Glover postpones youth summit to ensure safety following recent mass shootings

By Daniel Borsuk

Supervisors unanimously approved cost of living increases to three major elected office holders but withheld a salary boost for county assessor Gus Kramer citing “a salary adjustment for the Assessor will be considered at a later date once other issues in the Department have been resolved.”

That citation is in reference to an ongoing sex harassment case lodged against Kramer by county employees. Kramer would have been in line to have received a 1.96 percent cost of living adjustment increase that would have increased his pay to $208,013.

In compliance with a Dec. 11, 2018 Board Resolution, County Administrator David Twa said his office conducted a salary comparison of analysis of elected office officials in Alameda, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Solano counties and discovered in order to bring the salaries up to Bay Area average, the salary of Auditor-Controller Robert Campbell will rise 8.45 percent to an annual salary of $225,594. The annual salary of Clerk-Recorder Joseph Canciamilla will increase 5.48 percent to a yearly salary of $210,686. The yearly salary of Treasurer-Tax Collector Russell V. Watts will rise 4.77 percent to a yearly salary of $235,611.

There was no discussion from either the supervisors or public on the topic.

Blackhawk Country Club Donates $40,000 Per Year for 10 Years for Police Services

Notching a political victory in the tony enclave of Blackhawk, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood played a role for steering the Blackhawk Country Club to donate $40,000 a year over a 10-year span to help cover police services provided by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department.

A dispute had erupted recently when the Blackhawk Homeowners Association, led by association president Ron Banducci, who had called on county supervisors to intervene in urging the Blackhawk Country Club to contribute funds towards the community’s police force that consists of three deputy sheriffs and one lieutenant. Up until now, the country club had not provided funds for police services since formation of County Service Area P-2A in 1985.

Since the creation of P-2A, homeowners have shouldered the financial costs for police protection, but the county club has never provided any financial assistance for P-2A coverage. Last May, Banducci, who also serves as chairman of the Blackhawk Police Advisory Committee, warned supervisors of “any backroom deal” like the one Burgis and the country club were then discussing, the 10-year, $40,000 a year donation.

Banducci did not return a Contra Costa Herald phone call to respond to the $40,000 a year donation consent agenda item at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting. There was no comment from either the public or supervisors on the item.

“I appreciate the Blackhawk Country Club’s donation to the county to support supplemental law enforcement services in the Blackhawk community,” Burgis said in a statement to the Herald. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Blackhawk Police Advisory, the Sheriff’s Office and other community shareholders to support the level of police service that the community wants.”

In a July 26 letter, sent to Burgis, that lays out details about the donation, Country Club President Scott Batiste states that this is a donation, not a tax.

“Residents of P2-A have authorized a special tax for police protection services in this area,” he wrote. “The BHCC does not pay this tax. The BHCC Board of Directors has authorized making a donation to the County of Contra Costa of $40,000 per year to support the Sheriff’s law enforcement services in P-2A each year for a ten-year period.”

Over the next 10 years, the county will receive a donation totaling $400,000 from the country club.

Supervisor Glover Postpones Youth Summit Over Mass Shooting Concerns

Citing the series of weekend deadly shootings triggered by ultra-right shooters in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg announced that the Youth Summit, a one-day event that he co-sponsors at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg has been postponed.

Originally slated to be held this Saturday, August 10 to draw thousands of youth in Contra Costa County, Glover announced at the supervisors meeting, “I will convene a meeting of the stakeholders, including law enforcement, to make sure we are ready to deal with active shooter scenarios and other public safety emergencies that may arise. The Youth Summit brings together a number of youth and I need to be confident as well as be able, to assure their parents that we have taken all reasonable measures to ensure their children’s safety at such a large public event.”

“As we review our protocols and formulate our plans, we will notify members of the public of our plans for a future youth summit,” Glover said in a press statement.

Approve $19.2 Million Multifamily Housing Revenue Rehab Bonds for Bay Point Apartment Building

Keeping in mind the county’s affordable housing shortage, supervisors approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of $19.2 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds to finance the costs for the acquisition and rehabilitation of 88 units of rental housing known as Hidden Cove Apartments at 2900, 2911, and 2921-2931 Mary Ann Lane in Bay Point. The apartments will be initially owned at the time of the financing by Hidden Cove Apartments, LP, a California Limited Partnership.

OK Contract With Canine Companions for Independence

In another consent act, supervisors approved an agreement with Canine Companions for Independence to provide a dog to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. The dog offers comfort and assistance to victims of crimes during interviews, in-court testimony, and other traumatic situations. The cost of expenses for the care and feeding of the facility dog is estimated to be about $5,000 a year and will be covered from the District Attorney’s general fund budget.

Ignacio “Nacho” Trevino Martinez passed to the next life peacefully on June 30, 2019 at the age of 59 at his home in Antioch, CA.

He was born to parents Juan and Encarnacion Martinez on July 8, 1959 in San Francisco. Nacho graduated from Serramonte High School and later joined the San Francisco Police Department, where he spread his mirth and joy. Nacho retired honorably with a Medal of Valor and with numerous awards for his kindness among the community.

He is survived by his close friend and son, Christopher Martinez along with his beloved extended family throughout the SFPD. Nacho’s celebration of life will be held at the Antioch Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 1:30 pm on Sunday, August 11.

Publisher’s Note: Nacho Martinez was a periodic citizen reporter for the Antioch Herald, providing tips on police and fire department activity in Antioch, including photos, which we published. I appreciate his service to the community and assistance to the Herald in providing news to our community. He was also a personal friend and will be missed. Allen Payton

By Sergeant Matthew Harger #3305, Field Services Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 at about 9:30 PM, Antioch Police Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call regarding an in-progress home invasion robbery that was occurring at an occupied residence in the 2000 block of Goldpine Way. It was reported that three subjects armed with guns had forced their way into the victim’s home and demanded their property. The suspects had fled just prior to Antioch Police Officers arriving on scene but a description of their vehicle was broadcast to neighboring agencies. Brentwood PD attempted to stop a vehicle matching the one involved in this crime and it fled from their Officers at a high rate of speed. After a lengthy pursuit the vehicle was disabled and it drove off of the roadway on Bixler Road just south of Marsh Creek Road. Three occupants inside the car were immediately arrested without incident while a fourth occupant fled on foot into a nearby field. An extensive search of the area was conducted with the assistance of the Brentwood PD, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, and the Oakley PD. The outstanding suspect was eventually located a short distance away and arrested without incident.

Two handguns and a rifle were recovered at the scene along with all of the victim’s property that had just been stolen.

The four suspects, Keith Slaughter and Brian Williams, both 18 years old, 19-year-old Qwest Hewitt, and a 16-year-old male juvenile, were arrested for numerous felonies to include robbery, burglary, kidnapping, possession of illegal firearms, evading the police, and possession of stolen property. The three adults were booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and the minor was booked into Juvenile Hall.

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

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

Last week, Donaciano Rodriguez, a 66-year-old resident of Delano, California, was sentenced to 94 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing a minor in Antioch. His sentence was determined by the Honorable Judge Laurel Brady in Department 31 of the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez.

The jury in this case found Rodriguez guilty of 11 felonies ranging from oral copulation, sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger and forced lewd acts upon a child. Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney with our Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted the case on behalf of the People. The trial occurred in late June and lasted eight days. Our Office would like to extend gratitude for the Antioch Police Department for their work investigating the case.

“The victim in this case and her family were very cooperative during the investigation and trial. Without their help there would be no justice. The defendant committed heinous crimes against Jane Doe that will forever impact her. I am thankful that the jury followed all the evidence and held the defendant accountable,” DDA Tierney stated.

In 2017, Jane Doe bravely came forward to the police to report the assaults which occurred years earlier. The victim reported that the defendant repeatedly assaulted her and threatened her if she came forward to authorities. Antioch Police continued the investigation and the defendant was eventually arrested later that year in Kern County. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

When the defendant was arrested by police, he admitted he molested the minor multiple times. He even demonstrated to the investigators what he did to Jane Doe. The attacks against Jane Doe occurred in multiple locations in Antioch.

Case information: People v. Donaciano Rodriguez, Docket Number 05-182336-8

 

SACRAMENTO – Last night, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1019 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) that would add two additional seats to a statewide advisory committee on apprenticeships and had overwhelming and bi-partisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.

AB 1019 would add both the Director of Rehabilitation and the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships (IACA). This move would be to specifically address job and apprenticeship rates for Californians living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) by the creation of a subcommittee with that exact purpose.

“Since 2013, California has had an employment first policy for the IDD community,” Assemblymember Frazier said. “Yet California has seen minimal growth in the employment rate for persons living with disabilities despite continued economic growth since the great recession.”

The American Community Survey reports that in 2017, the employment rate of working age people living with a disability (ages 21 to 64) in California was 36.9 percent compared to the percentage of working age people without a disability which was 77.3, a stark difference of 40.5 percent. Additional data from 2017 shows that 23.1 percent of working age people living with a disability on California are living in poverty.

By Lt. John Fortner, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Wed., July 31, 2019, at approximately 10:20 PM, Antioch police officers were called to the area of Cavallo Road and East 18th Street for a subject who had been shot in the leg. When police arrived, they located a 33-year-old male victim down in the street suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers immediately began providing first aid and called for Contra Costa Fire Department and ambulance paramedics.

The victim was transported to a local area trauma center where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Detectives from the Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau responded to the scene. During the investigation, a suspect was identified and later taken into custody for questioning.

Currently, the investigation is still active, and evidence is being collected and processed at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Casey Brogdon at (925) 779-6895, or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

See photos of the scene from the KTVU FOX2 news report, here.

By Lieutenant Powell Meads #3917, Field Services, Antioch Police Department

On July 29, 2019 at approximately 5:45 PM, the Antioch Police Department began receiving several calls reporting gunshots fired inside of Popeyes, located at 5019 Lone Tree Way. As officers were responding they received additional information that the victim was an employee, and the responsible had fled on foot. When officers arrived on scene, they located the 23-year-old male victim, who was suffering from at least one gunshot wound. It was confirmed the victim was an employee of Popeyes. The victim was transported via medical helicopter to a local hospital, where he was rushed into surgery and is currently in critical condition.

Several witnesses on scene identified the suspect as 22-year-old Antoine Waller. Waller was also an employee of Popeyes and had gone home sick earlier in the day. Officers located a nearby address for Waller in the 5000 block of Catanzaro Way. Officers quickly responded to the address and established a perimeter. Efforts were made to contact Waller, and after a short period of time he exited the home and surrendered.

Evidence linking Waller to the shooting was recovered inside the residence. The firearm believed to be used in the shooting was also located and had previously been reported stolen. Waller is a convicted felon and not able to legally possess a firearm. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.

Waller was arrested and will be booked into County Jail for a variety of felony charges including attempted murder and weapons violations.

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

By Lt. John Fortner – Investigations, Antioch Police Department

On June 13, 2019, members of the Antioch Police Department began investigating an extensive sexual abuse case. The abuse involved several minors that were victimized by a father and son who provided foster care for the children from 2011 through 2017. (See related article)

Earlier this month, Antioch detectives from the Investigations Bureau arrested 64-year-old Simon Mendoza Chavez, and his son 31-year-old Simon Magana Chavez, in connection with these crimes. Both father and son were charged with the sexual abuse of multiple children, unlawfully having sex with a minor, and lewd acts with a child.

Currently, detectives assigned to the Investigation Bureau’s Sex Crimes Unit are working with the District Attorney’s office as the case is ongoing and active. Members of the public with information about the case are asked to call Detective Kelly Inabnett at (925) 779-6932.

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