SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) voted ‘no’ on SB 595, which would require the nine Bay Area counties to hold a special election, known as Regional Measure 3, to propose raising tolls on state-owned bridges in the Bay Area. After the vote, he issued the following statement:

“I recognize the need for funding transportation improvements, but after much thought, I believe adding another tax on commuters is not the answer. I ultimately voted NO on the bridge toll bill because $8 per crossing is just too much of a financial burden on drivers. If you commute from Solano County to San Francisco – entailing two bridge tolls that would potentially total $16 a day – that’s highway robbery.”

SACRAMENTO – The state Senate on Thursday passed legislation that will give Bay Area voters a chance to create an independent inspector general for BART to hold the sprawling transit district accountable for its spending, service to riders, and timely delivery of capital projects.

The inspector general was proposed by state Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) as part of a bill by Sen. Jim Beall (D-San Jose) that will ask voters to raise bridge tolls to fund transportation projects designed to relieve traffic congestion in the bridge corridors.

The bill was approved by the Senate on a 27-13 vote.

Glazer, a longtime critic of BART, insisted that voters be given the option of creating the accountability czar as a condition of his support for placing the measure on the ballot. Other major transit agencies, including those in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, have long had inspector generals to serve as an independent check on the bureaucracy.

“BART stands to gain about a billion dollars from the toll revenues this measure would generate,” Glazer said. “It’s only fair that riders and residents get an extra set of eyes and ears inside the agency to hold the administration accountable.”

If approved by voters, the inspector general would be appointed by the governor from a list of three finalists nominated by the BART board. The person could be fired only with a two-thirds vote of the board and the governor’s agreement.

The BART inspector general would be tasked with investigating fraud, waste and inefficiencies, conducting audits and recommending changes in the agency’s practices that will improve services to riders.

And in a twist, Glazer, who has been at odds with BART’s unions in the past, insisted on adding a line to the inspector general’s mission requiring the office to assess whether management was using best practices to promote “positive and productive” relations with employees and their representatives.

“The vast majority of BART employees are hard-working, dedicated public servants who share their customers’ desire to have trains that run on time, stations that are safe and clean, and escalators and elevators that work when they are supposed to,” Glazer said. “I hope the employees and their unions will find an inspector general to be an effective ally in making those things a reality.”

Glazer also pushed for amendments to the bill that ensured Contra Costa and Alameda county commuters would see a fair share of congestion relief projects if the toll increases become a reality.

Projects to improve traffic flow on Interstate 680 and rebuild interchanges where 680 connects to state routes 4 and 84 were included in the final version of the proposed spending plan.

Glazer praised Sen. Beall, and Assemblymen David Chiu and Phil Ting of San Francisco and other members of the Bay Area legislative delegation for a collaborative process that allowed for input from throughout the region and a final proposal that included the crucial provision to oversee BART’s administration and spending.

“No one got everything they wanted, but this is a fair compromise that will give the voters an opportunity to fund projects designed to relieve congestion throughout the entire region while providing independent oversight of the district’s practices,” Glazer said.

Daniel and Nicole Fye and family at the site of their new home in April, 2017. photos from Facebook.

The Fye’s completed home in Bremerton, WA.

East County Veterans and Homes for Our Troops make it happen

Thanks to the efforts of the East County Veterans Support Services (ECVSS) and Homes for Our Troops, Antioch resident and wounded military veteran Daniel Fye and his family are getting a new home. It will be able to accommodate his needs, having lost part of his left leg and sustaining sever damage to his right during an explosion while serving in Afghanistan.

Daniel Fye and family will be moving into their home on Saturday, September 23 in Washington State, we cannot all attend to celebrate with them in person, so, his mother Janis Fye and family and ECVSS will be holding a Community House Warming Open House this Sunday, Sept. 17 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at 1023 W. 2nd Street, in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

All are welcome to drop in, sign a card, have some light snacks and refreshments. Gift suggestions: Gift cards. Janis and family will take all of your gifts and love to Danny and the family.

During his third combat tour on May 27, 2011, Air Force Tech Sergeant Daniel Fye, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team Leader with the 466 Bravo EOD Flight, was severely injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion during a route clearance mission in Mushan, Afghanistan. The blast resulted in the loss of his left leg and severe damage to his right.

Daniel Fye and his dog.

During his three-month stay at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Dan underwent multiple surgeries for his amputation, burns and several limb salvage procedures on his right leg. After his release, he endured three years of physical therapy. He now wears a prosthetic on his left leg and a brace on his right leg.

These days Dan can be found in the garage working on cars, in the gym lifting weights or at home spending time and traveling with his four children and wife Nicole. While he may lead an active lifestyle, there are several challenges he faces daily.

A single-story Homes For Our Troops home with an accessible bathroom, Dan says, will make daily life more comfortable and “less of a chore.” Having the financial burden of a mortgage eliminated, he says, will open up many doors for him and his family. He will be able to build a large, detached garage where he can work on cars. He would like to race cars and raise money for Veteran organizations. He has dreams of entrepreneurship too, and would like to build a home gym, where he could teach others with physical challenges how to weight lift.

Originally from Antioch, Dan and his family are choosing to build their home in Bremerton, Wash. After being stationed in the area, he says it feels like home.

Dan says the gift of a specially adapted home will be life-changing.

“It will give me a comfortable home to live in while allowing me to pursue dreams that I thought wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.

“After a very long road of constant recovery, my son Danny and family are moving into their blessing miracle home from Homes for Our Troops in two weeks in Bremerton WA, built to accommodate his special needs,” Janis Fye wrote in a post on Facebook. “Since Danny and Nicole’s home town is too far away to attend, Josie Monaghan and East County Vets are holding a Community House Warming Open House next Sunday, 9/17 1:00 – 4:00 where those who have prayed and loved Danny through his healing since Afghanistan can come mingle, sign cards, bring gift cards, etc. eat cake and see photos of his journey showing Danny his home town & friends still care and love him. Danny has had such a long, difficult road to recovery and still has many obstacles to climb. Please come out and show him we care. Thank You Josie and Joey and East County Vets. Thank You Homes for Our Troops.”

For more information about Homes for Our Troops and the home for Daniel Fye and family visit www.hfotusa.org/building-homes/veterans/fye/. For more information about East County Veterans Support Services visit www.ecvss.org or https://www.facebook.com/ECVSS/.

Allen Payton contributed to this story.

Jeff Belle, source Contra Costa County Board of Education

SACRAMENTO – The full Legislature has approved a bill by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay) which would assess a financial penalty on candidates who lie on ballot statements when seeking political office. AB 894 now goes to the governor for his signature.

AB 894 would impose a fine of up to $5,000 if a candidate includes knowingly false information on statements they submit for inclusion on election ballots. The fine can be multiplied if an offender is convicted on associated criminal charges.

“Candidates who shamelessly lie to voters are committing fraud and they should pay the penalty,” Frazier said. “For many voters, the only information they may have about a candidate is what the candidate submits for a ballot statement. This is especially true in down-ballot races, such as the Board of Education, which usually don’t get a lot of media coverage.”

Frazier authored AB 894 after a Jeff Belle, a candidate elected to represent East County on the Contra Costa County Board of Education in 2014, was found to have blatantly lied about his qualifications, background and criminal record in the candidate statement he submitted for inclusion on the ballot. Instead of a punishment, the candidate received just an entry into a diversion program for offenders. The current fine for intentionally misleading voters on ballot statements is $1,000.

By Sergeant John Fortner #3264, Antioch Police Investigations Division, Violent Crimes Unit

On Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 at 9:56 PM, the Antioch Police responded to the call of a road rage incident that ended in a shooting. Initially, a female victim called the Antioch Police to report a road rage incident. The incident started on Delta Fair Boulevard and culminated near the 4200 block of Lone Tree Way.

During the incident, the suspect vehicle chased the victim’s vehicle a short distance through the city while repeatedly colliding into the victim’s vehicle. Once both vehicles came to a stop, the suspect exited his vehicle armed with a tire jack. The male driver of the victim vehicle, an off-duty out of county sheriff’s deputy, fired a pistol at the suspect striking him one time. The victims of the road rage waited for police to respond while the suspect fled the area. During the investigation, officers were able to determine that this crime was domestic in nature.

The investigation led officers to a different location in the city where the injured suspect was contacted. The suspect was transported to a local area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot injury. Afterwards, the suspect was booked into the county jail on several felony charges.

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.

They really do go everywhere, man!

The Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority known as the Tri Delta Transit bus system, is launching a new downtown circulator route serving the downtown Pittsburg area. New Route 381 begins service September 25, 2017 and will travel between the Pittsburg Marina, through downtown Pittsburg, to Los Medanos College. So, now like their TV ad states they really do go everywhere.

The new route will be the shortest and quickest route in the Tri Delta Transit system. From start to finish, the trip takes only 20 minutes and operates every 30 minutes. “This is a terrific route to access many downtown restaurants and shops as well as big-name stores, and shopping centers in Pittsburg,” said Director of Marketing, Mike Furnary. “Route 381 will provide service to popular destinations including Los Medanos College, Wal-Mart, Atlantic Plaza, Pittsburg Health Center, The East Contra Costa Clinic, downtown Pittsburg, Pittsburg Marina, Pittsburg High School (Railroad Ave at School St.), City Park, Pittsburg Senior Center, Pittsburg Courthouse, and Pittsburg Library.” New Route 381 operates 22 times every day, Monday thru Friday. New bus stops will be added along Railroad Avenue in downtown Pittsburg offering pick up and drop off just steps away from many downtown restaurants and shops. New bus stops will be located on Railroad at 5th Street and 8th Street.

Route 381 will eventually serve Pittsburg Center BART, currently under construction. “For those in the area who currently use another bus route to Pittsburg Bay Point BART, they might be better served by Route 381 once the new station is operational,” said Furnary.

Route 381 is being introduced along with a newly revised schedule going into effect on September 24, 2017. In addition to new Route 381, one-time change is being made to the schedule. “We’ve made one adjustment to our Clockwise Route 383 serving Oakley and Antioch,” said Furnary. “This change will allow an earlier arrival at Freedom High School in Oakley, making Route 383 Clockwise a more reliable option for Freedom students.” Times on all other routes will not change from the previous schedule. To see times Route 381 will operate and all other bus schedules and times, visit Tri Delta Transit’s Web site at www.trideltatransit.com. New printed schedules will be available on buses the week of September 18, 2017.

Tri Delta Transit was named small bus operator of the year in 2014 by the American Public Transportation Association, the national representative for public transportation in Washington DC. They provide over 3,000,000 trips each year to a population of over 250,000 residents in the 225 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. They operate 13 local bus routes Monday – Friday, 4 local bus routes on weekends, door-to-door bus service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and shuttle services to community events. For additional information about Tri Delta Transit, please visit www.trideltatransit.com.

By Sergeant Rick Smith, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Monday, September 11, 2017 at 10:48 AM, Antioch Officers responded with ConFire for the report of students and staff exposed to Pepper Spray while in class. It was learned that a female juvenile got into an argument with a male juvenile. During the argument, the female sprayed the male with pepper spray.

Two students and three school staff members were exposed through contact when they tried to intervene. All were later treated by medical staff on scene and then cleared through area hospitals. The responsible is known and is currently being sought.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Antioch Police at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.