what is considered to be a solid waste hauler under terms of the law. The ordinance establishes vehicle inspection procedures, annual permit renewal will be required every December, revocation procedures, setting liability insurance requirements with policy limits of $1 million per occurrence and $1 million aggregate, and requiring drivers to hold performance bonds.
The county ordinance requires permit holders to transport solid waste load and recycled waste to properly licensed solid waste and recycling facilities.
It is too early to tell how much revenue the county will generate from the new ordinance.
$2 Million Waste Clean-up Contract Approved
In other action, supervisors approved as a consent item a $2 million contract with Pacheco-based Debri-Tech Inc. to do trash and abandoned waste cleanup and removal for the Contra Costa County Watershed Program. The contract with Debri-Tech has been doubled from $1 million because the contract has been extended two years rather than one year.
Supervisors gave the District Attorney’s Office the green light to apply for $1.2 million in state funding for the county’s Victim/Witness Assistance Program. The funding will be spent from Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018.
In addition, supervisors approved the issuance of an additional $1.6 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee for the completion of the 58-family unit apartment development at 1515 and 1735 Riviera Ave. in Walnut Creek. In March 2016, supervisors approved the $19.2 million development, but learned additional tax-exempt funds were needed to complete the construction.
Read MoreCongressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced he will host an End of the Year town hall meeting in El Cerrito on Monday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. Since taking office in 2015, Mark has hosted 53 town halls and mobile district office hours throughout Contra Costa County, interacting with over 17,500 constituents.
Following a busy year filled with controversial actions by the Trump Administration and Republican Leadership, Congressman DeSaulnier invites residents to attend his final town hall of 2017. During the town hall constituents will be provided with a legislative update, and have an opportunity to ask questions or share their thoughts on issues of importance.
El Cerrito Town Hall
Monday, December 4, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Harding Elementary
Auditorium
7230 Fairmont Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Please RSVP by visiting https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or calling (925) 933-2660. For more information or to request ADA accommodations, contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read MoreNew DVC President Susan Lamb
MARTINEZ, CA – The Contra Costa Community College District (District) has selected Susan Lamb as the next president of Diablo Valley College (DVC).
The announcement was made following a nationwide search that began in May 2017. Potential candidates were reviewed and four finalists were selected to participate in public forums and final interviews last week.
“I was extremely impressed with all four finalists. They are all strong leaders with a unique skillset and experiences” said Chancellor Fred Wood. “In the end, I chose Susan Lamb because of her deep understanding of the California community colleges and her understanding of both DVC and the District, having worked at both Contra Costa College and DVC in progressively complex administrative roles. In addition, we will benefit from her leadership experience as interim chancellor/president at City College of San Francisco where she successfully led that college through financially challenging times, the restoration of accreditation, and developed strong partnerships with the community. Those are major accomplishments, and we welcome her back to DVC and the District.”
The District will begin negotiating the contract with Ms. Lamb with the goal of placing the item on the December 14, 2017, Governing Board meeting agenda for review and approval.
“I am so pleased and humbled to be selected as the next president of Diablo Valley College,” says Ms. Lamb. “My last four years at City College of San Francisco gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and I am now better prepared to lead DVC. I have deep respect and look forward to returning to this great college, and joining my colleagues to transform the lives of our students.”
Diablo Valley College (DVC) is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. For nearly 70 years, Diablo Valley College has provided quality education to the community it serves. The larger of DVC’s two campuses is located in Pleasant Hill while the newer San Ramon Campus serves the south county in Dougherty Valley. Between its two campuses, DVC serves more than 22,000 students each semester with a wide variety of program options. DVC is not only recognized as one of California’s best community colleges, but it also leads the state in transfer to four-year institutions. For more about DVC, visit www.dvc.edu.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
Read More