Dear Editor:

AB-1, Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (The Gas Tax Increase) was introduced by Assemblyman Jim Frazier (District 11).  His press release stated, “My commitment to passing a comprehensive funding plan that addresses California’s failing transportation system will not waiver.” He was right in identifying California’s system as failing, but how could he expect that more of the same failed treatment would help?

California is rated 46 comparing all states for pavement condition and congestion.  While Caltrans spends 4.7 times as much per mile as average of 49 other states, why did Mr. Frazier plan a tax increase?  If he had worked to decrease the ludicrous waste of Caltrans, no tax increase would be necessary.

The people knew better so the legislature panicked and developed Prop 69 to improve their image. If you believe that is a cure, I want to sell you my bridge in Brooklyn.  Be aware that it directs fuel tax not to only roads but to any form of public transportation.  It forces 50% to cities which is good because cities will spend it wisely, but where will the other 50% go?  Will bridges and broken pavement be improved? Taxpayer advocates have offered an alternative solution to fix our roads without a tax hike – the Road Repair Accountability Initiative.

Why didn’t Mr. Frazier’s Transportation Committee research the absurd waste of Caltrans?  If Caltrans is unable to become 400% more efficient, why not outsource road repairs or experiment with turnpikes? Some states outsource 50-85% of their work, California does 10%.  A contractor under competitive bidding will provide quality roads and control maintenance cost for fear of losing his contract.

Mr. Frazier is graded letter “F” by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers.  Is it not time to get a legislator who understands business principles.  Elect Lisa Romero. See www.electlisaromero.com.

Earl Heal

Vacaville

By Sergeant Matthew Harger #3305, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 at approximately 4:45 pm, Antioch Police Department officers were dispatched to the intersection of Reimche Drive and Desrys Blvd. regarding a rollover vehicle collision with an occupant having been ejected. When officers arrived on scene, they found a 16-year-old male juvenile in the roadway suffering from major injuries. Medical personnel arrived on scene and eventually transported the male to a local trauma center where he is currently in critical condition with life threatening injuries. Two other occupants that were inside the same vehicle were also transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be a factor in the collision at this time.

The collision investigation is in the preliminary stages and anyone with information is urged to contact the Antioch Police Traffic Division.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or (925) 779-6884. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Antioch resident and 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleader Kayla Morris takes a knee Thurs., Nov. 1, 2018. Photo source unidentified

Protest before the Battle of the Bay

By Luke Johnson

It happened at the Battle of the Bay, which should come as no surprise.

From Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ black panther salute during the 1968 Summer Olympics to Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem — sports activism is ingrained in the Bay Area culture

Kayla Morris became the first NFL cheerleader to take a knee during the Star Spangled Banner, according to Business Insider. It happened during Thursday’s nationally-televised game between the 49ers and Raiders at Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers Gold Rush member is from Antioch and graduated from Deer Valley High School in 2012.

49er cheerleader kneels. Screenshot from a KTVU Fox2 News report.

Her action is presumably in support of the aforementioned Kaepernick, who began protesting in effort to bring attention to racial oppression and police brutality in 2016.

The 49ers have yet to comment about Morris.

In the past, 49ers Owner Jed York has been supportive of players who protest.

This was not the first time a 49ers cheerleader took a knee. In another photo online, former 49ers cheerleader Maria Mendez, dressed in a Santa’s Helper Christmas outfit, can be seen taking a knee before the Dec. 24, 2017 game according to a report by KTVU Fox2 News.

Read more on KRON4.com

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

A photo posted on the @gatorlenny Twitter feed shows Morris kneeling before the game at Levi’s Stadium, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018.

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

On October 31, a Contra Costa County jury found defendant Vinicio Santos of Antioch guilty of three misdemeanors, including animal cruelty. On December 1, 2017, Santos’ dog attacked the three calves owned by grazer Paul Daysh. The brutal attack left the three calves permanently injured.

Santos now faces a sentence of up to three years in county jail. Sentencing for Santos will occur on November 30 by the Honorable Leonard Marquez in Department 34 at the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Pittsburg. Restitution for Daysh will also be decided on November 30. Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Whitnee Goins prosecuted the case on behalf of the People for this misdemeanor jury trial.

“I am grateful the jury held the defendant accountable for his crimes. He ignored repeated orders from East Bay Regional Parks Rangers to control his dog. Consequently, these calves needlessly suffered serious injuries. We will continue to prosecute animal cruelty cases to ensure the public is protected and animals are cared for in a humane manner,” DDA Goins stated.

Santos and his dog were at the Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch on December 1, 2017. Santos’ dog was not on leash when spotted by park rangers. After rangers saw Santos, they heard animals in distress. When the rangers connected again with Santos they saw the white Husky mix dog viciously attacking one calf, then moving to attack two more calves. Santos was told repeatedly to leash his dog and bring the dog under control. Santos ignored the rangers’ commands.

Santos was found guilty of the following misdemeanor offenses:

·         Animal Cruelty

·         Vandalism Over $400 Damage

·         Resist, Obstruct, Delay of Peace Officer

Case information: People v. Vinicio Arturo Santos, Docket Number 04-193968-5.

By Paul Burgarino, Community Education and Engagement Specialist, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department

Current law allows voters who are issued a Vote-By-Mail ballot to turn it in and vote at the polls on Election Day. Besides being a waste of taxpayer dollars, it has resulted in the possibility of a voter casting more than one ballot without immediate detection.

With many recent reports of voters across the state receiving multiple ballots, the Contra Costa Elections Division has reviewed and updated its processes at polling places to ensure election integrity and prevent double voting.

“We encourage all voters who have been sent a Vote-By-Mail ballot to vote and return that ballot either through the mail, using one of our 23 drop boxes, or at any polling place on Election Day,” said Joe Canciamilla, Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters. “Requesting a second ballot on Election Day contributes to lines, delays, unnecessary costs as well as security concerns.”

Here how it works: Vote-By-Mail voters who show up at their home polling place to vote need to bring the ballot return envelope addressed to them as well as all six cards that comprise the ballot. Upon confirmation that the voter is in the right location and verification of the envelope and ballot cards, the voter signs a declaration and is offered a non-provisional ballot.

If a Vote-By-Mail voter is in the wrong location or cannot provide all of those items, the voter is issued a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is the same as a “regular” ballot. The difference is that the Elections Division verifies that the voter has not already voted before the ballot is counted. In June 2018, 90 percent of the provisional ballots were counted after this review.

If a voter who previously requested to be mailed a ballot prefers to vote at the polls on Election Day in the future, we encourage them to cancel their permanent vote by mail status by calling our office or re-registering.

For more information, contact the Elections Division at 925-335-7800 or go to www.cocovote.us.

Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek locations

The voter registration deadline has passed, but you can still register and vote in one transaction. Several convenient locations will be available leading up to and during Election Day for you to register to vote and cast your ballot.

Contra Costa Elections Division offers Conditional Voter Registration as a safety net for those who were unable to complete or update their voter registration before the deadline.

“We want to make sure that everybody who is eligible to register to vote has ample opportunity to cast their ballot,” said Joe Canciamilla, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters.

The Conditional Registration steps include going to an eligible county location, filling out a form that includes your name, address, date of birth and either the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your driver’s license number, and casting your ballot.

Conditionally voted ballots are processed once our office completes the verification of the voter registrations and confirms no ballot has already been voted.

This service will be available starting today at the Elections Office during normal business hours and on Election Day from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Conditional Voter Registration will also be available at the following Regional Early Voting locations on November 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th:

• Antioch: Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way
• Richmond: Bay Hill Community Church, 4000 Klose Way
• Walnut Creek: Walnut Creek City Hall, 1666 North Main Street.

Regional Early Voting will be available from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, November 3rd. These locations are available to all Contra Costa voters looking to cast their ballot ahead of time and avoid the Election Day rush. Any Contra Costa voter can vote at any one of the Regional Early Voting locations.

For more information, call 925-335-7800.

Lloyd Joseph Harris Jr. Photo by Antioch Police

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced this week that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the February 8, 2018 death of Lloyd Joseph Harris IV, when he was shot by Antioch Police. The finding of the jury is that the death was at the hands of another person, other than by accident. (See related articles, here and here.)

According to Antioch Police, Harris was a person of interest in a homicide case and also wanted for felony assault, and had a federal warrant for his arrest, at the time of the shooting.

The Coroner’s Jury reached a verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.

A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving police officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: Accident, Suicide, Natural Causes, At the hands of another person, other than by accident.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

The Herald recommends Dr. Clyde Lewis, Jr., Jim Davis and John Crowder for election.

If we ever want to make things better in Antioch and our county, now is the time to elect strong leaders in education and fiscally responsible leaders, as well. If we keep electing the same kind of people over and over, who are backed by the insiders and/or employees’ unions, we’re only going to get the same results. We need to vote for candidates who will represent the parents and taxpayers, and truly put the interests of the students, first. We have three candidates from Antioch running to represent Antioch who will do just that. Two for the Antioch School Board and one for the County School Board who stand out above the crowd.

Lewis

One candidate for the Antioch School Board in this year’s election stands out above all others, and that’s Dr. Clyde Lewis, Jr. Not only has he earned a master’s degree and doctorate in education, and has been a teacher, he works in education, as well. As a plus, his children attend Antioch public schools. So, he has a personal stake in ensuring they improve. Please vote for him.

Davis

Jim Davis has served Antioch as the mayor and councilmember, and is now serving as the interim, appointed City Treasurer. Having worked in banking his entire career, Jim understands finances. He recently worked for a contractor to the Antioch school district on an energy analysis program and was able to help them save over $2 million dollars. At a time the district is experiencing declining enrollment and the resultant decline in revenue, Antioch needs a fiscal watchdog on the school board. Jim Davis is that person. While there is no conflict of interest in him serving both on the board and as City Treasurer, and being retired, he has the time, it is my hope that if he’s elected to the school board, he won’t run for election as City Treasurer in 2020.

Crowder

I’ve known John Crowder for over 20 years, since he was my son’s chess coach in elementary school. I’ve witnessed his commitment to educating students in Antioch.

He’s run a successful private academy in Antioch, and the very successful after school, Math Intensive program for students in the Antioch School District, helping advance them several grades in a matter of months.

The district he’s running to represent includes parts of Antioch.

John is for school choice, unlike his opponent, incumbent Mike Maxwell who has voted against every charter school that’s come before the board. We need to replace him with John Crowder.