The Press 04.28.2023

County proposes $5.5 billion budget

By Chris Campos Staff Writer

MARTINEZ Do you know how much your county government plans on spending next year?

Most of your fellow taxpayers don’t. Don’t think in millions.

Contra Costa County’s proposed 2023-24 budget totals $5.5 billion. For two days this week, the county Board of Supervisors listened to a parade of department heads outlining their financial needs for the upcoming fiscal year that starts on July 1.

John Gioia, Board chairman, said at the start of the budget review, “The budget is more than numbers on a page. It’s the embodiment of our values.”

Among the recommended budget highlights:

• Adds 26 positions in the Employment and Human Services Department to improve

children and family services; youth programming and workforce development; In-Home Supportive Services case management; senior nutrition programs; CalAIM implementation; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and associated pro grams.

• Adds three fulltime Animal Services Officers to increase beat coverage and improve response times to dangerous ani mal cases and an additional two full-time positions focused on transfer partner and adoption programs and lost and found programs

• A $10 million alloca-

tion toward developing a new Bay Point Library branch. The branch is a new 10,000-20,000 square-foot space constructed in partnership with an affordable housing project. County Librarian Alison McKee told the supervisors that the total cost of the finished project will be about $28 million. County staff are still searching for more funding sources and grants.

• $10 million in capital funding to provide a local match for grants that would allow the County to leverage state and federal money for large infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridges, as

part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The proposed budget includes funding for 11,127.6 full-time equivalent positions (FTE), of which 6,836.4 are paid for through the county General Fund. The recommendation includes 85.4 new positions to be added for the fiscal year 20232024. To structurally balance the budget, a number of our General Fund departments continue to have vacancy factors built into their recommended budget allocations.

The supervisors will make a final vote on the budget in May.

During the development of the budget, there were 2,013 vacant FTE positions, totaling $305 million, of which 1,395 FTE totaling $204.9 million are General Fund supported.

see Budget page 18

Brentwood, you’re invited to party

in the field, but the birth of her daughter Larissa Olmedo, in 2015 made her rethink her decision.

Having a career in graphic design meant commuting to San Francisco and having less time with her newborn.

By Hemananthani Sivanandam Correspondent

BRENTWOOD Dimelsa Palos’ dreams of success float on a bed of balloons.

As a young girl, Palos loved watching her mother, Maria Palos, throw elaborate parties and make everything from scratch.

This fascination turned into inspiration for Dimelsa, known as Dee to her family and friends, to start her own online business— Soirée Love selling balloons and party decorations in 2015.

Palos had taken some graphic design courses, wanting to chart her career path

Council clashes over consent calendar

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my whole life,” Councilmember Tony Oerlemans told Mayor Joel Bryant before storming out of the council chambers. That caused the Brentwood City

see Clashes page 18

“I wanted to combine my passion and spend time with Larissa.

“My love for parties came from my mother, so I started (my business) by selling banners and tassels, but I feel balloons make a party stand out in a way other items can’t.

“It can fill and transform a space into whatever we want it to be,” said Palos at the opening of her first physical shop in downtown Brentwood at 3859 Walnut Blvd. on April 16.

The opening of the store proved to be an emotional day for Palos as she thanked her loved ones for being her pil-

see Party page 11

Dimelsa Palos (middle in white) is flanked by her husband Juan Olmedo (left) and her mother Maria Palos (right) together with her daughter Larissa Olmedo and son Jay Olmedo at the opening of her store in downtown Brentwood.

Photo by Hemananthani Sivanandam

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD Brentwood residents will have the opportunity to meet local business owners – and possibly get a job at the same time – on Tuesday, May 9 during the fourth annual East Bay Business Expo.

The free event is put on by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by the City of Brentwood from 4-7:30 p.m. at the Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. Residents can get to know some of the local businesses and attend a job fair as well, according to John Lawrence, the event chairperson.

More than 50 vendors have signed up for the expo – up from 47 last year–and many of them are hiring for both full-time and part-time work, Lawrence said. The vendors cover a wide range of services, from home improvement to financial services.

“Post-pandemic, what we hear at the chamber and throughout East Contra Costa County, is one of the biggest challenges businesses have is hiring and adding local talent to their teams,” Denise Duran, president of the Brentwood

Chamber of Commerce. “The EBBE and Job Fair provides front row visibility to introduce quality candidates with business owners for on-the-spot recruitment! We’re excited to welcome local Chambers as we work together to promote the positive impact in daily life when commerce and community collaborate.”

For those not seeking jobs, there are still other incentives to attend, including food and drink samples from local wineries such as Bloomfield, and local businesses such as the new StarBread Bakery and Kristy’s Confections. There will be several raffle prizes, and each attendee will be given one free ticket for their chance to win a large TV, tablet and other electronics, according to Duran.

“As my dad always says, ‘you can’t win if you don’t play,’” she said. “We’re warmly welcoming East County residents to join in the fun!”

Duran and Lawrence characterized the business expo as a valuable resource for businesses and residents to make faceto-face connections. “We had a fantastic event last year,” Lawrence said. “This year is going to be that much better.”

More information can be found at https://www.brentwoodchamber.com/2023expo

Gold found in Marsh Creek

Photo courtesy of Brenna Brady

The Press gets tropical

Brenna Brady took the Press with her on a family trip to the Seychelles Islands. Her mom was raised there and she and her two siblings were all born there. She’s pictured here with her sister, Cein Mathisen, on Beau Vallon Beach, one of the most popular beaches on the island of Mahe.

This

is not a real news

Delta Community church welcomes addition

Officials break ground for permanent classrooms

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

Rev. Doug Schoonover didn’t know how long a road he had ahead of him when he arrived at his new Discovery Bay church in 2013.

The Delta Community Presbyterian Church’s school wasn’t as big as it is now and there weren’t many classrooms available for the kids. The original classrooms were built on the original 2.5 acres that the campus sits on, and there are these brown trailers that catered to the upperclassmen of the school — the third-through-fifth graders.

About a decade later, just in time for the church’s 35th anniversary, and with assistance from their congregation and many others, the old and dusty trailers are set to go as the church and the kids of its school, All God’s Children Christian School, put shovels to dirt in front of those same trailers on Thursday, April 13 as they’ll get replaced with new, permanent, classrooms.

“It’s really been a faith journey,” Schoonover said. “It’s been a faith journey in the aspect that every single time that the church has been able to expand, God’s pro-

vided the financing or the people needed.”

The church raised some of the money for the new $2.9 million classrooms through the “Growing for God Building campaign.” They recently raised $19,000 of the funds in a golf tournament at the Discovery Bay Country Club, and they have a car show on April 29 at the Discovery Bay Marina as the fundraising efforts continue.

Larry Hengl is one of the senior church members directing the projects, and he is using his more than four decades of experience on larger projects to get the new classrooms put in place.

“It’s very special,” he said. “This is fun, being somewhat of a general contractor and overseeing all of it and getting some help with the other members of the congregation. Some of the parents of the children

The new modular classrooms are set to open for the children of the elementary school toward the end of this year or early next year, and will cater to the school’s upperclassmen.

that go to school here are getting involved and they’ve been helping us get ready by emptying the trailer, so it’s been a good project for a lot of members of the church and the school.”

The new modular classrooms are set to open for the children of the elementary school toward the end of this year or early next year, and will cater to the school’s upperclassmen. The rooms will feature a lot more space per room compared to the trailers now and will allow for new technology to help the kids learn more and will fit up to 26 kids per room, officials said. The prekindergarten-through-fifth grade school has 160 kids enrolled at the moment. Heading into next school year, the school has 148 kids enrolled so far.

The project also includes a new multi-

purpose room that will help with the school’s aftercare program and provide extra meeting space. The multipurpose room is estimated to add 5,000-6,000 square feet of extra space.

“(The project) is something that’s been a dream,” said Jennifer Leypon, the pre-school director of All God’s Children and the principal of its elementary school. “We’ve been wanting this for a super long time and kind of put it in God’s hands saying ‘when it happens, He’ll show us the way.’ We have a great community of parents that are rallying around it and the community has been super supportive with all of our fundraisers.”

Delta Community Presbyterian Church is the only brick-and-mortar church in Discovery Bay. Throughout the years, Schoonover and the rest of the staff at the church have looked for ways to continue to build and expand, and the new classrooms are just the next step in upcoming, planned updates to the church’s campus.

“The goal is that you always want your church to grow,” Schoonover said. “It’s taken a little while, and took us a little while to get the funding from the denomination. But it’s just been exciting as a pastor to be able to see how people come together, that this is a ministry of the church. The school is an outreach of the church.”

For more information on the church, go to https://dcpcfamily.org

To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Oakley votes to protect funding sources

By Chris Campos Staff Writer

OAKLEY At the request of City Manager

Josh McMurray, the City Council adopted a resolution stating the city’s opposition to the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, which will appear on the November 2024 ballot. The initiative, backed by the California Business Roundtable, would limit government agencies’ ability to impose fees and taxes.

Council member Shannon Shaw stated “Our options on funding sources are already limited. We should protect what we’ve got.” The vote passed 5-0.

In other action, Scott Wannamaker, assistant fire chief with the Contra Costa County Fire District (ConFire), also presented an upbeat report to the Council on the ongoing improvements to fire services fueled by the tax boost from Measure X at Stations 93 and 95 in the city. After years of bleak assessments from the former East Contra Costa Fire Department, ConFire is now filling fresh engine crews at formerly shut stations in the area.

Wannamaker also noted that all engine crews are now staffed with crews with advanced life support training. All companies are also staffed by certified emergency medical technicians. Wannamaker also described his EMS division’s helicopter and canine services.

In other mostly routine votes, the Council voted unanimously to approve a “compliance checklist” for the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, which will keep transit funding for approved projects flowing to the city.

The City Council also hailed the work of the East Contra Costa Historical

Society, which posted their mobile history banners funded with a city grant in the Council Chambers Tuesday night.

Doreen Pierce Forlow, Carol Jensen and Juli Del Barba Favatora represented the Society and described their program “Oakley Through Time” Banner Project, which aims to foster understanding of Oakley’s rich history of development over the decades starting with the settling of the area by Miwok Native American tribe.

Jensen noted, “Oakley is the heart of the California Delta.” Forlow reported on the group’s education efforts through the banner project at local schools and thanked the Council for their moral and financial support.

For more information: www. ci.oakley.ca.us/agendas-minutes-videosarchive/

Photo by Chris Campos

Members of the East Contra Costa Historical Society displayed their mobile history banner project at the Oakley City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Violent crime up, property crime down

Brentwood police chief gives update

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD Although property crime in Brentwood is decreasing, the number of violent crimes rose, according to a presentation by Police Chief Tim Herbert.

The presentation, part of the March 28 Brentwood City Council meeting, covered topics such as crime rates in the city as well as statistics about the size of the police department and the average response times from the report of a crime to when an officer arrives on the scene.

“The purpose of this report is to hold

ourselves accountable, be transparent to our community and to also assess staffing needs,” Herbert explained.

The rise in violent crime, Herbert said, can be attributed to a rise in the number of simple assaults between 2021 and 2022. While the violent crime rate in Brentwood rose by 10.57%, there was less than a 1% increase in violent crime if simple assaults were excluded from the data. Simple assault is defined as a battery against a person that does not amount to serious bodily injury and no use of a deadly weapon. The number of these rose from 378 incidents in 2021 to 440 in 2022.

While the rise in violent crime was explainable, Herbert did not have a clear-cut answer for the decrease in property crime. He said one possible reason was less reporting of property crimes.

“Either businesses that are being vic-

tims of thefts aren’t calling or citizens that are victims of thefts from ‘21 to ‘22 just feel that nothing can be done or nothing’s gonna be done even if the person is arrested. So they’re not calling,” he said. “It’s too hard to understand.”

The percentage of cases solved in Brentwood is comparable to rates nationwide, according to Herbert, who presented the council with a table showing clearance rates (the percentage of cases solved) for various crimes. Among the statistics were a 100% clearance rate for murder, 6% for auto theft and 53% for assault. Over the last 10 years, the amount of crime in the city has stayed relatively consistent, Herbert said.

One concern Herbert said was the need for more officers. The department has 50 sworn officers, 5 of whom are out with job-related injuries. Six more open positions

have not been filled. Councilmember Tony Oerlemans, a retired police officer, asked Herbert if the number of applications for openings was down compared to five years ago. Herbert answered that there are fewer people seeking roles in law enforcement compared to then due to the “climate” around policing.”

“I don’t have exact numbers, but it was much easier five years ago to hire, especially entry-level officers,” Herbert said. “We had more people interested in becoming police officers and wanting to be in this profession.”

Herbert ended his presentation by thanking the council for their support since he took over the role of police chief last year.

The full presentation can be watched online as part of the March 28 council meeting at https://bit.ly/41iPczU

Brentwood police defend use of military equipment

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

Brentwood police held a community meeting Tuesday to explain to the public why they’re spending money on and using military equipment – even if the community did not show up.

“We are a small town,” Brentwood police Chief Tim Herbert told a crowd of no one. “But we have big-city problems every now and again, and you have to be able to address a big-city problem in a small town with big-city resources. That’s the key and you never know when it’s going to happen.”

The explanation of what was used and what the department is asking for not only in accordance with Assembly Bill 481 and Brentwood Police Policy. The state law requires law enforcement agencies to report to and obtain approval of the applicable governing body (City Council), of any use of military equipment.

According to the presentation from Herbert, last year Brentwood police used drones, Colt AR-15 M4 assault ri-

fles, 40mm rounds, CS (Chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) gas, or tear gas, and a stinger CS gas grenade.

“We’re in the profession of ‘We’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t,’” Herbert said.

“We’ve had to rely on incidents where we’ve had to rely on other agencies to utilize their equipment,” said officer Mitch Brouillette of the Brentwood police SWAT team. “We need those things in our community to have access to not have to rely on someone else, to try and be as self-sufficient as possible.”

Military equipment was used in three incidents last year, all for search warrants, police said. Despite military equipment being used, Brentwood police reported that there were no public concerns or complaints regarding the equipment, and there were no internal investigations about the department’s use of the equipment.

This year, the department is asking for new ammunition rounds, flashbangs, and new AR-15/M4s that are labeled as “enhanced patrol rifles.”

“The (old) patrol rifles, I’m going to replace them,” Herbert said about the request for the new rifles. Herbert

said his request for the rifles is because the old ones can’t fit new optics on them for drastic situations.

“If I can get the advantage to the point where (Brentwood police) have a better advantage over the bad guy, then why wouldn’t I get that, right?”

“A lot of these items are types of things where you use it and it’s gone.”

The department approached City Council with almost the same report last year, while then-police Chief Tom Hansen asked for a $380,000 armored rescue truck back in August.

“I can’t see us not purchasing this,” then-Councilmember Karen Rarey said at the time. “It’s a no -brainer for our community.”

Not only was the request cleared, it was fully supported by both the Council and the community, according to Herbert.

Herbert’s effort for transparency within the department comes at a time of distrust between the police and

see Equipment page 12

Photo by Melissa Christine Photography

For print, email your events to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. For online, post your events for free on The Press Community Calendar www.thepress.net/calendar.

This Week’s Events

Saturday, April 29

Louisiana Crawfish Boil

The Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. is hosting a crawfish boil. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner starts at 6. The event will also feature baskets that will be raffled off. Tickets are $40 per person with limited availability. The fundraiser will go to support their veterans outreach programs as well as the group’s plans to build an outside patio. For more information, call (925) 437-9536 or email bvmb2023@gmail.com

Cruisin’ with Christ Car Show

All God’s Children Christian School and the Delta Presbyterian Church are hosting a car show from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The event will include awards, raffles, food trucks, local vendors, photo opportunities and music. Entry is a $50 donation, and the first 30 entries will receive gift bags. For more information, contact Michelle Jones at 707-7047215 or email mjones.agccarshow@gmail.com. To register your vehicle, visit https://bit.ly/3A625lG

Retro Summer Block Party

The Oakley Youth Advisory Council is hosting the first summer block party at 6 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. The event will feature games like giant Jenga and cornhole, and music. The original Jumanji film will begin when it gets dark. For more information, call (925) 625-7041.

Arbor

Day Celebration

The city of Brentwood is hosting an Arbor Day celebration in Miwok Park near Regal Drive from 9 a.m.-noon. Residents are invited to sign-up to plant trees, spread mulch and pick up trash. For more information and to register, visit https://bit. ly/3GLLsiU

Free Shred it Day

The St. Anne Council Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a free shred it day from 9 a.m.-noon in the St. Anne Chapel parking lot at 2800 Camino Diablo. The event is a free and safe way to destroy old tax returns, legal documents, canceled checks or any other sensitive documents.

On the Horizon

Friday, May 5 City of Oakley Concerts in the Park

The city of Oakley is featuring concerts in the park in May in partnership with their Friday Night Bites event from 5-9 p.m. in Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. The band featured is The Real Thang Band. For more information about the concert, contact Alicia at (925) 625-7044 or email: oleary@ ci.oakley.ca.us.

Looking for more things to do?

Saturday, May 6

Oakley Senior Center Car Show

The Oakley Senior Center is hosting their annual car show at 215 Second St. from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The event showcases antique and collector cars, trucks and motorcycles. Ribbons and awards will be given for Best of Show. For more information and to register, call 925-626-7223.

Sunday, May 7

Brentwood Literary Stroll

The Friends of the Brentwood Library is hosting a literary stroll from 1-4 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. The event features several authors from different restaurants and businesses throughout downtown. Check-in tables will be at the corner of First and Chestnut streets and on the corner of Second and Oak streets. Tickets are $5, and can be purchased at https://bit.ly/3MPH9GR.

Tuesday, May 9

4th Annual East Bay Business Expo and Job Fair

The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and the city of Brentwood are hosting their annual East Bay Business Expo and Job Fair at the Brentwood Community Center at 35 Oak St. The free event starts at 4 p.m. and will feature raffles, giveaways, free food and a wine tasting. For more information, call (925) 634-3344 or go to https://bit.ly/40CIJz4.

Wednesday, May 10

Senior Health and Wellness Expo

Cogir of Brentwood at 150 Cortona Way and the Laura Nelson Real Estate Team is hosting a health and wellness expo for seniors from 10 a.m.-noon. The expo will include informational resources from Suncrest Hospice, which will provide blood pressure checks, Med Solutions, who will provide walker and wheelchair checks, the Brentwood Police Department, Bass Medical, The Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center, The Key Hom Care, Kaleidoscope, Family Matters and Accent care Home Health. The event will feature giveaways and snacks. For more information, contact Edrienne Baebler at ebaebler@cogirusa.com or (619) 339-3474.

Thursday, May 11

2nd Annual Whiskey Walk

The Rotary Club of Brentwood is hosting their annual Whiskey Walk at De Luna Ranch at 7540 Balfour Road from 6-8 p.m. The event will feature a variety of whiskey tastings, including some from local distilleries, along with music, food, and raffle and door prizes. All proceeds from this event will go to support scholarships in our local schools. Tickets are $70 and include five tastings. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https:// bit.ly/40CJHvc.

Friday, May 12

Mamapalooza

The Downtown Brentwood Coalition and the Tracy Nelson Team is hosting the Mother’s Day- inspired event Mamapalooza in downtown Brentwood from 6-9 p.m. The event will feature live music, photo opportunities, giveaways and raffles and will have 17 participating stops. Tickets are $10. For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://bit.ly/3GPp1cl

Saturday, May 13

Rotary Club of Oakley Foundation Gala 2023

The Oakley Club of Rotary is hosting their fourth annual gala at La Grande Estates at 1799 Carpenter Road from 5:30-10 p.m. The theme for this year’s gala is “An Evening Under the Stars.” The event will feature entertainment by DJ Brandon, raffles, a silent, live, and dessert auction, along with a door prize. Tickets are $65 and includes dinner and dancing. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http:// bit.ly/3KrKsmc

Denim & Diamonds:

2nd Annual Ladies’ Luncheon

Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church is hosting their annual ladies luncheon to benefit The Gabriel Project at St. Anthony Parish’s Padua Hall at 971 O’Hara Ave. from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The event will include a raffle, games and a contest for the best themed attire. The cost is $20 per person. For more information and to reserve a spot, contact Patty Loosli at (925) 348-6064 or Pattyfuloosli59@ comcast.com

Saturday, May 20

Los Vaqueros Reservoir

25th Anniversary Open House

The Contra Costa Water District is hosting a free open house for the Los Vaqueros Reservoir’s 25th anniversary from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Los Vaqueros Interpretive Center at 19 Walnut Blvd. The event will feature information on how Los Vaqueros operates, a shuttle trip to the top of the Los Vaqueros Dam, a nature hike, an augmented reality sandbox along with other family-friendly activities. For more information and to reserve a spot, visit http://bit.ly/3JYSp0E

Annual Kustoms and Klassics Car Show

The Discovery Bay Community Foundation is hosting their annual Kustoms and Klassics car show at the Marina Bar & Grill at 5879 Marina Road from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Special guest will be Erik Estrada, best known from the TV series CHIPs. Car show entry is $35. For more information and to register for the event, visit http://bit. ly/3zNcClt

Events

East County 4-H Club Meetings

Oakley: The Oakley 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. For more information, email Amanda at oakley@contracosta.org. The Delta-Diablo 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Thursday at 6:30 p.m at 3840 Brown Road in Oakley. For more information contact Megan and Tiffany at deltadiablo@ contracosta4h.org Brentwood: The Brentwood 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m at the Knightsen Farm Center located on 3020 2nd Street. For more information, contact Angela at brentwood@ contracosta4h.org Knightsen: The Knightsen 4-H Club has monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m at Knightsen Elementary School located at 1923 Delta Road. 4-H members are girls and boys ages 5–19 years old.

East County Veteran Meetings

Brentwood: The American Legion Post 202 monthly meeting (on the second Wednesday of the month) is held at 6:30 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. in Brentwood. The meeting is open to all U.S. Armed Services veterans. The organization encourages all veterans in East County to come and see what is available to them. For more information, visit https://www.aml202.org Oakley: The Veterans of Oakley monthly meeting (on the first Wednesday of each month) is held at 5:30 p.m. at the Oakley Senior Center on 215 2nd Street. For more information call 925-783-0818 or visit http://bit.ly/3mugBjv

Oakley Senior Center

Food Distribution

The Oakley Senior Center at 215 2nd St. gives out free food every Thursday from 1-2:30 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their own grocery bags.

East County Rotary Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Rotary Club meets weekly on Monday at noon at the Wedgewood Banquet Center at 100 Summerset Drive in Brentwood. For more information, visit https:// www.brentwoodrotary94513.com Oakley: The Oakley Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, 3201 Main St. in Oakley. For more information, visit http:// rotaryclubofoakley.com Antioch: The Antioch Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at noon at Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center, 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. For more information, visit http://www.antiochrotaryclub.com/ The Rotary Club of the Delta meets weekly on Wednesday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s, 4823 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. For more information, visit https://www.rotaryclubofthedelta.org/.

Los Medanos College honors Cesar Chavez

Los Medanos celebrated the life and work of labor leader and social activist Cesar Chavez with an award ceremony on April 21st dedicated to those who exemplify Chavez’s example of service, activism, and nonviolent social change.

To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net/multimedia

Samurai prides themselves on providing the best experience for you. They offer Teppanyaki, sushi and Sashimi dinners, and Donburi meals served with miso soup and green salad. See their chefs perform using the beautiful art of Teppanyaki, or ‘iron plate grill.’  Japanese dinners include your favorite entrees and combination dinners, along with an amazing show. Samurai also has drink menus, so you are sure to have a great time.

5007 Lone Tree Way, Antioch www.samuraiantioch.com • 925-206-4644

Photos by Jeff Weisinger

EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY

o P inion

City mishandled Highway 4 sound wall

Editor:

The city of Brentwood had approved the extension of the sound wall by the City council in February, 2022 in the Siena community on the newly constructed Highway 4 Bypass that was opened to the public in July 2018.

Residents for the last five years have been following up with the state Assembly, city and Caltrans to address the Highway 4 noise issue that the residents have been suffering. It was determined that the city never followed the proper guidelines to reduce the noise level, and none of the standards were followed for mitigations.

The sound wall near the ramp is at the lowest level.

The council members newly elected in November 2022 want to block the project that was already approved and funded. The project was funded for $600,000 but the tender bid was received for $435,000 – much less than what was projected to extend the sound wall.

Please watch the City Council video from 2:48:02 to 2:51 to see how the newly elected Tony Oerlemans behaves badly with the Mayor of Brentwood on the live telecast of the City Council meeting and use inappropriate words. He has no control over his anger. You can also hear how the public commented on this issue in the meeting.

Sukumar Dash Brentwood

Skateboarding culture stereotype not what it seems

Editor:

Pop, crack, scrape, curse and repeat. These are the sounds of skating, and most will find this unappealing, being full of delinquents and low GPA students. But that is an old idea of the stereotypical skater.

Publisher Greg Robinson Controller Sandie McNulty

Editor Chris Campos

Production Manager Eric Kinnaird

Ad Services Manager Connie O’Neill

Founder & Publisher Emeritus Jimmy Chamoures

Have

Letters to the editor

Skateboarding is a counterculture; it is supposed to be against the norms of society and be different. But being a counterculture does not mean they can gatekeep to keep the “normies” out of their closed-off culture. It is supposed to be different and accepting to people of all colors, backgrounds, boards, and genders. But in recent times, skating has been discouraged by the community, leaving out people who are just starting, different board styles, or even ones who wear different clothing.

Quoting KCR’s article; Stirring the Pot Gatekeeping in the Skateboarding Community, “I just don’t know why I should feel like I’m judged for that. It shouldn’t matter how good I am, just that I enjoy it.”

The core idea of skating is to better yourself and, yes, to do cooler tricks. We all must start somewhere, and the community expects you to be in a specific shell. Some may say that people should gatekeep to keep it out of the mainstream. The mainstream seems like a big fear to most skaters; the concept of the community is alternative, staying away and keeping the mainstream by gatekeeping can be a solution to some.

Adachi Tohru Oakley

The struggle of first-generation Americans

Editor:

In the relentless cycle of being unable to appease everyone, the sting of judgment comes from all sides. Too American to their family, not American enough to their peers. Life in the inbetween for a first-generation American is a constant losing battle.

Though first-generation Americans, the first of their family to become a citizen in another country or the first to be born to immigrant parents, face many challenges due to growing up in a different country than their parents did, assimilating to American culture creates

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Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily the opinions of The Press, whose opinions are contained in clearly marked editorials.

Send correspondence to The Press, 248 Oak St., Brentwood, California, 94513; or email editor@ brentwoodpress.com.

cultural differences within their family that become their greatest challenge.

Growing up, many first-generation Americans follow American cultural practices more than the ones of their parents’ homeland, resulting in some first-generation Americans lacking connection to their home country. Cultural differences between a child and their parents can cause the child to not know where they belong.

Some argue that not knowing where they belong happens to everyone. However, the expectation to understand and contribute to two different cultures creates a burden upon the shoulders of many first-generation adolescents, which further alienates them and can prolong the journey of finding where they belong.

Loujain Habibi Brentwood

The trials of first-born Hispanic daughters

Editor:

Being the child to Hispanic parents brings along many joys and memories. The lives of first-born Hispanic daughters are vastly different to those born after her.

First-born Hispanic daughters often have it rougher growing up than her siblings. There are stigmas that surround her due to cultural norms, gender dynamics, and parent pressure. She learns young that she must perform an excessive number of chores and work. So, do Hispanic daughters exaggerate when it comes to talking about how being the first-born affects them negatively?

Coming from personal experience as a first-born Hispanic daughter, it is an extremely sensitive topic to dismiss because we are being prohibited from our childhoods. We had all this pressure put on us.

Hispanic families may have difficulty breaking generational traditions, but it will help the future generations to grow up better. If the parents are struggling with something in life and one must

City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council

City Hall 150 City Park Way

Brentwood, CA 94513

Phone: 925-516-5440

www.brentwoodca.gov

take care of her siblings, parents should consider that they should split the chores at home equally. Teach children how to express their thoughts and opinions. The process will be long, but it will help first-born daughters overall to feel seen and heard by family.

Mia Torres Brentwood LGBTQ+ community needs more legislative representation

Editor:

Should there be more representation for the LGBTQ+ members specifically for teens? In politics, teenagers do not get a say. It affects us, but we have no voice. Anti-LGBTQ+ laws are passed without any input on those they might be affecting. The overturning of Roe vs. Wade left laws about the LGBTQ+ community up to the state.

Some may say that the LGBTQ+ community is a topic that should be only for older age groups. People may even say the LGBTQ+ topic is inappropriate all together. However, once you learn how long people have known that they are not straight, you start to see things differently.

Not only do the anti-LGBTQ+ laws hurt young people’s knowledge it also limits them and has a negative effect on mental health not only of those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community but also their loved ones. The hate that forms these laws are detrimental to LGBTQ+ youth who start to believe no one will support them. Anti-LGBTQ+ laws can even create more opportunities for bullying. Laws like “do not say gay” are vague, to say the least, and extremely harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.

Kids who are 16 are trusted to drive cars, which is trusting them to drive safely. We should lower the voting age to include more of the people affected so we can do something about it. Clearly, protests are not working. And if things are changing, it is for the worse. There should be more representation for LGBTQ+ teens.

Tapanga Lewis Oakley

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

dist3@bos.cccounty.us

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3 East County youth overcome challenges

brought my self confidence down as I felt I was not accepted. I tried my very hardest to adapt to the environment by learning about the language, culture and traditions here.”

By Rene De Amaral Staff Writer

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors inducted 10 students – including three from East County – into the Youth Hall of Fame during their April 4 meeting.

Students were nominated by parents, teachers and other adults for their volunteerism, teamwork, perseverance, leadership and civic engagement or being a good Samaritan.

The three students from East County were Anayely Arreola Caldera, Zihan Cherry Chou and Jered E. Clark.

According to John M. Gioia of District 1, the Youth Hall of Fame awards are presented annually. “These awards were established in 1998 to recognize the service of local youth, both in their school and community,” he said during the meeting. “They are really role models for others.”

Gioia presented the award for perseverance to Liberty High School senior Anayely Arreola Caldera, who, according to Gioia, will be the first in her family to go to college, and is the first to play a competitive sport.

In a submitted video, Caldera said she was grateful for the award because her early years were not easy, having dealt with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. “Just pushing through that and getting through school and doing track, it’s been a lot,” Caldera said. “But as a young teen and being recognized for it, means a lot. It means that everything that I have been through has paid off.”

According to Gioia, Caldera eventually wants to be a lawyer and “understands

the power of being a role model to her younger sister and strives to show her sister that you can achieve anything you set your mind on,” Gioia said.

Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 2, presented the award for Teamwork to Adams Middle School eighth-grader Zihan Cherry Chou – the youngest volunteer at the Contra Costa division of the National Alliance of Mental Illness, better known as NAMI Contra Costa, beginning her volunteer work in the fourth grade.

According to Andersen, Chou, who goes primarily by Cherry, is passionate about building mental health-friendly communities and works to end mental health discrimination. Chou is a part of NAMI’s outreach team, and helps distribute food, hygiene products and pet food to unsheltered individuals.

Chou attended the meeting to accept her award in person. In her acceptance

speech, she said that her motivation stems from the difficulties and bullying she experienced when her family immigrated to the United States from China, and she goes out of her way to make people feel welcome.

“I came to America in 2016, and at that time I found out everything was different from what I knew in China,” Chou said. “I also experienced repeated bullying during my elementary school period due to my new immigrant background and language difficulties. At that time, the experience

Supervisor Diane Burgis, District 3, presented the award for perseverance to Black Diamond Middle School student Jered E. Clark. The eighth grader is dedicated to his schoolwork, extracurriculars and community, as he volunteers with local nonprofits and plays volleyball.

According to Burgis, Clark is self-motivated, outgoing and a “stand-up scholar.” Clark faced a difficult childhood after experiencing child neglect, being diagnosed with behavioral challenges and losing his parents to domestic violence and entering the foster care system at age 2.

Clark was also in attendance to accept his award. During his speech, he thanked the supervisors for honoring him and his wishes to connect with his family.

“I try my best on my assignments and always push through any challenges that come my way,” Clark said. “As you guys know, I lost my father at a very young age, and I still miss him to this day. I’m not in much contact with my mother but I try to be. And sometimes it’s hard. I barely see my little brother and never met my sister, really. I hope to someday. I would like to thank you again, I’m honored to be here. “

To view the Supervisors meeting and other Contra Costa youth inducted in the Hall of Fame, visit https://bit.ly/41mgPss.

East County youths Jered E. Clark, left, Zihan Cherry Chou and Anayely Arreola Caldera received Youth Hall of Fame awards during the April 4 Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting. Anayely is not pictured because she did not attend the meeting.

Photos courtesy of Supervisor Diane Burgis

Hometown SportS

Antioch NFL alum pays it forward to high school athletes in East County

WardBoy Project symposium on April 30

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

When he was growing up, Terron Ward had a plan to not just one day play in the NFL, but to be successful in life no matter what he did. The Antioch native, who now resides in Brentwood, went to and played for De La Salle High in Concord where he built his routine for success that eventually landed him with the Atlanta Falcons.

“If I had school at 8 a.m, I would wake up at 6:30 a.m., leave the house by 7:15 a.m. and get to school by 7:50 a.m.,” he said.

Along with his brother, eight-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl LV champion and De La Salle alum T.J. Ward, and their father, former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back and current De La Salle track coach Terrell Ward Sr., they are sharing those keys to success in a program at De La Salle on Sunday, April 30, called the “Better than Yesterday Student-Athlete Symposium.”

“The symposium is getting these kids to understand what it takes to be a successful student- athlete all around,” Ward said. “From being a good student to being

a good athlete, to being a good manager, to being disciplined, self-sufficient, reliable, and accountable.”

“Most people who do make it have that same kind of discipline to do things the right way.”

The symposium is put on by the WardBoy Project – formerly known as the T.J. Ward Foundation when T.J. Ward

started it in 2014 in Denver during his time with the Broncos. The name of the foundation changed in 2015 when Terron Ward joined the foundation after signing with the Falcons. The mission of the foundation remains the same: “to provide community outreach for youth through various channels within and through their section of the community by supporting them with

resources, programs, and opportunities throughout the Bay Area,” according to the foundation’s website.

The full-day symposium is for student-athletes and their parents. Aimed at the underrepresented youth, the symposium is expecting about 50 student athletes.

Tickets to the symposium are $75 and include physical training sessions to assess strength, speed, quickness along with sessions on mental health and wellness, parenting tips for parents of student-athletes, and proper dieting. There are also sessions by Coach Bobby Bluford and the Ward family on tips to be a successful student-athlete.

The WardBoy Project will also award the first “TK Scholarship” at the symposium. The scholarship is named after the late Terrence Kelly, the former Spartans linebacker and teammate of T.J. Ward who was shot and killed just two days before leaving to go play college football at the University of Oregon in August of 2004.

“Basically we’re trying to keep his namesake alive, offering scholarships to underprivileged kids to attend De La Salle who may never get the opportunity,” Ward said of the scholarship.

For more information on the symposium and the foundation itself, visit http:// wardboyproject.org.

To view a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net/multimedia/slideshows

Deer Valley boys volleyball beats Heritage, 3-1

victory to even up the series.

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

The Deer Valley Wolverines volleyball boys team took sole possession of first place in the Bay Valley Athletic League with a 3-1 victory over the host Heritage Patriots on Thursday, April 20.

The Patriots’ defense struggled all match long and surrendered 22 kills to Wolverines’ hitter Parker Reich and 14 to Vincent Cecilio, while the rest of the Wolverines team combined for eight kills.

“They were hitting very smartly, they didn’t need to hit hard at us, they were tipping us and our defense was not doing what it needed to be doing to cover,” Patriots head coach Janet Hannigan said of the loss.

In the Patriots’ final practice leading up to their Thursday night match-up against the Wolverines, outside starter Marcus Krepp suffered a leg injury that

would force Heritage to use Alex Auldridge to replace Krepp. Auldridge led the Patriots team in kills with 13.

“He took my spot pretty well. I’m proud of him,” said Krepp.

The teams went back and forth in the opening set until with the score tied at 18

The Wolverines took the top spot in the Bay Valley Athletic League after defeating the Patriots 3-1 in their April 20 match.

In the third and fourth sets, the Patriots played from behind the entire time. Each time the Patriots managed to tie the score or cut the Wolverines’ lead to one, Deer Valley would go on a run to stretch their lead back out to four points. This kept the Wolverines in control to win the final two sets by scores of 25-18 and 2521, and the match 3-1.

“I think the right people are there. It’s just not always executing, and getting stuck in an error where we would make a mistake and couldn’t figure out how to get out of it,” Hannigan said.

Deer Valley went on a 4-0 run to take a commanding 22-18 lead. This enabled the Wolverines to win the first set 25-21.

In the second set, the teams were tied at 12 until the Patriots went on a scoring run of their own, outscoring the Wolverines 7-1 as they cruised to a 25-15 Set 2

Patriots outside hitter Titan Smallwood said, “It’s our own personal mistakes and errors; we get in our own heads. There was nothing crazy special that Deer Valley did; we just weren’t excelling at anything.”

With the win over the Patriots, the Wolverines take sole possession of first place in BVAL with a 7-1 record with two games remaining before playoffs. Heritage falls to second place where they are now tied with the Liberty Lions at 6-2.

Antioch native and former NFL player Terron Ward breaks the huddle during one of his kids camps.

Photo courtesy WardBoy Project

Photo by Juan Cebreiros

Match was for first place in BVAL

lar of support since Day 1.

Having a young family and running an online business and a physical store is no easy feat, admits Palos.

Her strength, encouragement, and support come from family, especially her husband—Juan Olmedo, and Maria.

“He (Olmedo) never tells me ‘no,’ and although it may seem impossible, he always tells me we will figure it out.

“He is the one who builds all my panels (for balloon installations) and whatnot,” said a teary-eyed Palos.

Palos’ mother, who lives in Southern California, helps fulfill online orders from all over the globe, such as the United Kingdom, China, Australia, and Spain.

As a Latino businesswoman, Palos noted that opportunities do not come around easily so she wants to ensure every sacrifice made by her family is “worth it.”

“My whole family works hard, so we need to keep pushing and growing.

“I hope my kids will have it easier when they get older,” noted Palos.

Over the past eight years, Palos has sold more than 12,000 DIY balloon decor kits and has installed hundreds of themed balloon decor artwork in the Bay Area.

Palos’ bold style and design inspiration are from her growing years in Whittier in Southern California.

“I did a lot of growing up in Southern California, and the style has a different flavor, not seen as much here.”

Palos attributes her style and inspiration to her Latino culture. “As a child, my parents would take us to different types of fairs in Los Angeles and museums where I would see both classic and modern art,” she said. “We would spend our summers in Guadalajara (Mexico) where I admired the work of many Mexican artists.”

She added as teen she fell in love with street art as she attended many art walks and underground hip hop shows.

“I think a little twinkle of my upbringing and everything I experienced peeks through in my creativity when creating art,” Palos said.

“I moved to the Bay Area 13 years ago, but I still have that Southern California in me that comes out (through my ideas and design),” she said.

Opening up a brick-and-mortar shop also means fostering closer ties and sharing her skills with the local community.

Palos said she will be conducting workshops to teach anyone interested in learning how to create balloon garlands and installations for their own parties and events.

“I also want to have some sourced items made by the locals in the community so they can have a space to advertise their products in our store,” she added.

The store is open from Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information, visit https:// soireelove.com/ or @soireelove on Instagram.

Dimelsa Palos and her family launched Soiree Love in Brentwood recently.

Photo by Ron Essex Photography

Agricultural center takes root

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD A $2.24 million Agricultural Innovation Center may soon sprout up in Brentwood after an April 24 meeting of the Agricultural Enterprise Committee in which it was unanimously recommended that the City Council approve funding at a future meeting.

“In my opinion, it’s amazing,” Mayor Joel Bryant said. Bryant and Vice Mayor Susannah Meyer make up the Agricultural Enterprise Committee. “It’s exactly what I was hoping to see – never thought I would - happen out here.”

The project was brought before the committee by Harvest Time, a Brentwood organization that promotes agriculture tourism. The organization has been around since the 1970s, according to their website, and its goal is to promote awareness of local U-Pick farms, farm stands, country stores and local wineries.

Harvest Time’s proposal, if approved by the City Council, would see the city assist in funding the project through use of its Agricultural Mitigation Fund, according to the agenda packet. The proposed Agricultural Innovation Center would be built on a seven-acre parcel of land at 3900 Sellers Ave. known as the Nail Property. It was purchased by the city in 2007.

“This conceptual design was crafted

Equipment from page 5

public, especially in other cities. He says that isn’t much of a problem in Brentwood, where the department has the support of the community it serves.

“Community engagement is the most important and being transparent is the most important thing,” Herbert said. “We can’t police without the support of our community. If the community is not going to be supportive of us, and be able to step forward and be witnesses and help us out, then we’re not going to be able to solve crime. And that comes with transparency and trust.”

Councilmember Tony Oerlemans at-

with a focus on youth, education, agricultural development and the farming community,” Harvest Time President Jessica Enos said in a video presented to the committee that outlined the project proposal. Enos also spoke at the meeting in person, alongside Harvest Time board members Sean McCauley and Bryan Lucay.

Features of the proposed innovation center seen in the video included a community garden, a historic farmhouse that would be converted into conference room spaces and 4H livestock pens that could be rented out to children in the program who would not otherwise have the space to raise livestock.

“I think there’s a lot of potential for strengthening our identity as an agricultural community,” Meyer said following the video presentation while expressing interest in the space being used as a potential tourist attraction that could host events as well. “This is a great opportunity to strengthen it even more.”

Following the recommendation from the Agricultural Enterprise Committee to have City Council approve funding of the innovation center, the project will be brought before City Council in an upcoming meeting where they can vote on it.

The full meeting can be watched at https://bit.ly/442a7tj. More information about Harvest Time is at www.harvestforyou.com

tended Tuesday’s meeting and also stressed the importance of the transparency behind what the police department is trying to do.

“The reason for this is education,” he said. “Most people don’t trust things they don’t understand, right? So, if you can educate them and get them to understand why an AR-15 is a needed piece of equipment, then all of a sudden you’ve taken away that mystique, the rumors, and they realize there’s a purpose for that gun.”

“Then all of a sudden all the distrust starts to kind of fade away, all the garbage rumors start to fade away, because they start to understand what these guys do.”

Cop logs

reported on Empire Avenue. Someone came in and jumped over the counter at the location. They broke glass and took items, and then ran off.

The following is a selection of recent law enforcement activity:

BRENTWOOD

April 8, 1:10 a.m. A suspicious person was reported on Cobalt Lane. The reporting party stated that someone is on the front porch yelling for them to come out or else he is going to come in.

April 8, 2:17 a.m. A suspicious person was reported on Havenwood Court. A female was pounding on the door and broke the reporting party’s window on their vehicle.

April 8, 4:00 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Havenwood Court.

April 8, 6:33 a.m. A strong-arm robbery was reported on Snapdragon Court. Someone came into the reporting party’s home in a ski mask and robbed her.

April 8, 11:02 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported on Revenna Way. A gray 2013 Hyundai Elantra was taken.

April 8, 1:44 p.m. A fight was reported on Waterville Drive. The fight was determined to be a domestic dispute.

April 8, 5:09 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Sand Creek Road.

April 8, 9:00 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported. The reporting party believes his

phone was stolen and is asking employees to let him see the surveillance footage. The employees are refusing to let him see it.

April 8, 11:19 p.m. A case of defrauding an innkeeper was reported on Second Street. A female client left without paying for her service.

April 9, 1:45 a.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Lone Tree Way/Windy Springs Lane. A white Honda Accord crashed into a tree. The driver was seen walking around the vehicle.

April 9, 4:40 p.m. A restraining/court order violation was reported on Pelican Street.

April 9, 7:53 p.m. A noise complaint was reported from Jacaranda Street. Someone was yelling, and this incident resulted in an arrest.

April 9, 10:36 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Bond Lane.

April 10, 8:36 a.m. A restraining/court order violation was reported on Norris Street.

April 10, 8:39 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. Someone took the school van over the weekend.

April 10, 10:07 a.m. A burglary from a vehicle was reported on Harvest Park Drive.

April 10, 11:44 a.m. A strong-arm robbery was reported on Empire Avenue. Someone

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came in and jumped over the counter at the location. They broke glass and took items, and then took off on foot.

April 10, 12:14 p.m. A threats complaint was reported on Lone Tree Way. The reporting party was picking up an order when a male bumped into her. She pushed him and the males threatened to “whoop the reporting party’s ass.” He was then waiting outside the store for the reporting party to come out.

April 10, 3:04 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Balfour Road. Two people took $400 worth of seafood and fled in a gold Toyota Corolla.

April 10, 5:24 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on Central Boulevard. Multiple accounts were being opened under the reporting party’s name.

April 10, 7:30 p.m. A suspicious person was reported on Wolfe Road/Centennial Place.

April 10, 11:23 p.m. A suspicious person was reported on Roselinda Court.

ANTIOCH

April 9, 7:17 a.m. An aggravated assault was reported at the 2700 block on Harvest Lane.

April 9, 3:40 p.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 4800 block on Lone Tree Way.

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April 9, 4:51 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 1100 block on W. 6th Street.

April 9, 6:55 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 1700 block on Mount Silliman Way.

April 9, 9:04 p.m. A simple assault was reported on Sunset Lane/Davison Drive.

April 9, 9:26 p.m. A collision with unknown injuries was reported at the 100 block on W. 6th Street.

April 9, 9:27 p.m. A threats complaint was reported at the 300 block on W. Madill Street.

April 10, 12:48 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported at the 3100 block on Contra Loma Boulevard.

April 10, 2:42 a.m. A simple assault was reported on L Street/Claudia Court.

April 10, 4:05 a.m. An attempted robbery was reported at the 0 block on W. 17th Street.

April 10, 6:12 a.m. A vehicle burglary was reported at the 3000 block on Madison Court.

April 10, 8:11 a.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 2100 block on L Street.

April 10, 8:16 a.m. A vehicle burglary was reported on Harris Drive/Shaddick Drive.

April 10, 9:21 a.m. A case of grand theft was reported at the 4100 block on Lone Tree Way.

April 10, 12:37 p.m. A robbery was reported at the 3400 block on Deer Valley Road.

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‘I don’t think we’ve seen the worst of it yet’

By Chris Campos Staff Writer

MARTINEZ The legal quagmire sparked by revelations of racial texts at the Antioch Police Department has begun to hit the county budget. And the cost will not be cheap.

Calling it a “watershed moment” for the county, Public Defender Ellen McDonnell told the Board of Supervisors that she will be looking to add staff to handle the added load on her office.

“I don’t think we’ve seen the worst of it yet,” McDonnell said Monday.

District Attorney Dian Becton told the board Monday during budget presentations that she will be seeking to add four new attorneys to her staff to start reviewing past cases submitted by the Antioch

Budget from page 1

Police Department.

Becton told supervisors that a minimum of 800 cases will have to be reexamined for incidents of implied bias. “Even completed convictions must be investigated,” Becton emphasized. She said “It will take several years to process all the cases involved in the scandal… They’re (Antioch police) costing us money.”

McDonnell earlier told the Antioch City Council. “We can’t downplay this issue. This isn’t a few officers. We’ve reviewed there are 45 officers on these text chains that are disclosed thus far. Fortyfive Antioch police officers, 16 of them are in leadership roles. There’s an internal affairs officer that’s part of these texts, showing once again the police cannot police themselves.”

The investigation into the Antioch police followed an investigation into the

Due to difficulties in recruitment, retention, and normal turnover, the following nine departments are maintaining vacancy factors totaling $101.5 million: Health Services, Sheriff-Coroner, Employment and Human Services, District Attorney, County Clerk-Recorder, Probation, Public Defender, Animal Services, and Assessor.

General purpose revenue for 2023-24 totals $725.1 million, an increase of 9.3% over the prior year budget of $663.6 million. Of the major revenue sources, property taxes are the largest category and total $496.9 million, based on an assumed 4% growth over current year projected collections.

The next largest sources are Measure X sales tax at $118.2 million, interest income at $30 million, and sales and use taxes at $22.2 million.

Clashes

Council to take a five-minute recess during the April 25 meeting. The topic of discussion at the time had been two items on the consent calendar.

The contested items related to a purchase order for police-related software and one for the approval of a contract for construction of a sound wall along a portion of Highway 4 adjacent to Livorno Street south of Carrara Street.

Oerlemans had requested the two items be pulled for discussion at the same time. Councilmember Jovita Mendoza had moved to adopt the items except for items C-1 and C-3, which were proclamations. Vice Mayor Susannah Meyer seconded Mendoza’s motion nearly simultaneously with Oerlemans’ request, which can be seen at the 2-hour-and-43-minute mark of the recorded meeting on the city’s website. Mendoza then amended her motion to not include those items, once again

Pittsburg police department after the D.A.’s office received a tip in September, 2021 that one of its officers was involved in illegal activities that also included other Pittsburg and Antioch officers, according to the East Bay Times. Part of that illegal activity reported was officers abusing the use of prescription testosterone supplements and submitting falsified college records.

Through two reports that have been released by the county D.A. office – one an overall report from all of texts that were sent from 2019 through early 2021 and one solely from an investigation into actions taken during a felony criminal case during that time – the police officers mentioned in the report were frequently saying racist remarks about suspects they were either investigating or took into custody. They also poked fun at suspects who

they physically abused, sending photos of them in the hospital.

The findings of the investigation could compromise thousands of cases, possibly overturning them due to the racist nature of the texts, according to the report by the district attorney that says that the findings “documents potential dishonesty, perjury, abuse of authority, and the violation of individual’s civil rights.” Defense attorneys in cases involving the Antioch officers could use the racist texts as evidence of their bias in making arrests.

Sheriff David Livingston, giving his quarterly Oversight Report to the supervisors Monday, said “This type of activity is unacceptable at the Sheriff’s Department. We do hold people accountable. I’m pretty confident that this wouldn’t happen here.”

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The recommended budget is structurally balanced. However, the following items are potential pressures to the recommended spending plan:

• Persistent high inflation and economic uncertainty;

• Unanticipated impacts from the governor’s May revised budget proposal and shortfalls in federal allocations;

• Decreasing county revenue growth;

• Disallowed FEMA reimbursement related to COVID-19;

Interest income is projected to be received close to double in 2022-23 of what is budgeted for 2023-24; this is as a result of increases in interest rates. Only $725.1 million of the $5.515 billion 2023-24 recommended budget is funded with general purpose revenues. The majority of the budget ($2.876 billion) is funded from state and federal revenues.

being seconded by Meyer. Council approved it unanimously.

The confusion came when Bryant tried to move on to the business items part of the meeting without having discussed them. “The motion on the floor was not pulling them,” he explained.

After Oerlemans asked why the two items were not going to be discussed, Assistant City Attorney Katherine Wisinski was asked to explain the process.

“The mayor read out the motion as only pulling C-1 and C-3,” she said. “That was confirmed as the motion and a vote was taken on that motion.”

Councilmember Pa’tanisha Pierson explained that she had only voted on the motion because she was under the impression the items requested by Oerlemans would also be pulled. Wisinski explained that Bryant had read back the motion as he understood it – which did not include Oerlemans’ request – and that was what

had been approved.

• Labor contract negotiations for agreements expiring June 30, 2023;

• Limited qualified workforce to fill job vacancies For more information: https://www.contracosta. ca.gov/4664/Board-Meeting-Agendas-and-Videos To comment, visit www.thepress.net

“You don’t understand anything,” Oerlemans interjected when Bryant attempted to speak. “I am disgusted with the ability for you to push something forward to make it appear that it’s a fair and judicial way of handling an item on a council where we’re supposed to be heard.”

Oerlemans called Bryant’s actions garbage and characterized them as pathetic, pushing away his microphone. It was at this point that Oerlemans exited the chamber, causing the recess.

Following the recess, the council moved into discussion, with the help of the assistant city attorney, of a reconsideration of item C-14. The reconsideration was approved 3-2, with Meyer and Mendoza in dissent. Oerlemans requested the item be discussed as part of the May 9 meeting of the city council.

“It’s 5 years, what’s another two weeks?” Oerlemans asked after Mendoza pointed out that the sound wall project had been in development for years.

“I’m ready to just get it done,” Mendoza replied. “These poor residents have been put through the wringer.”

Meyer asked Assistant City Manager Darin Gale how many times the council had already committed to the project. Gale did not have an exact number. But

he said it had been at least five times and that the consent item had been to award a contract.

“Enough please,” Bryant said as Mendoza and Oerlemans began to argue over the item again, with Mendoza accusing Oerlemans and Pierson of trying to kill the project altogether. “We have committed that we are going to behave professionally up here. There will be times when things are very emotional, but I have confidence in every one of you that you can behave yourselves with respect, selfrespect and professionalism because our residents are owed that from us.”

Ultimately, the vote on whether or not to approve a contract for the sound wall project was moved to the May 9 council meeting in a 3-2 vote with Meyer and Mendoza dissenting.

Other items discussed included the unanimous approval of an agenda item that would allow developers to build duet units on any lot in a subdivision and a unanimous decision to allow for speakers to be given five minutes for public comments rather than three.

The full city council meeting can be watched online at https://bit.ly/3LuMd1p The exchange between Oerlemans and Bryant begins around the 2-hour-and52-minute mark.

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“ The budget is more than numbers on a page. It’s the embodiment of our values.

Board Chairman John Gioia