Making Transit Work for the Region — Now and In The Future

September is Transit Month

Join MTC and SPUR online and attend a webinar to learn about progress on two regional initiatives — Transit 2050+ and Transit Priority Improvements.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 – 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Transit 2050+ is the region’s first connected network plan for Bay Area Transit and is also a key component of Plan Bay Area, the region’s sustainable community strategy and regional transportation plan. Unlike prior versions of the Regional Transportation Plan, Transit 2050+ focuses on the overall transit network of the Bay Area and prioritizes near term improvements to transit service, speed and reliability.

MTC is working with transit agencies and with Caltrans, cities and counties to plan and implement Transit Priority Improvements, infrastructure that increases the speed and reliability of Bay Area buses and light rail trains.

Staff from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will provide an update on Transit 2050+’s progress and will also talk about the plan’s relationship to ongoing work expanding and accelerating transit priority projects across the region.

About SPUR

SPUR — the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association — is a nonprofit public policy organization. We bring people together from across the political spectrum to develop solutions to the big problems cities face. Based in San Francisco, San José, and Oakland, we are recognized as a leading civic planning organization and respected for our independent and holistic approach to urban issues.

About MTC

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission was created by the California Legislature in 1970 to plan, finance and coordinate the Bay Area’s transportation system. The Commission’s scope over the years has expanded to address other regional issues, including housing and development.

MTC provides planning, funding, coordination and technical assistance to the Bay Area’s 101 cities and nine counties, plus, transit agencies and other partners to bring the region together — to make life better for residents and make the Bay Area’s transportation system more resilient to future challenges.

Register for the event here.

Will be paid $263,880 per year plus benefits

Accusations of racism fly during contentious public comments

“If she was smart, she wouldn’t come because I wouldn’t want to serve none of you all,” Councilwoman Torres-Walker

“What’s wrong with waiting 70 days?” – Councilman Barbanica

“We’ve absolutely done our due diligence.” – Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe

“I basically feel she’s a bright, intelligent woman but I don’t believe she’s qualified for this position.” – Councilwoman Ogorchock

“I was impressed with her knowledge and connections to federal dollars. I’m for all women and all people of color who are pushed to lower positions.” – Mayor Pro Tem Wilson

Also approves $296 per month pay raise for councilmembers, City Treasurer, Clerk after November election

By Allen D. Payton

With just 70 days remaining until the November election during which two new council members will be elected and possibly a new mayor, the Antioch City Council voted 3-2, last night, Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to hire City of Seattle Deputy Director of Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety, Bessie M. Scott as the new city manager with a two-year contract. She will be paid an annual salary of $263,880. (See council meeting video)

Before adjourning to Closed Session to discuss hiring the new city manager, the council, with District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker absent for the roll call, heard from four members of the public about the appointment. Two spoke in favor and two against the hiring of Scott. They referred to articles and comments about several of her controversial and racially divisive comments on social media over the past several years. (See related article)

As expected, the council majority of Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and Torres-Walker, who arrived later and in time for the public discussion and vote, approved Scott’s contract, while District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock and District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica, who are not running for re-election in November, voted against.

Future Council Pay Raise

In addition, the council approved on a 4-1 vote, with Ogorchock opposing, an 18.45% pay raise or $296, from $1,604 to $1,900 per month, for a total of $22,800 per year, which will go into effect after the November election. It will benefit the two current councilwomen, and possibly three new council members. The pay raise also applies to the City Clerk and City Treasurer, as well.

Before the vote Ogorchock said, “There are a lot of cities out there that this is volunteer for them. FYI, it is not a stipend, this is a salary.”

“In this city we’ve gone years and years without a pay raise, even with cost increase, fuel costs,” Barbanica argued. “My recommendation is to go with it each cycle. It had been ignored by council for so many years because they were afraid of giving themselves a pay raise. But we’re not giving ourselves a raise. We’re giving the next council a raise. I’m not here, whoever is here you deserve it.”

“Thank you, again Councilmember Barbanica. I am not independently wealthy or retired, so I appreciate the raise,” Torres-Walker said with a laugh.

Public Comments

The first person to speak before Closed Session was resident Mark Jordan, who read form prepared remarks, which he later provided a copy of to Herald. He said, “Now, in the past we’ve had city managers that were a poor fit for Antioch, or who did a less than stellar job; but once again we have you all proposing another individual for city manager who is totally unqualified for the job.

As you well know, during the past few years Antioch has gone through several interim, acting and full-time city managers.  Shouldn’t it be someone who is very well qualified this time?  Someone; who has experience? Someone; who knows our community? 

Unfortunately, today we find ourselves somewhere between a laugh and a tear. We, all of us in Antioch, need a major step toward healing.

This selection gives our city an opportunity to move past the havoc and divisive battles of the past four years.  A chance to start again: with a city manager who can bring a positive way forward and begin to unify our city.

But that is not what you offer our city today.  What we need to be discussing tonight is a positive future for Antioch. 

We had a perfectly qualified assistant city manager that was overlooked and who left Antioch.  Really that was a tragic, great loss for Antioch.

So, as we discuss a new city manager today our city is absent not only the city manager, assistant city manager, economic development director, public works director and police chief; and I could go on and on. 

Antioch cannot continue with the chaos of unfilled positions.  We must blend the old with the new in an effort to unify our community. We need a full-time, experienced individual who can help guide us to mend the wounds we have self-inflicted upon our city of Antioch.

Antioch cannot truly prosper unless we join together and make a selection for all of the citizens of Antioch.  This hire should not be made some 69 days before the election and potential change in council members; but should be made by the incoming members; whoever they may be. 

Even if that requires starting over at step one and beginning fresh.

It is time for everyone to stop being part of Antioch’s self-imposed problems and to become part of Antioch’s next positive chapter. Thank you.”

He was followed by Antioch Police Oversight Commission Member Leslie May saying, “It is time for us to move forward.” She spoke of the police department’s racist text message scandal.

“It’s time we have people in place that can do the job who are well-qualified,” May continued. “She was vetted by an…outside agency. She was chosen as…one of the best of the applicants. To go through this to try to denigrate a woman’s character…you’re really running a thin…legal line.”

“You’ve never laid your eyes on her so, you don’t know what she’s about. You need to get over it,” she added.

She spoke of the “old boys club” and people with “white colored hair, blue eyes…” who opposed the appointment.

The next person to speak, resident Melissa Case, said, “I have reached out to Bessie, respectfully but she did not respond. I don’t care if you hire someone one day before the election if they’re a good fit for our city. The goal is to not further divide.”

“I also reached out to councilmembers to ask about the background check,” she continued. “We’ve had a non-experienced city manager, Con Johnson. How did that work out?”

“It was her Tweet she wrote against mothers,” Case stated. “When you come attacking a certain part of the community…I don’t think that’s right for Antioch. I feel like this is a very significant step backwards…who seems like she’ll perpetuate the division.”

She then spoke of the need to heal the community before concluding her comments.

The final speaker during public comments prior to the Closed Session was resident Devin Williams, who said, “Regardless of the upcoming election, you’ve been elected by the people and have the authority to hire a city manager. You have an opportunity to bring a qualified individual who has gone through a rigorous process. Some past comments made by Ms. Scott should not overshadow her qualifications.”

The meeting began at 5:15 p.m. and the council then adjourned at 5:29 p.m. into the closed-door meeting during which they discussed hiring Scott as city manager for two years and negotiating her salary and benefits, one lawsuit, a possible lawsuit and the performance evaluations for both Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and City Attorney Thomas L. Smith.

There was no reportable action from Closed Session. But the vote to actually hire Scott occurred later during the final item the council dealt with on the meeting agenda.

Public Session Public Comments Get Contentious

During the public session discussion and vote on the city manager appointment, City Human Resources Director Ana Chavez asked the council to “appoint the city manager candidate and discuss the salary and authorize me to sign the agreement or contract.”

During public comments one woman said, “Some of our white counterparts have an issue with her being Black. If you have a problem with African Americans, Blacks being on council, it’s just the beginning. If we have to keep our comments to make you comfortable…I’m standing in the gap for Ms. Bessie…on your white privilege, she is not by herself. To you all thugs, computer thugs. You all want to bring back hanging to Antioch. We’re standing on our principle and we’re not going anywhere. If you’re not comfortable, go somewhere and pray. If all you can see is the color of this lady’s skin, you’re miserable.”

Sandra Wilson said, “I have been a resident of Antioch for over 30 years and…this is the first time I’ve been to the city council meetings. I’m a member of Fellowship Church…which is Black, white, old, young. When I heard you were going to hire someone with the social media posts…It was a red flag for me. If she truly said the things and posted the things she did, there’s racism on her part. There isn’t room in this city for any racism. I would ask if you would vet this more.”

She then mentioned current Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and said, “I would suggest you give it to him.”

Eric Wunderly said, “I’m a longtime resident of Antioch and first time speaking I want to voice my opposition to appoint someone to the city manager position so close to the election an should wait until after the election.”

Eileen Bethany said, “The City of Antioch has had five city managers in the past three years. We have 39 million people in California. Why can’t we find someone here? Why are we paying relocation fees? Something went wrong

It would seem prudent, since there needs to be synergy between the mayor, the council and city manager. Wouldn’t it be more pragmatic to wait until a new mayor or Mr. Thorpe is renewed, in place?”

“The different posts that I’ve seen printed that this particular candidate has made are explosive. I think you should wait,” she said.

Leslie May spoke again, “Why don’t we wait until a white mayor is elected? Ron Bernal is going to get elected. We see what you write. Let’s just call this what it is. This is a race race. We do not want a Black mayor. We want old Antioch back. They’re going to get rid of Bessie Marie Scott. So, you guys talk too much. You give out your game plan.”

Mary Lutz spoke next defending the social media comments by Scott saying she should be “free from unjust scrutiny and bias.”

Resident Dr. Jeffrey Klinginger was one of the few who spoke against hiring Scott saying, “Since 2022…Antioch has seen a parade of city managers. 969 days. Now with only 70 days until the next election and the inevitable change in the city council you want to handicap the city council, now? The future city council might have issues with Ms. Scott’s qualifications who is without even assistant city manager experience. I’m sure she will in time reach the level of expertise. But not today. Antioch has serious challenges ahead. This is no place for a rookie city manager and on the job training. I fear you’re setting her up for failure…and let the new city council select the new city manager. I’m sure Mr. Reed can manage for a few more months.”

During his comments Gavin Payton, a youth leader for the NAACP East County Branch, asked for members of the NAACP to stand up and several people did.

Dr. Kimberly Payton followed her son’s comments saying, “In reflection upon what other people have said…whenever this council tries to get progressive and move the city forward…there’s always a threat of the white cloud riding in. What difference does it make if this person went through the process is white or Black and is qualified? She has more than enough experience. She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. It’s time out for white privilege.”

An argument among audience members had to be gaveled down by the mayor.

Another woman said, “I just came here to speak on this because of all the people on keyboards, because she said something about Karens and Larrys. But it’s our truth. Yes, I’m going to call you a Karen, because you treated me like that. Yes, I’m going to call you a Larry. When she wrote her comments on her blog that’s her truth. You cannot just put everyone in a box. I mean get a grip. It’s 2024.”

Gigi Crowder spoke next saying, “I didn’t expect for any Christians to come up here and not understand people should belong. African Americans are not given the power…to be racists. I will never go and read anything on Next Door.”

“We’re going to call it what it is. Speaking truth doesn’t make you racist,” said another woman. “Like you tell us all the time, get over it.”

“Don’t listen to the nonsense,” she said to the council members.

Resident Andrew Becker spoke next saying, “People come up and say, ‘you’re not experienced, you’re experienced, I don’t think you have enough experience, you need more experience.’ But has anyone talked to people this person has helped in her community. If you can find success in another region like Seattle, I think you need to bring that success to you.”

“I do not support racism. I do support growth and welcome to Antioch,” he concluded

Lynette Hart spoke last during public comments saying, “From a Human Resource standpoint I want to talk about best practices. The job description has not been updated since 2014. I suggest you have a community panel when you have interviews…to make it a more fair and transparent process.”

Council Discussion Gets Heated

Barbanica was the first to speak during council discussion of the hiring. He said, “I have participated in all of the interviews during this process, and I’ve worked with Acting City Manager Reed for the past year and a half and he’s done everything I’ve asked of him.”

“I think it’s a bad business decision when we know we have three positions…in 70 days this vote goes down,” the councilman continued. “A month and a half ago, I called the mayor…and I asked that he keep City Manager Reed in the position, and we wait until the new council is seated. Then if this person is the best for the position, then fine.”

“If we continue on with the process and bring someone in and 70 days and the direction or personnel on this council change, then as they’re seated, we may look at a change in the city manager position. Nobody wants that. It could be costly. We would be paying a severance,” Barbanica stated. “What is wrong with waiting 70 days? It’s a smart business decision. Leave City Manager Reed in his current position. It’s a very bad business decision this close to an election. If they decide to make a change it will cost taxpayer money…all of us.”

“If the council passes this tonight when will the new city manager start? Two weeks, a month? 30 days before the election?” he asked. “Leave Manager Reed in place.”

“I prefer to do the job I was just re-elected to do,” Torres-Walker stated, speaking next. “There was a…process. There were multiple candidates.”

Then directing her comments at Barbanica she said, “It would be a violation of conversations that happened in a Closed Session.”

“Anything talked about was anything talked about outside of Closed Session,” he responded.

“There was a process. There was only one person who dropped out,” Torres-walker continued. “It was a public, transparent process because we pushed out a community survey and nobody said they don’t want a Black person. You just didn’t engage.”

However, this reporter never knew of or saw any community survey about hiring a new city manager, nor was any announcement about one provided by the City to promote to the Herald’s readers.

“To say this individual is not qualified because you don’t like their opinion…This didn’t have to be divisive,” the councilwoman said.

“If she was smart, she wouldn’t come because I wouldn’t want to serve none of you all,” Torres-Walker exclaimed raising her voice. “Black people and other people of color can be anti-Black.”

She then claimed former city manager, and current candidate for mayor, Ron Bernal said at his campaign kick-off event, “We are at war, and we need to infiltrate the community…that means armed conflict.”

The councilwoman was later asked if she had a copy of a video of Bernal’s speech or if someone told her he said that. Bernal was asked if he said that and, if so, what he meant by it.

Torres-Walker the claimed some people who opposed the hiring of Scott believed, “If you’re not the respectable negro…then we don’t need you, here.”

“There aren’t a lot of Black people nationally who are city managers. There aren’t a lot of women city managers,” she continued. “If you’re going to bring someone who is not from the internal, entrenched corruption of city hall…Do you know what Kwame Reed was told his job was? To keep the boat afloat?”

“I’m not saying everyone here is saying that. No, I don’t think every white person is racist. But I know a racist when I see one,” Torres-Walker concluded.

“I’m sorry. You all look alike,” Hernandez-Thorpe then said jokingly after calling on Wilson while Ogorchock had requested to speak next, at which Torres-Walker laughed.

“It has been a long tedious process,” Ogorchock stated. “I basically feel she’s a bright, intelligent woman but I don’t believe she’s qualified for this position. Could she be an assistant city manager? Absolutely. But I don’t think going straight to a city manager position is right.”

Wilson spoke next about, “The lack of women and women of color who are city managers. I hear constantly, ‘you’ll make a great assistant city manager.’ I had the opportunity to have a follow up conversation with Bessie and I was impressed with her knowledge and connections to federal dollars. That’s what impressed upon me something that has never happened. I’m for all women and all people of color who are pushed to lower positions.”

However, when she and the council had the opportunity to promote then-Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore, Hernandez-Thorpe, Torres-Walker and Wilson, instead chose to hire Con Johnson as city manager.

“Thank you everybody for your comments and I’m not going to look at these comments and I never will,” the mayor said.

He then spoke of his opponent in the mayor’s race saying, “The last conversation I had with Ron Bernal was with Monica Wilson…we decided to part ways…because we could not rein in the police department. As we moved on, we hired an interim city manager, Con Johnson who was qualified.”

“I can’t get into the reasons why he’s no longer the city manager, it’s because of some of the nonsense in City Hall and the nonsense in the police department,” the mayor continued. “Forrest Ebbs never wanted to be the city manager. That’s the same conversation I had with Kwame Reed.”

However, Reed was one of the applicants for the permanent city manager position.

The mayor was later asked what he meant by the first sentence of that latter paragraph regarding “nonsense” and if he was referring to Bernal or Johnson. He was also asked if his and Wilson’s meeting with Bernal to discuss his employment violate the Brown Act as it was not done in Closed Session with the other councilmembers present. Hernandez-Thorpe was also asked if what he said publicly about the two former city manager violate their rights as city employees. City Attorney Smith was also asked the same questions. However, he is out of the office until Tuesday, Sept. 3, so the questions were sent to the department’s assistant city attorneys. Bernal and Johnson were also asked similar questions.

Speaking of Barbanica’s position on opposing the hiring of Scott, Hernandez-Thorpe said, “It was in the context of, ‘I have these concerns, Mr. Mayor, about this candidate. I went to Seattle and met with a host of representatives and most of them were white women. Everything I’ve heard in this room doesn’t even come close to who this woman is. She brings people together…that was what recommendations said.”

“Councilman Barbanica had the opportunity to come with me, but he decided not to,” the mayor said.

“I went above and beyond to make sure we’re picking the right person,” he continued. “We’ve absolutely done our due diligence. If you’ve heard it any other way, you’ve got it wrong.”

“Let’s clear some things. Mr. Mayor you asked me to go with you and I said, ‘I’ll try to arrange my schedule’ and I asked you to call me to tell me when you planned to go. I’m still waiting for that call. But none of this stuff had even come up. So, what I did instead, I got on the phone with Bessie and the city attorney on the phone and did a second interview.”

“You absolutely had other concerns, Mike,” the mayor stated.

Barbanica interrupted him.

“Let me speak. I heard you, you’ll hear me,” Hernandez-Thorpe said.

“First off, don’t talk to me that way,” Barbanica shot back.

City Attorney Smith then interjected and warned them not to share what was said in Closed Session in violation of the Brown Act state open meeting law.

“You then said we should all resign,” Hernandez-Thorpe stated.

“After the Grand Jury report came out, yes, I did,” Barbanica responded.

Torres-Walker then moved approval of appointing Bessie M. Scott as city manager with a Step B salary of $263,880 annually and moving expenses of up to $20,000, seconded by Wilson. The motion passed 3-2.

The council then voted to table the remaining items on the agenda until a future meeting, including responding to the Civil Grand Jury report and to adjourn the meeting shortly after 11:00 p.m.

All five council members were later asked if they had seen the questions in the survey and the responses and to provide a copy of each. They were also asked why Scott wasn’t in attendance at the meeting for the public to meet her before their vote and informed that the city manager hiring process in the late 1990’s included a public interview session with the candidate during a council meeting. City Attorney Smith and HR Director Cortez were asked how many candidates applied, how many were interviewed by the council and how many had withdrawn from the process, and how many responses did the survey receive and how did it guarantee only Antioch residents participated. They were all also asked for Scott’s start date.

UPDATE 1: Regarding her comment about Bernal Torres-Walker responded, “A concerned citizen sent me a link from Ron’s Facebook page so you should find it there. I was surprised to hear this kind of rhetoric because it doesn’t scream unity to say this election is going to be a war given the definition. My question is what did he mean?”

She also said, “As for the survey, it was published months ago on the city’s website and over social media, and the results were viewed by the council.”

UPDATE 2: The councilwoman, known for her own long-winded, bombastic diatribes from the dais, including during last night’s meeting, was referring to and ironically twisting the battle-themed campaign rhetoric stated in a video posted on Bernal’s campaign Facebook page on March 9th of his speech during the kick-off event earlier this year. In greater context he said, “Our campaign motto was chosen carefully which is ‘Change Starts Today’ and I want people to know that as we go out into this community, because it’s going to be a war and we’re going to infiltrate Antioch, I want people, I want to first of all, I want to listen to what people have to say. I want to hear their concerns, I want to hear their problems and want to see what we can do to help, immediately. But then before we tell them what we’re going to do about changing this city, but I want people to know they’re going to have hope. That’s the main thing that I think is missing in Antioch right now, is people cannot hope for a better tomorrow. I want to see our city be a place that can be safe. I want us to hold our heads high and be proud that we’re from Antioch.”

Please check back later for any additional updates to this report.

By Allen D. Payton

Adding to the tenant protections previously passed, during their meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, on a 5-0 vote, the Antioch City Council approved a Just Cause Eviction ordinance limiting the ability of landlords to evict tenants except for specific reasons and, if they do, the landlord must give notice to both the tenant and the City and pay for the tenant’s relocation costs. The ordinance was negotiated between representatives of tenants, community organizations, the apartment owners’ association, city council and staff members.

According to the city staff report on the item, State law requires “just cause” for a landlord to evict a tenant who has continuously and lawfully occupied a residence for at least 12 months. The California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“TPA”) limits rent increases and places restrictions on landlords’ ability to evict tenants, unless the eviction is as a result of a “just cause” that is defined by state law. The TPA also imposes certain notice and language requirements, “Just cause” includes “at-fault” evictions for wrongful or malicious conduct by tenants and “no-fault” evictions, such as when a property owner or their immediate family move into an otherwise occupied unit, remove a unit from the rental market, or when a landlord intends to demolish or “substantially remodel” a unit.

The city’s ordinance extends the time to 24 months after eviction for the former tenant to have first-right-of-refusal be offered from the landlord to rent the unit, again, without an increase in rent more than the allowable increases under state law and city ordinances.

In addition, under the City’s ordinance, if the tenant hasn’t done anything wrong, but the landlord is asking them to move out, then they must both notify the city and pay for the tenant’s relocation costs, in an “amount equal to two times the Tenant’s monthly rent in effect when the Landlord served the notice to terminate the tenancy.”

The city staff report claims the ordinance will require an additional city staff member and “increased future workloads for the City Attorney’s Office related to new inquiries and requests for services from tenants and landlords.”

For the public hearing there was only a proponent to speak in favor of the ordinance, but no opponent to speak against it. The proponent, an attorney, said, “Under Antioch’s new ordinance, everyone has just cause for eviction protections,” speaking specifically of renters.

Several members of the public spoke in favor of the ordinance, including representatives of ACCE Action and Rising Juntos Antioch and two council candidates in District 3, Addison Peterson and Antwon Webster.

During council member discussion of the ordinance, District 1 Councilwoman Torres-Walker said, “Now everyone in Antioch is covered.”

“Thank you all for pushing us,” Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson said. “We finally made it, but we have to keep on keeping them honest.”

Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe thanked, “the attorneys and everyone who participated in the meetings. This is a big deal for the community.” He mentioned it took almost four years to get the ordinance developed and adopted.

Following council discussion, the ordinance passed on a unanimous vote.

The audience erupted with cheers and shouts of, “Si, se puede” which means, “yes, we can.”

See City of Antioch Just Cause Eviction ordinance.

For two-year term, an assistant city department head from Seattle, with no experience as city manager or assistant city manager

“Let’s just keep it real, there is no such thing as fair when the social construct we live in was created by white people for the benefit of white people only- to the detriment of every one else” – Antioch City Manager candidate finalist Bessie Marie Scott on Facebook

“We’re 70 days from an election as of Tuesday and this should not be decided by this council…There were some qualified candidates that along the way removed themselves from the process.” – Councilman Mike Barbanica

By Allen D. Payton

With just 70 days to go before the election, during their meeting on Tuesday night, August 27, 2024, the Antioch City Council will consider voting to hire a new city manager, and without first introducing the candidate to the public. After violating the state Brown Act open meeting law by first, discussing then, voting to direct staff to hire the executive search firm during Closed Session earlier this year, according to an attorney with the First Amendment Coalition, the city council interviewed fewer than 10 candidates for the position following a nationwide search.

City Manager Candidate Bessie Marie Scott

According to the city staff report for the agenda item, #9, the council’s candidate of choice for city manager is Bessie M. Scott who has not previously worked as a city manager or assistant city manager for any other city. According to both the report and her LinkedIn profile, she is currently the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety for the City of Seattle, Washington and has served in the position since April 2023.

Before being chosen as the finalist, she, along with other applicants, were introduced to the City’s department heads, according to District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica.

According to the department’s website, “The City of Seattle Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established to ‘help ensure the fairness and integrity of the police system as a whole in its delivery of law enforcement services by providing civilian auditing of the management, practices, and policies of the [Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Office of Police Accountability (OPA)] and oversee ongoing fidelity to organizational reforms implemented pursuant to the goals of the 2012 federal Consent Decree in United States of America v. City of Seattle, 12 Civ. 1282(JLR).’”

Prior to her current position, Scott worked for a little over three years for the Public Defender Association in Seattle, first as Chief of Staff then as Co-Executive Director of Operations. Prior to that, for a little over two years, Scott worked for the Seattle Community Police Commission, first as Policy Director then as Interim Executive Director. Her longest tenure was for six-and-a-half years for the Seattle Housing Authority where she worked, first, as the Senior Paralegal and Public Records Officer in the Legal Department. That was followed by a position as Senior Policy Analyst for the Office of Policy & Strategic Initiatives, then finally as Strategic Advisor for Rental Assistance Programs.

The staff report also shares, “She has public sector experience in various areas such as public safety, housing programs and municipal policy administration. In her current role, she ensures consistent policy interpretation across all functions of public safety, including Audits, Investigations, Policy and Standards and Compliance.

Accomplishments

More specifically, according to the city staff report, “Some of her career accomplishments include: Managed a Home from School Program, which was a pilot initiative that paired a Housing Choice Voucher with a family experiencing homelessness and living in a shelter near a school in Seattle. The program was a success and housed over 250 families in the first year.” She also “Managed a grant funded Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) Statewide Fair Housing Test Program.”

The proposed agreement does not yet include salary and benefit amounts as those will be finalized during negotiations at the Closed Session meeting on Tuesday night.

Honors

Scott was honored with the 2021 Changemaker of the Year Award from Voices & Visions, University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, in February 2021. The announcement on the college’s website for this year’s honorees and celebration, shares details about the award offers three phrases, Collective Wisdom, Brave Leadership and Rigorous Action. The description reads, “Amid the turbulence and challenges we see day-to-day, join us to celebrate leaders catalyzing positive change in our communities and public systems.  This moment calls for courageous leadership and rigorous action. Join us for an evening of discussion, discovery, and community.  Your participation helps raise critical funds to support the mission of the Evans School, fueling our ability to inspire public service and democratize public policy.”

Education

Scott earned an Executive Master of Public Administration – EMPA in 2020 from the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Washington and took a Public Policy Analysis course in 2003 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She earned her undergraduate Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Law and Society/ Philosophy, with an emphasis in Criminal Justice/ Ethics and Public Policy from UC Santa Barbara in 2003.

If hired, Scott will be the City’s first African American female city manager.

Scott’s Controversial Social Media Posts

But the prospective city manager’s social media posts and comments are already causing a stir, as some of them include racially charged comments by Scott dating back to 2018 and more recently, advocacy for such matters as a “Free Palestine”.

X/Twitter Posts and Comments

In a reply to a Twitter/X post on Aug. 30, 2018, by Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham, which reads, “Our nation is in trouble—and it’s because we have taken God out of everything. Follow if you agree,” Scott wrote on Oct. 5, 2018, “Please stop. You abandoned God a long time ago by supporting racists and bigots who help you preserve your whiteness. Stop using GOD to justify your ugly ways. See you in hell!”

A post on her Twitter/X account (https://x.com/bethalightmarie) on June 3, 2019, she wrote, “I’ve never hated a character @FelicityHuffman more. Life imitates…that white women are the problem…in real life. Because also who raises white men? #Beckydoes #thatswho #whitewomendobetter #ShameOnYou #CentralParkFive #reidtechnique #f—kkktrump (redacted by the Herald) @realDonaldTrump.”

In a February 16, 2020, post, in response to another post Scott wrote, “White parents just don’t know/care about what we go through worrying about our children being treated any kind of way due to their skin color. Sad. Infruriating. Unfair” and the word America with “kkk” in the middle as “amerikkka”.

A post on Jan. 6, 2021, reads, “You know what’s standing out to me more than these clever memes about today? The White silence on my timeline. #Allies What say you? I need some #Reparations #AccountabilityNow.”  

Facebook Posts and Comments

A post on March 31, 2019, on Scott’s personal Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bmariescott) of an article entitled, “What Happens When Poor Kids Are Taught Society Is Fair,” she wrote, “Let’s just keep it real, there is no such thing as fair when the social construct we live in was created by white people for the benefit of white people only- to the detriment of every one else and is upheld by systemic and institutional racism which is codified in law, carried out through disparate policy implementation and enforced and upheld by a justice system that acts as a gatekeeper for the halls of power. These are indisputable facts. Convince me otherwise, I’ll wait.” #spotthewhitelie #callitbyitsname #racism

In a July 4, 2019, Facebook post writing, “Siiiiigh” in response to an article entitled, “How to Celebrate the 4th of July When America is a Constant Disappointment” with the sub-headline which reads, “If you feel like patriotism is morally repugnant right now, you’d be correct.”

In a Facebook post on July 5, 2019, of an article with a list of “15 Books Every American Needs to Read to Get the Full Story of Our Nation which included, “Transgender History – The Roots of Today’s Revolution” she wrote, “Some light Summer reading”.

A June 6, 2022, she posted on Facebook about being “the angry black woman”, “To [sic] many times to count.”

One of her more recent and innocuous posts was on Dec. 31, 2023, and reads: “The aftermath. 2023. Feeling so blessed and incredibly grateful to my tribe. My camera roll is wild- so much good stuff! Going forward into 2024 with a humble spirit and a full heart knowing that there is much work to be done if we are to be in our humanity. Free people read freely. Oppression is the root cause of conflict. Everyone should have access to housing and healthcare. Water rights for all. Free Palestine.

And the list goes on. I hope we all love harder in 2024. Happy New Year to you!”

Only Barbanica Responds to Questions for City Council Members

All five councilmembers were asked via email Friday night why they would you hire someone without first introducing the candidate to community leaders, including those from city commissions, the Chamber of Commerce and non-profit organizations as has been done in the past, to get input from them before you vote.

They were also asked if there were no other candidates who have experience as a city manager or an assistant city manager for other cities.

The councilmembers were asked before narrowing down their choices to Ms. Scott, if they were aware of her rather controversial remarks on her own social media pages. Some of the comments above were shared with the councilmembers.

They were then asked if she is really the best candidate and the best fit for Antioch city manager out of those they interviewed. Finally, the councilmembers were asked, if they you really think someone so racially divisive is the right choice for Antioch city manager especially after our community has just gone through the upheaval from the racist text scandal caused by some of our police officers.

Barbanica responded, “My position has been all along this should have been a public hiring. There should have been full transparency as the public needs to be apprised of the progress of the hiring all along. I said that publicly so the public could be made aware of who we were considering. The public went from knowing absolutely nothing about it to one day saying we have a final choice and we’re hiring a city manager and offering a person the job.”

“The public wasn’t aware we had a pool of applicants and that we had narrowed it down, where we were in the progress, and if we’re doing interviews. At one point all the department heads were allowed to do a meet and greet with multiple applicants. The public should have been made aware, so it didn’t come as big surprise.”

“Yes, that should have occurred,” referring to meetings between the final applicant and community leaders before the vote.

“This council should not be making the decision. This should be pushed out to the next council after the election. We have three seats that are up for election,” Barbanica continued. “We’re 70 days from an election as of Tuesday and this should not be decided by this council. It’s very likely that the overall direction of this council could be changing, depending on what the voters decide.”

Asked about the experience of other applicants he said, “There were some qualified candidates that along the way removed themselves from the process.”

“I have supported and continued to support leaving Kwame Reed in that position until the next city council is seated,” Barbanica stated. “At least bring him on as the interim city manager for the next couple of months and let the next council decide if they want to continue with him or start this search over.”

“I’m looking forward to hearing public comments on Tuesday night before I make my final decision,” he added.

When reached for comment, District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock said, “I will comment after Tuesday’s meeting and not before, because the vote hasn’t been disclosed and would be a Brown Act violation.”

Additional efforts to reach Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe were unsuccessful prior to publication time.

Meeting Times and Location

The Tuesday night meeting inside the Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 200 H Street, begins with a Closed Session at 5:15 p.m. during which the council will discuss the appointment of the new city manager. The public will have the opportunity to speak during public comments on the items they will be discussing prior to the council adjourning into their closed-door meeting. The council members will also discuss an existing lawsuit and anticipated litigation followed by the performance evaluations of both Acting City Manager Reed and City Attorney Thomas L. Smith.

The regular meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. City Council meetings are televised live on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, or live stream on the City’s website. See the full agenda packet.

By Isiah Thompson, Departmental Community & Media Relations Coordinator, Contra Costa County Probation Department

Martinez, CA – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants interested in serving on its 20-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC). Regular meetings of the Council and other standing committees are held at least quarterly based on a schedule adopted by the Council; that schedule may be changed or augmented as needed. The following positions are vacant and will be held for a two-year term:

• Two (2) At-Large youth seats, 14 to 25 years old residing or working within Contra Costa County
• One (1) At-Large member residing or working within Contra Costa County

The JJCC is a multi-agency advisory body that contributes to the development and implementation of a countywide juvenile justice plan. It is composed of several critical parts; including, but not limited to, an assessment of existing law enforcement, probation, education, mental health, health, social services, drugs, alcohol, and youth resources, which specifically target both at-promise, as well as system involved youth, and their families.

The JJCC will also coordinate the work of governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in activities designed to reduce the incidence of juvenile crime and delinquency in the greater community.  Further, the JJCC will develop information and intelligence sharing systems to ensure county actions are fully coordinated and equipped to provide data and appropriate outcome measures.  The body is composed of the following members:

Twelve (12) Ex‐Officio Members:

• Chief Probation Officer, 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 (Mental health) representative
• County Alcohol and Drugs Division representative
• Public Health representative
• Juvenile Justice Commission Chair
• City Police Department representative (rotating between Richmond, Antioch, Concord)
• County Office of Education or School District representative

Eight (8) Additional Members, appointed by the Board of Supervisors:

• Four At-Large members residing or working within Contra Costa County
• Two Community-Based Organization representatives
• Two At-Large youth, 14 to 25 years old residing or working within Contra Costa County

Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, September 20. All applicants who submit by the deadline will be invited to the public interview process conducted by the Public Protection Committee. This committee will then recommend a selection of applicants for the Board of Supervisors to appoint. Interviews with the Public Protection Committee will occur October 7, and appointments with the Board of Supervisors will occur on October 22.

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

“…effective immediately without cause.” – Board President Antonio Hernandez

Anello was in discussions with school board on “transition plan”, offered to stay on through May

“We agreed to a resignation that she proposed to begin with” – Trustee Mary Rocha

Reads Anello’s accomplishments

The “longest serving Superintendent in the history of AUSD”

By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Wednesday night, August 21, 2024, the Antioch School Board agreed to the terminate the employment agreement of embattled Superintendent Stephanie Anello who has spent several months on full or half-time medical leave. The move followed calls from the district’s unions, that night, asking for the board to take “decisive action”. It also follows the controversy surrounding accusations of bullying by a district department supervisor and claims of its mishandling by Anello and senior district leadership as well as the multiple attempts by Hernandez to terminate Anello in spite of the fact she has not been given her performance evaluation in four years.

Anello, who was recently placed back on full-time medical leave by her doctor after returning to work half-time, offered to stay on through next May and continue to be paid while on leave instead, according to Area 5 Trustee Mary Rocha. But she said the board felt they needed to make a change now and voted unanimously to terminate Anello’s employment agreement immediately and pay her the severance package.

According to district staff, the motion was to, “Terminate the superintendent’s employment agreement effective immediately without cause pursuant to the terms of that employment agreement.” Made by Lathan and seconded by Board President and District 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez and the motion passed unanimously with the support of Rocha, Lewis and Area 4 Trustee Gary Hack.

Unions Speak Unanimously

Flanked by Amy Bettencourt, the district’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, representing the administrators and California School Employees Association, local Chapter 85 President Brian Atkinson, representing the classified employees, Antioch Education Association president Bob Carson, representing the district’s teachers, spoke during public comments before the board’s Closed Session on Wednesday night.

Reading from prepared remarks, he asked the board to take, “decisive action regarding the position of superintendent” at last night’s meeting. “As leaders of our respective associations we are deeply committed to the success and well-being of our district. However, the current uncertainty surrounding the superintendent’s role has created challenges in our ability to move forward effectively. For the sake of our students, staff and the broader community, we believe it’s crucial that the board establish a clear path forward. We request the board promptly address this matter, ensuring our district is guided by stable and visionary leadership. This will allow us to continue our mission of providing quality education and support to every student in Antioch. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. We look forward to working collaboratively to achieve a positive outcome for our district.”

That was met with applause from those in the audience.

Board Votes Unanimously, Lewis Attends Closed Session by Phone

The board then adjourned to Closed Session which lasted over an hour, at which only four members were in attendance in person, and Area 3 Trustee Dr. Clyde Lewis attending via phone “due to a COVID-positive test” according to Hernandez. (His participation is under review as to whether it complies with the state’s Brown Act open meeting law). However, later Lewis said the district’s legal counsel said it was legal.

When reporting out Hernandez said, “the board took action in Closed Session to terminate the superintendent’s employment agreement effective immediately without cause, pursuant to the terms of that employment agreement.” He added, “It was unanimous, five-zero.”

That was also met with applause from the audience.

However, according to Rocha, the board accepted one of two resignation options Anello offered.

“We agreed to a resignation that she proposed to begin with,” the Area 5 trustee stated. “One was to avoid paying her the severance for six or nine months. Or do we cut ties now and pay her out. Because it was her request to be released. She gave us two options saying, ‘I have to be released, I can’t come to work.’ First it was, ‘I can only work half-day.’ Then all of a sudden it was the doctor telling her to go back on leave and she needed to be released.”

Anello’s Accomplishments

Following the announcement by Hernandez, Rocha read a list of Anello’s accomplishments while superintendent since being promoted to the position in 2016.

“As the senior member, I’ve been given the privilege to at least say a few words on behalf of the superintendent,” she stated before reading the statement. “I would like to say that this is without cause, and I hope you understand, the circumstances here, is we need to go forward. We need to take care of this business. This is a new year and so, I want to read some of the things we feel her leadership has done.”

 “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Superintendent Anello for her 25 years of dedicated service to our District, beginning in 1998 when she first served as a substitute teacher,” Rocha said reading from prepared remarks. “Ms. Anello is only the second female superintendent to lead the District and is the longest serving Superintendent in the history of AUSD. Some of her notable achievements as Superintendent include:

• Increasing accessibility for parents and guardians who speak languages other than English by ensuring bilingual assistance at all school sites and the District office;
• Expanding social-emotional support for students by reintroducing and increasing the number of counselors and mental health supports at every school;
• Instituting a comprehensive restorative justice program throughout the District, providing secondary sites with access to restorative justice coaches;
• Writing and implementing the District’s first Local Control Accountability Plan;
• Navigating the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, making AUSD one of the first districts in the county to offer free meals, computers, hotspots, and remote instruction;
• Overseeing the implementation of Measure B to upgrade and renovate Antioch High School;
• Successfully passing Measure B, the measure that we just did, which will bring over $195 million in much-needed upgrades and repairs to school sites.”

“So, we hope that Ms. Anello gets better in the future and that we look forward to at least having a direction of going forward in our district,” Rocha stated. “And I thank you and I hope we can all come together and understand that Ms. Anello has done a good job in this district.”

During general public comments Atkinson thanked, “the board for listening” and said, “I think it’s time to move on. Thank you, guys. It means so much to us.”

News Report on Leaked Information About Board, Anello’s Discussions

A report by NBC Bay Area on Thursday, August 15, 2024, claimed Anello was in discussions with the board on an exit plan. Posted to her official Facebook page on Friday afternoon Aug. 16th, Area 5 Trustee Dr. Jag Lathan wrote about the article, “Time to heal.”

However, when reached for comment about the matter, Anello said, “In my message to employees, it was called a transition plan. If anything was discussed in Closed Session, I was not there.”

The superintendent who was on medical leave, earlier this year, then returned to work at 50% under direction of her doctor, said, “My doctor has taken me off work, again due to my health.”

Questions for Lathan Ignored, Won’t Say if She Was Source for Report

Lathan was asked about her Facebook post asking if it was about Anello healing, who was placed on medical leave by her doctor, again or about the district healing over the claims of bullying. She was also asked if she believed Anello mishandled the matter of the accusation against Kenny Turnage, the department supervisor. He is still on paid administrative leave as of last week, pending the outcome of two additional investigations, which according to Acting Superintendent Dr. Rob Martinez earlier this month, have not yet been completed.

Because the report claims, “Antioch Unified School District’s superintendent is working with board trustees on her exit plan from the district, NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has confirmed through multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions” Lathan was asked if she had spoken to Anello and if her “exit plan” discussed in Closed Session during the August 7th meeting at which the superintendent was not in attendance.

Because the NBC report also claims their “Investigative Unit has confirmed through multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions,” Lathan was asked, if she was one of the sources and if she had spoken to the media about Anello’s “exit plan”.

Finally, the Area 2 trustee was asked if she thinks it’s appropriate to post reports about personnel matters that are under discussion by the board and have not yet been decided and for anything else about the matter she’d like to share.

But Lathan did not respond.

Questions for Other Trustees Also Go Unanswered, Also Won’t Say if They Spoke to Media

Questions were also emailed on Saturday to the other four board members asking if any of them had spoken to Anello, if her “exit plan” was discussed in Closed Session during the Aug. 7th meeting at which the superintendent was not in attendance.

They were also asked if Anello had he send the message sent to district staff about her “transition plan” was sent to them, as well and if any of them were the sources for the NBC Bay Area report and if they had spoken to the media about Anello’s “exit plan”.

They were asked if they think it’s appropriate to post reports about personnel matters that are under discussion by the board and have not yet been decided, as Trustee Lathan did on Friday, Aug. 16.

Hernandez was specifically asked why he continued to place the same items on the Closed Session agenda when the superintendent was not in attendance for one or two of the matters and if the board had given Anello her annual evaluation this year, yet and if not, how could they consider her Discipline/Dismissal/Release if that agenda item was for her. He was also asked if he was attempting to put pressure on Anello hoping she will resign.
Finally, they were asked if Martinez is still the Interim/Acting Superintendent and, if so, are they planning on appointing someone else to that position while Anello is on medical leave, and, if not, why was it on the agenda, and for anything else about the matter that they’d like to share

None of the trustees responded. However, later Rocha shared that Anello was represented by an attorney during the Closed Sessions meetings of the board. “Everyone has attorneys, including the district,” she said.

Efforts to reach Anello for comment were unsuccessful prior to publication time.

The board will now have the option of promoting from within the district or hiring a search firm to recruit a new superintendent.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Instead of passing bill she carried – See UPDATE with details of “Deal Framework”

CA journalists “oppose this disastrous deal”

“The future of journalism should not be decided in backroom deals…Not a single organization representing journalists and news workers agreed to this undemocratic and secretive deal with one of the businesses destroying our industry.” – Media Guild of the West

Senator Glazer who has his own bill on the matter opposes deal says it, “seriously undercuts our work toward a long term solution to rescue independent journalism” and doesn’t include Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and Amazon

By Allen D. Payton

SACRAMENTO – On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-AD15, Oakland) announced the establishment of a first-in-the-nation partnership with the State, news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy, unveiling a pair of multi-year initiatives to provide ongoing financial support to newsrooms across California and launch a National AI Accelerator.

Together, these new partnerships will provide nearly $250 million in public and private funding over the next five years, with the majority of funding going to newsrooms. The goal is to front-load $100 million in the first year to kick-start the efforts. The total investment could increase over the next several years if additional funding from private or state sources becomes available.

“This agreement represents a major breakthrough in ensuring the survival of newsrooms and bolstering local journalism across California — leveraging substantial tech industry resources without imposing new taxes on Californians,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “The deal not only provides funding to support hundreds of new journalists but helps rebuild a robust and dynamic California press corps for years to come, reinforcing the vital role of journalism in our democracy.”

Assemblymember Wicks, who represents portions of Western Contra Costa County, authored AB 886 to help ensure the sustainability of local journalism, as news outlets across the country are downsizing and closing at alarming rates. A Northwestern University study published last year found an average of two and a half newspapers in the United States close every week, and that our nation has lost two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005. California has lost more than 100 newspapers in the last decade alone.

The new suite of initiatives includes multi-faceted support for publishers across California to address challenges that have impacted the depth and breadth of news coverage in the state. They will help ensure the sustainability of existing and new online publications – with an emphasis on small, local outlets and community-facing journalism.

“As technology and innovation advance, it is critical that California continues to champion the vital role of journalism in our democracy,” saidWicks. “This partnership represents a cross-sector commitment to supporting a free and vibrant press, empowering local news outlets up and down the state to continue in their essential work. This is just the beginning. I remain committed to finding even more ways to support journalism in our state for years to come.”

California news publishers will be the beneficiaries of a News Transformation Fund, to be administered by the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, providing financial resources that preserve and expand California-based journalism. The funding will include contributions from technology platforms and the State of California, supporting innovative new investments that promote local journalism. The funding will support California-based state and local news organizations, particularly those serving California local news deserts, underserved and underrepresented communities, and outlets that prioritize California coverage.

“The University of California is proud to partner with Governor Newsom and legislative leaders to bolster the critical work of local news organizations and journalists in California,” said UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “Californians depend on robust local and diverse news organizations to stay informed about their communities, and the University and specifically the UC Berkeley School of Journalism stand ready to support this endeavor.”

Funding for the initiative would be complemented by direct support from the State, helping news organizations keep and grow newsroom staff and offsetting the costs of producing local news and information.

“A vibrant press is crucial for strong communities and a healthy democracy. This is a first step toward what we hope will become a comprehensive program to sustain local news in the long term, and we will push to see it grow in future years,” saidCalifornia News Publishers Association CEO Chuck Champion and Board Chair Julie Makinen. “We will work with the state and tech companies to make the most of this initiative. We’re grateful to Assemblymember Wicks for her passionate advocacy on behalf of our 700-plus member newsrooms.”

Partners in this initiative also reiterated their strong commitment to strengthening newsroom and ownership diversity for ethnic and underserved communities. The Governor also announced his support for AB 1511 (Santiago), which aims to increase the state’s ongoing commitment to place official marketing, advertising and/or outreach advertising with local and underrepresented media outlets.

“Ethnic and community media outlets in California have a long history of serving as trusted messengers of culturally responsive news to historically underrepresented and underserved communities,” said Assemblymember Miguel Santiago. “These initiatives ensure that California is embracing private sector innovation while developing partnerships with and seeding investments from the public sector to empower local publishers and journalists that are vital to a healthy, thriving democracy.”

Additionally, researchers and businesses will have access to new resources to explore the use of AI to tackle some of the most complex challenges facing society, and strengthen the workforce through a new National AI Innovation Accelerator. This will be administered in collaboration with a private nonprofit, and will provide organizations across industries and communities — from journalism, to the environment, to racial equity and beyond — with financial resources and other support to experiment with AI to assist them in their work. The AI accelerator will empower organizations with the new technology, and complement the work of the Journalism Fund by creating new tools to help journalists access and analyze public information.

“We appreciate the thoughtful leadership of Governor Newsom, Assemblymember Wicks, Chair Umberg, and Senator Glazer on these issues,” said Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer for Alphabet (Google’s parent company). “California lawmakers have worked with the tech and news sectors to develop a collaborative framework to accelerate AI innovation and support local and national businesses and non-profit organizations. This public-private partnership builds on our long history of working with journalism and the local news ecosystem in our home state, while developing a national center of excellence on AI policy.”

“A strong press is a key pillar of democracy, and we’re proud to be part of this partnership to utilize AI in support of local journalism across California,” said Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer for OpenAI. “This initiative builds on our longstanding work to help newsrooms and journalists around the world leverage AI to improve workflows, better connect users to quality content, and help news organizations shape the future of this emerging technology.”

Work will begin immediately to stand up both initiatives, which will go live in 2025. Included below is a range of quotes from additional supporters.

What others are saying:

“The work of local independent publishers is essential to a well-functioning democracy, and this new public-private partnership provides immediate and needed relief. Lawmakers should be proud of this program, which builds on California’s innovative Local News Fellowship with millions of new dollars in a way that prioritizes small publishers and those serving underrepresented groups.” – Chris Krewson, Executive Director of Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, a national nonprofit with 76 of its 600 publisher members in California

“The new public-private partnership provides a pioneering, ambitious program that will offer significant help to local newsrooms that give Californians the information they need to participate in a healthy democracy. It’s encouraging that lawmakers and tech platforms found a way to work together to forge an innovative solution that can be a model for other states.” – Lance Knobel, CEO of Cityside Journalism Initiative, the nonprofit behind Richmondside, Oaklandside and Berkeleyside

“California is leading the way with this first-in-the-nation investment to protect the press and sustain quality journalism. This fund will help news outlets and journalists adapt to a changing landscape with new tools and funding to embrace emerging technologies. This is especially helpful for ethnic and community media which is comprised largely of under-resourced family businesses whose strongest connections are to their community.” – Regina Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media

“California is home to the largest concentration of multilingual news outlets serving immigrant and ethnic communities in the US. This breakthrough public private partnership to support local journalism brings welcome recognition of the ethnic media sector’s indispensable role in connecting these diverse communities to each other and to the wider public realm.” – Sandy Close, Director of Ethnic Media Services (EMS), a California-based nonprofit which works with 2000 ethnic news outlets nationwide, including over 300 in California

“It represents an equity-media model for the nation,” added Julian Do, EMS Co-Director

“Protecting and rebuilding California’s robust media ecosystem and ensuring it serves immigrants, Latinos and communities of color equally requires an important role for philanthropy, our tech and private sector, and yes, California’s State Government. We see this historic agreement as just the first major step where the State of California can lead the way in building a sustainable media ecosystem for the most diverse state in the Union.” – Arturo Carmona, President of the Latino Media Collaborative 

“This is a win for all Californians. Disinformation flourishes when quality journalism disappears. This critical funding will help local publishers survive and keep their communities informed and engaged.” – Neil Chase, CEO of CalMatters and former editor of The Mercury News and East Bay Times

“The revival of a strong, independent community-minded local press is vital for California. All things considered, this agreement both injects new money into doing that and helps spur the innovation, tech and otherwise, required at this moment. As a companion to the California Local News Fellowship, it’s another brick in the rebuilding of California journalism.” – Ken Doctor, Newsonomics news analyst and Lookout Local founder and CEO

“Supporting local news and journalism is vital to enabling a fully informed and engaged community. We are very pleased to see California as a leader in building this public-private partnership that will substantially impact local journalism and essential news coverage in communities throughout California. This vital funding will support our local news and will enable an expansion of our initiative to add to the depth of our bilingual coverage and journalists in Napa Valley – where 40% of the population is Latino.” – Marc Hand, CEO and Board Chair of Highway 29 Media, a publisher of newspapers serving communities in Napa Valley

California Journalists’ Guild Opposes Deal, Calls it a “Shakedown”

In addition, the Media Guild of the West, which represents journalists and had supported Wicks’ bill, issued a statement on Wednesday opposing the deal entitled, “California’s journalists do not consent to this shakedown.”

The guild’s representatives and signatories to the statement (see below) wrote, “This afternoon, Google, California Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, California Governor Gavin Newsom and many of California’s publishing lobbies announced ‘a first-in-the-nation partnership with the State, news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy, unveiling a pair of multi-year initiatives to provide ongoing financial support to newsrooms across California and launch a National AI Accelerator.’

After two years of advocacy for strong antimonopoly action to start turning around the decline of local newsrooms, we are left almost without words. The publishers who claim to represent our industry are celebrating an opaque deal involving taxpayer funds, a vague AI accelerator project that could very well destroy journalism jobs, and minimal financial commitments from Google to return the wealth this monopoly has stolen from our newsrooms.

Not a single organization representing journalists and news workers agreed to this undemocratic and secretive deal with one of the businesses destroying our industry. Moments ago, the following opposition letter was filed with the California legislature:

We represent journalists and news workers who provide essential news for millions of Californians in print, digital, broadcast, commercial and nonprofit newsrooms.

The future of journalism should not be decided in backroom deals. The Legislature embarked on an effort to regulate monopolies and failed terribly. Now we question whether the state has done more harm than good.

California’s journalists and news workers OPPOSE this disastrous deal with Google and condemn the news executives who consented to it in our names.

Signed,

Matt Pearce, President, Media Guild of the West, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39213
Jon Schleuss, President, The NewsGuild-CWA
Annie Sciacca, President, Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521
Carrie Biggs-Adams, President, NABET-CWA Local 51
Javad Ayala, President, NABET-CWA Local 53
Kevin Gallo, Regional Vice President 5, NABET-CWA
Frank Arce, Vice President, Communications Workers of America District 9

Glazer Also Opposes Agreement, Calls it “Inadequate”

State Senator Steve Glazer (D-SD7, Orinda), who represents most of Contra Costa County and has his own bill on the matter, SB911, also does not support the deal and on Wednesday issued the following “Statement on Wicks-Google Agreement”: 

“Despite the good intentions of the parties involved, this proposal does not provide sufficient resources to bring independent news gathering in California out of its death spiral.

Google’s offer is completely inadequate and massively short of matching their settlement agreement in Canada, in supporting on-the-ground local news reporting.

Democracies live and die based on the free exchange of information and oversight between government and its people. Autocracies and dictatorships thrive when that information is constrained or manipulated.

The hollowing out of independent news gathering and the monopoly power of these digital platforms is an existential threat to our democratic republic.

This agreement, unfortunately, seriously undercuts our work toward a long term solution to rescue independent journalism

There is a stark absence in this announcement of any support for journalism from Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and Amazon. These platforms have captured the intimate data from Californians without paying for it. Their use of that data in advertising is the harm to news outlets that this agreement should mitigate.” 

Questions for Wicks About the Agreement and Initiatives Go Unanswered

Questions were emailed Wednesday night to Wicks’ Director of Communications, Erin Ivie, asking, “Do you email out press releases to media that cover her district? Was there a press conference held announcing the agreement?”

Other local media publishers in Contra Costa County didn’t receive the press release about the agreement nor an invitation to any press conference at which it was announced, either.

She was also asked the following:

“Why didn’t she reach out to the local media that cover her district for our input like Congressman Mark DeSaulnier did for his legislation?

Which news publishers, major tech companies and philanthropy are party to the agreement?

Can you ease provide copies of the two initiatives mentioned in the press release or the link to where they can be found?

What are the definitions of ‘newsroom’, ‘local journalist’ and ‘local news outlets’ mentioned in the press release, including in a quote by the Assemblywoman?

Which newsrooms will qualify for the funds? Who will determine which newsrooms will receive the funds and how much they will receive?

Will the funds be provided directly from the tech companies and philanthropy to the newsrooms, or will they be funneled through a state government agency? Will there be an application process and to whom will the applications be submitted?

Who will be working on both initiatives? How does a local news publisher get involved in the process?”

Finally, Ivie was asked, “Won’t the allocation of taxpayer funds included in the agreement still require legislation to be passed? If so, what will be the process? Will the Assemblywoman continue to pursue passage of AB866? If so, will it be amended to include the elements of the agreement?

UPDATE: Wicks’ Staff Provides Details of Deal

In response, Ivie provided the “Deal Framework, Measures to support democracy, journalism and AI innovation” (see below). In addition, she provided answers to the Herald’s questions:

“Eligible for the funding are nonprofit and for-profit news organizations who have been around for at least two years. The funding is awarded by headcount, overseen by a diverse board (outlined further down). 

The one exception is commercial broadcasters, who were carved out of the agreement because they continue to generate healthy profits from advertising dollars. 

The funds will be distributed by the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, by an approved claims administrator who typically handles complex distributions of class action settlements. Details of the application process are forthcoming, but in the meantime, anyone interested can contact our office to get on a list to receive those details.

The state is currently committed to providing a minimum of $70M over 5 years, and that commitment is limited to the journalism fund only. Google has committed to $110M minimum over the same time frame, plus $62.5M for their AI accelerator. 

That means that taxpayer funds could be used to support the journalism fund, but not the work of the AI accelerator. It will not require legislation to be passed, but it will require a budget allocation (in January), which the Governor has already committed to. 

Our office, Google, the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, plus a seven-member governing board. That board will consist of two CNPA members, one member from Ethnic Media Services, one from Local Independent Online News (LION), one from Latino Media Collaborative, one from California Black Media, and one from Media Guild of the West. 

Any local news publisher who wants to get involved can email our office and be brought into the fold. If you’re interested, please email our Legislative Director Zak Castillo-Krings at zak.castillo-krings@asm.ca.gov. 

The agreement was made in lieu of AB 886, and the bill will no longer move forward.”

Deal Framework

Measures to support democracy, journalism and AI innovation

1. Summary: Creation of first-in-the-nation partnerships that will provide nearly $250 million in public and private funding over the next five years, with the majority of going to support newsrooms. The goal is to front-load $100 million in the first year to kickstart the efforts. Total investment could increase over the next several years if additional funding from private or state sources becomes available.

2. State Contribution: 30mm in year one. 10mm in each of the next four years (years 2-5). All money will be contributed to a new fund established at UC Berkeley School for Journalism.

3. Google Commitment to Journalism, up to 30mm a year, as follows:

a. Year one:

$15mm to the Journalism Fund

$5mm to AI fund accelerator

$10mm in funding for existing journalism programs

b. Years 2-5: Google continues its contribution to Journalism Fund at 10mm minimum. Google maintains 10mm in funding for existing journalism programs

4. National AI Accelerator

a. Managed by as-yet-to-be finalized non-profit organization, under terms to be

defined by funders

b. Google commitment of additional 10mm to Accelerator

c. Google commitment of additional 2.5mm to fund AI research

d. Additional contributions from other tech companies

5. UC School of Journalism non-profit public charity

a. Administration costs are not to exceed a customary overhead

b. Purpose is to bolster UC’s efforts to support and catalyze local news

throughout the state

c. Overseen by a 7-member governing board:

i. CNPA member

ii. CNPA member

iii. Ethnic Media Services

iv. Local Independent Online News

v. Latino Media Collaborative

vi. California Black Media

vii. Media Guild of the West

d. Funds allocated by board to be distributed by claims administrator

e. 12% of funding reserved for locally focused publications and publications targeting underrepresented groups

f. The function of the board will be to validate the distribution formula based on the number of journalists per publication. Funds to be distributed to eligible organizations by dividing the number of eligible journalism positions or

freelancers of each organization by the total number of overall eligible positions multiplied by the total eligible amount in the fund consistent with the current language of AB886. The board will have no other discretion relative o the distribution of funds.

g. The definition of a journalist does not include broadcasters

6. Additional State Support:

a. California will work with its departments on plans to prioritize state government advertising in local publications and publications in underserved markets, with the goal of redirecting millions in advertising dollars.

Erin Ivie, Director of Communications, Office of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Steven Harmon, Communications Director for the Office of State Senator Steve Glazer contributed to this report.

Attorney says agencies “utterly failed in their duties” to protect 18-month-old girl abused by parents also named in suit

Antioch childcare facility, Pittsburg pediatrician also named

CONTENT WARNING: Information included may be disturbing to some individuals

San Francisco, August 20, 2024 — A federal civil rights lawsuit was filed in the beating death of an 18-month-old child in Antioch, alleging that a litany of individuals and agencies charged with protecting the tiny girl utterly failed in their duties and led directly to her death as the result of trauma inflicted by her biological parents.

The case, filed last week in Federal District Court on behalf of the two older siblings of the toddler, names the following defendants as negligently responsible for her horrific death: the City of Antioch, Antioch Police Department, Contra Costa Child Protective Services, Contra Costa County Regional Health Foundation, and a childcare facility, The Learning Center (actually named, The Learning Experience – see below), as well as the toddler’s biological parents, Jessika Fulcher and Worren Young, Sr.

The child was removed from her parent’s custody within weeks of her birth in February 2021 because she was in danger of neglect and abuse. Yet, over the next 16 months, the very people and institutions who were supposed to protect the toddler and her siblings failed to report obvious signs of abuse and/or failed to take action to prevent further trauma to the girl.

The child died August 26, 2022, from trauma so severe that it severed her pancreas and caused bleeding in her brain, according to doctors and the lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages, including punitive damages against the agencies and individuals named as responsible in the legal action.

“This child–who was still learning to walk–was brutally tortured and died a horrific death, all because the entire system that was supposed to protect her failed this innocent 18-month-old child,” said Brett Schreiber, attorney for the plaintiffs and partner at Singleton Schreiber law firm. “While her parents committed the physical abuse that killed her, their abuse was entirely enabled and abetted by social workers, police, hospitals and day care centers who should have stopped them.”

A juvenile court judge removed the toddler from the custody of her parents in March 2021, shortly after her birth.  When the child was born, both she and her mother had methamphetamines in their systems. In addition, both parents had outstanding warrants in Georgia. The children were placed in foster care.

Within weeks of the judge’s decision, however, Contra Costa County Child Protective Services (CPS) began a process intended to lead to reuniting the children with the parents, beginning with a “case plan” requiring close supervision of the parents. The case plan required the parents to submit to regular drug testing. The suit alleges that they missed half these mandated tests and failed many that they took.

A doctor at Pittsburg Health Center further noted injuries on the toddler, but neither the doctor nor the hospital notified CPS, and CPS never requested the hospital’s records.

Nonetheless, CPS soon allowed overnight visitations for the children with the parents, and by September 2021 enabled the parents to regain custody by concealing these and other facts from the judge.

The toddler returned to a household in turmoil, with Antioch police visiting the home at least three times in 2022. Yet the children remained in the home and no referral to CPS was made, even though the father was finally arrested for domestic violence and battery. The child’s daycare center, The Learning Center in Antioch, also alerted the mother regarding significant bruising on the toddler yet failed to make a mandated referral to CPS.

On August 25, 2022, Antioch Police Department officers and paramedics were called to the child’s home by her mother who reported that the girl was having trouble breathing. The girl was rushed to the hospital where doctors discovered she was the victim of severe, intentional injuries.

Her parents left the hospital during the night saying they were going out to smoke, but never returned. The girl died the following morning; a juvenile court hearing in April 2023 concluded that one or both parents were responsible for the fatal injuries.

“This was a complete dereliction of duty that resulted in the death of one young child and the lifelong loss and trauma for two others,” Schreiber said. “On behalf of those siblings, we are asking the court not only to compensate them for the life-long emotional scarring they will suffer, but also to punish those who failed to prevent this horrible tragedy so that it never happens again.”

Antioch City Attorney Thomas L. Smith and Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington were asked on Tuesday afternoon if they had any comment about the lawsuit. Addington was also asked if lawsuits naming the police department are received by the chief or if they are handled by the city attorney’s office. Neither responded by publication time Wednesday evening.

Asked if the County had any comment on the lawsuit, Tish Gallegos, Community Relations and Media for the Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services Department responded, “The County has not been served with the lawsuit, therefore has no comment at this time.”

Asked whom at the County was served with the lawsuit, Sam Singer, of Singer Associates Public Relations representing Singleton Schreiber said, “I know the lawsuit was filed but it may not have been served, yet.”

The press release shows the case is O.Y., W.Y., and A.Y. v. County of Contra Costa, City of Antioch, Jessika Fulcher, Worren Young, Sr., Colleen Sullivan, Flynne Lewis, Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation, The Learning Center, Raji Ponnaluri, and Does 1 through 50, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Correction, Details Provided on Named Parties

However, the name of the business is actually, The Learning Experience.

Provided with that information and asked how Sullivan, Lewis and Ponnaluri are related to the lawsuit, Singer shared details from the lawsuit, including: “over the next year, from March 2021 to April 2022, during the pendency of the dependency action, CPS workers—Defendants in this action— abysmally failed to protect O.Y. and W.Y. Defendants Colleen Sullivan and Does 1-10, CPS employees, repeatedly misled and deceived the juvenile court. They represented that Defendant Parents were complying with the court’s orders documented in a ‘case plan,’ when, in fact, Defendant Parents were violating the terms of the case plan.”

Singer also shared, “defendant Flynne Lewis was a pediatrician practicing medicine at the Pittsburg Health Center who was responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of Decedent O.Y. and Plaintiff W.Y. Defendant Lewis and staff working at the Pittsburg Health Center noted and documented signs of abuse and neglect of O.Y., but failed to report such information to CPS or any law enforcement agency.”

Finally, Singer provided details about the correct name for the business and its owner which reads, “At all relevant times, Defendant The Learning Experience was a daycare center located at 4831 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531 which was owned and operated by Defendant Raji Ponnaluri.”

Singleton Schreiberis a client-centered law firm, specializing in mass torts/multi-district litigation, fire litigation, personal injury/wrongful death, civil rights, environmental law, and sexual abuse/trafficking. Over the last decade, the firm has recovered more than $2.5 billion for clients who have been harmed and sought justice. The firm also has the largest fire litigation practice in the country, having represented over 26,000 victims of wildfire, most notably serving plaintiffs in litigation related to the 2023 Maui wildfires, the Colorado Marshall wildfire, the Washington Gray wildfire, and others.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.