News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California
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Supervisor Federal Glover was there for our firefighters and our residents during the massive fires we experienced the last couple of years. We wholeheartedly support Supervisor Glover’s re-election and look forward to working closely with him for another term.
About 35 people participated in the No Coal In Richmond rally on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. Photo by David Sharples of ACCE.
By Janet Johnson
A public rally was held Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. in front City Hall in Richmond to oppose the Terminal and allied groups’ attempts to buy seats on the Richmond City Council. It was attended by about 35 people. The Levin-Richmond Terminal Corporation has so far donated $25,000 to city council candidates – including Vinay Pimplé, Eleanor Thompson, and Ahmad Anderson – whom it hopes will vote to overturn the ordinance phasing out coal and petroleum coke storage and handling at the Terminal. In addition, the company gave the maximum allowable contribution directly to Anderson’s campaign. The current city council adopted the ordinance after a successful two-year campaign by No Coal in Richmond, health professionals, and other environmental and community groups. Now, the Levin-Richmond Terminal has joined developers and others in trying to buy seats on the Richmond City Council.
Election buying in Richmond is nothing new. The city has suffered for decades as big industries have poured money into campaigns for candidates who will support their interests, including Chevron’s unsuccessful attempt to buy 2014 city races. However, No Coal in Richmond and allies from Alliance of Californians for Community Action (ACCE Action) the Sunflower Alliance, Asian Pacific Environmental Network Action (APEN Action), Communities for a Better Environment Action (CBE Action), and SEIU Local 1021 are actively opposing this attempt to subvert the political process.
According to the No Coal in Richmond website: “Toxic dust from coal and petroleum coke (pet coke) is polluting our neighborhoods. Richmond CA residents living and working near the Levin-Richmond Terminal see this dust outside on our cars and windowsills. What we don’t see are the microscopic harmful substances going deep into our lungs. They’re in the air we breathe, in our homes, and where we work and play.
Richmond residents and workers cannot continue to be exposed to high levels of toxic coal and pet coke dust. We already suffer from elevated levels of asthma, heart disease, and other health problems caused by bad air quality.
To make Richmond a healthier place to live, we need to end the storage and handling of coal and pet coke at the Levin-Richmond Terminal.
The Richmond Coal Ordinance establishes a fair process, gradually phasing out coal and poisonous petroleum coke and relying on the city’s legal authority to protect us.”
Photo from wirth4mequon.com.
By Allen Payton
For those who want to vote in person at a polling place and not mail in their ballot, there’s good news. The Contra Costa Elections Division is providing both 150 polling places throughout the county, and 17 Regional Early Voting Sites, beginning Friday, Oct. 30, as well.
“The model that we’re using for polling places in the November election is the same as in the March election and the November 2018 election,” said Contra Costa County Assistant Registrar of Voters, Scott Konopasek. “The locations may have moved around a bit based on the availability of sites for the polling places.”
“If a voter wants to know where to go to vote at the polls, they can visit our website at cocovote.us, click on Am I Registered, then in the search box type in their name and birthdate and it will tell you everything you need to know about the election,” he continued. (Or click here.)
There will also be Regional Early Voting Sites the weekend before Election Day, beginning Friday, Oct. 30.
“You’re not assigned to any particular one and you can vote at any of them, using the exact ballot for you,” Konopasek added.
| Friday, October 30 11am – 7pm | Saturday, October 31 9am – 5pm | Monday, November 2 11am – 7pm |
| REV Sites | ||
| Building Name | Address | City |
| Stone Valley Rd Chapel* | 2949 Stone Valley Rd | Alamo |
| Antioch Water Park | 4701 Lone Tree Way | Antioch |
| Somersville Town Center* | 2550 Somersville Rd | Antioch |
| Ambrose Community Center | 3105 Willow Pass Rd | Bay Point |
| Cornerstone Fellowship* | 6641 Lone Tree Way | Brentwood |
| Clarion Hotel | 1050 Burnett Ave | Concord |
| El Rancho Restaurant* | 1450 Monument Blvd | Concord |
| St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church* | 1955 Kirker Pass Rd | Concord |
| El Cerrito Community Center | 7007 Moeser Ln | El Cerrito |
| Veterans Memorial Building* | 3780 Mt Diablo Blvd | Lafayette |
| Moraga Library* | 1500 Saint Marys Rd | Moraga |
| Best Western Plus Delta Inn* | 5549 Bridgehead Rd | Oakley |
| Hyatt House Pleasant Hill | 2611 Contra Costa Blvd | Pleasant Hill |
| Hilltop Mall Parking Lot* | 2200 Hilltop Mall Rd. | Richmond |
| Richmond Memorial Auditorium | 403 Civic Center Plaza | Richmond |
| Amador Rancho Community Center | 1998 Rancho Park Loop | San Ramon |
| Heather Farms Park* | 301 N San Carlos Drive | Walnut Creek |
Currently, voters can drop off their ballot at multiple locations throughout the county at both 24-hour sites and indoor sites during business hours.
| Contra Costa County Indoor Drop Boxes Available During Business Hours* | |||
| Clayton City Hall | 6000 Heritage Trail, Floor 3 | Clayton | Mon – Fri, 9am-5pm |
| Pittsburg City Hall | 65 Civic Avenue | Pittsburg | Mon – Fri, 8am-5pm |
| San Pablo Library | 13751 San Pablo Ave | San Pablo | Tues, 1pm-8pm Wed-Thurs, 11am-6pm Fri-Sat, 10am-5pm |
| San Ramon City Hall | 7000 Bollinger Canyon Rd | San Ramon | Mon – Fri, 8:30am-5pm |
| Alcosta Senior and Community Center | 9300 Alcosta Blvd | San Ramon | Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm |
| San Ramon Permit Center | 2401 Crow Canyon Road | San Ramon | Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm |
*Hours shown may vary. Check directly with the location for current hours.
Dear Editor
I find it interesting that Jovita Mendoza routinely misrepresents Councilmember Claudette Staton’s positions on the important issues in our neighborhood.
Councilmember Staton voted, along with all the other council members, to put Measure L on the ballot to let the voters decide whether or not to proceed with the development and I think Ms. Mendoza would be happy that the voters rejected the development.
Ms. Mendoza knows – because she received an opinion on it – that per the California Political Reform Act, Councilmember Staton has to recuse herself from deliberations and votes on the proposed oil and gas drilling and the Bridal Gate development and recent zoning decisions. Bridal Gate will come before the Council in Feb. 2021.
Councilwoman Staton, as a private citizen, has stated that she is opposed to the oil and gas drilling.
If Ms. Mendoza continues to misrepresent facts how can we trust her on council?
JoAnn Klement
Brentwood
Pittsburg Police Officers Association representatives with Janell Proctor. Photo: Proctor for Assembly campaign.
Assembly candidate, Janell Proctor, is extremely honored to receive the endorsement of the Pittsburg Police Officer’s Association for her race in District 14 which encompasses portions of Contra Costa, Solano, and Napa counties.
“Several months ago, the Pittsburg Police Officer’s Association was introduced to Janell Proctor who indicated she was running for California State Assembly, District 14. Ms. Proctor showed empathy and compassion for the tough challenges currently facing public safety. Unlike many current political candidates, Ms. Proctor stated that before she could formulate effective solutions to these complicated issues, she needed to fully understand a policing perspective. Ms. Proctor spent countless hours on multiple occasions engaging our association in dialogue for positive change. Ms. Proctor participated in ride-a-longs where she eagerly engaged our officers about important topics such as departmental and community relations, our current homelessness crisis, mental health awareness and de-escalation options. In a time where many politicians are selling solutions absent of a sincere investment towards first fully understanding the problem, Ms. Proctor stood alone in her approach. The Pittsburg Police Officer’s Association firmly believes that through her hard work, genuine dialogue and a logical approach Janell Proctor is exactly the leadership that our community needs in these unprecedented times. We are truly honored to provide our endorsement to her candidacy and fully support her compassionate approach towards supporting our community.” – Pittsburg Police Officer’s Association
Proctor is challenging incumbent Tim Grayson who is seeking his third term in the Assembly. The Contra Costa County portion of District 14 includes Concord, Clayton, Clyde, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Bay Point and Pittsburg. For information on her campaign visit proctor4assembly.com.
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney
Cynthia Battenberg Moraga Town Manager. From Town of Moraga website.
Recently, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office became aware of a website allegedly run by “Citizens for a Fair East Bay” with false and misleading information regarding town officials in the Town of Moraga and our Office’s involvement with these officials.
Moreover, this anonymous website proclaims a complaint was filed regarding the Town Manager of Moraga. This statement is misleading – our Office has not filed any criminal or civil actions against the Town Manager. Further, the use of our Office logo and website was not authorized by our Office in this manner.
In September, our Office’s public corruption unit received a confidential request to investigative a potential crime. A thorough investigation was conducted, and no further enforcement action was deemed warranted. The matter was closed – no action is being taken by our Office regarding the Town Manager of Moraga.
Asked who handled the investigation and what it entailed, Alonso responded, “DDA Steve Bolen is the attorney who handles these types of cases. We do not comment about the specifics of an investigation like this.”
Further questions were sent to Alonso asking if after an investigation has been completed the DA’s office can’t share how they determined that the claims are baseless and if the evidence isn’t public. He responded, “it will depend on the investigation but generally for these types of investigations we do not comment. Given the website contained false information we felt we had to issue some sort of public statement.”
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
ECCFPD Battalion Chief Gil Guerrero, Vice President, United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230.
Brentwood Vice Mayor Joel Bryant. Photo: Bryant for Mayor campaign.
Brentwood Vice Mayor Joel Bryant announced, Wednesday he has received the backing of the firefighters of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District in his race for Mayor of Brentwood.
“When it comes to fire service Joel Bryant has demonstrated great leadership through difficult times, as president of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board of Directors,” said ECCFPD Battalion Chief Gil Guerrero, Vice President of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230. “We’ve been working with Joel since he started serving on the Board and he’s made the right decisions for the benefit of the residents. His experience will benefit the families of Brentwood. We fully endorse and support Joel Bryant for Mayor.”
Bryant responded to the support by thanking the firefighters.
“I greatly appreciate the support of the men and women firefighters of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, who put their lives on the line to protect our residents and businesses, every day,” he said. “It’s been an honor to work with them through the years as a member and president of the fire board. I will continue to work with our firefighters and the residents of Brentwood to ensure we have the fire service we need, including at least one more fire station in our city.”
Bryant has served on the Brentwood City Council since 2010 and for seven of those years he was elected by his fellow council members to serve as Vice Mayor. For more information visit his website at www.Bryant4Brentwood.com or email him at joel@bryant4brentwood.com.
Fernando Sandoval, candidate for the Contra Costa Community College District in Ward 5 announced he has received the endorsement of the United Faculty of all three of the district’s colleges. Following is the letter received by his campaign: United Faculty letter-for-Fernando-Sandoval
September 22, 2020
The United Faculty of 4CD is proud to endorse Fernando Sandoval for Community College Board (Ward 5).
Fernando is an outstanding community leader who will represent students and parents with integrity and help protect the financial future of Los Medanos College, as well as Diablo Valley and Contra Costa colleges.
Electing Fernando Sandoval this year is crucial for our colleges and students. We need change to return our board to ethical, student-centered leadership. Our faculty trust Fernando to put student interests first and to work with managers, staff and professors to provide the best quality education possible with the resources we have.
Unlike the incumbent trustee, Fernando’s approach will be practical, ethical and collaborative. Fernando will help bring groups together in the community and in our district to serve students better.
Faculty support Fernando because we need trustees who will protect district finances and make good financial decisions. We need trustees like Fernando who are driven to support the mission of our colleges and who will provide oversight with integrity.
We support Fernando because of his lifelong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Fernando will be a champion for students, a true community representative, and a partner in leading our colleges forward. Fernando understands the crucial role that community colleges play in our communities. Fernando will help our colleges drive economic recovery and social mobility in Contra Costa County. He will help make sure our resources are allocated wisely and fairly, and he’ll stand up for students against the petty personal politics that have led to so many ethical violations and bad decisions from the current Board.
Jeffrey Michels, Ph.D.
Executive Director, UF of 4CD
Sandoval is challenging incumbent Greg Enholm who is seeking his third term on the board. The election is November 3.
The League of Women Voters of California Education Fund and MapLight have launched Voter’s Edge, an unbiased online guide to elections covering federal, state, and local races in California. Voter’s Edge provides top-to-bottom ballot and campaign finance information in one easy-to-use site.
Using Voter’s Edge, you can:
How does it work? Enter your zip code and your street address to access your complete ballot. Your address information is confidential. We are nonpartisan, nonprofit, and do not sell information. Privacy policy.
By John Crowder
Today is Labor Day. It’s a day to celebrate the workers of America, those who have helped our country to become the greatest nation on earth by showing up every day and getting the job done…whatever that job might be.
Labor Day also marks a political milestone. It is the unofficial start to campaign season, as those running for elected office ramp up operations to get their message out to voters.
Unfortunately, now more than ever, it is also the time when disinformation, lies, and omissions are pushed on social media and on “news” programs.
We have already seen this with the latest smear of President Donald Trump in a recent magazine article. In the article, it is claimed that the president is disdainful of veterans, and that he made remarks indicating such. Those pushing this ridiculous narrative ignore the fact that several people who were present where this supposedly took place have said the story is false, and that people with no love lost for Trump have discussed the event in depth and provided a completely different story.
The sad fact is, leftists in this country hate the president, hate America, hate law enforcement, and, if you support any of them, they hate you. They also hate the military, which makes the narrative they are pushing even more absurd, as they stake their claim for righteous indignation.
But we do not need to wonder who to believe. As the adage states, “Actions speak louder than words.” When you hear statements…and you’ll hear a lot more of them…about the president saying this or that, stop for a moment, and consider the actions of those making the claims, and compare them with the actions of the president.
President Trump has been the greatest friend to men and women who are serving, and who have served, in the military that they have ever had. Just a few of his accomplishments include:
Trump’s opponents also have a record. A record of lying to a FISA court to obtain bogus warrants on members of Trump’s campaign team (including veterans), a record of lying about a “Russian conspiracy,” a record of lying about, and impeaching the President on, the Ukraine hoax, lying about Trump statements, and running a nonstop “orange man bad” narrative with their propaganda arm, the mainstream media.
Behind this latest nefarious hoax are two things. First, as I have already mentioned, is an intense hatred of the president and those that support him. Second, a desire to put doubt in the mind of Trump supporters, those who can see with their own eyes what the president has done for them, and to suppress their votes.
So, no matter what you hear over the next two months, remember the adage, “Actions speak louder than words,” then take a minute to look at what actions each side has taken. Your choice will be clear.
Crowder is a former reporter for the Herald.
