Female was also arrested two days earlier for grand, petty theft in Pleasant Hill; male also arrested in 2017, 2022
By San Francisco District Attorney’s Office
San Francisco, CA – District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that Ahjanae Woods (23) and Terry Nichols (28), both of Antioch, have been charged in connection to the early morning smash and grab at Christian Dior in Union Square on October 12, 2023.
Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols were arraigned on October 16, 2023, and each pled not guilty to one count of second-degree commercial burglary (PC 459), one count of grand theft (PC 487(a), one count of organized retail theft (PC 490.4(a)(1)), one count of conspiracy (PC 182(a)) and one count of resisting arrest (PC 148(a)(1)).
“The early morning smash and grab at Christian Dior is one more example of how brazen some thieves have become,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This conduct is completely unacceptable and will be prosecuted vigorously. I would also like to thank the San Francisco Police Department for their swift action in responding to this incident and arresting these suspects. We will not let up on our efforts to improve public safety and demonstrate our resolve to those who choose to engage in criminal activity in our community.”
As listed in the overt acts of the conspiracy charge, it is alleged that at approximately 6:50AM on October 12, 2023, Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols, along with other uncharged co-conspirators, arrived in three vehicles to the Union Square neighborhood and first tried to break into Fendi at 195 Grant Street. The group then broke the gate and doors at Christian Dior at 185 Post Street where they stole numerous handbags and other merchandise.
Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichol’s next court date is October 27, 2023, for the preliminary hearing in this matter. The District Attorney’s Office moved to detain Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols pending trial because of the public safety risk they pose. The court granted the motion to detain Ms. Woods and Mr. Nichols without prejudice. The court will hear further arguments on the People’s motion to detain at the time of the preliminary hearing in this case.
Although charges have been filed, this remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
According to localcrimenews.com Nichols was also arrested in 2017 and 2022 by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for changing, altering, removing and/or obliterating ID marks on a firearm and for addict in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
As previously reported by the Herald, Woods was among 11 individuals arrested in Pleasant Hill on Oct. 10, 2023, for grand theft and petty theft.
Contra Costa Health (CCH) recommends that anyone who has spent time inside California Grand Casino in Pacheco since 2018 consider a tuberculosis (TB) test, after recent genetic testing revealed several related cases among staff and customers over the past five years.
Of the 11 confirmed TB cases, 10 are genetically linked and the majority are associated with staff or customers at the casino. The 11th case has not yet been genetically tested.
CCH has so far not identified a current or ongoing source of transmission at the casino. CCH is working closely with casino management to ensure prompt, appropriate testing, health advice and screening for all its staff.
“We are making this recommendation now because there is new evidence that TB may have spread among people who spent time at the casino from 2018 to 2023,” said Dr. Meera Sreenivasan, deputy health officer for Contra Costa County. “TB can live inside someone for years without showing signs of its presence. That is why it’s important to take a test, even if you do not feel sick. TB can cause serious illness, but it is treatable and curable with medicine, especially when caught early.”
To date, CCH has contacted more than 300 people who may have been exposed to active TB and is working with California Grand management to provide health education to staff and to encourage testing.
Symptoms of active TB can include a persistent or bloody cough, fever, unexpected weight loss, night sweats and fatigue.
TB bacteria can live inside a person for months or years without causing any symptoms, so even people with no symptoms should talk to their healthcare providers about getting a TB test if they believe they may have been exposed.
TB can spread when a person who has developed symptoms coughs or breathes out droplets containing the bacteria, particularly in an enclosed space over a long period of time, such as several hours.
The only way to know if someone was infected after a TB exposure is to test.
If you believe you may have been exposed to TB, talk to your healthcare provider or call CCH’s TB Client Services Program at 925-313-6740 if you are uninsured or need advice about next steps. Visit cchealth.org/tb for more information about TB.
Beginning November 30, 2023, paper tickets will no longer be accepted at BART. This change is occurring as BART begins to roll out new state of the art fare gates we have ordered which will not accept paper tickets and as Clipper prepares for the launch of the next generation of Clipper.
Paper tickets balances cannot be transferred onto a Clipper card. BART offers paper ticket refunds for tickets with a remaining value greater than $1.00. It can be multiple tickets that add up to $1 or more. Click here for directions to request a refund.
Pay By Phone
Clipper is now available through Apple Pay and Google Pay. Riders can get a new Clipper card on their phones for free (normally $3). Funds added using Apple Pay and Google Pay are immediately available for use.
Set up is easy and can be done on the spot or in advance while you are at home. Every rider needs their own digital card. For families travelling together, multiple cards can be added to an Apple phone, but users must turn off Express Transit mode to toggle between each card when tagging at the fare gate.
Next Generation Clipper
BART has moved to a Clipper-only fare payment system because the region has prioritized the use of Clipper as the Bay Area’s all-in-one transit card administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In calendar year 2024, the next generation of Clipper will be rolled out including open payment which provides the option to tag a credit/debit card at a BART fare gate, including Apple Pay or Google Pay, without setting up a card on your phone in advance. The next generation of Clipper also opens the door for new discount programs, promotions, and potentially fare capping for BART riders.
On Saturday, September 30, 2023, BART ceased the sale of magstripe paper tickets at SFO. Only Clipper cards are available at SFO vending machines and riders will continue to be encouraged to add a Clipper card to their phone for a card-free option.
BART began offering paper tickets at SFO in October 2022 in response to global supply chain issues impacting the region’s plastic card inventory. The region now has an adequate supply of cards and BART will eliminate the sale of all paper tickets. This includes the sale of red paper tickets at the Customer Service window at Lake Merritt Station for RTC applicants waiting for their Clipper card to arrive and paper tickets for group sales.
Riders are still able to use the paper tickets they already have on hand, including weekend promotion tickets, to enter and exit through most fare gates until November 30, 2023.
Refunds
Paper Ticket Refunds
Beginning November 30, 2023, paper tickets will no longer be accepted at BART. This change is occurring as BART begins to roll out new state of the art fare gates which will not accept paper tickets and as Clipper prepares for the launch of the next generation of Clipper.
Paper tickets balances cannot be transferred onto a Clipper card. BART offers paper ticket refunds for tickets with a remaining value greater than $1.00.
Until November 30, 2023, riders with paper tickets will be able to add enough fare to a paper ticket to exit a station using cash at the Addfare machines located inside the paid area of each station.
You have 3 options for getting a refund:
A Station Agent can help process a ticket refund request. The agent will have you fill out a form and you will provide the agent with your ticket(s) and the agent will send it to BART Treasury. Treasury will mail you a check. This option helps you avoid paying for postage and is the most secure option. The refund may take 4-6 weeks to process.
You can also visit the Customer Services Center at Lake Merritt Station to drop off tickets in a sealed envelope addressed to BART’s Treasury Department. Please include your name, phone number, and return address and note that you are seeking a refund of paper ticket(s) using this form. A receipt will be provided for dropping off your envelope.
Mail the ticket(s) to BART’s Treasury Department. Include your name, phone number, and return address and note that you are seeking a refund of your paper ticket(s) due to BART’s elimination of paper ticket sales. Station Agents can also provide pre-addressed envelopes to Treasury. Due to observed delivery issues this is a less secure option. It is recommended that items of value be insured when selecting this option.
Mail it to:
BART Finance Department
2150 Webster, 9th floor, Oakland, CA 94612
Attention: Requests
BART’s Treasury Department will then process the refund. You will get a check in the mail at the address you provide. The check may take 4-6 weeks.
Tickets submitted for refund must have been purchased by cash or debit card. Tickets purchased with a credit card (there will be a small “c” on these near the magnetic stripe) will be credited back to the credit card which was used to purchase the ticket.
BART doesn’t offer cash refunds.
BART will also refund full unused paratransit ticket books.
Tickets purchased using pre-tax dollars/Commuter Checks are not refundable due to federal restrictions of the Commuter Check program
For more information, call the BART Treasury at (510) 464-6841.
Clipper Refunds:
Only registered Clipper cards, are available for refunds. Please contact Clipper Customer Service at 877.878.8883 to request a refund without cancelling your card.
Ticket Donations (“Tiny Tickets”)
Donations of tickets with unused value of less than $1 can be made to local non-profits. Check with your favorite non-profit or charity organization to see if it accepts these small value tickets. Former Tiny Ticket non-profit organizations can still submit these tickets for refund directly to BART Treasury.
Submit to:
Refunds, BART Treasury Department
2150 Webster St., 9th floor, Oakland, CA 94612
If you have a question, please call (510) 464-6841.
Replacement Tickets:
BART’s Treasury Department will no longer issue replacement tickets in order to reduce the use of tickets in the system. Due to increased Clipper Card use and the corresponding reduction in use of paper tickets, the Ticket Exchange Booth at 12th St Oakland City Center Station has been permanently closed.
Need help?
BART Customer Service is available to help riders with inquiries over the phone at (510)464-7133 or in person at Lake Merritt Station (concourse level).
Adds Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop 10 mL sold by Walmart to list
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to purchase and to immediately stop using 26 over-the-counter eye drop products due to the potential risk of eye infections that could result in partial vision loss or blindness. Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection after using these products should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately. These products are marketed under the following brands:
CVS Health
Leader (Cardinal Health)
Rugby (Cardinal Health)
Rite Aid
Target Up & Up
Velocity Pharma
These products are intended to be sterile. Ophthalmic drug products pose a potential heightened risk of harm to users because drugs applied to the eyes bypass some of the body’s natural defenses.
FDA recommended the manufacturer of these products recall all lots on October 25, 2023, after agency investigators found insanitary conditions in the manufacturing facility and positive bacterial test results from environmental sampling of critical drug production areas in the facility. FDA also recommends consumers properly discard these products.
CVS, Rite Aid and Target are removing the products from their store shelves and websites. Products branded as Leader, Rugby and Velocity may still be available to purchase in stores and online and should not be purchased. Walmart is removing Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drop 10 mL from their store shelves and website.
FDA has not received any adverse event reports of eye infection associated with these products at this time. FDA encourages health care professionals and patients to report adverse events or quality problems with any medicine to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:
Complete and submit the report online at Medwatch; or
Download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.
Beginning today, October 31, 2023, the Antioch Police Department will introduce a new technology to better serve our community needing police or emergency services. The Antioch Police Department will launch SPIDR Tech – a Versaterm Company – which is a fully automated system that provides callers pertinent information and updates about many incidents via text message or email.
When a community member requests police services from a SMS enabled phone, they should expect to receive a text message acknowledging their call for most incidents. In some cases, a delay may occur when a higher priority call comes in and the officer is diverted, or when the overall call volume creates delays. If the responding officer is delayed, an automated message will be sent to the caller letting them know.
After an incident is handled, the caller will receive a survey and can provide feedback on their experience with the call taker and officer. All automated messages and surveys will be available in both English and Spanish.
Additionally, callers can opt-in to receive news and updates from the Police Department about community events, road closures, and crime alerts. You can sign up to receive updates by texting (925) 568-7388 with the keyword APD.
Soon, the Antioch Police Department will enable additional features of SPIDR Tech which will allow crime victims to receive information on the status of their case.
About SPIDR Tech: SPIDR Tech, a Versaterm Public Safety company, was founded by former law enforcement officers to help police agencies leverage their own data to improve public perception and increase efficiency by providing excellent customer service. Following extensive market research, we designed and built the world’s first comprehensive customer service infrastructure for law enforcement with the goal of improving communication and transparency between agencies and communities. For more information, visit https://versaterm.com and https://www.spidrtech.com
On Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that Delandro Belvine-Brown (22) of Antioch, and Sean Raquel Jevonce Simon, Jr. (24) of Richmond, were each sentenced to three years imprisonment after pleading guilty in San Francisco Superior Court to committing robbery in violation of Penal Code Section 211, in relation to a series of retail thefts occurring in San Francisco.
“Retail theft continues to have a major impact on San Francisco’s business community and the city’s economic livelihood. These crimes demand accountability and we need to send the message to others involved in this criminal enterprise that, with the support of our local law enforcement partners, our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “With San Francisco Police Department receiving $15.3 million dollars and our office receiving $2 million from the Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program, law enforcement agencies in San Francisco will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute all levels of this criminal enterprise.”
In this case, the People alleged that Mr. Belvine-Brown and Mr. Simon were a part of an organized group which committed a series of snatch-and-grab thefts and robberies from Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, and Veo Optics stores in San Francisco from November 1, 2021, through July 1, 2022. By employing a consistent brazen theft strategy, Mr. Belvine-Brown, Mr. Simon, and others entered the store as a group, rapidly grabbed numerous expensive sunglasses from display shelves, and quickly exited the store and got in an awaiting car. Investigators from SFPD and Brentwood Police Department conducted a joint investigation as there were similar thefts that occurred in Contra Costa County. Investigators from both agencies examined evidence from multiple sources, including store surveillance videos, social media posts, and mobile phone records to identify the Defendants and their criminal activities.
The case against Mr. Belvine-Brown and Mr. Simon was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Conrad Del Rosario with support and assistance from District Attorney Inspector Lessa Vivian and Paralegal Chloe Mosqueda. This case was investigated by the San Francisco Police Department’s Burglary Unit and the Brentwood Police Department’s Investigation Division.
“Individuals who openly commit egregious and brazen retail crimes impact not only the store’s viability to stay open for their community, but also have long lasting effects on store employees and customers who are subjected to this blatant disregard for the law,” said Assistant District Attorney del Rosario. “These cases should serve as notice to those would-be thieves that law enforcement will aggressively investigate and prosecute their criminal activity in San Francisco.”
Belvine-Brown and Simon are currently in custody and will be transported to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s custody to begin serving their state prison sentences.
By Danielle Navarro, Oakley Assistant City Manager
Oakley, CA – 4:49 PM – The homicide of a 16-year-old male, and the shooting of three other teenagers that occurred on October 21st in the 400 block of Shannon Way has been the top priority of the Oakley Police Department since it occurred. The investigators of the Oakley Police Department have worked tirelessly and continuously on this case over the past week. The Department has processed a large amount of electronic and digital evidence and spoken to many people in relation to the investigation. (See related articles here and here)
On October 25, 2023, the Oakley Police Department arrested Jason Walizada (18, Antioch) in connection with these heinous crimes. Walizada was booked into the Main Detention Facility in Martinez for a warrant, which was obtained by Oakley PD.
This case continues to be an ongoing and very active investigation. With this being the situation, we are unable to speak about the details of the case or what we have uncovered so far. Walizada will be released from custody later today pending further developments in our investigation. This latest development is always considered to be a possibility in major cases like ours where there are large amounts of evidence to process and sort through.
“This case represents the largest, most violent and deadly mass-shooting involving youth in the history of Oakley,” said Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard. “We are not done in our pursuit of justice in this killing and it is our end goal to remove all responsible parties from free society and incarcerate them. I previously stated our work is not done – we will not rest until we have successfully achieved the end goal in this case.
As always, if there are any further developments or updates in this case, I will be sure to share them.”
Members also rated KP 5 stars for their care and service experience
By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
OAKLAND, Calif. Oct. 26, 2023 – Kaiser Permanente has the highest rated health plan in the state for overall quality and is also rated highest by members for care and service experience, according to the health plan ratings for 2024 by Covered California – the state’s health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
“Kaiser Permanente is a national leader in providing our members and patients with high-quality, compassionate care and service,” said Carrie Owen Plietz, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “We take great pride in knowing that our own members and patients rated their experiences with Kaiser Permanente 5 stars – the highest of any health plan in the state.”
In addition to achieving a 5-star “Overall Quality” rating for quality, Kaiser Permanente received 5 stars for “Members’ Care Experience,” which is based on patient surveys asking about their recent experiences when visiting the doctor and getting medical care; “Getting the Right Care,” a measure of care that is given, comparing with the national standards for care and treatments proven to help patients; and “Plan Services for Members,” which analyzes a health plan’s efficiency, affordability, and management.
“Our physicians and staff are committed to delivering exceptional clinical care and world-class service to improve and maintain the health and well-being of our members and patients,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We keep our patient’s needs at the forefront of every decision, and our highly skilled physicians and care teams work collaboratively to consistently provide our patients with the personalized care they deserve.”
Kaiser Permanente is the only health plan in the state to receive 5 stars in every category. Kaiser Permanente is also the only health plan in the state to receive a 5-star “Overall Quality” rating in each of the last five years.
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.7 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org
