Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek locations

The voter registration deadline has passed, but you can still register and vote in one transaction. Several convenient locations will be available leading up to and during Election Day for you to register to vote and cast your ballot.

Contra Costa Elections Division offers Conditional Voter Registration as a safety net for those who were unable to complete or update their voter registration before the deadline.

“We want to make sure that everybody who is eligible to register to vote has ample opportunity to cast their ballot,” said Joe Canciamilla, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters.

The Conditional Registration steps include going to an eligible county location, filling out a form that includes your name, address, date of birth and either the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your driver’s license number, and casting your ballot.

Conditionally voted ballots are processed once our office completes the verification of the voter registrations and confirms no ballot has already been voted.

This service will be available starting today at the Elections Office during normal business hours and on Election Day from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Conditional Voter Registration will also be available at the following Regional Early Voting locations on November 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th:

• Antioch: Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way
• Richmond: Bay Hill Community Church, 4000 Klose Way
• Walnut Creek: Walnut Creek City Hall, 1666 North Main Street.

Regional Early Voting will be available from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, November 3rd. These locations are available to all Contra Costa voters looking to cast their ballot ahead of time and avoid the Election Day rush. Any Contra Costa voter can vote at any one of the Regional Early Voting locations.

For more information, call 925-335-7800.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced this week that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the February 8, 2018 death of Lloyd Joseph Harris IV, when he was shot by Antioch Police. The finding of the jury is that the death was at the hands of another person, other than by accident. (See related articles, here and here.)

According to Antioch Police, Harris was a person of interest in a homicide case and also wanted for felony assault, and had a federal warrant for his arrest, at the time of the shooting.

The Coroner’s Jury reached a verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.

A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving police officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: Accident, Suicide, Natural Causes, At the hands of another person, other than by accident.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

By Corporal Shawn Morin #5227, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018 at 12:50 A.M., Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to the area of W. 14th Street and L Street for an injured pedestrian. Officers arrived and found a 27-year-old female Antioch resident with major injuries. The female victim was transported to an area hospital where she was admitted and is in critical, but stable condition. Officers on scene learned the female was walking in the area when she was struck by a vehicle which fled the scene.

The Traffic Investigation Unit was called out and took over the investigation. Investigators are following up on leads to identify the responsible party, but we do not have a vehicle description at this time.

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

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time.

By Allen Payton

After withdrawing from the race for the Antioch City Council in September due to stated personal reasons, (see related article) late Monday night, Antioch Parks and Recreation Commissioner Rodney McClelland announced that he has re-entered the race with the following statement via email. He explained those personal reasons and why he’s decided to return to the campaign.

“My name is Rodney McClelland, and I am running for Antioch City Council.  As many of you know, I suspended my campaign about a month ago for personal reasons.  At that time, taking this step appeared to be the appropriate action, as family issues were absorbing all my energy and the time that I felt I needed to run an effective campaign.

In the intervening month the family matters that I was dealing with have been resolved.  In addition, I’ve been approached by many individuals who, like me, love the city of Antioch and want to see it move in a positive direction.

I am the only candidate on the ballot that opposes Measure W.  I oppose this proposed tax increase because of the harm it will do to our many residents, senior citizens among them, who are on fixed incomes and cannot afford more taxes.  I oppose it because of the history of empty promises made by career politicians in our city who take taxpayer money and use it to fund high pensions that continue to drive us toward bankruptcy.  I oppose it because it will make our city even less competitive in attracting new businesses.

I will never apologize for putting family first, and that is what I did when I suspended my campaign.  Now that those issues have been resolved, I am reentering the race.  The citizens of Antioch deserve a choice for a different path other than ‘tax and spend.’  That is the choice that I offer, and I ask for your vote on November 6.”

The top two candidates of the six, including both incumbents will serve for two years, then face election again with the mayor and other two council members in 2020, when the new district elections will go into effect.

By Sergeant Matthew Koch, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018 at 3:21 pm, Antioch Police officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of Peppertree Way on a report of a shooting that had just occurred. Upon the officers’ arrival, they located a 28-year-old male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. It was discovered the responsible(s) fled the area prior to police arrival. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment where he was listed in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

At this time, officers are working on leads to develop suspect information.

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

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time.

Construction would begin in fall of 2019 with the new lot opening in fall of 2020

With full funding identified, BART is moving ahead with plans to nearly double the amount of parking at the Antioch Station.

The station has been a tremendous success since opening in late May and that has pushed the demand for parking in Antioch far beyond the space available.

Antioch Station currently has 1006 parking stalls. Another 800-plus spaces will be added under this plan.

“The response to the extension has been overwhelmingly positive, except for criticism about the lack of parking,” says BART Director Joel Keller, who represents East Contra Costa County. “We’ve made it a priority to ensure that every rider has access to the new service which takes drivers off the congested Highway 4 corridor.”

The plan calls for converting a plot of BART-owned land just east of the current lot into more than 800 additional parking spaces. 

The current daily ridership for the Antioch Station is 3,050 while the forecasted ridership before its opening was 2,270 trips.

The proposed parking lot cost is $16.4 million. Funding sources include the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, BART, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority.

BART will now work on the environmental impact and design.

Approval by the BART Board is required with the plan expected to go before Directors in late 2018 or early 2019.

Construction would begin in fall of 2019 with the new lot opening in fall of 2020.

 

Antioch High Panthers varsity football team will host the Pittsburg High Pirates for the historic rivalry

By Luke Johnson

One of the greatest high school football rivalry games will likely decide who gets a playoff bid and who doesn’t.

“If we lose tomorrow, we shouldn’t be in the open division,” said Pittsburg head coach Vic Galli in an interview on Friday.

The No. 1 and 2 seeds for the North Coast Section Open Division appear to be locked in for De La Salle (9-0) and Liberty (9-0, 4-0 BVAL). In contention for potentially one of the other two seeds are Antioch (7-2, 2-2) and Pittsburg (6-3, 3-1), who play in the 100th Big Little Game today, Saturday, Oct. 27.

Galli said Antioch’s greatest strength is its quarterback Willem Karnthong, who has passed for 1,120 yards and rushed for 406 this season.

Karnthong has 43 career touchdown passes and is seven away from breaking the Panthers’ all-time record.

The Pirates have to overcome injuries from star players to win the contest. Washington-bound nose guard Jacob Bandes and starting quarterback Tre Turner are ruled out for the game.

“Pittsburg’s greatest strength is the front seven — specifically, that triangle that anchors the middle: [Jack] Lacy, Bandes and [De’Jon] Benton,” said Antioch quarterback coach Juan Corral. “All 3 of those guys are Top 5 all time in their school’s history at their positions.”

Another weapon in Pittsburg’s arsenal is Willie Harts III, who has scored touchdowns via passing, rushing, receiving, interception, kick return and punt return this season.

Other key players for the Panthers consist of wide receiver Gaudie Campbell and linebacker Vinny Ballardo. Campbell is tied for most all-time receiving touchdowns at Antioch with 18 and Ballardo has averaged 100-plus tackles per season since he was a sophomore.

Gametime is 1:30 p.m. at Antioch High School’s Eels Stadium located at w. 18th and L Streets.

Send letter to Homeland Security Secretary over changes to federal “public charge” rule changes which could adversely affect illegal immigrants

By Daniel Borsuk

Unlike 15 years ago, a new study with a potential crackdown on illegal dumping in unincorporated Contra Costa County might succeed, with an infusion of money, the possible assistance from the county’s two chief trash collectors, and the installation of surveillance cameras at hotspots where illegal haulers go to dump their loads.

Even though the county launched earlier this year its permit program for private haulers, there are telltale signs the program might be in trouble because not enough haulers can afford to buy the permits to legally pickup, haul and dump trash at authorized sites.

Supervisors are scheduled to receive an update from the county Health Department on the new trash haulers license program at their Nov. 6 meeting.

“I’ve seen haulers park their trucks in residential neighborhoods because they have no other place to go,” said District I Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, whose district receives most of the illegally dumped litter in the county. He speculates those haulers probably illegally get rid of their hauls by dumping their load in empty dumpsters.  “There is more illegal dumping in North Richmond than anywhere else,” said Gioia.

Bay Point places second in luring the most illegal dumping. Bay Point is so serious that in less than a year the Bay Point Blight Program collected more than 13 tons of trash, the Illegal Dumping Think Tank County Interdepartmental Team reported. “Illegal dumping in Bay Point is so bad that at time it spills onto streets and sidewalks,” the report stated.

The illegal dumping problem is so bad countywide that last July the county launched a $1.82 million interdepartmental team activity to identify strategies to wipe out the county’s chronic illegal dumping problem that cost the county more than $1.2 million to clean up litter in 2017-2018, but had only budgeted $400,000 for a part-time private contractor to pick up illegal litter for the current fiscal year.

District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg said he saw many of the same recommendations 15 years ago when another anti-litter study was conducted.

“We have not found the right mechanism that fits,” he said. “We still have the illegal haulers.  They can still pick up and dump illegally, especially in Bay Point.”

Supervisor Gioia agreed with Glover that 90 percent of the task force’s recommendations resemble those proposed in a 2003 study, but county Conservation & Development Department Director John Kipchak, who lead the illegal dumping think tank effort, listed six of the 55 recommendations that supervisors should pay particular attention.

Those recommendations include setting aside $10,000 for public outreach, budgeting $58,000 for mandatory garbage service, establishing a free mattress recycling program, on-call right-of-way debris removal by Public Works and on-call right-of-way clean-up by franchise haulers (Republic Services and Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery that will require increased garbage rates), dedicate two law enforcement deputies to investigate dumping crimes at an additional cost of $566,000 and the installation of surveillance high definition, license plate reader cameras at a cost of $50,000.

Supervisors were interested in in hearing how the city of San Pablo has curbed illegal dumping with the installation of 165 cameras located in strategic hotspots in a in a city that is six square miles, said city Public Works Director Jill Mercurio.   San Pablo has plans to install more cameras, Mercurio said, because they have proven to help law enforcement arrest the illegal dumpers at an economical cost.

Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery representative Sal Evola, who also serves on the Pittsburg City Council, said while the company and the county’s other major commercial garbage hauler, Republic Services, have not been involved in the county’s illegal dumping initiative, both companies would be willing to provide input at future meetings.  Getting the two garbage haulers involved in the county’s trash initiative could give the county’s illegal trash initiative an extra incentive.

Supervisors learned the county has a private contractor who picks up illegal dumped trash around the county at a yearly price tag of $400,000.  Contra Costa County Public Works Department Deputy Director Mike Carlson was unable to exactly answer supervisors’ questions as to how frequently the on-call contractor picks-up litter, but he said the contractor actually picks up litter two days a week for the county and the contractor may take up to four to six weeks before the contractor gets to a reported litter area for cleanup.

Supervisors Oppose Proposed Rules Changes to Federal Public Charge

Concerning a new United States Department of Homeland Security published proposed change to the “public charge” in the Federal Register, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to instruct staff to send a letter to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Senate and House leader and the Contra County Federal Congressional Delegation to declare the board’s opposition to the proposed rule change to public charge.

A public charge is someone who is likely to become dependent on the government for subsistence.

Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Director Kathy Gallagher, Contra Costa County Health Services Director Anna Roth, and Contra Costa Housing Authority Director Joseph Villarreal recommended that the rule change would impose “grave economic and health consequences” to the county’s immigrants.

“While the proposed public charge changes are primarily directed toward applications for Legal Permanent Residency for those already in the United States, there could be an overall chilling effect of causing uncertainty and confusion among immigrant families about using public programs for themselves and their children,” Contra Costa County Human Services Director Gallagher wrote in her recommendation to the supervisors.  “Not only would disenrollment or foregone enrollment lead to worse health outcomes and greater poverty risk for the families foregoing benefits, but public health at-large could be affected by sicker individuals in the community, increased emergency room use and uncompensated care.”

Rene Zimmer of the Contra Costa County Economic Opportunity Council urged supervisors to oppose the rule change by labeling it a “disturbing rule.”

Antioch City Councilman Lamar Thorpe said that this rule change promotes “unnecessary fear” in community.

$1.2 Million Landscaping Contract Awarded     

Supervisors awarded Dominguez Landscape Services, Inc. a $1.2 million contract to provide landscape maintenance services countywide from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021.

The county is searching for ways to reduce water usage at county facilities.  The contractor will convert the grass and green ground cover to drought resistant plants that require less water.

Capital Road Program OK’d

The county’s Capital Road Improvement Preservation Program for 2018/2019 to 20124/2025 was unanimously approved without comments from the public.  The county road improvement program for the next seven years is paid through state gas tax revenue, a source of revenue state voters will decide on the Nov. 6 ballot with Proposition 6.  The CRIPP lays out road projects for the Contra Costa Public Works Department for the next seven years.