Contra Costa Herald

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

Four teens shot, one dead in Oakley Saturday night

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One male deceased at scene, two other males, one female injured

Several students walk off Freedom High campus out of fear, Monday

By Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard

On Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 at 11:12 PM Oakley police officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Shannon Way on the report a shooting had just occurred and several people had been shot.  Officers arrived on scene a short while later and located five spent 9mm shell casings in front of the residence. Officers also found a total of four victims suffering from gunshot wounds.

Tragically a 16-year-old juvenile was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel. Next of kin has been notified. The other three victims were transported to John Muir Walnut Creek with non-life-threatening injuries.

Additional resources, to include Oakley police detectives, additional officers and administration were called in.

The suspect fled the scene prior to officers arriving and has not been located. This was a very chaotic scene and Oakley police personnel are actively working with dozens of potential witnesses in an attempt to ascertain the identification of the suspect. At this point it does appear as if there was only one suspect.

Officers were dispatched to this residence approximately thirty minutes prior to the shooting regarding a loud party. Officers arrived at that time and spoke to an 18-year-old female resident who was advised of the noise complaint. The female advised the party was being shut down and they were trying to get people to leave but kids kept showing up. Officers asked if she needed help shutting down the party and she declined assistance.

One witness advised that after officers left the residence, a group of 20-30 kids showed up in front of the residence but could not get into the house due to the front door being locked. The group entered the backyard through the side gate. Shortly after, screaming was heard coming from inside the home and several people were seen running out the front door.  Shortly after that, approximately five-six shots were heard being fired in front of the residence, which is consistent with the observations of our officers and the evidence they have located so far.

“This is an active investigation, and it is our top priority right now. I have spoken to the Oakley personnel who were at this scene, and I have been made aware of all of the investigative steps that need to be taken. Our commitment to our community is heightened due to the fact the suspect and the weapon used in this crime are still not accounted for. This is very much of a “no rest until an arrest” approach for our investigators and officers. Every plausible lead is going to be followed up on until this case is resolved.

As I write this there is not yet enough information that has been developed about the suspect in this case, for me to broadcast out. As soon as I have something to put out that will benefit our investigation, I will be sure to do so and I will make an appeal to our community to assist us in locating the suspect.

No parent should ever have to receive the news that happened last night and live through the horror of losing a child- I am very sorry this happened, and I offer sincere condolences.

I will update all of you as soon as I can. If you do have any information about this shooting please call the Oakley Police Department at 925-625-8060, advise the dispatcher you have information regarding the shooting that happened on Shannon Way and you will be connected to the appropriate person.

10/23/23 UPDATE: The shooting/homicide that occurred on Saturday, October 21st in the 400 block of Shannon Way remains the top priority of the Oakley Police Department and we have been steadily working on it every hour since it occurred.

I am providing the following facts about the victims in this case:

  • 16-year-old male- deceased (gunshot wounds)
  • 17-year-old female- released from hospital (gunshot wounds)
  • 16-year-old male- still hospitalized (gunshot wounds)
  • 15-year-old male- still hospitalized (gunshot wounds)

Our investigators have spoken to multiple people who were associated with the party or witnessed the tragic events that occurred. We have sourced several videos from the neighborhood that we believe are key to our investigation and we continue to scour for electronic/ digital evidence. We are doing all of these things in hopes of making an arrest in this case.

It has been brought to our attention, several students walked off of the Freedom High School campus, today, Monday, Oct. 23rd out of fear that was driven by an unverified and unvetted rumor. It appears as if the presence of this rumor on social media created even more concern. So far, our investigation has not revealed any information that suggests there is a threat of violence at any school due to the shooting on Saturday night and we urge families to resume normal school and daily activities.

The Oakley Police Department acknowledges the assistance rendered by the Brentwood Police Department and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office East Contra Costa Fire Department and the American Medical Response ambulances. This was a multi-casualty event, and we appreciate all of the assistance we received. This case remains a multi-faceted investigation.

“I have received several briefs on this case and the direction it is going in. I feel confident in the ability and skills of our investigators to bring this case to a positive resolution. The more I learn about this case the more angry and sad I get that a multi-casualty event occurred. The fact that it involved juveniles- children, makes it even worse. This does not belong in Oakley this does not belong anywhere.

My investigators have my full support to do what they have to do to identify the killer in this case and to get him into custody”.   

Coroner’s Inquest jury finds 2022 police shooting death of Oakley man was “at the hands of another person”

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During domestic violence incident

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

Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston announces that a coroner’s jury today reached a finding in the August 26, 2022 death of 58-year-old Frank Anthony Correa of Oakley. The finding of the jury is that the manner of death is at the hands of another person, other than by accident.

During a domestic violence incident, Correa opened fire on Oakley Police resulting in officers returning fire and killing him. (See related article)

The coroner’s jury reached the verdict in the inquest after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by hearing officer Matt Guichard.

A coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving law enforcement personnel, 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 and At the hands of another person, other than by accident.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Fifth Annual West Coast Nationals Bill Bowers Memorial this weekend at Antioch Speedway

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Jeff Browne #2, reigning race champion Troy Foulger #49 and Justin Yeager #17 could all be part of the IMCA Modified show this weekend. Photo by Katrina Kniss

By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media

Antioch, CA…After a weekend off to allow the local racers who desired to take a trip down south to support the show in Bakersfield, racing returns in a big way this Friday and Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. It’s the fifth running of the West Coast Nationals Bill Bowers Memorial Race.

The event hearkens back to when Antioch Speedway first had a West Coast Nationals IMCA Modified race in 1993. Then champion Scott Busby of Martinez was looking to prove a point regarding the value of this growing class. He did the legwork, and the first show produced a track record 83 Modifieds.

To this day, it’s one of the biggest Modified turnouts in California history. There are two other interesting points regarding that race. It was won by Mark Welch of Orangevale. The car Mark drove to victory was purchased by current Promoter Chad Chadwick as he came out of retirement to go racing again.

After four more runnings of this race, it was retired when management changed hands to John Soares in 1998. Enter Chad Chadwick and PROmotions.

Chad had been in negotiations to take over the track and was given the opportunity to promote a big race in October of 2019. Thusly, he brought back the West Coast Nationals name. When longtime friend and employee Bill Bowers passed away, he decided to make it a memorial race in his honor.

IMCA Sport Modified front-runner Mark Garner #76, Dylan Connolly #6 and Matt Pitts #16a do battle in a race earlier this year. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Bowers and JD Willis are both Antioch Speedway Hall of Fame members, and they won many races and championships together. Willis, a 72-time feature winner and five-time champion at the track, will be saluted on the Friday night portion of the program.

The format is still being set as management encourages the racers to submit their ideas. The IMCA Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars are the featured divisions. When the purse was announced two weeks ago, the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks were added to give them another big race.

The Modified drivers will be competing for one of the coveted feature starting births on Saturday night, which pays $300 minimum to take the green flag. The winner of the race takes home $2,000. The Sport Modified drivers get $200 minimum to start that race and $1,500 to win, while the Stock Cars get $150 to start and $1,000 to win.

More than that, the drivers want to win this race in honor of Bill, one of the most beloved figures among the local racing community. Bill’s motors were fast, and people are still competing with them to this day. Last year, his son Billy and driver Troy Foulger of Oakley teamed up to win both the Modified and Stock Car races, making it a special occasion for the family.

Jason Robles #78, Steve Stone #73, Fred Ryland #7J and reigning race champion Troy Foulger #49 are all anticipated for IMCA Stock Car action this weekend. Photo by Katrina Kniss

The Sport Modified win went to Kenny Shrader of Pacheco, who was notching his second West Coast Nationals victory. In fact, the winners of last year’s big event were a sign of what was to come this year. They won track championships in their respective divisions.

In Modified competition, there’s never been a repeat winner. The previous winners in order have been Kellen Chadwick of Oakley, Jacob Hobsheidt of Plattsmouth, Nebraska and Ryan McDaniel of Olivehurst. The first race paid an even bigger purse, and Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas had the win in hand until Chadwick used slower traffic to snatch the victory.

After Shrader got the first Sport Modified win in 2019, Guy Ahlwardt of Antioch and Fred Ryland of Brentwood won the next two. The IMCA Stock Cars got an audition in 2020 that yielded a good car count and led to the class being added for championship points a year later. Foulger won that weekend, while Nick Johnson of Bakersfield came to town and won in 2021.

Drivers come from everywhere in California to compete in this event. A few competitors will even show up from out of state. The addition of the Hobby Stock class to the program adds a new dimension of excitement. When last we had a race at the speedway two weeks ago, Buddy Kniss of Oakley was collecting a $3,000 Hobby Stock Nationals payday in the Dave Baca owned car.

Kevin Brown #17b and Trent Golden #7t are two Hobby Stock drivers to watch for this weekend. Photo by Katrina Kniss

The fans will get an opportunity to see some top talent that they don’t see at the speedway every week. The four division lineup should offer them plenty of excitement from start to finish on both nights. With the money and the glory on the line, who will be leaving with the victories this year?

It should also be pointed out that excitement is building in Antioch with the second running of the Open Wheel Showcase planned for November 11th. That night will see some of the top Winged 360 Sprint Car drivers from California in action. Fans have been asking for more Winged Sprint Car racing, and that night will fulfill their need for speed.

The gates will open on both nights at 4:00 with the first race starting at 6:00.

Adult tickets are $20, Senior/Military $15, Kids (5-12) $15 and kids four and under free.

For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.

Tree work along Knightsen Avenue Oct. 23-26

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Source: CCC Public Works

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works Department

Knightsen, CA – The Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) will perform tree trimming and removal work along Knightsen Avenue, between 2nd Street and Delta Road. Work will occur on Monday, October 23, 2023, through Thursday, October 26, 2023, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will take place between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., weather permitting.

This work is being performed for the public’s safety. Appropriate traffic control measures will be implemented to safely direct pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles through the work area. Road users may experience some delays and are encouraged to consider alternative routes during these work hours.

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department

The CCCPWD maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org

CONTACT: Project: Ricardo Martinez, 925.313.7039

Los Medanos College to hold Investiture Ceremony for Pamela Ralston, Ph.D., its 7th president Oct. 19

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By Juliet V. Casey, Director of Marketing, LMC

Dr. Pamela Ralston, President, Los Medanos College. Photo: LMC

Pittsburg, Calif. – Los Medanos College officially welcomes Pamela Ralston, Ph.D., as its seventh president at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19 with a reception and Investiture Ceremony at the Pittsburg Campus Student Union, 2700 E. Leland Road. The event will feature speakers, including Pittsburg Mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston.

Ralston took the helm at LMC, overseeing its Pittsburg Campus and Brentwood Center, in January 2023 as interim president. She stepped in for President Bob Kratochvil, who retired. The Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board in July named her to the permanent position.

“Our East County community deserves the best, and we believe Dr. Ralston fits that description,” Interim Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said. “She has the qualities of leadership, experience and commitment to serve all students, particularly for students of color, which makes her an excellent choice as president of Los Medanos College.”

Since joining LMC, Ralston has aggressively worked to increase student enrollment for transfer and for career and technical education. During her time at LMC, Ralston has emphasized the “serving” aspect of the college’s mission as a federally designated minority- and Hispanic-serving institution. Her work also has focused on outreach and inviting student and community voices to civic discussions on local and regional topics.

Before coming to LMC, Ralston was president of the Santiago Canyon College. Prior to joining SCC, she held numerous administrative and academic appointments at Santa Barbara Community College District, College of the Desert in Palm Desert, and Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. She was a faculty member and division chair of English and Written Communications at Tacoma Community College (TCC). Before joining TCC, she was an American Studies lecturer at the University of Washington.

Ralston received her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Oregon and her master’s and doctoral degrees in comparative literature from the University of Washington. She has earned excellence in teaching awards from Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington and was honored with a Fulbright fellowship for doctoral research at the Royal Library and University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

About Los Medanos College (LMC): LMC is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District, serving the East Contra Costa County community. Established in 1974, LMC has earned federal designations as a Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving institution. It offers award-winning transfer and career-technical programs, support services, and diverse academic opportunities in an inclusive learning environment. With exceptional educators, innovative curriculum, growing degree and certificate offerings, and state-of-the-art facilities, the college prepares students to succeed in their educational pursuits, in the workforce, and beyond. LMC’s Pittsburg Campus is located on 120 acres bordering Antioch, with an additional education center in Brentwood.

Pittsburg Festa Italia Sunday, Oct. 22

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Gates open at 11 am.

Street Stage

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM The Intro to the Festa!!!

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM- MICHAEL TRUCCO BAND

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM Espositones & Famiglia

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Italica

5:15 PM – 6:00 PM Espositones & Famiglia

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM Anthony “Nino” Lane Band

Bambini Stage

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Fratello Marionette Show in Munoz Plaza

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Fratello Marionette Show in Munoz Plaza

California Theatre Stage

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ANTHONY “NINO” LANE BAND

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM Exclusive Organ Demonstration

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Pasquale Esposito

7:00 PM Buona Notte Until Next Year

Learn more at festaitaliapittsburgca.com

Serve on the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee

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For residents of or those who work in Pittsburg, Bay Point area of former healthcare district

Application deadline Nov. 17

The Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee was established by the Board of Supervisors in July 2018 as part of the plan to dissolve the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District, increasing funding available for healthcare programming in the Pittsburg and Bay Point areas. The Committee is charged with development of an area health plan to determine specific health needs of the community, identify priorities to address those needs, and facilitate a request for proposals process to make funding recommendations for health programs in the community to the Board of Supervisors. The Committee includes representatives from the local community and medical practitioners, making this a unique opportunity for collaboration.

The County is recruiting volunteers to fill one vacancy in the “At Large” seat for the three-year term of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026.  The County Board of Supervisors will make the appointment following a screening process conducted by the Board’s Internal Operations Committee. Residents and those who work in the territory of the District, which is primarily the Pittsburg and Bay Point area, are welcome to apply.  This is a volunteer appointment – no stipends or reimbursements are authorized for this Committee.

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655-2000 or the application can be completed online by visiting the County website at  https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418.

Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, County Administration Building, 1025 Escobar St., Martinez, CA  94553 no later than by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Applicants should plan to be available for public interviews to be conducted virtually via Zoom on Thursday, December 14, 2023.

More information about the Los Medanos Health Advisory Committee can be found in the authorizing resolution, available at http://64.166.146.245/docs/2018/BOS/20180710_1118/34028_Resolution%202018-436%20Final.pdf or by contacting committee staff, Ernesto De La Torre, at ernesto.delatorre@cchealth.org.

 

18-year-old arrested for Oakley restaurant burglary

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Suspect from Concord and Oakley

By Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard

On Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 8:46AM Oakley Police Officer D. Navarrette was dispatched to 2005 Main Street, Suite B for a burglary to Uncle Wong Chinese Restaurant. Upon arrival Officer Navarrette observed the front glass door to the restaurant was broken. Officer Navarrette entered the closed restaurant and noticed the cash register area had been ransacked and it appeared as if the cash register had been stolen. Officer Navarrette had the owner of the restaurant respond to confirm if there was any loss. The victim did confirm the cash register was missing along with a credit card reader and an undisclosed amount of cash. In addition to the loss there had been approximately $500 worth of damage done to the restaurant.

Officer Navarrette began his investigation, and he discovered the suspect had been captured on a security camera from inside the restaurant. The security camera footage revealed the suspect forcibly entered the restaurant at 2:43 AM. Officer Navarrette circulated an image of the suspect to all of the other police officer of the Oakley Police Department in hopes somebody would make a recognition.

On October 12, 2023, Officer C. Johnson was on patrol on the west end of town and saw a male who matched the image of what Officer Navarrette had circulated and he was still wearing the same exact clothing as from the night before. Officer Johnson contacted the person and the person admitted to committing the burglary. Officer Johnson arrested the person and booked him into jail. The suspect was not in possession of any of the stolen goods when he was arrested.

 The suspect in this case is a young man named Jonathan Douglas (18, Concord/Oakley). I further understand the suspect in this case is down on his luck. What I see in this case however, is a criminal act and criminal acts need to be associated with accountability. I applaud the communication, dedication and teamwork between my officers that lead up to this arrest. Simply put I have grown accustomed to expecting nothing less out of the men and women of the Oakley Police Department. I do hope the best possible decisions are made in the case of this young man to create positive change in his ways.

Stay safe Oakley.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Personal flying electric vehicle tested at Byron Airport

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Pivotal’s eVTOL “Opener” was tested at Byron Airport. Video screenshot.

The new eVTOL goes on sale in 2024

By Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis

George Jetson would feel right at home if he visited Byron Airport.

That’s because in recent years, companies like Pivotal have been testing their innovative personal flying electric vehicle prototypes at Byron. (See video) Last week, Pivotal unveiled the Helix, a new eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle in development since 2011. The Helix will be priced at $190,000 when it goes on sale in 2024.

Source: Office of Supervisor Burgis

Testing innovative technologies at Byron was our goal when I worked with the Contra Costa County Airports Division to partner with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies to make our Contra Costa County airports official unmanned aerial system test sites. Byron Airport and Buchanan Field are in perfect locations to test drones because of the open testing areas and their proximity to the various aviation companies headquartered in the Bay Area (Pivotal is based in Palo Alto). Learn more about our Bay Area Test Site, a.k.a. “Drone Town USA” on the Contra Costa County Airports website or by watching the video.

Having groundbreaking testing facilities in Contra Costa County is just the first step. In the medium and long term, we’re working to have the vehicles of the future developed and even manufactured locally. In the meantime, I’m proud to have products tested in District III ready for sale to aviators everywhere.

New fire stations will make Brentwood safer

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A potential rendering of the future Fire Station 94 coming to downtown Brentwood. Source: Office of Supervisor Diane Burgis

By Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis

The past three years have brought massive improvements to fire protection services in East County. As your District III County Supervisor and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board Member, I want to share with you the progress made up to now and information about two new Brentwood fire stations set for construction in 2024.

Two major changes in recent years have increased our firefighting capacity: voters passed Measure X, a half-cent sales tax to improve public safety and other County services in 2020, and East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) was consolidated into Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (ConFire) on July 1, 2022.

With the increase in financial resources and the efficiency gains of joining a larger agency, we have opened one new Oakley fire station, added two new fire crews for faster responses, and upgraded our crews to provide paramedic-level care so they can carry out more complicated medical tasks than EMTs.

The next improvements coming are a new Brentwood station on Empire Road and the return of a fire station in its Downtown Brentwood location on First Street. Fire Station 54 downtown served Brentwood for 57 years before ECCFPD’s budget problems forced it to close in 2014. Thankfully, ConFire has the resources to build a new modern fire station that is capable of housing 21st century fire engines, which are larger than any engine the original fire house designers could have expected in the 1950s.

The requirement for larger garages, modern earthquake standards and other firefighting necessities means that the new Station 94 will need a larger footprint. The County, which owns the parcels on either side of the station, has pledged approximately 3,500 square feet of undeveloped land to Con Fire to make room for this lifesaving community resource. Most of that land would come from the south side of the station, but 1,212 square feet would come from land on the north side next to the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building.

Some in the Brentwood veterans community have expressed concerns about the new construction, but the fire station would be built on a part of the County-owned land currently used as an unpermitted gravel parking lot and temporary storage units. Neither of the two permanent structures that the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building uses would be impacted; in fact, Contra Costa County has invested more than $100,000 improving those structures in recent years, and the County is pursuing nearly $200,000 in future funds to improve the building’s fire alarm systems, air conditioning, exterior siding and more.

In the coming months, ConFire will hire design-build teams for the new fire stations, and the projects will go through the City of Brentwood’s planning and permitting process, complete with CEQA compliance and public hearings. If designs are approved in a timely manner, construction of both new stations will break ground in 2024. When they open, Brentwood and the rest of East County will have the highest level of professional fire protection in our history, and our entire community will be safer for it.