On Wednesday, February 16 Special Agents from the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE), arrested Norman “Norm” Wielsch, a 12-year veteran of BNE and commander of the Central Contra Costa County Narcotic Enforcement Team. Wielsch was arrested in the City of Benicia on several felony counts related to the distribution of methamphetamine, marijuana and steroids.  

The arrest is the result of a criminal investigation that began in January after the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement became aware of allegations of misconduct by Wielsch.  As a result, BNE Agents initiated a comprehensive undercover operation, culminating in Wielsch’s arrest.  Also charged in the narcotic distribution conspiracy was Christopher Butler, 49, of Concord.  Wielsch and Butler were booked into the Contra Costa County Jail.

Both Wielsch and  Christopher Butler were Antioch police officers, with their employment ending in the late 1990s, according to Allan Cantando, Antioch’s Interim Chief of Police, adding, “Any inquiries regarding their employment is a personnel matter and will not be discussed.”

The investigation is continuing and there is no indication that other police personnel are involved in this matter.  By law, the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement is precluded from discussing the administrative investigation and will not elaborate on the continuing criminal investigation.

“The drug trade rips apart our society, fractures our communities and destroys lives and families,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, who chairs the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee. “The charges brought against Norman Wielsch, commander of the Central Contra Costa County Narcotics Enforcement Team, should not overshadow the good work the anti-drug team has done or the need for interagency teamwork in attacking the problem of drugs in our county.

“The drug trade has no jurisdictional boundaries. Drugs and the gangs that act as soldiers and enforcers for that trade are sometimes more technologically sophisticated and are better armed than our law enforcement agencies. Now, more than ever, we need the cooperation and support of all law enforcement agencies to attack the network of drug sellers, suppliers, growers, manufacturers and transporters who operate across international, city and county lines.”

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Sigifredo Lua

The baby was transferred to Children’s Hospital in Oakland where he was treated for multiple fractured bones, a lacerated liver and bleeding on his brain. He was in a coma and later died.

During the course of the investigation it was learned that the child’s father, Sigfredo Lua, 23, of Antioch, had been taking care of his two children in a residence in the 700 Block of O Street while his wife was at work. He called his wife at work to advise her that the baby was injured, and she in turn called 911. 

Lua’s initial statements on how the child was injured were inconsistent with the injuries sustained. He has since confessed to detectives that he punched the child in the face, according to police. He was arrested for felony child abuse with great bodily injury, booked at APD and then taken to Martinez County Jail where he remains in custody pending murder charges being filed with the DA’s office. 

The Antioch Police Department is continuing to investigate this case. Anyone with Information is asked to contact Detective Robert Green at (925) 779-6932.

How arrogant are California legislators in dealing with the deficit?

Back in late 2009 legislators were just beginning to get an inkling of the fact that voters were becoming informed in regard to the huge public pension debt and the influence special interests from labor unions to corporations were having on legislators seeking reelection. In response, legislative pay and benefits were cut by 18%, as were car allowances and per diem stipends for living expenses.

Additionally, the Senate required aides making annual salaries of $50,000 or more to take one unpaid day off per month – a program that was cancelled last July. ( The Assembly did not impose staff salary cuts or furlough days.)

I now hear some politicians saying the recession is over and the economy is on the rebound. I haven’t seen facts that support that belief, nor am I sure that voters out there seeking a job or trying to figure out how to pay this month’s household bills believe it.

That’s why I consider it a slap in the face that our legislators in Sacramento have just decided to approve higher pay for some aides. Yes, folks, Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (aka “Smart Growth” Steinberg), who committed to cutting 10% of the Senate’s operating budget this year (about $10 million), and Assembly Speaker John Perez, whose policy was “no raises,” have just approved higher pay for 136 Senate and 95 Assembly aides, using the justification that the increases reflect “job promotions or other extraordinary situations” and that overall personnel costs and spending have dropped.

Perhaps if another Field Poll were to be conducted, state legislators might find that their 80% disapproval rating last year (the lowest rating since the poll began checking it in 1983) will sink to another low. Can Governor Jerry Brown get the two-thirds approval vote from legislators he needs to put on the ballot the same tax and fee increases that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unsuccessfully put before voters two years ago? He thinks so.

On February 9 just before 10 a.m.  Antioch police received a call of a man chasing another person down the street in the 2000 block of Cambridge Drive while firing a gun.

While en route officers learned that a victim had been confronted by two people who had just forced their way into his residence. He retrieved his handgun and chased them out of his residence. He continued to chase one of them down the street while the other returned to the victim’s residence and stole the victim’s vehicle. The thief then drove past the victim, slowed and allowed his partner to get in. They both fled the neighborhood.

While chasing the subject, the victim fired one round into the ground, attempting to scare the person into stopping and giving up. No one was injured and the only loss was the victim’s vehicle.

On August 22, 2010, a carjacking occurred on Vender Court in Antioch. Cedric Mccroey, 21; Corey Mccroey, 19; and Alfonzo Beasley, 21, were identified as being responsible, according to police. Cedric Mccroey and Alfonzo Beasley were also identified as being responsible for a robbery that occurred in the same area two weeks prior.

Corey Mccroey and Alfonzo Beasley were apprehended by Antioch Police in Antioch several weeks after the carjacking. Cedric Mccroey was never located and evaded Antioch Police investigators for approximately six months.

On February 8, 2011, Cedric Mccroey was located on Magnolia Way in Antioch and was apprehended by APD personnel, including APD SWAT. The house he was associated with on Magnolia Way was searched, and approximately one-half ounce of rock cocaine was located along with paraphernalia associated with sales.

Cedric Mccroey, Corey Mccroey, and Alfonzo Beasley are validated “Towerside” gang members from San Francisco and were all named in a recent city of San Francisco gang injunction, according to police. They have been indicted by a Contra Costa County Grand Jury for the crimes of carjacking, robbery, and participation in a street gang.

Cedric Mccroey also had an outstanding felony warrant issued by San Francisco County for possession of an assault rifle. Alfonzo Beasley is the prime suspect in the Antioch homicide involving the shooting death of Luis Straiten. The homicide occurred in the parking lot of Deer Valley Plaza on March 16, 2007. Alfonzo Beasley has been questioned about his involvement in the homicide after being arrested for the carjacking and robbery. The homicide investigation is ongoing at this time.

Alfonzo Beasley and Corey Mccroey remain in custody on respective bails of $350,000 and $385,000.

Anyone with information regarding these suspects or information on the murder of Luis Straiten should contact Antioch Police Detective Bittner at (925) 779-6939.

Mayor Jim Davis warns that the widening of Highway 4, scheduled to be completed in late 2014, will be delayed if Antioch officials kill the eBART line planned in the highway median.

 By Dave Roberts

The widening of Highway 4 will be delayed if Antioch officials follow through on a threat to potentially kill the eBART project that’s designed to travel down the highway median, warned Susan Miller, project manager for the highway widening, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“I’ve often said we are joined at the hip,” said Miller in reference to the widening and eBART projects. 

The widening of Highway 4 to eight lanes through Antioch will include preparation for the eBART line with stations at Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg and Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch. The widening is scheduled to be completed by late 2014, according to Miller. 

But that timeline could be extended if Antioch council members decide to oppose construction of a barebones eBART station in Antioch. That possibility was raised by Councilman Brian Kalinowski at the December 14 meeting if the Hillcrest Station does not include a station agent, restrooms and an escalator. Antioch’s opposition could derail the eBART project, perhaps limiting it no further than Railroad Avenue or perhaps killing it altogether. 

In any case, a significant change in the eBART project would slow down the highway widening. 

“I would hate to see a situation where we have to redo plans, we have to slow down the freeway schedule if there’s changes in decisions on the eBART project,” Miller told the council. “I personally have been involved in both these projects for a very long time. And I can understand the city’s concerns. But I have been so excited to finally see some of this come to reality, and to think that we are going to have finally some service and some transit extension so badly needed into East County, that I would really hate to see that come to a stop. I would really hope and encourage the city to be able to come to some resolutions with BART folks and come to terms with your disagreements.” 

Mayor Jim Davis, who did not comment on Kalinowski’s threat at the Dec. 14 meeting, warned at Tuesday’s meeting about the consequences of losing the $500 million eBART project. 

“It’s easy to say, ‘Let’s just pull out, let’s just stop, let’s not get involved with eBART,'” Davis said. “But I want to make sure the public is aware that there’s a close relationship between the widening of Highway 4 and eBART.” He pointed out that federal funding for transportation projects has dried up with the anti-earmarks attitude in Washington, adding, “We really need to think about all of those (anti-eBART) statements before we make them.” 

Miller agreed, saying that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s funding, which comes from Bay Area bridge toll increases, could be jeopardized. “MTC is going on the premise that we are all committed to the project,” she said. “They would have grave concerns if there was a reverse in direction after they granted us these funds and we’ve been spending the dollars now under construction. So there’s significant dollars. There’s already been a significant commitment in the corridor by all entities involved that we were headed down this road and we had a game plan and we were moving forward.” 

Kalinowski was absent from Tuesday’s meeting and none of the other council members commented on the issue. 

In other business, the council approved contracts with several employee unions that defer 3 percent pay raises until 2013 and require an increase in employee contributions to their retirement benefits. Former Councilman Ralph Hernandez told the council that it should not be making promises for pay raises in two years. The city’s current dire financial circumstances include the possibility of bankruptcy if expenses are not significantly reduced in the coming years.

“It’s too early to guarantee increases,” said Hernandez. “It’s inappropriate financially for a city to defer essentially what the city is owing these groups. I think the city owes somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million for these deferrals.” 

But City Manager Jim Jakel defended the concessions, pointing out that the unions have existing contracts that promised raises, but which some employees have not received since 2008. The latest concessions total $1.25 million, in addition to a previous $3 million in concessions, said Jakel. The council members agreed, approving the new contracts unanimously. 

The council also discussed volunteer opportunities in Antioch, including helping the police, monthly cleanups, youth sports, painting over graffiti, building homes for the poor and helping seniors. Davis said he’s begging everyone who attends the Quality of Life Forum – starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 26 in the Deer Valley High School auditorium – to sign up to volunteer for some program. 

For several years Quality of Life forums, in which residents get city and regional updates and voice their concerns to the council, were held about twice a year. But the council has not held a forum since April 2009, when the forum was marked by controversy created when then-Councilman Reggie Moore appeared to be making excuses for the man who had recently gunned down four Oakland police officers. 

For more information on the highway widening, go to http://www.widensr4.org.

The week of January 23 – January 29, 2011 was National School Choice Week.  Although charter schools, permitted by the state since 1992, allow for some  freedom of choice for parents and pupils alike, as of 2009 serving approximately 250,000 state students, California regulations hamper students from choosing online learning alternatives or attending private or parochial schools with higher achievement scores and lower drop out rates.

(A new report by Pepperdine University says K-12 expenditures rose 22% between 2003-04 and 2008-09, up from $45.6 billion to $55.6 billion, but during the same period classroom spending declined from 59% to 57.8%. )

California is ignoring a movement by state leaders across the county to establish school choice voucher plans, or Education Savings Accounts (ESA), which would permit money the state sends to schools to be deposited directly into a family’s ESA, allowing parents to use to the money to send their child to the public or private school of their choice.

Don’t expect any promising changes, however, from either Governor Brown or California’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, the former Antioch city councilman, member of the County Board of Supervisors, the state Senate and Assembly. He’s a former Mt. Diablo Unified School District teacher. Teacher unions are opposed to burgeoning national education reforms, which advocate altering the way teachers are hired, evaluated and fired. Both Governor Brown and Supervisor Torlakson rely heavily on union support during election time.

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