Contra Costa Herald

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

New Costco store to open March 7th in the Innovation Center at Brentwood

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Ribbon cutting at 7:30 a.m, opens at 8:00 a.m.; police warn of traffic delays
Part of a planned Town Center Development in Eastern Contra Costa County

By Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager, City of Brentwood

The City of Brentwood in Contra Costa County, will celebrate the grand opening of a new Costco Wholesale warehouse store Friday, March 7th at 7:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The store will officially open at 8:00 a.m. in the Lone Tree Plaza at 5151 Heidorn Ranch Road off Lone Tree Way.

The retailer with stores across the nation and Bay Area has eyed the City of Brentwood for some time. This new store will represent one of the City’s largest sales tax generators. It will also serve as the first commercial development to break ground and open in the City’s highly anticipated Innovation Center; a 260-acre town center development strategically situated along Highway 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road.

Mayor Susannah Meyer shared the following as it relates to Costco’s effect on the city, “The arrival of Costco in Brentwood marks a significant milestone for the development of the Innovation Center at Brentwood. Costco is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs, boost our local economy, and generate millions in tax revenue to fund local improvements and community services, including public safety, road maintenance, and many other City services.

After breaking ground on July 23, 2024, Costco’s new store provides well over 150,000 local residents of both Brentwood and our surrounding East Contra Costa County neighbors reduced travel times to Costco, decreasing traffic congestion and improving air quality. This store will also serve as a catalyst to attract new national retailers to the remaining four-acre site adjacent to the store and continue to strengthen Brentwood’s role as a leader in the East Contra Costa County shopping experience. The new store will also help foster a planned mixed-use development just south, along Heidorn Ranch Road as part of the Innovation Center.

City Manager Tim Ogden stated, “Brentwood is excited to have Costco make a home here and offer great jobs for so many. The additional revenue to the City will continue to help maintain the high quality of life residents enjoy. Costco will also be a catalyst for more commercial development to follow in our Innovation Center @ Brentwood master planned community.”

Antioch Police warned of traffic delays in a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 4 writing, “We’re anticipating traffic delays due to the grand opening of Costco. If you’re heading to Costco, they recommend using the Sand Creek exit for easier access. Please plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Thank you for your patience!”

The City’s Economic Development staff are pro-actively seeking a developer(s) to acquire and assemble approximately 25 acres just south of Costco and adjacent to both a pedestrian and bicycle trail and the future Brentwood BART Station, which will create a new town center. The town center will consist of townhomes and apartments with upwards of 100,000 square feet of retail and office development in a Main Street format. To learn more about this mixed-use development opportunity, please contact the City’s Economic Development Team at https://www.brentwoodca.gov/business/economic-development.

For more information on the Costco development, please contact Darin Gale, Assistant City Manager at dgale@brentwoodca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Police seek suspects in smash-and-grab robbery at Orinda consignment shop

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Photo: Hilton House Facebook page.

Pepper sprayed employee, customers

By Orinda Police Department

On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at about 11:44 AM, Orinda police officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery at a business in the first block of Orinda Way. Several male suspects entered a store and pepper-sprayed an employee and some customers. They fled after stealing multiple items. Police checked the area and notified other law enforcement agencies. The suspects were not located. The victims were treated at the scene.

According to a KTVU FOX 2 news report, five suspects entered the store with hammers, breaking glass display cases and robbed the Hilton House Consign & Design in Orinda and pepper sprayed one employee and some customers.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at (925) 254-6820. Tips could be email to: orindatip@cityoforinda.org.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Vallejo man charged by Contra Costa DA for stealing $25,000 of LEGOs

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Photos: Target.com and Waymarking.com

From Walnut Creek, San Ramon Target stores

Has history of arrests dating to 2014

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

A Vallejo man has been charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney with multiple counts of second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft for stealing nearly $25,000 worth of merchandise from Target.

32-year-old Michael Ivory Fletcher (born 7/10/92) is currently in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility, awaiting a preliminary hearing on a 12-count felony complaint filed in court on February 20th.

His bail has been set at $467,500.

Fletcher’s offenses go beyond Contra Costa County. He is suspected of thefts in Solano, Alameda, San Joaquin, Sonoma, and Santa Clara Counties.

The thefts at Target stores in Walnut Creek and San Ramon occurred between August 15th, 2024, and February 15th, 2025. Fletcher’s actions followed a similar method of entering a store alone, filling up a shopping cart of LEGO products, and exiting with the stolen merchandise in a matter of minutes. Before fleeing from a store, he would load the stolen items in a vehicle parked in a disabled parking space.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “The effective investigative efforts of the Walnut Creek and San Ramon police departments were crucial in bringing this case forward. We are committed to holding this individual accountable. Moreover, these brazen retail thefts demonstrate the necessity of reporting these crimes to law enforcement. Collaborative efforts are essential to ensuring the safety of our communities and businesses.”

Case No. 01-25-00704 | The People of the State of California v. Fletcher, Michael Ivory

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the five-feet, 10-inch, 165 lb. Fletcher is Black, and as of March 5, he is being held in the West County Detention Facility. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 8:30 AM in Superior Court in Martinez.

According to localcrimenews.com, he was arrested on Feb. 15, 2025, by Walnut Creek Police for felony committed while released on bail or own recognizance, revocation of probation, conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, grand theft and organized retail theft. 01-25-00704 – MIFletcher Charging Document

In addition, Fletcher has a history of arrests dating back to 2014 by multiple agencies including Oakland, Emeryville, Albany and Vallejo PD’s, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Solano and San Joaquin counties Sheriff’s Departments and Castro Valley CHP for multiple gun-related and drug-related crimes, grand theft, burglary, organized retail theft, battery on a spouse, ex-spouse or co-habitant, and resisting arrest.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Scales-Preston calls for oversight of refinery following fire

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Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston.

Contra Costa Supervisor releases update to community

By David Fraser, Chief of Staff, Office of Supervisor Shanelle Scales Preston

MARTINEZ – Since Saturday’s fire at the Martinez Refining Company, District 5 Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston has been on the ground and in meetings with refinery representatives, Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn, Contra Costa Health officials, first responders, and members of the community.

Today, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, Scales-Preston released the following statement:

“I understand the frustration, fear, and anger experienced by Martinez residents in the wake of Saturday’s fire at the Martinez Refining Company. This is the third major incident since PBF Energy purchased the refinery in 2020 and many more spills and releases have occurred since then. This is not acceptable, and I am working to get answers for our community.

“Currently, the County, and other regulatory agencies, will conduct an independent investigation into what caused the fire, what violations may have occurred, what potential environmental hazards linger, and what are necessary improvements needed to ensure public and worker safety and health. In addition, I am requesting a Full Facility Audit under the provisions of the County’s Industrial Safety Ordinance.

“This independent oversight is necessary if we are to have confidence in the management and operation of the refinery.”

Scales-Preston represents District 5 on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, which includes Martinez.

Contra Costa Health lifts Martinez Health Advisory following refinery fire

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Martinez Refining Company refinery fire on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. Photo source: Bay Area Air Quality Management District

Contra Costa Health (CCH) has lifted a public health advisory today at 3:00 p.m. following confirmation that the fire at Martinez Refining Company (MRC) is out. Residents in the affected area can now resume normal activities and should open doors and windows to air out buildings and homes. (See related article)

CCH was first notified of the event when MRC, owned by PBF Energy, reported the fire through the county’s Community Warning System (CWS) at 1:49 p.m. on Saturday, February 1. CCH’s Hazardous Materials Program has continued to monitor air quality since Saturday.

In addition to a 72-hour report, due to the County later today, and subsequent 30-day reports, MRC will be required to perform a Root Cause Analysis, which is an investigation aimed at identifying how the incident happened and what can be done to prevent future similar incidents from occurring.

CCH is investigating the cause of the incident, in accordance with state requirements and the county’s Industrial Safety Ordinance and will explore all options available under the regulatory authority provided through the state as a Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) to ensure safety issues are all addressed.

Martinez Refining Company issues update on refinery fire

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Graphic source: Martinez Refining Company. Refinery fire on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. Photo source: Bay Area Air Quality Management District

Monday, February 3, 2025

INCIDENT RESPONSE
Martinez Refining Company (MRC) continues to have the small residual fire under control. You may see minimal smoke until further notice. Because of significant progress made, all mutual aid firefighting crews have left the site, and we thank them for their tremendous response to the incident. Flaring continues with the potential for intermittent flaring throughout the week. Refinery operating units have been shut down except required utility systems.

At 5:10 p.m., on Sunday, February 2, 2025, MRC reported a Community Warning System Level 1 notification for firefighting water runoff containing hydrocarbons that overflowed one of the refinery’s wastewater containment ponds. The runoff continues to be contained on the refinery’s property, and we have boom deployed to keep it contained, as well as equipment removing the runoff and transporting it to the refinery’s water treatment system.

Our top priorities remain the safety and security of responders, as well as maximizing protection of public health and safety. As previously reported, six workers were evaluated by medical personnel and released.

INCIDENT BACKGROUND
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025, two workers were opening equipment in preparation for planned maintenance on one of the refinery’s process units, which had been shut down on Thursday, January 30, 2025. It is currently believed that, while opening the equipment, hydrocarbon material started to leak. The two workers immediately evacuated the area, and the material subsequently caught fire, which spread within the immediate vicinity. Both of those workers were transported offsite for medical evaluation and released.

MRC’s fire crews quickly responded and began suppressing the fire. They called for mutual aid from industry partners and support from Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ConFire).

To manage the response, MRC, ConFire, and the Martinez Police Department formed a Unified Command, which allows multiple agencies and organizations to effectively work together. By approximately 8:30 p.m., the fire had been suppressed to the point the Unified Command transitioned back to MRC, which continues to manage the incident response.

INVESTIGATION
We are deeply sorry for the disruption and concern we have caused the community. After the response is complete, we will thoroughly investigate the incident in accordance with the Contra Costa County Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO) to identify the root cause and take appropriate corrective actions. We will continue to work collaboratively with all agencies involved, and thank our employees, mutual aid partners, and agency representatives for their support in responding to the incident.

HEALTH GUIDANCE
Contra Costa Health has issued the following message: “Contra Costa Health (CCH) recommends that residents of Martinez, parts of Pacheco and Clyde who have respiratory sensitivity remain indoors with doors and windows shut today while smoke continues to clear from a fire at Martinez Refining Company (MRC). A map of the affected area will be available at cwsalerts.com while this health advisory remains in effect. CCH will notify the community when the health advisory is lifted.”

ABOUT FLARING
Flares are an essential part of a refinery’s integrated, engineered safety systems, which are designed to safely manage excess gases through efficient, effective combustion. In addition to seeing the flare, you may feel a rumbling sound which is the result of the mixing of vapors, air and steam during the flaring process. You can learn more about flaring on our website: https://martinezrefiningcompany.com/about-flaring/.

MRC FENCELINE MONITORING
MRC’s fenceline air monitoring program uses high-tech sensors to monitor in “real time” specific emissions that may cross the facility’s fenceline. Our systems monitor, record, and report multiple compounds. You are welcome to view real-time fenceline measurements at our air monitoring website: http://www.fenceline.org/martinez/.

CLAIMS
If you have a concern related to the incident, MRC has set up a claims line. Please call 800-542-7113 and leave the following information:
· Full Name
· Complete Address
· Telephone Number
· Email address
In addition, please describe the concern you would like to discuss, and a company representative will return your call.

FUTURE UPDATES
Further updates will be posted on MRC’s social media and website (www.martinezrefiningcompany.com). Community inquiries can be made to 925-313-3601.

Sincerely,

Martinez Refining Company Community Relations Team

 

CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force achieves record-breaking success in 2024

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Source: CHP

After a record-setting 2023 combatting organized retail crime, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) continues to aggressively disrupt and dismantle illegal operations throughout California. Thanks to the state’s continued investment in combating organized retail crime, the CHP is proud to announce its most successful year yet for the Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF). In 2024, the task force set new records for investigations, arrests, and recovered stolen goods since its launch in 2019—surpassing all expectations and demonstrating its unparalleled effectiveness.

In the 12 months of 2024, ORCTF efforts have resulted in:

✔ 879 investigations
✔ 1,707 arrests
✔ 676,227 stolen goods recovered
✔ $13.5 million in recovered goods value

With increased funding since 2022, CHP has expanded its efforts statewide, adding more investigators and enhancing proactive crime prevention strategies. This past holiday season, ORCTF teams partnered with local law enforcement and more than 50 retailers to safeguard shoppers, merchants, and retail districts across California. Their heightened presence deterred crime and led to in-the-moment arrests of retail criminals.

CHP’s unwavering commitment to stopping organized retail crime underscores its dedication to public safety. Recent legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom has further strengthened law enforcement tools to hold offenders accountable, reinforcing the ORCTF’s mission to ensure the safety and security of California communities.

For more information about CHP’s Organized Retail Theft Program, visit our website at https://www.chp.ca.gov/notify-chp/organized-retail-theft-program

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service and Security.

2025 Lunar New Year Celebration at The Veranda in Concord Feb. 2

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Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy New Year 2025 – The Year of the Snake!

The Year of the Snake 2025 brings the Snake’s wise and intuitive energy. The Snake, symbolizing wisdom and transformation, offers opportunities for personal growth and change. We are rising to the occasion with an incredible Lunar New Year event for all to enjoy!

Join us for our 2025 Lunar New Year Celebration. Attendees will be delighted with a Lion Dance Show by Tomizaki’s Champions Kung Fu Institute and more. Event activities will begin at 10am on the Fountain Pavilion Park, near Veranda LUXE theater. Guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy a special showing of Kung Fu Panda (2008). Event attendance is free, but reserve your limited-quantity goody bags in advance and/or reserve a seat for Kung Fu Panda for a donation to Monument Crisis Center.

Admission: Free
Location: The Veranda, 2001-2003 Diamond Blvd., Concord
Date: February 2, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

If you would like your child to receive a goody bag filled with themed goodies, we highly recommend bags be reserved ahead of the event. Please reserve ONE (1) bag per child in attendance. Bags cannot be guaranteed day-of event for anyone who does not have a reservation. Make your reservations HERE.

Brentwood Police to hold Town Hall Meeting on Prop. 36 and organized retail theft Jan. 30

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If you’re interested in learning more about Proposition 36 and efforts to address organized retail theft, we invite you to join us at our next Town Hall Meeting:

Date: Thursday, January 30th, Location: Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street, Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM.

This is a great opportunity to engage with the Brentwood Police Department, learn about these critical topics, and ask questions.

Oakley man with priors arrested for stealing shoes from Brentwood store

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Charged with felony thanks to passage of Prop. 36

By Brentwood Police Department

On the evening of Sunday, January 12, 2025, around 9 PM, BPD officers responded to a call to a business at the 5500 block of Lone Tree Way regarding a suspect who had stolen shoes from the store.

Upon arrival, officers observed the suspect, later identified as 38-year-old Don Cornell Capers from Oakley (born 4/5/86), attempting to flee in a getaway vehicle. Capers was quickly taken into custody with the assistance of a second BPD officer who had just shown up while Capers was attempting to get into the vehicle.

Capers, who already had a warrant for a probation violation related to his Post Release Community Supervision, also has two prior theft convictions.

As a result of the passing of Proposition 36, which elevates theft offenses for individuals with prior convictions, Capers was place under arrest with “Petty Theft with Priors”, making this incident a felony rather than a misdemeanor. He was also arrested for the warrant, evading police, and other related charges.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, Capers was transferred to another facility and is in custody at the Santa Rita Jail. According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, 11-inch tall, 150-pound suspect is Black and has a court appearance for arraignment in Dept. 702 at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin on Jan. 22 at 8:30 a.m.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.