Contra Costa Herald

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

Contra Costa Supervisors select first African-American and female District Attorney Diana Becton

By 2 Comments

Retired Judge Diane Becton. Courtesy of CCLawyer.cccba.org.

By Daniel Borsuk

On an initial split vote, Contra Costa County Supervisors picked Superior Court Judge Diana Becton to complete the nine remaining months of former Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson on Tuesday.

Supervisors initially made their preferences known on a 3-2 split vote, to pick Becton from a field of five well-qualified competitors, for the top county criminal prosecutor post that pays $21,415 a month. Supervisors John Gioia of Richmond who represents District 1 and Diane Burgis chose Becton, while Candace Andersen and Karen Mitchoff chose Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves. Board Chair Federal Glover broke the tie and stated his preference for Becton.

A few minutes later, supervisors voted to unanimously approve the selection of Becton as interim DA.

She has announced her retirement as judge in order to assume the DA position next Monday.

Becton, the first African American female judge to be selected by former California Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, will now become the first African American and first female in history to be in charge of the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, an office marred by scandal, most recently the June resignation of Peterson for illegally spending of $66,000 of his campaign funds over a five-year period for personal use, then not disclosing it on finance reports.  In 2008, the county DA office was rocked when deputy prosecutor Michael Gressett was charged with allegedly raping a female DA colleague.

Graves, who had won the endorsement from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Association and most all of the police officers associations in the county, has already announced his candidacy to run for the DA office in the June election. Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Patrick Vanier, another applicant for the interim post, has also announced his candidacy.  Vanier, who is running on a campaign of conducting a “comprehensive audit” of the department, did not draw a vote from any supervisor.

In addition to Vanier, Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Danielle Douglas, a former San Francisco prosecutor, did not attract any votes from supervisors, either.  Douglas portrayed a conservative management “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” style that may have turned off supervisors.

During the public hearing prior to the supervisors’ vote, Becton had scored the most support from 20 out of 40 speakers, many who had acknowledged the judge’s 22 years of criminal courtroom experience and progressive views about bail reform and the need to decrease the rising number of BART crimes, gang and freeway shootings.  Becton also earned the endorsement of the NAACP clergy, following the East County Branch’s public interview of the five applicants, last Saturday.

On the topic of plagiarizing material for her application for the post Becton admitted, “I did liberally copy from all sorts of sources.  I own those mistakes. But you have to look at my 22 years of service in this county of working with integrity to improve our criminal justice system.”

She also stated that she didn’t think U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) would have a problem with Becton’s use of her words.

Under questioning from supervisor Andersen, Contra Costa County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Kensok, a 30-year veteran of the DA office, also admitted he had copied material in his application without identifying his sources.

“I should have put in quotation marks, but I did not think of it,” he said. “There was no intent to deceive.  I’m sorry for the way it came out.”

So far Becton has not stated whether she will run in the 2018 election campaign for the full-time position.

Sheriff David Livingston chipped in a recommendation that supervisors might want to develop a duo DA position with Beckton/Kensok holding the post in a caretaking status until the June election. That idea did not draw any reaction from supervisors.

“There is need for change.  The department needs to be transparent,” said Glover of Pittsburg, who represents District 5. “We want the department to think differently, and Judge Beckton can bring that.”

On the initial vote, District 4 Supervisor Mitchoff voted for Graves because of his “integrity and extensive prosecution experience.” Later on the supervisor joined her colleagues to make the appointment of Becton unanimous on a second vote.

Andersen of Danville, who represents District 2, had also initially voted for Graves, but later voted to support Judge Becton. “We need to have a person who can restore public trust, public safety, and protect the mentally ill who enter our criminal justice system,” she said in support of Graves.

District 5 Supervisor Burgis of Oakley said, “My first choice is Judge Diane Becton.”  Burgis said Becton will promote diversity and that “she’s earned the trust of our community.”

Supervisors to Consider Rubicon Contract

In a related matter, supervisors will get an update at their Tuesday, Sept. 19 meeting on the status of a $408,750 contract with the non-profit ex-felon organization Rubicon Programs, Inc.

With the contract expiring at the end of September, a political tiff has developed between Livingston and Gioia, who had opposed the recently approved $70 million West County Detention Jail expansion in north Richmond, a major project of the sheriff.

The problem is the CCP panel is not scheduled to convene until November, too late to renew the Rubicon Contract for the West County Reentry Success Center.

Frazier’s “Jeff Belle” bill to increase penalties for ballot statement lies advances to Gov’s desk

By Leave a Comment

Jeff Belle, source Contra Costa County Board of Education

SACRAMENTO – The full Legislature has approved a bill by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) which would assess a financial penalty on candidates who lie on ballot statements when seeking political office. AB 894 now goes to the governor for his signature.

AB 894 would impose a fine of up to $5,000 if a candidate includes knowingly false information on statements they submit for inclusion on election ballots. The fine can be multiplied if an offender is convicted on associated criminal charges.

“Candidates who shamelessly lie to voters are committing fraud and they should pay the penalty,” Frazier said. “For many voters, the only information they may have about a candidate is what the candidate submits for a ballot statement. This is especially true in down-ballot races, such as the Board of Education, which usually don’t get a lot of media coverage.”

Frazier authored AB 894 after a Jeff Belle, a candidate elected to represent East County on the Contra Costa County Board of Education in 2014, was found to have blatantly lied about his qualifications, background and criminal record in the candidate statement he submitted for inclusion on the ballot. Instead of a punishment, the candidate received just an entry into a diversion program for offenders. The current fine for intentionally misleading voters on ballot statements is $1,000.

Tri Delta Transit adds new circulator bus in downtown Pittsburg

By Leave a Comment

They really do go everywhere, man!

The Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority known as the Tri Delta Transit bus system, is launching a new downtown circulator route serving the downtown Pittsburg area. New Route 381 begins service September 25, 2017 and will travel between the Pittsburg Marina, through downtown Pittsburg, to Los Medanos College. So, now like their TV ad states they really do go everywhere.

The new route will be the shortest and quickest route in the Tri Delta Transit system. From start to finish, the trip takes only 20 minutes and operates every 30 minutes. “This is a terrific route to access many downtown restaurants and shops as well as big-name stores, and shopping centers in Pittsburg,” said Director of Marketing, Mike Furnary. “Route 381 will provide service to popular destinations including Los Medanos College, Wal-Mart, Atlantic Plaza, Pittsburg Health Center, The East Contra Costa Clinic, downtown Pittsburg, Pittsburg Marina, Pittsburg High School (Railroad Ave at School St.), City Park, Pittsburg Senior Center, Pittsburg Courthouse, and Pittsburg Library.” New Route 381 operates 22 times every day, Monday thru Friday. New bus stops will be added along Railroad Avenue in downtown Pittsburg offering pick up and drop off just steps away from many downtown restaurants and shops. New bus stops will be located on Railroad at 5th Street and 8th Street.

Route 381 will eventually serve Pittsburg Center BART, currently under construction. “For those in the area who currently use another bus route to Pittsburg Bay Point BART, they might be better served by Route 381 once the new station is operational,” said Furnary.

Route 381 is being introduced along with a newly revised schedule going into effect on September 24, 2017. In addition to new Route 381, one-time change is being made to the schedule. “We’ve made one adjustment to our Clockwise Route 383 serving Oakley and Antioch,” said Furnary. “This change will allow an earlier arrival at Freedom High School in Oakley, making Route 383 Clockwise a more reliable option for Freedom students.” Times on all other routes will not change from the previous schedule. To see times Route 381 will operate and all other bus schedules and times, visit Tri Delta Transit’s Web site at www.trideltatransit.com. New printed schedules will be available on buses the week of September 18, 2017.

Tri Delta Transit was named small bus operator of the year in 2014 by the American Public Transportation Association, the national representative for public transportation in Washington DC. They provide over 3,000,000 trips each year to a population of over 250,000 residents in the 225 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. They operate 13 local bus routes Monday – Friday, 4 local bus routes on weekends, door-to-door bus service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and shuttle services to community events. For additional information about Tri Delta Transit, please visit www.trideltatransit.com.

County Sheriff’s Detectives seek Oakley man as suspect in attempted homicide

By Leave a Comment

Antonio Morales. Photo courtesy of CCCSheriff

Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff are looking for 22-year-old Antonio Morales of Oakley in connection to an attempted homicide incident in Byron.

At about 2:04 AM on September 2, 2017, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of a shooting on the 3000 block of Taylor Road in Bryon. Callers also reported an unknown suspect speeding through a parking lot with his vehicle aimed toward a group of people. Initial reports indicated the vehicle, a Nissan Maxima, struck numerous people, shots had been fired and several people were injured.

The suspect vehicle fled the scene. Two people were hit by the car. They were treated and released from the hospital. Detectives later identified Morales, the driver, as the suspect. There is a warrant for his arrest for two counts of attempted murder.

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

Laser-equipped drone helps improve safety, efficiency on Hwy 4 improvement project

By Leave a Comment

Screenshot from drone video of construction work at the Highway 4 and Balfour Road interchange in Brentwood, Tues., Sept. 12, 2017. Courtesy of Alta Vista Solutions.

Emerging drone technology moves construction and engineering into the future

On Tuesday morning, September 12, 2017, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and Alta Vista Solutions showcased two emerging technologies on a construction project aimed to improve commutes on Highway 4 in Brentwood (aka the Bypass). Engineers piloted drones equipped with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) lasers–a surveying tool that uses a laser to create high-resolution geographical data.

The combination of the two emerging technologies has never been done in construction before and opens untold possibilities for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and related jobs in the future.  CCTA featured the system in action by providing a live feed of a drone flight.  The feed from this morning’s drone flight can be viewed at altavistasolutions.com/media – bar .

With assistance from engineering firm Alta Vista Solutions (Alta Vista), who proposed the new method, CCTA is flying the LiDAR scanners to measure the volumes of earth that need to be moved during this $74-million project to rework the Balfour Road interchange. The drones ensure that the cut-and-fill earthwork goes efficiently. With LiDAR’s pinpoint accuracy, CCTA can now make needed calculations and monitor site conditions faster, eliminating the unavoidable guesswork involved in manual surveys. Putting LiDAR on drones gathers 15 gigabytes of precise, high-quality data per month, cutting down drastically on time spent surveying. The drones also improve safety by taking workers out of live traffic.

Drone capabilities enable CCTA to track construction progress firsthand as work on Highway 4 continues.

“We are always looking for new ways to increase safety and efficiency on construction projects,” said CCTA Executive Director Randy Iwasaki. “Drones give us aerial views of the site that were hard to come by before, making it safer for surveyors to do their job and helping us manage the large volumes of dirt that are being used to improve this intersection. This technology also allows us to monitor environmentally sensitive areas without disturbing the habitat.”

“This will change engineering and surveying,” said Ed Greutert, principal engineer at Alta Vista Solutions. “Innovations like combining LiDAR and UAVs are opening doors in infrastructure and making us efficient, effective, and safe in ways we couldn’t achieve before.”

Greutert also addresses fears of job loss as automation increases. “Using technology to do the surveying work can lead people to ask if this is the next step to the robot apocalypse – are drones going to take our jobs?” he speculates. “Not quite. It’s going to change jobs. It’s going to create new jobs in technology—and in the Balfour Road case, help people get to work faster.”

CCTA has faced challenges in being the first to test these technologies together.

“This has never been done. LiDAR on a UAV hasn’t worked until now – there are huge possibilities if we can be creative enough to really tap into them,” Greutert noted.

Handling the unprecedented quantity of data generated has also posed a challenge. However, in recent months, the team has succeeded in processing the hundreds of gigabytes collected.

“There are always challenges to pioneering new technology,” Iwasaki said. “But with the benefits this technology can provide in terms of keeping workers safe and managing a complicated construction project, I believe we’ll start to see more widespread use of drones on construction sites within a few years – especially as we discover new applications that can help save time and money. Right now, CCTA is excited to be leading efforts in this new frontier.”

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts.  CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go.  CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable.  More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.

About Alta Vista Solutions

Alta Vista is a California-based engineering firm that has been recognized as the 20th fastest-growing engineering firm in America by Inc. 5000 and was named by Zweig Group as one of America’s Hot Firms. Alta Vista has quickly differentiated itself by performing customized quality management strategies for some of the most complex infrastructure projects in the world. Over the past decade, Alta Vista has worked with public and private organizations to complete large-scale engineering projects that better serve their regions. Known for engineering services that include engineering, inspection, testing, unmanned aerial systems, quality management, and structural health monitoring, Alta Vista has grown and diversified and has been acknowledged in 2017 by ENR Magazine and other media outlets for using innovative solutions and technologies to deliver infrastructure projects faster, better and more cost effectively.  For more information about Alta Vista, visit altavistasolutions.com.

Contra Costa Young Democrats blast Trump Administration for ending DACA program

By Leave a Comment

Nearly one million people across the country to face deportation unless Congress acts

On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the Trump Administration announced the end of DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This compassionate program allowed undocumented children and youth brought to America the opportunity to pursue the American Dream. These strivers are our friends, classmates, coworkers and community members who don’t have any other place they call home.

“We must fight to preserve and expand the American Dream,” said Jonathan Bash, President of the Contra Costa Young Democrats. “DACA has provided an opportunity for nearly one million children across the country to come out of the shadows and participate fully and freely in American society. To see their legal status ripped away is heartbreaking.

“We urge the Republican-led Congress to pass permanent legislation that will rescind this cruel decision by Donald Trump. We also call on all California state and local officials to announce their support for Dreamers, and resist any efforts by the federal government to target our law-abiding immigrant population.”

The DACA program was never presented as a permanent solution, but it was a way to protect deserving residents who have not called any other nation their home. Local Democrats, including the Contra Costa Young Democrats, believe that this move is a senselessly destructive action delivered by a xenophobic and divisive president who should have instead demonstrated care and compassion.

“Immigrants are America’s past, present and future. We cannot let fear and prejudice become the law of the land. The Contra Costa Young Democrats stand with our immigrant brothers and sisters, and will continue fighting on their behalf.”

BREAKING NEWS: Retired Judge Diana Becton appointed Interim Contra Costa District Attorney

By 2 Comments

Retired Judge Diana Becton. Courtesy of CCLawyer.cccba.org.

Three County Supervisors prefered retired Judge Diana Becton as Interim Contra Costa District Attorney over Supervising Deputy DA Paul Graves. Supervisors Gioia, Burgis and Glover favored Becton, while Andersen and Mitchoff favored Graves. 

However, they then voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to appoint Becton who starts in her new job next Monday. She will be the first woman and as an African-American, Judge Becton will be the first person of color to hold the position.
Please check back later for more details.

County Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan Update available for public review, input

By Leave a Comment

Comment Period Runs from September 1 – 15, 2017

Your input is welcomed as Contra Costa County and our regional planning partners have now completed a draft update to the County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. In November 2016, a coalition of Contra Costa County cities and special districts embarked on a planning process to prepare for, and lessen the impacts of, specified natural hazards by updating the County’s Plan. Responding to federal mandates in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), the partnership was formed to pool resources and to create a uniform hazard mitigation strategy that can be consistently applied to the defined planning area and used to ensure eligibility for specified grant funding success.

The County and regional planning partners invite residents and other stakeholders to review and comment on the recently completed draft update. The 14-day public review period of the Draft Plan began on September 1st and ends on September 15th, at 5:00 p.m. You can attend one of the public meeting below to hear a brief presentation regarding the Draft Plan; you can also offer public comment at the meeting:

September 12, 2017  4:00 PM 7:00 PM

San Ramon City Hall, 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA 94583

Members of the Public can also provide written comments of the draft plan via the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan website, which can be found at: http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/6415/Local-Hazard-Mitigation-Plan. The Plan contains two volumes:

  • Volume 1 contains components that apply to all partners and the broader planning area.
  • Volume 2 contains all components that are jurisdiction-specific. Each planning partner has a dedicated annex in Volume 2.

Please direct your comments and questions on the HMP to Rob Flaner, Tetra Tech, Inc. at: rob.flaner@tetratech.com<mailto:rob.flaner@tetratech.com>, or (208)939-4391.

Dow Chemical seeks organizations to apply for annual STEM grant

By Leave a Comment

Discovery Bay Odyssey of the Mind students benefited by the 2016 Dow CAP Grant. Photo courtesy of Dow Chemical Pittsburg.

Deadline for applications is Monday, Sept. 18

Do you know a local non-profit in need of funding? Tell them about the 2017 Dow Community Advisory Panel (CAP) Grant. We invite eligible organizations in East Contra Costa County to submit grant proposals for projects supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and contribute to improving our community and environment.

Last year, the Dow Community Grant helped our friends at Discovery Bay Odyssey of the Mind prepare for their trip to the Odyssey of the Mind Eurofest competition in Minks, Belarus. The teams, consisting of 8th graders from Excelsior Middle and 5th graders from Discovery Bay Elementary, took home 1st and 2nd place trophies from the GLOBAL competition.

We continue to support STEM/STEAM organizations this year with our 2017 CAP Grant. Apply today. Deadline to apply is September 18.

Don’t …miss out on this opportunity to do great things for your organization. #STEM #STEAM #Grant #ContraCostaCounty

For questions, contact Taylor Gonzalez at tgonzalez2@dow.com. More info: http://www.dow.com/pittsburg/community/cap/ Apply here: http://www.cybergrants.com/dow/applications/open

 

Rep. DeSaulnier invites high school students to attend “Service Academy Nights” in Richmond, Pleasant Hill in Sept.

By Leave a Comment

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced he will host two upcoming “Service Academy Nights” in Pleasant Hill and Richmond. All students living in the Eleventh Congressional District of California who would like to apply to one of the nation’s premier service academies are invited to attend.

At each of the events, service academy representatives will be on hand to speak with interested students, including members from the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Military Academy (aka West Point). Service academy representatives will give presentations, and Congressman DeSaulnier’s staff will provide a briefing on the nomination process.

Students who wish apply to a service academy must ensure a completed application is received by Congressman DeSaulnier’s office no later than October 31, 2017.

Richmond Service Academy Night Thursday, September 14, 2017 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Richmond City Council Chambers 440 Civic Center Plaza First Floor Richmond, CA 94804

Pleasant Hill Service Academy Night Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Diablo Valley College The Diablo Room, 3rd Floor HFS Building 321 Golf Club Road Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Details: A map of DVC’s campus can be found here.

For more information on applying to any of the service academies or to RSVP, please contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office at ca11.rsvp@mail.house.gov or (925) 933-2660.