Student and Adult Humanitarians to be Recognized at Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony
Deadline: Nov. 6
ByKristi Jourdan, PIO, Contra Costa County Office of Communications & Media
(Martinez, CA) – Contra Costa County seeks nominations for Humanitarians of the Year to be recognized during the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony.
The deadline to submit candidates for consideration is November 6, 2026.
The event will commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19.
The Board of Supervisors will recognize two individuals, one adult and one student leader, whose dedication to others embodies the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the January event. Nominate a community member and/or student whose accomplishments and actions go above and beyond to positively impact Contra Costa County, its residents, and communities. Please nominate candidates who demonstrate leadership, commitment to the community, and personal integrity. To submit online nominations and learn more about the County’s celebration, visit the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony website.
On Monday, October 19, 2026, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Antioch Police Department officers responded to a ShotSpotter gunshot detection alert in the area of West 19th and C Streets.
Officers searched the area and located a crime scene in the 200 block of West 19th Street. During the investigation, officers learned that a 37-year-old man had been taken to an area hospital in a private vehicle for treatment of a gunshot wound. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“It was a ShotSpotter activation and the victim walked into Sutter Delta Medical Center and there are no suspects or leads at this time,” explained Lt. Bill Whitaker.
Antioch Police Department investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident, observed suspicious activity in the area, or has surveillance footage that may assist with the investigation to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Antioch Police Department Investigations Unit at (925) 779-6926. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
To meet Nov. 30 deadline for 2027-28 Fiscal Year General Fund reductions
By Allen D. Payton
The Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting for a Budget Study Session on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. According to the meeting agenda, “The Board will review the District’s current fiscal status and discuss potential budget strategies.”
An overview entitled, “Fiscal Recovery & Financial Stability” will be provided by Rosa Ma Loza, the District’s Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations, which explains the purpose of the study session is to “Understand Where the revised General Fund budget is allocated; Prioritize What to protect and which unrestricted expenditures to evaluate first; and Direct Board to give staff a clear direction toward October 28 and November 18.”
After having made actual cuts of $10.28 million from the General Fund budget, the Board needs to make an additional $7.99 million in reductions previously reported as attained but as of Oct. 8, now updated as unattained.
Source: AUSD
Note: S&C refers to Standards and Contract dollars. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), in California school finance, “standard dollars” generally refer to the state’s per‑student Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and related budget standards, while “contract dollars” refer to the actual contractual amounts districts must spend or bid for services, often tied to specific agreements or procurement rules.
Standard Dollars — State Funding Standards
The CDE defines “standard” criteria in its Criteria and Standards for Fiscal Solvency for school district budgets. These are the benchmarks used to review and approve district budgets.
Contract Dollars — Procurement and Contractual Obligations
“Contract dollars” are the actual dollar amounts in contracts that districts must follow, often set by law or regulation.
Meetings with Parents, Community, District Leadership & Staff Oct. 26 & 27before Nov. 30 Deadline
The District must submit the detailed list of Board-approved budget reductions for 2027–28 to the Contra Costa County Office of Education by Nov. 30th. Prior to that the Board will hold meetings with parents and the community on October 26, in the morning and afternoon, and with District leadership and staff on October 27.
Meeting Details
The school board meeting will be held in the District Office Board Room at 510 G Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. It can be viewed livestream on the District’s website or the District’s YouTube channel.
The Antioch City Council gathers for a special meeting before adjourning to a two-hour closed session Monday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2026. Video screenshot
By Allen D. Payton
During a special Closed Session meeting on Monday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2026, the Antioch City Council discussed hiring an interim city manager to take the place of current, Acting City Manager Ana Cortez, who is also the City’s Human Resources Director, until a permanent city manager is hired. But after two hours they took no reportable action City Attorney Lori Asuncion reported out after she and the council members returned to the dais inside the Council Chambers. (See related article)
The one item on the meeting’s agenda read, Public Employee Appointment:Interim City Manager. However, as previously reported, during the Council’s special meeting on Oct. 7th, Asuncion reported out from that meeting’s Closed Session, “If and when an interim city manager is chosen and an agreement reached, the appointment and agreement will be brought to open session during a regular city council meeting for consideration.”
Before adjourning to the closed-door meeting on Monday, the mayor allowed public comments on the matter, which does not usually occur during special meetings but is if the comments are not general but specifically focused on the agendized matters. Yet, no member of the public spoke in person, via Zoom or call-in about the appointment.
During the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of Monday’s special meeting, District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker can once again be seen not saluting the U.S. flag. Video screenshot.
Report Out from Closed Session
After returning from Closed Session shortly after 4:00 p.m., City Attorney Asuncion said, “there’s nothing to report out.”
For now, the City will continue to operate with an acting city manager, acting director for the Community and Economic Development Department and no assistant city manager. However, the Council has begun the process to hire an economic development director after voting to re-establish that department, again.
Being held on $70,000 bail, has history of 42 arrests in multiple counties since 2016
By Allen D. Payton
On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17, 2026, at 12:13 PM, Antioch Police responded to a report of arson at the 7-11 in the 2700 block Of Hillcrest Avenue at E. Tregallas Road. According to CitizenRIMS, 35-year-old Devin Howard Javaughn Taylor (born 3/9/1991) is listed as five-foot, nine-inches tall, 150 pounds, is Black of African American and was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor for 451.5(a) PC: aggravated arson (F), 148(a)(1) PC: obstructing, resisting, etc. a public, peace officer or emergency medical technician – simple (M), and 290.012(a) PC: sex offender who failed to update their annual registration (F).
According to localcrimenews.com, he has been arrested 41 other times by multiple agencies since 2016, for crimes including sexual battery, indecent exposure, battery on a spouse / co-habitant / former spouse, cruelty to a child by inflicting injury, child endangerment, robbery, burglary, carjacking, battery on a peace officer, willfully harming a peace officer’s horse or dog with injury, DUI, petty theft, trespassing, vandalism and being a transient required to register as sex offender. His most recent arrest was on Sept. 30th this year by Antioch Police for attempting to remove a firearm from a peace officer and resisting an officer or attempting to deter or prevent a public officer from performing their duty.
Save the date for the East Bay Men’s Recovery Center’s Car Show + Trunk or Treat Oct. 31st, 10am- 4pm in Downtown Rivertown, Antioch!
Vehicles will be displayed on G Street from the river (bulb) to 4th Street and on W. 2nd Street from I (eye) Street to F Street.
We’re excited to spend time in our community, create a safe space for kids to get their candy, and raise money for our recovery program!
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Give us a call or send us a message at 1-800-418-6139 or info@ebmrc.net.
The East Bay Men’s Recovery Center works to give “men struggling with addiction a hand up, not a handout” offering a 12-month program at their location in Antioch. For more information about ebmrc.net.
Con Fire and Antioch Police personnel attend to the stabbing victim near the corner of N. Lake and E. Lake Drives early Sunday morning. Photos by Allen D. Payton
By Allen D. Payton
Early Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, at 12:54 AM, Antioch Police were called to a stabbing, according to dispatch. According to the Antioch Police CitizenRIMS, the incident occurred in the 40 block of N. Lake Drive, police and Con Fire personnel responded and were seen treating a man sitting on the sidewalk near the home.
A Con Fire engine leaves the scene as the victim is attended to early Sunday morning.
The incident is described as a domestic dispute and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, cohabitant or dating relationship – aggravated 273.5(A) PC., the crime type is listed as an assault and classified as a felony.
Multiple officers responded and two could be seen speaking with a woman at the home where the stabbing occurred.
Teresa Linda Iglesias, age 44, was arrested and charged with the aforementioned crime and 417(a)(1) PC: exhibiting a deadly weapon other than a firearm – weapon law violations, misdemeanor. The five-foot, six-inch tall, 170-pound suspect is white.
According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Iglesias was booked into county jail at 7:47 AM Sunday and bonded out of custody at 12:56 PM that same day.
28 charged in statewide Operation Protect the Vote, five in Bay Area
By Ciaran McEvoy, PIO, U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California
LOS ANGELES – Federal law enforcement throughout California today arrested 11 foreign nationals living in the United States who are charged in criminal complaints with federal crimes, including that they fraudulently registered to vote in U.S. elections, electoral contests in which most of them cast illegal and fraudulently obtained ballots.
A total of 28 people were charged statewide, 21 who actually voted in elections and 11 were arrested today. Law enforcement is seeking the other individuals or they have been summoned.
Source: republicanpollworkers.com
Today’s arrests are part of “Operation Protect the Vote” – a coordinated effort among all four California-based United States Attorney’s Offices to combat and root out fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity.
All 28 foreign nationals charged are lawful permanent residents (LPRs), or “green card” holders. Although LPRs have legal immigration status in the United States, they are not U.S. citizens and are not permitted to vote in U.S. elections.
The criminal charges include making false statements in a naturalization application and some of the defendants also are charged with fraudulent voter registration. Both charges are felonies that carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court. No pleas will be taken today.
On October 13, the federal government provided a list of these individuals to California to ensure that their vote-by-mail ballots were set aside until these individuals’ citizenship status could be confirmed. California declined to assist the federal government in setting aside their ballots, prompting a lawsuit by the United States that seeks a court order to prevent the unlawful dilution of American citizens’ votes and to uphold the integrity of our elections.
“Every illegal vote cancels out the vote of a lawful American citizen,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. “Each of the 28 defendants charged today appears on the list of more than 20,000 likely noncitizen registrants we provided to California election officials last week. California refused to look at that list. Today’s charges show exactly what that refusal puts at risk. California must verify the citizenship of those more than 20,000 registrants before mail-in ballots are counted.”
“Today’s arrests prove what we have been saying,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “California is mailing ballots to noncitizens, and they are refusing to comply with federal law, which makes it a crime for noncitizens to vote. The voting rights of American citizens must be protected.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is committed to protecting the integrity of our nation’s electoral process by investigating allegations of criminal conduct that undermine public confidence in our elections,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon. “Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who knowingly violate federal law, while ensuring that every investigation is conducted fairly, thoroughly, and consistent with due process.”
According to court documents, the defendants knowingly and willfully lied under oath in their voter registration applications that they were U.S. citizens to be permitted to vote in California. Their fraudulent voter registration applications were approved, and, in many cases, the defendants illegally voted in recent U.S. elections. They subsequently lied in their paperwork to become naturalized U.S. citizens that they had never claimed U.S. citizenship, nor had they registered to vote or voted in U.S. elections.
Broken down by jurisdiction, the following defendants are charged in today’s takedown:
Central District of California
All the following defendants below in this jurisdiction face felony charges, including false statements in a naturalization application:
Omar Alexander Muñoz, 72, a Belizean national living in Commerce, fraudulently registered to vote in September 2019, claiming his was a U.S. citizen, then voted in U.S. elections in 2020, twice in 2022, and in 2024. He also lied on his application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen when he falsely stated under oath to have never claimed to be a U.S. citizen.
Amandeep Kaur, 30, an Indian national living in Rancho Palos Verdes and who is seeking to become a U.S. citizen, fraudulently registered to vote in December 2022 and voted in the November 2024 U.S. election.
Ana Domínguez, 60, a Salvadoran national living in Long Beach, fraudulently registered to vote in July 2006 and lied in her naturalization paperwork in March 2026.
Axel Giovani Prera García, 46, a Guatemalan national and Pico Rivera resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2002 and 2005, and lied in his naturalization paperwork in June 2025.
Flavio Alejandro Zúñiga, 43, a Mexico national and La Puente resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2003 and lied in his naturalization paperwork in February 2026.
Butleng Taing, 43, a Cambodian national living in Long Beach, fraudulently registered to vote in July 2021, voted in the 2022 and 2024 U.S. elections, and lied on his naturalization paperwork in August 2025.
Carlos Antonio Galeas, 54, a Honduran national and West Covina resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2012 and 2016, then lied in his naturalization paperwork in September 2018.
Ernest Gutiérrez Ruvalcaba, 57, a Mexican national living in Wilmington, fraudulently registered to vote in February 2024 and voted one month later.
Jesús Narez-Madrigal, 52, a Mexican national living in Carson, fraudulently registered to vote in 2014, voted in the 2024 U.S. general election, and lied in his naturalization paperwork in June 2024.
José Antonio Bañuelos-Díaz, 42, a Mexican national and West Adams resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2007 and lied on his naturalization paperwork in March 2025.
Muhammad Khan, 50, a Pakistani national and Anaheim resident, submitted a provisional ballot in 2020 and lied on his naturalization paperwork five years later.
Rouzbeh Seyamaknejad, 63, a Canadian national and Rancho Palos Verdes resident, fraudulently registered to vote in December 2018, lied in his naturalization application in January 2024, and voted in the November 2024 U.S. election.
Sulema de León, 35, a Mexican national and Long Beach resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2013, lied on her naturalization application in 2019, and voted in the November 2020 U.S. general election.
Eastern District of California
The following defendants are charged with voting by an alien in a federal election, a misdemeanor that carries a statutory maximum sentence of one year in federal prison:
Maricela Nazarín González, 43, a Mexican national living in Clovis, registered to vote in 2020, indicating that she was a U.S. citizen, and voted in elections in 2022, twice in 2024, and 2025.
Rony de Jesús Sicaja, 38, a Guatemalan national living in Fresno, fraudulently registered to vote in 2017, and voted in the June 2022 primary election and the November 2024 general election in the United States.
Camino Giles Jiménez, 51, a Mexican national living in Kerman, knowingly voted in three U.S. elections despite knowing he is a noncitizen, the most recent election being the June 2026 primary.
Juan Antonio Rivas García, 46, a Mexican national and Sacramento resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2018 and 2020, both times falsely asserting under oath that he was a U.S. citizen. Rivas voted in the 2022 and 2024 U.S. elections.
Giezell Viduya Adawag, 41, a Philippines national and Vacaville resident, fraudulently registered to vote the day of the November 2024 general election, falsely certified that she was a U.S. citizen, and voted in the election that day.
Kamlesh Navnitlal Shah, 67, an Indian national living in Sacramento, fraudulently registered to vote on the day of the November 2024 general election and voted that day. He is charged via information.
Northern District of California
The following defendants are charged with attempted procurement of naturalization contrary to law, false statement under oath in any matter relating to naturalization or citizenship, and voting by an alien:
Verónica Bullene, 43, a.k.a. “Verónica Hernández Martínez,” a Mexican national living in Petaluma, made false statements on her naturalization application that she had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen when, in fact, she did so under penalty of perjury to register to vote in 2022 and 2023 then voted in 2024.
David Shapiro, 41, a Georgian national living in San Jose, fraudulently registered to vote in 2024 and later voted in a U.S. election, and made false statements on his naturalization application that he had never claimed to be a U.S. citizen.
Moe Thida Lwin, 57, a Myanmar national and Daly City resident, fraudulently registered to vote in 2024 and then proceeded to illegally vote in a U.S. citizen. She made false statements on her naturalization paperwork as well.
Manakotau Mataele Finau, 61, a Tongan national and Hayward resident, fraudulently registered to vote in the 2024 election then vote, then lied about it in naturalization paperwork.
Maribel del Carmen Garcés Barriga, 62, an Ecuadoran national and San Francisco resident, made false statements in her naturalization paperwork that she never claimed U.S. citizenship and had never voted in a U.S. election or had registered to vote. In fact, Garcés fraudulently registered to vote in 2024 and proceeded to vote in a U.S. election.
Southern District of California
The following defendants are charged with false claim to citizenship to vote, unlawful attempted procurement of naturalization, and false statement under oath in matter relating to naturalization or citizenship:
José Probitsado Amaro, 51, a citizen of the Philippines living in National City, fraudulently registered to vote by falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. He then cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election and made false statements during his naturalization interview, denying that he had ever claimed U.S. citizenship and misrepresenting his voting history.
Jennifer Jung, 31, a Canadian national living in San Diego, fraudulently registered to vote by falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. She then cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election and made false statements during her naturalization interview, denying that she had ever claimed U.S. citizenship and misrepresenting her voting history.
Erick Ronaldo Soto Mendizábal, 64, a citizen of Guatemala and former Oceanside resident now living in Moreno Valley, fraudulently registered to vote by falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. He then cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election and made false statements in his naturalization application, denying that he had ever claimed U.S. citizenship and misrepresenting his voting history.
Pamele Arbués Line, 56, a citizen of the Philippines living in Escondido, registered to vote, cast a ballot in the November 2024 general election, and made false statements in her naturalization interview, denying that she had ever claimed U.S. citizenship and misrepresenting her voting history.
Criminal complaints and informations merely contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating these matters in the Central District of California. HSI and the FBI are investigating these matters in the Eastern and Northern Districts of California. HSI, the FBI, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services are investigating the matters in the Southern District of California.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Wheat and Minjae Kim of the Orange County Office are prosecuting the Central District of California cases. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Khasigian and Joshua Banister are prosecuting the Eastern District of California cases. Special Assistant United States Attorney Roger Dinh is prosecuting the Northern District of California cases.
