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Tribune MARTINEZ
At left: Brandi Pico of the Martinez Community Swim Team. – LAUREL PUREWAL / Courtesy
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July 1-7, 2016 Vol. 1, No. 48 martineztribune.com
Congressmen visit Inmate Doug Stewart passing on hangs to torch for Homeless Outreach Martinez, present death at Martinez’s homeless population to be sole focus of outreach $4.5 million check Martinez Detention Facility By DAVID SCHOLZ Martinez Tribune
MARTINEZ, Calif. – The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the District Attorney’s Office are investigating an in-custody death that occurred last Thursday at the Martinez Detention Facility. Fifty-seven-year-old Alexander Legaspi of Bay Point was arrested July 6, 2015. He was being held on 15 felony counts of child molestation, with bail set at $22 million. Around 7:15 a.m. last Thursday, June 23, an inmate notified a deputy that Legaspi was passed out in the shower. The deputy responded immediately, finding Legaspi slumped inside the shower. A bed sheet had been tied to the shower frame. The deputy called for assistance and started CPR. Medical staff responded and performed resuscitation efforts. The fire department and ambulance also responded, but Legaspi was pronounced dead at the scene. At autopsy was conducted June 24, with the cause of death cited as asphyxia by hanging. It is unknown as of presstime whether Legaspi committed suicide or was the target of a homicide.
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Like a postal carrier, Doug Stewart has ventured out on the coldest, hottest and wettest nights to make his rounds around Martinez and 16 other communities that dot Contra Costa County. His customers don’t have addresses. They are the homeless. Some have chosen to live on the streets, while there are others who’ve taken this path due to unfortunate circumstances. Nonetheless, for 12 years, Stewart has headed up the Contra Costa
Homeless Outreach, committed to providing a humane touch to a part of humanity others opt not to see. Martinez has been the biggest contract for Outreach, followed by Richmond and Concord. “We gave the county 24-hour services,’’ said Stewart. “All 12 years I worked every holiday.’’ “I love to work with the homeless; I loved to get out at night,’’ he continued. Whether it was a badly needed pair of warm socks and a blanket on frigid nights, toiletries like a tooth brush and paste, refreshing STEWART: Page 2
E. CLARK / Martinez Tribune
Doug Stewart, who founded Contra Costa Homeless Outreach, retired Wednesday, June 29, 2016.
MARTINEZ, Calif. – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-5) and Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) visited the Martinez Early Childhood Center on Monday to present a check totaling $4.5 million of federal grant money to support Head Start services throughout Contra Costa County. Specifically, the funding will be used to increase the number of children in high quality early learning programs with local partnerships, increase the rate of pay for Family Child Care Providers, and increase teacher qualifications, educational standards, and family and community engagement. “Head Start and Early Head Start programs are of tremendous value to our community,” said Rep. Thompson. “I am proud to have helped secure these federal funds, which will help make sure all students, regardless of where they live or how much money their parents make, have equal access to a quality education from the day they first step foot in a classroom.”
Grant to help boost homeless outreach efforts By DAVID SCHOLZ Martinez Tribune MARTINEZ, Calif. – A three-year $90,000 grant from Tesoro will go a long way in sustaining the good works to combat homelessness issues that have taken place locally over the past 12 years, according to Martinez Police Manjit Sappal. The funding from Tesoro will specifically be used to pay the entire cost to contract with Michael Callanan to provide outreach services throughout the week as his predecessor, Doug Stewart, was doing for the homeless population. “I think that what is working well for us is that we have been able to coordinate with Michael Callanan to pick up where Doug left off,’’ Sappal said. Prior to Tesoro stepping up with its grant, the city had been budgeting $30,000 each year for homeless initiatives, and this was used to con-
tract with the now-defunct Contra Costa Homeless Outreach. This entity is now identified as Homeless Outreach LLC. With Tesoro’s grant now covering expenses for Callanan, some city funds will go to cover the purchase of BART, bus, train and taxicab tickets for people that may need transportation after being released from the county jail, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, or in the event they may have become stranded after taking the train to Martinez. Other city funds will be used to purchase hygiene kits, food if needed, and for hotel stays in certain circumstances such as when police or outreach personnel encounter any homeless families with no place to go for the night. “As it stands, we have been using officers on an overtime basis each week to follow up on OUTREACH: Page 2
Goodmorning Martinez All of us at the Martinez Tribune wish subscriber David Tateosian a good morning and a great week ahead. Thank you for subscribing!
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