Contra Costa County Public Works Department will clean-up debris and replace delineators to enhance safety on Vasco Road. The work will occur approximately 1 mile south of the Camino Diablo/Vasco Road intersection to the Alameda County Line, a length of approximately 7.5 miles, and will include a rolling lane closure. The work is scheduled for Monday, November 1, 2021 through Thursday, November 4, 2021, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will take place between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., weather permitting. Drivers should expect delays. Message boards will be placed in advance to advise drivers of work and expected delays. This is essential work required for the public’s safety.
Kensington: tree pruning and removal along Arlington Avenue Oct. 25-Nov. 5
A contractor for Contra Costa County Public Works will perform tree pruning and removal operations in the medians along Arlington Avenue between Ardmore Road and Arlington Court in Kensington. Work will begin on Monday, October 25, 2021, and last through Friday, November 5, 2021, barring unforeseen circumstances.
The work will occur Mondays through Fridays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Traffic control will be implemented. Drivers should expect 5-10 minute delays. The work includes pruning thirty-two (32) trees and removal of ten (10) dead trees as well as ten (10) tree stumps. This work will improve public safety and tree health.
Buchanan Field Airport to simulate and extinguish airplane fire this week
PLEASE DO NOT CALL 911 RELATED TO THESE LIVE FIRE TRAINING EXERCISES.
Who: Contra Costa County Airport Operations
What: Live fire training exercises for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighter (ARFF) personnel
Where: Buchanan Field Airport, Concord (Westside, near Marsh Drive)
When: Week of October 25th-29th with exercises each day
Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting training helps Airport Operations to prepare for ANY emergency situations that Buchanan Field and the surrounding community may face. It is an annual requirement for ARFF personnel to maintain the Federal Aviation Administration certification for Buchanan Field. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these exercises, please contact Buchanan Field Airport at 844-FLY-ToUs (844-359-8687).
About Buchanan Field Airport:
Buchanan Field Airport is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Logistic Support Area for rotorcraft in the event of major catastrophic events such as earthquakes or fires in the Bay Area. Buchanan Field Airport is operated and maintained without the use of County General Funds and contributes over $4 million annually back to the County General Fund, local schools, and to other public entities from associated possessory interest and sales tax.
About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:
Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels and other drainage and over 200 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sand Bag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us here.
East Bay Regional Park District honored with 2021 Global Citizen Award
By Dave Mason, PIO, East Bay Regional Park District
The East Bay Regional Park District has been awarded the prestigious 2021 Global Citizen Award by the United Nations Association USA, East Bay and Silicon Valley Chapters. The virtual Award Ceremony was held on Sunday, October 24, 2021 as part of the 16th annual UN Day Celebration. Park District Board President Dee Rosario and General Manager Sabrina B. Landreth will be accepting the award on behalf of the Park District.
“We are honored to be recognized for our contribution to physical health, stress relief, and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Park District Board President Dee Rosario. “Parks have provided an essential public service. We are proud that when the public needed us most, we answered the call and kept parks open and safe. During this time, we have continued to restore habitats and marshlands and even opened two new parks – Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline in Oakland and Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay in Fremont – to better serve the 2.8 million residents in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.”
The award recognizes the Park District’s leadership role in providing essential services during the pandemic as well as our alignment with the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a roadmap to build a world that is more equitable, inclusive, safe, and sustainable for all peoples. Since the Park District’s founding in 1934, the District has steadfastly enhanced the quality of life for residents in the East Bay as well as for the natural environment and wildlife.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information visit www.ebparks.org.
Road closures in Pacheco and Bay Point due to cleanup from storm
Contra Costa County Public Works crews are working to clear mud, tree branches and debris on roads impacted by the storms.
The following roads in Contra Costa County are closed due to flooding. Drivers are asked to avoid these areas and limit travel. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads.
- Pacheco Boulevard at South Buchanan Circle, Pacheco
- Center Avenue Bridge at Grayson Creek, Pacheco
- 2nd Street Bridge at Grayson Creek, Pacheco
- Marsh Drive, Pacheco
- Arthur Road at Pacheco Boulevard, Pacheco
- Mary Ann Lane and Clearland Circle, Bay Point
- Willow Pass Road near Clearland Drive, Bay Point
County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925-313-7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925-646-2441.
http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags – Contra Costa County Sandbag Locations
Two cases filed against seven defendants following F.B.I. Safe Streets Task Force operations in Richmond, San Pablo
Three from Contra Costa
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney
The F.B.I. Safe Streets Task Force in recent months conducted successful enforcement operations due to recent violence in Richmond and San Pablo, which resulted in two criminal cases filed by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. The DA’s Office worked closely with members of the Task Force, as well as the Richmond Police Department and the San Pablo Police Department, to investigate and prevent illegal activity by suspected gang members in the Richmond area.
On September 21, 2021, three defendants, Rohnell Robinson of Fairfield, Jamel Brown of Vallejo and Levi Dossman Mitchell of Oakland, engaged in an alleged conspiracy as Deep C gang members, to murder a rival gang member in Richmond. The defendants traveled from Fairfield to Richmond to commit the crime. When the defendants were arrested, five firearms were found in their car, including an illegal assault rifle with 100-round ammunition drum magazine.
The defendants will be arraigned before a judge on October 28. The criminal complaint against these defendants contains nine felony counts.
On July 1, 2021, Namari Flentroy attempted to kill a victim in his car on San Pablo Dam Road in San Pablo. Two defendants drove their car to try to block surveillance cameras from Contra Costa County to Solano County to aid Flentroy in attempting to conceal the car after the shooting. In total, three defendants were charged as accessory after the fact due to the assistance each defendant gave to Flentroy, who was charged with attempted murder. The following defendants in the July case have all pleaded not guilty to the alleged criminal complaint:
- Namari Flentroy of El Sobrante
- Hasan McCaulie of Vallejo
- Shatiya Henderson of Martinez
- Teanna Pointer of San Pablo
Both cases are prosecuted under our Office’s Community Violence Reduction Unit and in coordination with the Task Force.
Case information: People v. Mitchell et al, Docket Number 02-335187-1; People v. Flentroy, et al, Docket Number 02-335190-5.
Antioch’s Markstein Sales Company president Laura Markstein honored for work on “Distributors Against Human Trafficking Initiative”
The company has worked relentlessly both locally and nationally to combat human trafficking with programs and promotions aimed at stopping this heinous crime
Markstein Sales Company, the largest woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor in Northern California, announced that its president, Laura Markstein, has been awarded the esteemed Public Affairs Award by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) for her company’s work helping to end human trafficking in the United States. This award, given to one individual per year, if given at all, was announced at the NBWA 84th Annual Convention earlier this month. As a long-time supporter and sponsor of the local New Day for Children organization that provides funding to help American children who have been recovered from sex trafficking, Markstein took her efforts to a national level during 2021 when her company joined the NBWA’s Distributors Against Human Trafficking Initiative.
As part of its efforts, Markstein installed signage on all of its 75 vehicles that are typically on the roads of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties 14 hours per day, six days per week. The goal of these signs was to raise awareness locally and to provide easy access to hotline information for people that suspect, or know of, human trafficking cases. Markstein also provided personalized training, leveraged from both NBWA and New Day for Children, for all truck drivers and merchandisers so they know what to look out for on their daily routes and in the businesses they serve. Complementing these efforts, Markstein also regularly appealed to other companies around the country to join in the fight to end human trafficking. (See related article)
“Once we learned that our beer and beverage drivers had a unique visibility to many of the prime locations where traffickers often exploit victims, we wanted to leverage our position and do all we could to help fight this tragedy,” said Laura Markstein, CEO of Markstein Sales Company. “While we are proud of the work we have done to help this cause, this is a growing problem in our country and it needs every company and American citizen to do their part to help – whether that be company sponsored programs or simply a watchful eye in someone’s everyday life. These efforts make a tangible difference and we can all do our part to help.”
Human trafficking is a growing problem in the U.S., with more than 11,500 human trafficking cases reported in 2019 alone. California has consistently had the highest human trafficking rates in the United States with 1,507 cases reported in 2019.
“We chose Laura for this award because her company exemplifies what every beer and beverage distributor in the U.S. could be doing to help stop human trafficking,” said Craig Purser, President and CEO of NBWA. “If every member in every state across the country also contributes their part to help spot human trafficking while on their daily routes, we can make significant progress towards ending this criminal activity.”
The NBWA Initiative
In 2020, the National Beer Wholesalers Association launched Distributors Against Human Trafficking, to help combat human trafficking in the United States. Working alongside state attorneys general, NBWA created an awareness training video to help more than 140,000 beer distribution employees in the U.S. recognize and report signs of human trafficking. To date, NBWA has successfully trained nearly 24,000 beer distributors from 207 companies, surpassing its initial goal to train 10,000 distributors by the end of 2021. Beer distributors are uniquely positioned to help fight this heinous crime given their level of access to locations often unseen by the public as they visit around 600,000 licensed retail locations across the country.
About Markstein Sales Company
Markstein Sales Company is a fourth-generation, woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor based in Antioch, Calif. Founded in 1919 with just a horse, a wagon and six cases of beer, Markstein is now in its 102nd year and distributing over four million cases annually to 2000 retailers in the Bay Area. The company’s portfolio is composed of multiple world-class beers including the Anheuser-Busch InBev and Constellation Brands family of beers, several high-quality craft beers and many others, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Markstein is known for outstanding customer service, dedication to their employees and commitment to the community. The company continues to rank as best in class by retailers and is one of the top ten largest Woman Owned Businesses in the Bay Area. More information can be found at https://www.marksteinsalescompany.com
Contra Costa Supervisor Burgis recovering after successful pacemaker implant
Second surgery in past three years to address heart defect since birth
By Mark Goodwin, Chief of Staff, Supervisor Diane Burgis
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Diane Burgis is recovering at home following successful surgery to implant a pacemaker as a precaution to help steady an irregular heartbeat. Doctors discovered the irregular heartbeat during a series of routine preventative medical visits.
In a post on her Facebook page on Friday, Burgis, who remarried earlier this year, wrote, “All is good! Had a pacemaker put in this week. I am home recovering. Thanks for all the well wishes.”
The surgery went very smoothly, and while she will need to take it easy for a few weeks during recovery, she will not skip a beat in fulfilling the duties of her office. The residents of Contra Costa County, particularly those in District 3, will continue to receive the same high level of service, sound decision-making, and representation they depend on and deserve.
Since birth, Burgis has been living with a congenital heart defect and was diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve, and had a successful valve replacement surgery in February 2019.
She thanks the medical team at Kaiser Medical Center in Walnut Creek and her physicians for their care and encourages everyone to keep up with their regular medical visits, especially during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
“If I hadn’t gone in for my routine preventative appointments, I wouldn’t have known that my heart was not doing its job to its full capacity,” Burgis observed. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been encouraging people to keep up with their regular exams and tests rather than waiting to get medical care. I’m glad that I followed my advice.”
Cards and well wishes may be sent to the supervisor at her main office, 3361 Walnut Blvd., Suite 140, Brentwood, CA 94513.
Burgis represents District 3, the largest of the five Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor districts, including Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley and parts of Antioch in Eastern Contra Costa County, and Blackhawk, Diablo, and Tassajara Valley in the San Ramon Valley portion of the district.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Mandatory 10-digit dialing becomes effective in 925 area code Sunday
To accommodate new 988 three-digit number approved for National Suicide Prevention Hotline
By AT&T and Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted 988 as a new three-digit number to be used nationwide to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, starting July 16, 2022. Customers must continue to dial 1.800.273.TALK (8255) to reach the Lifeline until then.
For 988 to work in the 925 area code, mandatory 10-digit local dialing must first be implemented starting on October 24, 2021.
Get ready to change the way you dial your local calls!
What will be the new dialing procedure? To complete all local calls, you will now need to dial area code + telephone number. This applies to all calls within your area code that are currently dialed with seven digits. Some states or providers may use 1 + area code + telephone number, such as CA and parts of the Midwest.
Who will be affected? Anyone with a telephone number from your area code will need to make a change from 7-digit local dialing to 10-digit or 11-digit local dialing.
When will the change begin? Beginning October 24, 2021, you must dial 10 or 11 digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7 digits may not be completed, and a recording will inform you that your call cannot be completed as dialed. You must hang up and dial again using the area code and the 7-digit number or 1+ area code and the 7-digit number.
What will you need to do? In addition to changing your dialing patterns, all services, automatic dialing equipment, or other types of equipment that are programmed to complete calls to 7-digit local numbers will need to be reprogrammed to complete calls to 10-digit numbers or 1+10-digit numbers. Some examples are life safety systems or medical monitoring devices, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, fire or burglar alarm and security systems or gates, speed dialers, mobile or other wireless phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and other similar functions. Be sure to check your website, personal and business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, contact information, your personal or pet ID tags, and other such items to ensure the area code is included.
Be sure to add 1 (925) to all local phone numbers in your mobile phone contacts list.
What will remain the same?
- Your telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
- The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the dialing change.
- A local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.
- You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.
- You can still dial just three digits to reach 711 (relay services) and 911 (emergency services).
- Any 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, or 811 services available in your community can still be reached by dialing their three-digit codes.
Why Is Ten-Digit Dialing Necessary?
There are more phones in America than there are people, and each phone needs its own phone number. Beginning in the early 1990s, to accommodate the growing need for more phone numbers, some areas began to add a second area code for local calls. Dialing both the area code and the seven-digit number was necessary to ensure the call reached the intended recipient. As more area codes begin to run out of new seven-digit numbers to assign, a second local area code may be added, requiring that area to transition to ten-digit dialing.
In 2020, the FCC established “988” as the new, nationwide three-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The new three-digit dialing code will be available nationwide by July 16, 2022 and will provide an easy to remember and easy to dial three-digit number to reach suicide prevention and mental health counselors, similar to “911” for emergencies and “311” for local government services. To help facilitate the creation of “988”, area codes that use “988” as a local exchange, or the first three digits of a seven-digit phone number, will need to use 10-digit dialing.
Other Area Codes Affected
The North American Numbering Plan Administrator has a complete listing of affected area codes and resource materials for local government and community organizations. The other area codes in California affected by the change are 209, 530, 562, 626, 650, 707, 949, and 951. To see the list of all affected 82 area codes for customers in 35 states and one U.S. territory, click here.
10-Digit Dialing Fact Sheet: [ English | Spanish ]
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Supervisors aim for all electric, no natural gas for new houses by 2026
Could add more than $2,200 to cost of a home; revise nepotism policy
NOTE: This article was inadvertently overlooked due to the publisher being sick at the time it was submitted. However, the information is still timely. Apologies for the delay in publishing it.
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By Daniel Borsuk
Will all new houses built in Contra Costa County feature all solar powered electric appliances and lights with no natural gas by Jan. 1 2026?
That’s the game plan of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors who on Tuesday, August 8 instructed the county’s Department of Conservation and Development (CCCDCD) to draft an ordinance that would require home builders to construct residential buildings with all electric powered appliances. (See Subcommittee Report and staff presentation)
Just when CCCDCD will have an ordinance ready for supervisors to consider is up in the air, but the supervisors’ action demonstrates their keen interest in environmental issues. Should the supervisors eventually pass an ordinance calling for all solar powered, electric new housing, natural gas-powered water heaters, heaters, stoves and clothes dryers will be taboo. Everything will henceforth be solar powered. (See Cost-effectiveness Study)
Supervisors expect the proposed ordinance will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. (See Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability Committee’s recommended Building Electrification Ordinance for New Construction)
Just when planning officials will have an ordinance prepared for supervisors to review and act on is up in the air, but Area 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville raised questions about the cost effectiveness of such a proposed ordinance.
“I have serious reservations about the California Energy Commission’s recommendations to replace natural gas with all electric powered homes,” said Andersen. “We need better cost analysis. There are some estimates going around that all-electric could add $2,000 to the cost of a house.”
Andersen cast the one dissenting vote in instructing CCCDCD officials to draft an all-electric new residential ordinance.
Lisa Vonderbrueggen of the Building Industry Association of the Bay Area also cautioned supervisors about the genuine costs associated with electric powered versus natural gas-powered houses. She said a California Building Industry Association study found that an all-electric home is $421 less expensive to build, including the cost of appliance, “but estimates from homebuilders show increased costs of more than $2,200 per home.” BIA Contra Costa County All Electric Comment Letter
Vorderbrueggen wrote: “Will California’s aging electric grid hold up under an all-electricity design. The state is already anticipating major demand increases from electric vehicle charging needs.”
While a letter from PG&E supporting the county’s move to promote all solar-powered electric homes generated scant interest from the general public, District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond said,“I appreciate PG&E’s statement and it has provided in-depth analysis. But I am very hesitant to move forward on it.”
“Do everything you can do to eliminate gas,” pleaded Richmond City Councilmember Eduardo Martinez. “I liken natural gas to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“We need to act quickly,” said Lisa Jackson, an environmentalist. “We cannot wait for the state to act. PG&E even supports this. Let’s move forward to eliminate this potential safety hazard.”
Before casting his vote, District 1 Supervisor Gioia, who drives an electric-powered car said: “It’s all about full electrification as our main source of power.”
Nepotism Policy Revised
After not updating its nepotism policy since 2011, supervisors took the plunge and loosened its the rules on appointments on boards, committees and commissions for which the board of supervisors is the appointing body.
Supervisors voted 4-1, with supervisor Gioia casting the dissenting vote, brother-in-law and sister-in-law from the prohibited relationship list.
The revised policy now states:
“A person will not be eligible for appointment if he/she is related to a Board of Supervisors’ Member in any of the following relationships:
- Mother, father, son, and daughter.
- Brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandson, and granddaughter.
- Husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepson, and stepdaughter.
- Registered domestic partner, pursuant to California Family Code section 297.
- The relatives, as defined in 1 and 2 above, for a registered domestic partner.
- Any person with whom a Board Member shares a financial interest as defined in the Political Reform Act (Gov’t Code 87103, Financial Interest), such as a business partner or business associate.”
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