Contra Costa Herald

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

24 arrested, 6 stolen cars and items recovered in San Pablo

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Two stolen cars and items recovered, and fake gun discovered in one of the vehicles by San Pablo Police. Photos: SPPD

By San Pablo Police Department

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work

It was another busy week for officers in San Pablo, as they remained proactive protecting the city. This tremendous effort resulted in 24 arrests and the recovery of six stolen cars! A few snippets for those of you who are curious…

The other day, officers found bad guy driving a stolen car through town. The driver was arrested, and he was found to have thousands of dollars, a cash drawer, gloves, a mask, a fake pistol, bolt cutters and gift cards to FBI Burger in Novato. We decided to call our friends at Novato Police to help put the puzzle pieces together, and sure enough, found out a couple of businesses in Marin County had been recently broken into!

Earlier last week, a few guys tried to steal beer from a local liquor store without paying. When the clerk tried to stop them, they threatened him with a knife and tried to stab him. Thanks to the quick response of our officers, all three men were located and arrested.

On Friday, Feb. 9, officers found another bad guy in a stolen car parked at Nations, which was just stolen from El Cerrito. The thief tried to run but he was quickly apprehended with the help of our four-legged friend, K-9 Riddik. The owner was reunited with her Prius.

To wrap it all up, on Saturday, officers stopped a car wanted by Dixon Police for organized retail theft. Lo and behold, a bunch of stolen loot was located, and the crooks were identified, one of which had a warrant. Needless to say, their getaway vehicle was towed.

This would not have been possible without the partnership and support of our community and fellow law enforcement friends!

 

West Contra Costa USD school psychologists claim burnout due to consistent staff shortages

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A group of WCCUSD school psychologists at a union contract rally in 2023. Courtesy of John Zabala. Source: EdSource.org

By Cara Nixon, EdSource.org – Republished with permission

West Contra Costa Unified School District’s school psychologist internship program once flourished. The district recruited from substantial applicant pools from local universities and provided a strong start for beginning school psychologists entering the workforce, often retaining them after the internships ended.

Now, however, in the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WCCUSD is struggling to recruit interns and fill vacant school psychologist positions. This means psychologists, considered essential pieces of school environments, are carrying larger case loads and working longer hours, leading to burnout.

WCCUSD, like other districts across the state, is no stranger to staff shortages — the district started the 2023-24 academic year with more than 200 special education paraprofessional vacancies. The shortages have persisted, and on Jan. 31, Public Advocates, a nonprofit civil rights law firm, filed three complaints with the district, alleging some schools failed to provide students with qualified teachers because of problems related to staffing shortages.

School psychologists fill a critical role in school communities, collaborating with administration, teachers and parents to ensure students are succeeding academically, emotionally and behaviorally.

West Contra Costa has struggled with five to seven school psychologist vacancies for the past couple of years. Halfway through the current school year, the district is still dealing with three.

“We’re going to weather, this obviously, but we still have a couple of years in which we are going to have a really significant shortage, and we’re going to have a really significant increase in the demand for services, so we’re kind of in for a little bit of a scary period,” said John Zabala, a school psychologist in the district and the president of United Teachers of Richmond.

California is generally facing a critical shortage of school psychologists. According to the California Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of 1 school psychologist for 500 to 750 students. However, California schools on average have 1 per 1,000 students. Some schools have 1 per 3,000 students.

Although WCCUSD’s ratio falls into the recommended range at around 1 school psychologist per 500-550 students, school psychologists in the district still face large caseloads and longer work days, contributing to burnout.

Some districts compensate for shortages by hiring contractors or traveling school psychologists. Emily Springhart, department co-chair of psychology at West Contra Costa, however, said the district has preferred increasing the caseload of school psychologists and extending their work days to deal with the shortage.

“A lot of the report writing and the case management — those things just go home with people,” Springhart said. “I’m sure it’s not great for their own personal health.”

Schools have seen a substantial increase in the number of students requiring mental health and behavioral resources in recent years. In April 2022, 69% of public schools reported that the percentage of students seeking mental health services had increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Covid-19 disrupted early intervention for many students, leading to an increase in the number of students needing support, while the staff who would be able to support them, like school psychologists, have not.

Mary Campbell, a WCCUSD school psychologist and former department chair, said she worries about what the shortages and the resulting burnout could mean for the longevity of the profession.

Springhart said the school psychologist shortage seems to be caused by the same factors triggering shortages of other school staff: inevitable events like retirement, but also financial hardship, forcing people to move out of parts of California with high costs of living.

But another cause lies in the declining number of incoming applicants from universities that typically feed into districts like WCCUSD. Springhart said the number has steadily declined, despite the district having a long and strong history of hiring school psychologists from those programs.

“It seems like all of the districts are kind of fighting over everybody right now, just because there’s not enough people coming out of programs,” Springhart said.

Oanh Tran, school psychology program coordinator for California State University, East Bay, said she’s actually seen an increase of applicants to the program in recent years. But because the Bay Area is home to so many school districts, there aren’t enough school psychologists to go around.

“We have so many districts, so many schools, and just a handful of students are graduating with their PPS (Pupil Personnel Services) credential to service those schools and districts,” Tran said.

Tran said new school psychologists are also experiencing burnout earlier in their careers. Not only are they dealing with more assessment caseloads, but they’re also spending their days putting out fires likely caused by a lack of early intervention.

The best districts, Tran said, prioritize monitoring the needs of their school psychologists, ensuring they have access to helpful mentors, have a manageable caseload, and feel supported by their team. Students are being strategic about finding districts that provide these resources, Tran explained.

“In West Contra Costa, I do remember there was a time where they did have a lot of our practicum and interns,” Tran said. “But now, I think because there are so many districts that are recruiting our students, it’s competitive. It’s so competitive. We only have so many students in our cohort, but we have over 50 districts now participating in our recruitment fair for our students.”

Although West Contra Costa offers competitive pay, especially after salary increases last year, Springhart agreed the shortage has been a regional issue, extending beyond the district. She said more education and recruitment about the profession may be necessary to increase the number of applicants to school psychologist programs.

“I think there are ways that we know that we can attract and keep people in these jobs, which can be very rewarding jobs,” Campbell said, “but not when we’re so under-resourced.”

West Contra Costa Unified fails to provide qualified teachers, complaints allege

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By Monica Velez, EdSource – Republished with permission

Three complaints have been filed last week with the West Contra Costa Unified School District alleging some schools failed to provide students with qualified teachers, according to Public Advocates, a nonprofit civil rights law firm.

Attorneys have discovered numerous teacher vacancies at Stege Elementary School, Helms Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School, according to the complaints. There’s also been a pattern of filling vacancies with long-term substitutes, which attorneys say is illegal.

Although teacher shortages are a national problem, West Contra Costa is facing more vacancies than surrounding districts, said Karissa Provenza, a law fellow at Public Advocates. If the district can’t fill vacancies, officials need to “take advantage of the numerous lawful options for filling vacancies with emergency yearlong teachers instead of subs,” she said.

“Beyond the emergency fixes, the district and the state need to boldly invest in sustainable solutions to attract and retain teachers from within the community who reflect the diverse backgrounds of their students,” Provenza added.

Teacher vacancies are not only undermining quality instruction for students, attorneys said, but they’re placing burdens on educators in the district by relying on them to fill vacant classes and passing students along.

“Some (students) have gone several years in a row being assigned to a class without a permanent, qualified teacher,” said Jeremiah Romm, a complainant and educator who has taught at Helms Middle School for 16 years, in a statement. “It becomes difficult to convince students that this district cares about their success, and I don’t know if I believe that myself.”

Educator vacancies have kept Sam Cleare, a complainant and educator at Stege Elementary School for seven years, from collaborating with other teachers and focusing on instruction. Cleare said there have been times when 10 or more students are placed in classrooms for multiple days because of the lack of substitutes.

“Working over the contractual limit of students is unacceptable,” Cleare said. “It is impossible for students to learn or for me to teach with these conditions. I have had to speak with many parents and explain that their child hasn’t had a teacher for multiple years. These conversations leave me heartbroken. The inequitable learning opportunities are unacceptable.”

The school district was contacted for a response to this article. Please check back later for any updates.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

San Pablo Dam Road work in El Sobrante begins Monday, Jan. 21

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Source: CCC Public Works

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works

Contra Costa County Public Works will be upgrading traffic signal hardware to improve pedestrian safety at nine (9) intersections on San Pablo Dam Road between El Portal Drive and Castro Ranch Road. Work will begin on Monday, January 22, 2024, and continue through Friday, June 21, 2024, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting. Restrictions will be in place to minimize impacts to drivers during commute hours.

Funding for this project is provided by Gas Tax (SB1 Road Repair and Accountability Act) and Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). For more information regarding this work, visit: www.contracosta.ca.gov/San-Pablo-Dam-Road-and-Bailey-Road-Signal-Hardware-Upgrades

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X @cccpublicworks.

 

Richmond man sworn in as new CHP Officer

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DeAnza High grad, Carlos Ibarra will work in Marin Area office

New Officer Carlos Ibarra. Photo courtesy of the CHP

By CHP Media Relations

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Carlos Ibarra of Richmond, Calif., has successfully completed cadet training at the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy. He is assigned to duty at the CHP’s Marin Area office.

Officer Ibarra graduated from De Anza High School in 2017.  He also attended the University of California, Merced earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. Prior to attending the CHP Academy, he worked as a field technician for Technical Safety Service in Berkeley, Calif.

At the CHP Academy, cadet training starts with nobility in policing, leadership, professionalism and ethics, and cultural diversity. Training also includes mental illness response and crisis intervention techniques. Cadet instruction covers patrol operations, crash investigation, first aid, and the arrest of suspected violators, including those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The cadets also receive training in traffic control, report writing, recovery of stolen vehicles, assisting the motoring public, issuing citations, emergency scene management, and knowledge of various codes including the Vehicle Code, Penal Code, and Health and Safety Code.

The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

Pinole police ID carjacking suspect arrested Saturday, offer more details

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(Left) Arrest of Franklin Gyurnek for carjacking on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Source: Pinole PD. Photos (right) Frank Gyurnek, Jr. posted 2/28/19 on one of his three Facebook pages and (bottom) Franklin Gyurnek posted on posted 8/19/19 on another of his Facebook pages.

Also charged with assault with a deadly weapon, felony evading

By Commander Matt Avery, Pinole Police Department

On Saturday, January 6th, officers arrested Franklin Michael Gyurnek, a 34-year-old male out of Tennessee, for carjacking. (See related article)

At approximately 2:15 PM, officer responded to the 1500 block of Fitzgerald Drive on a report of a male subject lying on the ground between Best Buy and the former Kmart buildings. Officers arrived and found a male with cuts and abrasions on his body. The victim told officers his car had been stolen from the Motel 6 parking lot, and he had been dragged across the street when the suspect fled in the vehicle. Officers requested medical assistance, and AMR paramedics treated the victim at the scene.

The victim told investigating officers that a subject that he met a few days earlier at Motel 6 had stolen his vehicle. When the victim reached into his car to try to stop the suspect, he was dragged by the vehicle. The victim eventually fell from the car, and the suspect fled east through the parking lot and was last seen via surveillance cameras southbound on Appian Way.

Two witnesses stopped, provided aid to the victim, and called 911. The witnesses and victim provided officers with a description of the suspect, and the victim added that the suspect was wearing a brown Carhartt jacket and brown boots. Pinole PD Dispatch broadcast a “Be on the lookout” for the stolen vehicle to surrounding agencies, and at approximately 3:10 PM, a deputy with the Contra Costa Sherrif’s Office located the vehicle on San Pablo Dam Road near Milton Road. When deputies attempted to stop the car, the suspect fled, and a pursuit ensued on surface streets through Richmond, El Cerrito, Albany, and Berkeley.

During the pursuit, the suspect ran several red lights and drove on the wrong side of the roadway for a short distance. The suspect eventually yielded to officers near the intersection of University Avenue and San Pablo Avenue and was safely taken into custody. There were no collisions, and no one was injured during the pursuit. The suspect was wearing the same clothing when he was arrested as what the victim described he was wearing during the carjacking.

Gyurnek (born 10/14/1989) was booked at the Martinez Detention Facility for carjacking (PC 215(a)), assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)), and felony evading (VC 2800.2(a) and VC 2800.4).

We thank the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, the San Pablo Police Department, and the Berkeley Police Department for their assistance. Anyone with information is urged to contact Officer Esparza by calling 510-724-1111.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the 5’11”, 226-lb. Gyurnek, who is listed as Hispanic, is being held in the West County Detention Facility on $230,000 bail. According to localcrimenews.com, the suspect lives in Shelbyville, TN and was also arrested in San Bernardino County, CA on Dec. 1, 2023, for DUI alcohol/drugs with blood alcohol content great than .08, battery on an officer or emergency personnel with injury and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.

According to one of his Facebook pages, Gyurnek lives in Manchester, TN and attended Shelbyville Central High School. His other two other Facebook pages list him as Franklin Gyurnek, Jr.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Arrests for drugs, carjacking in Pinole

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Marijuana seized on Friday, Jan. 5 and carjacking suspect arrested on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. Photos: Pinole PD

23.5 lbs. of marijuana seized; Contra Costa Sheriff’s, San Pablo Police Dep’ts assist

By Pinole Police Department

Last night, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, Pinole Police Officer Dominguez stopped a vehicle for running a red light. While speaking with the driver, officers saw two large bags of illegally packaged marijuana inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed an additional 22 large bags of marijuana, and a number of Oxycodone pills. The total weight of marijuana inside the vehicle was just over 23.5 pounds.

The driver was arrested for Possession of Marijuana for Sale, Transportation of Marijuana, and Possession of Oxycodone Without a Prescription.

Good job Officer Dominguez!

On Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, Officers responded to a report of an injured subject laying on the ground in the 1500 block of Fitzgerald Drive. Officers learned the subject was the victim of a carjacking that had just taken place. Pinole PD sent an alert to surrounding agencies to be on the lookout for the victim’s vehicle.

A short time later Deputies with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department located the vehicle on Appian Way in El Sobrante. Deputies pursued the vehicle along with officers from the San Pablo Police Department into Berkeley, where the suspect eventually stopped and was safely taken into custody. The suspect was booked into jail for carjacking and numerous other felonies.

 

Frank Gyurnek, Jr. posted 2/28/19 on one of his three Facebook pages and (bottom) Franklin Gyurnek posted on posted 8/19/19 on another of his Facebook pages.

1/8/24 UPDATE: The suspect was later identified as 34-year-old Franklin Michael Gyurnek, Jr. from Tennessee and Pinole police provided additional details about the incident and arrest. (See related article)

A big thank you to Contra Costa Sheriff and the San Pablo Police Departments for assisting with the safe apprehension of the suspect.

Arrests for DUI, armed robberies, attempted carjacking, shootings in Richmond Dec. 25-31, 2023

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Source: Richmond PD

By Richmond Police Department

PATROL ACTIVITY REPORT – WEEKLY OVERVIEW for DECEMBER 25-31, 2023

Below is an overview of significant service activity provided by RPD patrol officers during their scheduled shifts. Please note that activity shared in these segments are provided only as an overview, and do not reflect the entirety of service calls and reports taken throughout each shift.

12/25 – DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM

Officers responded to the 1300 block of 24th Street for two ShotSpotter activations. Officers located multiple casings at the scene. A neighborhood canvass for damaged vehicles or residences yielded negative results. #11511

12/25 – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Officers responded to a report of a vehicle collision in the 700 block of 7th Street. The suspect struck a parked vehicle, was seen exiting his vehicle and attempting to walk away from the scene. Officers contacted the suspect who displayed objective signs of alcohol intoxication. During the course of the investigation, officers located a shotgun. The suspect was arrested without incident. #11513

12/26 – ARMED ROBBERY

Officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in the 900 block of Carlson Blvd. The victim was walking when he was approached by three suspects. One of the suspects pushed the victim while another brandished a firearm and demanded the victim’s belongings. All three suspects fled with the victim’s wallet, jewelry and cellphone. An area check was conducted with negative results. #11562

12/27 – CARJACKING/ATTEMPT

Officers responded to a report of a brandishing of a firearm in the area of Seacliff Drive and Waterline Place. The victim was inside his parked vehicle when the suspects parked near the victim and two suspects exited their vehicle. The suspects asked the victim to roll down his windows while brandishing a firearm. The victim drove off to seek help. The suspects fled prior to officers’ arrival. An area check was conducted with negative results. #11600

12/28 – RUNAWAY JUVENILE

Officers responded to a report of two runaway juveniles in the 800 block of S. 45th Street. The family reported they noticed the juveniles missing upon waking up. Detectives located the juveniles in a nearby City the same day. The juveniles were returned home safely. #11610

12/28 – DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM

Officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation in the 2200 block of Potrero Avenue and located evidence of a shooting. Officers were able to develop a description of a vehicle that was believed to have been used in the shooting, and they found a car matching the description parked just three blocks away in the 1900 block of Potrero Ave. Officers contacted the occupants and saw a firearm in plain view. A subsequent search of the suspect’s vehicle resulted in another loaded firearm being located. The suspects were arrested without incident. #11611

12/28 – ARMED ROBBERY

Officers were flagged down in the area of Regatta Blvd. and Melville Square. The victim stated he had just been robbed as he pointed out the suspect vehicle fleeing the scene. Officers quickly attempted to catch up to the suspect vehicle, but the suspect fled onto I-580 at a high rate of speed. The victim was meeting with the suspect to sell a pair of shoes when the suspect brandished a firearm and fled with the victim’s shoes. #11616

12/29 – SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

Officers responded to three ShotSpotter activations in the area of 15th Street and Bissell Avenue. At the scene, officers located two victims suffering non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Both victims were standing at the cash register inside Mike’s Liquor when gunfire was heard. Officers recovered multiple casings at the scene. An area check was conducted for the suspects with negative results. This investigation is ongoing. #11651

12/29 – ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

Officers conducted an enforcement stop in the area of McBryde Avenue and Wilson Avenue. During the course of the investigation, officers located a “ghost gun”. The suspect was booked without incident. #11653

12/30 – SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

Officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation in the area of 20th Street and Nevin Avenue. At the scene, officers located two victims suffering non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victims were walking when gunfire was heard. Multiple casings were recovered at the scene. This investigation is ongoing. #11673

 

Two gun arrests in San Pablo same night

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Gun confiscated from felon Thurs. Jan 4, 2024, and ghost gun confiscated on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. Photos; San Pablo PD

Reckless driving leads to illegal ghost gun arrest; second gun was used in shooting

By San Pablo Police Department

On Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, swing shift officers observed a vehicle driving recklessly through the city. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. During the investigation, a loaded illegal firearm was located inside the vehicle. The driver who is a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing any weapons. The driver was arrested for reckless driving and various firearm related charges.

Around 3am, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, San Pablo Police Officers responded to a shooting at Davis Park. Officer Swaleh happened to be in the area and saw a Toyota Prius fleeing Davis Park at a high rate of speed. Officer Swaleh tried to stop the car, but the suspect kept driving till he got home. Once at home, Officer Swaleh and other San Pablo Officers were able to detain the people from the car.

During a search of the car, officers found a Ghost Gun which matched the casings and crime scene from Davis Park. Fortunately, no one was injured during the reckless shooting. The suspect was arrested and given a free ride to jail.

 

Nevada couple arrested for El Cerrito residential burglaries

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School locked down; Richmond, Kensington Police Dept’s assist

By El Cerrito Police Department

On Thursday January 4, 2024, at 2:27 pm, El Cerrito Police Officers responded to a report of a residential burglary in the 2000 block of Tapscott Avenue.  Upon arrival, officers noticed that there was forced entry into the home and two suspects were reportedly inside according to witnesses.  In an abundance of caution, officers contacted nearby Prospect Sierra School and requested that they lock down the school for their safety.

Additional officers from the Richmond Police Department and Kensington Police Department were summoned to assist.  From the front of the residence, officers called to the suspects inside through a broken window after seeing them moving about the home.  The suspects attempted to escape through the rear of the residence but were met with officers in the back, so they retreated back inside.

Officers called into the home numerous times and ordered the suspects to come outside but they did not comply.  Officers forced entry into the home and two suspects were taken into custody with the help of the police K9. Officers recovered a firearm near the front door of the home.

The two suspects, a man and a woman from Nevada, were taken to a local hospital for treatment prior to being booked into the County Jail in Martinez.