Contra Costa Herald

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA10) will be hosting a town hall on Zoom this Thursday, July 10th at 4 p.m. to answer your questions about H.R.1, President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its impact on the health care, electricity bills, cost of college, and more for millions of Americans and how he is working to protect American families.

The Congressman will take live questions on both Zoom and YouTube and address how this bill will affect California and the East Bay.

Virtual Town Hall

Thursday, July 10th

4:00 p.m. PT

Hosted on Zoom

Streamed to YouTube

To reserve your spot and receive a Zoom link or to request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660.

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 236th town hall and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress in January 2015.

Brentwood Police arrive on scene to see suspects entering getaway vehicle before ramming patrol car on Monday, July 7, 2025. Brentwood PD video screenshot

Suspects’ vehicle rams patrol car

By Brentwood Police Department

Early Monday morning (7/7/25), just before 2:30 AM, our Dispatch Center received a report of a burglary in progress at the One Stop Smoke Shop located in the 2400 block of Empire Avenue near Lone Tree Way.

The reporting party advised that suspects were seen on video surveillance attempting to break into the closed business using crowbars.

Within minutes, a Brentwood Police Sergeant arrived on scene and observed several suspects dressed in all black. As the suspects entered a vehicle and attempted to flee, a second Brentwood officer approached and the suspect vehicle intentionally rammed the officer’s patrol car.

The suspects fled the scene, and a pursuit ensued. Despite officers’ efforts, the vehicle was able to flee.

We’re grateful to report that no officers were injured during this incident. However, this serves as a stark reminder of the risks our officers face when responding to dangerous and unpredictable situations.

This investigation is active and ongoing. No further details will be released at this time.

See video of police pursuit.

Dirty Cello cellist, Rebecca Roudman and guitarist, Jason Eckl. Photo by J. Mijares

A “truly…sensory experience” by the band Dirty Cello at a farm in El Sobrante

Pick and taste blackberries, peaches, more before the show

Not Loud Concerts presents “Blues & Botanicals” concert by the band Dirty Cello on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 7:00 pm at Cloverfield Organic Farm in El Sobrante.

Nestled in the hills of El Sobrante is a unique farm that is lending us a field to put on a blues themed show that we’re calling “Blues & Botanicals”. Arrive early and visit the farm to pick peaches, blackberries and more, or just wander the paths. Explore at your own pace or let farmer Michael take you around and tell you about the orchard and garden, all the produce, and has you taste a wide variety of common and uncommon plants. Truly a sensory experience. There’s even a horse to pet!

Photo by Cloverfield Organic Farm.

As sunset approaches we’ll meet in the event space field for a not too loud concert of acoustic blues music provided, plus a special guest for about an hour. Bring a blanket if you want, but chairs will be provided. There are rustic bathrooms, and no need to dress up for this show – come casual with good footwear and maybe a hat.

Not Loud Concerts is a project all about creating unique and fun places for people to enjoy music that’s not too loud, not too long, and not too expensive.

The concert begins at 7:00 and the gardens will be open at 6:00 for visitin’ and pickin’.

Tickets are $20 and available at https://bit.ly/notloudconcerts_bluesandbotanicals.

Fresh peaches and more available for the pickin’. Photo by Cloverfield Organic Farm.

About Not Loud Concerts

What Sets Us Apart: Not Loud Concerts was inspired by numerous jokes on the internet about wanting to go see a concert that was, “Not too loud, not too late, not too long and not too expensive.”

With this idea in mind, Not Loud Concerts was created to showcase music based on the following principles:

• Not too loud
• Comfortable seating
• No hidden fees or crazy ticket prices
• Good parking whenever possible
• Not too long

These concerts are created for the enjoyment of the audience and are not based on old traditions.

What to expect: At a Not Loud Concert the band will perform for around an hour with no intermission. The concerts will feature outstanding musicians performing in a lightly amplified manner with primarily acoustic instruments. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the show.

Each concert will be audio recorded and emailed to the ticket purchaser about 2 weeks after the show.

Learn more at Notloudconcerts.com.

About Dirty Cello

From Iceland to Italy, and all over the U.S., San Francisco based band Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues, rock, and Americana. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. From down home blues and rock with a wailing cello to virtuosic stompin’ Americana, Dirty Cello is a band that gets your heart thumping and your toes tapping!

“Dirty Cello’s music is all over the map: funky, carnival, romantic, sexy, tangled, electric, fiercely rhythmic, and textured, and only occasionally classical.” – Oakland Magazine

“The group seamlessly careens from blues to bluegrass and rock in a way that really shouldn’t make sense but somehow does.” – LA Times

“Anyone who’s been in an audience when the San Francisco Bay Area Dirty Cello takes the stage knows that something unique happens whenever cellist Rebecca Roudman and ensemble come face to face with living, breathing (and whooping and shouting) fans.” – Strings Magazine

“Dirty Cello have been hard to describe, apart from saying that a cello (played in ways you won’t quite believe) is involved, and the range of music takes the word eclectic and supercharges it to meltdown levels of energy and invention. The ensemble plays a range of eclectic tunes in ways you won’t hear anyone else dare to attempt.” – Argus Courier

Follow the band at facebook.com/dirtycellomusic, instagram.com/dirtycello, twitter.com/dirtycello and Dirtycello.com.

See video about the event.

Cloverfield Organic Farm is located at 501 La Paloma Road in El Sobrante.

Paid advertisement.

In annual Assessment Roll

By Allen D. Payton

In a letter to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, county Assessor Gus Kramer informed them of this fiscal year’s Assessment Roll for the purpose of collecting property taxes and the net value has increased by almost $12 billion over last year.

The report shows San Pablo and Danville had the greatest increase while Concord and Pittsburg had the least, as well as an increase of 1,342 parcels due new development in the county.

Source: Contra Costa County Assessor’s Office

Kramer’s letter reads:

“Dear Members of the Board of Supervisors,

I am pleased to report the completion and official delivery of the 2025–2026 Contra Costa County Assessment Roll to the County Auditor-Controller, as required by law.

This year’s assessment roll reflects a total net assessed value of $290.66 billion, an increase of $11.67 billion—or 4.18%—over the previous year. This represents the highest total assessed value in the County’s history. Cities with the highest percentage increases in assessed value include San Pablo with 5.81%, and Danville with 5.28%. Cities with the most modest growth include Concord at 3.10%, and Pittsburg at 2.96%.

The total number of assessed parcels now stands at 382,022, an increase of 1,341 parcels compared to the previous year. This growth reflects ongoing development and investment throughout Contra Costa County.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the staff of the Assessor’s Office for their professionalism, dedication, and tireless efforts in preparing an accurate and timely assessment roll for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

Sincerely,

Gus S. Kramer

Assessor”

The duties of the County Assessor’s Office include:

• Discovering and assessing all property within the County
• Producing and delivering an assessment roll by July 1 of each year
• Valuing all real property
• Auditing all entities doing business in the County and valuing all taxable personal property
• Establishing and maintaining a set of 11,000 maps for assessment purposes, delineating every parcel of land in the County
• Providing a public information service to assist taxpayers with questions about property ownership and assessment

To review your property’s value visit Review Your Value and for more information call the office at (925) 313-7400.

Early Saturday morning; public’s help sought

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

This morning at about 1:02, Muir Station deputy sheriffs were dispatched to a call of ‘shots-fired’ on Harbor Drive in Bay Point.

Deputies arrived on scene and located a person suffering from gunshot wounds in front of a residence on Harbor Drive.

Deputies performed life-saving measures until the fire department and an ambulance arrived. The victim was later pronounced deceased at the scene and is not being identified at this time.

Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives and crime lab personnel responded to the scene.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Traffic on Hwy 4 eastbound in Concord was backed up and stopped for 25 minutes during commute time late Wednesday afternoon, July 2, 2025. Photo by person who chose not to be identified.

Victim called 9-11, drove to nearby gas station to wait for medical assistance

By Allen D. Payton

An Advisory of a Hazard on eastbound Highway 4 in Concord could be seen on the Apple Maps app at 5:42 PM on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Source: iPhone screenshot

A road rage shooting Wednesday afternoon, July 2, 2025, on eastbound Highway 4 between Concord and Pittsburg left a man injured with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. A commuter who chose to not be identified said at 5:35 p.m. she was stuck in the back-up for 25 minutes, that there was “no movement and people are leaving their cars.” CHP – Contra Costa Public Information Officer Dan Gilmore, confirmed traffic was stopped “for exactly 25 minutes.”

According to CHP spokesman, Sgt. Andrew Barclay, “Our detectives are still actively investigating” and “CHP Detectives assigned to the Golden Gate Division Special Investigations Unit are on the way and will be taking the lead in the investigation.”

He provided details of the incident: “The time of the call was 2:24 p.m. The victim called 9-1-1 and reported a shooting following a road rage incident on eastbound Highway 4 between Willow Pass Road in Concord and San Marco Blvd. in Pittsburg.  The man exited to San Marco Blvd. and stopped at a gas station where medical personnel arrived,” Barclay explained.

“The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. CHP is waiting to determine if it was an actual gunshot, grazing or other wound,” he shared.

“Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it’s possible CHP will close eastbound Hwy 4 to search for casings,” Barclay continued. “There is no further information on potential suspect at this time.”

Unless an arrest is made tonight any additional information won’t be released until Thursday, the spokesman added.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

2025-07-01 Richmond PO robbery suspect Source: U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Offer up to $150,000 reward

By Postal Inspector Matthew Norfleet, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, San Francisco Division Mail Fraud Team,

Richmond, CA – The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is requesting information about the individual who committed an armed robbery of a post office at 1025 Nevin Avenue at Harbour Way, Richmond, CA at or around 12:50 p.m. on July 1, 2025.

Video screenshot of Richmond, CA Post Office armed robbery suspect, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

Reward money is available up to $150,000 for information leading to arrest and conviction of this person, or anyone else responsible for robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee or workplace.

By Patrick McCarran, Real Estate Broker

Are you tired of the instability of not having your own home and throwing your rent money down the drain?  Then the first step is making sure your credit is in order. Remember no credit is not good credit. The bank needs to see you can use credit but not abuse it. Although no one except the credit reporting agencies know exactly how the algorithm works these general tips are commonly acknowledged to help increase your credit score.

On-time payments improve your credit score tremendously. Set up the minimum payment with e-pay and choose the recurring option so it pays every month. Just remember to check your statements in case the minimum payment changes. Because you are setting this up at your bank you can change it or cancel anytime with the click of a mouse.

Keep your credit card balances under 40% of the limit. For example, if your limit is $5,000 then keep your balance amount to $2,000 to show that you are not pushing your limits, it is like the old saying they only give you money if you don’t need it. Also, it is good practice not to have your total unsecured credit balance over 50 percent of your annual salary. This applies even if you pay it off each month.

Use two credit cards. This is good and bad advice at the same time. If you have a credit card with a limit of $2,000, and you charge $1,500 on it, you’ve used 75 percent of your credit limit. Now if you split your amount into two, and spend $750 each, then the percentage of usage will be around 37 percent. So, it helps your FICO. Just don’t go on a credit card shopping spree.

Maintain a good mix of good and bad loans. Home and business loans are considered good loans. Personal loans and private label credit cards are considered bad loans. This is why investing in a home loan if you are a spendthrift is a better decision. You will have a good credit mix and build an asset.

It is a smart decision to pay your home loans over longer periods. Pay off your personal loans, credit cards and private loans first, as they tend to have a higher interest with no asset creation. Home loans, on the other hand but they build an asset. This is one of the underutilized logical tips to improve credit score. Pick a loan and set a goal and then focus on paying that one off (but don’t buy something to celebrate).

Many people tend to abandon their savings accounts without closing them. If you have less than your Minimum Average Balance it will start to affect your credit score. Also, when you finish paying a loan off, it’s imperative to get the loan closure certificate.

Check your credit reports regularly. Just go online and check your credit score at least once in a year, so that you can catch any mistakes and get it corrected. There have been cases when banks report you to FICO by mistake. Keep in mind that free reports are a consumer product and the credit score will vary depending on the type of credit you are applying for.

Monitor your co-signed joint accounts even if they are family. You need to monitor the statements closely to make sure everything is in order. There is no use complaining if you chose the wrong joint holder who was careless, and you don’t catch it.

If you know you will not be able to pay on time, call and negotiate with your bank. Banks may be willing to extend your loan period and reduce the EMI and the FICO will see you are proactive.

So, these are some of the tips to keep your credit score in check and get a better home loan. Feel free to contact me with any other questions or for more information.

Patrick McCarran is a local Realtor and Broker DRE# 01325072. He can be contact by phone or text at (925) 899-5536, pmccarran@yahoo.com or www. CallPatrick.com. An independently owned and operated office.  In association with Realty One Group Elite DRE# 0193160. Equal Housing Opportunity.

A legislatively mandated and voter-approved gas tax increase of 1.6 cents and updated fuel standards that could, according to experts, translate to 5 to 8 cents not 65 cents per gallon

What you need to know: There are many disingenuous claims swirling about California gas prices “set to soar” – the truth is that gas prices won’t come anywhere close to increasing by 65 cents, as many would have you believe.

By Office of the California Governor

SACRAMENTO – California gas prices are 20 cents lower than one month ago and 17 cents lower than one year ago – despite a swirl of misinformation drawing attention to current prices.

According to a 2024 report, thanks to major improvements in fuel efficiency, California drivers rank 45th in the nation for gasoline consumption and 21st in spending on gasoline per capita. Trump’s tariffs and policies impacting the price of crude oil stand to swing gas prices far more than any state policy.

Driven by misinformation pushed by Republican lawmakers and the oil industry, there remains a lot of speculation about California gas prices. Here are the facts.

CLAIM: California gas prices will go up by 65 cents or higher on July 1. 

FALSE. There are two separate changes to fuel prices expected on or around July 1 – a legislatively mandated and voter-approved gas tax increase of 1.6 cents and updated fuel standards that could, according to experts, translate to 5 to 8 cents.

• Gas tax: California’s gasoline tax will increase by 1.6 cents per gallon, starting July 1, as required by law. This annual inflation increase was enacted by the Legislature in 2017 to help pay for road repairs – and overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2018 when they rejected a repeal attempt.
• Fuel standard: Additionally, changes to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) – which is not a tax – have been requested to go into effect on July 1. Experts at UC Davis estimate this program, first established by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, could add between 5 and 8 cents per gallon – well below one extreme projection that showed 65 cents. In the long term, LCFS is estimated to reduce fuel costs for Californians per mile by 42% – translating to savings of over $20 billion in gasoline costs every year by 2045. Studies also show that LCFS credit prices have no correlation with gasoline prices.

CLAIM: Gas prices could top $8 a gallon by next year.  

FALSE. That number – widely reported in the media – comes from an unscientific analysis whose author has close ties with the oil industry and has been on the payroll of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The author fails to provide evidence to support his main claim and only relies on vague references to models with no details on what those models are based on. Other experts, such as these Stanford economists, say gas price increases based on recent refinery announcements are likely to be negligible.

CalTax Says Gas Tax Will Increase to 61.2 Cents per Gallon

According to the California Taxpayers Association, California’s excise tax on gasoline will increase to 61.2 cents per gallon July 1, an increase of 1.6 cents per gallon over the current rate of 59.6 cents per gallon, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration announced June 4.

The tax rate on diesel fuel – a matter of great interest for many businesses, especially those in the trucking and agricultural industries – will increase from 45.4 cents per gallon to 46.6 cents per gallon, likely leading to higher costs for consumers for many goods and services.

The tax increases are in addition to any other increases that may be imposed as a result of fuel standards developed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Increases resulting from CARB actions also would take effect July 1.

The gas tax rate has more than doubled during the past 10 years. The largest year-to-year increase occurred in 2017 as a result of SB 1 (Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017), which increased gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increased the diesel tax by 20 cents per gallon (both effective November 1, 2017) and required that the rates be adjusted annually based on the California Consumer Price Index.

Although Californians often mention vehicle-related taxes as a topic of major concern – and cited an increase in the vehicle license tax as a major factor in their decision to recall Governor Gray Davis in 2003 – the CDTFA did not issue a news release or use its social media channels to alert the media or general public to the increase. Instead, the increase was posted on the agency’s website as a special notice to retailers of gas and diesel fuels.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Alvonda Meyers for hit and run of man, cars; Raymond Del Tessandro for assault with a deadly weapon; both arrested before

By Oakley Police Department

On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 11:51 PM, Oakley police officers were dispatched to a verbal disturbance in the 500 block of Mockingbird Lane. The reporting party stated there had been a birthday party at the location and a physical fight broke out inside. Some of the participants went outside and the suspect, identified as Alvonda Tyquesha Meyers (39, Antioch), got into her vehicle and intentionally struck a male victim, pinning his leg between two vehicles and injuring him. Meyers then drove up and down the street striking several parked vehicles and nearly struck pedestrians who attended the party.

Oakley officers arrived on scene and attempted to stop Meyers, but she fled and officers initiated a vehicle pursuit. Our officers were able to deploy spike strips at the onset of this incident, which flattened two of Meyers’ tires. In spite of the flat tires, Meyers continued to flee through Oakley into Antioch coming to a stop on Fernbank Way where she was taken into custody. Meyers was arrested and booked into jail for felony evading, Assault with Deadly Weapon, DUI and Hit and Run.

Later, during the same shift on June 25, 2025, at 2:08 AM, Oakley officers were dispatched to the Best Western Hotel on Bridgehead Road because someone had just been struck with a beer bottle. When Oakley officers arrived, the victim reported that he rented a room at the hotel for a female friend of his so she could get away from the suspect, Raymond Maurice Del Tessandro (41, Antioch). Del Tessandro showed up at the hotel room and the victim told him he needed to leave.

At some point the victim turned his back on Del Tessandro and Del Tessandro hit the victim in the head/face with the beer bottle. During the altercation, the victim’s phone fell to the ground; Del Tessandro picked the phone up and fled on foot. The victim sustained a laceration to his face and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Oakley officers located Del Tessandro walking on Main Street; he was arrested and transported to the jail and booked for assault with a deadly weapon.

According to the localcrimenews.com, he was also arrested on April 30th for battery on transportation personnel with injury.

Also, according to localcrimenews.com, Meyers was arrested in 2017 by BART PD for willful cruelty toward children and assault with any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and in 2023 by San Francisco PD for evasion of public transit fare payment. According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department, she bonded out of custody.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.