Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Contra Costa health officials announce first county resident with coronavirus

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Screenshot from KNTV NBC Bay Area of Dr. Ori Tzvieli, County Public Health Medical Director speaking during press conference on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

By Allen Payton

Tuesday night, Contra Costa public health officials announced the first positive case of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, involving a county resident. The individual is in critical condition and is in medical isolation and completely separated from the general public, according to Contra Costa County Public Health Director Dan Peddycord.

The person tested positive Tuesday afternoon but “had no known travel history and no known contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.” He is an adult man over 18 years old who has underlying health conditions. The patient was admitted to a local hospital on Sunday, March 1 suffering from a respiratory illness.

The county’s public health lab conducted the test, which is expected to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the coming days. The patient, who is being treated at a hospital in the county, had no known travel history and no known contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

CCHS is conducting a thorough investigation to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the patient.

“Contra Costa Health Services is conducting a thorough investigation to identify anyone who may have had contact with the patient before they were isolated,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, County Public Health Medical Director. “This case suggests that coronavirus or COVID-19 may be circulating in Contra Costa County.”

The officials further said it’s time to prepare an to be smart about the virus. Schools and businesses should prepare plans and encourage employees and students to stay home if they are sick. Use hand sanitizer, wash your hands for 20 seconds and often. Do not touch your face and use household cleaners to wipe down surfaces. You should also try to keep distance from people who appear to have a cold or the flu. Avoid shaking hands and try to maintain distance.

Officials would not say in which hospital the latest patient is located.

Asked why the public isn’t being informed what hospital the patient is in, like other counties and states are doing, so they can decide whether they want to go to that hospital or another, Will Harper, Acting Communications Director for Contra Costa Public Health responded, “That concern is understandable but that has to be balanced with the patient’s right to privacy. Our department decided it’s best for the patient’s right to privacy not to share the hospital in which they’re located.”

“The public is being protected when a patient is in the hospital in isolation and separated from other patients and the public,” he added.

CCHS issued a letter on Monday from Contra Costa County Health Services Director Anna Roth and Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano stating, “we expect to see more cases, here in Contra Costa County” and “Now is the time for individuals and families, neighborhoods, community organizations, businesses, schools and all sectors to take steps to be prepared.” They provide a list of “ideas to help get prepared and prevent the spread of the disease now” which can be read, here: COVID19-CCHS Letter-03022020

In addition, Roth and Peddycord issued a Health Alert Update on Friday, Feb. 28 providing direction to healthcare providers in the county. Health-Alert-Coronavirus-CCHS-022820

More Details from Contra Costa Health Services

The novel coronavirus is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. The outbreak began in December, 2019 in Hubei Province, China, but outbreaks are now occurring in other countries around the world. There have been a number of confirmed cases of novel coronavirus reported in California.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and public health agencies across the U.S. are monitoring this new disease. Contra Costa Health Services is working closely with its partners and other health systems to track the situation locally.

Most U.S. cases involve international travelers or close contact with someone who has the virus, known as COVID-19. But COVID-19 may now be circulating in Northern California communities including the Bay Area, according to the CDC and CDPH.

Hospitals in the county, including Contra Costa Regional Medical Center & Health Centers, are screening patients with symptoms for potential exposure to COVID-19. Contra Costa Health Services has sent information about coronavirus to local medical providers, emergency medical services providers, and schools.

As this is an unusual situation, information could change rapidly.

Primary Election results in Contra Costa begin shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday

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The first report will be released at 8:00 pm on election night, March 3, and posted to the Elections website www.cocovote.us immediately afterward. The initial posted results will be Vote by Mail ballots that are returned through Monday March 2.

The second report, with results from the polls, will be issued at 9:30 pm with subsequent updates approximately every half hour until all precincts have reported. The final election night report is expected to be issued by 1:00 am.

The first interim report will be posted by 5:00 pm on Friday March 6 and will contain results from Vote by Mail ballots received on and after Election Day. Additional results will be posted each Friday afternoon up to certification which is expected to be March 31.

The availability of updated reports will be communicated via Twitter and Facebook, using the hashtag #cocovote. Changes to the reporting schedule, if any, will also be communicated on these social media sites.

The Contra Costa Elections Division social media pages are:

https://www.Twitter.com/CoCoElections

https://www.facebook.com/EngageContraCosta/

https://www.facebook.com/ContraCostaElections/

Local election results will also be available throughout election night on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) beginning at 9:00 pm on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99.

Fatal crash in Hercules takes life of Fremont man Saturday

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By CHP – Contra Costa

Saturday afternoon, Feb. 29, 2020 at about 12:40pm, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a solo vehicle collision that came off of eastbound I-80 to the Hwy-4 split. (Into the dirt area just east of I-80 and south of Hwy-4) Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, the solo male driver (44 year-old-male from Fremont) was unconscious. CPR and lifesaving procedures were attempted on the driver and he was quickly transported to John Muir hospital in Walnut Creek. Unfortunately, he did not survive and died from his injuries. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of identity of the male driver.

It remains unclear at this point in our initial investigation as to why the man veered off the roadway but he was driving his 2000 Dodge Dakota truck on I-80 eastbound and approaching the Hwy-4 split and for an unknown reason he veered to the right across all lanes of traffic and off the roadway into the dirt field area, where the truck came to rest. The male driver was unresponsive upon CHP and emergency personal arrival. He died a short time later from his injuries after being transported to the hospital.

This incident is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Thank you.

Supervisors pass solar energy facilities ordinance, study tougher dangerous dog law

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Photo by CCC from presentation.

By Daniel Borsuk

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors took a big step in igniting the development of renewable energy with the 5-0 adoption of a Solar Energy Ordinance that could help decrease dependence on fossil fuel energy generation and spur the development of Solar Energy Facilities especially in the rural environs of Bethel Island, Byron, Discovery Bay and Jersey Island. BOS 02-25-20 Solar Update – Presentation

Without either hearing comments from the public or asking questions publicly about the ordinance, supervisors also set the stage to insert several fee setting alterations to the county’s Potentially Dangerous Animal and Dangerous Animal Ordinance that will be up for official consideration at a March 10 meeting.

Noticeably absent or unwilling to speak at Tuesday’s meeting were representatives from either the traditional energy or alternative energy sectors or representatives from the environmental and consumer groups.

The Solar Energy Ordinance mirrors ordinances that other agriculturally oriented counties like Butte County, Kern County and San Joaquin County have in place, said Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development Director John Kopchik.

The county’s study to join the state’s solar energy crusade was partially supported through a 2018 $49,000 California Strategic Growth Council grant that found solar energy development in Contra Costa County agricultural land could potentially produce as much as 1,530,000 megawatts of energy a year.

While Board Vice Chair Diane Burgis did join colleagues in approving the Solar Energy Ordinance, the supervisor from Brentwood, who is up for reelection in March, remarked “This ordinance scares me. There are huge areas of agricultural land that could be covered with solar panels.”

Conservation and Development Department Planner Joseph Lawlor Jr. told Burgis the ordinance’s restrictions would limit environmental impairments to rural land developed for solar energy purposes.

Promotes Commercial Solar Energy Development

The Solar Energy Ordinance also paves the way for the expansion of commercial solar energy facilities on rooftops and parking lots in unincorporated areas that could yearly produce 280,000 Mgw to 840,000 Mgw of energy.

The new law also could potentially permit the solar energy production of 2,240,000 to 4,100,000 Mgw of annual energy from rooftops, according to the California Strategic Growth Council study.

The Solar Energy Facilities Ordinance requires land use permit approval for new or expanded commercial solar energy facilities, but allows several land use permit exceptions if the proposed “facility is installed on the roof of an existing building or on a parking canopy at an existing parking lot.”

The solar energy ordinance permits a commercial solar energy facility if it is located in a general commercial, light industrial, or heavy industrial district or in a planned unit (P-1) district with an underlying getoneral plan land use designation of commercial or industrial.

The ordinance requires a 25-foot height limit for ground-mounted commercial solar energy facilities. A roof-mounted commercial solar energy facility cannot exceed four feet above the roof surface.

The ordinance also sets requirements for visibility, illumination, septic system avoidance, habitat avoidance and site restoration.

Major Changes in Store for Dangerous Animal Ordinance

Supervisors also set the stage to put more financial bite into an enhanced Dangerous Animals (DA) and Potentially Dangerous Animals (PDA) Ordinance, at the Supervisors’ March 14 meeting.

A public hearing will be conduct and final adoption of the updated Animal Ordinance are slated at the March meeting.

“The goal in the revision of this ordinance was to streamline the process in the betterment of efficiency and consideration of the dog and dog owner,” Jane De May Andreotti, Captain and Deputy Director of Contra Costa County Animal Services Department, told the Contra Costa Herald.

“We want to reduce the amount of time we hold dogs who are investigated as meeting the criteria as PDA/DA,” said Andreotti. “By placing the decision for permitting an animal on the front end of the investigation, and making an appeal process available for animal owners, it actually allows them to get their animals back home sooner, while still requiring the owner’s commitment and compliance on the management of the animal.”

The proposed ordinance inserts a new “Obligations of Animal Owner” section that states: “An owner or possessor of a dog shall at all times prevent the dog from (1) biting or physically harassing a person engaged in a lawful act, and (2) interfering with the lawful use of public or private property.”

The section also states, “An owner or possessor of a dog shall at all times prevent the dog from causing injury to another domestic animal while the domestic animal is lawfully upon public or private property.”

The county also proposes a new fee schedule for PDA and DA permits.

Proposed PDA fees include a $200 application fee, a $300 annual renewal permit fee, a $200 delinquent fee, and a $100 penalty fee.

Proposed fees for Dangerous Animal Ordinance Permits include $100 for application fee, $600 for annual renewal permit fee, $200 for late renewal delinquent fee and $100 penalty fee if the animal permit actually expires prior to paying annual permit fee.

The county proposal includes a $100 revised hearing fee.

If an owner of a licensed DA or PDA licensed animal refuses to yield to permit conditions, the county can issue administrative fines of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, $500 for the third offense or “they can be cited for infraction.”

Want to serve on the county’s Treasury Oversight Committee?

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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking an individual with sound knowledge and experience in the field of public and private finance to serve on the Treasury Oversight Committee (Committee) in the Public Representative Seat #3.  To be considered, candidates must be County residents, may not be employed by an entity that has contributed to the reelection campaign of the County Treasurer or a member of the Board of Supervisors in the previous three years, may not directly or indirectly raise money for the County Treasurer or a member of the Board of Supervisors while a member of the Committee, and may not work for bond underwriters, bond counsel, security brokerages or dealers, or financial services firms with whom the County Treasurer does business, either during his or her tenure on the committee or for one year after leaving the Committee. (Government Code §27132.3).

The Committee meets at 3:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month following each quarter at 625 Court Street, Room B001, Martinez, CA 94553.  Each meeting lasts approximately one hour.  The Committee’s duties include reviewing and monitoring the County Treasurer’s annual investment policy, and ensuring an annual audit is conducted to determine the County Treasurer is in compliance with Government Code §§27130-27137. The annual audits, meeting agendas and minutes of the Committee are available online. Members of the Committee receive no compensation for their service.  The Board of Supervisors will appoint the selected individual to complete the four-year term on May 1, 2020 through April 30, 2024.

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 335-1900 or by clicking on the following link: Application Form.  Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 106, County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553 no later than Friday, March 27, 2020 by 5 p.m.  More information about the Treasury Oversight Committee can be obtained by calling Russell Watts at (925) 957-2888 or visiting the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Treasury Oversight Committee webpage.

Want to serve on the county Airport Land Use Commission?

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Photo courtesy of Contra Costa County.

County Board of Supervisors Appointee #1 

The County is seeking individuals interested in serving on Contra Costa County’s Airport Land Use Commission (“ALUC”).  The Commission’s role and responsibilities are as follows:

  • Formulate land use policies that restrict the development of lands to assure compatibility with planned operations of public use airports;
  • Review the general plans of local agencies for consistency with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan; and
  • Review proposed modification to the airport master plans for consistency with the Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.

Photo courtesy of Contra Costa County.

Commission members are expected to attend at least one meeting per month. Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Department of Conservation and Development Zoning Administrator Room at 30 Muir Road, Martinez, CA 94553.  At times there may be additional background studies, occasional field trips and extra meetings.  Members shall serve without compensation, and during the term of office, each member shall reside or work in Contra Costa County.

There are seven members on the ALUC. There is currently one vacancy for a commissioner appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Appointed members are required to comply with the Fair Political Practices Commission reporting requirements under State law. The term of office for each member is four years, and or until the appointment of a successor.

Applications can be obtained at the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors website www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418, or by calling them at (925) 335-1900.  They should be submitted to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, in Room 106 of the County Administration Building at 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553, or emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us.  The deadline to apply is Friday, March 27, 2020.

For further information, please call Jamar Stamps, ALUC staff, with the Department of Conservation & Development, Transportation Planning Division, at (925) 674-7832.

Only one patient with coronavirus remains in Contra Costa, U.S. Marshals at hospitals to enforce federal quarantine order

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One possible additional case of a county hospital staff member

By Allen Payton

Many residents of Antioch and East County have had questions about the coronavirus. The Herald asked Will Harper, Acting Communications Director for Contra Costa Health Services to provide answers to of them.

First, it’s been said that one of the nurses at the county hospital has contracted the virus and there are now four cases in the county.

“I’m only aware of three cases that were in the county, two of which have been transferred out of our jurisdiction, Contra Costa County,” Harper responded. “Now we only have one at a hospital in the county. I am not aware of any cases that originated in Contra Costa.”

Asked if that patient was at Kaiser Deer Valley, he replied “I wouldn’t identify the hospital where the remaining patient is located.”

“We have had no healthcare workers including nurses that have tested positive for coronavirus,” said Dr. Samir Shah, Chief Medical Officer of the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. “The individual (county hospital staff member) we’re referring to developed upper respiratory symptoms within 24 hours of working with a potential patient with coronavirus. We’ve asked the individual to stay home in self-quarantine for the next 14 days. We are following the CDC guidelines. The tests were sent out earlier this week and our history with the CDC is that we’re getting back results within five to eight days.”

“They’re expanding their abilities to do testing, locally,” he explained. “So, in the near future we’re hoping to have access to testing closer to home for quicker turnaround. There will be an increase in the number of tests being requested from local hospitals.”

“Currently the CDC is determining which tests they will allow to happen based on their protocols and guidelines,” Dr. Shah said. “We can request the test, but they decide whether they’re going to run the test or not. We do this in conjunction with public health and the County Health Officer, Dr. Chris Farmitano.”

Asked why U.C. Davis Medical Center officials issued an announcement about the patient at their hospital and the public in Contra Costa County isn’t being informed which hospitals the patients are located, Harper said the health public information officers in the Bay Area all agreed it would be best for patient confidentiality to not provide that information.

“U.C. Davis executive leadership sent out very detailed information about the patient with coronavirus and hospital staff. It took local hospitals by surprise because we’ve been following strict communication guidelines avoiding individual patient disclosure details,” said Dr. Shah. “Public health controls what information can be offered up.”

Coronavirus. Image by CDC

“From a public reporting standpoint, it’s typically our policy to conform to patient privacy and not disclose patient care information to the public,” he stated. “However, given the level of interest and anxiety in the community, we are reconsidering how we are able to disclose information in a confidential manner that both meets the privacy requirements for the individual while still informing the public. Talking to you, today is part of that change.”

Finally, residents said they had heard there are U.S. Marshals at the county hospital to prevent staff from speaking about the patients with coronavirus there and that the hospital has been fined $250,000 because it had happened, previously.

Since it’s a federal matter, Harper suggested contacting Scott Pauley, the Public Information Officer for the Centers for Disease Control.

When reached for comment, Pauley replied, “No. That has nothing to do with the Marshals’ presence there. They are there to enforce the federal quarantine.”

“When a patient is in federal quarantine process, the Marshals enforce that isolation order to monitor the patient to make sure they don’t leave the hospital,” he said. “This is all part of the federal quarantine orders issued when they returned to the United States.”

“These individuals came from the Diamond Princess cruise ship,” Pauley added.

“I believe we had one U.S. Marshal around the clock, when the patient was here,” Dr. Shah shared.

The Good News

“The good news is that the individual that was brought here from Travis did well, was sent home and no longer requires any more hospital intervention,” he stated.

“While, this is a new virus and we’re still learning more every day, the international experience is that 80% of people who develop symptoms of this don’t require any hospitalization,” Dr. Shah added.

Writer supports Supervisor Burgis for re-election for her “integrity, brilliance and imagination”

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Dear Editor:

I writing to express my genuine respect, admiration, and appreciation for Supervisor Diane Burgis and whole-heartedly support her re-election.

We are blessed to have a leader with the level of integrity, brilliance, and imagination that Diane has demonstrated in serving the people of Contra Costa. She is a woman who is relentless in her efforts to bring innovation to our region and has made significant strides towards job and business creation to support our local workforce.

I have witnessed first-hand Diane’s wisdom and her dedication to regional improvement through her work on business-based drone development in far east Contra Costa, the creation of a multimillion-dollar light industrial park at the site of the former DuPont plant in Oakley, and the launch of the Family Justice Center in Antioch that includes job training and support for people who have been victims of human trafficking as well as those who seek skills training in technology employment through the work of the “Love Never Fails” project that has made significant impact throughout the Bay Area.

Diane is accessible and genuinely loves our communities and those of us who live here. Please cast your vote for Supervisor Diane Burgis, so she can continue with the amazing work she is doing for the benefit of our families. My husband Keith is fully in support of this statement.

Iris Archuleta

Antioch

Walnut Creek Police arrest four for $2,700 shoplifting spree

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Four shoplifting suspects arrested. Photos by WCPD.

By WCPD

Stolen items recovered.

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 at approximately 2:00 PM, WCPD Officers made a traffic stop on a black Dodge Charger. Four individuals were contacted and confessed to stealing merchandise from Broadway Plaza. A subsequent search of this Dodge revealed over $2700 in stolen merchandise from Nordstrom and Macy’s.

Destiny Dixon, Jasmine Grotegeer, Charlie Mosley and Tyree Santee were arrested for numerous theft related charges and probation violations. They were transported to county jail. This is a reminder to all criminals that Broadway Plaza is for shopping not shoplifting.

Voter registration opportunity remains for presidential primary

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At Regional Early Voting locations on Thursday, February 27th through Monday, March 2nd

By Scott O. Konopasek, Assistant Registrar, Contra Costa County

The voter registration deadline has passed, but you can still register and vote in one transaction between now and Election Day. Several convenient locations will be available leading up to and during Election Day for you to register to vote and cast your ballot.

Contra Costa Elections Division offers Conditional Voter Registration as a safety net for those who were unable to complete or update their voter registration before the deadline. Those who are already registered may also update their address or political party preference.

“We want make sure that everybody who is eligible to register to vote has ample opportunity to cast their ballot,” said Deborah Cooper, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters.

The Conditional Registration steps include going to an eligible county location, filling out a form that includes your name, address, date of birth and either the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your driver’s license number, and casting your ballot. Conditionally voted ballots are processed once our office completes the verification of the voter registration and confirms no ballot has already been voted. This service is available at the Elections Office, 555 Escobar in Martinez, during normal business hours and on Election Day from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Conditional Voter Registration will also be available at Regional Early Voting locations on Thursday, February 27th through Monday, March 2nd (excluding Sunday). Regional Early Voting is 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, February 29th. These locations are available to all Contra Costa voters looking to cast their ballot ahead of time and avoid the Election Day rush. Any Contra Costa voter can vote at any one of the Regional Early Voting locations.

• Antioch Water Park, 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch

• Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond

• Hyatt House, 2611 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill

Conditional Voter Registration is also available on Election Day at any of the county’s 166 polling places. For more information, call 925-335-7800.