Contra Costa Herald

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

Realtor running to represent far East Contra Costa in State Assembly District 11 race

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Source: Wanda Wallis for Assembly campaign

Campaigning to restore common sense, integrity, transparency to state government, on issues of parental control in education, public safety, reducing taxes and regulations on business.

My name is Wanda Wallis, I have been a Solano County and Suisun City resident for 20 years. I am a mother to one adult son, and I have been happily married for 20 years. As a businesswoman, I am running a grassroots campaign in my election for CA State Assembly District 11. It is time to bring back common sense, integrity and transparency. 

Families are the foundation of society and you, the parents, are the best advocates of your child’s education and wellbeing. Every parent has the right to make decisions about what is best for their child.  My opponent has authored, and voted for legislation, which would usurp parental authority and transfer it to teachers, “professionals,” elected and unelected bureaucrats (AB 957, AB 665, AB 1078). I will fight to support parents as the ultimate decision-making authority regarding the well-being of their children and oppose any bill that intrudes on those rights. 

Education such as reading, writing and math serve as a deterrent to criminal behavior in youth.  For young men and women who cannot read, perform basic math or write, joblessness is a future leading to crime as a way of survival. Instead of focusing on legislation that encourages basic reading, writing, and math, my opponent voted in support of willful defiance in the classroom. I will support legislation that encourages academic success, not disabling capable students due to others disruptive behavior. 

People deserve to be safe in their homes, businesses, and in the community. Soft on crime legislation, like Prop. 47 and no-cash bail policies, combined with the lack of prosecution has created a revolving door for criminals making our neighborhoods unsafe and endangering the lives of law enforcement officers and EMT’s. When thieves get off easy, more than likely, they will steal again and are emboldened to commit more crimes.  

My opponent is more concerned about the comfort of criminals than the safety of our communities. We have many laws already on the books to hold criminals accountable, but we lack enforcement. My opponent thinks there ought to be more laws, I think we ought to enforce the law. 

Smash and grab crimes are rampant in California. Lax enforcement policies and failure to prosecute criminals has created a crime sanctuary, a safe haven for criminal behavior.  

It’s time for a new voice in the California legislature and I am the new voice of the people. It is time for your voice to be heard and I will work for you to support families, safer communities, and promote economic policies that work for the working class of Solano and East Contra Costa Counties. 

I have not forgotten our vets, in many cases homeless and forgotten. My goal is to give them back their dignity. With housing and the benefits, they deserve. 

I am Wanda Wallis and I ask for your support in time, talent and treasure. Please contact my campaign to schedule meet and greets, speaking invitations, volunteer opportunities at wanda@votewanda.com and contribute at www.votewanda.com.  

 

Antioch, SF men arrested in Oakley cases involving pursuit, drugs, loaded firearm

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Drugs and gun confiscated from San Francisco man during arrest by Oakley Police on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Photo: Oakley PD.

Antioch 20-year-old had fake ID’s; SF 46-year-old has history of arrests dating to 2015

By Chief Paul Beard

On Friday February 9, 2024, at 2:11PM Oakley Police Special Services Team Officers T. Burton and F. Williams were conducting a follow-up investigation in Antioch looking for a 2015 Dodge Charger Hellcat (black satin wrap over original dark gray paint) that had been stolen during the night from the 800 block of Stickney Way in Oakley. During this investigation our officers observed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed and running two red lights. Officers Burton and Williams tried to stop the vehicle, but it continued to drive at a high rate of speed in an attempt to flee from our officers. The vehicle pulled into an apartment complex located at 2747 Winding Lane, Antioch and the driver fled from the vehicle and ran away. Officers Burton and Williams caught up to the suspect after a short foot chase and took him into custody.

The suspect, identified as Andrew David Early (20, Antioch) also had two fake forms of identification on him. Early was booked into jail for fleeing from officers, resisting officers and forgery.

Also on Friday, Officer C. Johnson was on patrol when he located a black Chevrolet Silverado that was wanted by the San Francisco Police Department for its involvement in a pursuit. Officer Johnson stopped the Silverado At Main Street and Bridgehead Road. Officer Johnson identified one of the occupants of the Silverado as Irie Lee Louis Benson, Jr. (46, San Francisco). During the investigation Benson was found to be in possession of a backpack containing a Glock pistol with a fully loaded 17 round magazine and a live round in the chamber, Benson was found to be in unlawful possession of this firearm. Also found in the backpack was approximately a combined half pound of methamphetamine, crack cocaine and cocaine powder packaged in multiple separate baggies with scales. Benson was placed under arrest and booked into jail for:

  • Unlawful weapon
  • Loaded and concealed weapon
  • Armed while being in possession of dangerous drugs and controlled substances
  • Dangerous drugs
  • Possession of controlled substance
  • Possession of dangerous drugs and controlled substances for sales

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, Early is out of custody on bond as of Saturday, Feb. 10. According to localcrimenews.com, Benson has a history of arrests dating back to 2015 by the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department, Stockton CHP, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department and Vacaville PD for shoplifting, drug possession, possession of cocaine base for sale, possession of ammunition, evading a peace officer and wanton disregard for safety, resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and vandalism – property damage.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, he is also bonded out of custody on Feb. 10.

“Both of these cases are indicative of how egregious and felonious driving behaviors are very often indicative of involvements in deeper crimes. While that does not ring true 100% of the time it is a trend we have been seeing for the past few years with the relaxed laws and soft legislation that do not serve to hold offenders properly accountable. One of the best ways to prevent future crimes from occurring has always been to identify criminals and incarcerate them and then properly sentence them so they are severely hampered in re-offending or victimizing others. Officers Burton, Williams and Johnson stayed true to their duty and identified criminals and took them into custody. Due to their efforts they prevented, at least in some small measure, future crimes of identity theft, sales of drugs and possible gun violence from occurring. I am proud of the work that was done and I applaud each officer who was involved in these cases.

Stay safe Oakley!

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Pittsburg woman arrested for shoplifting in Brentwood

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Shoplifting arrest in the Lone Tree Plaza in Brentwood Monday night, Feb. 12, 2024. Photo: Brentwood PD

Has history of arrests dating to 2013

By Brentwood Police Department

Last night, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, around 8:30pm, one of our Swing Shift Officers was conducting extra patrol within the Lone Tree Plaza off of Lone Tree Way when he witnessed a shoplifting in progress at one of our local department stores.

Our Officer witnessed the suspect, 41-year-old Virginia Lee Mobley out of Pittsburg, run to an awaiting vehicle, placing a large amount of clothes into the backseat of the vehicle, and get into the passenger seat. A traffic stop was conducted and both occupants within the vehicle were detained for a theft investigation.

Mobley was found to be on felony probation for a previous burglary conviction, and our Officer confirmed Mobley stole close to $650 worth of clothing. Mobley was booked into jail for shoplifting and for violating her terms of probation.

According to localcrimenews.com, the suspect has a history of arrests dating back to 2013 by Antioch PD, Pittsburg PD and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department for crimes including petty theft, driving without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to appear and receiving stolen property – vehicle.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the five-foot, nine-inch, 280-lb. Mobley is being held on no bail at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond.

Talk about being at the right place at the right time! We also strongly encourage our residents to call our Non-Emergency Dispatch at 925-809-7911 if they see anything suspicious. Together we can keep our shopping centers safe for everyone.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

During election season Save Mt. Diablo sends mailer showing 10-month-old votes by Pittsburg councilmembers

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Mailer from Save Mount Diablo shows how the five Pittsburg councilmembers voted on the Faria housing development last year. Source: Save Mount Diablo

Two running for county supervisor on March 5th ballot; org leader says they have no position in race

By Allen D. Payton

A week before the ballots for the March 5th primary election began arriving in mailboxes, a mailer from Save Mount Diablo (SMD) was sent to all households in Pittsburg asking for public support of their effort to get the council members to reverse their vote last April for Discovery Builders’ hillside housing development. Known as the Faria project, the project includes 1,500 homes on 341 acres with 265 acres of open space on the south side of the city which borders the new Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in Concord.

The mailer reads, “On April 17, 2023, the Pittsburg City Council approved a Master Plan for the Faria/Southwest Hills Annexation Project.” It shows photos of and “aye” votes by then Mayor Shanelle Preston-Scales, Councilmember Jelani Killings, who are both running for county supervisor in the March 5th primary election, as well as Councilmembers Dionne Adams and Angelica Lopez. But the leader of SMD claims they have no position in the race for supervisor. The mailer also shows then-Vice Mayor Juan Antonio Banales who voted to abstain.

In addition, the mailer claims, the “plan…was opposed by thousands of residents, environmentalists and the city Planning Commission, which recommended against the plan.”

Faria project General Plan Land Use map, adopted 4-17-23 (bottom) versus map of the previously adopted General Plan Land Use. Source: City of Pittsburg

Read mailer, here: Save-the-Ridge-Pittsburg-2024 mailer

It’s part of the organization’s campaign, including an online petition, to keep the homes from being built along the ridgeline. The effort has also included a successful lawsuit filed by SMD in May 2021. On February 10, 2022, a Contra Costa County Superior Court judge sided with SMD. Discovery Builders then appealed the decision but lost again when the court ruled in favor of SMD on April 4, 2022 rejecting all of the developer’s arguments. (See related articles here, here and here)

SMD refers to the Faria project as a Seeno development because Discovery Builders is owned and operated by Albert Seeno, III.

On the organization’s website, SMD wrote, “We stopped Faria for two years, but now it’s back” and asks the public to “Save the Ridge!” The organization says, “We’re not opposed to all development; we just think the Pittsburg City Council and the developer should move it off the ridgetop.” SMD claims the project “would also betray the voters who approved Measure P in 2005 and placed the entire site in the protective hillside zoning. Now Seeno wants to change the zoning to bulldoze the steep hills for massive subdivisions. Because the site is almost entirely over 30 percent slope, with substantial parts at 50 to 70 percent slope, Seeno’s proposed new zoning will allow up to 25 times as many houses as the current Measure P zoning that the voters approved.”

Save Mount Diablo’s Save the Ridge 2024 mailer to Pittsburg residents, side 1. Source: SMD

However, according to the City staff report for the agenda item 13 for the April 2023 meeting, “the current General Plan allows for up to 478 acres of residential use and 129 acres of open space.” It also reads, “The proposed amendments would not change the existing maximum development potential (1,500 single family units), but rather would focus the development to the center of the site within the valley area.”

The effort’s webpage further reads, “Thee Pittsburg City Council should SAVE THE RIDGE for everyone and ensure public access to the new regional park for Pittsburg residents.

Save the ridge to keep our area a beautiful and desirable place to live, work, and visit!

Join us and sign our Save Pittsburg Hills/Save Mount Diablo petition urging the Pittsburg City Council to SAVE THE RIDGE and require the Seeno/Discovery Builders Faria development to be relocated off the top of Pittsburg’s ridge.”

Save Mount Diablo’s Save the Ridge 2024 mailer to Pittsburg residents, side 2. Source: SMD

SMD Asked If Attempting to Impact the Election

Questions were sent to SMD’s Executive Director Ted Clement asking when the effort began and why the mailer was sent during election season. He was further asked if it was timed to impact the election of Killings and Scales-Preston in their campaigns for county supervisor.

Clement responded, “We’ve been working to protect the Los Medanos ridge between Concord and Pittsburg for years. That effort is ongoing. We’re working to educate as many people as possible. We don’t have a position on the county supervisor campaigns.”

He was again asked if the mailer was sent to all homes in Pittsburg and if not, how many were mailed. But he did not respond.

Efforts to reach Killings and Preston-Scales asking if they had any comments about the mailer and their votes for the project were unsuccessful, as were efforts to reach Albert Seeno, III or anyone at Discovery Builders for comment.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Two Oakley men die in wrong-way driver head-on crash on Hwy 4 in Antioch

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By CHP – Contra Costa

2/12/24 UPDATE: The Contra Costa Coroner’s office identified the two as Andres Hernandez, 22, and Christopher Cannedy, 35, both of Oakley.

Saturday morning, Feb. 10, 2024, at approximately 4:30am, CHP Contra Costa responded to a two-vehicle crash on eastbound Hwy 4, between Laurel Road and Lone Tree Way. Our preliminary investigation indicates a blue Scion TC, with one occupant, was traveling westbound (wrong way) in the eastbound lanes. At this time, a black Mazda 3, with one occupant, was traveling eastbound at the same location and the vehicles collided head on. Both drivers sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene.

This crash is still under investigation, it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were a cause at this time. If anyone witnessed it or the events leading up to it, please contact CHP Contra Costa in Martinez, (925) 646-4980 or email your contact information to mailto:320Investigations@chp.ca.gov to be contacted by the investigating officer.

Man stabbed during possible domestic violence in Brentwood

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By Lindzie Laughridge, Community Engagement Officer, Brentwood Police Department

On Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, at approximately 7:40PM, Brentwood officers were dispatched to a call at the intersection of Balfour Road and Hudson Drive for a report of an adult male who was bleeding. When officers arrived, they discovered the adult male sustained a stab wound and officers immediately provided medical attention on scene. The male, who sustained significant injuries, was transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

Further investigation led officers to a residence associated with the male where contact was made with an adult female who resides at the residence. Based on the officer’s preliminary investigation, there was evidence the incident occurred at the residence.

The male, who is being treated, is expected to survive. There is no threat to public safety at this time, and no indication of any other involved individuals.

This investigation is ongoing, and we will not be releasing any further information at this time. If you have any additional information regarding this incident, you can call the Brentwood Police Department Dispatch line at 925-809-7911.

Antioch mayor changes name to honor Mexican immigrant foster parents who raised him

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Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe (left) with his Mexican family in 2007. Source: Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe

Judge grants petition to change his name to “Lamar A. Hernandez-Thorpe”

Changed name on 2024 campaign committee forms last September

By Allen D. Payton

After Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe added Hernandez to his last name on his 2024 re-election campaign committee name last September, it was made official on Monday, January 22, 2024. That day Thorpe was granted his petition by Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Virginia M. George to legally change his name to “Lamar Anthony Hernandez-Thorpe” to honor his Mexican foster parents who raised him.

List of 2024 Hernandez-Thorpe’s campaign finance documents filed last fall. Source: Antioch City Clerk

In 1981, Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe was born in prison to a mother addicted to heroin. At two days old, he was placed in foster care and raised by Mexican immigrants in East Los Angeles. As a result, his first language is Spanish. His parents, Guillermo O. and Teresa Hernandez, gave birth to two biological children and, as foster parents, adopted several others, all sharing their last name, “Hernandez”.

Hernandez-Thorpe hugs his father Guillermo at his 2020 election night party when he won the race for Mayor of Antioch. Source: Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe.

Hernandez-Thorpe’s foster parents fought to adopt him legally but failed as his biological mother retained her parental rights. While he is proud of his African American family and heritage, he is equally proud of his Mexican heritage instilled by his parents, the Hernandez’s.
In March of 2023, Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe announced that he would petition to change his name to “Hernandez-Thorpe”. Two days later, his father, Guillermo Hernandez, passed away from prostate cancer.

Hernandez-Thorpe said the process of changing his name was emotionally difficult.

Supervisor Burgis honors long-time Contra Costa Aviation Advisory Committee member

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Ron Reagan, accompanied by his wife Pat Reagan, was honored for his 11 years of service to Byron Airport and the Contra Costa County Aviation Advisory Committee. Photo: Office of Supervisor Diane Burgis

Brentwood resident Ron Reagan thanked during her annual District III open house

By Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis

I was joined by several dozen community members at my 2024 Office Open House on Monday, and had a chance to catch up after the holidays, introduce my newest staff members, and share my plans for the new year.

If you weren’t able to attend, here are some of the highlights:

  • East County has twice the number of firefighters on duty at any time than we did three years ago. With two fire stations planned to break ground in Brentwood this year, we’ll have triple the coverage we did in 2021.
  • In the coming months, the Delta Protection Commission, which I chair, will submit its management plan for the Delta National Heritage Area, the only National Heritage Area on the West Coast. This will be the biggest step forward for the Delta National Heritage Area since its creation by Congress in 2019.
  • Industry-leading aviation testing continues to occur at Byron Airport and Buchanan Field, with companies like Pivotaland Elroy Air leading the way.
  • The County is bringing more services to East County, including a County Resource Center, Youth Centers and an African-American Wellness Hub, all of which are in stages of study or planning.

I also had the opportunity to present Brentwood resident Ron Reagan a signed resolution from the Board of Supervisors honoring his work on the Contra Costa County Aviation Advisory Committee.

Ron began serving on the Aviation Advisory Committee in 2012 as the District III representative. Through 11 years of service, he successfully advocated for many of the major improvements to Byron Airport and Buchanan Field, including the establishment of the Bay Area Test Site for drone testing, the 4.14-acre Byron Phase I Development, and the completion of the Byron Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting/Maintenance Storage Building.

My thanks to Ron for his years of service to our airports and our community, and thank you to everyone who attended the open house.