Vial of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Source: CDC

SACRAMENTO – On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a statement from Dr. Erica Pan, state epidemiologist, regarding the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

“Today, the CDC and FDA have recommended a temporary pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine out of an abundance of caution. Of over 6.8 million doses administered nationally, there have been six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot with symptoms occurring 6 to 13 days after vaccination.

“California is following the FDA and CDC’s recommendation and has directed health care providers to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until we receive further direction from health and safety experts. Additionally, the state will convene the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to review the information provided by the federal government on this issue. As the federal government has said, we do not expect a significant impact to our vaccination allocations. In California, less than 4% of our vaccine allocation this week is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.”

For more information about the adverse effects, and what to do if you are experiencing symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider. We will provide additional details on what this means for our state efforts as they become available.

The joint CDC and FDA statement can be found here.

In addition, the Contra Costa Health Services issued the following announcement on Tuesday about the matter, also pausing use of the J&J vaccine:

To ensure that every dose of COVID-19 vaccine provided in our county is safe for patients, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) will today temporarily pause its use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine while federal regulatory agencies examine new information about a possible, rare side effect that can cause blood clots.

CCHS is closely following guidance issued this morning by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding this vaccine. CCHS continues to administer the other vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S., from Pfizer and Moderna.

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine is a very small part of Contra Costa’s vaccine allocation from the state and federal governments and CCHS does not anticipate cancelling any of its vaccination appointments at this time.

Patients with vaccination appointments through CCHS should attend at their scheduled time.

CCHS is not aware of any reported cases of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccine in the county that were inconsistent with those documented during the extensive clinical trials conducted to ensure the safety of all vaccines used in the U.S.

The risk of an adverse reaction for people who received Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine more than a month ago is extremely low, according to the CDC.

People who received this vaccine more recently should contact a healthcare provider immediately if they develop symptoms such as severe headaches, severe abdominal pain, severe leg pain or shortness of breath – these symptoms are different than the usual, minor reactions that some people may experience in the day or two following their vaccination.

The FDA has not received any reports of similar side effects associated with the use of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

CCHS will update the public at cchealth.org/coronavirus as more information becomes available about this developing situation.

Do you live in Contra Costa County District 5?

Hercules, Martinez, Pittsburg and portions of Pinole and Antioch as well the unincorporated communities of Alhambra Valley, Bay Point, Briones, Rodeo, Pacheco, Crockett, Tormey, Port Costa, Mt. View, Vine Hall, Reliez Valley, and Clyde.

We have a District 5 opening!

APPLY HERE

The Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County is dedicated to advancing the arts in a way that promotes communication, education, appreciation and collaboration throughout Contra Costa County so that we may grow creatively as a community that preserves and celebrates our diverse cultural expression.

The commission has 10 seats: five from each of the county’s Supervisorial Districts, four at-large and one alternate.

District Specific Seats:

Are recommended by the applicable District Supervisor and then approved by the Board of Supervisors.

What does a Commissioner do?

• Support the functions of the Commission.
• Give all meetings and other Commission activities a priority on their calendar.
• Serve on and chair Commission committees and events.
• Keep current with all facts and information upon which the Commission must base its collective opinions and decisions.
• Participate in strategic planning and implementation of arts programming.
• Be an ambassador and proponent of the arts and the Commission in Contra Costa County and engage people from all cultural and ethnic groups in the arts and in the work of the Commission.

Please apply today!

For more information visit www.ac5.org.

April 15, 2021  3:30 PM – 4:30 PM  Online event

Join the Contra Costa County Library for a very special panel discussion with Pixar Animation Studios. Have you ever dreamed of working in animation or technology? Listen in as we discuss the highlights and challenges of being a woman in the business and get tips and advice from experts in their fields.

About the panelists: Jessica Tran is a Project Manager in the Tools Engineering department at Pixar. Emily Davis is a Feature Film Department Manager at Pixar. Becky Neiman Cobb is an Associate Producer at Pixar who has recently worked on the short film Bao and the feature film Onward.

Register with your email here. You will receive information on how to access the Zoom event on the day before the program. Closed captioning will be provided for this program.

Brentwood man died from crash of stolen car during Antioch police chase, Walnut Creek man was killed in the West County jail

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

In accordance with the Contra Costa County Chiefs’ of Police Association Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol, Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston will hold an inquest into the death of 21-year-old Omar Jalal Harb of Brentwood. He died after crashing a stolen car he was driving during a police pursuit. This incident occurred on July 18, 2019 in Contra Costa County. (See related article)

That same day there will also be an inquest into the death of 72-year-old Enrique Camberos Pina of Walnut Creek. Arrested for child molestation, Pina was killed while in the West County Detention Facility in Richmond. This incident occurred on October 16, 2019 in Contra Costa County. (See related article)

Both proceedings will convene on April 16, 2021 at 8:30 AM at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, 725 Court Street, Department 23, Room 200, Martinez, CA. The inquest for Harb will take place in the morning, while the one for Pina will happen in the afternoon.

The purpose of the inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is to present the facts of the incident to a jury for their deliberation and finding on the manner of death.

The inquest is open to the public and members of the media are invited to attend. However, no photographs or video may be taken during the proceedings.

The inquest will be held in-person. Face coverings are mandatory at the proceedings and state mandated social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Two Antioch residents appointed as alternates; Supervisors approve new board’s bylaws, but has COVID-19 put a dent in county’s finances?

By Daniel Borsuk

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors appointed 17 applicants to the Measure X Community Advisory Board on Tuesday that will oversee the disbursement of $81 million in new annual sales tax revenue county officials are counting on to fund vital operations.  NAACP East County Branch Past President Odessa Le Francois of Antioch and transitional housing agent David Cruise of Brentwood were named by District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis to serve on the advisory board.  The board chair also selected housing expert Sandro Trujillo of Antioch as an alternate.

District 5 Supervisor Glover picked work force specialist Michelle Stewart of Pittsburg and attorney Ali Saidi of Pinole to serve on the advisory panel. Antioch resident Gigi Crowder, a mental health professional, was selected by Glover as an alternate.

Passed by 58.45% of the vote of Contra Costa voters, last November, Measure X increased the county’s sales taxes from 8.25 percent to 8.75 percent on everything except food sales. The additional annual revenue aims to support county services intended for the regional hospital, community health centers, emergency response, childhood services and protective services of vulnerable populations. (See related articles here and here) CCC_2021MeasureX_FullText

There was no public comment aired for either the 17 appointments or the bylaws established for the Proposition X Community Advisory Board.

But this observer questions if the newly formed Measure X Advisory Board will be put to the test at a time the county’s economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  What if the panel learns that instead of the $80 million that the county counts on to be generated from the half-cent sales tax increase, that in the first year it might be only $50 million or $60 million because people are not spending like they used to?

The $80 million figure was generated before COVID-19 popped onto the global landscape and the county’s economy was in much better shape at a 3.2 percent unemployment rate compared to a 7.7 percent unemployment rate today.

The supervisors’ Finance Committee, comprised of District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill and District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, interviewed more than 130 applicants for the Measure X panel.

“We had a high number of high-quality people apply for this board,” said Gioia. “It wasn’t easy to choose candidates.”

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen concurred with Gioia commenting, “We had amazing candidates!”

Each supervisor selected two Community Advisory Board members and one alternate.  Seven at-large representatives were selected as well as five at-large seat alternatives.

Housing advocates Brenda Williams and Edith Pastrano, both of Richmond were selected by Supervisor Gioia to serve on the Community Advisory Board.  El Cerrito psychotherapist Cathy Hanville was selected to serve as an alternate by Gioia.

District 2 Supervisor Andersen selected real estate expert Kathryn Chiverton of Alamo and investment banker Jim Cervantes of Lafayette to serve on the Community Advisory Board.   Supervisor Andersen picked Walnut Creek retired housing consultant Donna Colombo as an alternate.

Supervisor Mitchoff selected to represent District IV, psychologist Dr. Michelle Hernandez of Concord and Meals on Wheels executive Sharon Quesada Jenkins of Concord.  Pello Walker of Concord was named an alternate. He is owner/organizer of the annual sustainable enterprise conferences in Contra Costa County.

Selected as at-large members are founder and executive director of RYSE Kimberly Aceves-Inguez of Oakland, Dr. Ruth Fernandez of Concord who is director of First 5, senior citizen advocate Debbie Toth of Fairfield, social service expert Sandra Wall of American Canyon, executive legal assistant at UnCommon Law Susan Kim of Berkeley, and Senior Director of Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa Mariana Moore of Benicia, and Rodeo Hercules Fire Captain and Local 1230 Vice President Jerry Short of El Sobrante.

Named as at large alternates are San Pablo Mayor Genovea Colloway, First 5 Association Executive Director Melissa Stafford Jones of Walnut Creek, pediatrician Dr. Diana Hong of Orinda, East Bay Leadership Council policy director Lindy Lavender of Pacheco and physician Dr. Peter Benson of Alamo.

According to the Community Advisory Board’s by-laws that supervisors also approved in tandem with the selection of board appointments, meetings are to be conducted publicly and in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and the Contra Costa County Better Governance Ordinance for Public Comment.

There is no compensation for serving on the Measure X Community Advisory Board. In addition, there is “no reimbursement to board members for any expenses incurred while conducting official business,” the bylaws state.

Source: covid19.ca.gov

The State of California announced today that Contra Costa County will be able to move into the less restrictive Orange Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Wednesday, April 7.

Contra Costa County currently has a COVID case-rate of 4.9 cases per 100,000 people and an overall testing-rate positivity of 1.8% (and 3% for the health equity metric). COVID-related hospitalizations are down to their lowest point since October. Meanwhile, nearly 500,000 county residents are at least partially vaccinated.

It has been five months since the last time the county qualified for the Orange Tier.

“This is great news for our community,” said Diane Burgis, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “The last few months have been difficult for everyone and it’s nice to see us make more progress in the fight against COVID.”

Contra Costa Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said people should not let down their guard yet. He noted that case rates have plateaued recently, suggesting a slowdown in the recovery. “We are still in a pandemic and people should continue to act accordingly: Keep wearing masks in public and get vaccinated as soon as you can. I still strongly recommend people to avoid most indoor activities with people outside of their own household until they are fully vaccinated,” Dr. Farnitano said.

Last week, Contra Costa extended vaccine eligibility to everyone ages 16 and over who lives, works or goes to school in the county. Currently, people between the ages of 16-49 must schedule appointments through Contra Costa Health Services at cchealth.org/coronavirus or by calling 833-829-2626. Other healthcare providers, including the state’s MyTurn system, do not yet offer vaccine to people below the age of 50.

Starting Wednesday, April 7 several business sectors and community services can reopen or expand capacity:

• Places of worship: 50% maximum capacity
• Restaurants: 50% maximum capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer
• Gyms, fitness centers and studios (including at hotels): 25% maximum capacity and indoor pools are permitted; Indoor hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms continue to be closed
• Movie Theaters: 50% maximum capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer encouraged
• Amusement parks: Overall park capacity and indoor capacity will be limited to 25%, including indoor dining.
• Bars: Outdoors with modifications; no meals required to be served
• Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries: Indoors at 25% maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer; no meals required to be served
• Family entertainment centers: Indoors for naturally distanced activities like bowling, escape rooms, and billiards; 25% maximum capacity
• Outdoor sports and live performances with fans/attendees: Up to 33% and with advanced reservations only. Concession sales will be primarily in-seat (no concourse sales). Designated indoor seated dining area capacity will be limited to 25%. Attendance will be limited to in-state spectators and guests must attest their reserved seats are only for one household.
• Retail: Open indoors with modifications and food courts permitted with indoor dining restrictions

Contra Costa County must remain in the Orange Tier for at least three weeks before moving into the next, less restrictive yellow tier.

This year’s theme: Move Our Community Forward! ¡Adelante Con Nuestra Communidad!

César Chávez. Source: Contra Costa County

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors celebrated the memory of César Chávez recognizing his commitment to social justice and respect for human dignity during the 27th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Virtual Celebration on Tuesday, March 30.

“We honor the memory of César E. Chávez and continue his commitment to fight for social justice and for those who can’t fight for themselves,” said Board Chair, Supervisor Diane Burgis. “We also recognize our 2021 Youth Hall of Fame awardees, highlighting deserving teens and their commitment to community and service.”

The theme for this year’s celebration was Move Our Community Forward – Adelante Con Nuestra Comunidad. The celebration featured three keynote speakers, including Antioch School Board Trustee Mary Rocha, Jane Garcia, Chief Executive Officer of La Clínica de La Raza, and San Pablo City Councilman Arturo Cruz. The event also included musical performances by Mariachi Monumental and Ballet Folklórico Netzahualcoyotl.

The Youth Hall of Fame Awards presentation acknowledges outstanding Contra Costa County teens who demonstrate excellence in one of six categories. The 2021 Youth Hall of Fame Awardees are:

Good Samaritan: Chris Garcia, Antioch High School

Leadership & Civic Engagement: Ryan Raimondi, Liberty High School

Middle School Rising Star: Stephanie Boustani, Acalanes High School

Perseverance: Bianey Douglas, Carondelet High School

Teamwork: Haley Brathwaite, Carondelet High School

Volunteerism: Jonathan Castaneda, Pinole Valley High

Garcia, who graduated in 2020, was also honored, last year as Antioch’s Youth of the Year and previously honored for helping a fellow student during a medical emergency in 2019. (See related article)

The annual celebration honors the diversity and richness of our community and its immigrants. Visit the César E. Chávez Ceremony webpage found in the “County Celebrations” section of Contra Costa County’s website www.contracosta.ca.gov for details and a look at the previous ceremony.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants interested in serving on its 20-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).  The JJCC currently has vacancies for two (2) At-Large Youth and one (1) At-Large Community-Member Representatives.

The JJCC is a multiagency advisory body that informs the development and implementation of a countywide juvenile justice plan composed of several critical parts, including, but not limited to an assessment of existing law enforcement, probation, education, mental health, health, social services, drug and alcohol and youth services resources which specifically target both at-promise as well as system-involved youth, and their families. The JJCC will also coordinate on a countywide basis the work of those governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in activities designed to reduce the incidence of juvenile crime and delinquency in the greater community, develop information and intelligence-sharing systems to ensure that county actions are fully coordinated, and provide data and appropriate outcome measures.

The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council is composed of the following 20 members:

Ten (10) Ex‐Officio Members:

• Chief Probation Officer, as Chair
• District Attorney’s Office representative
• Public Defender’s Office representative
• Sheriff’s Office representative
• Board of Supervisors’ representative
• Employment and Human Services Department representative
• Behavioral Health Services representative
• Alcohol and Other Drugs Division representative
• Public Health representative
• Juvenile Justice Commission Chair

Ten (10) Additional Members, appointed by the Board of Supervisors, as follows:

• City Police Department representative
• County Office of Education or a School District representative
• Four (4) At-Large members, residing or working within Contra Costa County
• Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives
• Two (2) At-Large youth, fourteen to twenty-five years old and residing or working within Contra Costa County

Appointments to the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will be for a term of two years ending June 30, 2023. The JJCC meets monthly October through April and bi-monthly the remainder of the year. Members have the option to serve on three (2) two subcommittees that each currently meets monthly.

The application deadline is 5 pm on May 10, 2021. All timely applicants will be invited to the public interview process conducted by the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee: Supervisors Candace Andersen, District II, and Federal Glover, District V. This committee will then recommend a selection of applicants for the Board of Supervisors to appoint to the Racial Justice Oversight Body.

Below is a complete timeline of this recruitment process to fill the three (3) vacant JJCC seats:

• May 10: Final Day of the Application Period, due by 5 pm
• May 24: Public Protection Committee Meeting: Interviews
• June 8: Board of Supervisors Appointments

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655-2000 or by visiting the County webpage at www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418. Completed applications should be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us. Applications can also be mailed to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors Office at 1025 Escobar Street, 1st Floor, Martinez, CA 94553.