Contra Costa Herald

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

21-year-old man shot in Brentwood shopping center parking lot Thursday, police seek unknown suspects

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By Brentwood Police Department

On Thursday, June 10, 2021 at around 5:31 p.m., Brentwood officers responded to the southwest parking lot of the Streets of Brentwood, located at 2501 Sand Creek Road to investigate a shooting. When officers arrived on scene, preliminary information revealed two shooters associated with two separate vehicles exchanged gunfire. During the exchange of gunfire, a 21-year-old, male, Brentwood resident sustained what appeared to be non-life threatening gunshot wounds and was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment.

The two vehicles involved were described as a silver-colored sedan (associated with the person shot) and a black colored sedan with no direction of travel. The suspects associated with the dark colored sedan were described as light-skinned, black or Hispanic males.

Investigative information strongly suggests this was not a random act of violence and there is no threat to public safety. A firearm was recovered from the scene and the motive is unknown, pending further investigation.

No additional information is being released at this time.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Ruth Talley at 925-809-7911

Project partners, city officials break ground for The Blossoms @ Brentwood luxury residential rental community

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The ceremonial turning of the shovels of dirt by Mark Tekin of Tekin & Associates, Jim Previti and Rich Alexander of Guardian Capital and other Guardian team members, who were joined by Mayor Joel Bryant, Planning Commissioner Dirk Zeigler, City Manager Tim Ogden and Police Chief Tom Hansen, to officially break ground on the The Blossoms @ Brentwood. Photos by Allen Payton (Right) Rendering of the 288-unit project.

Located near the future BART Station; another Brentwood project from Tekin & Associates and Guardian Capital partnership; contribute $5,000 to Brentwood Regional Community Chest

Brentwood Mayor Joel Bryant (left), Planning Commissioner Dirk Zeigler, Police Chief Tom Hansen, Rich Alexander, Mark Tekin with (right side) Jim Previti, Guardian Development Manager Travis Adams and Guardian Senior VP Asset Management Russell Rodriguez with the banner showing name of the new community revealed during the groundbreaking.

Brentwood, California – June 10, 2021.  Tekin & Associates and Guardian Capital are pleased to announce today’s official groundbreaking of the 288-unit luxury residential rental community, The Blossoms @ Brentwood, which offers a wonderful Craftsman Style architecture, modern one- two- and three- bedroom luxury apartment homes with car ports, garages, private patios, and exceptional interior finishes.  A modern clubhouse complex with expansive mountain views, featuring a fitness center featuring the latest personal fitness equipment and an entertainment deck adjacent to a large swimming pool and spa, presents a resort-like, private amenity experience.

“We are extremely proud to bring such an amenity-rich, active lifestyle community to Brentwood,” stated Jim Previti, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Capital.  “The Blossoms represents the first of three luxury rental communities with aggregate project costs in excess of $300 million that we will deliver during the next year with our partner, Tekin & Associates.”

Guardian Capital is a privately-held real estate investment firm with a portfolio in excess of $1 billion primarily in the Western United States and has in excess of $1 billion of assets in various stages of development.  Guardian currently operates more than 1,500 residential rental units and has more than 1,500 units under construction with an additional 2,500 units in its development pipeline.  In the last three years, Guardian has delivered ten residential rental communities valued at more than $650 million.  Based in Carlsbad, California with offices in Newport Beach and Sacramento, Guardian focuses primarily on the development and operation of institutional-quality multifamily communities, grocery-anchored retail centers and well-located office properties.

Tekin & Associates is a boutique commercial real estate firm focusing on real estate developments with fundamentally superior locations in mature markets with high barriers to entry.

The Blossoms @ Brentwood rendering.

“When we developed the General Plan, we had in mind that we could have a place for residents who were born here and left, that could come back and raise their families,” said Mayor Joel Bryant. “When we had the opportunity to partner with this project this is exactly the kind of project we envisioned. So, our students who go away to college can return and live here.”

“I’m excited about this project,” he added.

Developer Mark Tekin, of Tekin & Associates, which also has built the Shops @ Lone Tree Way between Highway 4 and Jefferey Way, shared his thoughts.

“About two-and-a-half years ago, we stumbled onto this project,” he said. “What has culminated here is a project that will fill a need for attainable housing.”

“We’re happy to be back in Brentwood as part of this Tekin community,” Previti added. “It’s a great project and a great location.”

“We build these, and we hold these, normally for 10 years,” Rich Alexander, Previti’s partner stated. “That makes us a part of the community.”

Jane Rodriguez and Lill Pierce of the Brentwood Regional Community Chest are presented with the ceremonial check by Mark Tekin (left) and Jim Previti.

He then introduced Lill Pearce, president of the Brentwood Regional Community Chest, to whom Tekin and Guardian contributed $5,000.

“I’d like to thank everyone here for your generous donation to our organization,” Pierce said. “We provide Christmas meals and toys to children. We also help the community in emergency situations with food and clothing, as well.”

A ceremonial check was then presented to Pierce and the organization’s treasurer, Jane Rodriguez by Tekin and Previti.

That was followed by the ceremonial turning of the shovels of dirt by Tekin, Previti, Alexander and other Guardian team members, who were joined by Mayor Bryant, Planning Commissioner Dirk Zeigler, City Manager Tim Ogden and Police Chief Tom Hansen, to officially break ground on the project that’s already under construction, and ahead of schedule.

Completion of The Blossoms at Brentwood community, located on Shady Willow Lane, along the future Amber Lane extension, and next to Jeffrey Way, across Highway 4 from the future Brentwood BART Station, is expected to be in early 2023 with leasing to begin in July 2022.

Contra Costa Supervisors pass fireworks ordinance, prepare for hot, dry summer

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Photo by CCCSheriff.

Mitchoff questions holding July 4th parades; approve funds to address illegal dumping

By Daniel Borsuk

Fourth of July celebrations are around the corner and the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday took a strident step in minimizing fires by unanimously passing a stronger fireworks ordinance that pins financial liability on owners of property and vessels where fireworks are used in unincorporated areas of the county.

Recognizing the extreme dry vegetation conditions the county now faces due to low winter rain fall, supervisors passed the ordinance as a consent item without hearing citizen comments on Ordinance No. 2021-19 that amends the county’s fireworks ordinance, Chapter 44-2 of the County Ordinance Code.

Contra Costa County received only 30 percent of average rainfall, said Brian Garcia, a National Weather Service meteorologist.  “The fuels that we have for fire this year are already at record levels. It’s really bad already and we’re not at the peak of the fire season.”

Conditions are so dry, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Deputy Fire Chief Aaron McAlister said, “Whether its moderate, high or very high, the risks are here in this county. We definitely have that potential that existed south of us and north of us in previous years. That potential now exists here in Contra Costa County.”

Under the new ordinance, property and vessel owners are responsible for ensuring that the use of illegal fireworks does not occur on their property.  Owners may be liable for ordinance violations if illegal fireworks are used on their property or vessel.

Board Chair Diane Burgis of Brentwood was the supervisor who shepherd the tougher fireworks ordinance, citing an increase in fireworks violations in her District 3 area.

“Illegal fireworks are a drain on our system,” Burgis said. “We simply don’t have the resources to address this continued problem. I would encourage cities and towns to adopt stronger ordinances and send the message that illegal fireworks will not be tolerated in Contra Costa County.”

“Due to unseasonably dry fuel conditions in Contra Costa County, we urge the public to take every precaution to prevent wildfires,” said Contra Costa County Fire Department Chief Lewis T. Brouschard III. “The use of illegal fireworks caused a recent fire in our county that destroyed two apartment buildings and displaced 30 residents. Playing with illegal fireworks is dangerous and poses the very real possibility of causing wildland fires that could easily destroy homes and threaten lives in this time of critically high fire risk.  We urge everyone to follow the regulations and stay safe.”

“Illegal fireworks in our county continually pose a threat to the safety of our communities,” said East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Chief Brian Helmick in a press release. “On behalf of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, we would like to thank Supervisor Burgis for taking these necessary actions to curb the use of illegal fireworks and for helping to protect all citizens who have been impacted by illegal fireworks.”

Passage of the fireworks ordinance, a supervisors’ meeting consent item that did not draw public comment.

According to the supervisors’ agenda background information:

“Chapter 44-2 of the County Ordinance Code prohibits the possession, manufacture, sale, use and discharge of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of the County. The Sheriff and fire department in the County receive numerous calls for service each year stemming from illegal fireworks, including calls to address vegetation fires, structure and exterior fires, personal injury or death, and noise or other public nuisances.

“The proposed ordinance would amend Chapter 44-2 and authorize the Sheriff to arrest and cite a responsible party as defined in the ordinance, for violations of Chapter 44-2.   The proposed ordinance established that a responsible party is required to maintain, manage and supervise the property or vessel for which they are responsible to prevent violations of Chapter 44-2. A responsible party is liable and violates the prohibition on fireworks under Chapter 44-2 if any person possesses, manufactures, sells, offers to sell, uses, or discharges, any fireworks at the property, or on the vessel, for which the responsible part is responsible, regardless of whether the responsible party is present when the violation occurs.

“The proposed ordinance defines a responsible party as any of the following:

  1. A person that owns, rents, leases, or otherwise has possession of, or is in immediate control of a residence or other private property or a vessel.
  2. A person that organizes, supervises, sponsors, conducts, allows, controls, or controls access to the possession, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, use, or discharge of fireworks at a residence or other private property or on a vessel.

“If a residence or other private is rented or leased for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, the landlord or lessor is not a responsible party unless the landlord or lessor: has possession of, or is in immediate control of, the residence or other private property; or has knowledge of the possession, manufacture, sale, offer for sale, sue, or discharge of fireworks at the residence or other private property.

The owner of a residence that is rented for a period of 30 consecutive days or less (a short-term rental) is a responsible party and is liable for violations of Chapter 44-2 if the short-term renter, or any other person, possesses, manufactures, sells, offers to sell, uses, or discharges, any fireworks at the residence, regardless of whether they owner of the short-term rental is present when the violation occurs.”

Mitchoff Questions Holding July 4th Parades

At one point during the meeting, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill questioned the wisdom of cities permitting July 4th parades at least this year even though the county and all other counties will be off the Centers for Disease Control color tier system effective June 15.

“If you have not been vaccinated, people need to take this seriously for one more year,” said the supervisor. “There are communities that think they can handle this.  I am not so sure that is the case. The public needs to take this seriously. People will show up at parades and will be unvaccinated.”

Contra Costa County Deputy Health Director Ori Tzvilell said the state’s mask mandate will be relaxed effective June 15 “only if everyone has been vaccinated.”  Mask requirements will remain in place for retail businesses, he noted.

County Chief Equity Officer Gilbert Salinas said the health department will conduct a mobile vaccination unit in a census tract in Antioch (North of Highway 4 from L Street to Sommerville Road) to vaccinate about 16,000 unvaccinated persons on June 11.

Salinas said future mobile vaccination activities are planned for Antioch Park, Antioch Middle School and Pittsburg City Park.

Stormwater Utility Assessments Approved

Even in severe drought conditions, supervisors had to think about the potential of stormwater pollution issues, especially funding. Supervisors approved assessments for Stormwater Utility Areas 1 through 18 that will provide $15,914,283 in funding for the cities and county for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program and drainage maintenance activities during fiscal year 2021-2022.

Approve Initial Illegal Dumping Funds

In other action, supervisors launched the county’s Illegal Dumping Initiative with the allocation of $350,000. “This is exciting,” said Burgis, who served as one of the key catalysts to jump start the initiative three years ago.

The board’s action instructs that $200,000 of the $350,000 will be spent for the installation of lighting and $150,000 will be directed to remove 50 derelict boats and recreational vehicles during the current 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Burgis and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover were key players in initiating in 2018 the formation of an interdepartmental “Think Tank” team of professionals from county departments to propose how to address the illegal dumping problems.  County departments involved in the Think Tank are the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Public Works, the Environmental Health Division of the Health Services Department and the Department of Conservation and Development.

California Citizens Redistricting Commission to launch Communities of Interest virtual meetings

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SACRAMENTO, CA—On Thursday, June 10th, the 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) will launch the first in a series of Communities of Interest (COI) virtual hearings to capture community specific data that will help Commissioners to respect community boundaries to the best of their abilities when drawing district lines, as is mandated by California’s line drawing criteria.

When the Commission begins drawing maps using census data, they will need to follow this set of criteria, in this order, as outlined in the California Constitution.

  1. Districts must be of nearly equal population to comply with the U.S. Constitution.
  2. Districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act to ensure that minorities have a fair opportunity to elect representatives of their choice.
  3. Districts must be drawn contiguously, so that all parts of the district are connected to each other.
  4. Districts must minimize the division of counties, cities, neighborhoods, and communities of interest to the extent possible.
  5. Districts should be geographically compact such that nearby areas of population are not bypassed for more distant populations.
  6. Where practicable, each Senate District should consist of two complete and adjacent Assembly Districts, and Board of Equalization districts should consist of ten complete and adjacent State Senate Districts. This is known as nesting.

We can obtain the city and county information from those jurisdictions, but we need the neighborhood and communities of interest information from Californians directly.

“The Commission is excited to hear directly from Californians about their Communities of Interest during our initial COI input meeting on Thursday, June 10th from 12 – 8 PM. Although we have been accepting Communities of Interest submissions online since March, these virtual input sessions are yet another opportunity for communities to share with the Commission about their Communities of Interest,” stated Commission Chair Isra Ahmad.

During these input meetings, participants will be asked to describe their community and will be encouraged to consider highlighting the following:

  1. Begin with your county or city.
  2. Mention the street names and significant locations in your neighborhood to help us identify the parameters of your community.
  3. What are your shared interests?
  4. What brings you together?
  5. What is important to your community?
  6. Are there nearby areas you want to be in a district with?
  7. Nearby areas you don’t want to be in a district with? Why or why not?
  8. Has your community come together to advocate for important services, better schools, roads, or health centers in your neighborhood?

Registration is not required to participate in these public input meetings. The call-in number for public input on the day of each event will be (877) 853-5247.

For more information regarding the June 10th event, please visit our website at: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/june_10_mtg. To view a full list of upcoming meetings, please visit: https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/meetings. Additionally, Californians can skip the line and provide their input online by visiting: https://drawmycacommunity.org/. The online COI tool is available in fourteen languages and includes tutorials.

Every 10 years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its electoral districts so that the state’s population is evenly allocated among the new districts.

In 2008, California voters passed the Voters First Act, authorizing the creation of the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission to draw new State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization district lines. In 2010, the Voters First Act for Congress gave the Commission the responsibility of drawing new Congressional districts following every census.

For more information, please visit WeDrawTheLinesCA.org.

 

Contra Costa, three other county DA’s to finalize $400,000 settlement with MoviePass affiliated executives for unlawful business practices

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Following 2018 complaint filed by Contra Costa County resident with California Attorney General’s Office.

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

Martinez, Calif. – On May 20, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the District Attorneys’ Offices of Ventura, Sonoma, and San Joaquin Counties, entered into a negotiated settlement agreement with former MoviePass affiliated executives, Theodore Farnsworth and Mitchell Lowe, for engaging in numerous unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business acts and practices, while overseeing the operations of the now defunct movie theater subscription service. CCCDA MoviePass Documents

In total, Farnsworth and Lowe will have to pay $400,000 in civil penalties and cy pres restitution, as part of the signed Stipulated Judgment approved by the Honorable Nancy Davis Stark. In addition to the monetary payments, Farnsworth and Lowe are enjoined from engaging in any of the alleged unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business acts or practices committed during their tenure as MoviePass managers. The settlement gets divided by all the DA’s involved and some goes to the state. The DA’s then use the monies for consumer protection activities.

MoviePass, Inc. (MoviePass) was an American subscription-based movie ticket service headquarter in New York City. Founded in 2011, the service initially allowed subscribers to purchase up to three movie tickets per month for a discounted monthly fee. The service utilized a mobile phone app where users checked into a theater and chose a movie and showtime, which resulted in the cost of the ticket being loaded by MoviePass to a prepaid MoviePass debit card, which was then used to purchase the ticket from the movie theater.

In 2017, Helios and Matheson Analytics purchased MoviePass. Around the time of the purchase, the business model for MoviePass, shifted from a three movie per month subscription to offering, among other things, an “unlimited” subscription plan at $9.95 a month and an “unlimited” fixed rate annual subscription. However, over the course of the next two years, the business model and terms of service changed multiple times to the detriment of the consumers.

After the acquisition of MoviePass by Helios and Matheson Analytics, the Defendants engaged in numerous unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent acts and practices. These acts and practices include, but are not limited to:

• Falsely advertising that MoviePass subscriptions offer “unlimited” movie watching. Specifically, “any movie”, “any day”, at “any theater”, when in reality MoviePass continually added limitations to customers’ subscriptions.
• Unconscionably changing terms of service during a subscription period.
• Converting all prepaid “unlimited” plans to three movies per month.
• Shutting down the availability of movies when a certain dollar amount is reached. (Trip wire).
• Failing to notify autorenewal customers of material changes to their subscriptions.
• Continuously charging customers’ debit or credit cards after receiving notice of cancellation from customers.

In addition to the above acts and practices, in 2019, MoviePass suffered a data breach. The data breach was the result of a MoviePass engineer creating an unsecured and unencrypted server as a debugging tool. This server had more than 161 million pieces of personal identifying information, including names, MoviePass card numbers, credit card numbers, billing information, email addresses and login information, belonging to at least 58,000 consumers. Despite being notified by private individuals, MoviePass allowed this server to operate for three months before it was taken down. MoviePass failed to advise the California Attorney General’s Office of the data breach, as required by law

MoviePass shut down its operations in September of 2019. Both MoviePass and its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January of 2020.

In 2018 a local Contra Costa County resident filed a complaint against MoviePass with the California Attorney General’s Office. The complaint alleged that MoviePass was in violation of the Terms of Service as the company was not showing available tickets in the mobile app and limited the number of movies to the consumer even though they paid in advance for a year of “unlimited” service. In turn, the complaint was forwarded to our office for further investigation.

We welcome residents to file consumer complaints with our office via our website, www.contracostada.org. Case information: People v. Theodore Farnsworth and Mitchell Lowe, Docket C21-01045, Contra Costa County Superior Court.

New Regional Park at former Concord Naval Weapons Station named after first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall

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Proposed sign design for the new Thurgood Marshall Regional Park name. (Source: unknown)

Also honors “Port Chicago 50” Black sailors he defended against court martial

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

Justice Thurgood Marshall. Official portrait 1976

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously voted to name the new regional park at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.”

The name “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” recognizes the service of young African American sailors who served their country, both by serving in the US Military during WWII, and also by standing up to the US Military’s racially discriminatory policies of the day.

Their courage, and the advocacy of NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall on their behalf, ultimately led to desegregation of the military and changed the course of history.

This naming itself is historic, as this is the first regional park in Contra Costa County to be named after an African American.

“The Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 park name acknowledges this important Black American history and social justice significance,” said East Bay Regional Park District Board Director Beverley Lane who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District Board since 1994. “Thurgood Marshall brought national attention to the case that prompted the U.S. Secretary of the Navy to order desegregation of the U.S. Navy in 1946,” added Lane.

Several community organizations, including the NAACP and Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial support the naming of the park in honor of Thurgood Marshall and the Port Chicago 50. The Park District’s citizen-led Parks Advisory Committee unanimously supported the name at its meeting on May 24. The City of Concord unanimously endorsed the park name at its May 29 City Council meeting.

Concord regional park site map. EBRPD

“The new Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 park name has both historical and representational significance,” said Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. “As a defender of the Port Chicago 50 in their historic fight against discrimination and wrongful conviction, Thurgood Marshall played an important role in their story. The trial, and Marshall’s role in it, helped to play a role in the desegregation of the Armed Forces. As the first African American Supreme Court justice, Marshall is more than deserving of this honor.”

The plan for the newly named “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” includes a joint visitor center with the National Park Service highlighting the history of the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial and the Diablo Valley, along with staging areas, and several miles of recreational trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing. The Park District is partnering with the National Park Service on the future visitor center where this story can be told, along with all of the stories of this land, including its military history, agricultural history, natural history and restoration, and the stories of the Chupcan people who lived here.

“We appreciate all of the community’s input and engagement on this naming process, and we hope the support will continue as we work with our partners and elected officials to raise the funding needed to build a world-class visitor center in the park to tell these important stories,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth.

The Park District is currently designing road improvements and plans to open a portion of the expansive park south of Bailey Road within the next two to three years.  The U.S. Navy and National Park Service officially transferred the 2,500 acres of open space to the Park District in 2019 after a two-decade process brought about by the decommissioning of the Concord Naval Weapons Station in the 1990s.

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 121,000 acres in 73 parks including over1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature learning.

One suspect arrested, another sought in early Sunday morning Oakley store robbery

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Suspect in Oakley store robbery on Sunday morning, May 30, 2021. Photo: OPD

By Oakley Police Department

On Sunday, May 30th at around 5:45 a.m. armed male suspects entered a business in the area of Laurel and Empire and robbed the store of lottery tickets and cigarettes. Officers were able to identify a suspect vehicle and possibly one of the male suspects. They have been tied into other similar robberies in the area.

On Monday, May 31st at around noon, Oakley Police officers responded to a neighboring city that had stopped the suspect vehicle. The driver was arrested on unrelated charges and the vehicle was impounded as evidence.

The investigation is ongoing and the Oakley Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify one of the suspects, pictured here.

 

Suspect arrested for Memorial Day fireworks-related apartment fire in Antioch

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James Sossaman, 44, Antioch resident, arrested May 31 for Unlawfully Causing a Fire (PC § 452(c)) and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (PC § 29800) and aerial view of May 31 Hargrove St., Antioch fire reveals area of grassfire origin and damaged apartment buildings. Photos: Con Fire

Investigators determine vegetation fire that destroyed eight apartments, displaced 40 residents caused by fireworks.

By Steve Hill, Public Information Officer, Con Fire

Fireworks seized in conjunction with May 31 Antioch grassfire that led to destruction of eight apartments and displacement of 40 residents. Photo: Con Fire

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) today, June 1, 2021, announced its fire investigators made a fireworks-related arrest yesterday in relation to a fireworks-caused fire behind apartments in the 1700-block of Hargrove Street in Antioch that destroyed eight units and displaced 40 residents.

James Sossaman, 44, an Antioch resident, was arrested for Unlawfully Causing a Fire to Inhabited Structures (PC § 452(b)) and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (PC § 29800) and transported by Antioch Police to Martinez Detention Facility for booking.

Con Fire responded to multiple reports of a vegetation fire behind apartments in the 1700 block of Hargrove in Antioch, May 31 just after 5:30 p.m. While responding, Engine 81 reported a large column of black smoke from a half mile away. Upon arrival, the grass fire had already extended from the grass into a two-story apartment complex and a second-alarm response was ordered. An aggressive fire attack followed in an attempt to slow the spread of fire.

Through witness interviews and surveillance videos, investigators located the person responsible for the grass fire and determined it was caused by Sossaman throwing an M-100 pyrotechnic device into the field behind the apartment complex. Through the investigation, Sossaman was also found to be on felony probation. During a search of his apartment, a loaded firearm was located along with several other illegal fireworks.

Weather conditions at the time — temperatures in the upper 90s with wind gusts between 15-20 mph – quickly fed the fire into the neighboring apartments. Crews, including East Contra Costa Fire’s Battalion 5, were able to stop grassfire spread across the gully and protect the apartments on the west side of the incident.

Additional companies worked to extinguish the structure fires and search 10 separate apartments that were either on fire or in immediate danger of catching fire. Strong winds blew the fire across a breezeway to adjoining apartments. A coordinated fire attack resulted in the fire being extinguished at approximately 6:26 p.m. Crews were on scene for approximately three hours to overhaul and salvage as much as possible.

The fire displaced 40 residents and the American Red Cross assisted with housing for those displaced.

No firefighters were injured. Two civilians were transported to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Con Fire’s Fire Investigation Unit urges residents to help them fight the crime of arson across the county by calling the Arson Tip Line at 1-866-50-ARSON. They caution residents not to hesitate on information that seems too little or unimportant to matter, adding some of the most valuable tips come from residents who were not aware what they saw was very important to the investigation of an incident.

At 1-866-50-ARSON, residents can leave a recorded message about fire-related criminal activity in English or Spanish. Tips can be anonymous, but all tips are treated confidentially. Fire investigators sometimes need additional information, so inclusion of name and phone number is encouraged.

Coroner’s inquest jury finds both El Sobrante, Antioch men’s in-custody deaths were accidents

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

Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston announced Friday, May 28, 2021 that a coroner’s jury reached a finding in the November 17, 2020 death of 30-year-old Ezekiel James McCoy of El Sobrante. The finding of the jury is that the death was an accident. (See related article)

McCoy sustained injuries during a fight with other inmates at the West County Detention Facility. After being treated and cleared by medical staff at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, he was placed in a negative air flow room at the Martinez Detention Facility pending the result of a COVID-19 test. He was checked on throughout the day and last checked at 4:23 PM. About nine minutes later, deputies found McCoy unresponsive.

The coroner’s jury, which heard two inquests on Friday, also reached a finding in the October 7, 2020 death of 31-year-old Kentreal Julius Irving of Antioch. The finding of the jury is that the death was an accident. (See related article)

Irving jumped to his death off the Highway 242 overpass while fleeing from Sheriff’s Deputies.  At that time, Sheriff’s Deputies believed Irving to be from Concord.

The coroner’s jury reached the verdicts in both inquests after hearing the testimony of witnesses. The hearing officer for the McCoy inquest was Matthew Guichard; the hearing officer for the Irving inquest was Laura Pagey.

A coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident, suicide, natural causes or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.

 

East Bay parks board to consider naming new Concord regional park for Thurgood Marshall Tuesday

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Concord regional park site map. EBRPD

Recommended by staff, advanced by district’s executive committee, and supported by Concord City Council

Proposed sign for Thurgood Marshall Regional Park name. 

By Allen Payton

The Board of Directors for the East Bay Regional Park District will vote Tuesday, June 1 on the proposed name of Thurgood Marshall Regional Park Home of the Port Chicago 50, at the site of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The staff recommended the name, following a proposal made during public comments at the Sept. 3 board meeting, last year because there are no regional parks in Contra Costa County named after African Americans, and a subsequent petition signed by over 800 people to date.

However, there was little public outreach to gather input on a proposed name and only one news article about the naming it for Marshall was published last year. It wasn’t until Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe posted on his official Facebook page his support for the proposed name, earlier this month, that the Herald was made aware of it and other news reports were then published.

When asked about a public outreach effort on the naming of the park Director Colin Coffey mentioned the district’s website page dedicated to the matter. He also shared, “Director Dee Rosario told me that the Thurgood Marshall name arose from the initial surveys and was discussed by the executive committee at a meeting last year. He remembers himself suggesting that it could be a good name. So, this isn’t a new dynamic introduced all that recently.”

According to the district on the park’s webpage, “NAACP civil rights lawyer and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, helped defend the fifty black sailors accused of mutiny after the devasting Port Chicago Naval Magazine blast that killed 320 men, mostly African American, and injured 390 more, on July 17, 1944. It was the largest Homefront disaster of World War II. The military trial took place on Treasure Island in nearby San Francisco Bay from September 14 to October 24, 1944. Although the fifty sailors were found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison, Thurgood Marshall’s high-profile appeal paved the way for the desegregation of the entire U.S. military. Marshall went on to argue the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which led to school desegregation nationwide, and became the first black U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1967. The new park land formerly known as the Concord Naval Weapons Station, part of the larger Port Chicago military complex, has been referred to as ‘Concord Hills Regional Park’ during the planning process until a permanent park name is chosen.”

Until this past year, the name being considered for the park was Chupcan Territories Regional Park after the Bay Miwok tribe that occupied the area during the 1700’s. District staff created a video about the history for the naming of the park for Justice Marshall.

The future Regional Park is in the Los Medanos Hills between Concord and Pittsburg. The 2,500-acre site, along with undeveloped land along this border, forms a greenbelt between the municipalities. The Regional Park site is divided into two sections north and south of Bailey Road.

Both the district’s Executive Committee and the Concord City Council, also acting as the Local Reuse Authority for the former naval base, have expressed their support for naming the park for Marshall. During their meeting Tuesday night May 25, the council voted to send a letter to the park district offering their official endorsement.

In a post on her Twitter feed Wednesday morning, Councilwoman Carlyn Obringer wrote, “Thrilled that my Concord City Council colleagues joined me in officially supporting the naming of the new East Bay Regional Park District here in Concord as the Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.”

Site History and Timeline

The Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) accommodated the changing needs of its inhabitants and settlers for centuries, including indigenous people, miners, ranchers, and the United State Navy, as well as local wildlife species from grizzly bears to California red-legged frogs. For the last six decades, the property has been used exclusively by the military, limiting public access as well as private development. The CNWS emerged as a prominent part of the East Bay landscape, offering striking grassland and hillside views while contributing to a substantial network of undeveloped open space. CNWS was approved for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) in 2005. In 2012, the Concord City Council adopted the Concord Reuse Project Area Plan and designated the western slopes of the Los Medanos Hills and the adjacent area as the future regional park site. In July 2020, the East Bay Regional Park District adopted a Land Use Plan and an Environmental Impact Report to begin the process of building a future regional park on over 2,500 acres, in partnership with the National Park Service, to serve generations of current and future East Bay residents.

Timeline

  • 2021: Board considers permanent name for the future parks at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station
  • 2020: EBRPD adopted Concord Hills Land Use Plan – guiding future park development
  • 2019: EBRPD accepted possession of future Regional Park site.
  • 2010: Pres. Obama established Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Legislation authorized Jointly operated EBRPD/NPS Visitor Center highlighting Port Chicago history
  • 2010: Reuse Plan adopted designating ~2,540 acres of new Regional Park + 12k new homes, 6m sq. ft of commercial, etc.
  • 2006: Concord Reuse Project initiated to evaluate reuse of 5,200-acre Inland Area

Board Meeting Information

The June 1st board meeting begins at 1:00 p.m. and the  public has the opportunity to offer comments on the naming of the park.

Members of the public can listen and view the meeting in the following way: Via the Park District’s live video stream which can be found at https://youtu.be/dE2RtF1gYqc

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways:

  1. Via email to Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at ybarial@ebparks.org. Email must contain in the subject line public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item #. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Monday, May 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm.
  2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2016. The caller must start the message by stating public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Monday, May 17, 2021 at 3:00 pm.
  3. Live via zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: *Note: this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the https://zoom.us/j/98708891830 virtual meeting for the purpose of providing a public comment. If you do not intend to make a public comment please use the YouTube link at: https://youtu.be/dE2RtF1gYqc to observe the meeting. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact the Clerk of the Board at ybarial@ebparks.org by 3:00 pm on Monday, May 17, 2021 via email or voicemail (510) 544-2016 to provide name and the subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

Comments received during the meeting and up until the public comment period on the relevant agenda item is closed, will be provided in writing to the Board of Directors, included transcribed voicemails. All comments received by the close of the public comment period will be available after the meeting as supplemental materials and will become part of the official meeting record. If you have any questions please contact Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at ybarial@ebparks.org or (510) 544-2021.