Con Fire ends flooding the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Photos: Con Fire
“Nearly 20,000 gallons per minute”
By Allen D. Payton
After burning and filling the air over Antioch and Pittsburg with smoke for almost two months the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg appears to be extinguished. (See related article)
In a post on their Facebook page on Saturday, July 23, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) reported that they have “ended flooding today that has, for 7 days, with help from CC Water Dist. & the property owner, put some 200 M gallons of water on the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg. No apparent hotspots or smoke remain, though we continue to monitor for flareups.”
On Friday, they reported that the “Marsh peat fire flooding is proving extremely effective with only small areas continuing to put off some limited smoke today. Flooding continues at nearly 20,000 gallons per minute. Con Fire is hopeful of complete extinguishment in coming days.”
Also charged by DA for armed robbery, conspiracy
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney
Members of the Tre-4 street gang are being prosecuted by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office on murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy charges. Jalin Washington of San Francisco, Don Juan Defore Watson, Jr. of Antioch, and Amir Anderson-Roof (city unknown) all face charges for a series of crimes that include the killing of 20-year-old Basel Jilani of Lafayette on March 23, 2022. (See related articles here and here)
In that incident, the victim Jilani was chased by Washington and Watson after they spotted him driving a high-end Mercedes on the freeway in Concord. Jilani tried to elude his pursuers but crashed his vehicle on Taylor Boulevard near the border between Pleasant Hill and Lafayette. He was shot, killed, and robbed of his Rolex watch.
Washington, Watson, and Anderson-Roof are also at the center of several crimes in Bay Area in 2022 that include automobile thefts and armed robbery.
The People of the State of California v. Jalin Washington, Case Number: 01-22-01088
The People of the State of California v. Don Juan Defore Watson, Jr., Case Number: 01-22-01086
The People of the State of California v. Amir Anderson-Roof, Case Number: 01-22-01087
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Deadline to participate as panelist is July 31
Have you heard of the Neighborhood Restorative Partnership program that the Contra Costa DA’s Office has?
The goal of the Neighborhood Restorative Partnership is to address low-level misdemeanors or infractions, such as vandalism, assault/battery, alcohol control violations, and other quality of life crimes by partnering with our local law enforcement agencies and with community volunteers.
Residents of Contra Costa County, who wish to volunteer in this program, will be trained to serve as panelists and develop community-based solutions to redress the harm caused by these low-level offenses. Pursuant to Penal Code §14150 – 14156, the District Attorney’s Office empowers panelists with the authority and responsibility to adjudicate certain infraction/misdemeanor offenses, and it empowers facilitators with the authority to facilitate the restorative justice process.
“We’re opening an East County version of the program next month, and we’re looking for Community Safety Panelists to participate in the program,” said Ted Asregadoo, CCDA’s Office PIO. “The application deadline is on July 31st.”
If you are interested in becoming a panelist in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Neighborhood Restorative Partnership program, please complete the application below and submit it to:
Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
Attn: Janet Era, Neighborhood Restorative Partnership
900 Ward Street, 2nd Floor, Martinez, CA 94553
Click on this link to download the Application.
Click on this link to download the NRP Flyer.
Read MoreOlder suspect arrested in 2021 and last month on multiple gun, drug charges
By Jimmy Lee, PIO, Office of the Contra Costa County Sheriff
On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at about 10:45 AM, Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs served arrest warrants at a home on the 4800 block of Vinewood Way in Antioch. They arrested, without incident, 19-year-old Don-Juan Defore Watson of Antioch/San Francisco and 20-year-old Jalin Washington of San Francisco.
The two are suspects in the March 23, 2022, killing of 20-year-old Basel Jilani in the unincorporated area of Taylor Road and Gloria Terrace. (See related article)
Homicide detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division have worked continuously on the case identifying the two, who are also suspects in robberies in the Bay Area.
Watson was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) on the following charges: murder, two counts of robbery, and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
Washington was booked into MDF on the following charges: murder, two counts of robbery, conspiracy, burglary, felon in possession of a firearm, and allowing someone to discharge a firearm from his vehicle. He is being held without bail.
According to localcrimenews.com, he was previously arrested in March 2021 by San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department for being armed with a firearm during a felony, resisting / obstructing / delaying a Peace Officer, conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, possession of burglar’s tools, receiving or concealing stolen property, carrying a loaded firearm on person or In a vehicle while in a public place, and carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle.
Washington was arrested again last month by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for possession of a narcotic controlled substance, possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana,
discharging a firearm in a negligent manner, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, concealed firearm – unregistered gun with ammunition, and
carrying a loaded concealed weapon.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or through Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
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Two students from Class 1 of Joey Travolta’s Vallejo Film Camp hosted by Touro University of California pitch their idea to him (center in grey shirt) and teacher Roger Welch while their classmates look on and a crew from Travolta’s Inclusion Films, including cameraman Danny Sarokin (left), shoot the proceedings on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Photos by Allen D. Payton
Each class develops theme, pitches Travolta then creates a film for use by Pass It On of The Foundation for a Better Life
By Allen D. Payton
Director, actor and former special education teacher Joey Travolta held his third of three film camps in Northern California, last week, for students between 18 and 24 years old with an intellectual disability, to create short videos for use by PassItOn.com for their positive message campaign in theaters, as well as on TV and billboards.
Each film will be five to seven minutes long and “every story has to have the theme of kindness or doing something good, and the thought is don’t hesitate to pass it on,” Travolta explained.
According to his Inclusion Films’ website, “over the two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital filmmaking. Stay tuned for future dates & announcements.”
Joey Travolta questions the students from Class 1 pitching their film idea as teacher Roger Welch and the other students look on and cameraman Danny Sarokin shoots the scene.
Travolta and a crew from his Inclusion Films, which includes neuro diverse adults from his brick-and-mortar school in Bakersfield, were also in Antioch last year filming a brief documentary entitled “Music Heals” for the biennial Stand Down on the Delta for military veterans planned for last fall. But due to COVID, that event didn’t occur, so the film was shown during the Music Heals Concert at El Campanil Theatre earlier this month. (See related articles here, here and here)
Travolta and staff held the latest camp last week on Mare Island in Vallejo, inside the campus of Touro University, following camps with the same theme in Livermore, with partners Futures Explored, in Stockton with the Lodi School District and the first one in Arkansas at the end of April.
The Vallejo camp was supported by the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) and Susan Labrecque, SCOE Senior Director, Kesha Lovett, SCOE Program Manager for Workforce Development and the entire staff from SCOE Workforce Development Department were on hand to assist the students and watch the process.
“All participants are clients of North Bay Regional Center services which is how the camp is funded, along with the Solano County Office of Education to provide youth with skills that transition into the world of work,” Labrecque explained.
The camp was divided into three groups of students and the classes were each led by a separate teacher. On Thursday, July 14, the students presented their film concepts to Travolta, with two of the classmates chosen to make the pitch.
The film pitch by students in Class 1 continued.
Class 1 Pitch
The first class was led by Roger Welch who’s been teaching at the camps since 2018.
“I’m a family friend and real close with Joey’s sister, Ellen,” he said. “I ran a theater company in Idaho, and she lived in the town and acted in several shows. I got to know the whole family.”
Asked how he connected with the camp Welch said, “when I left that job and was in New York at a dinner with Ellen, Joey, who I’ve known for years, and his wife Wendy, he asked me what I was doing that summer and said, ‘come work for me’ so, I did.”
“I’ve been doing professional theater and film all my life and I’m a teaching artist,” he continued. “I’ve never worked with a neuro diverse population before. But I’ve just worked with them like any other students, using improv as a teaching tool. I’ve found it very challenging but very rewarding.”
“When I’m not doing this, I’m a freelance director for theater all over the country and the director and choreographer of entertainment for the American Queen Voyages,” which is a fleet of river boats on the Mississippi and Columbia Rivers and Great Lakes.
After approval by Travolta of their film concept, students from Class 1 celebrate and congratulate each other.
Two students were chosen to pitch the film concept from their class.
“I’ve only rejected one story. So, good luck,” Travolta said to laughter from the students. He later said that was true and it was because the film’s theme was too depressing.
The first pitch was a sci fi film about friendship and involved a spaceship.
Travolta asked how much it was going to cost him.
The students suggested it could become a series.
“Have you cast this, already?” Travolta asked.
“No,” Welch said.
One of the female students then offered to be an actress in the film. Another student, Sean volunteered to be an actor for it, too.
“I don’t have any say in that,” Travolta responded.
“I don’t like it. I love it!” he then said to cheers and applause from the class.
Class 2 student Jaylon speaks with teacher Barry Pearl before he and classmate Daniel prepare to pitch to Travolta, as they await his arrival.
Class 2 Pitch
The second class was taught by actor Barry Pearl, who portrayed the part of Doody in the movie “Grease” in which Joey’s younger brother John had the lead role playing opposite Olivia Newton John.
It’s an amazing program,” Pearl said. “I’ve been with it for nine years.”
The Inclusion Films crew, which includes adult students Travolta’s school in Bakersfield, prepares to shoot the pitch by Class 2.
Two students in his class pitched their film ideas to him and Travolta.
“This is my third year of camp but my first pitch,” said student Jaylon. His pitch partner, Daniel said this is his third pitch.
“I hope Joey approves” he said to Barry.
Travolta then entered the room asking the students which way he should go to get to his chair.
“I’m really excited about this pitch. The first one went well,” Travolta said after he was seated.
Travolta speaks with the students from Class 2 about the film they’re pitching him and Pearl.
“The name of our film is called ‘The Kindness of the Heart’ about two students who don’t have enough money for lunch,” Daniel explained.
“Two other students raise money to help,” Jaylon shared.
Travolta asked where the film would take place. They said it will be in a school in the cafeteria and outside.
Travolta then asked a female student he named “Princess Sophia”, her thoughts.
“I think this is good, Joey Travolta,” she said.
“If Princess Sophia says it’s good, then you’re approved,” he stated to cheers from the two who pitched and the other students from the class who were sitting and watching the pitch.
Class 3 Pitch
The third class was facilitated by Jessica Saul, a teacher with Inclusion Films. Her background is in neurodiverse theater with a company based in New York and she’s working to bring them to California.
She lives in LA and works with the camps. It’s been a wonderful experience because it brings together my two passions of performing and teaching.
“I connected with Joey through an organization called RespectAbility and he was looking for another teacher and here we are,” Saul said.
The film crew and class prepared for the pitch and Travolta’s arrival.
Students Brian and Cassidy from Class 3 pitch their film concept to Travolta and teacher Jessica Saul.
When he entered the room to applause from the students, Travolta walked toward them asking “how ya doing?” He then said, “I have a question before we start” then like a big kid, turned around and asked, “does my butt make these pants look big?” to laughter from the class.
“No answer from me,” replied one student.
The two students to give the pitch, Brian and Cassidy, placed leis around Travolta’s neck saying, “Aloha”.
“The title of this film is called ‘The Competition’,” they said.
“I like that,” Travolta responded, “What kind of competition?”
“It’s in Hawaii. It’s a talent competition,” Brian explained. “Elvis needs to win the competition so he can afford to go to the Berklee School of Music.”
Each story from the classes has an antagonist.
“Mark and Charlie plan to sabotage Elvis and steal his guitar,” said Brian.
“You’re scaring me,” Travolta said.
“You’re not giving me the end, now, right? Travolta asked.
“No,” they responded, then continued explaining the storyline.
Travolta listens to a joke by one of the students in Class 3 who used a special computer to speak for him as the Inclusion Films crew shoots and his classmates listen.
“I gotta tell you, you guys have me on the edge of my seat. That’s because I have a bad back,” Travolta joked.
The students continued with their pitch.
He then asked, “Are you going to use a green screen?”
Cassidy said, “Brian is going to play Elvis.”
“What are you going to do for Hawaii?” Travolta asked.
Saul pointed to the trees outside saying, “they were inspired by the outside.”
Travolta asked, “who’s going to play Elvis?”
“Thank you very much,” Brian responded giving an elvis impression.
He then asked if Travolta wanted to hear him sing Burnin’ Love.
“I’d like that,” Travolta responded. But before he had Brian start, he asked another student to call “action”.
Brian then sang part of the song to cheers from the class, Travolta and Saul.
Travolta responded by singing, “You’re nothing but a hound dog” to laughter from the students.
“I like this a lot,” he said. “You’re utilizing the area, which is very, very practical.”
“So, I have to approve this,” Travolta stated.
As Saul led the sound of a drumroll with hands on thighs, Travolta turned and asked one of the other students for his opinion of the film idea. The student gave a loud approval.
“OK, guys, you’re approved!” Travolta exclaimed to cheers and high fives from the students.
Brian had to then chase down Travolta, who had left the class, to get the back leis which were needed as props for the film.
See video of Class 3 film pitch and approval: Joey Travolta Vallejo Film Camp Class 3 Pitch 07142022 – YouTube
Inclusion Films Crew
The film crew for the day consisted of staff of Inclusion Films some of whom were previous students in Travolta’s classes.
“I had experience in the music industry,” crew member Mobley said. “So, I stepped up and I’ve been doing sound ever since.”
Crew member Brandon said he’s a student at Inclusion Films in Bakersfield. “I’m part of the upper class,” he added.
“Often times the students get positions in the film industry, including films with John,” Pearl said.
Danny Sarokin, Travolta’s lifelong friend, and NYU film school graduate, was a cameraman at the school.
“I grew up with Joey in New Jersey,” he shared. “We were on the wrestling team. I was a freshman, and he was a senior and he kind of took me under his wing. He’s been mentoring me ever since.”
“In the mid-90’s I co-wrote a children’s film called ‘Everyone Loves Mel’ that starred Ernest Borgnine. Joey directed it and was involved in the producing of it,” said Sarokin.
“I was a camera operator on Carol of the Bells and that was a great experience,” he continued, referring to Inclusion Films’ first full-length movie. “In 2018 Joey brought me back and I’ve been working at the summer camps, as a camera man. We get to mentor the kids, and we get to pass it on.”
Sarokin works for Travolta’s school in Bakersfield, teaching screen writing by Zoom as he lives in L.A. He also filled in as an editing teacher.
“We’ve actually filmed the first script that we wrote in the class just recently,” Sarokin shared. “That one is 30 to 40 minutes long. They cut it down to 25 minutes and show it on cable. It’s called Lost Luggage.”
According to the film’s logline which provides the plot, it’s about two African American sisters who find their grandma’s diary in a hidden suitcase in the basement. Upon reading, they learn about her teen romance with a white classmate in a racially charge environment. The sisters try to reunite with this lost love.
According to a Dec. 10, 2021 report by Lodinews.com it was filmed at McNair High School in Lodi, California last October and was created with Lodi Unified students.
“Now, they’re in preproduction on the second script we wrote in the school,” Sarokin added.
Travolta Shares About the Camps and His Organization
Travolta takes a moment for a photo with the Herald’s Administrative Assistant (and the publisher’s mother) DeeAnn Payton at the Vallejo film camp.
Following the three class pitches, Travolta took some to answer questions, mostly asked by the Herald’s administrative assistant, DeeAnn Payton, who was also at the camp and saw the pitches of all three classes.
“Now, they actually make their films on site,” he said. “Each class will show the rough cut of their film at the camp this Friday.”
“Some of these films will be on the Pass It On website,” he continued. “Then we have the big, red-carpet screening. The kids dress up in tuxedos, have limousines and they get little Academy Awards.”
“The camps are for the younger ones and the location in Bakersfield is for adults,” Travolta explained. “We do the training year-round and do movies like Carol of the Bells.”
“They learn soft skills like communication,” he added.
Asked how decided to start the film school and camps, Travolta said, “I was a special ed teacher in 1973 before I got into show business. I’ve been doing this since 2006.”
He also hosts workshops for adults in San Jose, San Diego and San Bernardino with partners Options For All and in Livermore, Sacramento and Stockton with Futures Explored, as well.
“We’re getting a lot of work from the state and regional centers and every time we do a job half the crew is made up of students trained at the various workshops,” Travolta said.
They have seven brick-and-mortar studios in California each one 5,000 to 8,000 square feet in size, that operate year-round with professionals teaching.
“They’re all funded through the Regional Centers,” he said.
“Then once the students have honed their skills, they get work with one of the three production companies” – Futures, Options and Inclusion – Travolta shared.
“It’s a gift for us to work with this population and we probably get more out of it than the kids, and they get a lot out of it,” he added. “I wish I was 20 years younger.”
Travolta has lived in San Francisco since last year when he and Wendy moved up from L.A. to help take care of their grandson who is two years old.
Host Touro University of California
Asked how Touro University of California’s campus was selected to host the camp, Provost Sarah Sweitzer, PhD said, “Our connection is actually through SCOE who approached us to host this fantastic camp for our young people with disabilities in Solano County. This is our first summer.”
“Our mission is to serve, lead and teach and our function is to serve as an anchor institution in the North Bay counties,” she continued. “It’s at the heart of our mission to create equity in health and education to close the opportunity gaps, especially for our underserved communities.
“We’re a graduate school for healthcare, education and public health – the heart of the pandemic,” Sweitzer stated.
According to their website Touro is America’s largest private institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices with over 19,000 students across 35 schools in four countries and first opened in 1971.
The California campus is a graduate school with about 1,300 students. They’re renovating building number eight and they’re celebrating their 25th anniversary, Sweitzer added.
One of the many positive PassItOn messages.
About Pass It On
According to PassItOn.com, for 21 years, the Pass It On campaign promoting positive values has provided uplifting and encouraging messages. It is a project of The Foundation for a Better Life, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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Part of street gang
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed three felony counts with enhancements against an Antioch man in connection with armed robberies in Walnut Creek and Danville. He was previously listed as a resident of San Jose. (See related article)
18-year-old Leon Cathay Fountain was arraigned in Martinez on July 7th. Fountain entered a plea of not guilty to one felony count with an enhancement for armed robbery on June 24, 2022, in Walnut Creek. Fountain also pleaded not guilty to two felony counts with three enhancements – which includes one gang enhancement – for armed robbery on July 1st at a Trader Joe’s parking lot in Danville. In both incidents, Fountain and a minor used an illegal AR-style assault firearm and other guns to steal Rolex watches. The robbery in Danville was carried out at the direction of the Klap street gang, who also told Fountain where to sell the watch. Authorities say the estimated value of the luxury timepieces is between 30-thousand and 40-thousand-dollars.
In both robberies, the perpetrators followed their victims in vehicles. When the victim reached a location and exited their vehicle, Fountain and one of the minors would surround them at gunpoint and demand they hand over their watches. In the Danville robbery, a Black Acura was used that witnesses said had a distinctive marking.
After detectives with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office got a description of the suspects and their vehicle from witnesses, they were apprehended by police at a residence in Antioch approximately two hours after the robbery at Trader Joe’s.
Fountain is currently in the Martinez Detention Facility. The minors are in Juvenile Hall and have been charged with Second-Degree Armed Robbery.
The People of the State of California v. Leon Cathay Fountain, Case Number: 01-22-00977
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, PIO, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Narcan. Photo: CCCSO
Tuesday morning, July 19, 2022, at about 7:10, Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs at Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) intake were notified about an unconscious and unresponsive arrestee in the sally-port area.
The person, who was arrested by the San Pablo Police Department, was transported to MDF by a jailer, who attempted to revive the 40-year-old man before notifying deputies.
Deputies responded to the sally-port and provided two doses of Narcan, which is used in cases of suspected opioid overdose. Contra Cos-ta Health Services medical staff at MDF arrived and provided additional doses of Narcan.
The fire department and an ambulance responded to MDF. The arrestee was taken to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez. The man later recovered and was dis-charged from the hospital this afternoon.
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CineJet video screenshot and Cinejet with Shotover F1 Camera. Source: Patriots Jet Team
Two pilots, five crew chiefs and other team members participate
“it’s real flying” – Randy Howell, Patriots Jet Team owner and one of two CineJet pilots
By Allen D. Payton
Planes, aerobatic pilots, crew chiefs and other members of the Patriots Jet Team based at the Byron Airport in Contra Costa County helped make the new movie Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, now in theaters. As in the original Top Gun film, the sequel features a variety of jet training and combat scenes in which the team provided their L-39 CineJet™ to film the high-speed, in-air shots.
According to their website, the Patriots Jet Team is the largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the western hemisphere. The team was started in 2002 by founder and owner Randy “Howler” Howell, a Discovery Bay resident, who also helps pilot the special jet. Howell has more than 26,000 hours of flight time and over 30 years of flying experience with United Airlines. He has been an advanced instructor in aerobatics, formation, UPRT (upset prevention and recovery training) as well as a Check Airman and Simulator Instructor in a multitude of aircraft.
The CineJet™ high-speed, cinematography platform was launched in 2017 when the Patriots Jet Team partnered with Helinet.
In a March 2 post on the team’s Facebook page it shows a brief video during filming of the movie from the CineJet™ Facebook page asking, “Recognize the jet?”
In another Facebook post on April 1 it reads, “The Patriots are so excited to finally see Top Gun Maverick come out. The #cinejet was key to many of the aerial scenes, can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”
Then on April 18 the team posted, “Lots of Patriots L-39’s in the latest #topgunmaverick Trailer. https://twitter.com/tomcruise/status/1516039183332216838…”
A June 6 post on their Facebook post reads, “If you haven’t already seen Top Gun: Maverick, you won’t want to miss our Helinet CineJet aerials on the big screen! #TopGun #TopGunMaverick #TGM #CineJet #PatriotsJetTeam” and includes a brief trailer from the movie.
At the Top Gun-themed, Patriots Jet Team Foundation annual fundraiser last September, the Guest of Honor and speaker was American actor, writer and producer Glen Powell, who is co-starring in Top Gun: Maverick. He plays the part of pilot, Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin. The evening’s program also included a special behind the scenes look at the involvement the Patriots Jet Team pilots had in the aerial shooting of the new movie.
Patriots Jet Team founder and owner Randy “Howler” Howell with one of his CineJets specially equipped for the Shotover F1 cameras inside the Hangar of Dreams in Byron, California. Photo by Allen D. Payton
Howell Provides Details of His Team, CineJet, Filming and Training Cruise and the Other Actors
According to Howell quite a few members from the team participated in the making of the film, which includes two pilots, Howell and Scott “Intake” Kartvedt, and five crew chiefs to mention a few.
He provided more details about his organization and the filming of the movie.
The team provides three services, “one is flying a six-ship airshow similar to the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds,” he shared. “We also provide upset training, teaching corporate and airline pilots how to recover from an unusual attitude or an upset due to wake turbulence, weather, or mechanical failures, flight controls.”
The third piece of the puzzle, is “the CineJet operation for filming,” he stated. “We partnered up with Helinet, a company in Southern California. They own the Shotover F1 which is a large, gyro-stabilized platform which can hold many different types of cameras for filming.”
“We designed, engineered and mounted it to the front of a highly modified L-39 Albatross jet.”
“This all started when my good friend, Kevin LaRosa, Jr., who I have shot commercials and movies with, in the past, came to me and said, ‘hey, would you be interested in partnering up on putting a big, Shotover F1 system on the front of an L-39?’” Howell explained. “My first question was that’s usually used on helicopters with a maximum speed of 150 knots. We need to go a lot faster if we’re going to start doing aerial filming of Top Gun and the likes.”
LaRosa has worked in the film industry for over 16 years as a stunt pilot and aerial coordinator. He and Howell are the pilots for the CineJet.
“So, we worked with the company Shotover based in New Zealand and they then started doing modifications to the six-axis, gyro-stabilized system that can be controlled, to look straight up, straight down, behind you, right and left,” Howell stated. “We needed to do 350 knots and sustain three G’s for maneuvering with the Super Hornets in the movie. So, they modified the arms, gears, motors and other items within the unit. They would then send it to us, and we’d test it up to the next speed, and the next until we reached 350 knots and 3.5 G’s. They did a lot of studies in the wind tunnel and a lot of engineering prior to this.”
“Once it was ready to go, we started launching every jet that every friend had, corporate jets. I flew the Mig-17, the Saberliners, as well as multiple L39’s intermixed with the Mig-17 and we created an exciting, one-minute sizzle reel,” Howell continued. “We sent that to Paramount, and they contacted us and said, ‘we like it. We want to talk.’ So, that’s how it all started.”
Patriots Jet Team Foundation 2021 fundraiser invitation. Source: Patriots Jet Team
Work on Top Gun: Maverick
“We were then contracted to work on three different areas for the movie over about a year-and-a-half period,” he shared. “First was filming the Super Hornets in flight and the majority of the tactics that you see in the movie. The second was training all of the actors and actress, Monica (Barbaro) is the only actress who portrayed a pilot in the movie. We flew with every single one of the actors including Tom. He then wanted to get checked out in the airplane because he loved the L-39 so much. I flew with Tom many times getting him up to speed in the airplane.”
“The purpose for training all the actors and Tom was the Super Hornet was going to be pulling up to seven-and-a-half G’s,” Howell explained. “So, we went up in the L-39 which is stressed to eight G’s and we flew over, and over and over again at eight G’s. We flew up to 18,000 feet, we’d get a lot of energy up and we would put it into a spiral and sit at eight G’s for long periods of time. That was to get all of them into a mindset that they could act, which is a lot of energy. Acting, you can’t be putting energy into getting sick and nauseas, throwing up and all of that, and acting. So, we flew a lot with all of them.”
“Then Tom loved the airplane so much, and Tom is an awesome pilot, a really, really good pilot, and a really good formation pilot, as well, which is a whole different skill set from normal aviating” Howell shared. “I trained him, and he took a check ride with the FAA. Now, he’s qualified to fly by himself in the L-39 or with other people.”
He then mentioned a video of Cruise in which he flew TV talk show host James Corden in the L-39.
“The other piece of the puzzle was to paint two of our L-39’s in movie grey, sort of a flat, grey color and then put targets on both sides of the tail, both sides of the nose, top and bottom of each wing,” Howell explained. “Production was not able to get a flying F-14 because they don’t fly anymore, they’re all retired and they couldn’t get a Russian Sukhoi 57, either. We did the flying for that.”
“So, it’s real flying,” he added.
“They blocked off 40 miles of the Feather River for us up near Chico,” Howell said. “Then one of our pilots, Scott ‘Intake’ Kartvedt, a former Hornet and Blue Angel pilot in the Navy, and I flew all the two-ship stuff with the two Su-57’s and the F-14 through the Feather River. When we did that, it was about a six-week project, and we flew two to three times every day. We also flew off the coast of Point Mugu for the over water, ocean scenes with the two airplanes along with the CineJet filming us.”
“The first time we flew, we scouted the river in a helicopter,” he explained. “There’s a lot of hairpin turns, reversals, with granite walls, a thousand, two thousand feet high on both sides of you. So, as you come up on these switchbacks, come back the other way, you need to know you’re going to be able to come around there and some of them you can’t, they’re too tight. So, now you’ve got to come up over top of the mountain, roll inverted, pull down the other side of the mountain and roll out. All while being filmed by a helicopter or the CineJet with Shotover systems on them.”
“After we flew the first one in the L-39’s and spending several days scouting the area, taking notes, memorizing exactly which turns you were going to make all the way around, which turns you had to come over the top in,” Howell shared. “And we were down in the dirt, we were down 10 feet off the trees through a lot of that and the first time we landed the two of us were visibly, our hands were shaking. We walked toward each other and hugged, ‘Intake’ backed up and said, ‘I have 153 combat missions under my belt. I’ve never been under such high stress flying, before.’”
“So, it was definitely high-risk, but very calculated in the way we executed with all the scouting ahead of time,” he continued. “We started flying up higher, first. Then we came down as we got more comfortable and then we started filming once we got really comfortable down low.”
Asked how many times they flew the canyon route Howell responded, “many, many, many times.”
“You know to get one second of film, you’re gonna film an hour,” he said with a chuckle.
“Every last, little detail in the Super Hornets, everything, everything is the real deal,” Howell stated. “All the internal cameras they would mount inside one of our L-39’s for proof of concept to show what it would look like to the producers, to the director, and what angles they wanted. Then they could go the Navy and say, ‘we’ve already tested all these cameras in the airplane now, we need to mount them inside your airplane’.”
“That’s the whole story of Top Gun. A year-and-a-half involvement, but we were not filming for a year-and-a-half,” Howell shared. “We might film for six weeks, then have a month or two off. Then we’d go back and film for a month or two months, and then we’d have time off. So, it was just over a period of a year-and-a-half.”
They started filming in 2018 and finished up in 2019.
Patriots Jet Team airshow. Source: PJT
Filmed Another Movie Set During Korean War
Howell then shared about another movie they filmed, “which is going to be spectacular. It’s based on a true story, during the Korean War era where there’s an African American and a white pilot in flight school. The African American was a sharecropper’s son. He was homeschooled. He only wore shoes on Sunday. The white pilot’s dad was a prominent attorney, he belonged to the country club. The two of them became best friends in flight training.”
“They finished flight training and started flying in combat. They were assigned to F-4U Corsairs, the gullwing Corsair, and they went into battle,” he continued.
“I won’t ruin the rest of the story for you,” Howell stated. “There’s a book out called ‘Devotion’ by Adam Makos. You can order it on Amazon. It’s a really, really good story and it’s a true story. I love true stories. It’s going to be a great movie.”
The aerial scenes were filmed in 2021, January to March in Wenachee and Pasco, Washington and then Savannah, Georgia.
The name of the movie is the same as the book, “Devotion” and will be in theaters Thanksgiving weekend beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23.
“Our good friend, Glen Powell, who starred in Top Gun and others, and who was our speaker at our fundraiser is one of the two stars, he plays the pilot/character ‘Tom Hudner’,” Howell shared.
He also played John Glenn in the movie Hidden Figures, “and he’s starred in other movies, as well,” Howell added.
Q&A
Asked how many members from the team participated in the filming of Top Gun: Maverick he said, “There was probably seven of us at different times. We took different crew chiefs who would maintain the airplanes. We have a big hauler, an 18-wheeler and it carries spare everything for the L-39’s. Then we took Jet 7 and Jet 8 which are both set up with the Shotover wiring. There’s a lot of mods to the airplane before mounting the camera. So, we had both airplanes at every event. We had other airplanes there too for doing other training, as well.”
Asked how many pilots the team has Howell said, “we have six airshow pilots.”
According to the Patriots Jet Team website, “they have logged over 105,000 hours of flight time and performed in more than 1500 air shows.” Most recently, they performed over Venice and Mandeville Islands in the Delta prior to the fireworks show on Sunday evening, July 3.
The Patriots Jet Team Foundation
Lastly, the accomplishment that Randy is most proud of is the Patriots Jet Team Foundation, a separate non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation which he founded in 2011.
“The Foundation educates and mentors youth in America in aviation/aerospace and STEM career paths. The Foundation has partnered with other STEM based Foundations, as well as public, private, charter and University school programs.” Howell shared. “We cater to nearly 10,000 kids a year with rocket launch competitions, high-altitude balloons, introduction to aviation classes, aerodynamic classes and many more that we do, right here, at our facility as well as in the public schools system.”
Be sure to attend the PJT Foundation Benefit Gala on September 17th. You can learn more and register at PJTF.ORG.
To learn more about the Patriots Jet Team visit www.patriotsjetteam.com.
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Outgoing Pittsburg Police Chief Brian Addington administers the oath of office to new Chief Steve Albanese. Photos Pittsburg PD
By Pittsburg Police Department
Chief Addington congratulates Chief Albanese.
He has served our community and the Pittsburg Police Department for 25 years, and now Steve Albanese will lead the proud women and men of this department as the new police chief following the retirement of Chief Brian Addington. (See related article)
Former Captain Steve Albanese is now Police Chief Albanese. He was sworn in yesterday to the top job rounding out his rise through the ranks of the Pittsburg Police Department.
Chief Albanese always wanted to be a police officer in Pittsburg. He graduated from the academy and, with an opportunity at hand, joined the Pleasant Hill Police Department. But after three months, the call of home led him to join our Pittsburg Police Department family. And, he has been a leader ever since.
Chief Albanese is determined to carry on the legacy of former Chief Brian Addington and his focus on transparency and breaking down barriers with the community we serve.
“As corny as it may sound, I’m not done here,” said Chief Albanese, “ I love this community. It is my honor to carry the torch forward and continue the proud service to Pittsburg that this department has shown time and time again.”
Chief Albanese holds an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from LMC, a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Cal State Fresno, and a Master’s degree in Leadership from St. Mary’s College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and California Peace Officers Standards and Training Command College.
Congratulations Chief Albanese. We look forward to your leadership and a bright future ahead!
Read More
Evidence shows multiple suspects targeted victim
By Pittsburg Police Department
On Sunday morning at approximately 7:20 AM, Pittsburg Police officers responded to a residence on East 12th Street in regards to a shooting that had occurred several minutes prior. When officers arrived, they found the victim of a shooting and immediately began providing medical aid to the victim. The victim, a 24-year-old male resident of Pittsburg, sustained a single gunshot wound to the lower body. He was transported to John Muir Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery and is currently listed in stable condition.
Shortly thereafter officers located the scene of the shooting, which was near the intersection of Railroad Avenue and E. 10th Street. Officers collected multiple items of evidence from the shooting and based on initial information, it appears there were multiple suspects that targeted the victim. Officers are currently contacting witnesses and collecting surveillance video from the area in order to identify the suspects. Additional information is not available at this time.
The Pittsburg Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance and asks anyone with additional information to please contact the Pittsburg Police Department tip line at (925)-252-4040.
Read More
Con Fire ends flooding the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg on Saturday, July 23, 2022. Photos: Con Fire
“Nearly 20,000 gallons per minute”
By Allen D. Payton
After burning and filling the air over Antioch and Pittsburg with smoke for almost two months the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg appears to be extinguished. (See related article)
In a post on their Facebook page on Saturday, July 23, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) reported that they have “ended flooding today that has, for 7 days, with help from CC Water Dist. & the property owner, put some 200 M gallons of water on the Marsh peat fire in Pittsburg. No apparent hotspots or smoke remain, though we continue to monitor for flareups.”
On Friday, they reported that the “Marsh peat fire flooding is proving extremely effective with only small areas continuing to put off some limited smoke today. Flooding continues at nearly 20,000 gallons per minute. Con Fire is hopeful of complete extinguishment in coming days.”
Also charged by DA for armed robbery, conspiracy
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney
Members of the Tre-4 street gang are being prosecuted by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office on murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy charges. Jalin Washington of San Francisco, Don Juan Defore Watson, Jr. of Antioch, and Amir Anderson-Roof (city unknown) all face charges for a series of crimes that include the killing of 20-year-old Basel Jilani of Lafayette on March 23, 2022. (See related articles here and here)
In that incident, the victim Jilani was chased by Washington and Watson after they spotted him driving a high-end Mercedes on the freeway in Concord. Jilani tried to elude his pursuers but crashed his vehicle on Taylor Boulevard near the border between Pleasant Hill and Lafayette. He was shot, killed, and robbed of his Rolex watch.
Washington, Watson, and Anderson-Roof are also at the center of several crimes in Bay Area in 2022 that include automobile thefts and armed robbery.
The People of the State of California v. Jalin Washington, Case Number: 01-22-01088
The People of the State of California v. Don Juan Defore Watson, Jr., Case Number: 01-22-01086
The People of the State of California v. Amir Anderson-Roof, Case Number: 01-22-01087
Read MoreDeadline to participate as panelist is July 31
Have you heard of the Neighborhood Restorative Partnership program that the Contra Costa DA’s Office has?
The goal of the Neighborhood Restorative Partnership is to address low-level misdemeanors or infractions, such as vandalism, assault/battery, alcohol control violations, and other quality of life crimes by partnering with our local law enforcement agencies and with community volunteers.
Residents of Contra Costa County, who wish to volunteer in this program, will be trained to serve as panelists and develop community-based solutions to redress the harm caused by these low-level offenses. Pursuant to Penal Code §14150 – 14156, the District Attorney’s Office empowers panelists with the authority and responsibility to adjudicate certain infraction/misdemeanor offenses, and it empowers facilitators with the authority to facilitate the restorative justice process.
“We’re opening an East County version of the program next month, and we’re looking for Community Safety Panelists to participate in the program,” said Ted Asregadoo, CCDA’s Office PIO. “The application deadline is on July 31st.”
If you are interested in becoming a panelist in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Neighborhood Restorative Partnership program, please complete the application below and submit it to:
Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
Attn: Janet Era, Neighborhood Restorative Partnership
900 Ward Street, 2nd Floor, Martinez, CA 94553
Click on this link to download the Application.
Click on this link to download the NRP Flyer.
Read MoreOlder suspect arrested in 2021 and last month on multiple gun, drug charges
By Jimmy Lee, PIO, Office of the Contra Costa County Sheriff
On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at about 10:45 AM, Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs served arrest warrants at a home on the 4800 block of Vinewood Way in Antioch. They arrested, without incident, 19-year-old Don-Juan Defore Watson of Antioch/San Francisco and 20-year-old Jalin Washington of San Francisco.
The two are suspects in the March 23, 2022, killing of 20-year-old Basel Jilani in the unincorporated area of Taylor Road and Gloria Terrace. (See related article)
Homicide detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division have worked continuously on the case identifying the two, who are also suspects in robberies in the Bay Area.
Watson was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) on the following charges: murder, two counts of robbery, and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
Washington was booked into MDF on the following charges: murder, two counts of robbery, conspiracy, burglary, felon in possession of a firearm, and allowing someone to discharge a firearm from his vehicle. He is being held without bail.
According to localcrimenews.com, he was previously arrested in March 2021 by San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department for being armed with a firearm during a felony, resisting / obstructing / delaying a Peace Officer, conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, possession of burglar’s tools, receiving or concealing stolen property, carrying a loaded firearm on person or In a vehicle while in a public place, and carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle.
Washington was arrested again last month by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for possession of a narcotic controlled substance, possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana,
discharging a firearm in a negligent manner, possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm, concealed firearm – unregistered gun with ammunition, and
carrying a loaded concealed weapon.
The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or through Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreTwo students from Class 1 of Joey Travolta’s Vallejo Film Camp hosted by Touro University of California pitch their idea to him (center in grey shirt) and teacher Roger Welch while their classmates look on and a crew from Travolta’s Inclusion Films, including cameraman Danny Sarokin (left), shoot the proceedings on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Photos by Allen D. Payton
Each class develops theme, pitches Travolta then creates a film for use by Pass It On of The Foundation for a Better Life
By Allen D. Payton
Director, actor and former special education teacher Joey Travolta held his third of three film camps in Northern California, last week, for students between 18 and 24 years old with an intellectual disability, to create short videos for use by PassItOn.com for their positive message campaign in theaters, as well as on TV and billboards.
Each film will be five to seven minutes long and “every story has to have the theme of kindness or doing something good, and the thought is don’t hesitate to pass it on,” Travolta explained.
According to his Inclusion Films’ website, “over the two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital filmmaking. Stay tuned for future dates & announcements.”
Joey Travolta questions the students from Class 1 pitching their film idea as teacher Roger Welch and the other students look on and cameraman Danny Sarokin shoots the scene.
Travolta and a crew from his Inclusion Films, which includes neuro diverse adults from his brick-and-mortar school in Bakersfield, were also in Antioch last year filming a brief documentary entitled “Music Heals” for the biennial Stand Down on the Delta for military veterans planned for last fall. But due to COVID, that event didn’t occur, so the film was shown during the Music Heals Concert at El Campanil Theatre earlier this month. (See related articles here, here and here)
Travolta and staff held the latest camp last week on Mare Island in Vallejo, inside the campus of Touro University, following camps with the same theme in Livermore, with partners Futures Explored, in Stockton with the Lodi School District and the first one in Arkansas at the end of April.
The Vallejo camp was supported by the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) and Susan Labrecque, SCOE Senior Director, Kesha Lovett, SCOE Program Manager for Workforce Development and the entire staff from SCOE Workforce Development Department were on hand to assist the students and watch the process.
“All participants are clients of North Bay Regional Center services which is how the camp is funded, along with the Solano County Office of Education to provide youth with skills that transition into the world of work,” Labrecque explained.
The camp was divided into three groups of students and the classes were each led by a separate teacher. On Thursday, July 14, the students presented their film concepts to Travolta, with two of the classmates chosen to make the pitch.
The film pitch by students in Class 1 continued.
Class 1 Pitch
The first class was led by Roger Welch who’s been teaching at the camps since 2018.
“I’m a family friend and real close with Joey’s sister, Ellen,” he said. “I ran a theater company in Idaho, and she lived in the town and acted in several shows. I got to know the whole family.”
Asked how he connected with the camp Welch said, “when I left that job and was in New York at a dinner with Ellen, Joey, who I’ve known for years, and his wife Wendy, he asked me what I was doing that summer and said, ‘come work for me’ so, I did.”
“I’ve been doing professional theater and film all my life and I’m a teaching artist,” he continued. “I’ve never worked with a neuro diverse population before. But I’ve just worked with them like any other students, using improv as a teaching tool. I’ve found it very challenging but very rewarding.”
“When I’m not doing this, I’m a freelance director for theater all over the country and the director and choreographer of entertainment for the American Queen Voyages,” which is a fleet of river boats on the Mississippi and Columbia Rivers and Great Lakes.
After approval by Travolta of their film concept, students from Class 1 celebrate and congratulate each other.
Two students were chosen to pitch the film concept from their class.
“I’ve only rejected one story. So, good luck,” Travolta said to laughter from the students. He later said that was true and it was because the film’s theme was too depressing.
The first pitch was a sci fi film about friendship and involved a spaceship.
Travolta asked how much it was going to cost him.
The students suggested it could become a series.
“Have you cast this, already?” Travolta asked.
“No,” Welch said.
One of the female students then offered to be an actress in the film. Another student, Sean volunteered to be an actor for it, too.
“I don’t have any say in that,” Travolta responded.
“I don’t like it. I love it!” he then said to cheers and applause from the class.
Class 2 student Jaylon speaks with teacher Barry Pearl before he and classmate Daniel prepare to pitch to Travolta, as they await his arrival.
Class 2 Pitch
The second class was taught by actor Barry Pearl, who portrayed the part of Doody in the movie “Grease” in which Joey’s younger brother John had the lead role playing opposite Olivia Newton John.
It’s an amazing program,” Pearl said. “I’ve been with it for nine years.”
The Inclusion Films crew, which includes adult students Travolta’s school in Bakersfield, prepares to shoot the pitch by Class 2.
Two students in his class pitched their film ideas to him and Travolta.
“This is my third year of camp but my first pitch,” said student Jaylon. His pitch partner, Daniel said this is his third pitch.
“I hope Joey approves” he said to Barry.
Travolta then entered the room asking the students which way he should go to get to his chair.
“I’m really excited about this pitch. The first one went well,” Travolta said after he was seated.
Travolta speaks with the students from Class 2 about the film they’re pitching him and Pearl.
“The name of our film is called ‘The Kindness of the Heart’ about two students who don’t have enough money for lunch,” Daniel explained.
“Two other students raise money to help,” Jaylon shared.
Travolta asked where the film would take place. They said it will be in a school in the cafeteria and outside.
Travolta then asked a female student he named “Princess Sophia”, her thoughts.
“I think this is good, Joey Travolta,” she said.
“If Princess Sophia says it’s good, then you’re approved,” he stated to cheers from the two who pitched and the other students from the class who were sitting and watching the pitch.
Class 3 Pitch
The third class was facilitated by Jessica Saul, a teacher with Inclusion Films. Her background is in neurodiverse theater with a company based in New York and she’s working to bring them to California.
She lives in LA and works with the camps. It’s been a wonderful experience because it brings together my two passions of performing and teaching.
“I connected with Joey through an organization called RespectAbility and he was looking for another teacher and here we are,” Saul said.
The film crew and class prepared for the pitch and Travolta’s arrival.
Students Brian and Cassidy from Class 3 pitch their film concept to Travolta and teacher Jessica Saul.
When he entered the room to applause from the students, Travolta walked toward them asking “how ya doing?” He then said, “I have a question before we start” then like a big kid, turned around and asked, “does my butt make these pants look big?” to laughter from the class.
“No answer from me,” replied one student.
The two students to give the pitch, Brian and Cassidy, placed leis around Travolta’s neck saying, “Aloha”.
“The title of this film is called ‘The Competition’,” they said.
“I like that,” Travolta responded, “What kind of competition?”
“It’s in Hawaii. It’s a talent competition,” Brian explained. “Elvis needs to win the competition so he can afford to go to the Berklee School of Music.”
Each story from the classes has an antagonist.
“Mark and Charlie plan to sabotage Elvis and steal his guitar,” said Brian.
“You’re scaring me,” Travolta said.
“You’re not giving me the end, now, right? Travolta asked.
“No,” they responded, then continued explaining the storyline.
Travolta listens to a joke by one of the students in Class 3 who used a special computer to speak for him as the Inclusion Films crew shoots and his classmates listen.
“I gotta tell you, you guys have me on the edge of my seat. That’s because I have a bad back,” Travolta joked.
The students continued with their pitch.
He then asked, “Are you going to use a green screen?”
Cassidy said, “Brian is going to play Elvis.”
“What are you going to do for Hawaii?” Travolta asked.
Saul pointed to the trees outside saying, “they were inspired by the outside.”
Travolta asked, “who’s going to play Elvis?”
“Thank you very much,” Brian responded giving an elvis impression.
He then asked if Travolta wanted to hear him sing Burnin’ Love.
“I’d like that,” Travolta responded. But before he had Brian start, he asked another student to call “action”.
Brian then sang part of the song to cheers from the class, Travolta and Saul.
Travolta responded by singing, “You’re nothing but a hound dog” to laughter from the students.
“I like this a lot,” he said. “You’re utilizing the area, which is very, very practical.”
“So, I have to approve this,” Travolta stated.
As Saul led the sound of a drumroll with hands on thighs, Travolta turned and asked one of the other students for his opinion of the film idea. The student gave a loud approval.
“OK, guys, you’re approved!” Travolta exclaimed to cheers and high fives from the students.
Brian had to then chase down Travolta, who had left the class, to get the back leis which were needed as props for the film.
See video of Class 3 film pitch and approval: Joey Travolta Vallejo Film Camp Class 3 Pitch 07142022 – YouTube
Inclusion Films Crew
The film crew for the day consisted of staff of Inclusion Films some of whom were previous students in Travolta’s classes.
“I had experience in the music industry,” crew member Mobley said. “So, I stepped up and I’ve been doing sound ever since.”
Crew member Brandon said he’s a student at Inclusion Films in Bakersfield. “I’m part of the upper class,” he added.
“Often times the students get positions in the film industry, including films with John,” Pearl said.
Danny Sarokin, Travolta’s lifelong friend, and NYU film school graduate, was a cameraman at the school.
“I grew up with Joey in New Jersey,” he shared. “We were on the wrestling team. I was a freshman, and he was a senior and he kind of took me under his wing. He’s been mentoring me ever since.”
“In the mid-90’s I co-wrote a children’s film called ‘Everyone Loves Mel’ that starred Ernest Borgnine. Joey directed it and was involved in the producing of it,” said Sarokin.
“I was a camera operator on Carol of the Bells and that was a great experience,” he continued, referring to Inclusion Films’ first full-length movie. “In 2018 Joey brought me back and I’ve been working at the summer camps, as a camera man. We get to mentor the kids, and we get to pass it on.”
Sarokin works for Travolta’s school in Bakersfield, teaching screen writing by Zoom as he lives in L.A. He also filled in as an editing teacher.
“We’ve actually filmed the first script that we wrote in the class just recently,” Sarokin shared. “That one is 30 to 40 minutes long. They cut it down to 25 minutes and show it on cable. It’s called Lost Luggage.”
According to the film’s logline which provides the plot, it’s about two African American sisters who find their grandma’s diary in a hidden suitcase in the basement. Upon reading, they learn about her teen romance with a white classmate in a racially charge environment. The sisters try to reunite with this lost love.
According to a Dec. 10, 2021 report by Lodinews.com it was filmed at McNair High School in Lodi, California last October and was created with Lodi Unified students.
“Now, they’re in preproduction on the second script we wrote in the school,” Sarokin added.
Travolta Shares About the Camps and His Organization
Travolta takes a moment for a photo with the Herald’s Administrative Assistant (and the publisher’s mother) DeeAnn Payton at the Vallejo film camp.
Following the three class pitches, Travolta took some to answer questions, mostly asked by the Herald’s administrative assistant, DeeAnn Payton, who was also at the camp and saw the pitches of all three classes.
“Now, they actually make their films on site,” he said. “Each class will show the rough cut of their film at the camp this Friday.”
“Some of these films will be on the Pass It On website,” he continued. “Then we have the big, red-carpet screening. The kids dress up in tuxedos, have limousines and they get little Academy Awards.”
“The camps are for the younger ones and the location in Bakersfield is for adults,” Travolta explained. “We do the training year-round and do movies like Carol of the Bells.”
“They learn soft skills like communication,” he added.
Asked how decided to start the film school and camps, Travolta said, “I was a special ed teacher in 1973 before I got into show business. I’ve been doing this since 2006.”
He also hosts workshops for adults in San Jose, San Diego and San Bernardino with partners Options For All and in Livermore, Sacramento and Stockton with Futures Explored, as well.
“We’re getting a lot of work from the state and regional centers and every time we do a job half the crew is made up of students trained at the various workshops,” Travolta said.
They have seven brick-and-mortar studios in California each one 5,000 to 8,000 square feet in size, that operate year-round with professionals teaching.
“They’re all funded through the Regional Centers,” he said.
“Then once the students have honed their skills, they get work with one of the three production companies” – Futures, Options and Inclusion – Travolta shared.
“It’s a gift for us to work with this population and we probably get more out of it than the kids, and they get a lot out of it,” he added. “I wish I was 20 years younger.”
Travolta has lived in San Francisco since last year when he and Wendy moved up from L.A. to help take care of their grandson who is two years old.
Host Touro University of California
Asked how Touro University of California’s campus was selected to host the camp, Provost Sarah Sweitzer, PhD said, “Our connection is actually through SCOE who approached us to host this fantastic camp for our young people with disabilities in Solano County. This is our first summer.”
“Our mission is to serve, lead and teach and our function is to serve as an anchor institution in the North Bay counties,” she continued. “It’s at the heart of our mission to create equity in health and education to close the opportunity gaps, especially for our underserved communities.
“We’re a graduate school for healthcare, education and public health – the heart of the pandemic,” Sweitzer stated.
According to their website Touro is America’s largest private institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices with over 19,000 students across 35 schools in four countries and first opened in 1971.
The California campus is a graduate school with about 1,300 students. They’re renovating building number eight and they’re celebrating their 25th anniversary, Sweitzer added.
One of the many positive PassItOn messages.
About Pass It On
According to PassItOn.com, for 21 years, the Pass It On campaign promoting positive values has provided uplifting and encouraging messages. It is a project of The Foundation for a Better Life, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Read More
Part of street gang
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed three felony counts with enhancements against an Antioch man in connection with armed robberies in Walnut Creek and Danville. He was previously listed as a resident of San Jose. (See related article)
18-year-old Leon Cathay Fountain was arraigned in Martinez on July 7th. Fountain entered a plea of not guilty to one felony count with an enhancement for armed robbery on June 24, 2022, in Walnut Creek. Fountain also pleaded not guilty to two felony counts with three enhancements – which includes one gang enhancement – for armed robbery on July 1st at a Trader Joe’s parking lot in Danville. In both incidents, Fountain and a minor used an illegal AR-style assault firearm and other guns to steal Rolex watches. The robbery in Danville was carried out at the direction of the Klap street gang, who also told Fountain where to sell the watch. Authorities say the estimated value of the luxury timepieces is between 30-thousand and 40-thousand-dollars.
In both robberies, the perpetrators followed their victims in vehicles. When the victim reached a location and exited their vehicle, Fountain and one of the minors would surround them at gunpoint and demand they hand over their watches. In the Danville robbery, a Black Acura was used that witnesses said had a distinctive marking.
After detectives with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office got a description of the suspects and their vehicle from witnesses, they were apprehended by police at a residence in Antioch approximately two hours after the robbery at Trader Joe’s.
Fountain is currently in the Martinez Detention Facility. The minors are in Juvenile Hall and have been charged with Second-Degree Armed Robbery.
The People of the State of California v. Leon Cathay Fountain, Case Number: 01-22-00977
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, PIO, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Narcan. Photo: CCCSO
Tuesday morning, July 19, 2022, at about 7:10, Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs at Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) intake were notified about an unconscious and unresponsive arrestee in the sally-port area.
The person, who was arrested by the San Pablo Police Department, was transported to MDF by a jailer, who attempted to revive the 40-year-old man before notifying deputies.
Deputies responded to the sally-port and provided two doses of Narcan, which is used in cases of suspected opioid overdose. Contra Cos-ta Health Services medical staff at MDF arrived and provided additional doses of Narcan.
The fire department and an ambulance responded to MDF. The arrestee was taken to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez. The man later recovered and was dis-charged from the hospital this afternoon.
Read MoreCineJet video screenshot and Cinejet with Shotover F1 Camera. Source: Patriots Jet Team
Two pilots, five crew chiefs and other team members participate
“it’s real flying” – Randy Howell, Patriots Jet Team owner and one of two CineJet pilots
By Allen D. Payton
Planes, aerobatic pilots, crew chiefs and other members of the Patriots Jet Team based at the Byron Airport in Contra Costa County helped make the new movie Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, now in theaters. As in the original Top Gun film, the sequel features a variety of jet training and combat scenes in which the team provided their L-39 CineJet™ to film the high-speed, in-air shots.
According to their website, the Patriots Jet Team is the largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the western hemisphere. The team was started in 2002 by founder and owner Randy “Howler” Howell, a Discovery Bay resident, who also helps pilot the special jet. Howell has more than 26,000 hours of flight time and over 30 years of flying experience with United Airlines. He has been an advanced instructor in aerobatics, formation, UPRT (upset prevention and recovery training) as well as a Check Airman and Simulator Instructor in a multitude of aircraft.
The CineJet™ high-speed, cinematography platform was launched in 2017 when the Patriots Jet Team partnered with Helinet.
In a March 2 post on the team’s Facebook page it shows a brief video during filming of the movie from the CineJet™ Facebook page asking, “Recognize the jet?”
In another Facebook post on April 1 it reads, “The Patriots are so excited to finally see Top Gun Maverick come out. The #cinejet was key to many of the aerial scenes, can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”
Then on April 18 the team posted, “Lots of Patriots L-39’s in the latest #topgunmaverick Trailer. https://twitter.com/tomcruise/status/1516039183332216838…”
A June 6 post on their Facebook post reads, “If you haven’t already seen Top Gun: Maverick, you won’t want to miss our Helinet CineJet aerials on the big screen! #TopGun #TopGunMaverick #TGM #CineJet #PatriotsJetTeam” and includes a brief trailer from the movie.
At the Top Gun-themed, Patriots Jet Team Foundation annual fundraiser last September, the Guest of Honor and speaker was American actor, writer and producer Glen Powell, who is co-starring in Top Gun: Maverick. He plays the part of pilot, Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin. The evening’s program also included a special behind the scenes look at the involvement the Patriots Jet Team pilots had in the aerial shooting of the new movie.
Patriots Jet Team founder and owner Randy “Howler” Howell with one of his CineJets specially equipped for the Shotover F1 cameras inside the Hangar of Dreams in Byron, California. Photo by Allen D. Payton
Howell Provides Details of His Team, CineJet, Filming and Training Cruise and the Other Actors
According to Howell quite a few members from the team participated in the making of the film, which includes two pilots, Howell and Scott “Intake” Kartvedt, and five crew chiefs to mention a few.
He provided more details about his organization and the filming of the movie.
The team provides three services, “one is flying a six-ship airshow similar to the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds,” he shared. “We also provide upset training, teaching corporate and airline pilots how to recover from an unusual attitude or an upset due to wake turbulence, weather, or mechanical failures, flight controls.”
The third piece of the puzzle, is “the CineJet operation for filming,” he stated. “We partnered up with Helinet, a company in Southern California. They own the Shotover F1 which is a large, gyro-stabilized platform which can hold many different types of cameras for filming.”
“We designed, engineered and mounted it to the front of a highly modified L-39 Albatross jet.”
“This all started when my good friend, Kevin LaRosa, Jr., who I have shot commercials and movies with, in the past, came to me and said, ‘hey, would you be interested in partnering up on putting a big, Shotover F1 system on the front of an L-39?’” Howell explained. “My first question was that’s usually used on helicopters with a maximum speed of 150 knots. We need to go a lot faster if we’re going to start doing aerial filming of Top Gun and the likes.”
LaRosa has worked in the film industry for over 16 years as a stunt pilot and aerial coordinator. He and Howell are the pilots for the CineJet.
“So, we worked with the company Shotover based in New Zealand and they then started doing modifications to the six-axis, gyro-stabilized system that can be controlled, to look straight up, straight down, behind you, right and left,” Howell stated. “We needed to do 350 knots and sustain three G’s for maneuvering with the Super Hornets in the movie. So, they modified the arms, gears, motors and other items within the unit. They would then send it to us, and we’d test it up to the next speed, and the next until we reached 350 knots and 3.5 G’s. They did a lot of studies in the wind tunnel and a lot of engineering prior to this.”
“Once it was ready to go, we started launching every jet that every friend had, corporate jets. I flew the Mig-17, the Saberliners, as well as multiple L39’s intermixed with the Mig-17 and we created an exciting, one-minute sizzle reel,” Howell continued. “We sent that to Paramount, and they contacted us and said, ‘we like it. We want to talk.’ So, that’s how it all started.”
Patriots Jet Team Foundation 2021 fundraiser invitation. Source: Patriots Jet Team
Work on Top Gun: Maverick
“We were then contracted to work on three different areas for the movie over about a year-and-a-half period,” he shared. “First was filming the Super Hornets in flight and the majority of the tactics that you see in the movie. The second was training all of the actors and actress, Monica (Barbaro) is the only actress who portrayed a pilot in the movie. We flew with every single one of the actors including Tom. He then wanted to get checked out in the airplane because he loved the L-39 so much. I flew with Tom many times getting him up to speed in the airplane.”
“The purpose for training all the actors and Tom was the Super Hornet was going to be pulling up to seven-and-a-half G’s,” Howell explained. “So, we went up in the L-39 which is stressed to eight G’s and we flew over, and over and over again at eight G’s. We flew up to 18,000 feet, we’d get a lot of energy up and we would put it into a spiral and sit at eight G’s for long periods of time. That was to get all of them into a mindset that they could act, which is a lot of energy. Acting, you can’t be putting energy into getting sick and nauseas, throwing up and all of that, and acting. So, we flew a lot with all of them.”
“Then Tom loved the airplane so much, and Tom is an awesome pilot, a really, really good pilot, and a really good formation pilot, as well, which is a whole different skill set from normal aviating” Howell shared. “I trained him, and he took a check ride with the FAA. Now, he’s qualified to fly by himself in the L-39 or with other people.”
He then mentioned a video of Cruise in which he flew TV talk show host James Corden in the L-39.
“The other piece of the puzzle was to paint two of our L-39’s in movie grey, sort of a flat, grey color and then put targets on both sides of the tail, both sides of the nose, top and bottom of each wing,” Howell explained. “Production was not able to get a flying F-14 because they don’t fly anymore, they’re all retired and they couldn’t get a Russian Sukhoi 57, either. We did the flying for that.”
“So, it’s real flying,” he added.
“They blocked off 40 miles of the Feather River for us up near Chico,” Howell said. “Then one of our pilots, Scott ‘Intake’ Kartvedt, a former Hornet and Blue Angel pilot in the Navy, and I flew all the two-ship stuff with the two Su-57’s and the F-14 through the Feather River. When we did that, it was about a six-week project, and we flew two to three times every day. We also flew off the coast of Point Mugu for the over water, ocean scenes with the two airplanes along with the CineJet filming us.”
“The first time we flew, we scouted the river in a helicopter,” he explained. “There’s a lot of hairpin turns, reversals, with granite walls, a thousand, two thousand feet high on both sides of you. So, as you come up on these switchbacks, come back the other way, you need to know you’re going to be able to come around there and some of them you can’t, they’re too tight. So, now you’ve got to come up over top of the mountain, roll inverted, pull down the other side of the mountain and roll out. All while being filmed by a helicopter or the CineJet with Shotover systems on them.”
“After we flew the first one in the L-39’s and spending several days scouting the area, taking notes, memorizing exactly which turns you were going to make all the way around, which turns you had to come over the top in,” Howell shared. “And we were down in the dirt, we were down 10 feet off the trees through a lot of that and the first time we landed the two of us were visibly, our hands were shaking. We walked toward each other and hugged, ‘Intake’ backed up and said, ‘I have 153 combat missions under my belt. I’ve never been under such high stress flying, before.’”
“So, it was definitely high-risk, but very calculated in the way we executed with all the scouting ahead of time,” he continued. “We started flying up higher, first. Then we came down as we got more comfortable and then we started filming once we got really comfortable down low.”
Asked how many times they flew the canyon route Howell responded, “many, many, many times.”
“You know to get one second of film, you’re gonna film an hour,” he said with a chuckle.
“Every last, little detail in the Super Hornets, everything, everything is the real deal,” Howell stated. “All the internal cameras they would mount inside one of our L-39’s for proof of concept to show what it would look like to the producers, to the director, and what angles they wanted. Then they could go the Navy and say, ‘we’ve already tested all these cameras in the airplane now, we need to mount them inside your airplane’.”
“That’s the whole story of Top Gun. A year-and-a-half involvement, but we were not filming for a year-and-a-half,” Howell shared. “We might film for six weeks, then have a month or two off. Then we’d go back and film for a month or two months, and then we’d have time off. So, it was just over a period of a year-and-a-half.”
They started filming in 2018 and finished up in 2019.
Patriots Jet Team airshow. Source: PJT
Filmed Another Movie Set During Korean War
Howell then shared about another movie they filmed, “which is going to be spectacular. It’s based on a true story, during the Korean War era where there’s an African American and a white pilot in flight school. The African American was a sharecropper’s son. He was homeschooled. He only wore shoes on Sunday. The white pilot’s dad was a prominent attorney, he belonged to the country club. The two of them became best friends in flight training.”
“They finished flight training and started flying in combat. They were assigned to F-4U Corsairs, the gullwing Corsair, and they went into battle,” he continued.
“I won’t ruin the rest of the story for you,” Howell stated. “There’s a book out called ‘Devotion’ by Adam Makos. You can order it on Amazon. It’s a really, really good story and it’s a true story. I love true stories. It’s going to be a great movie.”
The aerial scenes were filmed in 2021, January to March in Wenachee and Pasco, Washington and then Savannah, Georgia.
The name of the movie is the same as the book, “Devotion” and will be in theaters Thanksgiving weekend beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23.
“Our good friend, Glen Powell, who starred in Top Gun and others, and who was our speaker at our fundraiser is one of the two stars, he plays the pilot/character ‘Tom Hudner’,” Howell shared.
He also played John Glenn in the movie Hidden Figures, “and he’s starred in other movies, as well,” Howell added.
Q&A
Asked how many members from the team participated in the filming of Top Gun: Maverick he said, “There was probably seven of us at different times. We took different crew chiefs who would maintain the airplanes. We have a big hauler, an 18-wheeler and it carries spare everything for the L-39’s. Then we took Jet 7 and Jet 8 which are both set up with the Shotover wiring. There’s a lot of mods to the airplane before mounting the camera. So, we had both airplanes at every event. We had other airplanes there too for doing other training, as well.”
Asked how many pilots the team has Howell said, “we have six airshow pilots.”
According to the Patriots Jet Team website, “they have logged over 105,000 hours of flight time and performed in more than 1500 air shows.” Most recently, they performed over Venice and Mandeville Islands in the Delta prior to the fireworks show on Sunday evening, July 3.
The Patriots Jet Team Foundation
Lastly, the accomplishment that Randy is most proud of is the Patriots Jet Team Foundation, a separate non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation which he founded in 2011.
“The Foundation educates and mentors youth in America in aviation/aerospace and STEM career paths. The Foundation has partnered with other STEM based Foundations, as well as public, private, charter and University school programs.” Howell shared. “We cater to nearly 10,000 kids a year with rocket launch competitions, high-altitude balloons, introduction to aviation classes, aerodynamic classes and many more that we do, right here, at our facility as well as in the public schools system.”
Be sure to attend the PJT Foundation Benefit Gala on September 17th. You can learn more and register at PJTF.ORG.
To learn more about the Patriots Jet Team visit www.patriotsjetteam.com.
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Outgoing Pittsburg Police Chief Brian Addington administers the oath of office to new Chief Steve Albanese. Photos Pittsburg PD
By Pittsburg Police Department
Chief Addington congratulates Chief Albanese.
He has served our community and the Pittsburg Police Department for 25 years, and now Steve Albanese will lead the proud women and men of this department as the new police chief following the retirement of Chief Brian Addington. (See related article)
Former Captain Steve Albanese is now Police Chief Albanese. He was sworn in yesterday to the top job rounding out his rise through the ranks of the Pittsburg Police Department.
Chief Albanese always wanted to be a police officer in Pittsburg. He graduated from the academy and, with an opportunity at hand, joined the Pleasant Hill Police Department. But after three months, the call of home led him to join our Pittsburg Police Department family. And, he has been a leader ever since.
Chief Albanese is determined to carry on the legacy of former Chief Brian Addington and his focus on transparency and breaking down barriers with the community we serve.
“As corny as it may sound, I’m not done here,” said Chief Albanese, “ I love this community. It is my honor to carry the torch forward and continue the proud service to Pittsburg that this department has shown time and time again.”
Chief Albanese holds an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from LMC, a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Cal State Fresno, and a Master’s degree in Leadership from St. Mary’s College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and California Peace Officers Standards and Training Command College.
Congratulations Chief Albanese. We look forward to your leadership and a bright future ahead!
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Evidence shows multiple suspects targeted victim
By Pittsburg Police Department
On Sunday morning at approximately 7:20 AM, Pittsburg Police officers responded to a residence on East 12th Street in regards to a shooting that had occurred several minutes prior. When officers arrived, they found the victim of a shooting and immediately began providing medical aid to the victim. The victim, a 24-year-old male resident of Pittsburg, sustained a single gunshot wound to the lower body. He was transported to John Muir Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery and is currently listed in stable condition.
Shortly thereafter officers located the scene of the shooting, which was near the intersection of Railroad Avenue and E. 10th Street. Officers collected multiple items of evidence from the shooting and based on initial information, it appears there were multiple suspects that targeted the victim. Officers are currently contacting witnesses and collecting surveillance video from the area in order to identify the suspects. Additional information is not available at this time.
The Pittsburg Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance and asks anyone with additional information to please contact the Pittsburg Police Department tip line at (925)-252-4040.
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