Demand NuStar Energy safety probe before Crockett plant is reopened following fire

By Daniel Borsuk

At their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, Contra Costa County Supervisors voted 4-0 to create an ad hoc committee to explore the feasibility of placing on the ballot a sales tax measure. The committee will consist mainly of union leaders, county agency heads and nonprofit organizations leaders.

On the vote, District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover was absent.

At the recommendation of District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, who serves on the Finance Committee, proposed the establishment of a citizen-based ad hoc committee to study a proposal that could wind up on a ballot for county voters to decide on perhaps by the November 2020 general election.

In California, the maximum sales, use, and transactions tax rate is 9.25 percent. That includes a statewide base sale and use tax of 7.25 percent and up to 2 percent for local district transaction and use taxes.

Current projections for annual revenues for a countywide transaction and use tax are one half cent $93 million and quarter cent $46.5 million. Current projections for annual revenues for an unincorporated area transaction and use tax are one half cent: $8.32 million and one.

So far, the ad hoc committee will study several potential tax scenarios. Current projections for annual revenues for a countywide transaction and use tax area:

. 0.50 percent (1/2 cent): $93 million

. 0.25 percent (1/4 cent): $46.5 million

Projections for annual revenues for an unincorporated area transaction and use tax are:

. 0.50 percent (1/2 cent): $8.32 million

. 0.25 percent (1/4 cent): $4.16 million

Mitchoff said she is promoting the sales tax ad hoc committee because she frequently hears from constituents why Contra Costa County does not have a sales tax while other counties like Alameda, San San Mateo, Santa Clara and others do draw additional revenues for county services from a sales tax.

The ad hoc committee will be led by stake holders, not supervisors, Mitchoff said. “We want all comers at the table,” she said. “This will be a difficult lift.”

“This is a huge opportunity,” said Sean Casey, executive director of the nonprofit organization First 5. “16,000 families could benefit from this in Contra Costa County.”

Demand NuStar Energy Plant Safety Probe

Also during their meeting, the Supervisors demanded that county officials confirm that operators of the fire damaged NuStar Energy plant in Crockett not resume operations until its fire and hazardous materials safety measures have been completely reviewed and upgraded by state and federal authorities.

“I want updated progress reports on your investigations,” demanded Board Chair John Gioia, whose District 1 covers the Crockett refinery location where the fire erupted from a tank filled with ethanol at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15. The fire spread, catching a nearby tank also containing ethanol. Some 250,000 gallons of ethanol were destroyed in the fire.

The blaze forced county authorities to call a Shelter in Place in the Crockett area. Interstate 80 was closed for six hours. The incident was officially over at 8:10 p.m. when I-80 was reopened to traffic by the Highway Patrol, said Contra Costa County Director of Hazardous Materials Randy Sawyer.

“At the end of the day, the incident was contained, “said Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Chief Lewis Broschard. “No other tanks were destroyed. No other materials were discharged.”

Broschard told supervisors it was through the fire fighting resources of NuStar Energy and several other refineries that were able to promptly respond to the fire site to assist CCCFPD in extinguishing fire. Those refineries – Shell, Chevon, Phillips 66, Tessoro, and Marathon – supplied foam that the county fire district did not have to adequately extinguish the blaze, said Chief Broschard.

Chief Broschard said at this time there is no known cause for the fire including whether arson may have been a factor.

Gioia made it clear to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Chief Broschard and Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Program Director Randy Sawyer that he wants a thorough investigation completed before “there is a reopening” of the NuStar plant.

Supervisors heard from eight speakers, all critical of NuStar and its safety track record.

NuStar spokesperson Mary Rose Brown told the Contra Costa Herald via an emailed message:

“We absolutely agree, and we are working closely and cooperatively with CalOSHA and other regulatory agencies on detailed plans to ensure that the facility is safe to operate before it is reopened. We also are continuing to work in very close cooperation with all applicable local and state regulatory agencies to investigate the root cause of the incident so that we can take whatever measures are required to ensure the continued safety of our employees, contractors, neighbors and the community. We worked over the weekend to pump liquids out of the incident area and CalOSHA and local fire investigators accessed the area today (Tuesday).”

County resident Carl Davidson suggested that the NuStar plant incident may have been triggered by a seismic event since the facility is located on the Pinole fault and the fire erupted after seismic events were reported in the Pleasant Hill area the previous day.

Twenty-five-year Crockett area resident Isabella Izzi said the board of supervisors and regulators should clamp down on NuStar for this environmental violation and future violations by requiring the refiner to provide hazmat masks to all residents of Crockett. “The Board of Supervisors should make it clear that it will deny any new expansion at that refinery,” she said.

Dan Torres, a representative of an industrial fire sprinkler installation union, questioned the quality and reliability of the fire sprinkler system installed at NuStar.

At the end, Chair Gioia asked that updates on the NuStar fire will be reported at the Public Safety Committee that he chairs.

In other business, the supervisors:

-Approved a $240,000 contract to Concord Yellow Cab, Inc. to provide non-emergency taxicab transportation services for Contra Costa Regional Medical center and Contra Costa Health Center patients for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The county pays taxicab service for patients unable to transport themselves to medical appointments due to medical conditions, including physical disabilities, patients who have verifiable seizure disorder or patients who have received medications which has or could impair their mobility.

-Approved a $1.97 million Public Works Department contract with Debri-Tech, Inc. to provide on-call assistance with trash and abandoned waste cleanup and removal for the Contra Costa County Watershed Program for the program October 15, 2019 through September 30, 2022.

-Approved the issuance of $85 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bond by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority for the Fairfield Hilltop LP, a California limited partnership, to provide for the financing of the acquisition and rehabilitation of a 322-unit multi-family housing development known as Hilltop Commons Apartments located at 15690l Crestwood Dr.

 

$3.6 billion plan will provide $1 billion to East County, including an additional $1.6 million per year for local roads in Antioch

By Allen Payton

At their meeting on Tuesday night, Oct. 22, 2019, the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to support placing a second countywide, half-cent sales tax for transportation on the March 2020 ballot, as well as the associated expenditure plan. The measure is expected to generate $3.6 billion in revenue over the next 35 years. If passed, it will go into effect July 1, 2020 and will overlap the county’s current half-cent sales tax for transportation for 14 years. See plan, here: Draft 2020 Transportation Expenditure Plan

“We have support from all the cities in the county, except for Antioch and one other city. We still need two-thirds of the voters to approve the plan in order for it to take effect,” said Hisham Noeimi, Director of Programming for the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, who provided the presentation. “Despite our success our work is not done, yet. We still have four of the 10 most congested corridors in the Bay Area.” See presentation, here: 2020 Transportation Expenditure Plan Presentation

The other reason for the ballot measure is the housing jobs imbalance in the county, he explained.

“If we can bring jobs to housing rich areas, like Eastern Contra Costa County, that will help. We added 350,000 people over the last 20 years which has put strains on our transportation system. We expect to add another 350,000 people over the next 35 years.”

“The TEP (Transportation Expenditure Plan) attempts to provide the funding for all these needs…with a focus on green modes of transportation, like transit and bike, and growth management,” Noeimi continued.

The cost is estimated to be about $50 to $75 per household on average per year.

He said that $1.6 billion focused on major road improvements.

“The remaining $2 billion will be spent in your communities, coming back to the cities to improve your local streets, and improved transit services…to make it cleaner, more efficient,” Noeimi stated. “There is funding to attract jobs to East Contra Costa. There is also funding to improve air quality.”

“It was developed with sub-region equity in mind. So, for East County that’s about 28% of the $3.6 billion that will come back to East County.

“At the Authority we recognize we can’t widen our way out of the problem. That’s why funds will be spent on transit, what we call green transportation. Most of it will be spent along the major corridors in East County, Highway 4, 242, Vasco Road, the road to Byron Airport…” he said.

“Right now, Antioch receives $1.5 million per year for local roads and transportation. If it passes, the city will receive another $1.6 million per year,” Noeimi shared.

“With the TEP, over the next 35 years we will be able to reduce green house gas emissions by 7%. The TEP is more than funding. New policies include improving growth management, making transportation more efficient and our roads safer,” he concluded.

Councilman Lamar Thorpe asked about the Growth Management Plan asking, “Are you talking about the Urban Limit Line?”

“Yes,” Noeimi replied.

“I didn’t understand it this way, but would the county Urban Limit Line supersede our Urban Limit Line?” Thorpe asked.

No. Antioch has its own voter approved Urban Limit Line,’ Noeimi said, then referred to “hillside development. Ridgeline protection. If you have one of these conditions and have a policy to address them, then you mark the box.”

“We’re asking the cities to adopt a Vision Zero Policy, to make our streets safer for all users,” he added.

Thorpe responded, “So, again, getting people out of cars, getting them on bikes in a suburban community.”

TriDelta Transit will get $110 million out of the $392 million in the program, Noeimi shared

“You said something about the cities and a checklist. The return to source money…is conditioned upon the cities meeting their growth management plan. They have to submit a checklist to the CCTA every two years. That just carries that same procedure. If they don’t meet the checklist are the return to source funds withheld?” Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock asked.

“Yes,” Noeimi replied. “That hasn’t happened in the last 30 years.”

Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts asked about the ferry service to Antioch included in the plan.

“The funding can be used for WETA (the Bay Area’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority) or privately-run service, the landing platform,” Noeimi explained. “The money in Antioch could be used for that.”

Mayor Sean Wright then said, “The three-to-one leverage ratio is huge. The way that works, we use the money to start the planning process. Then we go out looking for…the state and federal funds. That’s what CCTA has been able to do.”

“Some of this money is coming back to East Contra Costa for economic development, trying to create jobs, here. A study has shown that if we were able to take 10% of the traffic on our freeways and reverse it…the Bay Area would go green, meaning our highways would no longer be red,” he stated.

Following the presentation, the council then considered the matter for a vote on a separate item on the agenda.

During public comments, Adam Alexander spoke in favor of the adoption of the TEP, saying, “As a training coordinator, representing the Carpenters Training Fund. I’m here to support the TEP…with the inclusion of the joint labor management apprenticeship training program.”

Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commissioner and recently announced city council candidate, Dwayne Eubanks spoke next.

“I want to speak out in support of this amendment…with the inclusion of a BART extension stop at Somersville,” he said. “Contra Loma Somersville is our core corridor. You have all that businesses there. Why don’t we have a stop there? Hillcrest isn’t the center of town. It’s probably too late. But I had to put that out there.”

The council then voted unanimously to approve the resolution supporting the half-cent sales tax Transportation Expenditure Plan and to place it on the March 2020 ballot.

 

Will consider approving budget costs at next meeting in November

By Allen Payton

At their meeting on Tuesday night, Oct. 22, the Antioch City Council received reports on homelessness and impediments to fair housing and by consensus, approved a list of solutions.

First, the Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2020-25 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. They then received a report on the 2020-25 Consolidated Plan Needs Analysis on Housing and Homelessness by Teri House, Antioch’s Community Development Block Grant and Housing Consultant. See report, here: Housing & Homelessness Needs Assessment

She quoted the report, stating “Communities where people spend more than 32% of their income on rent can expect a more rapid increase in homelessness.”

The report shows over 51% of households in Antioch are facing at least one of the following housing problems: lacks kitchen; lacks complete plumbing; severe overcrowding; or sever cost burden.

House spoke of those residents who are rent burdened by paying more than 30% of their income toward housing and severely rent burdened by paying more than 50%.

“Black households are almost twice as severe rent burdened as white households,” she stated.

“Only 56% of our households are not lower income by HUD’s standards,” House said about Antioch.

“Contra Costa County needs another 31,000 affordable housing units to meet the needs of low-income residents in the county,” she said, according to the report.

The county’s solutions to the homelessness problem includes the goal of building 5,000 new housing units in the county that will “remain affordable forever”.

In Antioch, according to a survey, residents said two of the greatest barriers to housing and services are: Agencies lack sufficient capacity/resources, lack of services and lack of housing.

Solutions include financial assistance, job development, housing services for special needs and foster youth, sanctioned encampments, mobile showers, port-a-potties, and safe parking, more shelter beds and cities to provide land to build emergency housing.

No members of the public spoke.

Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts asked, “are there parameters for non-profits who want to apply for the grants?”

“We like to fund all of our non-profits with $10,000. But…we can go down to $5,000,” House responded.

Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock thanked House for the report and mentioned the part about victims of domestic violence that was included in the report.

No council action was required on the report.

List of Solutions in Antioch

However, during a separate agenda item, the council approved a list of solutions to the homelessness problem in the city. The funding for each will be considered at their next meeting in November. The list was developed following several meetings by the council’s Homeless Encampment Ad Hoc Committee, with recommendations from the public, and discussion by the entire council at one of their meetings in September.

The first principle upon which the list of items was determined, included health and safety issues of “human waste, the needles and trash,” said City Manager Ron Bernal. The second principle was the immediate, short term shelter needs during the winter months. The third principle is the long-term housing needs.”

The list is not all encompassing, he added.

The solutions include dumpster and Sharps containers, near homeless encampments, so the needles can be collected and disposed of in a safer manner.

“The city has installed three port-a-potties in Antioch, at a cost of $400 per month per location. We’ve absorbed it into our budget up until, now,” Bernal shared.

Another discussion is portable shower units, and he referred to Shower House Ministries, which also provides clean clothes to homeless.

“Another way would be to provide vouchers so people can go to laundromats. I estimated a budget of $10,000 as a starting point,” he stated. “The city

“Motel services in the form of vouchers could be issued to folks. Approximately $100 per night would be adequate. We don’t know the availability in Antioch. The estimate to jump start that would be $10,000.

“The warming centers and shelters have mostly been provided by the faith-based community which open up their facilities during the winter months,” Bernal mentioned.

“The county is working to purchase land and put together a warming center. But, that’s a couple years out,” he said. “The Antioch Library is being considered as a warming center…from November through June for families, during the winter and through the end of the school year. The cost estimate would be $250,000 which would serve 10 to 15 people per night.”

“A safe parking lot program would cost about $35,000 through the spring of next year and serve 35 to 50 people per day,” Bernal added.

Long Term Solutions

The city council could provide more funding to help people transition out of homelessness, which could be done through the county through the Continuum of Care.

He mentioned Tough Sheds or other forms of low-cost housing but, wanted to wait until the Unhoused Resident Coordinator was hired and in place.

Public Comments

Nichole Gardner was the first to speak during public comments.

“I wanted to make the five of you a promise. If you fail to face homelessness…head on…we advocates will do whatever we can to make sure you are not in that seat come 2021,” she said. “Please believe these voices will be heard. You will be held accountable for your actions.”

Last year I cried during the winter months. I felt hopeless. Tonight, I feel hopeful,” Gardner continued.

“You won’t see us coming for Sean Wright. But we will come after Mayor Wright. Not only do the homeless and advocates want the homeless off the streets, but the business owners do, too. Shelter and housing is the best way to get that done.”

One speaker who was a victim of domestic violence, who said her boyfriend killed her daughter, shared about her own experience of addiction and homelessness and desire to start a program for homeless.

“I was never on the streets, in a tent,” she shared, because she was able to stay in motels. “So, I don’t know how it feels to be on the streets.”

Jimmy Gordon, “I’m a recovering addict. The first is still at-risk citizens at 701 Wilbur Lane (a non-sanctioned RV park). The second reason I’m here is to advocate for homeless on the street. The man who let me move in at 701 Wilbur gave me respect and held me accountable. Not everyone who is homeless are dope fiends, running around. Some are out there. But, some of us just want a hand up. Please, please keep it going. I’m just a mere person. But, I’m a person with a vote and I am registered. I want to see where your compassion and your love for your fellow man.”

Leonard Hernandez was next to speak, saying, “The dumpsters. Thank you for the dumpsters. They’re popping up. It’s good. They’re filling them up. Unfortunately, some people are putting washers and dryers in there, which aren’t from the homeless. But at least they’re not being dumped on the highways.”

“Sycamore, you’d be surprised. We probably have 15 of the homeless people there cleaning all along the railroad tracks. Thank you for the orange garbage bags. They need to be thicker.

“You know we have 300 children who are in the Antioch Unified School District that are homeless, which should not be,” he stated.

“Port-a-potties are popping up. There could be more. We’ll see what we could do.”

Councilman Lamar Thorpe was first to speak, saying “The ‘thank yous’ go to those who came to our ad hoc committee. What we’re talking about, today are what the residents of Antioch asked us to look into. I’m for most of these things. In the areas where we’re talking about the showers, I have some concerns. We have facilities throughout the city that aren’t being used for two-thirds of the year that have showers. Thank you, Ron for the pause on the challenging task that will be the permanent and transitional housing. I think it’s going to be a huge proposition.

Motts then suggested the council go through the recommendations, one by one.

Before that happened, Councilwoman Monica Wilson said, “yes, hold us accountable” and reiterated what Thorpe mentioned about using facilities that are underused.

Ogorchock said, “I too, want to go through theses.”

Option #1 – Providing Dumpsters where needed and Sharps

“I’m for that,” said Thorpe.

“We may want to expand on that,” Motts said.

“It’s where staff sees the need is,” Wright said.

“If they are out and about more people will use them than the people intended,” Ogorchock shared.

#2 – Portable Toilets

“I’m for that,” Thorpe said, again.

Motts suggested adding them to the area near the Main Post Office.

“I would ask that go back to staff and Code Enforcement, as they know where the need is at,” Ogorchock stated.

“We have to use public property,” Community Development Director Forrest Ebbs pointed out.

#3 – Portable Shower Units

Ogorchock thanked the coordinator for Shower House Ministries, and mentioned White Pony Express, which might offer that, as well.

“We’re not committing to any one organization, only committing an amount, then staff will go out and see what to do,” Thorpe stated.

#4 – Laundry Services

Providing a mobile laundry service at a cost of $100,000.

“I’m for a voucher program,” Ogorchock stated. Thorpe agreed, “until we get the Unhoused Resident Coordinator in place.”

Immediate Short-Term Shelter

#5 – Motel Services

“It will help those in short term need at a cost of $10,000,” Wright said. “There are a lot of women and children in need and as I’ve tried to help them, there is no place for them to go.”

“How do we make sure who we’re helping are Antioch residents?” he asked.

“You’re an Antioch resident when you’re standing, here,” Ebbs responded. “We have a fluid, itinerant housing population, here. I don’t know how we would go about determining who is and isn’t an Antioch resident.”

Ogorchock suggested using Shelter, Inc. to distribute the vouchers and determine residency.

“The city running their own motel voucher service brings up liability issues,” Ebbs said. “There are folks who deal in motel vouchers.”

LaVonna Martin from the county was asked to address the issue.

“There are agencies who issue motel vouchers,” she said. They’re issued to people receiving the services.

“They only allow three to five days, then fall back into homelessness,” she added.

“Is there a way to help it not be so temporary?” Wright asked.

“There are also laws when it comes to tenancy. You can’t stay more than 28 days,” Martin said. “That’s why they’re usually seven days or less…for them to get a plan in place.”

“Can people stay in one motel then go to another?” Ogorchock asked.

“You’re talking about musical motel rooms,” Martin responded. “It helps if they can move from one room to another. But its inconvenient for families to pack up and move.”

“The police department can put people up…on a case by case basis with discretionary funds,” Martin explained, responding to a question by Councilman Thorpe.

“When it comes to this, we can think of all kinds of reasons it can be difficult, on a cold, winter night…if we’re talking about an initial cost of $10,000…I recommend we go forward with it,” Motts shared.

“If we do it outside of the Continuum of Care there are no follow up services,” Ogorchock said.

“$10,000 goes very quickly, if we’re talking about a motel/hotel voucher,” Martin stated. “Out here..they go for $85 a night.”

“The intent behind this is not to use motels as transitional housing, it was to be emergency housing, if the police find someone who is old or frail on the streets,” Ebbs stated.

#6 – Warming Centers

“It isn’t a different program. Yes, last year we went through a community process,” Martin explained. “Those buildings that aren’t typically used in the evening. The Antioch Library allowed the use of their building for families to come in during the winter months. Unfortunately, we could not find an operator. Once, again we would be happy to explore that for families or individuals who are experiencing homelessness to come in.”

“Last year, the funding on this came from the county. This year the funding would come from our General Fund,” Wright said.

“$250,000 for 10 to 15 persons,” Motts said. “I’d rather work with our faith-based organizations…and try to take advantage of that. We also have facilities, here that are city owned.”

“Whether it be a city facility or not, the cost would be the same,” Wright responded.

“Most of the funds are start up costs, the tents…” Martin said. “But that picture would be different if you use volunteers, when the faith-based community comes in. We have great faith-based communities, here that already know what to do.”

“The Winter Nights Program is using faith based facilities,” she shared, in response to a comment by Mayor Pro Tem Motts. “They’re just two different models.”

“I think we can pursue the Winter Nights Program working with the faith-based communities,” Ebbs said, in response to Wright’s comments in favor of using that instead

“We have facilities we never use. The Nick Rodriguez Center…the Water Park sits empty two-thirds of the year. I’m not for giving someone rent when we have the facilities. What we’re trying to do is get people off the streets. I understand connecting them to services. But we shouldn’t keep that from getting people into shelter, overnight.”

“The library has no intent of charging rent,” Martin stated. “It’s a matter of staffing. You have labor laws with people working more than eight hours.”

“You still have to get cots, someone to maintain the facilities,” Ogorchock pointed out. “You can’t have families and men in the same facility. So, we need separate facilities. I would not count this out. I think we should look at the number (cost) for the program.”

“None of these suggestions are in our out, they’re still accessible, they’re not two separate things,” Thorpe said. “People will have access to the Continuum of Care.”

Wright summed it up that there is support for the idea, with the request for better cost estimates.

#7 – Safe Parking Lots

“The city owns several parking lots in the downtown area,” Ebbs said. “I can think of three or four. I don’t want to panic anyone by announcing that, tonight. The city owns several lots throughout the city.”

“I think this is critical,” Motts said. “Trying to find a safe place to stay every night, especially for families…”

“I’m for this,” Thorpe said.

“Yes,” said Wilson.

“As we look to the Unhoused Coordinator, we will be looking for more long-term solutions,” Wright said.

“I wanted everyone to have these in mind, that we’re looking at long-term solutions,” Ebbs interjected.

“Lots of people are falling into homelessness and many more are just on the edge,” Motts said. “My recommendation is as soon as we get the coordinator on, they be looking into all the options, and other programs around the state.”

No motion was made but, Bernal asked to have the budget items to come back at the next meeting, as “we don’t have the cumulative for all this.”

“This is not going to eliminate all the encampments,” Thorpe stated.

“But I think it is important to point out all of these were brought out in our meetings,” Motts said.

“I am concerned that the seniors…how we can keep them in their homes,” Ogorchock added.

 

By Antioch Police Department

In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 19, 2019, officers were dispatched to the Antioch Marina for a report of a car that had rolled down the boat ramp into the water. Officers were told there was a man trapped inside and he was holding his head above the water.

When officers arrived, they saw a white convertible submerged under water. The officers quickly began to try and pull the man out of the car but, learned that he was stuck inside. While trying to keep the car from rolling further into the water, officers were able to cut open the convertible top enough to get the driver’s door open, free the trapped man inside, and pull him onto the dock.

Contra Costa County Fire and AMR arrived on scene and treated the man. He was then transported to a local hospital for further care.

The Deer Valley High School Academic Challenge & Enrichment (ACE) Academy has a lot of things going on for the public in the next three weeks. Take a look at these skywatching events and join us for a look at the heavens. More and more people are attending our planetarium program — our first two shows were basically running at full capacity. In addition, for each of the three events listed below we will also have a lunar sample disc borrowed from NASA that has six samples of rocks and soil brought back to earth from the Apollo missions. You can see a moon rock at any of the three following events.

October 19 – John Marsh Stone House.

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m Join Astronomer and teacher Jeff Adkins for a close-up view of the night sky. Enjoy the history and splendor of the Marsh Creek State Historic Park. $20 per person

ACE Academy students and Mr. Adkins will provide a stargazing event at the John Marsh Stone House south of Brentwood near the new LMC campus as a fundraiser for the new state park interpretive center being built there. There are events all day long including a meal. This event is NOT free ($20 for the astronomy part) but you can pay for only the parts you want. For tickets, directions and more information visit this link: http://johnmarshhouse.com

October 24 – DVHS Planetarium presents “We Choose Space,” a program provided by Loch Ness Productions and sponsored by Corteva (formerly Dow Agriscience). This program reviews the beginning of the space age and explains why we explore space. Following the program we will have a planetarium show to look at Saturn, the Summer Triangle, the Ring Nebula, and other objects. The planetarium is free and the doors open at 8 PM. The show starts at 8:15 and observing starts at 8:45. We will finish up around 9:30-10 PM. For more information go to www.dvACEacademy.com.

October 26 – DVHS astronomy students and Mr. Adkins will be at the Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Brentwood, one of the darkest locations in Contra Costa County, to observe the night sky with our fleet of telescopes. This event will run from 8 – 10:30 PM (although I will be there earlier as it gets dark.) There is a parking fee for each car.

For more information go to https://www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros

Finally, on the morning of November 11 the planet Mercury will pass in front of the sun. Our school’s solar telescopes can see this event and we will be displaying it “live” so you can see it. This is being done as an ACE academy fundraiser at Barnes and Noble in Antioch. We will be encouraging visitors to mention ACE as they check out to help support the academy. This is the last transit of Mercury visible from North America until the year 2049. Our event will already be happening as the sun rises and will continue until about 10 AM. For more information about the transit including an animation of what we expect to see visit: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/antioch?iso=20191111 (Please note the moon rocks will not be available for this event.)

For the Mercury Transit, the Stone House, and the Los Vaqueros reservoir, the events are subject to the weather. If it is cloudy they may be cancelled. The planetarium show happens rain or shine.

Sunday, Oct. 20 11 AM – 4 PM

Marina Event Center, 200 Marina Blvd, Pittsburg, California 94565

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1410042409136547/