By Allen Payton

At their meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 14 the Antioch City Council will discuss and consider how they will choose the next mayor pro tem following next year’s elections. Until now the top vote getter in the council elections was then voted by the council members to be the mayor pro tem for the following two years. But, this year since the council members will no longer run citywide but be elected by district, the council needs to change the way the position is filled. Mayor Pro Tem ACC011420 Agenda Item #10

The mayor pro tem acts in place of the mayor during his or her absence with the full power and authority of the mayor.

One option is to fill the position on a rotation basis, as is done in other cities, which give the position the title of either mayor pro tem or vice mayor.

Council meetings are currently held in the Antioch Community Center at Prewett Park beginning at 7:00 p.m. or you can watch it live on local Comcast/Xfinity cable channel 24 or livestream on the city’s website.

Part of automatic record clearance partnership

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

Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton and Code for America today announced that 3,264 marijuana convictions eligible for relief under Proposition 64 will be dismissed and sealed as part of their cutting-edge partnership.

“I am grateful the partnership with Code for America has given us the ability to deliver tangible results for members of our community by dismissing old marijuana convictions allowed under the law. Far too often old criminal convictions for minor drug offenses can leave a lasting mark on an individual’s life. The removal of these convictions effectively reduces barriers to licensing, education, housing and employment. It is imperative that we continue to be innovative in our approach to reforming and strengthening the criminal justice system,” said Diana Becton, District Attorney for Contra Costa County.

“At Code for America, we believe government can work dramatically better than it does today; the criminal justice system is one of the areas in which we are most failing the American people. We must make sure that California lives up to the obligation of Proposition 64 and now AB 1793,” said Jennifer Pahlka, Founder and Executive Director, Code for America. “I’d like to thank Contra Costa District Attorney Becton for her leadership on this issue. Through our partnership, we will remove barriers to employment, housing, health and education for thousands of Californians. By reimagining existing government systems through technology and user-centered design, we can rethink incarceration, reduce recidivism and restore opportunity.”

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s office used Code for America’s Clear My Record technology, which reads bulk criminal history data from the California Department of Justice, and securely and accurately analyzes eligibility for record remediation under state law.  This technology can analyze eligibility for thousands of convictions in just a few minutes, alleviating the need for DA staff to go through state criminal records one by one to evaluate eligibility, a time and labor-intensive process.

This partnership helps address wrongs caused by the failed war on drugs, felt most strongly by communities of color. Approximately 2,400 individuals will receive conviction relief through this partnership. Of those, approximately 36% are Black or African American, 45% are White, 15% are Latinx, 2% are Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2% are other or unknown.

Contra Costa is the fifth California District Attorney’s Office to announce a pilot partnership with Code for America and use Clear My Record Technology to clear marijuana-related convictions eligible under Proposition 64.  The other counties include San Francisco, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Los Angeles.   In total, these five pilots will help reduce or dismiss approximately 75,000 Proposition 64 eligible convictions.

Earlier this year, Code for America also launched its new Clear My Record Application and Implementation Blueprint, available at no cost and open source to all California counties.  These resources allow all District Attorneys’ offices to follow the lead of DA Becton and expedite and streamline review of Prop 64 convictions.

Record Clearance for the Digital Age

Record clearance was not built for the digital age.  Previously, each person seeking relief had to petition the court on their own to clear their records, but this is a time-consuming, expensive, and confusing process.  Because of these barriers, the vast majority of those eligible for relief have not received it.

With the aid of Code for America’s Clear My Record technology, a DA’s office can automatically and securely evaluate eligibility for record clearance for thousands of convictions in just a few minutes.

This requires no action on the part of the individual, and minimal staff time and resources from the DA’s office — two obstacles for record clearance. Streamlining conviction data processing will also make it easier for courts to update records, ensuring that individuals can obtain relief as soon as possible.

These partnerships set the standard for the statewide implementation of Assembly Bill 1793, which tasks prosecutors with affirmatively reviewing convictions eligible for dismissal or reduction under Proposition 64.  This novel approach also creates a blueprint for the future of record clearance for remedies beyond Proposition 64 — the development of policy and technology that expands, streamlines and automates the record clearance process at scale.

Code for America has been making it easier for people to remove eligible convictions from their records through Clear my Record technology since 2016.

About Code for America

Code for America believes government must work for the people, and by the people, in the digital age, starting with the people who need it most. We build digital services that enhance government capabilities, and we help others do the same across all levels of government. We organize thousands of volunteers across nearly 80 chapters nationwide who improve government in their local communities. Our goal: a 21st century government that effectively and equitably serves all Americans. Learn more at codeforamerica.org.

Contra Costa County Administrator David Twa, who will retire at the end of 2020, administered the oath of office to new Supervisors Chair Candace Andersen of Danville and Vice Chair Diane Burgis of Brentwood at the Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. Photo by Daniel Borusk.

Martinez, CA – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors held a swearing-in ceremony for Supervisor Candace Andersen as Board Chair and Supervisor Diane Burgis as Vice Chair at its January 7th, 2020 Board meeting.

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen who has served Contra Costa County since she was first elected in 2012, including a previous term as Board Chair in 2016, takes the leadership role from outgoing Chair, Supervisor John Gioia of District 1.

Gioia of Richmond, who was presented with a prized Hawaiian Koa wood gavel from incoming Andersen as a gift, credited the “great work of county employees” in 2019 for salvaging a year marked by power  outages and catastrophic fires.

Andersen expressed her thanks to Gioia, as well as her readiness to tackle the County’s issues.

“I appreciate Supervisor Gioia’s leadership in maintaining our County’s strong fiscal position and ensuring that many who need County services receive them in a timely manner. As Chair, I intend to work with my colleagues to strengthen the County’s commitment to supporting our law enforcement to keep our communities safe,  expand our work addressing homelessness and the need for more housing, and do even more to help individuals, families and communities confronting mental health issues,” she said.

Andersen, who has served as a supervisor since 2012 and previously chaired the board in 2016, said there will plenty of business items the supervisors will address in 2020.  Among the issues she listed were updating the county tree and Airbnb ordinances, considering a $20 million housing grant, and the grand openings of the new county and new sheriff’s office administration buildings.

Burgis, who has served on the County’s Board of Supervisors since 2017, representing the largest geographic region of the five districts, said she will work on the 2020 census, the Delta, and public safety and fire safety issues  during the year.

Andersen is completing her second term, facing no opposition in her re-election bid, while Burgis, who represents parts of Antioch, is completing her first, facing one opponent in the March Primary election. They will lead the five-member elected body that sets the direction of county government and oversees its $4.43 billion budget to serve this large and diverse East Bay County.

For more information about Contra Costa County and its Board of Supervisors, visit the County’s website at www.contracosta.ca.gov or the webpage: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/193/Board-of-Supervisors.

Daniel Borsuk contributed to this report.

The City of Antioch is launching a program that can provide up to $50,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance to first time homebuyers who live or work in the City of Antioch.  Antioch’s Home Ownership Program (AHOP) provides eligible homebuyers a substantive leg-up to expand affordability and access to homeownership.

To learn more about AHOP please register to attend the upcoming informational workshop:

Antioch Home Ownership Program (AHOP) Informational Workshop

Saturday, January 18, 2020

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Rick Rodríguez Center

213 F Street, Antioch CA – Room 220. 

Reservations for the AHOP workshop are required and can be made at www.myhomegateway.org/ahop.

You can also get more information on AHOP by emailing BAAHA at ahop@myhomegateway.com

AHOP is available to Antioch homebuyers who meet eligibility requirements, including:

• Live or work in the City of Antioch
• Combined household incomes do not exceed 80% of the area’s median income, as adjusted by household size (see table below)

• Have not owned a home in the past three years
• Completed HUD approved homebuyer education requirements
• Have sufficient creditworthiness to obtain a conventional 30-year mortgage

The City of Antioch has contracted with the Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA) to administer AHOP.  BAAHA will be working with the City, non-profit organizations, and with for profit partners to deliver beneficial homebuyers services and resources; including and not limited to:

Down payment and closing cost assistance loans – AHOP will provide financial subsidies in the form of loans that require no monthly payments which are repaid when the home is sold or in 45 years (whichever comes first).

Homebuyer Education – ECHO Housing, a non-profit HUD approved homebuyer education provider, will be delivering informative seminars to educate homebuyers on the home purchase process.

Homebuyer Counseling – BAAHA and AHOP partners will be providing valuable guidance and coaching to help homebuyers a) work through the complexities and challenges of purchasing a home; and b) navigate through the process to secure any and all homebuyer subsidies available.

Additional Homebuyer Subsidies – BAAHA will be coordinating efforts to incorporate and combine additional subsidies with AHOP including and not limited to: the Contra Costa County Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, Federal Home Loan Bank WISH Subsidy Program (up to $22,000), Housing Authority of Contra Costa County Section 8 Ownership Voucher Program.

For additional information on AHOP please visit BAAHA’s website at www.myhomegateway.org/ahop.

Suspect Kevion Blocker. Photo: APD.

By Sergeant James Stenger #3604, Antioch Police Violent Crimes Unit (Investigations Bureau)

On October 28, 2019, at approximately 10:21 AM, the Antioch Police Department responded to the Williamson Ranch Plaza located in the 4800 block of Lone Tree Way for the report of a shooting victim in the parking lot. Officers located a 20-year-old male who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. It was determined that the victim and 20-year-old Kevion Blocker were involved in a verbal altercation and during the argument Blocker shot the victim several times. The victim suffered life altering injuries as a result of this shooting. (See related article)

On January 7, 2020, The Antioch Police Department SWAT team and Investigations Bureau conducted a high-risk search and arrest warrant in the 1800 block of Foster Mountain Court in an attempt to take Blocker into custody. Blocker was not located but an illegal firearm was located during the search of the residence.

The Antioch Police Department currently holds a warrant for Blocker’s arrest for attempted murder. Anyone who has information on where Blocker may be is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department Dispatch at (925) 778-2441 or Detective Tom Smith at (925)779-6876. Blocker should be considered armed and dangerous. If Blocker is seen please call 911 immediately and do not approach him.

The Antioch Police Department is not releasing the name of the injured male.

This information is made available by the Investigations Bureau. Anyone with information regarding this case can contact Detective Smith at (925) 779-6876. Any further information or additional press releases will be provided by the Investigations Bureau. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Officer Matthew Contreras takes his oath of office in the Antioch Police Facility’s Community Room Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. Photo by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

We would like to welcome the newest member of our APD family, Matthew Contreras. Matthew is a Lateral Officer who comes to us from San Joaquin County. He was sworn in on Monday, Jan. 6, 2020.

Matthew was born and raised in Stockton, California. After graduating high school, Matthew joined the U.S. Army and deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait. Matthew is active in the California Army National guard and has 17 years of total time in service in the National Guard, Reserves and Active Army. Matthew is currently in the master’s program at Colorado Technical University. Matthew attended the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Academy. Matthew worked at the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department for three years before coming to work for the City of Antioch.

Matthew has been married to Erika for 10 years and they have three children together. Nathan who is 7, Sophia is 2 and Erik is 8 months. In his free time, Matthew enjoys playing soccer and spending time with his family.

Fun Fact: Matthew has been collecting shoes since the 9th grade and has a collection of about 250-300 pairs of shoes.

Welcome Matthew!

Suspect arrested and gun used in attempted armed robbery on Jan. 4, 2020. Photos by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

On Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020 shortly after noon, Antioch PD received a call of a possible armed robbery at the Lucky’s store on E. 18th St. The caller was reporting a male suspect approached him in the parking lot, armed with a handgun and demanded his money. A short struggle ensued over the gun, and the suspect fled on foot from the area of the store. The victim wasn’t hurt, and the suspect fled before taking any property from him.

A short time later, while officers checked the area, witnesses began calling reporting a subject matching the description on E. 16th St. on foot. Officers converged on the area, and a male juvenile was located hiding behind a vehicle in an apartment complex carport. After numerous commands to surrender were given, he was eventually taken into custody and found to be in possession of a realistic looking BB gun. The victim and witnesses positively identified the male juvenile, and he was later booked into Juvenile Hall on attempted robbery charges.

We were happy this call ended with no one seriously injured and cannot thank diligent witnesses enough. Without you, finding this person may have been much more difficult, if not impossible!

All Contra Costa County Library branches and the Martinez administrative offices are currently experiencing a network outage due to a ransomware attack. The Library is working with the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office to investigate the attack.

The affected servers have all been taken offline and some library services have already been restored. It may be several days before all library services are fully operational. Libraries will be open as regularly scheduled, you can check out and return materials and use public computers, though printing services are not available at this time. Some online services are impacted, but Discover & Go and Overdrive are operational.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this outage is causing our patrons and ask for patience as we work to get all services back online,” said County Librarian Melinda Cervantes. “We are working closely with law enforcement, including IT experts to gather information and prevent future attacks.”

The Library only collects name, address, phone number, email address and birth date. The Library does not collect social security numbers and does not store credit card payment information. In the past the library collected driver’s license numbers, but ended that practice in 2019 and removed all driver’s license information from customer records.

The Library has no evidence that any personal patron data has been compromised. The server that stores patron data related to library card accounts and transactions was not affected, still it’s always wise to monitor your personal information on a regular basis.

Patrons with questions about impacted library services can contact Library Administration at (925) 608-7700 during regular business hours.

For media inquiries, please contact Library Public Information Officer Brooke Converse at (925) 276-5021.