Firearms seized during arrest of suspects on Wed., March 17, 2021. Photo: SFPD

Also wanted for multiple auto burglaries and robbery in San Francisco

By San Francisco Police Department 

Luck ran out on St. Patrick’s Day for three Antioch teens who were arrested in Antioch by San Francisco Police officers Wednesday for robbery and assault of a 67-year-old man in February.

On February 23, 2021, at approximately 9:50 PM San Francisco Police officers responded to a reported robbery that occurred on the 1200 block of Mason Street.

Officers arrived on scene and met with the victim who told them that he was inside a laundromat when he was approached by three unknown male suspects who threw him to the ground, assaulted him, stole his property, and fled the scene. The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries from the attack.

The SFPD Robbery Detail took over the investigation. Investigators developed information that led to the identity of the suspects who were identified as 19-year-old Calvin Berschell, 19-year-old Jason Orozco, and 19-year-old Nolowde Beshears, all of Antioch.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 17, 2021, SFPD investigators and members of the Tactical Unit served simultaneous search and arrest warrants at homes in the 4900 block of Willowhaven Street and the 500 block of West 17th Street in Antioch. All three suspects were taken into custody without incident. Evidence related to the robbery and auto burglaries including clothing, a window punch, and two firearms was seized.

The investigation and subsequent arrests were the culmination of a collaborative effort between the SFPD Robbery Detail, General Crimes Unit, Crime Lab, and the Antioch Police Department.

In addition to the robbery of the elderly male on February 23rd, the suspects were wanted in connection with multiple auto burglaries in the area of John and Powell Streets shortly before the robbery on Mason Street.

Berschell, Orozco, and Behears were all transported to the San Francisco County Jail and booked on charges of burglary (459 PC), robbery, (211 PC), elder abuse (368(b) PC), fraudulent use of a credit card (484g PC), false imprisonment (236 PC), assault likely to produce great bodily harm (245(a)(4) PC) and conspiracy (182 PC).

While arrests have been made, this incident is an open and active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD 24 Hour Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Laura Markstein. Photo: LinkedIn.

Woman-owned and operated, fourth-generation company with multiple women in leadership roles, Markstein represents successful example of diversity and inclusion for other companies to follow

ANTIOCH, Calif. – March 17th, 2021 – In honor of International Women’s Day this month, Markstein Sales Company, the largest woman-owned and operated wholesale beverage distributor in Northern California, today announced that it has been ranked by San Francisco Business Times as the 8th Largest Women-Owned Business in the Bay Area and the 5th Largest in the East Bay. This significant ranking highlights the long-term efforts and success of company President, Laura Markstein, who is celebrating her 30th work anniversary this month.

Markstein began working at the company in March 1991 as the Consumer Awareness and Education manager. After spending time in nearly every position at the company, she became President in 2001 and has focused on continuing the strong legacy of her family, while also creating new opportunities for women.

“Closing the gap on gender diversity is a critical issue on a global basis and must start from the top and migrate into every part of an organization, in every industry,” said Laura Markstein, President of Markstein Sales Co. “Women-owned businesses represent a tremendous opportunity to level the playing field, particularly in male-dominated industries such as the beer distribution business, where we’ve demonstrated continued success for generations. This recognition from the San Francisco Business Times reflects not only my role as company owner, but includes the female General Manager and female leads throughout the company who help spearhead our accomplishments.”

The San Francisco Business Times rankings are based on revenue from 2019 and with the requirement that the company be at least 51 percent woman-owned, something that Markstein Sales Co. is uniquely proud of as a fourth-generation, 102-year-old company.

Women-owned businesses represent a growing trend in many industries.  According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, there were more than 11.6 million firms owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people, and generating $1.7 trillion in sales as of 2017. In addition, women-owned firms accounted for 39 percent of all privately held firms and contributed 8 percent of employment and 4.2 percent of revenues.

Recognizing Laura Markstein’s commitment to helping women achieve success at all levels, she was recently appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Constellation Brands.

“At Constellation Brands, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is part of our culture and is strongly reinforced by our CEO and executive team who have committed $100 million in women founded and owned business, increased representation on our board and at the executive levels, and committed to our own women through leadership development programs both for senior and mid-level women,” said Sarah Bettman at Constellation Brands, a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. “We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion have never been more important than they are today, which is why we take deep pride in our partnership with women-owned businesses such as Markstein Sales Company. Recognizing Laura Markstein’s leadership in the beer and beverage industry, and her proven commitment to helping women achieve success at all levels, she was recently appointed to the newly formed Social Equity Committee spearheaded by Constellation Brands. Through the Social Equity Committee, Constellation is partnering with a number of distributors across beer, wine and spirits to identify ways to work together to enhance social equity within their respective companies, the beverage alcohol industry and the local communities they serve.”

About Markstein Sales Company

Markstein Sales Company is a fourth-generation, woman-owned and operated wholesale beer and beverage distributor based in Antioch, Calif. Founded in 1919 with just a horse, a wagon and six cases of beer, Markstein is now in its 102nd year and distributing over four million cases annually. The company’s portfolio is composed of multiple world-class beers including those from the Anheuser-Busch InBev family, Constellation Beer Brands, Sierra Nevada as well as several high-quality craft beers and other beverages. Markstein is known for outstanding customer service, dedication to their employees and commitment to the community. The company continues to rank as best in class by retailers and is one of the top five largest Woman Owned Businesses in the Bay Area. More information can be found at https://www.marksteinsalescompany.com.

Both released from custody, one has charges dismissed

By San Francisco Police Department

On Saturday, October 24, 2020, at approximately 3:49 PM, San Francisco Police officers from Bayview Police Station responded to Keith Street and Thomas Avenue regarding a shooting that just occurred. Officers arrived on scene and located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately rendered aid to the victim and summoned medics to the scene. Medics arrived on scene, but despite the life-saving efforts of the emergency responders, the victim was declared deceased at the scene.

According to a KPIX5 CBS TV news report, the victim “has been identified by the city’s medical examiner’s office as 41-year-old Antioch resident Mourice Green.

The SFPD Homicide Detail investigators responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Through the course of the investigation, the SFPD identified two individuals as suspects involved in the murder. The lead investigator obtained arrest warrants for the suspects and search warrants for their residences.

On March 4, 2021, at approximately 9:00 PM officers from Ingleside Police Station and Homicide investigators located and arrested 50-year-old male, Willie Woodson of San Francisco at 3rd Street and Oakdale Avenue. A search warrant was served at Woodson’s residence which located evidence relating to the homicide. Woodson was booked into San Francisco County Jail for murder (187(a) PC), carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony (25800(a) PC), and a prohibited person carrying a loaded firearm in public (25850(c)(5) PC).

However, as of March 9, Woodson is out of custody with the charges against him dismissed.

On March 5, 2021, at approximately 2:30 PM Bayview officers and Homicide investigators served search and arrest warrants at a residence on the 2500 block of Arelious Walker Drive. Officers located and arrested the second homicide suspect, 29-year-old female, Denise Lasha Johnson. Johnson was booked into San Francisco County Jail for murder (187(a) PC), carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony (25800(a) PC), a prohibited person carrying a loaded firearm in public (25850(c)(4) PC), and conspiracy (182 PC).

As of Sunday, March 14, Johnson is out of custody on general release.

During the service of the warrants on Arelious Walker Drive, investigators also located 29-year-old male, Ramony Wilson inside the residence and developed probable cause to arrest him for firearms-related charges. Wilson was booked into San Francisco County Jail for two counts of a convicted felon in possession of firearms (29800(a)(1) PC), possession of an assault weapon (30515(a)(5) PC), possession of a large-capacity firearm magazine (32310(c) PC), and child endangerment (273(a) PC).

However, according to vinelink.com as of March 8, Wilson is also out of custody and the charges against him dismissed, as well.

While arrests have been made, this remains an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Antioch Police Chief Brooks to participate in panel

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

On Thursday, March 25, Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover and District Attorney Diana Becton will host a webinar town hall for the community focused on COVID-19 and the Black community. Local leaders will join them from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to review their experiences of getting the vaccine. Health experts will also participate in the town hall to convey how critical the vaccine is to stop the virus and save lives.

Vaccine numbers in the Black community locally are lower compared to their white counterparts. For example, in the city of Richmond as of March 15 only 20 percent of residents had received their first dose. In the city of Pittsburg, that number is as low as 18 percent. Overall, only 14,427 Black residents have received one dose of the vaccine.

The panelists during the town hall will review the latest medical information about the vaccine, how all three vaccines approved for use are safe and effective and will take questions from community members.

A recent joint statement from public health leaders across the Bay Area underscored the importance of getting vaccinated: “What we can say with certainty is that all three vaccines provide levels of protection that are comparable to some of the best vaccines we have for other serious infectious diseases for which we routinely vaccinate people.”

Members of the town hall panel include:

• Tammany Brooks, Chief, Antioch Police Department
• Nicola Ifill Fraser, Ed.D., MPH, Public Health Educator (Town Hall Moderator)
• Bisa French, Chief, Richmond Police Department
• Chris Farnitano, MD, Health Officer, Contra Costa County
• Ashley Vance, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
• Sonia Sutherland, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center

To attend the virtual town hall you can use this link: https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/84291028781?pwd=Wm5OczZ5TkZ6T1RadEFaUEE4MnU0QT09

By San Francisco Police Department

On Thursday, March 11, 2021, at approximately 4:58 PM officers from Richmond Police Station responded to an attempted carjacking that just occurred at ‘Safeway’ on the 700 block of 7th Avenue. Officers arrived on scene and met with the 75-year-old female victim who was suffering from injuries sustained during the incident. Officers summoned medics who treated the victim for non-life-threatening injuries.

The victim told the officers she drove into the ‘Safeway’ parking lot. After the victim parked her car an unknown female approached her and asked to borrow her cell phone to call a family member. The victim handed the female her cell phone and was suddenly attacked by the female and two additional suspects. The victim was assaulted and dragged while being robbed of her wallet and keys. After obtaining the victim’s keys the suspects jumped into the victim’s car. A male bystander saw the commotion in the parking lot and came to the victim’s aid. The suspects then backed the car into the bystander while trying to steal the car. The bystander hit the rear window of the victim’s car, which shattered upon impact with his bare hand and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. When the rear window shattered the suspects exited the car and jumped into an awaiting vehicle that fled the scene. Additional witnesses recorded portions of the incident and along with the Good Samaritan provided officers information that assisted in identifying the suspect vehicle. A felony want was placed on the suspect vehicle.

The SFPD Robbery Unit who investigates carjacking incidents took over the investigation.

On Friday, March 12, 2021, at approximately 5:09 PM the SFPD was notified that the Antioch Police Department located the suspect vehicle and detained three occupants. One of the occupants was identified as one of the suspects in the carjacking. Officers from Richmond Police Station responded to Antioch, placed the suspect under arrest, and had the vehicle towed to San Francisco. The suspect is a 16-year-old female from San Leandro, California. The female was transported and booked into San Francisco’s Juvenile Justice Center for felony charges of Carjacking (215 PC), Robbery (211 PC), Aggravated Assault (245(a)(1) PC), Elder Abuse (368(b)(1) PC), and Conspiracy (182PC).

The investigation on the identities of the three other suspects remains open and active.

The victim and the Good Samaritan are recovering from their injuries and are cooperating with the investigation. The victim was very appreciative of the swift response and kindness of the Good Samaritan, witnesses, and police officers.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415- 575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.

“More contagious than others and possibly more deadly”

Laboratory results have revealed the first two known cases of the highly infectious U.K. variant (B.1.117) in Contra Costa County. The B.1.117 variant, dubbed the U.K. variant because it is believed to have originated in the United Kingdom, is more contagious than others and possibly more deadly.

“This is a reminder that even though COVID numbers are falling, we need to continue using all our tools to prevent another surge: wear masks in public, continue to physically distance, avoid both indoor and large gatherings, and get vaccinated when it’s your turn,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, the county’s health officer.

Initial studies suggest the three COVID vaccines in the United State provide strong protection against the U.K. variant and others.

While these are the first confirmed cases of the U.K. variant in Contra Costa, Dr. Chris Farnitano, the county’s health officer, said there are likely many more in the community that have not been detected.

“We can’t say how widespread it is in Contra Costa, but it’s concerning,” Dr. Farnitano said.

The South African variant, another COVID variant of concern, has yet to be detected in Contra Costa, although Dr. Farnitano said we should assume it also circulating in California.

The presence of the U.K. variants were discovered as part of laboratory surveillance work during the pandemic. One local person infected with the U.K. variant began displaying common COVID-19 symptoms such as cough and muscles aches and was able to isolate at home. The other Contra Costa resident reported having multiple symptoms, including runny nose, cough, headache and loss of smell and taste.

For Contra Costa data and COVID-19 health information, visit cchealth.org/coronavirus.

Tenants and Landlords – application period opened yesterday

(Martinez, CA) – Starting March 15, 2021, Contra Costa County tenants and landlords impacted by COVID-19 can apply for assistance from the COVID-19 Rent Relief program. Over $75 million is Contra Costa County’s allocation of federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which allocated $2.6 billion to Californians in need of rental relief.

“This funding for COVID-19 relief cannot come any sooner to help provide the hardest hit individuals and families in Contra Costa with financial assistance with rent and utilities payments and help them gain back financial and housing stability,” said Board Chair, Supervisor Diane Burgis. “My colleagues on the Board and I remain committed to helping residents get back on their feet, especially now that we have safe, effective vaccines that will help end this pandemic.”

The program assists income-qualified renters impacted by COVID-19 who need help to pay for rent or utilities. Eligible household income may not exceed 80% of the local median income. Eligible renters whose landlords do not participate in the program can still receive 25% of unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Eligible renters can also receive future rent assistance equal to 25% of their monthly rent. The program also provides up to 80% rent reimbursement to landlords for unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

“I am appreciative of the partnership with local governments like Contra Costa for their vote of confidence in our rent relief program,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez. “We have been closely working together to ensure we provide rent relief and support to those communities hardest hit by the pandemic.”

Check eligibility and apply online for COVID-19 Rent Relief and in Spanish Ayuda con la Renta. Tenants and landlords can contact the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center at 1-833-430-2122 for assistance to apply. To learn more and find state resources, visit Housingiskey.com.

For information on Contra Costa County’s Ordinance on Eviction Protection and Rent Freeze, see FAQs on the County website. For additional resources, call 211 or 800-833-2900, text HOPE to 20121, or visit www.contracosta.ca.gov.

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine vial: photo by Arne Mueseler; Moderna Vaccine vial: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Anna Nolte; Johnson & Johnson Jansen Vaccine vial (right): photo by J&J.

Information on the vaccines not approved by FDA

On Monday, March 15, 2021, Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano in coordination with other health officers in the Bay Area and Santa Cruz County issued the following statement:

“As local health officers, we fully support all three currently available vaccines for COVID-19. All three vaccines are safe and have been shown to be highly effective at preventing symptomatic illness and hospitalization. The clinical trials for all three vaccines demonstrated that they were 100 percent effective in preventing deaths from COVID-19. There is also growing evidence that all three vaccines help prevent asymptomatic illness, too. This means that people who have been vaccinated are not likely to spread of COVID-19 to others who are not vaccinated.

There has been much debate about the advantages of one brand of vaccine over the other, but it’s difficult to compare their efficacy. The different brands of COVID-19 vaccines have not been studied in head-to-head comparisons. The vaccines have each been studied in slightly different groups of people and tested at different phases of the pandemic. The rates of community transmission and presence or absence of COVID-19 variants differed across studies.

What we can say with certainty is that all three vaccines provide levels of protection that are comparable to some of the best vaccines we have for other serious infectious diseases for which we routinely vaccinate people.

With COVID-19 continuing to circulate as we work toward community immunity, our collective medical advice is this: the best vaccine is the one you can get the soonest. The different vaccines have different storage requirements and with supplies of vaccine currently limited, the same brand may not be available at each vaccine site consistently.

If you have questions about vaccine, speak to your medical provider if you have one. You can also learn more about vaccines on the state’s COVID-19 website.

This statement has been approved by health officers representing the city of Berkeley and the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma.”

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine

According to the CDC’s website, the side effects of taking the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine include redness, swelling and pain at the injection site, as well as fever, fatigue, chills, vomiting, diarrhea and new or worsening joint and muscle pain. According to the company’s Feb. 12th press release, “The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for use in individuals 16 years of age and older.”

According to a March 15the report on MedicalXpress.com, the “Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 97% effective in preventing symptomatic disease in actual use” and that “a previous real-world study revealed that the vaccine was 94 percent effective against symptomatic disease and 92 percent effective against asymptomatic disease, CBS News reported.”

Moderna Vaccine

According to the CDC’s website, the common side effects of taking the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine include pain, redness and swelling in the arm where you got the shot; and tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea throughout the rest of your body. According to the company’s Feb. 16th press release, “Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is authorized for use under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 18 years of age and older. Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is investigational and not approved by FDA.”

Johnson & Johnson’s Jansen Vaccine

According to the CDC’s website, the side effects of the Johnson & Johnson Jansen COVID-19 Vaccine include pain, redness and swelling in the arm where you got the shot; and tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea throughout the rest of your body. It “is recommended for people aged 18 years and older.” Just like the other two vaccines, according to the Johnson & Johnson website, “The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine has not been approved or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but has been authorized by the FDA through an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The FDA EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers) and full EUA Prescribing Information are available here.”

Allen Payton contributed to this report.