Contra Costa Herald

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

Orinda Police to host National Night Out Aug. 1st

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Orinda Police Department is hosting the annual National Night Out event at our station this summer. Meet your neighbors, learn how to help fight crime, and have fun!

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 from 5–8 p.m.

Join us for an evening of community building over BBQ (hot dogs and hamburgers). If you bring a backpack or school supplies to donate, you’ll have the opportunity to dunk our Chief of Police in the dunk tank! All supplies will be donated to the Family Justice Center in Concord.

National Night Out is hosted by police departments across the nation in order to promote safer communities through knowing your neighbors and local police officers.

Learn more about Orinda’s Police Department: www.cityoforinda.org/173/Police-Department

 

Freeway shooting on westbound Highway 24 in Lafayette

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By CHP Contra Costa

On Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 11:00 am, CHP Contra Costa was advised of a freeway shooting which occurred on Hwy 24 westbound near Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette.

CHP responded to the scene where witnesses described hearing gunshots coming from two vehicles traveling westbound. As this occurred, one of the suspect vehicles collided with a previously uninvolved Ford. The original vehicles fled the scene, and the Ford exited the freeway where they were contacted by CHP. The driver of the Ford was not injured.

This incident is still under investigation. 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 320Investigations@chp.ca.gov to be contacted by the investigating officer.

Lafayette to host National Night Out Tuesday August 1st

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By City of Lafayette

Lafayette Library and Learning Center – Amphitheater at 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

“National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.”

The introduction of National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime,” in 1984 began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Join us to ask questions and meet local first responders, there will be the following:

Displays from the Lafayette Police Department

Displays from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District

Informational handouts and giveaways.

Lafayette Crime Prevention Commissioners and Emergency Preparedness Commissioners

 

Moraga to celebrate Independence Day with dog parade, music, food, family fun and fireworks!

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The Town of Moraga is excited to resume its beloved July 4th traditions and honor the Independence Day Holiday with its iconic Fourth of July Celebration and Fireworks display.

The Celebration takes place at Moraga Commons Park – 1425 St. Mary’s Road. The event kicks off at 11:00 am with a day full of family-oriented activities and concludes with a spectacular firework display at 9:30 pm.

Thank you to the community groups and sponsors who have partnered with the Town to ensure a spectacular event for all.

  • Moraga Park Foundation – Concert Sponsor
  • Kiwanis Club – Inflatable Jumpies
  • Lions Club –Wine and Beer Service
  • Kiwanis and Lions Club – Food Service

 

 

Orinda to celebrate Independence Day with breakfast, parade, dinner and fireworks

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Plus, Flag Raising, Fun Run for a Reason, Library Book Sale and Music in the Park

The Orinda Association presents the 2023 July 4th Celebration with the theme of Earth Kindness.

Join us at the Best Hometown Parade. Thank you to our generous sponsors. For more information: https://orindaassociation.org/4th-of-july-parade.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

 

Long-awaited Discoveries and Revivals reprise includes stirring symphony connected to films Alien, E.T., Boss Baby

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Geoffrey Gallegos to conduct the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra in Orinda May 21st

On May 21, conductor and music director Geoffrey Gallegos and the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will reprise a rousing concert following a late-February postponement due to a certain well-known virus. Unwilling to deprive concert-goers of such an enchanting and enriching musical experience, the orchestra offers an encore well worth the twelve-week wait.

The first discovery on the program is a spirited piece entitled Anniversary Overture by the accomplished composer Anthony Doherty, who is an Antioch resident. Doherty’s numerous compositions have been performed around the world and include two notable commissions by Bay Area orchestras.

Also on the program is Max Bruch’s opulently romantic and light-hearted Concerto for Clarinet, Viola, and Orchestra. This rarely performed composition will be a new discovery for some listeners and a revival for others.

The concert will close with Howard Hanson’s lyrical and uplifting Symphony No. 2, also called “Romantic.”  Since its premiere in 1930, this work has been performed many times in traditional orchestral settings and then rediscovered, revived, and reconfigured as part of the soundtracks for the films Alien, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Boss Baby.

Sunday, May 21, 4:00 pm, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephen’s Drive, Orinda

Tickets: ContraCostaChamberOrchestra.org or at the door (Adults, $20; Seniors, $15; Students, $7)

Source: CC Chamber Orchestra

About the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra

The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra is comprised of volunteer musicians ranging in age from teens through octogenarians. Among them are a scientist, lawyer, x-ray technician, engineer, plumber, CPA, physicist, and a graphic designer, as well as sales representatives, students, homemakers, teachers, and artists.

The orchestra’s mission is to provide multigenerational avocational musicians opportunities for lifelong learning, collaboration, and enjoyment while providing high-caliber, affordable entertainment and enrichment to their communities.

Formed in the late 1970s, the orchestra has established a robust presence in the county. The group plays familiar as well as uncommon musical works, often featuring a professional soloist. In addition to performing at the historic El Campanil Theatre in Antioch, the orchestra also plays at the gorgeously remodeled St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Orinda and at special events for residents in Rossmoor. The group also performs annually in a sing-along of Handel’s Messiah at various locations in the county.

The organization is a 501(3)c non-profit and is entirely financially reliant on ticket sales, grants, and contributions from players and audience members. To make a donation, go to www.ContraCostaChamberOrchestra.org/support.

About Geoffrey Gallegos

A San Francisco native and sixth generation Californian, Geoffrey Gallegos has been a fixture in the San Francisco Bay Area music community for over 30 years. From 1985 to 1990, Maestro Gallegos served as Associate Conductor of the San Francisco Chamber Players Orchestra. In 1991 he was appointed Principal Conductor of the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra and continued in that capacity until 1993. He resumed his association with the SFCO from 2000 – ‘06 as Principal Guest Conductor. In 2003, he was engaged as Assistant Conductor of the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra (N. CA) and served in that position until 2008. It was also in 2003 that Maestro Gallegos made his debut with Golden Gate Opera in San Francisco conducting I Pagliacci and was subsequently invited to become Music Director and Principal Conductor. During this tenure he conducted the majority of GGO productions including Gianni Schicchi, The Telephone, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Suor Angelica, Hansel and Gretel and the world premiere production of Lincoln & Booth. In 2004, following an extensive search, Maestro Gallegos was invited to become Music Director and Conductor of the Kensington (CA) Symphony Orchestra, only the third in the Orchestra’s 44 year history, a position he holds currently. In 2015, following a year long search, Maestro Gallegos was engaged to become Music Director and Conductor of West County Winds, a symphonic wind and percussion ensemble in residence at Contra Costa Community College and serving West Contra Costa County.  He was invited to guest conduct the opening of the 49th season of the Diablo Symphony Orchestra (CA) and has also guest conducted numerous ensembles throughout the Bay Area, US and in Europe.

Maestro Gallegos has a deep commitment to music education. In 2001, he was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Golden Gate Philharmonic, an all-city string youth orchestra in San Francisco that offers an integrated program of orchestral and chamber music performance as well as music theory. More recently, he has assumed the new titles of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor and Acting Executive Director of the GGP. From 2001-2010, he also participated in the Artist in Residence program at the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (S.O.T.A.) where he served as guest conductor of the orchestra and wind ensembles, and taught music theory and sight singing. During the 2000-01 academic year, Maestro Gallegos was appointed Conductor of the San Francisco State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. In the summer of 2002 he was invited as a Guest Conductor of the Orchestra at Cazadero Music Camp and was reengaged for the 2004 summer session. From 2007-2010, Maestro Gallegos served as Instrumental Music Coordinator and Liaison at The Nueva School in Hillsborough where, among many duties, he oversaw the prestigious Menuhin/Dowling instrumental music program and organized and managed the Menuhin/Dowling Competition for Young Musicians. Maestro Gallegos has served as an adjudicator for numerous youth competitions, masterclasses and workshops throughout the Bay Area, and was invited to participate as a jury member for the 2014 annual Parade of Orchestras Festival held in Honolulu.

Maestro Gallegos studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Preparatory School and San Francisco State University, completing, with honors, a Bachelor of Music degree in Instrumental Education and Conducting.  Advanced studies in orchestral and operatic conducting continued at the University of Iowa School of Music, where he received a Master of Arts degree with High Distinction and served as Conductor of the University Chamber Orchestra.  Four times he was awarded fellowships, chosen from a large international pool of applicants, to the prestigious Conductors Institute held at West Virginia University and the University of South Carolina. In 1991, Maestro Gallegos was nominated for the Annual Conductor’s Guild Thelma A. Robinson award. Since 2005, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Music Center in San Francisco where he began his music lessons on the trumpet at the age of nine.  He currently resides in San Francisco with his wife Julie.

 

Local transit CEOs take BART, buses, even an electric trolley during Earth Day ride-along event

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Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman (left), BART General Manager Robert Powers (center), and Director of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeffrey Tumlin are pictured at Orinda Station. Source: BART

“Our systems are more aligned now than ever”

By BART Communications Staff

On Friday, April 21, ten transit CEOs from across the Bay Area gathered for a multimodal, three-hour-long voyage that carried them from the green hills of Orinda to the dry heat of Pittsburg.  The “All Aboard with Transit CEOs” event was held in celebration of Earth Day as well as the ongoing coordination and collaboration of local transit agencies in the face of immense financial challenges.  Members of the public were invited to join the ride-along to meet and ride with the CEOs.

Following the success of the first “All Aboard” event in September, which carried the CEOs from Oakland to San Francisco and back, the second ride-along saw the travelers ride a bevy of East Bay transit operators, including BART, Tri-Delta Transit, and County Connection. Leaders in attendance included BART General Manager Robert Powers, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Executive Director Andy Fremier, Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman, Director of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeffrey Tumlin, SamTrans General Manager/CEO April Chan, County Connection General Manager Bill Churchill, Tri Delta Transit CEO Rashidi Barnes, WestCAT General Manager Robert Thompson, Napa Valley Transportation Authority Executive Director Kate Miller, and  Contra Costa Transportation Authority Executive Director Timothy Haile.

Ride-along attendees and transit riders fill a County Connection Route 14 bus. Source: BART

The ride-along kicked off with a press conference at BART’s Orinda Station, where regional leaders stressed the importance of securing long-term sustainable funding for public transportation.

“At the heart of any region’s economy is public transit. As goes public transit goes the economy,” said BART General Manager Robert Powers, who noted that regional transportation systems “are more aligned now than ever.”

MTC Executive Director Andy Fremier urged the state legislature to “pass a new budget that supports transit operations … to keep us going so we have a multi-year transit recovery program we can count on.” (Reference this handy Twitter thread to learn more about the distinction between transit agencies’ operating and capital budgets.)

“California cannot meet its climate goals unless we do something about getting people on transit,” Fremier added, acknowledging the Earth Day holiday. “Part of that involves advocating aggressively to keep transit operating.”

“Every Day is Memorial Day” exhibit at the Lafayette Library

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Photographs of the Lafayette Crosses by Jeff Heyman

The City of Lafayette’s Public Art Committee has selected “Every Day is Memorial Day,” a collection of nine black and white photographs of the Lafayette Crosses by East Bay photographer Jeff Heyman, for an exhibit at the Lafayette Library’s Public Art Gallery through summer.

“Every Day is Memorial Day” focuses on the somber experience of walking among the Lafayette Crosses, or Lafayette Hillside Memorial, and contemplating the lives lost during war. Heyman found inspiration for the photographs from his own experience in war zones while he served with United Nations Peacekeeping.

The exhibit runs May 4 through August 30, 2023. There will be an opening reception and artist’s talk Monday, May 22, from 6:00-7:00 p.m., prior to the Lafayette City Council Meeting. The Public Art Gallery exhibit is on display in the Don Tatzin Community Hall at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, Calif. For hours, please call the library at 925-385-2280.

First taking photography classes at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., Heyman went on to earn a degree from San Francisco State University in Fine Art Photography. He studied under the photographers Catherine Wagner, Don Worth, Jack Welpott and Melanie Walker, and painters Paul Pratchenko and Robert Bechtle. “Every Day is Memorial Day” is Heyman’s third solo exhibit. See his photos here: https://heymanfoto.smugmug.com/Exhibits/Jeff-Heyman-LLLC-Memorial-Day-Exhibit/

“These photographs of the Lafayette Crosses really capture for me the feeling of forgotten wars and vanished lives,” Heyman said. “We should never forget war and those we have lost – in a very real way every day is Memorial Day.”

To view more of Heyman’s work visit his website at heymanfoto.smugmug.com or on Instagram @heymanfoto.

 

Park District launches Trail Use Pilot Project at Briones Regional Park

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Source: EBRPD

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

Today, April 21, 2023, the East Bay Regional Park District is launching a temporary, two-year pilot project at Briones Regional Park, in the hills between Lafayette, Pleasant Hill and Martinez, to test a variety of trail management strategies. The Briones Pilot Project will provide new temporary access to some trails for recreational use, while also restoring illegally constructed “bootleg” trails to protect wildlife and enhance natural habitats.

The pilot project is limited to a specific zone in the northeast corner of Briones Regional Park (see map). Project objectives include protecting resources, habitat, wildlife, and watersheds; restoring natural habitat by closing illegal bootleg trails in the pilot project zone; enhancing the trail user experience; and, increasing volunteer engagement in trail maintenance and habitat restoration.

“The goal of the pilot project is to identify options that balance recreational needs and environmental protection, given that the use of parks and trails has increased significantly in the Regional Parks over the past several years,” said Park District Board President Dennis Waespi. “The project will test innovative ways to share the trails, reduce conflicts, and improve the overall visitor experience, while also preserving natural habitat and protecting wildlife.”

The Briones Pilot Project establishes specific rules limiting trail use within the project zone and for two trail segments adjacent to the zone, such as hiking only, biking only, or biking/hiking only, and direction of travel. On weekends, trail use within the Pilot Project Zone will alternate days between bicycle and equestrian use based on odd and even calendar dates (see table).

Source: EBRPD

Pilot Zone Schedule & Restrictions

The special rules below apply ONLY to trails within the pilot zone. Additional information on pilot project schedule and restrictions, visit the project webpage at ebparks.org/briones-pilot-project.

Restoring Illegally Built “Bootleg” Trails:

Another key component of the project is the restoration of illegally built “bootleg” trails to protect natural habitat for wildlife. These trails are often not built to sustainable trail standards with appropriate drainage and avoidance of sensitive natural habitats. Illegal trails can have negative impacts on wildlife and watersheds.

“Protecting wildlife and restoring natural habitats are top priorities of the Park District and this pilot project,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “The project will test a variety of trail management strategies. It will be a dynamic process as data gets collected to help inform ways for users to share trails and enjoy our parks recreationally. As we launch this pilot, we look forward to the public’s feedback and cooperation.”

How Trail Users Can Help:

Engaging with the trail user communities to maintain trails and restore habitat is one of the pilot project’s objectives. There will be many opportunities for people to volunteer to improve select trails and restore habitat. The first Briones Pilot Project Public “Dig Day” is scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Alhambra Creek Staging Area. Sign up at www.ebparks.org/parks/briones/briones-pilot-project#Event

For more information about the Briones Pilot Project, visit ebparks.org/briones-pilot-project.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Evidence of Lafayette man wrongfully convicted in 2005 high-profile murder presented to city council

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Antioch private detective helps compile report, seeks public’s help in pressuring officials

By Robert J. Hansen

Scott Dyleski at age 16 in his Lafayette home. (Courtesy of scottdyleski.org)

In 2005, 16-year-old Scott Dyleski was arrested and subsequently convicted for the murder of Pamela Vitale, the wife of nationally-recognized legal analyst and attorney Daniel Horowitz.

Private detective Ralph Hernandez and another seeker of justice, John Fitzgerald, presented a wealth of information suggesting Dyleski is innocent and was possibly framed for the murder to the Lafayette City Council at its April 10 meeting, urging the council to pressure the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office to review Scott’s case.

“The actual murderer, or murderers, are still walking around Lafayette,” Fitzgerald said. “One of them was married to the woman that was murdered.”

Of the evidence Fitzgerald shared, the most convincing was the three K-9s who repeatedly led officers to a trailer on the property rather than following the trail that led back to Scott’s house.

“Nobody found out about this because it was never reported,” Fitzgerald said.

In the trailer were pinkish-red water in the sink, clothes soaking with blood on them, and a picture of the victim on them, according to Fitzgerald.

Many key items of potentially exculpatory physical evidence were not properly examined, according to a 2009 forensic report.

“These are items that were likely used by or associated with the offender during and after the commission of the crime. Flawed methodology and subsequent false testimony are beneath best practice, and raise the specter of potential fraud,” the report said.

Hernandez has over 50 years of investigative experience in public safety matters and is considered a national expert on investigating homicides. He began investigating Dyleski in 2011, six years after Dyleski was arrested, prosecuted and convicted of a murder Hernandez believes he did not commit.

“Scott Dyleski did not murder Pamela Vitale in your city, somebody else did,” Hernandez told the council.

Hernandez submitted a request to the Contra Costa DA’s Conviction Integrity Unit to review Scott’s case over four years ago.

After a couple of years and not hearing back from the Contra Costa DA office, Hernandez wrote a formal complaint about the DA to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

The complaint to the county, Hernandez said, has also gone unanswered.

Lafayette city council has not told Hernandez what they thought about the evidence he showed them, nor if they have any plans on getting involved.

Fitzgerald said his and Hernandez’s comments to the council sparked a community response that has led to several phone calls being made to the Contra Costa DAs office.

Scott Dyleski was sentenced to Life Without Parole in September of 2006 and transferred to San Quentin Prison on his 18th birthday, becoming the youngest inmate in the California prison system at that time.

He has since been moved to Kern Valley State Prison.

Hernandez says the public’s help is going to be needed in pressuring their elected officials to take action.

“As elected officials, they have sworn an oath to make sure the government works for the people, including the District Attorney’s Office,” Hernandez said.

This story is part of a rolling-investigative series.

Robert J Hansen is an investigative journalist with The Davis Vanguard, Newsbreak.com and is published in The Sacramento Observer.