Doesn’t consult at least four local news publishers in his district before developing legislation

SACRAMENTO – A data extraction mitigation fee on major Internet corporations would raise $500 million to fund employment credits for news organizations across California under legislation Senator Steve Glazer, D-Contra Costa, outlined Wednesday at a press conference. Joining Senator Glazer were news publishers representing hundreds of community, and ethnic outlets.

Amid the backdrop of newsrooms continuing a downward spiral with staff layoffs, cutbacks in resources or outright closures, Senator Glazer said “we must create a new framework to ensure that newsrooms keep our citizens informed and democracy accountable to the people.”

The bill, SB 1327, is co-authored by Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Santa Rosa, and Senators Catherine Blakeslee, D-Encinatas, Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, and John Laird, D-Santa Cruz.

Senator Glazer’s proposal would create a data extraction mitigation fee on the largest online companies, or platforms, with a minimum of $2.5 billion in revenues. The Data Extraction Mitigation Fee will be based on the value that online platforms derive by extracting personal and economic data from those who visit the company’s web pages.

“News organizations and their advertising revenues have been hollowed out by these online platforms,” Senator Glazer said. “They should mitigate this damage and this new bill will do exactly that.”

The data extraction mitigation fee closes a loophole that allows online platforms to avoid taxation on the value of the barter in which they engage with customers who, in effect, trade access to their personal data for the opportunity to use a website. While this kind of economic relationship has helped fuel innovation and access to information, it has also created what economists call “negative externalities” – or harm to third parties who are not directly a part of that exchange.

In this case, the harm is being done to local news organizations and, more broadly, to all Californians who depend on independent local news coverage of events that affect their daily lives and the democratic form of government – the foundation of our society.

“You cannot have informed voters if there is no one to tell them what their government is doing,” said Senator Blakespear. “We’ve seen the journalism industry devastated in recent years, and we need to do something about that. SB 1327 is a smart, sensible way to fund local journalism.”

Unofficial estimates indicate that a fee level equivalent to the current statewide sales and use tax rate could generate almost $1 billion per year. Of that amount, 39.5% would go to K-14 education as required by Proposition 98 and 1.5% would go to state budget reserves as required by Proposition 2. 

In addition to the constitutional requirement to use a portion of the fee revenue for education and budget reserves, some of the revenue would also go to backfill the state’s general fund for revenue lost when the companies deduct the cost of the fee as an expense on their income tax returns. Some of the money would also go to the Franchise Tax Board for administration and collection costs. That would leave approximately $500 million annually to support local journalism.

While Congressman Mark DeSaulnier held a Zoom meeting with local news publishers in Contra Costa County to provide input on his proposed federal legislation in 2021, neither Glazer nor his staff reached out to at least four publishers in the county for input on his bill before developing it. They include Tamara Steiner, publisher of the Concord and Clayton Pioneer, Mike Burkholder, publisher of ContraCostaNews.com, Greg Robinson, publisher of The Press covering Brentwood, Oakley and Discovery Bay, and Allen Payton, publisher of the Antioch Herald and Contra Costa Herald.

As he did with DeSaulnier’s bill, Payton twice asked the state senator if he would include an exception in the tax code to allow non-profit owners of local media to continue endorsing or opposing candidates and ballot measures, and publishing editorials. But that was not included in the state legislation.

However, Glazer did gather support from other news organizations and sought their input prior to announcing his legislation.

Steve Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News, a nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of more than 3,000 locally-owned and nonprofit, community-based newsrooms, said the legislation would be a major breakthrough for the news industry – and for communities that are starving for local news.

“We vigorously applaud Sen. Glazer’s proposed local news employment credit, which would truly revitalize community news in California,” Waldman said. “It is a transformative proposal. It would dramatically improve the capacity of newsrooms to cover their communities and is especially attentive to the role of medium and small-sized outlets. 

Waldman added: “An employment credit places the incentives in the right place: hiring of local reporters. It’s non bureaucratic. It helps for-profits and nonprofits, print, digital and broadcast, urban and rural. It’s future friendly so new innovators can plug in too. And it does all this while being compatible with the First Amendment and the need to protect the editorial independence of news outlets.” 

Much like mitigation fees imposed on companies that put chemicals into the environment to make their products or develop projects that burden our roads and schools, this fee assigns the cost of saving local journalism to those firms whose economic activity is causing the news industry’s demise.

The program would also distribute at least $25 million annually for non-profit local news organizations that don’t benefit from tax credits. Half of that amount would be reserved for those news organizations with fewer than 10 full-time employees. Additional funds would be provided to journalism training programs.

To qualify for the tax credit, news organizations would have to have their primary circulation or distribution in California and their online news primarily consumed within the state. They would publish in the current and previous year and carry media liability insurance. Broadcasters would have to be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast in the state to claim the credit.

All qualifying news organizations would be eligible for tax credits based on the number of working journalists they have, the credits increasing with every new hire. News organizations that aren’t profitable would be eligible for tax refunds, as would non-profit news organizations.

Matt Pearce, president of Media Guild of the West, said in a letter of support that the bill hits the right tone in its support of smaller publications and outlets.

“The journalism jobs tax credit is well structured, nondiscriminatory in a way that avoids government favoritism, and incentivizes local journalist employment,” Pearce wrote. “Smaller publishers with fewer than 10 employees – which includes many of California’s ethnic media publishers – would, appropriately, receive a slightly larger share of support than larger newsrooms. Freelance journalists are appropriately recognized and economically supported at a level that would not incentivize workforce fissuring. Employers that provide benefits to their employees would receive more support than those that didn’t.”

Laura Rearwin Ward, publisher of the Ojai Valley News in Ojai, CA near Santa Barbara and Ventura, praised Senator Glazer’s proposal to fund small news publications through tax credits and a data mitigation fee.

“Senator Glazer’s bill gives support to those most in need — California’s print and digital local, independent, and ethnic media,” Rearwin Ward said. “And the data mitigation fee appropriately focuses on large online platforms, such as Google, which profit from the use of content they do not create, and user data they have utilized in a one-sided barter arrangement. This fee will mitigate the harm done to the California news industry through loss of advertising revenue. This fee closes a loophole that has allowed online platforms to avoid taxation on the value of that barter. The visible damage to California is clear to see — huge losses in professional local news reporting, resulting in news deserts and ghost papers.” 

Lance Knobel, CEO and co-founder of Cityside Journalism Initiative, the nonprofit that publishes Oaklandside, Berkeleyside and Richmondside, said the legislation could be a game-changer.

“Senator Glazer’s local news employment credit tackles the core problem for local journalism in California: how can we sustain and even increase the number of reporters and editors working in our community? If passed it would be truly transformative for independent local news organizations like ours,” Knobel said.

Ken Doctor, Local Founder and CEO of Santa Cruz-based publication Lookout, said the proposed tax credits would be a critical lifeline for local news organizations.

“The best solution for California’s local news crisis is simple: more experienced journalists offering trusted and trustworthy reporting to and for communities up and down the state,” said Doctor, also an analyst with Newsonomics. “Sen. Glazer’s bill recognizes that payroll tax credits are the best way to fund such a revival, without having the state pick winners or losers. As the legislature debates how to fund such credits, the focus on them is the one essential going forward.”

“We have seen a dramatic devastation of the news eco system, and with it a coarsening of our politics that have led many to worry whether our democracy can survive,” Senator Glazer said. “In so many cases, stories are not being covered in communities, large and small. We often don’t know what politicians and other community leaders are doing – many of the checks and balances have vanished – because nobody is there to cover them. We want to restore accountability and strengthen our democracy by reviving newsrooms.”

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

While speeding on Balfour Road; bonded out of custody; police seek witnesses

By Lt. Miguel Aguiar, Brentwood Police Department

On April 30, 2024, at around 9:26 PM, Brentwood officers responded to the report of a traffic collision involving multiple vehicles on westbound Balfour Road at McViking Way, between the two shopping centers along Fairview Way. Preliminary investigation revealed, the driver of a Chevy Silverado, identified as Zachary Alan Frances Rau, a 26-year-old male from Antioch, was reportedly driving at a high rate of speed, westbound Balfour Road before colliding with a Toyota RAV-4, driven by a 31-year-old male from Brentwood. The Toyota then collided with a Honda HR-V, driven by a 37-year-old male from Brentwood.

A passenger in Rau’s vehicle, a 26-year-old male from Antioch, sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to survive.

The driver of the Toyota RAV-4 was unconscious and unresponsive when officers arrived on scene. He sustained major injuries and required extrication from the vehicle before being airlifted to a local hospital, where he is being treated for his injuries and remains unstable.

The driver of the Honda HR-V was not injured.

Rau was treated a local hospital for minor injuries and subsequently arrested and booked at the Martinez Detention Facility for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, causing injury.

The names of all others involved, and any additional information are being withheld at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Rau is white and as of 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, he had bonded out of custody.

Anyone with further information or if you witnessed the collision and have not already been interviewed, please contact the Brentwood Police Department Traffic Safety Unit at (925) 634-6911.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Beginning Monday, April 29 – will include new dog park, restroom and more.

By City of Antioch

Exciting News for Antioch residents in the Sycamore area.

Get ready for a whole new level of fun and relaxation at Contra Loma Estates Park! The City of Antioch is gearing up for some major renovations, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share the details with you.

Starting Monday, April 29th, we’ll be rolling up our sleeves and diving into construction to give your beloved park a fresh new look! Here’s what’s in store:

A Pawsome Addition: Get tails wagging with the construction of a brand-new DOG PARK! Let your furry friends frolic and play in a safe and designated space just for them.

Convenience at Your Fingertips: We’re installing a much-needed RESTROOM facility for your comfort and convenience.

Light Up Your Path: Enjoy evening strolls with a newly LIGHTED WALKING PATH, perfect for soaking in the beauty of the park after sunset.

Fitness Fanatics Rejoice: Say hello to fantastic EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, helping you stay active and healthy while enjoying the great outdoors.

Game On: Shoot some hoops under the stars with upgraded LIGHTING for the basketball court!

And that’s just the beginning! With a host of other amenities in the pipeline, the future of Contra Loma Estates Park is brighter than ever before.

Please note: The park will be closed to the public during construction for everyone’s safety. Have questions or eager to learn more? Reach out to our Capital Improvements Department at (925) 779-7050 – we’re here to help!

Get ready to experience a whole new level of fun, relaxation, and community at Contra Loma Estates Park. Together, let’s make memories that last a lifetime!

Following employee complaints of a supervisor for prank that occurred over a year ago

Second special meeting in a week scheduled unilaterally by Hernandez – who has publicly called for Anello’s resignation – without confirming if other board members can attend; at least two trustees can’t

By Allen D. Payton

Following Antioch Unified School District employee complaints of their former boss of placing an employees’ desk on the roof in January 2023 and bullying them, and several news reports by NBC Bay Area, Superintendent Stephanie Anello has come under fire from Board President and Area 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez. Both he and Area 2 Trustee Jag Lathan have been quoted in one or more of the news reports commenting on the employee matter. Now, Hernandez is calling for Anello’s resignation because of the incident. (See related articles here, here and here)

While the Director of Facilities, Maintenance and Operations, Kenny Turnage, II, pulled the prank and, in response, Anello has moved him into the district office to oversee the funds from the recently passed Measure B bond measure.

Before taking his position with the school district, Turnage owned and operated K2GC in Antioch which was voted repeatedly as the city’s best General Contractor over multiple years. While Chair of the Antioch Planning Commission in 2020, he was removed by a vote of the Antioch City Council following comments about COVID on his personal Facebook page. That effort was led by District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson who Turnage was expected to run against later that year. He was honored as the 2015 Antioch Citizen of the Year for Most Impact. Instead of running for city council Turnage run unsuccessfully in 2020 for AUSD Area 3 Trustee.

Turnage is good friends with Anello’s husband, former Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando, which has caused some to complain and speculate the AUSD employee is being given special treatment by the superintendent.

Now, according to another NBC Bay Area news report, based on leaked information not provided to board members in an email but not to other media by the superintendent nor district staff, Anello has called for a separate investigation of the matter without her involved.

Yet, Hernandez has called two special board meetings, with a second one scheduled for Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m., to Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release [Pursuant to Government Code section 54957] and Public Employee Performance Evaluation Title: Superintendent [Pursuant to Government Code section 54957 and at least two other board members can’t attend. He called the first special meeting for last Friday, but it could not be held for lack of a quorum.

According to Area 3 Trustee Dr. Clyde Lewis who said he can’t attend this week’s special meeting, explained that the school board meeting agendas are set by the president, vice president and superintendent. But Vice President and Area 5 Trustee Mary Rocha was not involved.

When asked to verify that, Rocha said, “I have not been included in any of Antonio’s dealings. He said Thursday he was holding a special meeting on Friday and instructed a staff member to call the other board members. But I was going out of town for my birthday weekend. No meeting was held due to a lack of quorum. So he called another one for this Thursday and I didn’t know about it until school board staff called me and I didn’t know what was on the agenda. I’d only heard it was similar to the one before.”

“I have a funeral to attend tomorrow and family visiting from Texas, and I don’t see the urgency,” she explained. “Stephanie gave notice early Wednesday morning that she’s out on sick leave until Tuesday.”

“But when you’re the board president, out of courtesy, why would you call a special meeting if you didn’t know if your members can attend?” Rocha asked. “He’s talking to the TV and throwing us under the bus trying to claim we don’t care and he’s the only one who does.”

“Now, it’s getting hot with the employees complaining about Kenny Turnage,” she continued. “It’s a personnel matter. Stephanie has to tell us what they’re doing with it. We’ve had people come to the board meetings and complain and it’s been referred to her to handle it. But I have an email from her that she’s calling for a separate investigation without her involved,” confirming that Anello sent her email to board members.

“A separate personnel commission was set up in the 1970’s to protect from nepotism,” Rocha explained. “If we create a new position, their job is to set up job description and wages. There has always been a maintenance director, but the previous person retired and Turnage applied for it. We don’t know who else applied for it. After the person goes through the interviews and then they’re brought to us for approval. We found out who it was, afterwards.”

“You call a special meeting to deal with an employee evaluation and discipline and possible removal when they’ve done something like embezzlement,” the Area 5 Trustee stated. “Every board president is responsible for the annual evaluation. But none of them have scheduled one for the superintendent since, I think the last one by Diane Gibson-Gray. Clyde tried to have one last year. But every year we can’t seem to agree on the right trainer to help us in the evaluation process and set our goals.”

“This is all coming in from the mayor,” Rocha stated. “He and Antonio are best buddies. Then you have Jag. Just go look at all the photos with the mayor. They’re the only two invited. Antonio is always announcing events the mayor invites him to, ribbon cuttings and grand openings. But we’re never invited.”

Asked if this is another attempt by the board minority to terminate Anello, Rocha said, “heck, yes. They tried it with Ellie when she was president.”

That effort was also supported by Hernandez, but Lewis, Rocha and Area 4 Trustee Gary Hack wouldn’t support it.

“They tried it when Debra Vinson was one of two members on the board giving her problems,” Rocha added.

“You can’t evaluate her when you don’t have any goals,” she continued. “That situation with Turnage was a year ago. all of a sudden, they’re bringing it up. But the superintendent did something to handle it. She moved him out of the position and put him in the district office to deal with the bond issue. But we haven’t had much communication with her about it.”

“You have to give employees the opportunity to clean things up. You can’t just fire them. They have rights,” Rocha explained.

“Antonio isn’t giving us the courtesy, he’s just talking to the reporters,” she complained. “The president is just out there condemning the employee. What right does he have to do that?”

“When that reporter showed up at the council meeting with the cameras rolling, the president should have cut the mic,” Rocha stated. “He should have told the reporter, we can’t discuss that, it’s a personnel matter. But he allowed the press to speak against both of them, Stephanie and Turnage. The president kept allowing it to happen.” (See April 10, 2024 Antioch School Board meeting video at the 1:10:17 mark)

Questions were sent to Hernandez late Wednesday night asking why he is scheduling special board meetings before first having district staff poll the members to ensure there will be a quorum as didn’t happen for last Friday’s special meeting that he called. The board president was also asked, “Why are you setting the agenda unilaterally without discussion and confirmation with the board vice president as is the practice? Upon what do you plan to base the board’s evaluation of the superintendent? Have you and the board set any goals for the superintendent to achieve?”

Hernandez was also asked, “Is this another attempt to terminate Ms. Anello like you and then-Board President Ellie Householder unsuccessfully attempted following your election in 2020? Are you the one who leaked the information about the superintendent’s call for a separate investigation? Are you aware Ms. Anello has called in sick through next Tuesday as of Wednesday morning so she won’t be able to attend the closed session for the board to evaluate her? Do you think it’s appropriate to call for the superintendent’s resignation before evaluating her performance? Do you think it’s appropriate for a school board member to publicly speak about a personnel matter and about specific employees? How can you fairly evaluate a superintendent after you’ve publicly called for their resignation?”

Attempts to reach both Turnage and Anello about the employee complaints and the response by the superintendent have been unsuccessful to date.

AUSD board meetings are held in the Board Room at the District Office, located at 510 G Street in historic, downtown Rivertown. Thursday’s special meeting, if held, can be viewed live on the District’s YouTube channel.

Please check back later for his responses and any other updates to this report.

Victims asked residents if they could enter their homes but were refused

“There was blood all over the place.”

APD UPDATE: No evidence of a drive-by, shooters were on foot; at least two others had non-life-threatening gunshot wounds

By Allen D. Payton

A resident who lives on Prewett Ranch Drive shared what he witnessed and learned from neighbors during and following what was initially reported by Antioch Police as a drive-by shooting that wounded a woman in Antioch late Tuesday night. It ended in a gun battle between people in several cars and a car crashed on another neighbor’s lawn.

“The people who live at the house where the drive-by occurred left the house, engaged in a gun battle at Oneida and Prewett Ranch,” stated the neighbor who chose to remain anonymous. “I saw it on a neighbor’s surveillance video.”

“It shows two vehicles, a silver and a black, both sedans, leaving the house where the drive-by happened, after the drive-by,” he continued. “They got to the corner and the silver vehicle, as it proceeds around the corner it was engaged in a gun battle with a third vehicle – that you couldn’t make out what it was – that was going the opposite direction, westbound on Prewett toward the (Diablo Vista) elementary school on the corner.”

“I live on Prewett. At some point after I heard the gunfire, we heard a crash. I think it was the (unidentified) vehicle involved in the gun battle. Because the black sedan cut off the third vehicle involved in the gun battle. It crashed onto the lawn of another home on Prewett (in the 5100 block). Those people bailed out of the car claiming they’d been shot, males and females. I know this because I spoke with the residents of that home and neighbors.

“The residents could see the people were injured badly because there was blood all over the place. They asked if they could come in, but the residents closed the door.

“The vehicle’s occupants went to the house next door, banged on his door, he sees they’ve been shot, but he’s not letting anybody in.

“Police recovered a gun from underneath that guy’s truck in front of his house.

“There were 15 people at the house where the drive-by occurred. There were four cars. There were people running across the next-door neighbor’s lawn, checking out the house, making sure people were home, is my guess, then they went back and got into the cars then drove by and shot up the house.

“The silver and black sedans were parked in front of the house when the drive-by occurred. Then the residents ran out, got it in the cars and drove off. I can’t tell you how many people got it. The video I saw shows a few people going back and forth between the cars.

“That same, third car was coming back, and the black sedan forced it off the road and into the yard. The black sedan ran into garbage cans and ended up on the sidewalk across the street. Everybody in that vehicle, there were six to seven, I saw them, they bailed from that vehicle and ran. But they only hid across the street between parked cars and homes.

“The neighbors had floodlights and they were running back and forth to the car, trying to start it. Then they drove off and parked on the corner of Candlewood and Prewett, near Chaparral Park, waiting for the others to catch up and get in the car. Then they drove off.”

“The people who got shot up in that car, they got picked up by people in two other cars.

“There was a total of, easily six cars involved. There were four cars involved in the drive-by the neighbor told me.”

“Neighbors have been complaining about that house where the drive-by occurred for about two years. Antioch Police have been to that house before. Code Enforcement has been to that house. The owner lives in Antioch but won’t return the neighbors’ calls.”

“The house is Section 8, definitely,” he added.

Asked about what the neighbor shared regarding the house where the drive-by shooting occurred, Interim Police Chief Brian Addington said, “Yes, Antioch PD has had some calls about this house in the past.”

Asked about the gun battle and crash he stated, “We’re not going to share any additional information as it’s an open investigation. But we have some promising leads we’re following up on.”

APD UPDATE: Not a Drive-By, Shooters Were on Foot; At Least Two Others Had Non-Life-Threatening Gunshot Wounds

Later, in response to what the neighbor shared and a request for any additional details of the gun battle, Antioch Police Detective John Cox of the Investigations Bureau Violent Crime Unit-Robbery/Homicide offered additional information.

He wrote, “We are still sorting through surveillance video, speaking with witnesses, and identifying who was at the scene during the shooting. I cannot confirm how many people or vehicles were involved. The evidence so far indicates the people involved in the shooting were on foot, not shooting from their vehicles.

I can confirm at least one vehicle was involved in a collision after the shooting occurred. We have located two other victims, one male and one female, who sought treatment for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds at an outside area hospital.

We are still asking for any witnesses or any residents with surveillance video who have not been contacted by police already, to contact me” at (925) 779-6866 or email: jcox@antiochca.gov.

However, what he shared contradicted the press release from APD about the incident which read, “Someone from inside the vehicle fired numerous shots at the residence, the female was struck, and the vehicle fled.”

Addington and Cox were then asked about the discrepancy and if the first shooting occurred from a vehicle and the subsequent shootings occurred while the suspects were on foot or were all the shootings done by suspects on foot.

Cox responded Monday morning with, “So far, we know of one shooting scene in the 5400 block of Oneida Wy. Evidence indicates the shooters were on foot. I do not have any evidence that shows anyone shot from a vehicle. There is no evidence of a second shooting scene. The accident scene was in the 5100 block of Prewett Ranch Dr and the accident occurred after the shooting.

That’s all I can release at this time.”

Police seek suspect(s)

By Allen D. Payton

Following reports of gunshots heard in a neighborhood off Prewett Ranch Road east of Deer Valley Road and south of Lone Tree Way, late Tuesday night, and information shared from Next Door by residents, Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington, was asked for details Wednesday morning.

He responded Wednesday afternoon with the following information:

Last night, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at approximately 11 PM, Antioch officers responded to a residence on the 5000 block of Oneida Way for the report of a man with a gun.  As information was being taken by dispatch, officers began responding.  During this time additional reports were received that shots had been fired. 

When officers arrived, a female victim was found inside a residence suffering from a non-life threating gunshot wound.  The female was transported to an area hospital for treatment where she was determined to be in stable condition.

During the investigation it was learned that several people were inside and outside of the residence when a vehicle drove by. Someone from inside the vehicle fired numerous shots at the residence, the female was struck, and the vehicle fled.  It was also learned that this incident may have stemmed from an earlier argument between several people.

Numerous items determined to be evidence were collected at the scene.  This case is being investigated by our Violent Crimes Investigations Unit. Anyone with information is asked to Contact Detective Cox at (925) 779-6866 or email: jcox@antiochca.gov.

By Allen D. Payton

A two-vehicle crash in Antioch, Sunday afternoon, April 14, 2024, claimed the life of a man in his 30’s. According to his aunt he was from Pittsburg. The collision occurred in the intersection of Auto Center Drive and W. 10th Street, about 4:00 p.m.

Con Fire and Antioch Police personnel responded to the scene. According to Con Fire spokesman, Fire Prevention Captain Joe Ottolini, two other people were transported to local hospitals and at least one is in critical condition. He said there was one possible DOA. Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington confirmed the fatality.

According to reports, the man was the driver of one of the cars and ran a red light causing the crash.

UPDATE: According to information provided by the Antioch Police Department, “This afternoon at 4:07 PM, the Antioch Police Dispatch Center began receiving multiple emergency calls reporting a major collision at the intersection of West 10th Street and Auto Center Drive.

Upon arrival, officers learned the driver of a blue Acura sedan was traveling northbound on Auto Center Drive, at a high rate of speed, approaching the intersection of West 10th Street. The Acura entered the intersection as a silver Lexus SUV was traveling westbound through the intersection (on West 10th Street), resulting in a “T-Bone” collision.

Police officers immediately administered first-aid at the scene to all the involved parties. Several fire engines from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District also responded and paramedics took over first-aid and life-saving efforts.

Unfortunately, the solo occupant and driver of the Acura sedan (a 30-year-old male) succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The driver and passenger in the SUV were removed from their vehicle and transported to a local area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Antioch Police Department Accident Investigators responded to the scene and took over the investigation, which is still ongoing. This investigation is in its preliminary stages and evidence and witness statements are being collected at this time. The names of the involved parties are not being released pending proper notifications.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit at (925) 779-6864.”

Process continues, expected to conclude next week

“…some officers have returned to work or will be returning, although some have been terminated.” – APOA attorney Mike Rains

UPDATE: As of Friday, April 12, 2024, APD has 77 current sworn officers of which 50 are on full duty status.

By Allen D.  Payton

Following up on a February Herald article about the Antioch Police Officers still on paid leave for the investigation into the racist text scandal since last March, questions were emailed on Thursday evening, Feb. 8, 2024, to City Attorney Thomas L. Smith, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and Human Resources Director Ana Chavez asking:

“How long can police officers or any city employee remain on paid administrative leave?

Since most of the officers merely received but didn’t send any of the text messages, what possible disciplinary actions can be taken against them? 

When will the officers who merely received but didn’t send any text messages return to work? Have any of them, yet? If so, how many?

Can the investigation just go on indefinitely and the taxpayers continue to pay the officers on leave to not do their jobs?

Can’t the officers return to work as each one is deemed to have not committed any fireable offense?

Or do all of them have to wait to return to work until after the entire investigation has been completed?

Have any disciplinary actions been taken against any of the officers, yet? If so, how many? What did they include?

Have any of you been approached or pressured by any of the council members to keep the investigation open and not allow the officers to return to work – other than the public statements by the mayor and Councilwoman Torres-Walker that they want all of them fired?”  (See related articles here and here)

No responses to those questions were received from the three city staff members.

At that time, out of 81 sworn officers on the Antioch police force, 31 were on some form of leave, most for the text investigation, leaving only 50 sworn officers actively working. As previously reported, most of the officers caught up in the scandal only received some of the text messages but didn’t send any. (See related articles here and here)

On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in response to a resident claiming none of the officers were still on leave due to the text scandal, questions were sent to Reed, Interim Police Chief Brian Addington and Mike Rains, attorney for the Antioch Police Officers Association.

They were asked if that statement was correct, if all the officers had returned to work and if any of them had been terminated.

Reed responded simply, “The process is still ongoing.”

Addington wrote, “That is incorrect, but I can’t comment further.”

However, Rains shared more details. He wrote, “We have not resolved all the cases. Some are resolved, and some officers have returned to work or will be returning, although some have been terminated.”

“I won’t discuss the outcome of administrative cases until all are concluded, probably in a week – 10 days,” he added.

According to a post by Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, entitled, “April Police Staffing Update”, of the 115 sworn officer positions approved in the city budget, there are currently 89 sworn officers on the force, including nine Community Service Officers. Of that amount 39 are patrol officers. His report also shares that there are six officer candidates currently in the Police Academy and seven more are preparing to enter the academy this month.

But it doesn’t mention how many sworn officers are currently active. A question was emailed early Thursday afternoon to both Reed and Addington asking how many of the 80 non-CSO sworn officers are currently active.

UPDATE #1: They did not respond before end-of-business hours on Thursday. However, when asked if he had any comment, APOA Vice President Sgt. Loren Bledsoe responded, “The APOA cannot comment on personnel matters; however, we look forward to the conclusion of the investigation so we can focus on rebuilding.”

UPDATE #2: On Friday, Interim Chief Addington provided the following department staffing details, writing, “As you may be aware, staffing levels can change daily. With that said, as of today, APD staffing levels are as follows: 

115 – Authorized sworn staff

77 – Current sworn staff

5 – Modified duty (working but not able to work at full capacity)

22 – On some form of leave

50 – Full Duty Status

39 – Assigned to Patrol – 33 officers, 4 sergeants, 2 watch commanders

7 – Assigned to Investigations – 1 lieutenant 

4 – Command Staff

7 – Community Services Officers (4 vacancies).”