Contra Costa Herald

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

Contra Costa Supervisors seek applicants for two seats on Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council

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Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton (center) with the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council. Photo by CCC.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants who may be interested in serving on its 19-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).

The JJCC is a multi-agency advisory body charged with creating and maintaining the County’s comprehensive Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan and coordinating county-based juvenile delinquency prevention initiatives. The state-mandated Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan is designed to improve services for Contra Costa County’s juvenile justice population by assessing existing practices and resources, identifying system needs and gaps, and prioritizing and recommending solutions.

The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council is composed of the following 19 members:

Nine (9) ex-officio voting members:
1. Chief Probation Officer, as Chair
2. District Attorney’s Office representative
3. Public Defender’s Office representative
4. Sheriff’s Office representative
5. Board of Supervisors’ representative
6. Employment and Human Services Department representative
7. Alcohol and Other Drugs Division representative
8. Behavioral Health Division representative
9. Public Health Division representative

Ten (10) additional voting members selected and appointed by the Board of Supervisors:
10. City Police Department representative
11. County Office of Education representative
12–15. Four (4) At-Large Members, residing or working within Contra Costa County;
16–17. Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives;
18–19. Two (2) At-Large Youth, age 14 to 21 years old, residing or working in Contra Costa County

The Board is now seeking applications for two (2) of the seats identified above:

–Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives

The Board is now seeking applications for two (2) of the seats identified above:

–Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives

This recruitment effort is for mid-term appointments to JJCC seats #16 and #17. The Board of Supervisors is looking to appoint individuals to these seats to complete the remainder of their two-year term that is set to expire on June 30, 2021.

The JJCC is expected to meet on a regular basis, at intervals to be established by the JJCC. Members will serve without compensation, stipends, or reimbursement of expenses. The community-based organization representatives should reflect the geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity of the County and should include those providing restorative justice, faith-based, or mentoring services, to justice-involved, homeless, or foster-care involved youth.

Applicants will be interviewed by the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee: Supervisors Candace Andersen, District II, and Federal Glover, District V. The nominations for the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will then be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors for action.

Below is a timeline of the recruitment process for the two vacancies:

  • September 18, 2020: Final Day of the Application Period, due by 5:00 p.m.
  • September 28, 2020: Public Protection Committee Meeting Interviews
  • October 6, 2020: Board of Supervisors’ Consideration of Nominees

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 335-1900 or by visiting the County’s webpage at http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418/. Completed applications should be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us. Applications can also be mailed to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 106, County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

 

DA Becton supports closing Contra Costa Juvenile Hall, establishes Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force

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Supervisors Gioia, Glover support her efforts

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

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton. From CCC website.

On Tuesday, Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued the following statement regarding the status of Contra Costa County’s Juvenile Hall and the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility.

“These are historic times and we have an opportunity and a responsibility to re-imagine our justice system so that our youth have a greater chance to lead successful and enriching lives.

I am forming a Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force, which will include county departmental and community representatives, that will study and make recommendations on the most effective ways to invest in our justice involved youth through restorative, community-based solutions, with an initial focus on developing an effective process for closing Juvenile Hall.

Youth crime has been on a steady decline over the last twenty years, reinforcing the conclusion that moving away from youth incarceration is in the best interest of rehabilitation, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. Research has shown that youth can be better treated and rehabilitated in community contexts where they can retain ties to family, school, and their community. Programming and services which are based in the home or in the community are more successful at holding youth accountable and positively changing behavior than institutional settings.

Despite the steep decline in youth crime and consequent reduction in numbers of incarcerated youth, the money invested into the operation of youth prisons has not been reduced accordingly. Data shows that the average cost per incarcerated child in Contra Costa Juvenile Hall skyrocketing to over $473,000 per year.

The Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force will make explicit recommendations for financial investments in community-based services for youth instead of investing in youth prisons which have proven to result in worse outcomes for our children and families. Such an approach will allow for critical re-investments in basic needs such as housing, mental health services, and workforce development as well as support the creation of alternatives to incarcerating children in locked facilities.

In the meantime, we should pause and not take any actions to close the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility until the Task Force has made its recommendations to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

This transition is urgent. The Task Force should finish its efforts by the end of this year and make evidence-based recommendations for the process to close Juvenile Hall to the Board of Supervisors in January 2021. The Task Force will present a proposed timeline and transition process for closing Juvenile Hall and will identify alternative investments for our public dollars into community-based services and programming for youth. Implementing these recommendations will create a safer community and help youth get on the right track in their lives.”

“I support District Attorney Becton’s efforts to reimagine youth justice in our County,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia. “We need to move away from institutionalization of young people and instead invest in community based restorative justice solutions which make us safer and are more fiscally responsible.”

“I applaud District Attorney Diana Becton’s effort to examine restorative justice alternatives to simply incarcerating our county’s youth,” District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover said. “The factors that lead young people to run afoul of the law are as varied as the youth themselves. In many cases a service-oriented approach will achieve much more in rehabilitating and helping them to become productive members of our community.”

 

California Connections Academy virtually celebrates graduating seniors from Contra Costa County

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Network of six online public schools joined together for a virtual commencement ceremony on June 17 of over 800 students in the Class of 2020 

San Juan Capistrano, CA – California Connections Academy, a tuition-free network of online public schools serving students in grades TK-12 across 32 counties in California since 2004, celebrated more than 800 graduating seniors on June 17. While graduates were unable to walk across the stage to receive their diploma as tradition holds, school administrators and teachers honored the graduates with proper pomp and circumstance during the virtual graduation ceremony.

Students gathered with family members, friends, teachers and administrators in an online setting to commemorate this milestone and celebrate the many accomplishments of the Class of 2020. Fortunately, due to the school’s full-time virtual curriculum, seniors at California Connections Academy were able to finish their semester and complete all courses despite the public health crisis.

The following students are California Connections Academy graduates from Contra Costa County:

  • Isabella Macayan, Antioch
  • Olivia Gregory, Antioch
  • Rhiannon Roopnarine, El Cerrito
  • Hassan Ali, Richmond
  • Keira Mason, Richmond
  • Alden-Christopher Quintanilla-Sanchez, Bay Point
  • Daniel Zhou, Alhambra Valley
  • Ivo Blessius Lee, Alhambra Valley
  • Muskan Mahajan, San Ramon
  • Micah Elias, Orinda
  • Rowyn De Witt, Oakley

Unfortunately, the list is incomplete as the school can only share the names of students who have consented to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

“California Connections Academy prepared me well for graduation,” said Isabella Macayan of Antioch. “The teachers are always ready to help if you call and they make time to connect with students. My family feels like we made the right choice when deciding which school to attend.”

Another graduate who lives in Contra Costa County shared his thoughts.

“California Connections Academy provided me with a flexible schedule and the classes I needed to graduate high school ahead of schedule. Moving from a private school to an online school was a big change but it gave m insight into time-management and self-motivation,” said Alden Christopher Quintanilla-Sanchez. “The school gave me the resources I needed and all I had to do was make good use of them.”

The Class of 2020 is comprised of graduates from six California schools – California Connections Academy Central, California Connections Academy Central Coast, California Connections Academy Monterey Bay, California Connections Academy North Bay, California Connections Academy Ripon and California Connections Academy Southern California – residing in 32 counties throughout the state. Among the graduating class, 65% plan to attend two- or four-year colleges or universities, 11% plan to enter the work force and 8% plan to attend vocational or technical school or join the military. Collectively, the graduating class earned more than $856,000 in scholarship funds and students have been accepted to notable in-state and out-of-state universities including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, Boston University, Columbia University, Carnegie Mellon, and NYU, among many others.

Among the graduates is California Connections Academy Ripon valedictorian Nthenya Maithya, who came to California Connections Academy in 2018 seeking a flexible schedule that would allow her to excel academically at her own pace. Maithya will attend Villanova University in the fall to study mechanical engineering.

“While attending California Connections Academy, I felt that I had the power to take my education into my own hands and learn about myself along the way,” shared Maithya. She added that she never thought she would be valedictorian. “I always push myself to be the best I can and set high standards for myself. At Connections Academy, I could see that paying off.”

“I am continually inspired by our 2020 graduating class,” said Dr. Richard Savage, California Connections Academy Executive Director. “These students have worked incredibly hard to finish the school year strong and I am so proud of all of their achievements. I have no doubt these students will be the next generation of successful and thoughtful leaders.”

California Connections Academy accommodates the needs of a variety of learners through unique curriculum opportunities, close-knit collaboration with fellow students and staff, supportive teachers and the flexibility to learn from anywhere with an internet connection.

Currently providing more than 7,600 students across six schools with a high-quality, personalized online education, the schools combine California-credentialed teachers with structured LiveLesson(R) online classroom sessions, and a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. Through advanced technology tools, teachers work closely with students to nurture their strengths and provide additional support for areas of difficulty, while parents can consistently monitor how their child is performing and progressing. The safe learning environment enables a dynamic student schedule and offers a solution to families with a variety of needs.

For additional information about online education and enrollment, the school is hosting free events for families to learn more. To learn more about California Connections Academy and begin the enrollment process, visit the school’s website.

About California Connections Academy

California Connections Academy is a network of tuition-free, high-quality, highly accountable online public school serving students in grades TK-12 throughout 32 counties via six school sites in California. All six schools are fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). California Connections Academy provides students a safe, supportive learning environment with the flexibility to learn from anywhere with an internet connection with an innovative curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. The combination of state-credentialed teachers, an award-winning curriculum, personalized teacher support, unique electives and community experiences creates a supportive and successful online learning opportunity for families who want an individualized approach to education. For more information, call 1-800-221-2720 or visit the school’s website.

Travis Credit Union awards scholarships to 20 college-bound seniors

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TCU scholarship recipients from Contra Costa County (l to r) Serena Connel, Kassandra Ruiz and Yesenia Roman. Screenshots from TCU video.

Including three recipients from Contra Costa County

Travis Credit Union (TCU) recently awarded 20 local high school students the Mary Keith Duff Memorial Scholarship. TCU offers the annual scholarships to assist its young members with the increasing cost of higher education and to reinforce its commitment to the financial success of our country’s future leaders.

All of the winning students received a ‘Gala in a Box,’ which included the scholarship award announcement of $2,000 to help with college expenses, as well as a $200 gift card that could be used towards a family dinner celebration. TCU board members as well as executive leadership members coordinated live Zoom calls with the families to join with them virtually in opening the ‘special delivery’ box and celebrating their achievement.

Scholarship recipients in Contra Costa County include Serena Connel of Clayton Valley Charter, Kassandra Ruiz of Pinole Valley High School, and Yesenia Roman of Pittsburg High School.

“We’re so appreciative of the recognition of all the hard work these kids put in,” says Rikki Rivera, mother of scholarship winner, Kennedy Rivera. “My husband and I were both recently furloughed due to the pandemic – so financially this scholarship has helped us out more than we anticipated when she first applied. This is very helpful to our family.”

The TCU Board of Directors established the scholarship program in 2004 and named it the Mary Keith Duff Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of a long-time board member. To date, TCU has contributed $437,000 to the program and will continue to award $40,000 annually.

“As a credit union, we are founded on the philosophy of ‘people helping people,’ and we stand behind the principles that promote human development and social responsibility,” says Patricia Moreno, chairman of the board for TCU. “Offering these scholarships is just one way we are assisting young members.”

To apply for the scholarship, college-bound high school seniors, who are TCU members in good standing, needed a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) as well as a 500 word personal statement essay, expressing their plans for the future.

“These student’s achievements in school and community signify that they have the dreams and determination to make a difference in the lives of others,” added Barry Nelson, president and CEO of Travis Credit Union. “We are proud to honor them and be part of their plans for the future.”

A video featuring the honored students can be found here.

Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution serving those who live, work, worship, or attend school in in Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 13th largest credit union in California with more than 214,000 members and more than $3.3 billion in assets. As one of the leading financial institutions in Contra Costa, Solano, Napa, Yolo and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members and the community; its solid, secure history; and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Brentwood middle school girl makes masks for local healthcare workers

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Haley Wieland sews masks at home and delivers them to Sutter Health offices in Antioch.

Haley during better times.

By Allen Payton

Haley Wieland is setting aside her feelings and doing something for others during the coronavirus pandemic. While the straight-A, 8th grade student at Bristow Middle School in Brentwood is really bummed about not being in school, she decided to make the most of her time during the shelter in place and sew masks for healthcare workers in Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, and Oakley.

Haley is sad to miss her 8th grade dance, promotion, and other fun planned activities with her friends. But she’s maintaining a good attitude.

“I feel everyone should pull together and support our hard-working healthcare workers during this pandemic,” she said.

Haley was selected to be part of a program at school called WEB, which stands for Where Everyone Belongs. They help out their community and peers throughout the school year. Now, she’s applying that same approach to helping the healthcare community in East County.

Campolindo boys’ basketball beats De La Salle to be NorCal champions but state championship game cancelled due to coronavirus concerns

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The 2019-20 Campolindo Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team. Photo from Campolindo High Athletics.

First time CIF basketball championships were cancelled

By Allen Payton

The Campolindo Cougars of Moraga made it to the state championship game scheduled for tonight, Friday, March 13, 2020, by beating De Le Salle in the NorCal Division 1 championship game 54-49 Tuesday night. (See game video highlights here) But in response to concerns over the coronavirus, on Thursday morning the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) cancelled the 12 state championship games and one Northern California Open semifinal game. That includes the Division 1 game between the number 7 ranked Campolindo and the number 8 ranked Ribet Academy Fighting Frogs of Los Angeles.

Campolindo ended the season unbeaten in league at 12-0 and with an overall record of 26-6. Ribet finished with a 30-3 overall record and 7-1 in league.

In the CIF news release announcing the cancellations, it states:

“Effective Immediately – The California Interscholastic Federation (‘CIF’) has canceled all remaining CIF State Basketball Championship games. This includes regional finals scheduled for March 12, 2020, and the CIF State finals scheduled for March 13-14, 2020 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. This decision was made after careful deliberation and in the primary interest of protecting the health and safety of our member schools, fans, and most importantly, our student-athletes. While we understand this decision is disappointing, we strongly believe that the opportunity to compete in this event does not outweigh our obligation to place the health and safety of our member schools and school communities above all else.

We want to recognize the hard work and commitment our student-athletes have made to reach the State Basketball Championships. The impact of COVID-19 created many unexpected challenges during this year’s tournament season, and we want to thank everyone involved for their flexibility, patience, and commitment in providing our student-athletes a great experience despite this unique situation.

For those that have already purchased tickets for the March 13-14, 2020 games at Golden 1 Center, refunds will be made available at the original point of purchase. If tickets were purchased online via ticketmaster.com, refunds will be processed automatically.

Ron Nocetti

CIF Executive Director

According to Cal-Hi Sports, this was the first time the state basketball championships have been cancelled since the competition begin 1981.

“This is not the first time that the CIF has had to cancel a state championship event, but it’s the first time since World War II. The only CIF state finals in those days was the CIF state track meet and it was not held because of the war for 1942 through 1945. The worldwide flu epidemic in the late 1910s also caused the CIF not to conduct regional football championships in 1918 as well as the 1919 state championships in basketball. Those early years of the CIF state basketball championships began in 1916 and were halted in 1928.

There also was great disruption to the 2018 CIF state football championships due to an outside force, but it was due to the natural disaster in Northern California known as the Camp Fire and the immense amount of smoke it generated that stayed locked near the ground for several weeks. In that case, the CIF moved its state football finals back one week, but no championship games were cancelled.”

An attempt to reach Campolindo Coach Steven Dyer for comment was unsuccessful before publication. Please check back later for updates to this report.

Richmond High P.E. teacher sentenced to 3 years in state prison for sex with minor

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Israel Ayala-Lopez; Photo by Richmond PD.

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

Earlier this week, Israel Ayala-Lopez (27-years-old) of Richmond pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor, Jane Doe, and he will serve three years in state prison. Ayala-Lopez will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Ayala-Lopez at the time of his arrest in the late summer of 2019, was a physical education teacher and soccer coach at Richmond High School. He received his teaching credential from the state of California in 2017.

Ayala-Lopez had sexual relations with the victim multiple times from at least April 2019 until August 2019. He was arrested by the Richmond Police Department and has been in custody since our Office filed criminal charges against him. Ayala-Lopez was also a collegiate athlete at San Jose State University and California State University Monterey Bay for their respective soccer teams.

To protect their confidentiality, our Office does not release the name or age of the victim, or their relationship to a defendant for this type of case. A criminal protective order was also ordered by the judge to prevent the defendant from communicating with the victim.

The case was investigated by the Richmond Police Department. Deputy District Attorney Kate Jewett prosecuted the case on behalf of the People. DDA Jewett is assigned to our Sexual Assault Unit.

Case information: People v. Israel Ayala-Lopez, Docket Number 02-330632-1.

Juvenile reckless driver evades CHP on Hwy 4 at over 100 MPH, crashes then caught Monday evening

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Reckless juvenile driver on Hwy 4 ends with car crashing catching fire Monday, 2/17/20. Photo by CHP.

By CHP – Contra Costa

Monday evening, Feb. 17, 2020 at about 5:59 pm, a CHP unit observed a vehicle driving recklessly at over 100 MPH, in and out of traffic, on Hwy-4 westbound at Laurel Road. The CHP unit initiated a traffic enforcement stop but the vehicle (a 2019 silver Kia Rio) failed to yield to lights and sirens and accelerated away from the patrol officer.

The suspect vehicle led CHP on a pursuit on Hwy-4 westbound to approximately San Marco Blvd. where CHP discontinued the pursuit due to safety concerns for the other drivers on the road and CHP Officers involved due to the reckless manner of driving from the suspect. CHP lost sight of the Kia but as the CHP unit exited Hwy-4 at Willow Pass Road in Concord, the Officer saw that the Kia had crashed into an embankment just off of the off-ramp of Willow Pass Road and had caught fire. A CHP Officer immediately exited his patrol car and put out the blaze with an extinguisher and discovered the Kia was abandoned. Witnesses related to CHP that multiple parties exited the Kia after it crashed and fled the scene.

CHP towed the Kia and set up a perimeter to locate the suspects in and around the Willow Pass Road and Evora Road area. Shortly after the area was surrounded, all four occupants from the Kia were located and detained. All four occupants were male juveniles, including the driver. Thankfully there were no reported crashes or injuries to Officers, other drivers on the road, and only minor complaints of pain to the occupants of the Kia.

The male juvenile driver was arrested and will be booked into the Contra Costa County Juvenile detention center and the other occupants will remain in CHP custody until a parent or legal guardian arranges pickup for each juvenile.

Reckless driving over 100 mph on the highway that endangers all drivers’ safety will not be tolerated. These extremely poor choices from unsafe drivers are the exact drivers we are continually attempting to get off the road at all times. We are thankful nobody was seriously injured or killed due to this reckless driver and we hope that these young juveniles get some guidance, realize the error of their ways, and begin a path to better choices for their future when behind the wheel.

Park District’s hands-on Youth Job Fairs engage youth from throughout the East Bay

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For the sixth consecutive year, the East Bay Regional Park District will host two Youth Job Fairs designed to raise awareness of employment opportunities for youth in the East Bay. The fairs are scheduled in Hayward on Saturday, January 25, 2020, and in Pleasant Hill on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Both events offer attendees an opportunity to learn about the specific Park District jobs available and interact with current employees to get insight into what it’s like to work for the Park District. Positions include: Interpretive Student Aides, Public Safety Student Aides, Recreation Leaders, Lifeguards, Gate Attendants, Park Services Attendants, Student Laborers, Field Interns, and Interns.

The Youth Job Fairs also include general information sessions on resume writing, application submittal, and job interviewing for youth looking to enter the workforce, whether at the Park District or elsewhere.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest employer of youth in the East Bay, hiring over 400 Bay Area youth each year to work in the District’s 73 regional parks and ten visitor centers. The Youth Job Fairs are key to filling seasonal summer positions, especially Recreation Leaders and Lifeguards.

2020 Youth Job Fair Details

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 121,000 acres in 73 parks including over1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning.

Sheriff’s Detectives investigate death of teen shot in North Richmond Tuesday morning

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By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Tuesday morning, Nov. 26, 2019 at about 11:25 AM, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a 911 call of a person who was shot in front of a store located on the 500 block of Market Avenue in North Richmond.

Deputy Sheriffs arrived on scene finding a male on the sidewalk suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds.

The Deputies immediately performed CPR on the victim. The fire department arrived and took over life-saving measures

He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. The victim, a 17-year-old, is not being identified at this time.

Sheriff’s Office Homicide Detectives responded along with Criminalists from the Crime Lab.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. Tips could be emailed to – tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.