Martinez, CA – As more cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) are identified in California, the Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) has provided additional guidance to its three colleges, two centers and District Office in an effort to protect students, faculty, employees and visitors. To date, there are no confirmed cases of the Coronavirus at any CCCCD location.

Consistent with guidance provided by the California Department of Public Health and Contra Costa Health Services, CCCCD confirmed that all colleges and centers will remain open, and instruction and operations will continue, with modifications, as listed below.

Effective immediately, and through April 30, 2020, unless otherwise noted, CCCCD is taking action in the following areas:

Travel – CCCCD is curtailing all non-essential travel for students, faculty and employees.

Events – CCCCD locations will cancel or postpone gatherings of 50 or more people, especially events attended by older adults and people of all ages with compromised immune systems.

Employee Leave – CCCCD is encouraging students, faculty and employees to stay home if they are sick and adhere to any quarantine guidance provided by a physician in consultation with county health services.

Instruction – CCCCD, in consultation with the Academic Senate and United Faculty leadership, is reviewing remote instruction options for lecture-based classes targeted for March 16, 2020, with evaluations and adjustments made accordingly thereafter.

Student Services – Student Services will continue on-site at campuses, and CCCCD is reviewing technologies and tools to provide remote access as necessary.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to provide updates to our campus communities when any new relevant information warrants a change in our response to this issue,” said Eugene Huff, Interim Chancellor. Additionally, a centralized District Coronavirus web page is now available at www.4cd.edu/covid19 and will be updated regularly to reflect the latest public health guidance.”

Planned for the relocation of the Antioch Paintball Park so that land can be used for horse boarding and training facility

By Allen Payton

According to Scot Pearson, president of the Antioch Little League, they are going to lose one of their three fields on the county fairgounds property that they’ve been using since 1956. An announcement was sent out via email asking for supporters of the league to attend tonight’s meeting of the fair board, officially known as the 23rd District Agricultural Association Board of Directors. (See bottom of article.)

Pearson wrote letters to Assemblyman Jim Frazier and even to U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein asking for their assistance in keeping the third field in play.

In a letter to the fair board dated November 23, 2019, he wrote:

Members of the Board,

I am sending out this letter to make you all aware of the correspondence over this last week with County Fair Board Director Joe Brengle. On Friday, November 15, 2019, I received a phone call from Mr. Brengle requesting a meeting in his office to go over some changes that may apply to our 2020 field lease contract. The current contract expires on December 31, 2019. I agreed to meet with him in his office on Monday, November 18, 2019, at 2:00 pm.

I arrived at 1:55pm on Monday for the meeting as scheduled. Joe told me that there could be changes in the future lease agreement. He asked me about the area of our layout that Women’s Auxiliary Field and Scorebooth reside. He says he notices it isn’t used as much as the other 2 fields and if it was vital to our upcoming season. I was honest with him and said that we use it primarily for girls softball, but as of this moment, it doesn’t look like we will be fielding too many, if any at all, softball teams in 2020. He then informs me that the Fair Board is considering an offer from a catering truck company who wishes to set their catering truck fleet and kitchen on the property. The property they wish to use and renovate will displace Jeff’s paint ball gun facility and leave no place for his business. Would we be willing to “share” the area where WA field is located with the paint ball gun club? He then said that our rent was going to go up, but if we agree to share the area with Jeff, he thinks he can keep our rent price the same by only using the other 2 fields. I told him it may be doable, but that decision would have to be made by our Board of Directors after reviewing the written proposal from the Fair Board. He said, and I quote; “Not to worry. Nothing is set in stone yet. The Fair Board meets in two weeks and then he will know more.” I said that’s fine and to update me after their meeting.

So, you can understand how surprised I was to get a call yesterday afternoon ( Nov. 22 ) from Jeff, asking me if we could meet with him ASAP and walk the area to point out services such as water and electricity because the paintball gun club is moving there. I told him I had just met with Joe and nothing finalized. Jeff told me that he just left a meeting with Mr. Brengle 10

minutes before he called me, and that Joe told him he had no choice other than to move his business onto our Women’s Auxiliary Field site, which has been there in use since 1972. Jeff said he had no choice. I told Jeff we had not agreed to anything yet as far as conceding or sharing the WA area. I agreed to meet with Jeff at 11:00am on Monday, November 25, on Women’s Auxiliary field to further discuss this matter.

It seems to me that the County Fair Board is set on pushing out established community based youth organizations to try and make more money. This property was provided years back to serve as a gathering spot for groups and events put on by local organizations. It wasn’t set up as a source of income for Contra Costa County or anyone else. Antioch Little League (1957), Antioch

Speedway, 4H club and the Skating Rink are just a few of the organizations/businesses that have provided a safe place for fun and education for our young community members for decades. Where does it end?

I would ask my sitting board members or any concerned citizens to please attend Monday’s 11:00am meeting at Women’s Auxiliary field at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, or “Event Park” as it has been renamed. Please feel free to contact me directly at (925) 437-3551 with any questions or relative information regarding this letter.

Sincerely,

Scot Pearson

Contra Costa Event Park CEO Brengle Responds

Asked why this was happening, Joe Brengle, CEO of the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds) said, “They are a tenant of ours. They are on a year to year lease. We are taking away one of their three fields which they have not been utilizing for redeveloping the property. We are moving the paintball park there and redeveloping that area into a horse boarding and training facility.”

Asked if the league was getting compensated, he said, “The Women’s Auxiliary didn’t donate that land. They donated money to improve it. That was 50 years ago.”

“The decision was already made by the board,” Brengle continued. “Antioch Little League has refused to sign the agreement for their yearly lease which would have started March 1st, until they have had the opportunity to speak to the board.”

Asked when the decision was made, he responded, “Back in November I met with the Antioch Little League president (Pearson) to let him know what would be happening. I’ve met with him three more times.”

The decision was made at the fair board’s meeting in December 2019. But neither Scot Pearson nor anyone else from the Antioch Little League attended the meeting.

“We’re not taking it away until the end of May at the end of their season,” Brengle explained. “They have some playoff games. The other two fields can accommodate those games.” New Fairgrounds-Antioch Little League lease 2020

When reached for comment, Pearson said, “I did (meet with Joe Brengle). I wrote a letter to (Assemblyman Jim) Frazier the very next day. Then I met with Jeff Warrenburg (owner of the paintball park) about sharing the property with Antioch Paintball, which is what Joe Brengle said we could do.”

Asked why he nor anyone from Antioch Little League were at the board meeting in December when it was decided, he said, “I wasn’t invited and I thought we were going to be able to work things out. Jeff said he didn’t know anything about it.”

“Then, when I got the contract the language changed,” Pearson stated. “The third ballfield will be available…through May 31 at which time it will be redeveloped.”

“When we went in and met with Joe, he already had plans drawn up. This isn’t the board but him pushing this,” he continued.

Asked if they still have time to work things out, since they will still be able to play the season using the third field, Pearson responded, “We usually play games through the end of June. So, that’s not correct.”

“But, the paintball park is not going to be redeveloped into a horse boarding and training facility,” he added. “Instead, it’s going to be used for catering truck parking.”

Asked who told him that, he said, “Joe told me.”

Two of the fields which they keep in their agreement were recently improved by the Antioch Rotary Club. Asked about that, Pearson said they weren’t going to have them improve the field that they might lose.

He mentioned having baseball standouts from Antioch who have agreed to speak at tonight’s meeting.

“We have Butch Rounsaville and Aaron Miles (both former Major League Baseball players) who have agreed to speak, as well as Kenny Turnage,” Pearson shared. “I’m sure the board is going to be surprised. I heard from someone who contacted me that knows people on the board and that is what they told me.”

.”

The Fair Board meeting is at 7:00 p.m. at the Contra Costa Event Park, 1201 W. 10th Street in Antioch. View the meeting agenda, here. Since the item is not on the agenda, those who want to speak on the matter will have to do so during Public Comments.

 

By Daniel Borsuk

The rising COVID 19 or coronavirus outbreak with 10 reported cases in Contra Costa County hospitals as of Tuesday, compelled the Board of Supervisors to unanimously adopt a resolution proclaiming a state of emergency in the county with guidance on how to deal with the threatening respiratory flu.

On March 3 there were 43 COVID 19 cases in California with 26 of these cases in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The supervisors’ action will result in an undetermined amount of state aid, said Anna Roth, Contra Costa County Health Director.

The Supervisors’ declaration will help the county with the delivery of badly needed COVID 19 test kits, face masks, protective gear and other resources. The county had 1,000 kits on the day of the Supervisors’ meeting, Contra Costa Health Department Director of Public Health Dan Peddycord said, but more kits will be needed to meet demand as health officials expect more patients will come down with COVID 19 symptoms and will seek medical attention.

The supervisors’ declaration states:

“On March 10, 2020 this Board found that due to the introduction of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property did exist in the County of Contra Costa commencing on or about March 3, 2020, and therefore the Board proclaimed the existence of a local emergency throughout this county (Resolution No. 2020/92).

• These conditions, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely, to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of this county, and will require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat.
• These conditions fit the circumstances described in Government Code section 8558.
• Now, Therefore IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that this Board REQUESTS the GOVERNOR of the State of California to proclaim the County to be in a state of emergency.”

“The new coronavirus or COVID-19 presents our community with a challenge,” said Board Chair Candace Andersen. “While I urge you to be prepared, it is certainly not a time to panic. Following our health officials’ guidelines will help prevent the spread of disease.

The county and the Contra Costa Health Services will continue to offer guidance and resources. Meanwhile, there is much each and everyone one of us can do to keep our families and communities well. It will take all of working together.”

Dan Peddycord, Contra Costa Health Department Director of Public Health, told Supervisors the county now has 1,000 COVID test kits. “Our ability to test is meeting the demand,” he said.

There are increasing concerns that the county’s ability to test the most vulnerable including senior citizens, the homeless, and county jail prisoners might be hampered by the shortage of trained health personnel and test kits as the number of COVID 19 cases increases.

Dr. Ori Tzieli, acting Contra Costa Health Services Health Officer, said that the county is taking other preemptive steps to stop the spread of COVID 19 including calling for the cancelation of all “mass gatherings of 50 or more.” This order means religious services drawing congregants of 50 or more for Saturday or Sunday services will be not be allowed to conduct these services  due to the epidemic. Sports, entertainment and other events will be impacted by the mass gathering edict. The regional economy will be impacted.

This topic of banning meetings or places that draw audiences of 50 or more will also apply to other entities ranging from seniors eating in the dining rooms of their senior living facilities to the Board of Supervisors conducting business in their chambers at 651 Pine St. in Martinez.

So far, the closure of schools has not yet been put on the table, said Dr. Tzieli.

District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond and Chair Andersen of Danville discussed the possibility of canceling or postponing the supervisors annual Cesar Chavez Birthday Celebration at its March 31 Board Meeting because of potential health concerns stemming from the COVD 19 epidemic. No decision was made at Tuesday’s meeting about the fate of the Cesar Chavez Birthday Celebration.

Approve Closure of Pleasant Hill Library for Oak Park Properties Development

Over the protests of several Pleasant Hill residents wanting to keep the old Pleasant Hill Public Library with its 80,000 volumes open until the new state-of-the-art library is completed and ready for use in 2022, supervisors unanimously approved the sale of the county property at 1750 Oak Park Blvd. to the City of Pleasant Hill, thereby paving the way for the library’s demolition and commencement of construction of the mixed use development on the 15-acre site.

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill has defended the proposal to demolish the old library because it needs $2.2 million of roof, electrical and ventilation and heating repairs and that expenditure is not worthwhile when the new modern library that will have a view of Grayson Creek and will house 72,000 volumes. The old library has about 80,000 volumes.

The new state-of-the-art library will be completed in 2022.

Developers of the Oak Park Properties project plan to construct 34 two-story homes, each 2,800 square feet to 3,400 square feet. There will be open space, bocce courts, and trails.

Jim Dexter urged supervisors to reject the project. “There is nothing about this project that’s been publicly vetted,” he claimed. “Why was this sale was not examined?”

When it came to the supervisors’ vote, Mitchoff beckoned fellow supervisors to approve closure of the old county library, Mitchoff telling her colleagues the new state-of-the-art library with a view of Grayson Creek will be “a county asset.”

In other business, supervisors:

• Approved an agreement between the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Contra Costa County Director of Airports Keith Freitas to execute a master administrative agreement to establish a partnership where Buchanan Field and Byron airports will be included in the Pan Pacific UAS Test Range Complex. The agreement makes the two airports available for use by third parties for UAS-related testing, research and educational purposes in coordination with the University of Alaska. The university is expected to use various electronic and printed media to promote the partnership.
• Approved a $16.3 million contract with Hensel Phelps Construction Co. for the design and construction for mental health treatment facilities and associated Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades at Module M in the Martinez Detention Facility.
• Approved to pay up to $163,585 to the consortium of eight northern California counties to study the feasibility of developing a regional mental health correctional facility. The total cost for the first phase of the study is $603,895 that will be shared by the eight counties including Contra Costa, Sacramento, Solano, El Dorado, Nevada, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties.

The following message was sent by the Antioch Unified School District staff on Tuesday evening, March 10:

“In light of recent COVID-19 guidelines from Contra Costa Health Services related to “social distancing”, the Board Meeting scheduled for 03/11/20 has been cancelled. Thank you for your

understanding as this situation is ever-evolving.”

By Allen Payton

Following a 1:00 p.m. meeting with the high school principals in the district, Antioch Unified School District Supervisor Stephanie Anello issued the following update on canceling or postponing school activities, Tuesday, March 10, 2020:

Good afternoon,

A short time ago, Contra Costa Health Services issued “Interim Guidance for Social Distancing” in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. It includes the following:

• Cancel or postpone large gatherings such as concerts, sporting events, celebrations, conventions, religious services and community events where 50 or more people are within arm’s length of each other.

• Cancel or postpone events for or attended by older adults or others who are at a higher risk for severe illness.

In accordance with these guidelines and until further notice, all events outside of the school day that may be attended by 50 or more people have been cancelled. Additionally, all schools will consider postponing or cancelling events in which less than 50 ppl are expected in attendance if the event is not essential. Please contact your child’s school should you have any questions.

We will continue to update you as new information becomes available.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Anello

County health officials are expected to issue updated guidance Tuesday afternoon following a 2:00 p.m. press conference. Please check this website or cchealth.org/coronavirus.

 

By Susan Shiu, Director, Contra Costa County Office of Communications and Media

Martinez, CA – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution at its Board meeting on March 10, 2020 for a proclamation of a state of emergency in the county to deal with the potential spread of novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

The proclamation states that “this Board found that due to the introduction of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property did exist in the County of Contra Costa commencing on or about March 3, 2020, and therefore the Board proclaimed the existence of a local emergency throughout this county. These conditions, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of this County, and will require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat.”

The proclamation states that “this Board requests the Governor of the State of California to proclaim the County of Contra Costa to be in a state of emergency.”

Board Chair, Supervisor Candace Andersen, said, “The new coronavirus or COVID-19 presents our community with a challenge. While I urge you to be prepared, it is certainly not a time to panic. Following our health officials’ guidelines will help prevent the spread of disease. The County and Contra Costa Health Services will continue to offer guidance and resources. Meanwhile, there is much each and everyone one of us can do to keep our families and communities well. It will take all of us working together.”

The Supervisors emphasized that “everyone plays an important role” as they unanimously voted for a county emergency proclamation that will allow our health department to mobilize county resources, accelerate emergency planning, streamline staffing, coordinate agencies across the county, allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments, and raise awareness about how everyone can prepare in the event that COVID-19 begins to spread in our community.

“The County and its health department will continue to work with multiple agencies and jurisdictions to keep residents informed during this local emergency,” said County Administrator David J. Twa. “We will continue to take appropriate steps to protect the safety and wellbeing of our employees and the public. We encourage everyone to stay prepared.”

Visit cchealth.org/coronavirus for County Health officials’ latest guidance for the community and resources. For the latest updates, follow Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) on Twitter @CoCoHealth and on CCHS Facebook. Information is also available at www.contracosta.ca.gov.

More events and activities might be cancelled; No cancellations of Deer Valley High’s activities.

Following is a post on the Antioch High School Facebook page on Monday, March 9, 2020:

“A message from Principal Louie Rocha:

‘In light of the potential spread of the Coronavirus 19, Antioch High School is postponing this Friday’s Powder Puff flag football game. It will be rescheduled later this month.

Additionally, the Grad Night Disneyland field trip has been cancelled. It will not be re-scheduled due to health and safety concerns for our graduates attending the theme park with the general public. Antioch High learned today that if Grad Night were to be cancelled at a future date, there would be no refunds available to those who purchased tickets. Class of 2020 students will be notified on the process for receiving a refund for tickets purchased later this week.

Cancellations of school events and activities are difficult. However, when it comes to the best interests of our students and school community, we choose to err on the side of caution. I will continue to update you on any other school activities that may be rescheduled or cancelled.’”

No such announcement has been made by Deer Valley High School, according to the school’s office staff, Tuesday morning.

UPDATE: Superintendent Stephanie Anello said she would be meeting with the district’s high school principals at 1:00 pm today “as the CDPH (California Department of Public Health) just sent out new guidance for ‘social distancing’. I expect a more formalized and coordinated effort of cancellations moving forward,” she said. That update will be posted later on this website.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Enforcement results in numerous arrests, 60 citations issued and 55 vehicles towed

By Sgt. Rick Smith, Antioch Police Field Services – Patrol

Information was developed that a large scale “sideshow” event was planned to occur in Eastern Contra Costa County on March 7, 2020. These events have been frequently occurring in the Bay Area and if not addressed by law enforcement they become out of control. These events are extremely dangerous due to the reckless driving that often leads to violence or subjects being severely injured while disrupting the lives of non-involved motorists and residents.

The Antioch Police Department reached out to surrounding law enforcement agencies for assistance in addressing this planned “sideshow” due to the anticipated size of the event and the various locations in Eastern Contra Costa County identified as possible locations of occurrence. The request was answered with officers being sent from all east county agencies to include the Brentwood Police Department, Oakley Police Department, Pittsburg Police Department, California Highway Patrol and Deputies from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Air Operations also assisted by having Helicopter STAR 3 overhead in support.

A large “sideshow” event occurred with participants performing dangerous and reckless driving maneuvers in the intersection of Marsh Creek Road and Vasco Road. This is a heavily travelled area of roadway and participants used their vehicles to stop traffic in all directions while performing dangerous driving maneuvers. CCSO STAR 3 was overhead and was able to help responding units stop and arrest numerous participants.

Several of these participants did manage to escape arrest by driving at and around arriving officers on roadway shoulders and into oncoming lanes of traffic. Again, putting numerous citizens and officers in harm’s way. These participants went to other nearby areas and continued to take over intersections by performing dangerous and reckless driving maneuvers.

Thanks to CCSO STAR 3 overhead, several officers were able to break-up this second “Sideshow” event that was occurring along Vineyards Parkway in the City of Brentwood. Several participants were again stopped and arrested with their vehicles being towed.

CCSO STAR 3 helped identify a third “sideshow” location on Balfour Road at American Avenue in the City of Brentwood. Arriving Officers located and arrested several more drivers with their vehicles again being towed.

This continued with a fourth “sideshow” taking place in the City of Antioch at the intersection of A Street and East 18th Street. Officers arrived as the participants were dispersing. Officers were able to identify the involved drivers and vehicles. More vehicles were stopped at various locations with the drivers being arrested and their vehicles being towed.

During these events, a motorcycle was involved and fled from officers when an enforcement stop was attempted. With the assistance of CCSO STAR 3, officers were able to follow the motorcycle safely and later located the rider. The rider was taken into custody with his motorcycle being subsequently towed and stored.

The remaining group of drivers then made their way into the City of Concord. The Concord Police Department was aware of what was occurring in the eastern end of the county. They were able to disperse the remaining participants from their city. After this last incident, it appears the participants stopped for the night and no other incidents were reported.

Nearly 60 citations were issued. 50 of the citations were for infield arrests for reckless driving offenses directly related to “sideshow” activity. This resulted in 55 vehicles being towed and stored. There were three other arrests as a result of this enforcement for charges of driving under the influence, felony evading, and a warrant arrest for robbery.

This type of reckless driving has become a regular occurrence in the Bay Area. It is an extreme danger to those involved and even more of a danger for the un-involved citizens who unfortunately become victims of the illegal activity. Due to the officers pro-actively addressing this issue, several of the involved drivers will now be without their vehicles for an extended period and will also be facing possible fines from the Courts. Officers in Contra Costa County will continue to address these incidents with zero tolerance.

As a reminder to those who choose to show off their driving skills, public roadways are not the proper venues for this type of behavior. There are sanctioned events and locations throughout the state that allow this type of driving. Often rewarding drivers for their skills while providing a safe environment to all.

This preliminary information is made available by the Community Policing Division. 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.