Archive for January, 2019

Police help three escape from hallucinating gunman inside Antioch home Sunday evening

Monday, January 28th, 2019

Ex-boyfriend of one of the residents

By Lieutenant Powell Meads #3917, Antioch Police Field Services

On Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 at approximately 5:18 PM, the Antioch Police Department began receiving reports of a male subject who was armed with a gun inside a home, in the 3900 block of Finch Drive. It was reported that the male was possibly under the influence of a controlled substance, acting irrationally, and had pointed the gun at other occupants of the home. Three adults were inside the home and were hiding in an upstairs bedroom. Antioch Police Officers arrived on scene and set up a perimeter on the residence. They were able to make contact with the three victims, two 18-year-olds and one 22-year-old, through a second story window, and confirm the responsible was on the first floor, still armed and hallucinating / acting erratic.

After a short time on scene, a gunshot was heard from inside the residence. Officers quickly approached the residence and prepared to make entry, while simultaneously beginning to evacuate the three victims from the second story window and onto the driveway. As this was occurring, the responsible began to exit the front door of the residence, where officers were able to detain him peacefully.

The responsible was a 40-year-old resident of Antioch, who was determined to be in a previous dating relationship with the primary resident. The responsible was a convicted felon who was on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS), with an active warrant for violating his PRCS terms. A loaded semi-auto handgun was located inside the residence, along with additional ammunition and evidence the gun was just fired. The responsible was booked into County Jail for various weapons violations, violation of probation, and assault with a firearm.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Supervisors advance North Waterfront Strategic Action Plan, need MOU’s from 7 cities

Thursday, January 24th, 2019

Approve funds for inoperable RV removal, Marsh Creek Corridor Trail study

By Daniel Borsuk

Five years in the making, Contra Costa County’s ambitious Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan might be nearing the end of the long, grueling planning road.  Or is it? NWEDI Strategic Action Plan BOS 1-22-19

Supervisors on Tuesday waved the green flag for planners to begin what can be a challenging negotiating process of collecting Memorandums of Understanding from seven cities – Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Hercules, Martinez, Oakley, and Pittsburg – that stand to financially benefit from potential economic development along Contra Costa County’s northern waterfront stretching from Hercules to Brentwood.

County planners aim to present the MOUs to the supervisors by this summer.

After conducting more than 200 community meetings on the action plan, consultant Gary Craft told supervisors while the “Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan is not cast in concrete,” he encouraged the supervisors to take action on the Strategic Action Plan, a piece of advice supervisors heeded and approved when they authorized county planning officials to begin talks with officials of the seven cities along the Sacramento River.

Should the cities and county sign off on the MOUs, over time the long dormant northern waterfront could potentially spawn an economic renaissance [n an area that once was a major region known for its ship building, steel, sugar. canning, and paper manufacturing heydays.  Thousands of new, clean tech-oriented jobs would emerge, creating a new and steady tax base for local and county government.

Five industries would be targeted under the Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan, according to Craft.  Those industries are biomedical, advanced transportation technology, advanced manufacturing, clean technologies, and food processing/agribusiness.

Most speakers were in favor of the waterfront plan’s findings, with the exception of Caltrans retiree Doug Sibley of Martinez who wondered about how the plan would fulfill the public transportation needs for new businesses coming to the waterfront. He queried if county planners were trying to use the existing Caltrain service that runs through the waterfront area from Martinez to Pittsburg for future public transportation development as the Northern Waterfront plan matures. No one from the county planning department answered his question.

“You must now get the MOUs from the cities of Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Concord, Martinez, and Hercules, “urged Kristin Connelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of the East Bay Leadership Council, a nonprofit organization that endorses the waterfront plan.

District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, who is credited for jump-starting the waterfront plan in 2014, said “I wanted this process to be totally transparent.  I wanted this process completed five years ago, but I realized it would require studies inclusive or our actions.”

“I appreciate the report you have done,” District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood said.  “Now the cities have to come together.  Transportation is an issue.  Housing is important.  We will move forward with the plan. “

Approve $150,000 for Removal of Inoperable RVs

In other business, supervisors unanimously approved the expenditure of $150,000 of general funds to remove abandoned recreational vehicles that are a joint problem handled by the County Department of Conservation and Development and the Sheriff’s Department.  The DCD has authority to tow when an  RV is located on private property and the Sheriff has authority when it is in the right of way.

It is estimated that each abandoned RV that is removed will cost the county about $3,000 to remove from public streets.

Board Chair John Gioia of Richmond and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg requested the $150,000 expenditure.

District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill commented on the issue saying, “I am seeing more of these abandoned vehicles in my area.  I want a report to show how many have been removed in a year.”

It is assumed the 50,000 abandoned RV’s will have been removed and the $150,000 fund will have been exhausted in about a year’s time.

Approve $299,735 for Marsh Creek Corridor Trail Study

Supervisors also approved a Department of Conservation and Development request to grant a $299,735 contract with the planning firm of Fehr & Peers to develop a Marsh Creek Corridor Multi-Use Trail Study. The contract would study ways to develop a 13-mile long multi-use trail through the Marsh Creek corridor aligned with Marsh Creek Road between the cities of Clayton and Brentwood.

The contract’s funding is a collaborative effort of cities of Brentwood and Clayton, the East Bay Regional Park District, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, County Flood Control District, Contra Costa County Health Services Department, East Contra Costa Habitat Conservancy, and non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups including Save Mount Diablo, John Marsh Historic Trust, Delta Peddlers and Bike East Bay.

Winter Dance Concert at Deer Valley High Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25 & 26

Thursday, January 24th, 2019

DA Becton announces second Community Academy Class for Spring 2019

Monday, January 21st, 2019

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

District Attorney Diana Becton announces today that the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office will launch a second Community Academy class this March. The goal of the academy will be to strengthen community relations and provide residents a better understanding of our criminal justice system.

The academy is free and is open to residents who live or work in Contra Costa County. Individuals must complete an application and background check when they apply. Residents can access an application on our website or residents may also apply in-person at one of our offices at the following locations:

  • 900 Ward Street, Martinez, CA 94553
  • 10 Douglas Drive Suite 130, Martinez, CA 94553
  • 100 37th St. Rm 220, Richmond, CA 94805

Residents can submit the applications to the attention of Janet Era. Applicants may also email DA-CommunityAcademy@contracostada.org with their completed application. The application period ends on February 11, 2019.

The Community Academy will be made up of at least 20 residents of Contra Costa County for a 12-week course held at the DA’s Office in downtown Martinez, 900 Ward Street from 5:30-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday starting March 6, 2019. The Community Academy, which is similar to Citizens’ Academies hosted by many law enforcement agencies, is the only academy of its kind at a District Attorney’s Office in Northern California.

The academy helps underscore the office’s commitment to engaging and educating residents of Contra Costa County. Admitted applicants can expect to learn how cases are filed, the different types of crimes our office investigates and prosecutes, and the work we do not only prosecuting cases but also the community outreach efforts underway to prevent crime and to support children, parents and crime victims.

Presenters for the academy will include deputy district attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, support staff, community-based organizations and justice partners. The comprehensive overview by our office will allow residents to get an in-depth examination and review of the criminal justice system in our community.

Young woman shot multiple times in Antioch Saturday night, police seek suspects

Monday, January 21st, 2019

By Corporal Steve McElroy #2500, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On January 19, 2019, The Antioch Police Department received numerous calls of a female shot in the 900 block of W. 7th Street. Upon officers’ arrival, they located a 20-year-old female suffering from multiple gunshot wounds that appear to be non-life threatening. She was transported to an area hospital, and she is expected to recover. No suspect(s) were located at this time, and the case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or you may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Man shot in Antioch early Saturday morning, police seek suspects

Saturday, January 19th, 2019

By Sergeant Gary Lowther #4032, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Saturday, January 19, 2019 at approximately 2:24 am, Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Walter Way near the ABC Rendezvous bar on a report of a shooting that just occurred. Antioch Police Officers arrived on scene a located a 30-year-old male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. It was discovered the responsible(s) fled the area prior to police arrival. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment where he was listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

BART’s February schedule change will impact weekdays and Sundays

Thursday, January 17th, 2019

BART is making major schedule changes beginning February 11th to accommodate Measure RR funded improvements to our infrastructure to keep BART safe and reliable. Projects to upgrade our electrical power system in downtown San Francisco and the Transbay Tube Seismic Retrofit require adjustments to our schedules. The Fleet of the Future roll out is also allowing us to expand some service and run longer trains.

Riders are encouraged to check before you go. Download the official BART app or check the Trip Planner to see how these changes impact your trip.

Weekday Changes

To retrofit the Transbay Tube, we need to open at 5am on weekdays- that’s one hour later. Visit www.bart.gov/earlybirdexpress for bus service alternatives during the 4am hour. We will also be single-tracking trains through the Tube on weeknights for this project. Impacts from this project include:

  • Weekdays after 9pm, trains will run every 24 minutes instead of 20 because of single tracking.
  • On Friday evenings, trains will be added to the schedule after 8pm to the Green, Red, and Yellow lines to reduce wait times and increase capacity.
  • The first train from Daly City (5:03 am) to Antioch will skip from MacArthur directly to Pittsburg/Bay Point. The train will not pick up or drop off passengers between these stations. The next train from Daly City (5:11 am) will make all stops.

·         Weekday service improvements include:

  • New direct Millbrae to SFO service on weekdays from 6:30 am to 9 pm every 30 minutes.
  • Early morning/late-evening trains will now be longer.
  • A Fleet of the Future train will run as part of the schedule on each transbay line and some trains will be lengthened thanks to the arrival of the new fleet.
  • We are adding an additional Yellow Line train to the morning commute and we will extend one late afternoon train from Pleasant Hill to Pittsburg Bay Point.
  • New Richmond-Daly City (Red) and Warm Springs-Daly City (Green) trains on Friday evenings at select times.

Sunday Changes

To upgrade the electrical power system in Downtown San Francisco from 8am-6pm, we need to single track trains in San Francisco on some Sundays. We will maintain 20-minute headways, but impacts include:

  • For the most part, only one line (the Antioch/Yellow Line) will provide service through the Transbay Tube (some direct Red and Green line trains will be part of the schedule at select times).
  • Sunday service changes vary week to week and riders are encouraged to check the Trip Planner or the official BART app before each trip to see the service plan.
  • Dublin/Pleasanton/Blue Line service will operate between Dublin/Pleasanton and MacArthur.
  • All Lake Merritt-Dublin/Warm Springs Transbay riders must transfer at 12th Station—go downstairs one level.
  • All Millbrae riders must transfer to/from a San Francisco/Antioch train at SFO.

·         Sunday service improvements include:

  • Yellow Line passengers transferring to an East Bay line should transfer at MacArthur and will now have increased service with both a Blue and Orange Line train depending on destination.
  • Additional trains/train length will be added to the Orange/Richmond/Warm Springs service.
  • New direct Red and Green line trains added to the schedule on Sundays at select times.

There are no changes to Saturday service.

Check Before You Go

The new schedule has been loaded into the Trip Planner on bart.gov as well as the official BART app. Select a date Feb. 11th and beyond to see how these changes impact your trip. 

Sunday riders are encouraged to check the Trip Planner or the app before each trip as it varies week by week based on single tracking weekends.

The extra Friday service will be reflected in the Trip Planner and in Real Time Departures.  However, these extra trains are not listed in the Schedule by Station or Schedule by Line sections of bart.gov or the printed brochures. 

Sunday’s new Red and Green line trains will be reflected in the Trip Planner, and Schedules by StationSchedules by Line and Real Time Departures. They are not listed in the printed brochures because they vary week by week.

Sunday Service Map: 

Millbrae Shuttle Service weekdays and Saturday:

Teen Education Day at Wells Fargo Bank in Antioch Saturday, Jan. 19

Thursday, January 17th, 2019