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East County youths win Knights of Columbus State Free Throw Championship

March 23, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Three of the 2021 state Knights of Columbus Free Throw champions from East County with their local awards, (L-R) Brigida Coria, Kylie Wisely and Ryan Wisely. Photo by Wayne Steffen.

After winning at the Oakland Diocese Chapter level, five youths from East County advanced to the State Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship where they had great success.  Here are the results:

Eric Mendoza of Antioch STATE CHAMPION in the 14-Year-Old Boys competition;

Brigida Coria of Brentwood is STATE CHAMPION in the 14-Year-Old Girls category

Ryan Wisely of Oakley is STATE CHAMPION for 9-Year-Old Boys;

Kylie Wisely also of Oakley is STATE CHAMPION in the 13-Year-Old Girls competition; and

Lilyana Ponce of Antioch took 2nd Place at State in the 12-Year-Old Girls category;

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and jurisdictional competitions. International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters based on scores from the jurisdiction-level competitions.   All boys and girls ages 8 to 14 are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions.   Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent.

Council #3265 in Antioch, CA is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics

in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the Knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally and internationally with financial contributions and hands-on service.

Filed Under: East County, Faith, News, Recreation, Sports, Youth

Clayton man arrested for mail theft in Brentwood Thursday morning

March 23, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Photos: Brentwood PD

By Brentwood Police Department

A little after 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning, March 18, a resident called dispatch after seeing someone looking into mailboxes. The alert resident also noticed a vehicle parked in the wrong direction near the open mailboxes. This may not normally seem suspicious, but with the amount of mail theft that has been occurring and the early morning hour, our residents have been vigilant reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods!

Officers responded to the neighborhood and immediately noticed an unoccupied car matching the description. Where could the driver be?

Officers drove through the surrounding neighborhood, locating more open mailboxes, and spotted a car parked in a driveway with the dome light on. The garage door was also open. What could be going on here? As the officer approached the car he noticed that it had been rummaged through. He also noticed a car that was parked inside the garage had also been rummaged through.

The alert resident called back and said the thief had come back to their car and drove off! Officers jumped in their cars and quickly located the vehicle. Officers identified the driver as 32-year-old Scott Collier of Clayton. During the investigation, officers located approximately 20 pieces of stolen mail stuffed in Collier’s pant leg, stolen gas cards and suspected methamphetamine.

Collier was given a ride to jail and booked on burglary, possession of a controlled substance and multiple theft charges.

Thank you alert resident for calling us! Brentwood for the win!

We, as a community, are stronger thanks to the partnership we have with one another!

Remember, see something, say something!

 

Filed Under: Crime, East County, News, Police

Juvenile arrested for Pittsburg bank robbery using fake bomb Monday

March 23, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Cash, fake bomb and robbery note recovered during arrest of suspect on Monday, March, 22, 2021. Photo: Pittsburg PD

By Pittsburg Police Department

On Monday, March 22, 2021, Pittsburg Police Officers responded to a “Bank Hold Up Alarm” at Mechanics Bank (Downtown Pittsburg). Officers arrived on scene and determined an armed robbery occurred. The suspect passed a note which read that he needed, “20 grand” and that he had a bomb. The teller provided the suspect with over $7,000 in cash and then he fled on foot. A canine trail was conducted with assistance from the @contra_costa_k9 unit.

The trail led away from the bank down various city streets. The trail was concluded; however, the suspect remained outstanding. Officers reviewed video footage from businesses in the area near the K9 trail and located video of the suspect fleeing. He was eventually tracked down and found at a nearby residence.

The stolen cash along with a bomb which was determined to be fake were recovered. The Juvenile suspect admitted during an interview he watched a YouTube video on how to rob a bank. He was later transported to Juvenile Hall.

Filed Under: Crime, East County, News, Police

Pittsburg man arrested for kidnaping, domestic violence following 7-hour standoff Sunday

March 23, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By Pittsburg Police Department

Early Sunday evening, Pittsburg Police Officers responded to a house in the 1000 block of Bending Willow Way for a reported domestic violence incident. As officers were responding to the scene, one of the children inside the home called 911 saying a man was holding a 9-year-old hostage with a knife. When officers arrived at the house, an adult victim told officers her estranged boyfriend snuck into her house earlier in the afternoon and physically assaulted her. The woman was able to get out of the house prior to police arrival. Shortly after she exited the home, two of her children (ages 13 and 3) were also able to escape. But the woman’s 9-year-old was still inside the house with the man. The victim identified him as Frederick Jamar Douglas (36-years-old), and stated he was on parole for domestic violence and made statements that he would not be going back to prison.

Officers began calling into the residence, attempting to make contact with Douglas. After approximately ten minutes, Douglas allowed the 9-year-old to exit the residence, but he refused to exit himself.

The Pittsburg Police Department has several officers that are trained in Crisis Negotiation. For hours, those highly trained officers worked to make contact with Douglas but he refused to speak with them. Efforts to reach Douglas’ family members were successful. But, despite urging from both his mother and father, Douglas would not exit the house and made statements of suicide by shooting at the police.

The Pittsburg Police Department Tactical Team was activated and Detectives authored an arrest and search warrant for Douglas and the residence. Crisis Negotiators and Crisis Intervention trained officers continued for hours to make contact and convince him to exit the home. After those efforts failed, chemical agents were deployed and Douglas exited the home bringing an end to the 7 hour standoff. He attempted to flee through the backyard but was taken into custody without further incident.

After the arrest, Douglas was transported to a hospital and, once medically cleared, was then transported to the Martinez Detention Facility where he is being held on a Ramey Warrant for felony Kidnaping, False Imprisonment, Domestic Violence and Robbery. This case will be reviewed by the District Attorney later this week.

The woman was transported to the hospital for minor injuries and later released. All three children were released to family members. The children were uninjured. Detectives will be working with the family to make sure they receive domestic violence victim support and resources to assist them through this emotional ordeal.

The department would like to thank all of the family and friends who worked with officers and bring this situation to a peaceful resolution.

 

Filed Under: Crime, East County, News, Police

Pittsburg man sentenced to 19 years to life for 2017 murder of man he knew

March 18, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Had past confrontations with victim

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney

Juan Muñoz in 2017. Photo: Pittsburg PD.

On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 defendant Juan Muñoz was sentenced to 19 years to life after he pleaded guilty to murder and admitting to the use of a firearm. The victim’s family was present during the sentencing of Muñoz. Earlier this month, Muñoz formally entered his guilty plea before his trial was to start.

On September 24, 2017, the defendant tracked down and shot the victim, 20-year-old Pittsburg resident Jose Escobedo-Ortega, in City Park in Pittsburg. The victim was hanging out and listening to music when the defendant murdered him.

Pittsburg Police conducted an exhaustive investigation and soon identified the defendant as the shooter. Officers arrived on scene within 90 seconds of receiving the call and located a 20-year-old male suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing lifesaving efforts on the victim.  The victim later succumbed to his injuries on scene. Pittsburg Police Detectives took over the investigation and began following up on leads.  During the investigation Detectives were able to determine Escobedo-Ortega and Muñoz knew each other and had confrontations in the past. Detectives were able to locate witnesses and review city video surveillance to aid their investigation.

The Pittsburg Police SWAT team served search warrants at residences in the 100 block of Jimno Avenue and the 100 block of Davi Avenue.   During the service of these warrants, Detectives located and arrested the 19-year-old Muñoz and an unnamed juvenile suspect for the shooting death of Escobedo-Ortega. In addition, Detectives located a firearm they believe was the weapon used against Escobedo-Ortega. Muñoz was arrested within about three days of his crime.

The District Attorney’s Office initially filed the murder charge against Muñoz in October 2017.

“While no amount of time will ever bring Jose Escobedo-Ortega back, we hope that this resolution will give his family some closure,” said Deputy District Attorney Satish Jallepalli.

Case information: People v. Juan Munoz, Docket Number 05-182274-1

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Filed Under: Crime, District Attorney, East County, News

Antioch’s Markstein highlights successful women in leadership with SF Business Times rankings, 30-year work anniversary of female president 

March 18, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Laura Markstein. Photo: LinkedIn.

Woman-owned and operated, fourth-generation company with multiple women in leadership roles, Markstein represents successful example of diversity and inclusion for other companies to follow

ANTIOCH, Calif. – March 17th, 2021 – In honor of International Women’s Day this month, Markstein Sales Company, the largest woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor in Northern California, today announced that it has been ranked by San Francisco Business Times as the 8th Largest Women-Owned Business in the Bay Area and the 5th Largest in the East Bay. This significant ranking highlights the long-term efforts and success of company President, Laura Markstein, who is celebrating her 30th work anniversary this month.

Markstein began working at the company in March 1991 as the Consumer Awareness and Education manager. After spending time in nearly every position at the company, she became President in 2001 and has focused on continuing the strong legacy of her family, while also creating new opportunities for women.

“Closing the gap on gender diversity is a critical issue on a global basis and must start from the top and migrate into every part of an organization, in every industry,” said Laura Markstein, President of Markstein Sales Co. “Women-owned businesses represent a tremendous opportunity to level the playing field, particularly in male-dominated industries such as the beer distribution business, where we’ve demonstrated continued success for generations. This recognition from the San Francisco Business Times reflects not only my role as company owner, but includes the female General Manager and female leads throughout the company who help spearhead our accomplishments.”

The San Francisco Business Times rankings are based on revenue from 2019 and with the requirement that the company be at least 51 percent woman-owned, something that Markstein Sales Co. is uniquely proud of as a fourth-generation, 102-year-old company.

Women-owned businesses represent a growing trend in many industries.  According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, there were more than 11.6 million firms owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people, and generating $1.7 trillion in sales as of 2017. In addition, women-owned firms accounted for 39 percent of all privately held firms and contributed 8 percent of employment and 4.2 percent of revenues.

Recognizing Laura Markstein’s commitment to helping women achieve success at all levels, she was recently appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Constellation Brands.

“At Constellation Brands, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is part of our culture and is strongly reinforced by our CEO and executive team who have committed $100 million in women founded and owned business, increased representation on our board and at the executive levels, and committed to our own women through leadership development programs both for senior and mid-level women,” said Sarah Bettman at Constellation Brands, a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. “We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion have never been more important than they are today, which is why we take deep pride in our partnership with women-owned businesses such as Markstein Sales Company. Recognizing Laura Markstein’s leadership in the beer and beverage industry, and her proven commitment to helping women achieve success at all levels, she was recently appointed to the newly formed Social Equity Committee spearheaded by Constellation Brands. Through the Social Equity Committee, Constellation is partnering with a number of distributors across beer, wine and spirits to identify ways to work together to enhance social equity within their respective companies, the beverage alcohol industry and the local communities they serve.”

About Markstein Sales Company

Markstein Sales Company is a fourth-generation, woman-owned and operated wholesale beer and beverage distributor based in Antioch, Calif. Founded in 1919 with just a horse, a wagon and six cases of beer, Markstein is now in its 102nd year and distributing over four million cases annually. The company’s portfolio is composed of multiple world-class beers including those from the Anheuser-Busch InBev family, Constellation Beer Brands, Sierra Nevada as well as several high-quality craft beers and other beverages. Markstein is known for outstanding customer service, dedication to their employees and commitment to the community. The company continues to rank as best in class by retailers and is one of the top five largest Woman Owned Businesses in the Bay Area. More information can be found at https://www.marksteinsalescompany.com.

 

Filed Under: Business, East County, News, People

Four Pittsburg residents earn degrees from WGU

March 15, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

SALT LAKE CITY (Grassroots Newswire) March 15, 2021 – The following Pittsburg residents have earned a degree from Western Governors University (WGU). The online, nonprofit university has graduated over 218,000 students from across the country since its inception in 1997.

  • Marcus Cisneros of Pittsburg, CA earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing.
  • Kathleen Ellison of Pittsburg, CA earned a Bachelor of Arts, Educational Studies.
  • Kien Luu of Pittsburg, CA earned a Master of Health Leadership.
  • Michael Nott of Pittsburg, CA earned a Bachelor of Science, Business – Healthcare Management.

WGU has recognized 14,146 undergraduate and 15,640 graduate degree recipients, who have completed their degrees since July 2, 2020. Their areas of study include business, K-12 education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. The average time to graduation for those earning a bachelor’s degree was 2 years, 3 months, while the average time to degree for graduate programs was 1 year, 4 months. The average age for those who graduated is 37 years old.

WGU pioneered competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, students study and learn on their own schedules with individualized, one-to-one faculty support. They complete courses as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter; allowing them to move quickly through material they already know so they can allocate time for what they still need to learn. As a result, many WGU students are able to accelerate their studies, saving both time and money.
About WGU

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 131,000 students nationwide and has more than 218,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 24 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

Filed Under: East County, Education, News

Antioch, West Contra Costa schools to receive $20,000 state mini grants for COVID-19 challenges

March 14, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announces $240,000 in grants to address inequities that deepened during pandemic

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Thursday that the California Department of Education (CDE) has selected 12 recipients of mini grants, totaling more than $240,000, that will fund local efforts across the state to address equity and opportunity gaps through supporting educator and student needs in distance learning, in-person instruction, and hybrid models. The Antioch Unified School District will receive $20,000 of the grant funds.

Since the applications were announced in December 2020 as part of CDE’s ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s continued impact on students, more than 400 schools and districts across California applied for the grants, which are funded by contributions from philanthropic partners. The funds must be used to advance equity and close opportunity and access gaps. The grantees are given discretion to decide how they will address the topic of equity. The list of grantees is at the end of this press release.

“It’s been an unprecedented, unpredictable year for our schools, and California’s educators have been looking for resources and support to ensure that students can still attend class, access a great education, and learn and achieve during the pandemic,” Thurmond said. “Congratulations to these school districts for showing their communities that they’re committed to recognizing and addressing opportunity gaps during the pandemic and providing targeted supports to students and families who have been struggling.”

Issues addressed by the grant funds include transportation, internet connectivity, modifying spaces to serve as family resource centers, one-on-one academic intervention, mentorship for students struggling with distance learning and asynchronous instruction, small group tutoring, home visits, professional development for educators needing assistance with technology, and a variety of other family engagement activities.

Since last spring, the State Superintendent and the CDE have maintained an ongoing and urgent focus on addressing the numerous access and opportunity gaps that impact student learning—gaps that, in many cases, have deepened and become newly exposed during the pandemic. During the past year, the CDE has secured hundreds of thousands of computing devices for students, pressured internet service providers to expand access, bolstered mental health and counseling resources, made it easier for schools to provide meals, and provided guidance and dozens of training opportunities for educators to strengthen distance learning for California’s highest-need students.

As the state continues to battle COVID-19, CDE will continue to support efforts to protect the health and safety of school communities while providing the custom supports needed to ensure learning continues and improves.

The Equity Mini Grant recipients and intended uses of funds are:

  • Antioch Unified School District: $20,000 to implement home-visit teams to gain engagement from students and provide support to students and families that are currently not showing high engagement/attendance.
  • West Contra Costa Unified School District: $20,000 to expand capacity to provide outreach and mentorship to students by hiring a full-time mentor through the Peacemaker program.
  • Castaic High School: $20,000 to pay for district buses to pick up students from a central location in an underserved neighborhood.
  • Colusa Unified School District: $20,000 for transitioning the current Colusa High School Library to serve as a student and parent resource center.
  • Imperial Unified School District: $20,000 to support internet connectivity for our students who live in an underserved area.
  • Kern High School District: $20,000 to provide one-to-one academic intervention and support for students with unique needs who have failed multiple classes.
  • Lakeside Union School District: $20,000 to provide mentor support to students who continue to struggle with engagement in asynchronous instruction.
  • Riverside County Special Education: $20,000 to purchase book bags, books (English/Spanish sets), educational materials/manipulatives for arts and crafts, and staff mileage reimbursement for the home delivery of weekly literacy bags.
  • San Ysidro School District: $20,000 to provide support services to students and families to address the academic and technological needs of students and families.
  • Sundale Union Elementary School District: $20,000 to strengthen family connection with parents by having students on campus in small cohorts during non-school days/intercessions.
  • Tehachapi Unified School District: $21,352.32 to provide additional opportunities for credit recovery for seniors who are at risk of not graduating.
  • Twin Rivers Unified School District: $20,000 to train and provide support to teachers displaying the highest needs for support during distance learning.

Filed Under: East County, Education, News, State of California, West County

Shooting at Brentwood apartment leads to arrest Tuesday night

March 12, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Brentwood PD booking information.

By Brentwood Police Department

Tuesday night, March 9, 2021 officers were dispatched to Marsh Creek Apartments after we received a call from a frantic person stating that someone had just shot at them. Officers learned that a dispute had broken out between a tenant, identified as 60-year-old Hal Flood, and a man, who had had been staying with Flood for a few weeks. The man had invited some friends over and Flood refused to let the man and his friends enter the apartment and that’s when things got ugly. During the dispute, Flood discharged a firearm in the parking lot towards the group who had come to his apartment. Fortunately, no one was injured! Upon arrival officers attempted to make contact with Flood, who stated by phone he was not in the area.

Officers remained vigilant and in the area during the early morning hours, they located Flood in the apartment complex and safely took him into custody. When searched, officers located a concealed fixed-blade knife on Flood.

Flood was booked into county jail for assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger.

According to an internet search, in 1998 Flood was found guilty of evading a vehicle operated by a pursuing peace officer resulting in serious bodily injury, in Richmond on May 22, 1994.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Filed Under: Crime, East County, News, Police

Brentwood man dies in solo crash on Hwy 24 in Orinda Thursday morning

March 11, 2021 By Publisher Leave a Comment

By CHP – Contra Costa

Thursday morning, March 11 at about 4:54 am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a solo vehicle crash on Hwy-24 westbound, at the Wilder Road offramp. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined that a solo red Ford Ranger had been driven off the roadway of the offramp, overturned and the roof of the Ford slammed into a metal light pole.  The Ford sustained major damage and its roof was crushed.

Tragically the driver, a 60-year-old male from Brentwood and sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of his identity.

Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor in this collision but, it is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980.

Filed Under: CHP, East County, Lamorinda, News

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