Contra Costa Herald

CASE UPDATE

By Brentwood Police Department

You may recall that on October 11, 2023, Brentwood officers responded to the Brentwood City Park for a juvenile armed with a kitchen knife. As officers arrived on scene, they contacted the 16-year-old juvenile.  After numerous attempts to de-escalate the situation, the juvenile stabbed a Brentwood officer who was attempting to take the juvenile into custody.

The officer, who sustained life-threatening injuries, was transported to a local hospital we were relieved and grateful the officer survived. (See related article)

The juvenile, who cannot be named due to his age, was arrested and transported to Juvenile Hall and has been in custody ever since.

On July 3, 2024, members of the Brentwood Police Department and the victim (officer) attended the hearing for this case.  The case was adjudicated and resulted in the juvenile being sentenced to a maximum six-year sentence which was the maximum sentence allowed by law.

This incident had a profound impact on not only our officer and his family, but also on the Department and our community. The involved officer is still recovering from his injuries but wishes to express his sincere appreciation to the community for your support.

Residents tour the Richmond wastewater treatment plant during the open house on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Photos: Veolia

Open house provides community with behind-the-scenes look at significant infrastructure improvements for better air, water quality

Three-year construction project brings substantial improvements to wastewater treatment and odor control systems at Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant

Veolia North America, the leading provider of environmental solutions in the U.S. and Canada, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, unveiled to the public $40 million worth of major upgrades to the Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant. The investment will improve wastewater treatment, environmental compliance and odor control for Richmond and nearby communities on the San Francisco Bay.

Local community leaders and neighbors attended an open house at the plant to see the results of the work and to learn how this infrastructure investment will improve their surroundings. It provided a rare opportunity for an in-depth, guided tour of the major capital improvement.

Richmond’s Water Pollution Control Plant is located at 601 Canal Blvd. in Richmond, California on the southwest side of the city.

Veolia has operated the plant for more than two decades, and the construction project marks a significant step forward in modernizing the plant’s ability to effectively treat the city’s wastewater and protect its environment. Veolia welcomed local community leaders and neighbors to the plant for an open house today to see the results of this work and to learn how this infrastructure investment will improve their surroundings.

“Veolia is proud to be a key partner to the city of Richmond as it continually improves its infrastructure and its resiliency for the future,” said Karine Rougé, CEO for Municipal Water at Veolia North America, who attended the open house. “These vital improvements will make a significant impact in how the wastewater treatment plant functions in the community, by improving the quality of treated water released into San Francisco Bay, delivering more efficient operations to the city, and better controlling the odors produced by the wastewater treatment process.”

The wastewater system improvements are expected to provide additional environmental and financial benefits to Richmond, as more efficient equipment will require less energy and lower levels of chemical treatment to operate, reducing the city’s costs as well as its greenhouse gas emissions. These achievements exemplify the goals of Veolia’s global GreenUp strategy, which strives to lead the ecological transformation of the planet by accelerating water quality improvement, decarbonization and technological innovation. Some 61% of Americans are concerned that worsening climate conditions may result in a deterioration of their quality of life, according to Veolia’s Barometer of Ecological Transformation survey, and projects which respond to ecological threats while also addressing infrastructure needs help build long-term solutions for the environment and public health.

The Richmond Water Pollution Control Plant construction project replaced outdated or ineffective equipment used in major functions at the plant:

• Fine screens – Two new mechanical fine screens were installed to filter out trash, rags and other larger debris from the wastewater stream. This prevents that material from clogging pipes and pumps, and potentially polluting the San Francisco Bay.
• Vortex grit removal system – Grit and sand settles at the bottom of wastewater treatment tanks, where it can cause wear and tear on machinery. The new grit removal system allows those fine materials to be easily separated from wastewater.
• Biofilter – Gases released by the wastewater treatment process are captured and forced through a new filtration system. Many layers of porous materials in the biofilter promote the growth of specialized microorganisms that break down the odor-causing compounds.
• Blower building – a new structure holds powerful mechanical turbo blowers, which ingest outside air that is diffused into wastewater to promote the treatment process.
• Aeration basins – a new system in the bottom of wastewater treatment tanks diffuses air into the water as fine bubbles, rather than the previous mechanical mixing system. These fine bubble diffusers are more consistent, efficient and resilient than the prior system.

The completion of this construction project marks another milestone for Veolia’s partnership with Richmond, in which Veolia is responsible for operating and maintaining the city’s wastewater treatment plant, sewer system and stormwater collection system. Since the partnership began in 2002, the city’s environmental performance has improved significantly.

About Veolia North America  

A subsidiary of Veolia Group, Veolia North America (VNA) offers a full spectrum of water, waste and energy management services, including water and wastewater treatment, commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal, energy consulting and resource recovery. VNA helps commercial, industrial, healthcare, higher education and municipality customers throughout North America. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Veolia North America has more than 10,000 employees working at more than 350 locations across the continent. www.veolianorthamerica.com

About Veolia Group

Veolia’s ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 218,000 employees on five continents, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for managing water, waste and energy that help to radically change the world. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them. In 2023, the Veolia group served 113 million people with drinking water and 103 million with wastewater services, produced 42 terawatt-hours of energy and recovered 63 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) generated consolidated sales of €45.3 billion in 2023. www.veolia.com

The grand opening of the new Contra Costa County Administration Building and Plaza was held on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Photos: Contra Costa County

A new government facility to better fit its environment

Includes new plaza, public law library

By Kristi Jourdan, PIO, Contra Costa County

County and city officials celebrated the grand opening of Contra Costa County’s new Administration Building Tuesday morning, July 9, 2024. Located on Pine Street in the heart of downtown Martinez, the three-story cutting-edge office administration building and civic plaza was unveiled on the historic grounds previously occupied by a taller, outdated office tower and a jail dating back to around 1902. Both were demolished to make way for the modern development including the County’s other new administration building across Escobar Street that houses the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers.

Members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and the Martinez City Council, county staff and representatives of both Webcor Builders and design firm Perkins & Will gathered for the building’s grand opening.

Speakers included Board Chair and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis and District 4 Supervisor Ken Carlson, Chief Assistant County Administrator Eric Angstadt and Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn, and representatives of design firm Perkins & Will and Webcor Builders.

The new County Administration Building and Plaza.

The new $65 million building replaced a programmatically obsolete and contextually out of scale office tower and showcases state-of-the-art architecture that harmonizes beautifully with the surrounding historic buildings. It also rejuvenates the public plaza formed by the vacation of a city street within the County administration campus. It embodies sustainability with on-site photovoltaics for high-performance energy use, responsibly sourced finishes, and low embodied carbon materials.

The entrance and a retail space inside the new County Administration Building.

The development significantly enhances community space by adding a new public law library, ground-floor retail spaces, and a parking garage. The plaza also includes street improvements and an advanced stormwater system tailored to the site’s unique groundwater challenges and topography. Internally, the building acts as a hub for several County administrative departments, including the Public Defender, County Sheriff’s Civil Division and the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, consolidating essential services under one roof to improve service delivery and enhance community interaction.

The new building marks a significant contribution to Contra Costa County, where modernity meets tradition and community service meets innovation.

Alexandra Pony of Pony Communications and Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Con Fire’s first major fire of July 4, 2024, was on Leland Drive in Pittsburg and the last major fire was that night in Antioch on the hill behind the shopping center off Hillcrest Avenue and Larkspur Drive. Area burned on the Hillcrest Avenue side of the hill. Top left photo and aerial shot by Con Fire. Bottom left photo by Allen D. Payton.

Including 3 traumatic injuries caused by fireworks; Antioch had most fire-related calls followed by Pittsburg

By Allen D. Payton

According to a report by the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire), they responded to a total of 317 incidents from 10:00 AM on July 4, 2024, to 3:00 AM on July 5th. That’s an increase of 30% over the 243 incidents Con Fire responded to last year. They included three traumatic injuries caused by fireworks.

Source: Con Fire

Of this year’s incidents, 129 were fire-related including 92 exterior fires, 16 vegetation fires, 13 structure fires and eight other types of fires. All four categories experienced increases over 2023 with more than double for exterior fires.

Source: Con Fire

Antioch had the most fire-related calls with about 45 total, followed by 20 for Pittsburg and 10 for Bay Point. All other cities and unincorporated communities in the Con Fire service area had fewer than 10 fire-related incidents.

Source: Con Fire

Calls for significant fires began Thursday at 10:30 AM with a vegetation fire on Leland Road in Pittsburg confirmed to have been started by fireworks at consumed 10 acres. The last significant incident was another vegetation fire that started about 10:30 PM in Antioch on the hill off Hillcrest Avenue behind the Hillcrest Crossings Shopping Center between where KFC and the County Market Asian grocery store are located. It caused the evacuation of six homes.

According to Con Fire PIO, Captain Christopher Toler, a care home on Lotus Court was first evacuated, then fire personnel decided to evacuate all six homes closest to the fire. Structure protection was in place and the fire stopped at the fence lines at both the top and bottom of the hill.

See videos of the Antioch fire here, here, here and here.

The suspect was found with stolen credit cards and driver’s license, a fraudulent check, mailbox keys and a To-Do list inside a stolen car from Antioch on Monday, July 8, 2024. Photos: Hercules PD

Found with stolen credit cards & driver’s license, fraudulent check, To-Do list

By Hercules Police Department

Halfway through the year—how are those New Year’s resolutions holding up? This guy’s definitely been busy…

An officer spotted a Honda Civic with no front plate and a temporary rear plate backing into a Safeway parking spot. The driver quickly exited and walked inside. A records check on the plate and VIN revealed it was a stolen vehicle out of Antioch. Officers apprehended the driver inside Safeway without incident.

A search of the driver (male out of Oakland) was conducted and revealed several stolen credit cards, a stolen driver’s license, mailbox keys, a fraudulent check, and a to-do list in his pocket: 1. Laundry 2. Talk to kids 3. Get some money 4. “Boost.”

Guess he’s keeping up with his goals… sort of.

Rep. John Garamendi announces his cancer diagnosis in a video on his X feed on Monday, July 8, 2024. and his official photo.

Represents northern waterfront and western Contra Costa communities

By Office of Representative John Garamendi

WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) on Monday, July 8, 2024, released the following statement about his diagnosis of early stage, treatable blood cancer:

“My wife Patti, a leader in the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, ensures I stay vigilant about preventative screenings and care. Freezing abnormal bumps is standard, but a call from my doctor changed everything: “When will you be back in California? You need to come in for a series of tests.” Thus began my journey with early-stage Multiple Myeloma, a form of treatable blood cancer.

“Today, I started my path to remission with chemo-immunotherapy as an outpatient at Kaiser Oncology in Sacramento. With early detection, excellent doctors, and the love and support of Patti, our entire family, my extraordinary staff, and congressional colleagues, I know I’ll get through this while continuing to serve my constituents and advance American democracy. I’m grateful our President initiated the Cancer Moonshot and that California’s efforts in stem cell research and taxing cigarettes in the 1980s for cancer research have advanced therapies benefiting not only me, but every family dealing with cancer.

“Throughout my treatments, which my doctor expects will last a few months, I will continue working on my long list of projects and goals for my constituents in Contra Costa and Solano counties. However, alongside destroying cancer cells, chemotherapy weakens natural antibodies and the immune system. My doctors have cautioned me to minimize exposure to COVID-19, flu, and other viruses, so I will limit travel to Washington and public events during the treatment process.

“My thoughts and support are with families managing cancer or any health condition, and with the doctors, nurses, and medical personnel who offer comfort and hope. I am confident that the treatments will be effective, allowing me to continue serving impacted families and my constituents in Congress for years to come.”

In a video post on his X (formerly Twitter) feed on Monday, Garamendi read his statement and wrote, “Like 1.9 million Americans each year, I recently received the dreaded call from my doctor informing me that I had cancer. I am thankful to have caught this early, and we are confident that I will soon be in remission.”

The 79-year-old Garamendi represents the northern waterfront and western communities of Contra Costa County including the northern portion of Antioch in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Graphic: CHP

Over 1,300 DUI-related during Maximum Enforcement Period

By Synthia Ramirez, CHP Media Relations

During the Independence Day weekend, the California Highway Patrol conducted a Maximum Enforcement Period to ensure the safety of all Californians. The statewide statistics from this effort are as follows:

• Over 1,600 arrests, with over 1,300 being DUI-related
• Nearly 30,000 citations issued, including over 17,000 for excessive speed
• Over 600 citations for drivers exceeding 100 miles per hour
• Nearly 1,000 seatbelt violations cited
• Over 1,900 distracted driving citations issued

Great job to all CHP areas that worked tirelessly to keep California safe this Independence Day weekend. Even when it’s not a Maximum Enforcement Period, let’s continue to work together to make responsible choices: drive sober, avoid distractions, follow speed limits, and always buckle up. The primary mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

Source: MTC & ABAG

“Demonstrates continued progress toward key plan goals” of housing, transportation, economy and environment in the nine counties including “a gradual shift away from the use of single-occupancy cars and trucks.”

Includes over $1.2 trillion to maintain existing transportation system, build and buy affordable housing, “Provide an income-based monthly payment to all Bay Area households” and to “Adapt to Sea Level Rise.”

Also working on parallel Transit 2050+ plan

Public input opportunities

By MTC & ABAG staff

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)’s and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)’s newly released Plan Bay Area 2050+ Draft Blueprint analysis outlines how the nine-county region can advance an affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and vibrant Bay Area for all residents by the year 2050.

The Blueprint is essentially a draft version of the plan. It is a foundational framework for a future vision of the Bay Area that includes:

• Forecasts and Assumptionsabout the Bay Area’s future (population, jobs, financial needs and revenues, sea level rise, etc.);
• Strategiesfor public investment and policy reform; and
• Geographieswhere future housing and/or job growth can be focused under the plan’s Strategies.

The Blueprint is then analyzed through computer-generated models and simulations to measure how successful the strategies are in achieving shared goals for the future, such as housing affordability, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and much more.

As the first draft of the Bay Area’s next long-range plan, the Draft Blueprint demonstrates significant progress toward reaching key goals for housing affordability, post-pandemic economic recovery and environmental health and sustainability. This includes the addition of 840,000 affordable homes, with a total of nearly 1 million permanently affordable homes regionwide by 2050; a 17 percent increase in the number of lower-income households living within a half-mile of transit service; and a gradual shift away from the use of single-occupancy cars and trucks. MTC and ABAG planning staff stress that the expected progress would only come about if all the strategies to be detailed in Plan Bay Area 2050+ are implemented.

Source: MTC & ABAG

The full range of performance and equity outcomes from the Plan Bay Area 2050+ Draft Blueprint analysis may be found in the Draft Blueprint Compendium, which also demonstrates how the Bay Area can accommodate some 1.3 million additional jobs and nearly 1 million new households by the year 2050.

The Compendium shows the following proposed budget highlights for three of the Plan’s categories:

Transportation Strategies

$382 billion for T1 – Operate and Maintain the Existing System. Commit to operate and maintain the Bay Area’s roads and transit infrastructure while transitioning to zero-emission transit vehicles.

Housing Strategies

$250 billion for H2 – Preserve Existing Affordable Housing. Acquire homes currently affordable to low- and middle-income residents for preservation as permanently deed-restricted affordable housing, including opportunities for resident ownership.

$302 billion for H4 – Build Adequate Affordable Housing to Ensure Homes for All. Construct enough deed-restricted affordable homes to fill the existing gap in housing for the unhoused community and to meet the needs of low-income households.

Economic Strategies

$205 billion for EC1 – Implement a Statewide Guaranteed Income. Provide an income-based monthly payment to all Bay Area households to improve family stability, promote economic mobility and increase consumer spending.

Environment Strategies

$94 billion for EN1 – Adapt to Sea Level Rise. Adapt shoreline communities, infrastructure and ecosystems affected by sea level rise.

These outcomes were first presented at the May meeting of MTC’s Policy Advisory Council, and then at the June 14 joint meeting of the MTC Planning Committee and the ABAG Administrative Committee.

The Draft Blueprint also identifies challenges that will have to be addressed as part of the Final Blueprint process over the coming months. More work is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to identify transportation investment priorities for the plan’s fiscally constrained transportation project list. The Draft Blueprint does not include significant transportation expansion or enhancement investments, as these will be identified through Transit 2050+ and the Final Blueprint process.

Photo source: MTC. Credit: Joey Kotfica

What’s Next?

In light of the pandemic’s lasting impact to public transportation, MTC is collaborating with the region’s transit operators on Transit 2050+ , a parallel planning effort to re-envision the future of public transit in the nine-county Bay Area. Two key updates in this process will be released in July: the Draft Project Performance Assessment and the Transit 2050+ Draft Network. It will be a comprehensive overhaul of the six transit-related strategies included in Plan Bay Area 2050.

The Draft Project Performance Assessment will analyze the costs and benefits of major capacity-increasing projects being considered for inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2050+, the vast majority of which are transit projects. These investments, including those adopted in Plan Bay Area 2050, now face a significantly reduced projected revenue stream. This is due largely to slow post-pandemic transit ridership recovery and other economic changes.

The Transit 2050+ Draft Network will identify strategies and investments (capital and operating) envisioned through 2035 and over the long term through 2050. Development of the Draft Network has been guided in part by public engagement conducted in summer 2023, when nearly 3,000 Bay Area residents provided input on the future of Bay Area transit. The Draft Network also is being informed by an existing needs and gaps assessment conducted in partnership with local transit agencies, the Draft Project Performance Assessment, local priorities and improvements to transit network connectivity and customer experience.

Source: MTC & ABAG

Summer 2024 Public Engagement

Beginning in August, MTC staff will conduct a second round of public engagement for Plan Bay Area 2050+, the content of which will focus on:

• Sharing both the Draft Blueprint outcomes and the Transit 2050+ Draft Network
• Gathering feedback to inform the development of the Final Blueprint and address identified Draft Blueprint challenges
• Identifying early priorities for implementing Plan Bay Area 2050+

There will be a variety of in-person and virtual opportunities for the public to participate. Stay up-to-date on upcoming engagement activities in your community by subscribing to the Plan Bay Area 2050+ mailing list. There also will be dedicated engagement opportunities for technical partners and stakeholders, which will be publicized on the Plan Bay Area website’s Partner Engagement page.

Following an analysis of public input, the Commission and the ABAG Executive Board are expected to consider approval of the Final Blueprint in late 2024.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Swim facilities, shoreline regional parks remain open

By Jen Vaya, Public Information Specialist, East Bay Regional Park District

Parks previously closed by the East Bay Regional Park District will remain closed through Saturday and will reopen Sunday morning. Some hill and inland East Bay Regional Parks were closed on Tuesday, July 2, due to extreme fire conditions and excessive heat.

Park status is subject to change depending on conditions. Check www.ebparks.org before heading to a park.

The National Weather Service-Bay Area has extended its Red Flag through Saturday, July 6, with Level 2 restrictions in effect DISTRICT WIDE. A Red Flag Warning means that dry and windy conditions are expected, leading to extreme fire weather risks.

Level 2 Extreme Fire Danger Restrictions Include:

• No smoking. Smoking is prohibited in all regional parks, trails, and shorelines. (Prohibited year-round)
• NO fireworks. Fireworks are not permitted in any Regional Parks. (Prohibited year-round)
• No open fires or barbecues of any type. Only gas-fueled stoves are allowed.
• Drive only on designated roadways – no off-road driving. Do not drive or park on dry grass, as heat from a vehicle’s undercarriage can start a fire.
• Secure all tow chains – dragging tow chains can spark fires.

Parks Closed and Reopening Sunday:

Anthony Chabot Campground will remain closed through Sunday, July 7. Please check www.ebparks.org/alerts-closures for the most updated information.

Swim facilities and Shoreline Regional Parks will remain open. Follow these safety tips:

• Avoid the hottest part of the day. If you do visit, go in the morning or early evening when it is cooler.
• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Wear sunscreen and lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine, which can worsen the heat’s effects on your body.
• Don’t forget your pets! Carry water for them.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Photo: EBRPD

Reopening Sunday, July 7 (subject to change).

By East Bay Regional Park District

Due to high temperatures and extreme fire danger, Black Diamond Mines in Antioch will be closed Saturday, July 6. Dry and windy conditions are expected, which can lead to extreme fire weather risks.

When the park is open again, please still take precautions when hiking in the heat. Here are some safety tips:

• Avoid the hottest part of the day. If you do visit, go in the morning or early evening when it is cooler.
• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Wear sunscreen and lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine, which can worsen the heat’s effects on your body.
• Don’t forget your pets! Carry water for them.
• No smoking. Smoking is prohibited in all regional trails, parks, and shorelines.
• No open fires or barbecues of any type. Gas-fueled stoves are permitted.
• Stay on designated roads – no off-road driving. Heat from a vehicle’s undercarriage can start a fire.
• Secure all tow chains – dragging tow chains can spark fires.

To learn more about East Bay Regional Park closures visit www.ebparks.org/alerts-closures.

Stay safe, everyone!