Contra Costa Herald

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

Final two lanes of Highway 4, first stage of Balfour Road interchange in Brentwood completed

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The two new southbound lanes of Highway 4 between Sand Creek and Balfour Roads in Brentwood opened today, Saturday, July 21, 2018.

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) has completed the first stage of construction on the Balfour Road Interchange Project, and has opened newly constructed lanes to the public as of Saturday morning. This major project milestone is part of a $42.7 million-dollar construction project to improve safety and efficiency at this busy intersection in Brentwood.

A traffic switch will occur this weekend that will move eastbound Highway 4 drivers onto the newly built, elevated alignment over Balfour Road. Additionally, eastbound Highway 4 motorists will be able to use newly constructed on and off-ramps. A new signal will be activated at the intersection of Balfour Road and the new off-ramp, and directional signage will be in place to help inform motorists.

“This is a big deal for Brentwood”, said Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor. “Balfour Road is a major intersection, and the opening of these new lanes bring us one step closer to making this a better, safer intersection for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

“Our goal is to help keep Contra Costa moving”, stated CCTA Executive Director Randy Iwasaki. “The Balfour Road Interchange Project is the final piece in the modernization of Highway 4 that our agency has led over the past eight years – and we are excited to be delivering on our promise to the public by bringing improved mobility to eastern Contra Costa County.”

The new Balfour Road on- and off-ramps from and to southbound Highway 4 opened today, Saturday, July 21, 2018.

“We purchased the right-of-way for the four lanes of traffic and two lines of transit down the center, 20 years ago, this year,” said Allen Payton, Chairman of the State Route 4 Bypass Authority in 1998. “Half of that section, of what was known as the Highway 4 Bypass, was paid for with local developer fees. The other half was to be paid for with state funds. But that commitment took years to be fulfilled. Special thanks go to Randy Iwasaki for helping secure the money from the state and to the CCTA for getting the project completed.” 

A portion of the funds to complete the project were from Measure J, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation which is allocated by the CCTA. The effort for the project began in the early 1990’s and took until 1998 to get approval from the CCTA Board of Directors, without any financial commitment at that time.

Visualizations of the new eastbound on and off-ramps, as well as eastbound through traffic can be viewed online at:

https://youtu.be/2RU5o3CjcIs

https://youtu.be/2acw46W4AdI

https://youtu.be/saN5QOS9A4E

Traffic on westbound Highway 4 towards Antioch will remain on the same alignment and continue to operate without any changes at this time. The entire project is expected to be complete in late 2018 or early 2019.

About the Highway 4 Projects

The Highway 4 projects include improvements that will help modernize eastern Contra Costa County. The projects expand Highway 4 from four to eight lanes between Loveridge Road in Pittsburg to just west of State Route 160 in Antioch, from two to four lanes from Lone Tree Way to Balfour Road in Brentwood, add missing connector ramps at the State Route 160/Highway 4 interchange, and add a BART extension from Pittsburg to Antioch with a new stop in Pittsburg and Antioch. This will greatly improve transit accessibility for the region, help reduce traffic congestion, and enhance the quality of life for the more than 250,000 residents of eastern Contra Costa County. The projects have been carefully staged to keep 130,000 vehicles per day moving as major construction and demolition work continue. These projects, plus previously constructed projects in the region, bring the total investment in East County to $1.3 billion, including State, Federal, Contra Costa Transportation Authority Measures C and J, regional bridge tolls, and other funds. View the story of Highway 4 at http://4eastcounty.org/stories/

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multi-billion dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.

Two Antioch School Board trustees forego reelection to take on Belle for County School Board

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Antioch School Board Trustees Debra Vinson and Walter Ruehlig will challenge incumbent Jeff Belle for County School Board. Photos from AUSD and CCCBOE.

By Allen Payton

Long-serving Antioch School Board Trustee Walter Ruehlig let it be known on Saturday, July 14 that he will not run for reelection and instead join fellow Trustee Debra Vinson and take on County School Board Vice President Jeff Belle in November’s election.

While Vinson, finishing her first and rather contentious term on the Antioch School Board, didn’t officially announce her campaign, she did ride in a car in the Antioch July 4th Parade with a sign indicating her decision to run for the county board. In 2017 Vinson was censured by her fellow board members for her interactions with district employees. (See related article). She was also passed over for the board presidency, following her year as Vice President. (See related article).

On one issue all three will most likely agree, which is approving private charter schools. Both Vinson and Ruehlig were two of the three board members who, earlier this year, voted in favor of the East Bay Tech Academy middle and high charter school petitions, and Ruehlig was one of the three who voted for the Rocketship elementary charter school petition in 2016. Belle has voted against one and approved five other charter schools while on the county board.

“I have decided definitely to run for Area 5 County Board of Education,” Ruehlig stated, following rumors of the possibility.

In his official announcement, he wrote:

I will be submitting my candidacy papers on Monday, July 16th to run for Area 5 of the County Board of Education, which covers Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Clyde, Knightsen, Oakley, and Pittsburg.
In June of 1968, I dedicated myself to public service and youth education when I taught English for the Peace Corps in Sultandag, a rural village in Turkey that had no electricity.  Fifty years later, the idealism continues.

I believe that that my twelve-year service, with three years as President, on the Antioch School Board, and my experience with the Pittsburg Unified School District as a California Department of Rehabilitation Workability Program Director for adults with disabilities and as a career counselor, have given me useful insight into County Trustee duties.  I am excited by the challenge of overseeing career training programs, special education, community day schools, and facilities for incarcerated juveniles.

I was a late-bloomer myself but, fortunately, had teachers who didn’t give up on me. I eventually caught fire and worked my way through college.  My passion for sharing opportunity and persisting with high-risk, disadvantaged or under motivated students is my way of returning thanks.

Aside from counseling, teaching and administrative background, I feel I have the proven temperament and intangible skill sets requisite for good governance.

I enjoy communication and transparency. I am open, creative and innovative but believe in sober budgeting, no-nonsense classroom behavior standards and back to the basics core curriculum.  I am pragmatic and put my ego at the door to focus on getting the task at hand done one building block at a time.  In this age of divisiveness, I am proud to say that I can get along without always going along. I am a consensus-builder but no pushover. I cannot be bullied or bought.

I look forward to meeting the voters of Area 5, hearing their concerns, and presenting my vision. I welcome their scrutiny and would be honored by their support. I pledge not to let them, or their kids, down.

Walter Ruehlig

Candidate, Area 5

Contra Costa County Board of Education

Incumbent Jeff Belle

Elected in 2014, Belle has faced a variety of controversies before and during his term on the County School Board. In January 2016, Belle admitted to claiming he was a respiratory care practitioner even though he didn’t have a license and was fined $8,200 by the state. (See related article).

In December 2016, facing prosecution by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office for lying on his ballot statement, Belle admitted in court that he didn’t have a college degree which he claimed. He agreed to community service to avoid a trial and possible fine of up to $1,000. (See related article)

He and his wife had to move from their home in Antioch in spring of 2015 for failure to pay rent, due to a loss of his wife’s job and Belle not earning enough through his consulting business. They separated and Mrs. Belle moved to Sacramento. As a result, questions have arisen about Belle’s residency. He rented rooms in other people’s homes in the district. The two have since reconciled and Belle now splits his time between his wife’s place and a home in the district.

In 2017 Belle suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. Recently, he posted a fundraising effort on his Facebook page to help him pay off his medical bills. The total raised was $50 from former County School Board Trustee Richard Asadoorian.

Recently, Belle has served as a producer for a TV show entitled Modern Ageless Beauty for women over age 40.

Filing opens on July 16th and closes August 10th if Belle decides to seek reelection, which is expected. If not, the filing period will be extended to August 15th. The election will be held on Tuesday, November 6th.

Director says XO Music Festival lost $500,000 due to cancellation

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The planned headliners for the now cancelled festival.

By Luke Johnson

The XO Music Festival wasted an estimated $500,000, according to Director Sami “Styles” Habib.

The three-day event was canceled because World Class Entertainment did not provide proper insurance by this morning’s deadline, according to Joe Brengle, CEO of Contra Costa Event Park.

“We are the ones who are victimized here,” Habib said.

He added that his party supplied multiple sources for insurance, but they were rejected by Contra Costa Event Park. However, Brengle said those insurance agreements did not fulfill the park’s requirements.

The XO Music Festival faced several allegations online of being a scam over the past few weeks.

However, Brengle disagrees with those accusations and said the event’s management team was guilty of being too ambitious.

“I believe it wasn’t a scam,” he said. “I think they bit off more than they could chew.”

Brengle added that the negative media attention toward the event had nothing to do with its discontinuation.

The event organizers billed 100-plus artists — with marquee names such as T.I., Ludacris, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and the Bay Area’s own Mistah F.A.B. — to perform on seven different stages throughout the park. It also advertised stand-up comedy, carnival rides, roller skating and a foam pit, among other activities.

Habib said ticket sales were much lower than expected, but buyers were instantly refunded through the ticket agency, GrowTix.

Initially, Habib said the music festival lost approximately $750,000, but later said $500,000 was a more accurate number. He then said the financial loss was “definitely” in the six figures. He declined to comment when asked who provided those funds.

Brengle confirmed that Contra Costa Event Park kept $27,500 from the full rental agreement. He explained that money was already spent in preparation for this festival and it was too late to book another event for this weekend.

Habib is facing real estate fraud charges under the name Habidulla Qidar, according to CBS. He and his brother were identified by Fremont Police for being arrested in February involving a fraudulent home rental scheme.

Regarding the event’s authenticity, many people expressed concerns online about some artists’ performing schedules. Both Ludacris and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are promoted for the Chalice Festival in Southern California this weekend. However, Habib said musicians often book two shows in one day and it was requested by their agencies.

Habib said he plans to eventually produce the XO Music Festival, but at a new location.

Contra Costa Event Park cancels XO Music Festival planned for this weekend in Antioch

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A promotion for the now cancelled XO Music Festival planned for this weekend in Antioch.

In a press release from Joe Brengle, CEO of the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds) today, he stated, “Due to the promoters’ lack of fulfilling contractual obligations between the Contra Costa Event Park and World Class Entertainment, Event Park Management in the best interest and safety of our facility, event attendees and the City of Antioch we have no choice but to cancel the XO Music Festival scheduled to take place at the Event Park July 12 – 15, 2018.”

According to event organizer Sam Styles, a nickname for Sami Habib, the fairgrounds informed him at 8:00 a.m. today that their insurance was denied and that it was done “by another office.” He also said the Event Park will not refund their deposit.

All refund inquiries should be directed to the event promoter: World Class Entertainment, Inc. 39962 Cedar Blvd. #279, Newark, CA 94560, Attn: Sami Habib, sams@xoxomusicfestival.com or info@xoxomusicfestival.com.

Please check back for updates.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Sheriff’s Deputies shoot, kill dog that attacked owner in Discovery Bay Wednesday morning

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

At about 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to the 5500 block of Arcadia Circle in Discovery Bay for report of a woman who was being attacked by her own dog.

When Deputies arrived, the victim, who had severe bite wounds in several areas on her body, was on the ground being assisted by neighbors. The dog ran off before Deputies arrived.

The dog later returned. Deputies attempted to corral the dog. Because of the dog’s earlier attack and because it moved toward bystanders, a deputy was forced to shoot the dog, which died.

Because of the nature of her injuries, the victim was taken to a local hospital by helicopter. She is said to be in stable condition.

Contra Costa County Animal Services is following up on this incident and will be looking at what led up to the dog attack.

Coroner’s inquest finds Antioch man shot by Pittsburg police died “at the hands of another person, other than by accident”

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Terry Amons in July, 2017 from his Facebook profile.

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

Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced that a Coroner’s jury has reached a finding in the January 12, 2018 death of Terry Dean Amons Jr. who was shot by Pittsburg Police. The finding of the jury is that the death is “at the hands of another person, other than by accident.” See related Antioch Herald article.)

The Coroner’s jury reached a verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.

A Coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident,

suicide, natural Causes, or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.

See a KRON4 news report about Amons’ death.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Keller Canyon Landfill/Hunters Point Naval Shipyard radiation probe agitates East County residents

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By Daniel Borsuk

Some 400 Bay Point and Pittsburg residents exited a community meeting at Ambrose Community Center with more questions than answers Thursday night about stories that radioactive materials had been mistakenly delivered to the Keller Canyon Landfill, located in southeast Pittsburg off of Baily Road. (See related article).

With representatives from county, regional, and state agencies and the Navy in attendance, but no one on hand from TetraTec, the contractor responsible for the removal of nuclear waste material from the former shipyard, residents learned that TetraTec has rejected a request to pick up the bill to pay for an independent investigation into how radioactive material waste entered the landfill on at least two instances.

Those two documented instances where radioactive materials from the shipyard were delivered to the landfill included the January 2014 case when 42 trucks dumped tainted soil with elevated lead.  The case was not considered to be an RCRA hazardous waste situation.  “All contaminated soil was removed from Keller Canyon Landfill,” said    Scott Anderson a Deputy Base Closure Manager of the U.S. Navy Base Realignment. “The Navy wants the community to know that the public is safe.”

In another instance, February 2015, Anderson said the Navy cleaned up at Keller Canyon Landfill after 218 tons of radioactive asphalt that had been delivered to the landfill.   “All the asphalt plus 102 tons of dirt were removed,” he said.

Residents were uncomfortable with the responses that the Navy, and especially Rick King, general manager of Keller Canyon Landfill, offered.  King defended how the landfill properly screens trucks loads with debris from multiple departure points, including Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

Some speakers like Jeanette Burgess questioned if the landfill operator rigged the monitors at the entrance to allow truck laden with radioactive materials to enter.   “I question your testers,” she said.

“I don’t know where you get your information,” rebutted King, who defended how the Republic Services Co. personnel monitors the testers and that they meet regulations.

Contra Costa County Environmental Health Director Marilyn Underwood said while there is the possibility Republic Services, operator of the Keller Canyon Landfill, might have to redraft an environmental impact report, she said the county is in the midst of searching for an independent consultant to assess the two documented events as well as other potential radioactive deliveries.

Supervisor Federal Glover, whose District 5 includes Keller Canyon Landfill, urged attendees to ask questions.  “Don’t leave here without asking your questions,” he said.  “We’re trying to get an independent investigation. We’re trying to get the information.”

Since TetraTec has refused to pick up the tab to pay for the independent investigation, Dr. Underwood of the county environmental health department said Supervisor Glover is looking into other potential sources to pay for the investigation.

Family Friendly Comedy Show in Brentwood June 30 includes Antioch comedian

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Fun and laughter for the entire family

Finally, a comedy show that caters to the entire family. The Family Friendly Comedy Show, in Brentwood on Saturday, June 30, will be a night filled with food, fun and laughter.

Headlining will be Donald Lacy from BET’s ComicView and HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, Featuring G. King one of the nation’s funniest and fastest rising comedians, Special Guest Jay Rich straight off the Paul Mooney & Friends Tour, Hosted by Comedian and Award-Winning Actor of Stage and Screen Lenard Jackson from Antioch. Music provided by DJ Oasis.

Saturday June 30, 2018, 8:00 pm doors open at 7:00 pm. Admission $20. at Brentwood Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 757 First Street in Brentwood. Brought to you by Rick Sullivan & C.O.G.H. This is a Rick Sullivan Production.

Producer and Promoter Rick Sullivan believes that there is a desire for comedy shows that cater to the entire family and decided to fill that void. Now parents and kids can come out and enjoy a comedy event together.

For the full line up and tickets for this event, please visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3475085 or contact Rick Sullivan at 510.228.7038. Food and beverages will be available to purchase at the show.

Public forum on potential disposal of radioactive materials at Keller Canyon Thursday night

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Keller Canyon Landfill. Photo courtesy of Comanco.

WHAT: Contra Costa Environmental Health and Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover will host a community forum to answer questions and provide current, accurate information about the alleged disposal of potentially radioactive materials from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard at Keller Canyon Landfill in Pittsburg.

WHO: The forum is free and open to all, and residents of communities near Keller Canyon are encouraged to attend.

Technical experts from the Radiologic Health Branch of the California Department of Public Health, the United States Navy, the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board and other state and federal agencies will be on hand to answer questions following a presentation.

WHEN: The forum begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21.

WHERE: Ambrose Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Road, Bay Point

WHY: In May it came to light that potentially radioactive material from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco may have been improperly delivered to several landfills around California, including Keller Canyon in Pittsburg. (See related article) Contra Costa County and numerous other public agencies have been investigating to determine what happened, and if there is any potential health impact to surrounding communities. This meeting is an opportunity to bring the public up to speed on the investigation and answer questions from community members.

In Memoriam: Former Contra Costa Deputy Sheriff Don Bell passes at 71

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Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriff Don Bell, left. Photo provided by his family.

Don Stuart Bell, a veteran of the Vietnam War, a former Contra Costa County Sheriff Deputy, and former Antioch resident died unexpectedly on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at age 71.

He is survived by his wife, Sandy Harter-Bell; his children Don Scott Bell, Leanne Herrick, Debra Peeling, and Dawnyll Hooker; and his grandchildren, Garret, Elizabeth, Alex, Ashlyn, Michael Patrick and Elijah. He is also survived by his siblings; John Bell and Susan Hoff.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, June 28th at 2:00 p.m. at the Folsom Veterans Hall – 1300 Forrest Street, Folsom, CA 95630.