“The CHP continues to deploy officers alongside local law enforcement agencies in high crime areas.” – CHP spokesman Jaime Coffee
By Allen D. Payton
Following the deployment of 120 CHP officers in Oakland for five days earlier this month, resulting in 71 arrests, CHP Media Relations personnel were asked if the governor would be sending any officers would be provided to Antioch to supplement its depleted force due to the two investigations.
On Wednesday, February 21 she responded, “The California Highway Patrol (CHP) continues to provide service to all California communities, regardless of location, and constantly strives to enhance public safety through community engagement and partnerships. The CHP has always maintained a presence in Contra Costa County, and we are working with city leadership to determine if the CHP can further support the city of Antioch through normal CHP operations.
The initial temporary surge within the city of Oakland occurred between February 5th and February 9th. Future surges are expected. The CHP continues to deploy officers alongside local law enforcement agencies in high crime areas.”
Acting Chief Joe Vigil and APD media relations officers were asked if the department had requested CHP officers for Antioch to supplement the force with so many officers currently on administrative leave. Vigil responded, “Yes.”
Asked if he had received a response to his request from either the governor’s office or the CHP, Vigil did not respond.
As of Feb. 1, Antioch had 31officers on paid administrative leave, including those being investigated by the FBI and Contra Costa DA’s Office, and those in the racist text message scandal. As of Feb. 13, with the four new officers sworn in, that brought the total number of active sworn officers on the force to 54.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
Matched with “non-binary” Fellow to run program to support new Crossroads to The Delta Project to revitalize the local economy, address commuter challenges, promote a sustainable business ecosystem
The City of Antioch announced on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, it has been selected as a host site of the first cohort for the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC). The ERC is a new, collaborative initiative designed to accelerate recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in distressed communities and regions throughout the U.S. by connecting organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of doing economic development that promote economic resilience and transformative change. The ERC is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Economic Development Administration and the International Economic Development Council.
The ERC Program has the potential to shift the practice of economic development nationwide in an unprecedented manner.
Utilizing strategic partnerships, innovative industry development and data-driven planning, the project addresses issues such as lengthy commutes, limited local job opportunities and underutilized city resources. The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic include a disbanded public safety office, staff shortages, struggling small businesses, and an underused waterfront. The ERC Fellow will research, audit, manage, or develop up to six key initiatives, covering areas like district-based associations, OceanTech, advanced manufacturing, supplier diversification programs, and assessing small business grant impact. The project aims to contribute to Antioch’s economic recovery and sustainability, fostering a resilient and vibrant community.
About the Fellow
The City also introduced ERC Fellow Gaby Seltzer who was matched with the Antioch community. Seltzer will play a pivotal role in revitalizing the local economy, address commuter challenges, and promote a sustainable business ecosystem. Gaby will be living and working in our community for the next 2.5 years.
The ERC’s website provided background about Antioch’s fellow in the program.
“Gaby is passionate about building community wealth and power through sustainability initiatives. ‘Their’ professional background is in grassroots food systems work, including managing a social enterprise program that increased access to healthy foods at corner stores in Washington, DC’s food apartheid neighborhoods. Through this work, ‘they’ helped locally-anchored businesses build resilient partnerships with residents, governments, academic institutions, and industry groups.
Witnessing the power of local networks to foster sustainability and social justice led Gaby to Presidio Graduate School, where ‘they’ honed ‘their’ cross-sector organizing skills through an MBA and MPA in Sustainability. While pursuing these degrees ‘they’ consulted for several economic resilience organizations. ‘They’ also served as an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow twice: first designing a data portal to drive climate investments to frontline communities at the City of Seattle, and next building datasets and learning materials to drive climate adaptation programming at Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
In ‘their’ spare time, Gaby enjoys spending time outside and hosting gatherings.”
Asked if there is just one or more fellows, how Seltzer was matched with Antioch and in which city department the fellow will be working, Antioch Economic Development Manager Bret Sweet responded, “There was only one fellow, Gaby Seltzer. Gaby has asked us to use ‘they’, ‘them’ and ‘their’ in reference.”
“I applied for the program and went through a fairly intensive pitch process along with (Acting City Manager and Economic Development Director) Kwame (Reed),” he explained. “Once we were selected, we formed a panel of city and county employees to interview multiple candidates. As it worked out, we scored the highest and Gaby ranked Antioch the highest, so we were matched. There are 65 fellows in the program and only two were sent to California. As I learned at the kick-off last week in Portland, apparently ‘more than half the candidates asked to work on the Antioch project’.”
“Gaby works in the Economic Development Department here and will also work a bit with the Economic Development Department at the county,” Sweet added.
About the Project
Asked about the name of the project, Sweet shared, “Crossroads to the Delta project is the name we designed for the six initiatives we asked applicants to work on. Here is the project as it appeared to applicants: Crossroads To The Delta
“It was the name of the project for the ERC. It is not something established by the council,” he continued. “It was named crossroads to highlight Antioch’s positioning between San Francisco, Palo Alto, Stockton and Sacramento.”
“Gaby and I worked all last week at the kick-off in Portland to update the project goals based on feasibility, bandwidth and resources. We will probably have the page updated by next month,” Sweet said.
Learn more about the ERC program and the various projects across the US and stay up to date on the ERC’s happenings by signing up for updates at www.iedconline.org/ERC_Updates.
SF Chronicle Editorial Board and East Bay Times political editor join Planned Parenthood of Nor CA, CA Labor Federation, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, State Building & Construction Trades Council of CA and CA Federation of Teachers in endorsing Assemblyman’s campaign
Tim Grayson. Source: Grayson for State Senate campaign
CONCORD, CA – Assemblymember Tim Grayson announced new key endorsements from the San Francisco Chronicle and the East Bay Times in support of his campaign for State Senate District 9. The local newspaper Editorial Boards join a growing list of endorsers including Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund, California Labor Federation, State Treasurer, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and California Federation of Teachers.
Dan Borenstein, Political Editor of the East Bay Times also lauded Grayson’s legislative record and experience in their endorsement stating, “Experience and knowledge count. That’s why suburban East Bay voters should elect Assemblymember Tim Grayson to fill the state Senate seat that Steve Glazer is vacating because of term limits. The complete endorsement is accessible here.
Grayson currently represents more than half a million Contra Costa County residents in the California State Assembly. A small business owner and the former Mayor of Concord, Tim is focused on fighting for quality jobs and economic security for working families, addressing California’s housing crisis, and taking on predatory lenders and financial fraudsters across our state. Tim was the first in his family to earn a college degree. His father was a Teamster and his mother was a public transit worker. Tim has been a licensed general building contractor for nearly 30 years and operates his own small business. He is the Chair of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. Tim and his wife Tammy have been married for 35 years and have raised two adult children in Concord, CA.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) today announced plans to control aquatic invasive plants in the west coast’s largest estuary, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and its southern tributaries. Starting March 6 through Nov. 30, 2024, DBW crews will begin herbicide treatments on water hyacinth, South American spongeplant, Uruguay water primrose, Alligator weed, Brazilian waterweed, curly leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, coontail, ribbon weed, and fanwort in the Delta. Depending on weather conditions and plant growth/movement, treatment dates may change. Select areas of the Delta with high infestations or coverage of water hyacinth will be controlled using mechanical harvesting efforts through December 2024.
DBW works with local, state, and federal entities to better understand the plants and implement new integrated control strategies to increase efficacy. These aquatic invasive plants have no known natural controls and negatively affect the Delta’s ecosystem as they displace native plants. Continued warm temperatures help the plants proliferate at high rates. Plants are also known to form dense mats of vegetation creating safety hazards for boaters, obstructing navigation channels, marinas, and irrigation systems. Due to their ability to rapidly spread to new areas, it is likely that the plants will never be eradicated from Delta waters. Therefore, DBW operates a “control” program as opposed to an “eradication” program.
“Thank you to the public and partners for working with us on combating these aquatic invasive plants,” said DBW’s Deputy Director Ramona Fernandez. “Together we are mitigating their impacts on the lives of all who live, work, and recreate in the Delta.”
All herbicides used in DBW’s Aquatic Invasive Plant Control Program are registered for aquatic use with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Treated areas will be monitored to ensure herbicide levels do not exceed allowable limits and follow EPA-registered label guidelines. The public may view the public notices and sign up to receive weekly updates on this year’s treatment season on DBW’s website.
Below is a list of proposed control actions for the 2024 treatment season:
Water hyacinth, South American spongeplant, Uruguay water primrose, and alligator weed.
Herbicide Control
· Proposed Treatment Period All Sites: March 6, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2024
· Type of Herbicides: Glyphosate, 2,4-D, Imazamox, or Diquat
· Potential Treatment Areas: Initially in and/or around, but not limited to the following areas: San Joaquin River, Old River, Middle River, Fourteen Mile Slough, and Snodgrass Slough.
Mechanical Harvesting (If necessary)
· Harvesting Dates: March 2024 – April 2024 and July 2024 – December 2024
· Mechanical Harvesting Sites: Select areas of the Delta with high infestations or coverage of water hyacinth. See the Public Notice for potential mechanical harvesting control areas.
· Treatment Period: Starting March 6, 2024, through Nov. 30, 2024, treatment period is based upon DBW field survey data, water temperatures and fish surveys.
· Type of Herbicide: Fluridone, Endothall or Diquat.
· Potential Treatment Areas: In and/or around the following areas (individual areas will be noticed prior to treatment application):
Anchorages, boat ramps and marinas: B & W Resort, Delta Marina Yacht Harbor, Grindstone Joes, Hidden Harbor Resort, Korth’s Pirates Lair, Oxbow Marina, Owl Harbor, River Point Landing, Rivers End, St. Francis Yacht Club, Tiki Lagoon, Tracy Oasis Marina, Turner Cut Resort, Vieira’s Resort, Village West Marina, and Willow Berm. Near Old River: Berkeley Ski Club, Bullfrog Ski Club, Cruiser Haven, Delta Coves, Diablo Ski Club, Discovery Bay, Golden Gate Ski Club, Hammer Island, Italian Slough, Kings Island, Orwood Marina, Piper Slough, Sandmound Slough, Stockton Ski Club, and Taylor Slough.
SacramentoArea: French Island, Hogback, Long Island Slough, Prospect Island, Sacramento Marina, Snug Harbor, and Washington Lake.
StocktonArea: Atherton Cove, Buckley Cove, Calaveras River, Fourteenmile Slough, Mosher Slough, and Windmill Cove.
Mechanical Harvesting
This type of control method is not used for submersed aquatic vegetation. These plants are spread by fragmentation. Cutting the plants back exacerbates the problem, as shreds of the plants float away and re-propagate.
To report sightings, subscribe for program updates or more information regarding the control program, connect with us online at our website, via email at AIS@parks.ca.gov, or by phone at (888) 326-2822.
Last year, DBW treated 2,377 acres of floating aquatic vegetation and 1,405 acres of submersed aquatic vegetation. No mechanical harvesting was conducted. A combination of herbicide, biological, and mechanical control methods were used to help control invasive plants at high-priority sites in the Delta.
In 1982, California state legislation designated DBW as the lead state agency to cooperate with other state, local, and federal agencies in controlling water hyacinth in the Delta, its tributaries, and the SuisunMarsh. The Egeria Densa Control Program was authorized by law in 1997 and treatment began in 2001. In 2012, spongeplant was authorized for control upon completion of the biological assessment. In 2013, DBW was able to expand its jurisdiction to include other invasive aquatic plants, and since then other aquatic invasive plants such as Uruguay water primrose, Eurasian watermilfoil, Carolina fanwort, coontail, Alligator weed, and Ribbon weed have been added to the AIPCP program.
Revenues from boaters’ registration fees and gasoline taxes (Harbors and Watercraft RevolvingFund), provide funding for DBW’s Aquatic Invasive Plant Control Program.
Please be mindful if you are walking the Mokelumne Trail or have your pets out in their yards. This guy has lived in the area for a while and been seen off and on over the years without incident (pictured off Lindley Drive).
Human encounters with mountain lions are rare and the risk of an attack is infinitely small. You are more likely to drown in your bathtub, be killed by a pet dog, or hit by lightning. If lions had any natural urge to hunt people, there would be attacks every single day. Instead, they avoid us.
But if you live, work, or play in cat country, be alert! Avoid walking alone between dusk and dawn when lions are most active. Keep your children and pets close to you. Never approach or corner a mountain lion (or any wild animal). If you do encounter a mountain lion, STOP. DO NOT RUN. Unlike safety advice for encountering bears, do not act timid or play dead in front of a cat.
Instead: Maintain eye contact. Stand tall. Look bigger by opening your coat or raising your arms. Slowly wave your arms and speak firmly. Throw items at the lion if necessary. Give the cat room and time to move on.
Matthew Buckley was charged with 6 felonies for actions while serving search warrant in Antioch; former Officer of the Yearwill serve 3 years & 8 months in prison
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
Martinez, California – Today, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office reached a negotiated plea against 42-year-old Matthew Allen Buckley, of Pinole, for offenses that occurred when he was a deputy with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Buckley was charged in February 2023 with six felonies and one misdemeanor related to offenses that occurred in 2020 and 2022. In a negotiated disposition, Buckley pled no contest to three felonies, including possession of an illegal assault weapon, filing a false police report, and preparing false documentary evidence [PC30605, PC118.1, and PC134]. Buckley will receive a three years and eight months prison sentence, which he can serve on mandatory supervised release if he successfully completes a six-month drug rehab program.
The case began in September 2020 when Buckley, assigned to the Contra Costa County Anti-Violence Support Effort (C.A.S.E), participated in a task force executing a search warrant in Antioch. During the operation, Deputy Buckley seized two illegal AR-15s, phones, laptops, heroin, and drug paraphernalia.
After seizing the AR 15s, Deputy Buckley authored a police report where he falsely claimed to have booked the firearms into evidence. Instead of booking the illegal weapons, Buckley separated the upper sections from the lower sections of the firearm. He returned possession of the upper sections of the firearms to the original owner, but never returned the lower sections of the firearms.
As part of this investigation the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department discovered that Deputy Buckley created false documents and signed for a judge without his consent on multiple search warrant returns for unrelated cases.
In August 2022 as the investigation was concluding, Deputies with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office searched Buckley’s residence and found the lower sections of the AR-15s as well as a small amount of methamphetamine.
According to his Linkedin profile, Buckley worked for the Sheriff’s Office for 15 years, including his final three years and 10 months as a detective. Previously, he had worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Field Training Officer and then a Station Supervisor for ProTransport-1 ambulance service in Pleasant Hill. He started his work life as a Network Security Engineer for Bank of American in Concord.
In 2019, he was named the department’s Officer of the Year.
Pursuant to California Government Code, Matthew Buckley will be legally ineligible to serve as a police officer. Moreover, convicted of felony offenses, Buckley is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Equal Employment Opportunity (ACEEO) has one vacant Business seat and two vacant Community seats open to applicants. The successful candidate for the Business seat must own a business within the county, and candidate(s) for the Community seats must either work or reside within the county. All candidates must have an interest in equal employment matters. The ACEEO meets on the fourth Friday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., except for holidays.
The ACEEO assists with the implementation of the County’s Equal Employment Opportunities and Contracting Programs and serves as an advisory committee to the Board of Supervisors. The ACEEO reviews the Equal Employment Opportunities Program and recommends actions to facilitate the attainment of the County’s goals for equal employment opportunities regardless of gender and race/ethnicity.
The Board of Supervisors established the ACEEO on July 9, 1991. The Council has thirteen (13) seats representing the following groups: 4 Community seats; 2 Labor seats; 2 Management seats; 1 Educational seat; 1 Disability seat; 1 Business seat; 1 Veteran seat; and 1 Labor/Trade seat.
Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655- 2000 or visiting the County webpage at www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418. Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 1025 Escobar St., 1st Floor, Martinez, CA 94553. Applications can also be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us.
2022 District CA-11 Congressional Art Competition winner, “Growing Up” by Menglin Cai of Danville. Source: Office of Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (when he represented the 11th District)
Deadline for submittals is April 5th
Walnut Creek, CA – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-10) announced he will participate in the nationwide 2024 Congressional Art Competition. High school artists living in California’s 10th Congressional District may begin submitting original artwork to his office virtually from now through Friday, April 5th. The winning piece will be selected by a panel of local judges who will view all artwork electronically and announced at a reception to celebrate all participants following the submission deadline.
Participants may submit one photograph or scan of their artwork, taken in the highest possible resolution, to kaylee.deland@mail.house.gov. Submissions must include the Student Release Form. Artwork entered in the contest may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, may be up to 4 inches in depth, and not weigh more than 15 pounds. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive framed and must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions.
Paintings – including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
Drawings – including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
Collages – must be two dimensional
Prints – including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
Mixed Media – use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
Computer-generated art
Photography
All entries must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate any U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the student is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing).
The rules for the 2024 competition are available here or on House.gov.
“Every year I am so impressed by the talent of the students in our district who participate in the Congressional Art Competition,” said DeSaulnier. “I am pleased to again host this event as an opportunity for young artists to showcase and be recognized for their creativity.”
The competition is open to all high school students living in California’s 10th Congressional District. The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and the winner will be invited to Washington D.C. to attend a national reception honoring winners from around the country. All submissions must be emailed to Kaylee.deland@mail.house.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. PT on April 5, 2024.
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Complete contest guidelines and submissions forms are available on the Congressman’s website here. For more information or help submitting artwork, please contact DeSaulnier’s office at 925-933-2660.
