Contra Costa Herald

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

Martinez, Sacramento teenage women arrested for attempted murder in stabbing of Antioch man

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By Acting Sergeant Loren Bledsoe #4055, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at approximately 9:33 PM, a 50-year-old Antioch male victim called 9-1-1 to report he had been stabbed in his apartment. Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from multiple life-threatening stab wounds. Officers on scene rendered first aid until fire department and ambulance paramedics arrived. The victim was transported to a local area trauma center and is currently listed in critical condition.

Prior to being transported, the victim reported being attacked by two female visitors. Both suspects fled the scene with the victim’s vehicle and personal belongings.

On Thursday, Aug. 8, at approximately 11:58 AM, Elk Grove PD officers located the victim’s vehicle in their city, occupied by two 19-year-old females, one, a Martinez resident and the other, a Sacramento resident. Both female adults were taken into custody without incident and transported back to APD for questioning. This case is still being investigated.

This preliminary information is made available by the Investigations Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Adrian Gonzalez at (925) 779-6923 or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Weekend BART delays between Orinda and Walnut Creek 8/17-18, bus bridge, and Highway 24 lane closures

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There will be no single-tracking or track closures due to this project for the weekend of August 10-11.  However, there will be overnight lane closures on eastbound Highway 24 near the Lafayette Station.  You can get more details here. The first weekend track shutdown between Orinda and Walnut Creek stations is scheduled for the weekend of August 17-18.

We are making extensive repairs and upgrades to the track between Orinda and Walnut Creek stations on most weekends through October, including some upcoming full weekend closures with bus bridges.   Using Measure RR funds, we’ll be replacing track and electrical equipment, installing new switches, improving station platforms, and making other repairs and improvements to provide more reliable, safer, quieter, smoother and faster service.

Closure weekends: 8/17-18, 8/31-9/2 (Labor Day Weekend), 9/14-15, 9/28-29, 10/12-13, 10/26-27

Riders should expect delays of 40 minutes or more on closure weekends.

County Connection and AC Transit will provide free shuttle bus services:

  1.    Direct service between Orinda and Walnut Creek
  2.   Service between Orinda, Lafayette, and Walnut Creek stations.

Single-Tracking
Single-tracking on some Saturdays will mean delays of up to 30 minutes. Please plan your trip with that in mind. We will single-track on 7/27, 8/3, 8/24, 9/7, 9/21, and 10/19.  We may need to turn back some trains at Orinda to maintain our schedule. If so, you will be asked to leave the train you are on and board a different train to reach your destination.

Highway 24 Lane Closures

On select weekends including single-tracking Saturdays, we plan to close the two eastbound lanes on the far-left side of Highway 24 near the Lafayette Station and Oak Hill Road to allow equipment and material to be placed near and in our tracks. The next lane closure is scheduled for 11 pm Friday August 9 and will continue until 7 am Saturday August 10.  The two eastbound lanes of 24 will also be closed Saturday August 10 at 11pm until 9 am Sunday August 11.

Lane closures for single-tracking Saturdays will only happen during overnight hours from 11 pm Friday to 7 am Saturday and 11pm Saturday to 9 am Sunday.  All lane closures will happen near the Lafayette Station at Oak Hill Road.

Night Work

We will also do work at night after service closes on weeknights through at least the end of October.

Sunday single tracking in San Francisco

On select Sundays through the rest of this year, there will be single-track service between the Embarcadero and 24th Street Mission stations in downtown San Francisco due to electrical cabling replacement work.  This replacement project is critical to ensure our trains can count on a reliable power supply. The work can add 15-30 minutes to your trip. Get the latest on this project here.

Use the Trip Planner, call the BART Transit Information Center at (510) 465-BART (2278), or get the Official BART app to plan your trip.

Thirteen charged in cross-bay drug trafficking conspiracy

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Complaint describes drug dealers housed in the East Bay and carpooling across the Bay Bridge who distributed heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in the Tenderloin

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged thirteen defendants with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen.  The charges were made in a complaint filed July 31, 2019 and unsealed Wednesday following the arrest of 11 defendants.

The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT).  The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.

The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug-trafficking organization with networks extending across the Bay Area.  According to the complaint, from at least January 15, 2019, to July 31, 2019, Andy Reanos-Moreno worked with Karol Erazo-Reanos to rent housing throughout the East Bay for persons, including “redistributors,” who were part of the drug-distribution network. Reanos-Moreno, Erazo-Reanos, and Manuel Arteaga allegedly also supplied the redistributors with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.  The redistributors, including Allan Josue Funez Osorto, Brayan Martinez, Josue Natanael Perdomo Moreno, Jose Franklin Rodriguez Garcia, Cesar Estrada Cruz, Arnold Cruz Rodriguez, Christian Rodriguez-Valle, Alex Gomez Barrientos, Eric Montoya Marquez, and Kevin Arteaga-Morales, allegedly traveled to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell drugs, often by carpooling together across the Bay Bridge.

According to the criminal complaint, Reanos-Moreno, along with Arteaga, took drug orders on a nearly daily basis from the individuals living in houses across the East Bay.  The persons living in the houses occasionally would negotiate prices and would specify daily the quantities of heroin, cocaine powder, cocaine base, and methamphetamine they wanted to receive.  Reanos-Moreno and Arteaga would then deliver these drugs to redistributors who would travel to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell the drugs, referring to the neighborhood as “Civic Cen.”  The complaint describes numerous alleged seizures of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from houses where the redistributors lived as well as numerous seizures of drugs from the redistributors in the Tenderloin, including near several federal buildings.

All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release.  Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The complaint contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Several of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.

Nine defendants charged in international drug-trafficking conspiracy, Richmond Police assist in investigation

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Complaint describes drug dealers with ties to Mexico and Honduras who transported drugs from Los Angeles to the Bay Area and Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged nine defendants, many members of the same family, with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen.  The charges were made in a complaint filed July 26, 2019 and unsealed Wednesday following the arrest of eight defendants.

The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT).  The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.

The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug trafficking organization, a network extending across the Bay Area.  According to the complaint, between March 4, 2019, and July 26, 2019, Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Rojo”, worked with his family members Victor Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Mojarra”; Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos; Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera, a/k/a “Enrique”; and Karen Castro-Torres, a/k/a “Delany Ellieth Cardona Velasquez”, a/k/a “Belanie Elyzabeth Artiaga”, to obtain drugs.  The defendants brought the drugs from Mexico through Los Angeles to the Bay Area.  The defendants then repackaged the drugs for redistribution both in the Bay Area and in Seattle.  The complaint also describes the execution of search warrants in June 2018 by the Richmond and San Francisco Police Departments and how Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos thereafter remained in the Bay Area to run the family drug-trafficking business while Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos and his partner, Karen Castro-Torres, moved to Seattle.

Also described in the complaint is how Karen Castro-Torres, Cilder Velasquez, and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera coordinated housing for individuals who redistributed drugs for the drug-trafficking organization.  Drug redistributors, including Gustavo Adolfo Gamez-Velasquez and Luis Almicar Erazo-Centeno, allegedly placed orders for drugs on a regular basis from Cilder Velasquez and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera.  The complaint includes excerpts from calls and text messages intercepted over federally authorized wiretaps.  According to the complaint, the Viera family obtained drugs in Los Angeles, packaged them for local redistribution in Livermore, Calif., and then shipped the drugs to the Seattle area.  Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, speaking with an individual using a Honduras-based area code, also allegedly plotted to murder an individual in Honduras.  The complaint also describes a traffic stop in Washington State during which Alexander Gonzalez-Vasquez and Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos allegedly concealed cocaine and heroin in a hidden compartment inside Gonzalez’s truck.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen stated, “Street-level drug dealing has, unfortunately, become somewhat ‘normalized’ in the Tenderloin. As for me and my law enforcement partners, and I suspect most people in this community, we are tired of drug traffickers preying on and profiting from the vulnerable. This case and the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin is a sustained effort, and we are focused on drug dealers, their sources of supply and anyone else who assists them, while keeping in mind we need to help those suffering from addiction.  Our message is simple: we will continue to do our best to prevent these bold criminals from destroying any more lives.  There is much work to be done.”

All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  If convicted, defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release.  Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The complaint contains allegations only, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Several of the defendants were arrested on July 26, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.

Supervisors raise salaries for Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder, Treasurer-Tax Collector, exclude Assessor

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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized two recent high school graduates who are recipients of Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarships. Overall 192 California college bound high school graduates were awarded scholarships in recognition for their academics and community work. At the presentation on Tuesday were from left Board of Supervisors Chair John Gioia of Richmond, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Freedom High School graduate Amara Payne who will attend Los Medanos College, Concord High School graduate Assal Bastani who will attend the University of California Los Angeles, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville, and Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. Photos by Daniel Borsuk.

Burgis gets Blackhawk Country Club to donate $40,000 per year for 10 years for police services

By Daniel Borsuk

Supervisors unanimously approved cost of living increases to three major elected office holders but withheld a salary boost for county assessor Gus Kramer citing “a salary adjustment for the Assessor will be considered at a later date once other issues in the Department have been resolved.”

That citation is in reference to an ongoing sex harassment case lodged against Kramer by county employees. Kramer would have been in line to have received a 1.96 percent cost of living adjustment increase that would have increased his pay to $208,013.

In compliance with a Dec. 11, 2018 Board Resolution, County Administrator David Twa said his office conducted a salary comparison of analysis of elected office officials in Alameda, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Solano counties and discovered in order to bring the salaries up to Bay Area average, the salary of Auditor-Controller Robert Campbell will rise 8.45 percent to an annual salary of $225,594. The annual salary of Clerk-Recorder Joseph Canciamilla will increase 5.48 percent to a yearly salary of $210,686. The yearly salary of Treasurer-Tax Collector Russell V. Watts will rise 4.77 percent to a yearly salary of $235,611.

There was no discussion from either the supervisors or public on the topic.

Blackhawk Country Club Donates $40,000 Per Year for 10 Years for Police Services

Notching a political victory in the tony enclave of Blackhawk, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood played a role for steering the Blackhawk Country Club to donate $40,000 a year over a 10-year span to help cover police services provided by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department.

A dispute had erupted recently when the Blackhawk Homeowners Association, led by association president Ron Banducci, who had called on county supervisors to intervene in urging the Blackhawk Country Club to contribute funds towards the community’s police force that consists of three deputy sheriffs and one lieutenant. Up until now, the country club had not provided funds for police services since formation of County Service Area P-2A in 1985.

Since the creation of P-2A, homeowners have shouldered the financial costs for police protection, but the county club has never provided any financial assistance for P-2A coverage. Last May, Banducci, who also serves as chairman of the Blackhawk Police Advisory Committee, warned supervisors of “any backroom deal” like the one Burgis and the country club were then discussing, the 10-year, $40,000 a year donation.

Banducci did not return a Contra Costa Herald phone call to respond to the $40,000 a year donation consent agenda item at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting. There was no comment from either the public or supervisors on the item.

“I appreciate the Blackhawk Country Club’s donation to the county to support supplemental law enforcement services in the Blackhawk community,” Burgis said in a statement to the Herald. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Blackhawk Police Advisory, the Sheriff’s Office and other community shareholders to support the level of police service that the community wants.”

In a July 26 letter, sent to Burgis, that lays out details about the donation, Country Club President Scott Batiste states that this is a donation, not a tax.

“Residents of P2-A have authorized a special tax for police protection services in this area,” he wrote. “The BHCC does not pay this tax. The BHCC Board of Directors has authorized making a donation to the County of Contra Costa of $40,000 per year to support the Sheriff’s law enforcement services in P-2A each year for a ten-year period.”

Over the next 10 years, the county will receive a donation totaling $400,000 from the country club.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors presented a resolution recognizing National Health Center Week, August 4-10, at its meeting on Tuesday. Supervisors recognized the work of Community Clinic Consortium consisting of Lifelong Medical Care, La Clinica de La Raza, and Planned Parenthood of Northern California that provide high-quality, affordable. Comprehensive primary and preventive health care in the county’s underserved communities regardless of their ability to pay, insurance or immigration status. Health centers serve more than 160,000 patients in Contra Costa County a year. Attending the resolution presentation were from left, Board Chair John Gioia of Richmond, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Lifelong Medical Clinic Executive Director Lucinda Bazile, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill; Community Clinic Consortium Executive Director Alvaro Fuentes, Board Vice Chair Candace Andersen of Danville, and Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood.

Supervisor Glover Postpones Youth Summit Over Mass Shooting Concerns

Citing the series of weekend deadly shootings triggered by ultra-right shooters in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg announced that the Youth Summit, a one-day event that he co-sponsors at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg has been postponed.

Originally slated to be held this Saturday, August 10 to draw thousands of youth in Contra Costa County, Glover announced at the supervisors meeting, “I will convene a meeting of the stakeholders, including law enforcement, to make sure we are ready to deal with active shooter scenarios and other public safety emergencies that may arise. The Youth Summit brings together a number of youth and I need to be confident as well as be able, to assure their parents that we have taken all reasonable measures to ensure their children’s safety at such a large public event.”

“As we review our protocols and formulate our plans, we will notify members of the public of our plans for a future youth summit,” Glover said in a press statement.

Approve $19.2 Million Multifamily Housing Revenue Rehab Bonds for Bay Point Apartment Building

Keeping in mind the county’s affordable housing shortage, supervisors approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of $19.2 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds to finance the costs for the acquisition and rehabilitation of 88 units of rental housing known as Hidden Cove Apartments at 2900, 2911, and 2921-2931 Mary Ann Lane in Bay Point. The apartments will be initially owned at the time of the financing by Hidden Cove Apartments, LP, a California Limited Partnership.

OK Contract With Canine Companions for Independence

In another consent act, supervisors approved an agreement with Canine Companions for Independence to provide a dog to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. The dog offers comfort and assistance to victims of crimes during interviews, in-court testimony, and other traumatic situations. The cost of expenses for the care and feeding of the facility dog is estimated to be about $5,000 a year and will be covered from the District Attorney’s general fund budget.

Richmond man pleads guilty to first degree murder from 2015 shooting

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

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, Seth Sears a 39-year-old resident of Richmond, CA, pled guilty to first degree murder during his trial for the 2015 killing of victim Neil Akin. Sears will be formally sentenced on September 27 before the Honorable Judge Charles Burch in Department 23 of the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. Sears in his pleading also admitted to using a firearm during the murder. He is expected to receive 25 years to life in state prison.

“The defendant pled guilty as charged to the first degree murder of Neil Akin, and further admitted that he personally used and fired the weapon that killed Mr. Akin. We hope that the defendant’s full admission of responsibility will help the victim’s family find closure after four long years,” Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Satish Jallepalli stated. DDA Jallepalli prosecuted the case and is assigned to our Office’s Homicide Unit. DDA Alison Chandler and DDA Colleen Gleason also prosecuted the case for our Office.

In September 2015, the victim’s body was found deceased in Oakland with a gunshot wound to the head.  Days earlier, the defendant shot Akin and left his body initially in the defendant’s apartment in Richmond. Sears wrapped the body in trash bags and used silver tape to bind the bags together to try to conceal the body. He rented a white van in El Cerrito and used the van to transport the body from his apartment to Oakland. Surveillance video in Oakland showed a similar white van in the vicinity of where the body was found.

Fortunately, a witness came forward to report that Sears had invited her over after the murder while the victim’s body was still in his apartment, and implored her to help him dispose of the body. She refused to help him cover up the crime and later met with the Richmond Police Department to describe what she had seen.

Case information: People v. Seth Rumi Sears, Docket Number 05-171844-4

Walnut Creek man, former Seeno Construction executive found guilty of embezzlement, filing false tax returns

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Created shell company, funded expensive lifestyle and gambling losses

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

This past Friday, a Contra Costa County jury found defendant Edward Miller of Walnut Creek, California guilty as charged of four felonies tied to his criminal schemes to embezzle money from his employer Seeno Construction, Inc. and its affiliated entities. Miller was the former Chief Risk Officer for the Seeno Companies at the time of his criminal conduct.

Miller created a shell company to funnel funds held in trust from law firms representing the Albert Seeno Construction Company into his own personal accounts, using phony invoices to request that the law firms send him checks payable to a secret company he created. In turn, Miller claimed company expenses to hide the income and to avoid paying income taxes on the money he was collecting. Additionally, Miller used some of this money meant for the Seeno Companies to support his lifestyle at golf resorts and to account for his gambling losses. He spent this money at multiple casinos in Reno and Las Vegas.

“White collar crime is inherently complex, and this jury was willing to tackle a thorny body of evidence that wasn’t always straightforward,” Deputy District Attorney Adam Wilks stated. “This jury had to follow money moving across multiple bank accounts, and had to listen to testimony about issues of civil litigation, business formation, and interpersonal dealings within a corporate structure. The verdict in this case speaks volumes about our community, and specifically to those who sacrificed their time to be on this jury, have the sincere thanks of the Contra Costa County DA’s Office.”

Sentencing will occur later this fall in front of the Honorable Rebecca Hardie in Department 5 of the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. DDA Wilks prosecuted the case on behalf of the People. The case originated in the Office’s Special Operations Division, Real Estate Fraud Unit.

Case Information: People v. Edward Leroy Miller, Docket Number 05-180254-5

 

Rep. DeSaulnier moves Aug. 8 Danville Town Hall Meeting to larger venue

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Rep. Mark DeSaulnier

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced that due to overwhelming interest in this week’s town hall meeting in Danville, the location has been moved to a larger venue in order to accommodate all attendees. The town hall will meeting now be held at Charlotte Wood Middle School on Thursday, August 8th at 6:30 p.m.

During the meeting, DeSaulnier will provide an update on what is happening in Washington and other news of the day, including this week’s mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso. This will be the Congressman’s 86th town hall meting and mobile district office hour since coming to Congress four years ago.

Danville Town Hall
Thursday, August 8, 2019
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
New Location: Charlotte Wood Middle School
600 El Capitan Dr., Danville, CA 94526

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

This event is open to the public, press, and photographers.

To confirm your attendance, please RSVP online at https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660. To request ADA accommodations or for more information, contact one of Congressman DeSaulnier’s offices in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.

Delano man sentenced to life in state prison for sexually abusing Antioch girl

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

Last week, Donaciano Rodriguez a 66-year-old resident of Delano, California, was sentenced to 94 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing a minor in Antioch. His sentence was determined by the Honorable Judge Laurel Brady in Department 31 of the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez.

The jury in this case found Rodriguez guilty of 11 felonies ranging from oral copulation, sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger and forced lewd acts upon a child. Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney with our Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted the case on behalf of the People. The trial occurred in late June and lasted eight days. Our Office would like to extend gratitude for the Antioch Police Department for their work investigating the case.

“The victim in this case and her family were very cooperative during the investigation and trial. Without their help there would be no justice. The defendant committed heinous crimes against Jane Doe that will forever impact her. I am thankful that the jury followed all the evidence and held the defendant accountable,” DDA Tierney stated.

In 2017, Jane Doe bravely came forward to the police to report the assaults which occurred years earlier. The victim reported that the defendant repeatedly assaulted her and threatened her if she came forward to authorities. Antioch Police continued the investigation and the defendant was eventually arrested later that year in Kern County. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

When the defendant was arrested by police, he admitted he molested the minor multiple times. He even demonstrated to the investigators what he did to Jane Doe. The attacks against Jane Doe occurred in multiple locations in Antioch.

Case information: People v. Donaciano Rodriguez, Docket Number 05-182336-8

 

Supervisors approve Tice Valley mental rehab facility with aid from Mental Health Advocates

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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. At the presentation were from left, Chairperson John Gioia of Richmond, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, Visit Concord Marketing Specialist Shelley Mitchell, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Visit Concord Market & Outreach Shelbi Walker, Vice Chairperson Candace Andersen of Danville and Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival; Sheriff opposes oversight bill

By Daniel Borsuk

A mission undertaken by two Tice Valley Boulevard residents to sway the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to overturn a county planning commission land use permit approved to convert an existing elderly care facility into a psychiatric care facility backfired when the supervisors voted 5-0 to support the $2.5 million development on Tuesday.

About a dozen people spoke in favor of the project while two petitioners were against the development. Another Tice Valley resident, Penny Mahoney, opposed the project on grounds the development won’t care for patient’s older than 60 years old because the proposed National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation facility planned by Dr. Gregory Braverman will administer psychotropic drugs that can only be administered to patients ages 18 to 60 years old.

“This project morphed into something different,” said Mahoney.

Tice Valley Boulevard property owners Amy Majors, who was represented by land use attorney Terry Mollica, and neighbor Linda Uhrenholt appealed a planning commission’s decision supporting the developer Braverman and his National Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Services (NPCRS) plans to build a 12-bed facility at 2181 Tice Valley Blvd. in unincorporated Walnut Creek that had previously served as an elder care facility for eight residents. .

The new state licensed facility planned for Tice Valley Boulevard would specialize in providing 24-hour care for adult patients referred by Kaiser Permanente for stays on average lasting 18 days even though opponent Uhrenholt contended the developer’s letter of intent states “under no circumstances may a client’s length of stay exceed 3 months.”

Uhrenholt also cited “poor” Tice Valley area cellular connectivity presents potential emergency response problems and patient privacy violations.

Psychiatric disorders that will be treated at the Tice Boulevard facility will include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“I just wanted them (County Planning Commissioners) to be on a level playing field,” appellant Majors told the Contra Costa Herald. Majors, the parent of a mentally disabled adult daughter, contends during the county planning commission process, commissioners, not the planning staff, did not give her and her fellow appellant, Uhrenholt, a fair hearing. “We were not given due process,” she contends.

Majors asserts political factors swayed the Planning Commission’s action.

Real estate attorney Mollica said it is too early to say whether his client will take any legal action against the county. The lawyer said the project is beginning to negatively impact home real estate sales in the area with some home prices recently dropping about $25,000 per transaction, a claim that District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville disputed.

“Property values have not been impacted,” Andersen said. The supervisor also said prices of three homes in the Tice Valley Boulevard area have risen, recently. Additionally, the board vice chairperson supported the NPCRS development saying, “We need to demystify mental illness. I have family members with mental illness. I am for more mental health care facilities like this in the county.”

Rosemary Friedman, the mother of a bipolar daughter who stays at the University of California Davis, supports the NPCRS project because it would mean her daughter could be treated closer to home. “I want to let you know how badly we need this social rehabilitation facility in Contra Costa County,” she said.

Walnut Creek attorney Daniel Roemer said he supports the project because of his increased concerns about the shortage of mental health services and “I want to live in a community that takes care of itself.”

“These types of facilities are desperately needed in Contra Costa County,” said county mental health commissioner Douglas Dunn of Antioch.

“This is one type of facility that we don’t have in our county where people have to go out of county,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg. “Our families need these facilities so that they can be near their family members. This is something I would encourage more of in Contra Costa.”

Sheriff Livingston Opposes Sheriff Office Oversight Bill

At a rare public appearance before the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston said he opposes state legislation, Assembly Bill 1185, that is sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for potential ratification or veto. The sheriff believes the governor will veto the bill.

During the hearing, supervisors and the sheriff listened to a number of speakers support state Assemblyman Kevin McCarty’s (Dem-Sacramento) bill, AB 1185. The supervisors’ hearing was held to comply with state law, the 2016 Truth Act signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown that lays out the rules whereby sheriffs must comply when dealing with persons in their jails and ICE agents.

Sheriff Livingston said he and sheriffs in 57 other counties in the state have gone on record opposing the AB 1185 legislation pushed by human rights organizations to hold sheriff offices more accountable.

“I am an elected official. To say we don’t have oversight is ridiculous,” Livingston told the supervisors. “We have a lot of oversight. I’m happy to have people come to the jail for visits.”

“Until this year, between 2015 and 2017 we had no deaths in the jails,” said the sheriff. “Then, in 2018 there were six deaths.”

The sheriff’s office has recently installed ligature-proof bedding in all jail cells to reduce suicides. So far, this year there has been one death by suicide and one by pulmonary failure, the sheriff reported. In 2018 there were six jail related deaths, two by suicide and four to health or medical reasons.

Recognize 50th Anniversary of Concord Jazz Festival

The Supervisors recognized the 50th anniversary of the Concord Jazz Festival, initially called the Concord Summer Music Festival, begun in 1969 with a resolution at their meeting on Tuesday. The inaugural event drew 17,000 fans to a park that what would be later designated as Dave Brubeck Park, in recognition of jazz great and Concord native Dave Brubeck. Over the course of the last 50 years, the Concord Jazz Festival has featured jazz greats Count Basie, Rosemary Clooney, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Marian McPartland, Poncho Sanchez, and Brubeck.   The festival was the idea of Carl Jefferson, who in 1973 started Concord Records which for 26 years had a strong jazz history in Concord, where talented musicians recorded albums that made the billboard charts.

From August 1 through August 10, the Concord Jazz Festival will sponsor jazz related events at different venue in the city.  For schedule information, go to www.concord.com.  Today, on August 3, the 50th Anniversary Jazz Festival and Art & Wine Expo will be held starting at 4 p.m. at the Concord Pavilion  It will feature Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns, Esperanza Spalding, Chick Corea – The Spanish Heart Band, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra featuring Patti Austin, Jamison Ross, Carmen Bradford and Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band, and many more musicians.