Contra Costa Herald

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

Autopsy determines Danville woman died of gunshot in Byron homicide, Friday

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Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff are continuing to investigate a homicide in Byron.

The autopsy was performed this morning on the victim, 37-year-old Emily Courchesne of Danville. The cause of death was a gunshot wound. (See related article).

On Friday morning, at about 10:05, Deputies were dispatched to a “Medical – PD” call at a residence on the 24000 block of Marsh Creek Road in Byron.

Deputies found Courchesne deceased inside the home. Detectives later determined it was a homicide. Detectives believe Courchesne was killed sometime between Wednesday evening and Thursday early morning. No motive or suspects have been established yet. 

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip lines at (925) 313-1166 or (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.

Save Mount Diablo partners with real estate firm to raise funds for land purchases

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The Sand Creek Focus Area inside Antioch’s and the county’s voter-approved Urban Limit Lines is planned for 4,000 new homes, including 1,200 that are already approved. Photo by Michael Amorosa

Paragon Real Estate Group and Save Mount Diablo are pleased to announce a creative new partnership to further the protection of the Mount Diablo area as the real estate industry depends on quality of place.

The beautiful natural open lands of the Mount Diablo area serve as the nourishing and distinguishing foundation for the East Bay’s communities – from affording us with outdoor recreational and educational opportunities, stunning scenic vistas, critical wildlife habitat, water resources, and local agriculture to making our area a desirable place to live, work and visit.

With this partnership Paragon Real Estate Group and Save Mount Diablo are putting into action the recognition that we cannot take our natural foundation and competitive economic advantage for granted.  According to At Risk: The Bay Area Greenbelt 2017: “Across the eight Bay Area counties addressed in this report, Contra Costa County has the most total land at risk; about one out of every five acres of threatened land in the region is in Contra Costa.  Contra Costa also has the most land at high risk, land that could be developed in the near term.”  Further, it is projected that about 2 million more people will move to the Bay Area by 2045 which will put further pressures on the natural resources of the Mount Diablo area.

Paragon Real Estate Group is the first real estate company in our area to join Save Mount Diablo’s new program for real estate professionals.  Under this program, Paragon will provide Save Mount Diablo membership gift packages to all its clients at closings and other special occasions.  This will provide a unique and meaningful way to welcome someone to their new community and get them involved with the local non-profit organization that is helping protect their recent real estate investment and quality of life through its efforts to conserve the lands of the Mount Diablo area. 

“We are grateful for Paragon’s leadership and long-term vision in stepping up to join Save Mount Diablo’s new program for real estate professionals,” said Ted Clement, Save Mount Diablo Executive Director. “The real estate industry can do much to help us protect the natural beauty of the Mount Diablo area for the benefit of all.”

“At Paragon, we believe in the value of open spaces. Even with the enormous pressure for housing in the bay area, it’s important that we focus as a business on what we can do to contribute to the overall quality of life for all of our residents,” added Hank Perry, President of Paragon Real Estate Group of Contra Costa. “Among the many reasons people choose to live here are the love of the mountain’s natural beauty, and the many places it provides us to enjoy outdoor recreation with our friends and family.  We know the mission of Save Mount Diablo contributes greatly to all of our residents in this regard, and we choose to support it.”

The Save Mount Diablo membership gift package menu that real estate professionals can choose from in putting together a gift for their clients at closings follows:

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, non-profit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide recreational opportunities consistent with the protection of natural resources. Located at 1901 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 320, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596. Learn more at www.savemountdiablo.org 

About Paragon Real Estate Group

Paragon Real Estate Group is known for representing the most beautiful homes in the Bay Area, but it is more than just a residential real estate company. Diverse by design, our breadth of expertise also covers investment, new developments, commercial, and leasing. Our agent bench is deep: we hire the right people and help turn them into solid, high-producing agents with second-to-none support and training resources. Located at 1400 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94109. Learn more at https://www.paragon-re.com/

Assemblywoman Baker’s child video testimony bill signed by Governor

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Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon) announced Governor Brown has signed her Assembly Bill 993.  This measure will expand the use of video testimony options for young children who are victims of heinous sex crimes, so they will not have to repeatedly relive trauma of the crime during court prosecution of the abuser.

Victims who are 15 years or younger or developmentally disabled have the ability to provide video and stenographic testimony in court in certain cases of sex abuse crimes. There are, however, specific crimes against minors where video and stenographic testimony is not allowed. Victims of aggravated sexual assault who are less than 14 years of age, and victims of unlawful sexual intercourse, sodomy, sexual penetration, and oral copulation under the age of 10 currently do not have the ability to request a video and stenographic testimony method when the abusers are prosecuted.  As a result, children who are victims to horrible sex crimes must relive the trauma of the crime at each stage of prosecution to hold their abuser accountable.

More psychological harm can be done to a child when the child is required to testify in a room full of strangers and to recall traumatic events again and again. AB 993 will ensure that children victims do not have to relive these traumatic events, but can have the option of videotaping their testimony once.

“This bill helps children who have suffered horrible abuse. They deserve our protection, and this bill will relieve further suffering and trauma,” said Baker.

AB 993 was sponsored by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and supported by CA District Attorneys Association, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Children’s Advocacy Centers of CA, Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County, Crime Victims United, LA County District Attorney’s Office, Moraga Police Department, Police Chiefs Association, and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. This bill received unanimous, bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly prior to receiving the Governor’s signature.

Baker represents the 16th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.

Reps. DeSaulnier, LaMalfa introduce bill to recognize Wildland Firefighters

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Washington, DC – Congressmen Mark DeSaulnier (D -CA11) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA1) issued the following statement after introducing H.R. 3907, the Federal Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act. This bill will direct the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to allow those who risk their lives fighting wildfires to be called “Wildland Firefighters.”

“Each year in California and around the country dedicated men and women put themselves in harm’s way to prevent, prepare for, and help fight the spread of wildfires. As thousands of acres currently burn in California, these specialized public servants deserve to be appropriately recognized as ‘Wildland Firefighters’ for helping to protect our landscape and the surrounding communities,” said DeSaulnier.

“Due to misguided forestry management practices that don’t allow for thinning and other prevention strategies, our forests are being consumed by wildfires at an alarming rate. Each year, thousands of firefighters risk their lives to protect our forests and property from the spread of these fires. They are known by titles such as ‘Wildland Technician’ and ‘Forestry Technician’ – vague terms that don’t reflect the scope of their duties. H.R. 3907 ensures these men and women are recognized by the proper title and terminology. When a destructive fire spreads quickly through woodlands, we call it a wildfire. When someone fights it, they deserve to be called a Wildland Firefighter,” said LaMalfa.

Since their establishment in 1910, 1,086 wildland firefighters have died protecting American homes, forests and National Parks from wildfires. Despite their dedication, these brave men and women are not able to call themselves Wildland Firefighters. Federal agencies instead use a variety of bureaucratic terms that do not reflect the dangerous work that these personnel do, such as “Wildland Technician” and “Forestry Technician.” H.R. 3907 directs OPM to develop a separate and distinct Wildland Firefighter occupational series for employees whose main duties and responsibilities are preparing for, reducing fuels for, and the suppression of wildfires.

Danville woman identified as victim in Friday morning Byron homicide

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Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff are continuing to investigate a homicide in Byron. The victim has been identified as 37-year-old Emily Courchesne of Danville. 

On Friday morning, October 6, 2017 at about 10:05, Deputies were dispatched to a “Medical – PD” call at a residence on the 24000 block of Marsh Creek Road in Byron. Deputies found Courchesne deceased inside the home. Detectives later determined it was a homicide. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday. 

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip lines at (925) 313-1166 or (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.

Assemblywoman Baker’s bill to protect victims of child abuse, human trafficking signed by Governor

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Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon) announced this week, Governor Jerry Brown has signed her Assembly Bill 953, which will help protect the privacy of victims of child abuse and domestic violence in court proceedings.

Many times, when a minor is the victim of sexual abuse, a restraining order is filed in civil court to prevent the situation from escalating before the matter is heard in a criminal court. This measure extends the privacy provisions already available for victims in criminal courts to those victims in family courts and for civil protective orders in civil court.

“This law removes a significant roadblock for some of our most vulnerable victims who need the assurance of confidentiality in order to fully access our court system and get protection from further or escalating violence and exploitation in cases involving domestic abuse and human trafficking,” says Dana Filkowski, Domestic Violence Supervisor of the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

Under this bill, victims and their guardians would be able to request that minor victim’s name, address, and circumstances surrounding the case are confidential in court documents. This bill gives judges in the civil setting the authority to order documents be filed under seal, and ensures that the sensitive information would be kept in a confidential case file available to law enforcement only for the purpose of enforcing the protective order.

“When working with teens who have experienced cyber-harassment or children who are victims of sexual abuse, we see how difficult and traumatizing it is for these children to seek and get help. We also see the clear need for them to keep their identity and what happened to them private and confidential. AB 953 recognizes the need to protect these children,” says Susun Kim, Executive Director of Contra Costa Family Justice Center.

Confidentiality is given to victims of sex crimes, human trafficking, child abuse, and domestic violence in criminal investigations and prosecution. This bill will allow these same protections to be extended to victims in civil lawsuits and investigations. Encouraging more access to and participation in these systems allows for early intervention and enhanced protections for victims whose cases still need protection from further escalating abuse.

“AB 953 will keep victims safer by keeping their information confidential. Victims deserve to feel safe using our system, and this bill will do that,” said Assemblywoman Baker.

AB 953 was supported by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Family Justice Center, Crime Victims United of California, California Sexual Assault Investigators Association, and the California Police Chiefs Association, Inc. This bill received unanimous, bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly prior to receiving the Governor’s signature.

Baker represents the 16th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.

 

Supervisors honor county accountant Ayore Riaunda for 20 years of service

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At the presentation were, from left, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Riaunda, Supervisors Diane Burgis and John Gioia, Contra Costa County Health Services Director Dr. William Walker and Supervisor Candace Andersen. Photo by Daniel Borsuk

By Daniel Borsuk

At their meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 26 the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized Ayore Riaunda, an accountant with the Contra Costa County Health Services Department, for 20 years of service.

At the presentation were Supervisor Karen Mitchoff,  Riaunda, Supervisors Diane Burgis and John Gioia, Contra Costa County Health Services Director Dr. William Walker and Supervisor Candace Andersen.

Since 2004 Riaunda has been a Certified Government Financial Manager by Association of Government Accountants, and has over 30 years of fiscal management and best practices experience. He earned a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Montclair State University, New Jersey, 1990.

Riaunda is a decorated military veteran serving honorably in the U.S. Navy, including as an Action Officer, Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist, and a Navy Reservist. He was awarded with four Navy Reserve Meritorious Service Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and five other Navy Medals.

Riaunda has lived in the county and Bay Area for 25 years. He ran unsuccessfully for Contra Costa County Auditor-Controller in 2014 against the incumbent, Robert Campbell.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Teachers from San Ramon Valley, West Contra Costa named county Teachers of the Year

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2017-18 Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year: Marissa Ware, San Ramon Valley USD & Paula Raj, West Contra USD. Photo by CoCo Office of Education

Close to 500 friends, family and colleagues attended the annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year (TOY) Dinner Gala at the Concord Hilton Hotel, on Thursday evening, Sept. 28 to see Marissa Ware and Paula Raj awarded with the 2017-18 honor. Ware teaches in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and Raj teaches in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The county TOY program is produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE).

After being named TOY by their respective Contra Costa County school districts, then passing a rigorous application screening, followed by a panel classroom observation and interview, and concluding with a speech presentation, the two winners will represent Contra Costa County as its 2017-2018 Teachers of the Year. Ware and Raj will then participate in the California State Teacher of the Year Program.

The festive evening included the 22 celebrated TOYs from throughout the county (see this year’s Class of 2017-2018), along with their families and friends, as well as numerous educators (K-college), business executives representing the sponsors, local government, and local political representatives. The El Cerrito High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Keith Johnson, provided the evening’s musical entertainment and Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Karen Sakata served as master of ceremonies.

Each of the four finalists, including Kari Stewart of the Walnut Creek School District and Tom Trowbridge of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, were introduced by a former student, with an inspiring five-minute speech – the same speeches given at the TOY Speech Presentations in early August.

This year’s two Contra Costa County TOYs join the long list of other finalists, dating back to the 1972-1973 school year.

Brian Helmick named Chief of East Contra Costa Fire Protection District

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ECCFPD Fire Chief Brian Helmick.

The Board of Directors of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is pleased to announce that Brian Helmick has accepted an offer to serve as Fire Chief, effective immediately.

At its meeting on October 2, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board of Directors voted unanimously to offer the permanent Fire Chief position to Helmick, who has been serving as Interim Fire Chief since March 31, 2017.

Chief Helmick started with the District as a firefighter in 2002. Chief Helmick successfully worked through the ranks and was promoted to Battalion Chief in July 2006, serving as the District’s Operations Chief leading up to his appointment as Interim Fire Chief.

Chief Helmick has offered the following statement on the appointment:

“I am honored and privileged to assume this role, to serve the Board and this community, and to lead and work alongside the firefighters and other hard-working professionals who provide fire and emergency response in this District every day and every night. I am honored that the Board has placed its trust in me – and in the support my family will provide to me as I take on this role in a permanent capacity. This is a tremendous opportunity and I do not take the responsibility lightly.”

“I look forward to working with the Board and the community to develop and implement a plan to provide even better fire services to this community, which I, too, call my home,” Helmick added.

“I am thrilled that Chief Helmick has accepted this position,” said Board President Joel Bryant. “It has been gratifying and immensely encouraging to see Chief Helmick’s development over these last 15 years, and especially over the last six months he has served as our Interim Chief. Today is a very good day for the District, and I expect many more good days under Chief Helmick’s leadership.”

The economic terms approved by the Board of Directors on March 6, 2017 for Helmick’s service as Interim Chief will remain in place while the District and Chief Helmick negotiate a new employment agreement, which will be presented for Board approval in the coming months.

For more information about the district visit www.eccfpd.org.

Two men arrested for August murder of San Francisco woman in Byron

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Aleli Avila. Photo by CoCoSheriff

Homicide Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff have arrested two suspects in the killing of 49-year-old Aleli Avila of San Francisco. Her body was found on a roadway on August 22, 2017, at about 3:50 PM, in the area of 500 Camino Diablo Road in Byron. (See related article)

Detectives on Tuesday arrested 44-year-old Alex Estrada of Antioch. He was arrested in Pittsburg. Estrada was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on a murder charge. The D.A.’s Office has since formally charged him. Estrada is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Friday morning Detectives arrested 60-year-old Rodolfo Manalo of San Francisco. He was arrested in Daly City. Manalo was booked on a murder charge. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Detectives worked continuously on the Avila murder investigation. They interviewed numerous people, collected evidence, and followed up on all leads. They were able to obtain arrest warrants for both Estrada and Manalo.

The investigation is ongoing. The motive is still being determined. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip lines at (925) 313-1166 or (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to:tips@so.cccounty.us.