Contra Costa Herald

Dr, King delivering the speech on Aug. 28, 1963. Photo: National Archives and Records Administration.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, today, following is the complete text of his famous “I Have A Dream” speech, given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. (Listen to the audio, by clicking here.)

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Students ages 11-17 selected from over 300 applicants 

Finalist pitch event February 6th at Lafayette library will determine $1,000 winner

MORAGA, CALIFORNIA –Ten students in Contra Costa County have been selected as finalists for the first Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition (www.contracostasharktank.org).

The competition, open to all Contra Costa County students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade, is a fun way to promote youth entrepreneurship. When young people succeed as entrepreneurs, they improve their own lives while also contributing to the economic development of their local communities.

“The best way to learn about entrepreneurship is by starting a business,” explains high school junior Maya Hammerman, the competition founder and one of the judges. “My journey as an entrepreneur started in elementary school. I created the competition to inspire kids in Contra Costa County to start or grow any type of business from traditional ones such as lemonade stands, to innovative new products or services that they create.”

The ten finalists listed below were selected by members of the Campolindo High School Entrepreneurship Club from over 300 applicants.

1. SportzCity, Hunter Smith (5th Grade, Burton Valley Elementary, Lafayette)
2. Experimental Kids, Archit Kundu (5th Grade, Bella Vista Elementary, San Ramon)
3. Lydia’s Soap, Lydia Stewart (7th Grade, Homeschool, Antioch)
4. Loonies, Valerie Castellanos, Angie Alvarenga, Giovanny Perez (7th, Summit Tamalpais, Richmond)
5. Tied Up in a Bow, Himna Imam & Mahum Malik (9th Grade, Venture & Dougherty Valley, San Ramon)
6. ElderSafe, Ronen Jain (10th Grade, Monte Vista High, Danville)
7. MiracleAlgae, Nicolas Angel-Ordonez & Shashank Koundinya (11th Grade, San Ramon Valley, Danville)
8. Synchroma Studio, Hector Espinoza (12th Grade, Freedom High, Oakley)
9. ScrubWoofer™, Beatrice Roberge (12th Grade, Campolindo High, Moraga)
10. Workout Wizard, Fatimah Hussain (12th Grade, Dougherty Valley High, San Ramon)

Winners will receive $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place. Sponsors for the competition include Chevron, Visa, PG&E, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and Campolindo Parents Club. Winners will be chosen by a panel of five judges at the Finalist Pitch Event at the Lafayette library on Tuesday February 6, 2024 at 7pm. For ticket information visit www.contracostasharktank.org

 Contact Information:

Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition

Maya Hammerman, Founder

Email: contracostasharktank@gmail.com

Website: www.contracostasharktank.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/contracostasharktank

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550742340795

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/contracostasharktank

Photos: Concord PD

By Concord Police Department

Responding to a felony vehicle alert, a graveyard officer located the suspect’s vehicle near our downtown area. Following a high-risk stop, the driver was taken into custody.

But the story doesn’t end there! During the arrest, officers uncovered a stolen, loaded firearm with extended magazines. This quick and decisive action undoubtedly prevented a potential threat to our community.

By Pittsburg Police Department

In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 6th, Pittsburg Officers responded to the 1200 block of Railroad Avenue for a report of a pedestrian down in the roadway. Upon arrival, a 36-year-old male, later identified as Tony Weems, was located who was suffering from major injuries. Medical personnel provided medical aid to the victim, unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries while enroute to the hospital. It was quickly determined that the victim was struck by a vehicle and the driver and vehicle had fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival.

The traffic division and detectives responded and over the next several hours were able to identify the responsible vehicle as well as the driver. The vehicle was located and collected to be processed for evidence and the responsible driver was taken into custody. The driver, a 42-year-old female Pittsburg resident, has been booked and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

The case was presented to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office this week requesting formal charges. This is still an active investigation, and anyone who has additional information related to the case should contact Detective Gutierrez at 925-252-4095

Source: Earthquake Brace + Bolt Program.

The largest program expansion in its history: EBB now available in 815 high-risk ZIP Codes

EBB Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary with more than 23,000 homeowners receiving seismic retrofit grants over the past decade

Sacramento, CA – 30 years after the devastating Northridge Earthquake, new retrofit opportunities are available.  Thousands of California homeowners are now eligible to apply for Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) seismic retrofit grants as approximately 300 new ZIP Codes have been added to the program. Starting today, January 10 and continuing until February 21st, eligible homeowners in 815 ZIP Codes can apply for $3,000 seismic retrofit grants to help strengthen their homes against earthquake damage.

Eligible Contra Costa ZIP Codes are located in Bay Point, Brentwood, Byron, Clayton, Concord, Danville, El Sobrante, Hercules, Lafayette, Orinda, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Rodeo and Walnut Creek.

More than $20 million in grant funding will be available to help offset the cost of seismic retrofits that brace the crawl space walls of older homes, when present, and bolt houses to their foundations, making them less vulnerable to earthquake damage. In the ten years since it began, the EBB program has assisted more than 23,000 homeowners in strengthening their homes against earthquake damage. The EBB grant program is administered by the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) a Joint Powers Authority between the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

“California has an ever-present risk of earthquakes and no one knows when or where the next Big One might hit. But we know older homes near faults are at greater risk if they haven’t been strengthened with a seismic retrofit,” said Janiele Maffei, the Chief Mitigation Officer of CEA and Executive Director of CRMP. “By expanding to 815 ZIP Codes, we’re broadening our reach to help more homeowners safeguard their families and properties. I strongly encourage homeowners to seize this opportunity and join the growing community of Californians who’ve taken this vital step towards resilience.”

Income-eligible homeowners may also qualify for supplemental grants. Up to $7,000 in additional grant funds are available for households with an annual income at or below $87,360, which may be able to provide up to 100% of the funds needed to cover a seismic retrofit. Grants are contingent upon meeting eligibility requirements and available funds.

There are more than 1.2 million houses in California built before 1980 in high-hazard areas that are vulnerable to collapse or destruction by sliding off the foundation during a strong earthquake.

“The memorable earthquake that shook the Northridge area in 1994 is a profound reminder for Californians to check if their homes qualify for the EBB grant,” said Glenn Pomeroy, Chief Executive Officer of the California Earthquake Authority. “Given the unpredictable nature of earthquakes and the possibility of a life-altering seismic event, it’s crucial for homeowners – especially those with older homes – to take proactive steps that can lessen the potential for earthquake damage. At CEA, we are reinforcing our commitment to support California homeowners in these seismic mitigation efforts with more access and funding.”

Beginning January 10 through February 21, 2024, eligible homeowners can apply for a retrofit grant at EarthquakeBraceBolt.com, where they can also find detailed program information, select a trained, California-licensed general contractor and view the full list of eligible ZIP Codes and program areas. The EBB program added ZIP Codes in new areas including areas in and around Eureka, San Francisco/San Jose/Oakland, Monterey/Salinas, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Palm Springs and San Diego.

The new EBB registration period coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake, a damaging 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck early in the morning of January 17th, 1994. It caused an estimated $20 billion dollars in damages and 57 deaths and led to the State legislature creating the CEA in 1996.

About Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB)

Established by the California Residential Mitigation Program, EBB offers up to $3,000 to help California homeowners retrofit their house to reduce potential damage from earthquakes. A residential seismic retrofit makes a house more resistant to earthquake activity, such as ground shaking and soil failure, by bolting the house to its foundation and adding bracing around the perimeter of the crawl space. For more information, including an online media kit, please visit http://www.EarthquakeBrace Bolt.com.

About the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP)

CRMP was established in 2011 to help Californians strengthen their homes against damage from earthquakes. CRMP is a joint powers authority created by the California Earthquake Authority and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. For more information, please visit https://www.CaliforniaResidentialMitigationProgram.com/About-CRMP

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The Lafayette City Council announced an upcoming vacancy on the City Council and laid out the process for filling the vacancy at their January 8, 2024 meeting.

On December 15, 2023, Councilmember Teresa Gerringer announced her plan to resign from the Council effective Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Gerringer has served on the Lafayette City Council since 2018 and previously served for 18 years on the Lafayette School Board. The announcement coincided with Gerringer’s retirement as District III Chief of Staff for Contra Costa Supervisor Diane Burgis in December.

“I’m looking forward to a happy, healthy next chapter of life with my family in the Pacific Northwest,” Gerringer said. “In the meantime, I will continue to fulfill my duties as a Lafayette City Councilmember.”

The Lafayette City Council is obligated to fill the vacancy by March 23, 2024. The appointed person will serve on the City Council until the next regularly scheduled municipal election in November 2024.

Applicants must be a resident of the City of Lafayette and registered to vote. Applicants will be interviewed on Monday, January 29th and Wednesday January 31st (if necessary).

Click here for the application.

Applications must be received by 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

Completed applications can be submitted to the City Clerk via email at JRobbins@lovelafayette.org, mail or in-person at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #210, Lafayette CA  94549.

DeAnza High grad, Carlos Ibarra will work in Marin Area office

New Officer Carlos Ibarra. Photo courtesy of the CHP

By CHP Media Relations

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Carlos Ibarra of Richmond, Calif., has successfully completed cadet training at the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy. He is assigned to duty at the CHP’s Marin Area office.

Officer Ibarra graduated from De Anza High School in 2017.  He also attended the University of California, Merced earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. Prior to attending the CHP Academy, he worked as a field technician for Technical Safety Service in Berkeley, Calif.

At the CHP Academy, cadet training starts with nobility in policing, leadership, professionalism and ethics, and cultural diversity. Training also includes mental illness response and crisis intervention techniques. Cadet instruction covers patrol operations, crash investigation, first aid, and the arrest of suspected violators, including those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The cadets also receive training in traffic control, report writing, recovery of stolen vehicles, assisting the motoring public, issuing citations, emergency scene management, and knowledge of various codes including the Vehicle Code, Penal Code, and Health and Safety Code.

The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

New Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Federal Glover (District 5) and Vice Chair Candace Andersen (District 2) following their oaths of office ceremony. Photo: CoCoCounty

(Martinez, CA) – Supervisors Federal D. Glover and Candace Andersen are taking on new leadership roles for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in 2024. During their Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, meeting, Contra Costa Superior Court Presiding Judge Honorable Edward G. Weil administered the Oath of Office to Glover as Chair and Andersen as Vice-Chair of the Board.

District 5 Supervisor Glover, who represents Hercules, Rodeo, Crockett, Martinez, Bay Point, Pacheco, Clyde, Pittsburg, and parts of Antioch and Marsh Creek, is the Board’s first and only African American Supervisor. He was elected to the Board in 2000, served four previous terms as Chair, and is the fourth longest-serving Supervisor in California. Supervisor Glover announced that he would retire at the end of his current term in December 2024, thus ending six consecutive terms as the District 5 supervisor.

Standing between his wife and son, Supervisor Federal Glover takes his oath of office administered by Contra Costa Superior Court Presiding Judge Edward G. Weil on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Photo: CoCoCounty

“As we head into 2024, we will focus on improving the quality of life for all County residents with the Board’s theme of “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access” guiding our efforts,” said Supervisor Glover. “And as I reflect on my time as supervisor, I’m honored and humbled to continue representing the diverse communities of District 5 in my final year on the Board. I’m excited about Contra Costa County’s future and look forward to our work ahead.”

Over the years, Supervisor Glover has served as chair of the Public Protection Committee, Equity Committee, Los Medanos Healthcare Operations Committee, Sustainability Committee, Northern Waterfront Ad Hoc Committee, and Industrial Safety Ordinance/Community Warning System Ad Hoc Committee.

Contra Costa Superior Court Presiding Judge Edward G. Weil administers the oath of office to Supervisor Candace Andersen on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Photo: CoCoCounty

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen represents Alamo, Blackhawk, Canyon, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Rossmoor, San Ramon, Tassajara Valley, and parts of unincorporated Walnut Creek. She was first elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in June 2012. She ran unopposed in 2016, 2020, and once again has no opponent in the March 2024 election. Supervisor Andersen currently sits on 28 local and regional boards and commissions addressing planning, land use, transportation, pensions, mental health, healthcare, reuse and recycling, economic development, and public safety.

“I am proud to represent the residents of District 2 and continue my work as an advocate for the most vulnerable and for the health and safety of all residents in the County,” said Andersen.

Supervisors Glover and Andersen will lead the five-member elected body that sets the direction of County government and oversees its $5.5 billion budget to serve the 1.2 million residents of this diverse East Bay county with a “AAA” bond rating.

For more information about Contra Costa County and its Board of Supervisors, visit the County’s website at www.contracosta.ca.gov/or the webpage: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/7283/Board-of- Supervisors.

For more information about Supervisor Federal D. Glover, visit his County webpage at https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/781/District-5- Supervisor-Federal-D-Glover.

For more information about Supervisor Candace Andersen, visit her County webpage at https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/4668/District-2-Supervisor-Candace-Andersen.

Dear Editor:

Once more the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has made fools of themselves and embarrassed the rest of the citizens of our county by its recent appointment to fill the vacancy of the County Treasurer-Tax Collector.

The Board of Supervisors, after months of pontificating, chest beating and self-congratulating each other for creating a new department with two department heads called the Department of Racial Equity and Social Justice, proved how hypocritical they truly are.

During the same board meeting, the board held public interviews for the County Treasurer-Tax Collector position, even though two of the candidates were current, high-level managers, with many years in the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office, and both women of color, who were eminently qualified and credentialed. Predictably, the board instead picked a white man from Yuba County.

Why should any of us ever believe anything these board members say or do about racial or social justice?

Sincerely,

Gus S. Kramer, Assessor

Screenshots source: BART

BART is going all in on bikes! As of January 1, 2024, bikes are allowed on most of the escalators throughout the BART system to help make it easier for people to bring their bikes on board the train.

This change was approved by the BART Board of Directors at the request of Director Rebecca Saltzman. The vote authorizes further changes to BART’s bike rules, including allowing bikes on all train cars except the first car (bikes were previously banned from the first three cars during commute times), and allowing bicyclists to secure bikes on the train using the bike lean bar and straps, instead of holding them.

The bike rules were last changed 10 years ago, when BART ended the ban on bikes on BART during commute hours. Over the last decade, longer and heavier bicycles, such as e-bikes and cargo bikes, have soared in popularity.

“Carrying bikes up and down stairwells can be difficult and not all bikes fit in our elevators,” said BART Director Rebecca Saltzman. “Updating our rules will make BART easier to use for cyclists and families bringing bikes on the train. Bikes play an important role in getting people out of their cars and on public transit and these updated rules encourage environmentally friendly multimodal travel options.”

BART encourages riders to use their best judgment when utilizing system escalators and elevators because individual bikes vary in size and weight.

BART is releasing a new video detailing safety tips for bringing bikes on escalators in the BART system.

See updated Bikes on BART rules here:

*Bikes will remain banned from BART’s ten narrow escalators located at the following three stations: 19th Street Oakland, Antioch and Oakland Airport Connector

Bike + Transit Trips

BART’s Trip Planner offers multi-modal, end-to-end itineraries for bike + transit trips. It features customizable bike speed options including an option for e-bikes (select the settings/tool icon to customize your options). BART’s Trip Planner includes results for more than 30 transit systems in the Bay Area such as bus service, ferries, cable cars, and regional train systems.

BART’s Trip Planner is available on web, mobile, and the official BART app. The BART app also offers station information, including information on secured bike parking.

Elevator Dimension Guid

BART also offers this Elevator Dimension Guide to assist cyclists in navigating BART elevators. It outlines the dimensions of each elevator in the system including measurements of the door, width, length, and diagonal space across the floor. As always, use your best judgment when utilizing system elevators because individual bikes and elevators vary in size.