Martinez News-Gazette March 13, 2020

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID MARTINEZ, CA PERMIT NO. 235 94553-9998

Volume 162 Issue 45

Established in 1858

Friday, March 13, 2020

$2.00 TAX included

MUSD unveils proposed budget cuts RICK JONES | EDITOR

T

he Martinez Unified School District outlined a draft of proposed budget reductions for the 2020-21 school year as the district tries to overcome a $1.5 million budget deficit.

Superintendent CJ Cammack introduced the plan Monday, March 9 to the Board of Trustees. A standingroom only crowd attended the meeting, with almost 20 attendees speaking out on the proposed cuts.

Cammack reiterated what he’s previously said about the arduous process of slashing a budget already drained from previous reduction, none of the “proposed cuts are being made in the best interest kids, staff or

Photo by Gazette 2020 MUSD Classified Employees of the Year.

community.”

Inadequate state funding, unfunded state pension, and underfunded

The state of California continues to provide per pupil funding that ranks near the bottom of the nation in every significant measure" CJ CAMMACK

MUSD SUPERINTENDENT

BRIEFS California prison warden retired during theft investigation SACRAMENTO, CA — A California prison warden who abruptly retired last fall had been placed on administrative leave while under investigation for alleged theft from a thrift store and attempting to cover it up, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

The investigation of former Mule Creek State Prison warden Joe Lizarraga concluded that his dishonesty, theft and “failure of good behavior” warranted firing, The Sacramento Bee said, citing a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation report obtained under the state Public Records Act. Corrections’ internal affairs office opened the investigation as soon as it became aware of the allegations, department spokeswoman Dana Simas said in an email to the newspaper.

“The investigation concluded in December 2019, as a result, CDCR sustained that there had been instances of dishonesty and theft that would have been grounds to terminate Lizarraga’s employment,” she wrote.

The investigation report said that on Sept. 14, 2018, Lizarraga removed price tags from winter equipment at Interfaith Food Bank Thrift Store in Sutter Creek and then suggested lower prices to the cashier.

The report said Sutter Creek police investigated and that Lizarraga lied to the police chief when he said he didn’t suggest prices. It also said he told the chief he purchased the equipment for his family when it was really for personal financial gain.

Lizarraga later wrote a personal money order for $125 to dissuade a witness from participating in a criminal prosecution and then made another bribe attempt using charitable funds from the prison, the report said.

The Bee reported that the corrections report did not say whether Lizarraga was criminally charged and he did not respond to attempts to reach him by phone.

Neither the police chief nor the Amador County District Attorney’s office responded to voicemails, the newspaper said.

The report was heavily redacted,

See BRIEFS on page A3

state and federal special education costs have put district all over the state deep in the red. “The state of California continues to provide per pupil funding that ranks near the bottom of the nation in every significant measure when adjusted for inflation and cost of living,” Cammack reported.

Cammack reminded that Measure R passed in 2016 provided the district with building funds. “This money is legally restricted to facility improvements and cannot be used for general operating expenses in MUSD,” Cammack said.

Cammack explained the “Governor's revised budget is released in May, and may or may not, provide an increase in funds.” But “March 15th employee notices are required prior to that May revision.”

The proposed plan includes reducing “elementary library media assistant’s hours or positions. Would keep libraries open at all elementary sites but would significantly reduce the number of times students can access library services.”

Several parents and staff from Las Juntas spoke at the meeting, imploring the district to look elsewhere for cuts. The speakers told the board that

INSIDE THIS EDITION

LOCAL NEWS

For a generation, school bonds have been more or less a slam dunk in California. Locally and statewide, voters consistently have supported borrowing to build and maintain classrooms...

See SCHOOL BONDS on page A2

See MUSD on page B10

Carpoffs enter guilty pleas, sentencing scheduled for May 19

CRIME AND INCIDENTS

San Francisco area man with a history of violence and mental illness is guilty of the random stabbing death of an 18-year-old woman at a commuter train platform two years ago...

See TRAIN MURDER on page A4

STAFF REPORT | MARTINEZ NEWS GAZETTE

T

he Gazette has received several emails asking for an update regarding the DC Solar fraud case.

Here is a story that appeared last month detailing the charges and a plea from the Carpoffs.

The owners of DC Solar pleaded guilty January 24 in a Sacramento federal court.

Jeff and Paulette Carpoff were charged with masterminding a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme involving mobile solar generators.

According to court documents and the plea agreement Jeff Carpoff, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, faces up to 30 years in prison. Paulette Carpoff, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering and faces up to 15 years in prison.

The couple agreed to pay restitution of between $800 million and $1.6 billion.

Malcolm Segal, an attorney for Mr. Carpoff, told the Wall Street Journal, DC Solar was started as a legitimate business, “but as it grew, it overwhelmed Mr. Carpoff.”

“Because of that he began committing acts he knew were wrong and illegal,” Mr. Segal told the Journal. “But he tried to salvage the business and failed.”

Mr. Carpoff is forfeiting personal and business property to pay back investors, Mr. Segal said.

Bill Portanova, an attorney for Ms. Carpoff, told the Journal she “recognizes what she has done wrong over these past several years and she will be working for many years trying to make things right.”

As previously reported federal agents seized over $60 million in personal property and liquid assets when they raided the DC Solar offices and the Carpoff ’s Martinez home in December 2018. A safe in Jeff Carpoff ’s office at the Benicia headquarters contained $1.7 mil-

SPORTS - PICTORIAL

File photo Paulette and Jeff Carpoff.

lion.

Accord to the plea agreements, the couple will forfeit the millions seized by federal agents, as well as their interests in a Napa Valley winery, a cafe and various businesses, vehicles and villa at the Four Seasons Resort on St. Kitts in the Caribbean, court papers say.

Various vehicles were auctioned off late last year and generated $8.2 million in revenues.

The Securities and Exchange Commission also sued the Carpoffs in a civil complaint filed in Sacramento. The SEC said the couple, whose business is in bankruptcy, siphoned off at least $140 million of investor funds to pay for their personal expenses, which included the sports cars, dozens of properties, and a share in a private jet service.

The investors were eligible for a 30% tax credit, which roughly covered the amount of cash they initially placed with DC Solar, the SEC said. The investors generally assumed an obligation to contribute millions more to the business through promissory notes, the SEC’s lawsuit says.

The value of the promissory notes was roughly $1.8 billion, the SEC said, meaning the face value of total investor commitments to DC Solar was over $2.7 billion.

The SEC’s lawsuit alleges the

See BASEBALL & SOFTBALL on page A6

couple committed securities fraud and seeks disgorgement of illegal profits and payment of civil penalties.

The Carpoffs are scheduled to be sentenced May 19.

Department of Justice press release Top Executives Plead Guilty to Participating in a Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme—the Biggest Criminal Fraud Scheme in the History of the Eastern District of California

EDITORIAL & OPINION

I was thinking about my brother recently. Lewis passed away four years ago last month and I miss him from time to time. Author Terry Pratchett once wrote, “Do you not know that...

See AT HOME on page B7

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The owners of DC Solar, a Beniciabased company, pleaded guilty today to charges related to a billion dollar Ponzi scheme— the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California. The government’s investigation has resulted in the largest criminal forfeiture in the history of the District with over $120 million in assets forfeited that will go to victims, and has returned $500 million to the United States Treasury, with more to come, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Jeff Carpoff, 49, of Martinez, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy

This past weekend, I was fortunate to visit the Town Hall Theater in Lafayette to attend the second week of Anton Chekhov’s last play and masterpiece, The Cherry Orchard...

See DC SOLAR on page B11

See THE CHERRY ORCHARD on page B8

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Bulldogs play ball on the diamond.

Alhambra High baseball team is 3-3 on the young season. Alhambra High softball team dropped their 2020 season opener to Antioch High 6-1...

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EDITORIAL & OPINION

MUSD continues to monitor COVID-19 COVID-19 updates from various health departments, the county, the city are arriving almost daily. At our deadline here is the latest from the school district

Courtesy Illustration CJ CAMMACK | CONTRIBUTED

who are immunocompromised.

• Cancelation or Postponement of large community events and gatherings where 50 or more people are within arm’s length of each other. This direction from County Health Services is related to nonessential activities and will require adjustments from MUSD and our community related to extracurricular events. Please note, these recommendations are suggested by CHSD for the next two weeks (through March 24th).

These are also subject to change based on local developments and/or direction from County Health Services:

Dear MUSD Staff and Community, Each week, and often from day to day, we are seeing new guidance recommendations and regulations from both the California Department of Public Health and the Contra Costa County Health Services Department related to COVID - 19. As we, Martinez Unified School District, receive updated information or guidance on COVID-19 we will analyze that information, consult with the appropriate local agencies, and provide clear and honest communication to our staff and community as quickly as possible.

Today, as you have likely already seen, the County Health Services Department (CHSD) provided updated guidance and direction that will impact our school community. In addition to the efforts already in place, CHSD has advised the following additional measures for the next two weeks. In general, the measures are related to appropriate social distancing, especially in regards to non-essential events/activities. School is considered an essential activity.

At this time, County Health Services has not advised or directed MUSD to close any schools. However, there are recommendations and developments that require many adjustments to our extra-curricular activities. Martinez Unified is asking for the cooperation from our community with the following action steps and advisories for the next two weeks, based on the updated guidance from CHSD: • People at higher risk of serious illness should avoid mass gatherings of 50 people or more. The CHSD describes people who are at high risk as people who are 50 years old or older. Current evidence indicates that the risk of severe illness increases with age. The highest risk group is those 80 years and older, and people of any age who have underlying medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as well as those

For the next two weeks: • For all sporting events associated with Alhambra High and/or Martinez Junior High School we ask that only adults essential for running the event be present. Spectator areas will be closed for attendance/viewing for students, parents, and community members. Please note, for away games, most other local districts in our county will be using a similar process for sporting events.

• Other music-related events for schools will likely be postponed until later in the school year.

• Please note, each MUSD school may have extra-curricular events that may need to be postponed and/or canceled based on these recommendations from County Health Services. We will work to provide timely communication regarding those specific events.

I completely understand that these developments will generate many questions from both our community and our staff. The one consistent element throughout this process has been change. I expect we will see additional changes within the next week or two as well. It is my goal to work with each school site and/or group to be as responsive as possible for the consideration of extracurricular event cancellations.

While I hope to address some of your an-

ticipated questions in the remaining part of this message, please know that further communication will certainly continue both from individual school sites and from our District Office. Our goal is to provide you all with timely communication and updates while ensuring we are taking the proper time to be thoughtful about each decision, consult with the appropriate local agencies, and prepare accurate updates for staff and community.

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) from the last few days: • What if a parent or student tests positive for COVID-19?

1. If that does occur, the County Health Services Department will be in contact with MUSD and we will, in consultation with CHSD, take action to respond to the developing situation.

We have not been notified of any case at this time.

• Are you going to close schools?

1. School closures are a possibility both in the near and distant future. Any decision regarding school closure would be communicated as soon as possible to our staff and community. We have reviewed the updated guidance this weekend from the California Department of Public Health as well as today’s guidance from County Health Services. In both cases, there is not a recommendation from County Health Services to close any MUSD schools at this time.

2. We will be meeting with members of our administration, our certificated and classified union leaders to review potential closure impacts, how to best support our students, our community, and our staff, should there be a need for future school closures.

3. This afternoon, I have already received a number of communications with questions about schools being open or closed. Please know that I do take

the input from our community very seriously, however, we will be following the medical recommendations and advice on school closure(s) from County Health Services.

• How will I find out if an event is canceled, postponed, or if it might be held with restrictions for those in attendance?

1. Given the new recommendations from CHSD, we will be working to communicate with all impacted groups as soon as possible. Please keep your eye out for communication from each individual school site and the District Office at this time.

2. In the coming days, we will be working to create one digital access point where our school district community as a whole can access updated information regarding events.

3. For the next two weeks, all outside facilities use rentals and permits for afterschool and/or weekend events will be canceled for outside (non-district) groups.

These are very challenging times and with each passing day things continue to change.

I recognize that each of you has strong personal and professional viewpoints about what is the best course of action for MUSD. Please know, as Superintendent, I am committed to being as responsive as possible to these ongoing changes. I am focused on the overall health and welfare of our students, staff, and community. I will be working very closely with County Health Services to ensure all of their recommended changes related to school operations and/or potential closures are closely followed.

I will remain in constant communication with our community in the coming days and weeks, including over the upcoming spring break.

Sincerely, CJ Cammack Superintendent Martinez Unified School District

School bonds usually are a cinch in California — what happened this time?

Census family fair

RICHARDO CANO | CALMATTERS

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F

or a generation, school bonds have been more or less a slam dunk in California. Locally and statewide, voters consistently have supported borrowing to build and maintain classrooms.

Not this election. As the state slowly tallies the returns from Super Tuesday, the numbers are painting a decidedly unfamiliar picture: Proposition 13, the sweeping $15 billion bond for school construction, was trailing late Thursday with only 44.6% approval.

It threatened to become the first state bond measure rejected by voters in nearly three decades. Meanwhile, at the district level, some 70% of the 100plus local K-12 school bond measures appeared bound for failure or too close to call, according to a CalMatters tally of early results.

With roughly 3.5 million votes still

to be counted, the tally could take weeks to become conclusive, and updated returns have shown Prop. 13 gaining, slightly. (Early returns tend to skew conservative in California, and many Democrats voted at the last minute, waiting to see whether their chosen presidential nominees would drop out.)

But at the moment, Prop. 13 needs at least 58% of the outstanding vote for passage. And the current numbers — which could impact decisions on whether to put bond measures on the November ballot — so far contrast sharply with past elections: In the 2018 midterms, voters approved 80% of the 105 measures on local ballots. Since 1998, voters have passed five state school bonds, including a $9 billion measure in 2016 that Gov. Jerry Brown opposed.

What happened?

Observers and advocates cite a con-

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fluence of potential factors, from possible “bond fatigue” at the local level to — on the statewide measure — a befuddling name.

The friend of the ‘no’ vote On paper, Proposition 13, which would have raised $15 billion from general obligation bonds for preschools, K-12 schools, community colleges and state universities, had advantages aplenty. It was referred to the ballot by the Legislature. It enjoyed widespread support from state officials including Gov. Gavin Newsom. It had no organized opposition, and it was the only statewide measure on the Super Tuesday ballot competing for voters’ attention.

But the measure’s proponents say voters appeared to have confused it with the 1978 property tax cut or perhaps with the push to adjust the terms

See SCHOOL BONDS on page A5

FIRST FIVE | CONTRIBUTED

arent leaders to host census family fair–an event focused on a complete count of all children in Contra Costa County Two parent advocacy groups—the East County Regional Group and the Central County Regional Group, both sponsored by First 5 Contra Costa— are hosting Census Family Fair events focused on a complete count of all children to secure needed federal funding and accurate representation for children and families across Contra Costa.

An undercount in the 2020 Census could cost Contra Costa County between $500 million and $1.1 billion over 10 years in federal programs, including programs for kids such as education, childcare, medical care, food assistance, housing, and public transportation.

“It is critical that everyone in underrepresented neighborhoods are counted for the 2020 Census. Being counted

means more money into our communities for needed programs, as well as more equitable political representation for low-income families and families of color”, said Rhea Elina Laughlin, Program Officer with First 5 Contra Costa.

The well-being of all families in Contra Costa County is dependent upon a complete count. These fun, familyfriendly events will raise awareness on the impact of an accurate count and address misinformation, fearmongering, and actions targeting underrepresented communities, especially immigrant families and families of color.

With a focus on undercounted communities and to address some of the challenges in responding to the Census (including internet access and privacy

See CENSUS on page A4 Tickets now on sale!

Martinez Unified School District “Together we will ensure diverse paths to support all students to be college and career ready, Equipped to compete and contribute in a global society.”

SUBSTITUTES NEEDED Do you want a flexible work schedule with no weekend hours? Do you enjoy working with students? If so, being a substitute employee may be the job for you. The Martinez Unified School District is seeking to hire qualified substitutes for many daily assignments.

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1 3 0 M u i r S tat i o n R o a d Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

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EDITORIAL & OPINION

Contra Costa County issues Graham White, a John Muir disciple, dies emergency proclamation DANA GUZZETTI | GAZETTE REPORTER

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CCHS | CONTRIBUTED

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ontra Costa Health Services (CCHS) has issued new guidance, effective today, for the public to address the local transmission of the novel coronavirus, including: --Cancel or postpone large gatherings such as concerts, sporting events, celebrations, conventions, religious services and community events where 50 or more people are within arm’s length of each other.

--Cancel or postpone events for or attended by older adults or others who are at higher risk for severe illness.

People at higher risk include: --People who are 50 years old or older. Current evidence indicates that the risk of severe illness increases with age.

--People of any age who have underlying medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

These public health recommendations are intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the number of people who become infected, especially those at most risk for severe illness. Respiratory viruses need people close together to keep spreading.

CCHS understands these recommendations will impact peo-

ple’s lives and disrupt plans to attend larger events. The health department is taking this step to because we believe it will help protect the community’s health. _________ The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution at its Board meeting on March 10 for a proclamation of a state of emergency in the County of Contra Costa to deal with the potential spread of novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

The proclamation states that “this Board found that due to the introduction of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property did exist in the County of Contra Costa commencing on or about March 3, 2020, and therefore the Board proclaimed the existence of a local emergency throughout this county. These conditions, by reason of their magnitude,

are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of this County, and will require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat.�

The proclamation states that “this Board requests the Governor of the State of California to proclaim the County of Contra Costa to be in a state of emergency.�

Board Chair, Supervisor Candace Andersen, said, “The new coronavirus or COVID-19 presents our community with a challenge. While I urge you to be prepared, it is certainly not a time to panic. Following our health officials’ guidelines will help prevent the spread of disease. The County and Contra Costa Health Services will continue to offer guidance and resources. Meanwhile, there is much each and everyone one of us can do to keep our families and communities well. It will

See CORONAVIRUS on page A4

NEWS BRIEFS FROM A1 with 11 of 16 allegations blacked out, the Bee said.

Lizarraga was making about $150,000 per year, according to The Sacramento Bee’s state worker pay database.

When he resigned, he received $433,000 in unused vacation, leave time, holiday and weekend pay and other special pay he had accrued, Simas said.

He now collects an $11,500-per-month pension, according to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.

AP News

Chief justice says courts will help with homeless crisis

SACRAMENTO, CA — California’s chief justice said Tuesday that she will appoint an advisory panel on how the court system might better help the state address its growing homelessness crisis.

That might involve transferring surplus properties to be used for shelters or housing, a process already underway for other state agencies, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said.

The working group will report to her later this year.

California courts in recent years “have become more than a place that resolves disputes. We have become centers for social justice,� she said in her annual state of the judiciary address to California lawmakers. “Because we have become centers of social justice, and courts often see people who are in a crisis that can lead to homelessness, I will appoint a work group to study how we can become better partners in the crisis of homelessness,� she said.

The panel will consider, among other things, how courts can take a more active role; whether rules and laws should be changed to help homeless people who come to court; and whether judges can be temporarily assigned to help counties provide immediate services for people who are in crisis.

Two court properties could potentially be used for shelters, according to her staff. They include the Plumas-Sierra Courthouse in Porterville, a $6 million, 6,500-square-foot project that was completed in 2009 but is currently closed because of budget restrictions.

The other is Los Angeles County’s original mental health courthouse in a former pickle factory. The building has roof problems that would have to be fixed, however.

The court’s staff is developing a list of properties that could be declared surplus if they will no longer be needed by the judiciary.

While homeless populations in most states have declined recently, California’s increased 16% last year to about 151,000 people — “over 50% of the nation’s population of homeless,� she noted.

Cantil-Sakauye did not address Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal that the state broaden laws that would allow the government to more easily take control over those deemed unable to care for themselves.

Newsom, in his State of the State address, said the state must respect civil liberties while expanding laws that allow officials to get people in crisis into appropriate treatment.

Cantil-Sakauye in 2018 gave up her Republican Party affiliation, switching to no party preference because she said she was concerned about the nation’s increasing political polarization and incivility.

She made a brief reference to rising national “xenophobia and hostility� on Tuesday, and alluded to continued legal battles between California and the Trump administration.

State officials, she said, face “funding and litigation threats by our federal government that undermine our ability to address� vital issues such as the environment, health care, education, an aging population and homelessness.

AP News

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e can only guess why Graham White chose Borderglider as an email address but like John Muir, he was as much a part of Martinez, as Dunbar or Edinburgh, Scotland.

White died of cancer at the age of 71, on March 3, 2020 in Scotland.

Before John Muir passed away, he said, “No matter, for I’ve had a grand life in these divine mountains, and I may yet do something for those coming after me.�

White’s life exemplified the same belief. “He was the editor and compiler of several John Muir books published in Scotland, and a driving "force of nature" as an outspoken critic of environmental abuses,� according to Harold Wood, webmaster of the 3,000-page Sierra Club’s

File photo Graham White and Jill Harcke.

John Muir Exhibit.

Wood said, â€œâ€ŚThere is no doubting that his (White) efforts were the linchpin that led to the recovery of the memory of John Muir as a "local boy made good" in Scotland and in the UK generally. He was instrumental in the 1999 "Infinite Storm of Beauty" exhibit about John Muir at the Edinburgh

Art Centre, attended by many Californians including the superintendent of the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, several Muir descendants like Liz Hanna, and Muir scholars and friends. The exhibit began a major re-awakening of awareness about John Muir in

See GRAHAM on page A5

Ken DothĂŠe (July 11, 1945 - March 2, 2020) DONNA ALLEN | CONTRIBUTED

K

en DothĂŠe passed away on March 2, 2020 at home in Martinez, CA, as was his wish, with his wife, Donna, and daughter, Katie by his side.

But, he left a colorful and inspiring story that began almost 75 years before then....

Ken was born on July 11, 1945 to Harry Bernhard Richard DothĂŠe and Paula Hartlein, immigrants from Hamburg, Germany. His life began in San Francisco, CA. The third of three children, he and his older sisters, Helga and Jutta, grew up in and loved “The Mishâ€?. Ken sold newspapers on the corner, attended St. Peter's Grammar School, rode his bicycle throughout the City and hung out with his dad until his graduation from Archbishop Riordan High School in 1963.

Ken loved growing up in "The City� and that love was something that he held close to his heart throughout his lifetime.

Courtesy of St. Mary's Ken Dothee.

Ken received his bachelor's degree at Saint Mary's College in Moraga in 1967 followed by his law degree at Golden Gate Law School in San Francisco in 1970.

He met and married, Jeannette (Frisou), and moved to Martinez after he obtained a job with the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office as a criminal defense attorney, where he remained for 32 years until he retired.

Ken always paid homage to what was his hometown. He

loved going out to dinner in the City whenever he could, and he maintained a 65-70 year long love affair with the San Francisco Giants. He loved opening days, and the World Series Wins. An avid fan, he followed the team from Seal's Stadium to Candlestick Park to PacBell Park, where his name is on a brick, in mortar, in honor of his lifelong support of the team.

He also supported the St. Mary's Gaels men's basketball team, from the time of his graduation until the day that he died. He has held season tickets for decades, and traveled with the team when they advanced to The Sweet 16 in 2010. He has held a close relationship with several players over the years, and with coach Randy Bennett. Nothing ever pleased him more than a good Gaels win. He proudly wore the red and blue, throughout basketball season...even coming to his final rest in a SMC "three point" shirt, tossed

See DOTHEE on page A5

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San Francisco area man guilty POLICE BLOTTER of commuter train murder AP NEWS | CONTRIBUTED

OAKLAND, CA. — San Francisco area man with a history of violence and mental illness is guilty of the random stabbing death of an 18-yearold woman at a commuter train platform two years ago, a killing with racial undertones that prompted rallies and vigils.

An Alameda County jury announced Tuesday it found John Lee Cowell, 29, guilty of murdering Nia Wilson at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland as she was returning home from a family gathering with her two sisters. Jurors also found Cowell guilty of attempted murder in the stabbing of Wilson’s sister, who survived severe injuries to her neck.

The jury also convicted Cowell of the special circumstances count of lying in wait.

The jury reached the verdict hours after starting deliberations.

Cowell will face a second trial to determine his sanity.

If found insane, he would be sent to a psychiatric hospital.

The stabbing death of the young and vibrant African American woman in July 2018 horrified bystanders and added to BART’s reputation as unsafe. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system connects San Francisco to cities in the south and east bays, including Oakland and Berkeley. Train officials sought to re-assure the public with measures intended to improve safety.

Family and friends have said the women were targeted because of their race but prosecutors declined to charge him with a hate crime. That doesn’t mean race didn’t come up. Cowell admitted at trial that he was punched in the face by a black woman about a week before the train stabbing and the prosecutor queried him about trying to pick a fight

CORONAVIRUS from A3

take all of us working together.”

The Supervisors emphasized that “everyone plays an important role” as they unanimously voted for a county emergency proclamation that will allow our health department to mobilize county resources, accelerate emergency planning, streamline staffing, coordinate agencies across the county, allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments, and raise awareness about how everyone can prepare in the event that COVID-19 begins to spread in our community.

“The County and its health department will continue to work with multiple agencies and jurisdictions to keep residents informed during this local emergency,” said County Administrator David J. Twa. “We will continue to take appropri-

CENSUS from A2

concerns), there will be census experts, community resources, and trusted community partners available to answer any questions and to assist with the process.

“A lot of people don’t know about the census or worry how their information will be used.

We’re holding this event to help our community understand how important it is we are ALL counted”, said Chipo Washington, Chair of the East County Regional Group.

There will be two events in Contra Costa County and all services are available at no

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Alameda County Sheriff's Office John Lee Cowell, with a history of violence and mental illness was found guilty, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, of the random stabbing death of an 18-yearold woman at a commuter train platform two years ago.

with another black woman after the stabbing.

Cowell followed the sisters from the platform onto a train for a 30-minute ride to another station, then stabbed them when they were boarding another train, Deputy District Attorney Butch Ford told the jury in opening statements Feb. 5.

Videos showed Cowell tailing the women and removing a knife hidden in his pants in the attack that killed Wilson and wounded Letifah Wilson, 26. Video also showed Cowell trying to blend in with passengers after the assault, misdirecting officers and changing clothes he kept

in a backpack that was tossed, along with the knife, at a nearby construction zone.

“He took that little girl’s life,” Deputy District Attorney Butch Ford told jurors in closing arguments Monday, the East Bay Times reporte d.

Cowell has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

His public defender, Christina Moore, argued that he stabbed the sisters in a “rash act” stemming from his mental illness and that a person can be organized yet schizophrenic.

“This case is and always has been what was in John’s mind,” said Moore in her closing.

Cowell was thrown out of court twice for disruptive behavior. He testified he thought the sisters were aliens and part of a gang that kidnapped his grandmother.

The trial, which took up much of February, had been delayed while authorities sought to determine Cowell’s mental competence through a series of psychiatric evaluations. In December, a judge ruled Cowell was fit to stand trial after noting that he was refusing to cooperate with doctors appointed to evaluate him.

Cowell was released from a maximum security facility for mentally ill convicts less than three months before the attack.

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File File - The victim Nia Wilson, right, is displayed at a news conference as her father Ansar El Muhammad, left, and her mother, Alicia Grayson (2018).

ate steps to protect the safety and well being of our employees and the public. We encourage everyone to stay prepared.”

Currently, Contra Costa County has 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus. _________ Recognizing the severity of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Contra Costa County Superior Court is taking active steps to control its spread within the community and reduce infections.

Parties, attorneys, and jurors who are experiencing coughing, fever, or shortness of breath should not come to Court.

• Individuals who have received a summons for jury duty may reschedule their service either online at http://www.cccourts.org/jury/jury.aspx or by calling 925- 608-1000 to speak to the Court’s jury services department.

• Parties or attorneys should cost—kids activities will include face painting, arts and crafts, as well as music and dance.

Saturday, March 14, 2020 (11am – 1pm) Anuta Park, 2485 Willow Pass Rd., Bay Point Saturday, March 28, 2020 (11am – 1pm) Ellis Lake Park, 1760 Clayton Rd., Concord Additional information: Regional Groups are parent advocacy groups of residents working to make communities healthier, safer, and more equitable for young children and families. Three groups ex-

contact the individual departments handling their matters for rescheduling.

The public is encouraged to refer to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention website for up-to-date information about COVID-19 symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/ symptoms.html.

Those who come to Court without presenting these symptoms should still practice excellent personal hygiene, such as frequent handwashing, avoiding touching the face, and coughing or sneezing into the elbow. The Court is taking extra effort to sanitize public access areas, including doors, elevators, stair rails, and other frequently-touched surfaces.

The Court’s services and business hours otherwise remain unchanged.

These instructions may be updated as additional information becomes available. ist in Contra Costa County and work in partnership with the First 5 Contra Costa Community Engagement and Advocacy Program: East County Regional Group (ECRG), West County Regional Group (WCRG), and Central County Regional Group (CCRG).

First 5 Contra Costa helps young children start school healthy, nurtured and ready to learn by investing in programs and activities focused on children during their first five years—the most important time in children's development.

Learn more: http://www.first5coco.org/funded-programs/regional-groupsparent-advocacy/

MARTINEZ POLICE BLOTTER FEBRUARY 8 - 15, 2020 On February 8th at 11:30 am, Officer Weems stopped a vehicle on Castro Street at Escobar Street. He contacted a 57-year-old man from Pacheco. The man was arrested for DUI drugs and booked into MDF. Case# 20-318.

At 12:00 pm, Officer Wah responded to Amtrak for a 911 hang up. He contacted a 70year-old man from Martinez.

The man was arrested for a felony no bail warrant for being a 290 PC failing to register. He was booked into MDF. Case# 20-319.

At 2:30 pm, Safeway at 3334 Alhambra Avenue called to report a 31-year-old man from Martinez just stole alcohol and fled the store. Officer Murray located the man on Shell Ave. at Estudillo Street. The man was arrested for theft and trespassing. He was booked into MDF. Officer Wah, case# 20321.

At 3:45 pm, Officer Murray stopped a vehicle in the 3500 block of Pacheco Boulevard.

He contacted a 38-year-old man from Martinez. The man was arrested for driving with a suspended license for DUI. He was cite released. Case# 20322.

On February 9th at 9:00 am, Corporal Baillie located a suspicious vehicle at 100 Church Street. He contacted a 24-yearold woman and a 35-year-old man both of Martinez. The woman was arrested for drug intoxication, possession of meth and paraphernalia. The man was arrested for drug intoxication, possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property. They were cite released. Case# 20- 323.

At 1:30 pm, Sergeant Gaul was on foot patrol at the Bocce courts. He contacted a 33year-old man from Martinez.

The man was arrested for possession of meth and cite released. Case# 20-326.

At 8:02 pm, Officer Weems conducted a suspicious vehicle stop in the parking lot of Virginia Hills shopping center. He contacted the sole occupant, a 52-year-old man from Pleasant Hill. A records check revealed the man is a 290 Registrant who is currently out of compliance with Pleasant Hill PD. He was subsequently arrested for PC 290.013(a) and booked into MDF. Case# 20-328.

On February 10th at 8:27 am, Officer Murray took a vehicle burglary report at Bagel Street Café. A backpack containing a laptop was taken.

Case# 20-330.

At 8:50 am, Officer Murray took a vehicle burglary report in the 400 block Susana Street. A backpack containing a laptop and medications were taken. Case# 20-332.

battery. Case# 20-339.

On February 11th at 7:59 am, dispatch received a call of a wrong way driver on Alhambra Avenue at Main Street.

The male driver of the vehicle fled on foot after colliding with a parked delivery truck. The vehicle was a reported stolen vehicle out of Antioch. An area check for the driver was conducted, but he was not located.

Case# 20-341.

At 8:52 am, Officer Murray contacted several people on a fenced lot at Berrellesa Street and Mellus Street. A man was arrested for trespassing, and a woman was arrested for possession of heroin. Case# 20342.

At 9:05 am, Officer Voyvodich responded to Vicente High School where he a man for possession of marijuana on school grounds. Case# 20-345.

At 5:05 pm, Officer Green responded to the area of Grandview Avenue and Warren Street for a man acting suspicious. The man was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Case# 20-353.

At 7:31 pm, Officer Green took a report of a hit and run collision that occurred two days ago at Walmart. Case# 20-354.

On February 12th at 7:24 am, Officer Murray investigated a suspicious vehicle on Allen Street, near Alhambra Avenue. The male occupant was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Case# 20-356.

At 9:33 am, Officer Voyvodich recovered an unoccupied stolen vehicle on Valley Avenue, near Central Avenue.

Case# 20-357.

At 11:27 am, Officer Voyvodich arrested a woman at Safeway (downtown) for trespassing. Case# 20-359.

At 5:09 pm, Officer Voyvodich conducted a traffic enforcement stop on Alhambra Avenue, near C Street. The male driver was arrested for a warrant. Case# 20-360.

At 10:55 pm, Officer Green contacted a man on Morello Avenue, near Morello Heights Drive. He was arrested for a warrant and possession of a controlled substance. Case# 20-363.

On February 13th at 12:21 pm, Officer Murray investigated an aggressive male panhandler on Alhambra Avenue at the HWY 4 off ramp. The panhandler was arrested for public intoxication. Case# 20-366.

At 3:27 pm, Officer Murray arrested a man in the 700 block of Escobar Street for public intoxication. Case# 20-367.

occupant was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Case# 20-371.

At 8:27 am, officers were dispatched to the Safeway downtown for a subject refusing to leave the property. Officer Angoco contacted the suspect and during the investigation regarding trespassing and their sobriety, the suspect ran away.

Officer Angoco apprehended the suspect and made an arrest for public intoxication along with resisting/obstructing an officer. Case# 20-372.

At 1:28 pm, Officer Buda took a stolen vehicle report from a resident in the 1800 block of Redwood Drive. A 1997 Toyota Camry stolen sometime overnight. Case# 20-375.

At 2:47 pm, Officers were dispatched to Safeway on Alhambra Avenue for a woman screaming in a vehicle. Officers contacted the suspect and she was arrested for public intoxication; booked into MDF. Case# 20-376.

At 5:04 pm, Sergeant Gaul observed a known wanted suspect in the 100 block of Berrellesa Street. The suspect was wanted for two $5,000.00 misdemeanor warrants for drug possession and drug paraphernalia. The suspect was booked into MDF. Case# 20-379.

At 7:39 pm, Officer Montano responded to the 400 block of Alhambra Avenue for the report of a collision involving a Chevy Suburban striking a parked car. The driver of the suburban fled from the scene on foot and was described as a white male adult, 20-30 years old, wearing a yellow shirt with tan pants. The suspect was last seen running E/B on Marina Vista. An area check was conducted for the driver with negative results. The Chevy suburban was towed from the scene. Case# 20-380.

On February 15th at 10:07 am, Sergeant Gaul was on foot patrol downtown. He contacted an individual smoking meth behind the Public Defender’s office. The suspect was released with a citation.

Case# 20-384.

At 3:36 pm, officers responded to a residential burglary in the 200 block of Arreba Street in which entry was made through a smashed window. The loss is unknown and there are no suspect leads.

The crime occurred over the course of the past week. Case# 20- 385.

At 4:41 pm, Officer Weems stopped a vehicle on Howe Road at Arnold Drive. He contacted the driver and found him to be in possession of methamphetamine; the suspect was cite released. Case# 20-387.

At 12:39 pm, Officer Murray responded to Safeway (downtown) for a man yelling in the parking lot. The man was arrested for public intoxication.

Case# 20-334.

At 9:01 pm, Officer Parsons took an auto burglary report in the Mangia Bene Restaurant parking lot. The vehicle window was smashed and a purse was taken. Case# 20-369.

At 4:15 pm, Corporal Schnabel arrested a man for vandalism at the county district attorney’s office on Douglas Drive.

The man had been hitting windows with a fire extinguisher.

Case# 20-338.

On February 14th at 1:49 am, Officer Parsons arrested a man for a warrant in the 3500 block of Pacheco Boulevard.

Case# 20-370.

At 10:06 pm, Officer Montano responded to 700 Alhambra Avenue for a noise complaint. She contacted an individual in the hallway of the second floor of the building and determined they were in violation of a court order.

The suspect was arrested and found to be in possession of a controlled substance; booked into MDF. Case# 20-388.

At 4:20 am, Sergeant Gaul investigated a suspicious vehicle in the 4800 block of Starflower Drive. The male

Special thanks to the Martinez Police Department, Chief Manjit Sappal, and Renee Jacobs

At 7:48 pm, Officer Green arrested a man at Amtrak for

Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

www.martinezgazette.com

LOCAL NEWS

DOTHEE from A3

to him at a game by a cheerleader.

Ken loved his adopted new hometown of Martinez where his children, daughter, Katherine Anne (Katie) Dothée, and son, Nicolas Kenneth (Nick) Dothée were born. Ken was in love with his children, from their very first breath.

He immersed himself in the history of Martinez, and soon found himself a founding member and President of the Martinez Historical Society. During his time with the organization, he negotiated to secure an historic residence in downtown Martinez, (the Borland House), saving it from demolition, and helping to restore it as the home of the Martinez Museum, where it remains today.

He also collected political memorabilia, campaign posters and buttons, and built a remarkable personal collection over the years. His interest in politics fueled him to campaign, and win a seat on the Martinez City Council in 1980.

Somewhere amidst all that he found another project, Bocce. It started with an informal gathering of friends on the fourth of July and two years later the Martinez Bocce Federation was born. As the Federation grew, so did his enjoyment and commitment to this previously unknown sport. Ken’s goal was to make

bocce a household word. As a player, a charter member and the Commissioner of the MBF he worked tirelessly bringing national notoriety to the MBF and the city of Martinez. With Ken at it's helm, new permanent courts were christened at the Martinez Waterfront Park in 1981 and that same year he brought the US National Bocce Championships to Martinez for the first time.

After becoming the President of the US Bocce Federation, in 1990, he began to travel as a dignitary of the US, and an ambassador of the sport to many different corners of the globe, Italy, Yugoslavia, Chili, Australia, China and many more. He and his partner (and future wife), Donna Allen spent nearly four decades together, tirelessly promoting this sport, whose popularity has grown on a grand scale, and is enjoyed by thousands, due to his efforts. Ken succeeded … Bocce is now a household word.

Ken and Donna married in March of 2002, after having been together for over 15 years. Their combined family, now included, Katie and Nick, as well as, Donna's two children, Gwendolyn Monroe, and Tim Burke.

Of Ken and Donna’s favorite pastimes, one was hosting dinners, events, and parties at their home, which were unparalleled, and… everyone was invited on the 4th of July.

Their other love was travel throughout the world, but

Courtesy of St. Mary's Donna Allen, Ken Dothee and a St. Mary's athlete.

GRAHAM from A3

Scotland.”

John Muir was the Sierra Club founder and champion for conservation of wilderness areas. Many consider Muir the father of modern environmentalism, primarily in the United States. He lived in Martinez the last 24 years of his life.

Graham White said, “John Muir was addressing the issue of sustainability as long ago as 1870, in his articles, books and political campaigns….He fought long and hard to save the redwoods, watersheds and the great rivers of the West, and to create the national parks, forest reserves, and whole infrastructure of American conservation.”

White wrote the introduction to “John Muir: The Wilderness Journeys,” promoted John Muir portal website, which led to the creation of www.johnmuir.org and was a frequent presenter at the "John Muir Conferences" held at the University of the Pacific in Stockton every five years.

When visiting Martinez, White often stayed with the Muir/Hanna family and called on Jill Harcke, founder and director of the John Muir Mountain Day Camp. Harcke said,

“In many ways, he was like John Muir… Graham continued to send out beauty. He sent out pictures of nature even when he had cancer.”

“He was dynamic and charismatic,” she observed. “Graham had such a command of the English language. He was inspiring, even when he spoke extemporaneously.”

Muir knew how to turn a phrase, make it musical, and magic. Graham White’s lexicon could do the same thing and spark it in others. His Scottish friend, Helen Harding McLaren summed it up this way for Jill Harcke, “His boundless enthusiasm and energy shed a wonderful light to everything he came into contact with and the continuing glow of that enhanced awareness, is a lasting treasure.”

Bill Hanna said, “He stayed with us here and at our family cabin in the Sierras, and he acted as our guide when we went to Scotland in 1997.” Hanna was impressed with White’s “encyclopedic knowledge and boundless energy, in getting environmental education into Scottish schools, getting Muir’s picture in the National Portrait Gallery, and republishing Muir’s books.

Mazatlan, Mexico was their home-away-from-home during the months of January and February. They enjoyed exploring, and relaxing, and still playing host to friends and family that might join them, on the beach at Pueblo Bonito, as well as treasuring the life-long friendships with many locals they met over the last 27 years.

Ken lived a vibrant life, full of charisma, unique only to him, full of witty puns and a hearty laugh. He loved to travel. He loved good food, and he loved good company... that of old friends, and of new acquaintances. He had a huge impact on the many lives that he touched throughout his 74 years.

Ken had been hospitalized off and on over this last year, battling one health crisis after another. He finally succumbed to multiple organ failure and on March 2, 2020.

He is survived by his wife, best friend and soulmate Donna Allen, his children, Katie and Nick, his stepchildren, Gwen and Tim, and his beloved grandchildren, Jacob and Natalie Bowman, and many other extended family members, schoolmates, neighbors, friends, colleagues and citizens of his community. There are many, many lives he touched along his path.

The family would like to extend their appreciation to Dr. Geoffrey Foster and Dr. John Kim, and the entire nursing staff at Walnut Creek Kaiser for their compassionate care, and friendship during this time.

A service will be held at 2:00 pm, on Saturday, April 4, 2020, at Saint Mary's College Chapel In Moraga, CA. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your own local school's athletic, or arts program, or a charity of your choice in honor of the extraordinary lifetime of H. Kenneth Dothée.

RIP “He was also very vocal and outgoing in terms of saving bees and colony collapse, and the decline in European songbirds because of the use of pesticides,” Hanna remarked.

This email from White to Harcke is reminiscent of Muir, as much as White: “Sanderling at Berwick's Little Beach - Tuesday.

According to RSPB this is the bird species which breeds furthest North, closest to the North Pole in: Spitzbergen, Siberia, Greenland and Northern Canada. Amazing, eh?"

Before migrating South for the winter, it increases its bodyweight by 60 percent, then flies 5,000 km non-stop to winter here in Scotland - and all the way down to Southern Africa, Australia, India, South America To fuel any of that kind of fascination for nature, and wildlife, writing, take advantage of free admission to John Muir National Historic Site and attend the free John Muir Earth Day/Birthday Celebration at the is scheduled for April 18, 2020. It is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Join "John Muir Fans" on Facebook facebook.com/groups/ johnmuirfans/ and kids can look forward to John Muir Mountain Day Camp this summer.

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Photo by Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group Alameda Unified School District officials pose with shovels during the groundbreaking ceremony for facilities bond work at a local high school, May 24, 2019. State and local school bond measures on this month's ballot appear to be struggling.

SCHOOL BONDS from A2

of that earlier measure with changes to commercial property taxation on the November ballot.

That presented an opening to philosophical opponents, such as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which likened the measure to a tax increase. They pointed out language in the bond that would have increased debt limits for local districts, essentially allowing them to put larger school bonds on local ballots with potentially higher costs for local taxpayers.

“The old adage that confusion is the friend of the ‘no’ vote — it was never better illustrated than this election on this ballot measure,” said Kevin Gordon, a Prop. 13 supporter and president of Sacramento-based Capitol Advisors Group.

The author of the Prop. 13 legislation, Democratic Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell of Long Beach, said Wednesday he plans to introduce a bill that would formally retire the number 13 for future ballot measures.

O’Donnell said that it was too soon to discuss next steps should Prop. 13 fail, but expressed confidence that the measure would have fared much better had it been assigned a different number. A quirk in state law requiring sequential numbering of ballot measures led to its name.

“I think the overriding challenge to this bond measure was the fact that it was named Proposition 13, and that generated a lot of confusion,” O’Donnell said. “Traditionally, voters in the state of California have supported school bonds because they recognize the need to upgrade school facilities across our state.”

Some also cited an apparent failure to effectively communicate the state measure’s impor-

tance, as well as some exhaustion from local voters who, in the aggregate, have been asked to decide on hundreds of local school bonds since 2016 totaling tens of billions of dollars, on top of other measures competing with public education.

“I think this [statewide] bond measure could’ve passed, but there was hardly any communication about the need for it to the average voter,” Larry Tramutola, a Bay Area political strategist who has worked on schoolrelated issues for three decades.

Tramutola cautioned against broad-brush conclusions on disparate local measures, but called Tuesday’s apparent rejection rate “staggering.”

‘Why are you bonding again?’

Dublin schools which are bursting with students, were among those with a local bond measure on the ballot in addition to the statewide bond.

Photo by Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group The $325 million school bond in Fresno Unified School District, California’s fourth-largest district, was among 33 local school bonds that appeared headed toward approval as of Thursday morning, according to CalMatters’ tally. Measure M, as it was dubbed, primarily aims to modernize Fresno schools, two-thirds of which were built before 1970, said Bob Nelson, superintendent at Fresno Unified.

Nelson said he was “incredibly thankful” that voters approved the district’s school bond, but said local voters had expressed skepticism and fatigue leading up to the primary.

He favored technical changes in the state measure that would have prioritized funding based on the urgency of schools’ needs.

“People were asking, ‘Why are you bonding again? You’ve bonded about every six or seven

years,’” Nelson said.

“Maybe (there was) a lack of understanding that while the state provides infrastructure for schools in terms of curriculum and support for teacher allocations and staffing, that it really is the expectation of the state that local municipalities would help fund some of their own facilities costs,” Nelson said.

Susan Shelley, vice president of communications for Howard Jarvis, said the state bond’s potential failure represents cynicism from voters “that more money is needed when the (state) budget is at record levels.”

“I think voters are very concerned about higher taxes, and the cost of living in California generally, so they’re more sensitive to proposals that will raise the cost of living than perhaps they were in earlier elections,” Shelley said of provisions in the measure to raise local districts’ debt limits.

Polling done by the Public Policy Institute of California leading up to Tuesday’s primary showed just 51% of voters planned to support the statewide measure. In hindsight, the poll also included this notable statistic: Fewer than half of respondents who planned to cast a “yes” or “no” vote told pollsters that the fate of Prop. 13 was important to them.

“With Prop. 13, this really may be a case in which the proponents didn’t make the case to the voters that this is important, essential and is going to be something that impacts schools in their local area,” said PPIC president Mark Baldassare.

“Whether or not voters consider spending on schools a priority, they need to feel like this was going to make a difference.”

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

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EDITORIAL & OPINION

Bulldogs play ball on the diamond Alhambra High baseball team is 3-3 on the young season ALL PHOTOS BY MARK FIERNER

Alhambra High softball team dropped their 2020 season opener to Antioch High 6-1

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Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

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AT HOME WITH JEFF

My brother JEFF ROUBAL | GAZETTE COLUMNIST

I

THE LOWRY COLUMN

Stop Pooh-Poohing Coronavirus Worries RICH LOWRY | COLUMNIST

T

he White House has been walking into a coronavirus trap.

By pooh-poohing worries about the virus and saying everything is under control, it is setting itself up for the charge, if things get even a little bad, that it was selfdeluding and overly complacent.

Although President Trump has recently struck a better tone, he's been a chief offender, wanting to downplay the virus for fear it will continue to suppress a stock market that has experienced vertiginous drops.

This is exactly the wrong approach. The moment doesn't call for market-reassuring Trump, but threatsaren't-getting-past-our-borders Trump, not Dow 30,000 Trump, but drawbridge-and-moat Trump.

Everything should be geared toward overreacting now, when the threat in the U.S. is still in prospect, instead of later, when circumstances may be beyond anyone's direct control.

That means appointing a point person for the coronavirus response with a medical background, who doesn't already have a full-time job, like current designee Mike Pence. The right pick could provide genuine expertise in public health and the workings of government, as well as being a reliable source of public information.

It means erring on the side of further travel restrictions, even if it will be impossible to exclude infected people from the United States, given its break out from China to countries all around the world.

It means not quibbling with Congress over coronavirus funding, with even Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy saying the administration's $2.5 billion request is "a little low" (Trump has signaled a willingness to accept more).

It means making sure that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working at maximum efficiency to make coronavirus tests widely available, which is the most worrisome shortfall in the federal response so far, and that government agencies are doing everything possible to push the development and deployment of a vaccine.

Finally, it means coordinating with localities, as warranted, on ways to slow the spread of the virus via "social distancing," or the avoidance of large gatherings and public transportation.

The coronavirus is not a modern-day plague. Many people infected will experience only mild symptoms, and it's not as deadly as SARS or Middle East respiratory syndrome.

Yet, it is not a creation of the fake news, either. It has hobbled one of the most important counties in the world, China, and is shutting down towns in Italy.

There are now more new cases outside of China than inside it. The virus has killed nearly 3,000 people.

was thinking about my brother recently. Lewis passed away four years ago last month and I miss him from time to time. Author Terry Pratchett once wrote, “Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?” In that sense, Lewis is still around.

There were four kids in my family – three boys and our little sister. I was the oldest.

Greg came two years later, Lewis two years after that and, finally, our sister in 1960. The story was that our parents were going to keep having kids until they got a girl. Roxanne vigorously denies it but we all know that she was spoiled rotten.

Lewis, on the other hand, was happy-go-lucky. With two older brothers, he was often the target of pranks and practical jokes. Lewis kept good humor and dished out as much as he received. Because of that, he had more friends growing up than Greg and I put together.

When Lewis was born, we were living in a two-bedroom house. My parents added “The Dormitory” on the back. This was a 30’ x 15’ open room with a polished terrazzo floor. On the east side, it connected to the house with a door to what became Roxanne’s bedroom.

On the north side, there was a door to the laundry room, bathroom, family room, and the rest of the house.

Along the south wall, our handyman next door neighbor built two sturdy room dividers separating three built-in beds.

The beds were hung on the wall and the dividers so they floated without legs. It was easy to clean underneath (not

Courtesy of Jeff Roubal Lewis Roubal.

that we boys ever did). On the North wall, across from each bed, was a clothes closet. Lewis’s bed was the furthest East.

Greg’s bed was in the middle.

My bed was furthest from the main house. The dividers ended two feet from the ceiling.

Greg and I used to stand on his bed and peer over the divider to taunt Lewis in his bed. That was fun because Lewis was not tall enough to look back.

Ironically, he grew up to be the tallest.

Summers were hot in Florida – especially in The Dormitory. Dad put a box fan in the doorway by Lewis’ bed to draw in cooler air from other parts of the house. This solution did not lower the temperature much but it was peaceful falling asleep to the drone of the fan motor. My brothers and I had fun feeding random things to the fan when left unsupervised. That was back when box fans came with sturdy metal blades. It is a wonder nobody

Courtesy of Jeff Roubal Lewis Roubal young.

lost a finger.

To escape Florida weather and join the hip crowd, we moved to Santa Cruz in 1965.

Us kids all attended Soquel High School where we each took up a sport. I played football, Greg ran cross-country, and Roxanne was on the swim team. Lewis chose springboard diving. I didn't even know there was a springboard diving team until Lewis

joined.

In competition, the divers were judged on two factors: the perfection with which the dive was executed (approach, take-off, execution and entry into the water) and the degree of difficulty. Lewis had his own strategy. Rather than stress about perfection, Lewis would earn points by picking the hardest dives. He and his buddy Chris used to practice wearing full wetsuits with a hood because painful belly flops were inevitable when attempting a reverse triple somersault in the pike position (which he actually did in competition). I remember watching him practice a reverse 2½ somersault with 2½ twists in the tuck position. I thought it was nuts but, looking back, it was probably safer than playing football.

When Lewis was a teenager, he drove a sweet Datsun 2000 coupe with a removable hard top and tonneau top. Being a teenager, he was always tinkering with his car to make it better. One day, he saw another one for sale that looked snazier than his. He bought the second one, swapped the wheels and other parts to improve his car then sold the second one for a profit. A born entrepreneur, Lewis was always working on a deal.

He spent many happy hours at the flea market and, later, on Craig’s List hunting for good deals. I was at his house a couple years ago when the phone rang. Lewis answered, listened, then said, “I’ll be right there.” I drove him to the other side of town where a fellow was waiting on the street corner to give us a free wheelbarrow. Lewis

See AT HOME on page B10

See LOWRY on page B10

Send in your letters. We’d love to hear from you.

editor@martinezgazette.com www.martinezgazette.com

Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

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PARK IT

Water bottles NED MACKAY | EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

In my last column I urged park visitors to carry out and recycle plastic water bottles that they bring into East Bay Regional Parks and other open spaces, instead of just discarding them.

The park district is going a step further, encouraging people to reduce plastic use by bringing along non-disposable water bottles when they visit parklands. To help with this, the district is in the process of installing water bottle refilling stations at a number of regional parks.

There’s more: the district is starting a pilot program to expand recycling and enable food scrap composting. This consists of placing three-stream compost/recycle/landfill containers at various parks.

Compost includes food scraps and food-soiled paper/cardboard. Recycling includes clean paper and cardboard in addition to bottles and cans.

Look for the new containers at Anthony Chabot, Briones, Robert Crown, Diablo Foothills, Garin, Lake Chabot, Sibley and Tilden Nature Area.

Mathematicians among us recognize March 14 (3.14) as Pi Day, an occasion to celebrate a mathematical constant: the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

At Sunol Regional Wilderness, naturalist Erica Stephens will observe the day by leading a hike from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to the high valley barn, where a pie treat awaits.

The hike is for ages seven and older and there’s a fee of -- what else -- $3.14. Registration is required. Call 888-327-2757 and select option 2.

And all ages will enjoy a Froggy Friends hike from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 at Sunol with naturalist Alex Collins. The program will include family-friendly frog activities.

The park also has three recurring programs each weekend. Animal feeding time is from 10:30 to 11 a.m. every Sunday through April 26 inside the visitor center. Nature crafts are from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday and Sunday through March 22. And Wild Wonders, a program of games, activities and explorations, is from 2 to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through March 22.

Sunol Wilderness is located at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. The recurring programs are all free. Call 510-544-3249.

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Chekov classic, Cherry Orchard, takes stage at Lafayette Town Hall Theater CHARLIE JARRETT | GAZETTE COLUMNIST

T

his past weekend, I was fortunate to visit the Town Hall Theater in Lafayette to attend the second week of Anton Chekhov’s last play and masterpiece, The Cherry Orchard, written one year before his death in 1904 (age 44), and considered as one of his four world renowned works. This play continues, awaiting your attendance through Saturday, March 21, in this historic theater at 3535 School St which is at the corner of Moraga Road and School St..

Checkov was a playwright and short story writer held in high esteem and considered by many to be the most prominent of Russian playwrights and one of the greatest writers of short fiction stories in history. Along with Henrik Ibsen, Leo Tolstoy, and August Strindberg, Chekhov is considered one of the great proponents of the “realism” movement, whose aim was to bring greater fidelity and real-life convergence into every aspect of theater. In other words, supporting the concept that modern theater should emulate human behavior in real life as realistically as possible on stage. His plays created a road to what’s called common sense and reality acting in modern day theater, a reality that has been reinforced by Konstantin Stanislavsky when he revived the original production of “Seagull” through his Moscow Art Theater. Stanislavski laid claim to teaching actors a process brought to life by Chekhov’s “theater of mood”, which became known as the “Stanislavsky Method”.

The Cherry Orchard revolves around a Russian family and its distress over the fear of the family estate being sold at auction to pay a mortgage debt. Madame Lyubov Ranevskaya (Sarah Ruby) who has just returned to her Russian aristocratic family’s estate, fearing the auction but hoping that some members of her ex-

Courtesy Photo Charlie Jarrett.

Photo by Stu Selland

tended family will rescue the property from foreclosure. This commanding upper-class woman exhibits the pride of the old Russian aristocracy who have fallen on difficult financial times caused in large part on their inability to understand the financial or business matters facing them.

Yermolai Lopakhin (Ted V. Bigornia) is a very successful merchant, probably the wealthiest of all the

guests in the home at this time. He was raised on this property and was probably the child of a member of the lowest class in society at that time, the serfs. He is knowledgeable as to the necessity of negotiation and compromise and suggests that the Madame eliminate the beautiful Orchard acreage surrounding the family home and build rental properties on it to fund the preservation of the estate and the family’s lifestyle. However, probably the most significant factor in this family’s joint memories of the property is that beautiful cherry orchard which surrounds the home, making this property so noteworthy as well as framing so many fond memories to all involved.

The play was originally designed as a comedy exhibiting human folly, but eventually was considered as more a tragedy, and in some ways, it has been declared to be similar to our own national political and economic situation by demonstrating the difficulties of living in a society with such great wealth disparities.

There are 13 wonderful cast members who present a delightfully comic and yet serious portrait of how this family’s situation promises to tear the family apart and cast its family members to the winds of fortune. Director Susan Evans has immersed this story with actors of unique skill, suitably fit to validate the caricature and strategic story values demonstrated in this humorous, yet serious tale.

The set designed by Lillana Duque Pineiro is quite attractive and effective and the costumes by Elizabeth Flaherty, perfectly suited to the story and its characters. The play continues Thursdays at 7 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, with Sunday Matinees at 2pm, now through March 21st. Tickets are quite reasonable at $25 to $30 each, with discounts for Seniors and youth. Additional information may be found at www.townhalltheatre.com or the Box Office at (925) 283-1557.

Student art show at Martinez Library CAROL WILEY | MAA

Photographers will enjoy a flower photography program from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 14 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, led by photographer Don Jedlovec and naturalist Kristina Parkison. It’s twofold: get tips on getting professional-grade images of flowers in the park’s butterfly garden, and learn how to attract bird and insect pollinators to your own garden.

The program is for ages 12 and up. It’s free, but registration is required. Call 888-327-2757, select option 2 and refer to program number 28116.

Frogs and other amphibians are the focus of a program at Coyote Hills from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 with naturalist Dino Labiste. It’s a walk from the visitor center to the marsh and a chance to make a frog craft to take home.

Coyote Hills is at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. Call 510-544-3220.

Frogs and photography are also on the agenda at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley. Naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder will lead a search of the nature area ponds for wet wildlife. It’s from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sat., March 14.

And naturalist Anthony Fisher plans a nature photography clinic with your camera or mobile phone, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sun., Mar. 15.

Both programs meet at Tilden’s Environmental Education Center, which is at the north end of Central Park Drive. Call 510-544-2233.

M

ain Street Arts presents "Confluence" featuring the wonderful artwork created by Patsy Taylor's students, past and present. The exhibition runs through April 2nd to 29th, with the reception April 4th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Patsy Taylor is an artist living in the East Bay. She has a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has been teaching since 2008 both privately and in community programs. She paints in the studio and outdoors.

As a teacher Ms. Taylor believes in establishing foundations and then, from there, allowing creativity to flow. With this in mind she teaches with a focus on individual development and exploration.

As an artist she has been mostly focused on landscape painting in oils. Expression of her love for the natural world and interest in connections with life has seen her work recently diverge into a different style with more intimate content. She intends to continue on this path with her painting.

Courtesy Photo Mark Milner, Peppermints.

Patsy has been teaching in the East Bay for many years and has been a great influence on a generation of painters. We look forward to this talented group.

The show is sponsored by the Martinez Arts Association (MAA) which provides grants to teachers

See ART SHOW on page B9

Spiders are the subject of a program from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. You can learn about the eight-leggers and join in some arachnid-themed activities.

Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street.

Call 888-327-2757, ext. 3050.

This is just a sample. It’s springtime and there are lots of programs on the calendar in the regional parks. For full information, visit the website, www.ebparks.org.

Courtesy Photo Patsy Taylor, Resplendent.

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Courtesy Photo Kin Sethie, Coastal Waters.

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City of Martinez

Calendar POISON APPLE TEENS AND PLAYERS

Courtesy Photo Artwork created by Patsy Taylor's students.

SHOW ART from B8

for purchase of art materials. The exhibit includes works by primary and secondary students. Clusters of octopuses – each one unique – exemplify the kind of surprise and delight every teacher knows can happen with the power of art.

“Mola” paper art, ink drawings of animals, mountain landscapes in watercolor, pastels, and blossoming spring trees are among works exhibited. Other works depict harsher realities – environmental degradation, separation of families, and teen need for help.

Gazette readers were recently informed of planned forced budget cuts

Courtesy Photo Artwork created by Patsy Taylor's students.

to our school district staff and services, and art classes are among those slated for elimination. This exhibit should make any viewer see the folly of such a State decision. Some residents are joining staff members in writing to our State legislators to urge them to increase school funding substantially – not cut already inadequate funding.

Martinez community members show great extra support for the arts and our library. MAA is a non-profit organization that promotes art in the community through a number of annual events (www.martinezarts.org).

This show reveals local positive energies and convinces us why the arts are worthy of support.

Poison Apple Teens and Players (featuring students across the greater Bay Area) attended the Junior Theater Festival WEST February 7-9 to present FROZEN JR and GODSPELL JR, and to showcase a New Works production of The Drowsy Chaperone JR. Frozen JR was adjudicated by Broadway Professionals Jeff Calhoun (Director of Newsies, and Between the Lines), Shay Rogers (Choreographer!), and Rob Rokiki (Composer The Lightning Thief). Calhoun said "from the moment you began I knew we were in good hands." Rokiki told our troupe they had "Good Dynamics!" And Rogers stated "Everything was so beautifully visual, I now want to do Frozen!"

Godspell JR was adjudicated by Senior Educational Adviser for iTheatrics the wonderful Cindy Ripley, and Executive Producer for NBC Dean McFlicker. Ripley honored the group by stating they were "Masterful!" regarding their musical skill and ensemble work. McFlicker felt the actors were invested in each aspect of their performance. Most exciting for the Godspell Jr cast was that Dean Pitchford (who played Jesus in the original 1971 Production of Godspell) watched their entire performance set and even called Steven Schwartz (the writer of Godspell) to tell him about the kids'!

Poison Apple also was honored by being chosen out of the 43 participating companies with a New Works Showcase. We premiered the Drowsy Chaperone JR on the West Coast!

To put a cherry on top of the fantastic weekend, Poison Apple was honored with the following awards: New Works Showcase Award 2020 Dawson McDonald (of Clayton, CA) was honored with the Sheridan Giles Technical Theater Scholarship. Frozen JR was honored with Excellence in Music.

Godspell JR was also honored with Excellence in Music!

Courtesy Photo Artwork created by Patsy Taylor's students.

MOUNT DIABLO PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER

22nd year of the contest Open to all middle school and high school students in Contra Costa County The Dennis Thomas Art and Writing Challenge provides middle and high school students with a different topic/theme each year. Students are invited produce visual artwork, essays, and creative writing on the topic, with scholarships and prizes for winners. At the conclusion of the contest, there is an awards dinner celebrating the students' achievements. Contest winners, their parents siblings and teachers, as well as sponsoring donors and the community, are invited to the dinner to honor peaceful creativity and thought.

For more information and submission guidelines, please visit our website: tinyurl.com/mdpjc-artandwriting2020 Our theme for 2020 is: "Our Connected Planet" Submission Deadline: April 24th, 2020

2nd Annual Youth Activist Grant In 2019, the Center established our Youth Activist Grant Awards as a way to recognize and honor young people in our community organizing around peace and justice. We want students to know that they can be powerful instruments of change and that the actions they take can have a huge impact in creating a more just and equitable world for all.

We are asking the community to nominate a youth organization, individual or group of young people (grades 6-12) who have shown a remarkable commitment to engaging in the struggle for human rights, world peace, social justice, and/or youth empowerment.

For more information and nomination forms, please visit our website: tinyurl. com/mdpjc-artandwriting2020

CHAMBER EVENTS

Martinez Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting March 25, 2020.

Citizen of the Year Awards Banquet April 25, 2020 at 6 PM - 9 PM - A special event that recognizes people or organizations for their outstanding volunteerism and commitment to the community. IBEW Local #302 Hall, 1875 Arnold Dr., Martinez.

RSVP required. Tickets are $55 per person or $500 for a table of ten (10). The deadline to purchase tickets is Monday, April 20. To purchase tickets contact the Martinez Chamber of Commerce at (925) 228-2345 or email Julie@martinezchamber.Com

CITY GOVERNMENT MEETINGS

City Council Meeting March 18, 2020 from 6 PM - 9 PM at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street. Contact: 372-3500.

Zoning Administrator Meeting March 25, 2020 from 4 PM - 6 PM at City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street. Contact: 372-3500.

Brickyard Run - Save the Date April 5, 2020 - Save the date for the 50th Annual Luka Sekulich Brickyard Run. Join the HOKA Aggie Running Club to benefit the Alhambra High School and the Martinez Recreation Division Scholarship Fund. The four and eight mile race is “out and back” on Carquinez Scenic Drive. For more information, contact: Brickyardrun@gmail.com.

MARTINEZ SENIOR ACTIVITIES

Bingo March 19, 2020 - At 818 Green Street, Martinez 925-370-8770. Sales open at 12pm. Game begins at 1pm. 5 per pack. $30 guaranteed minimum prize for 10 regular games. Special games (prize dependent upon sales). Everyone is welcome!

Silver Wings Performance April 3, 2020 from 11 AM - 12 PM - Do you love music? Lets take ourselves back to the ‘50s and ‘60s! Be sure to sign up so you can sing and dance along. It is sure to be a show you wont want to miss. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided. Sign up beginning Monday, March 2. This event is subject to cancellation if minimum participation is not met by the deadline date. $5 per person.

AARP Free Tax Preparation Free tax preparation for the 2020 tax season will be offered by AARP Tax-Aide and provided by volunteer IRS certified tax counselors. Tax-Aide does not have an income limit but helps low and moderate income taxpayers of any age, with special attention given to seniors 50 +. You can make an appointment by calling (925) 370-8770 for the Martinez Senior Center site or (925) 726-3199.

www.martinezgazette.com

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Sanders not dropping out but where does he go from here?

STEVE PEOPLES, WILSON RING & WILL WEISSERT | AP

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Bernie Sanders is vowing to press ahead with his presidential campaign at least long enough to debate Joe Biden this weekend, even while acknowledging his deficit in the Democratic race may be insurmountable.

The Vermont senator on Wednesday offered no further details on what his campaign may look like before or after he and Biden — the last two major candidates vying for the Democratic presidential nomination — spar Sunday night on stage in Arizona. The only thing on Sanders’ public schedule was taping an appearance on Wednesday’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

And that will continue to raise questions — as unlikely as it may seem less than two weeks after losing his once commanding front-runner status — about how long Sanders will persist against increasingly daunting odds, especially as the pressure within his own party increases exponentially.

Sanders addressed reporters in Burlington after offering no public statements Tuesday night, when he suffered a devastating defeat in Michigan and losses in Missouri, Idaho and Mississippi. Sanders noted that he won North Dakota and that the continuing count in Washington state remained close — but admitted he was trailing badly in the race to secure enough delegates to secure the nomination before the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.

“While our campaign has won the ideological debate, we are losing the debate over electability,” Sanders said, meaning Democrats think Biden has a better chance of beating President Donald Trump in the fall.

“That is what millions of Democrats and independents today believe.”

He was quick to add that he thinks he’s the stronger choice, and that he could show that during Sunday’s debate. Sanders promised to press Biden for answers about millions of Americans who don’t have health

AP Photo/Charles Krupa Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., center, walks to his car after speaking to reporters on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in Burlington, Vt.

insurance, a criminal justice system he said unfairly targets and punishes minorities and raising the federal minimum wage.

After that, though, Democrats’ desperate desire to defeat Trump could affect his calculus.

Should Sanders get out soon, he could save Democrats months of a messy and expensive primary fight. But an early departure would also deprive the party’s most passionate supporters, including many young people, of the one man who embodies the dramatic change they crave.

Sanders also noted that he was winning a greater percentage of young voters while Biden continues to run up the score with older ones.

“Today, I say to the Democratic establishment, in order to win in the future, you need to win the voters who represent the future of our country,” Sanders said. “And you must speak to the issues of concern to them.

You cannot simply be satisfied by winning the votes of people who are older.”

Sanders has indeed been widely favored over Biden by voters under 30, but he has not delivered on his strategy of getting them to the polls in great numbers, according to AP VoteCast surveys of voters in Tuesday’s Democratic primaries. Also problematic for him: Sanders showed no overwhelming strength with voters age 30 to 44, typically a larger share of the vote than the very young, in

Michigan and Missouri.

That Sanders was vowing to soldier on was hardly a surprise.

The 78-year-old democratic socialist is nothing if not willing to take on the political establishment against all odds — and Sanders’ closest allies are happy to see him stay in the race, even if the rest of the party is not.

“The process of unity isn’t just this pie-in-the-sky, vague, butterflies-in-your-tummy type of feeling,” New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of Sanders’ highest profile supporters, said Wednesday in an interview on Capitol Hill. “It requires real coalition building, and coalition building requires plans and commitments to electorates to figure out how we unify.

And so I think that this is a good opportunity for us to come together.”

RoseAnn DeMoro, former executive director of National Nurses United and a Sanders confidant, said Sanders “has a mandate not to abandon the movement.”

“Heroes aren’t made, they’re cornered,” DeMoro said. “He is cornered.”

Four years ago, under similar pressure in a primary match-up against Hillary Clinton, Sanders fought on for months before ultimately backing Clinton in July.

Sanders has repeatedly insisted that he and Biden are friends and that he will back the former vice president if he’s the party’s nominee — he just may not be

ready to yet follow through on that promise.

Still, Sanders didn’t say Wednesday where he plans to travel next. His campaign is opening five offices in Arizona on Wednesday night, but using top supporters rather than the candidate himself.

Adding to the uncertainty is the spread of coronavirus, which forced both Sanders and Biden to cancel campaign events Tuesday night in Cleveland and prompted Sanders’ team to say it would evaluate future events on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond the debate, the primary calendar could get even bleaker for Sanders. Next week, four more states vote and while he is hoping his support with Hispanic voters can lift him in Arizona, Sanders may struggle in two of the most important ones, Illinois and Florida — where some voters could be alienated by his recent comments defending Fidel Castro’s communist government in Cuba.

“Trump must be defeated and I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens,” Sanders said. “On Sunday night in the first one-on-one debate of this campaign, the American people will have the opportunity to see which candidate is best positioned to accomplish that.”

• MPE - Cherise Gutierrez • District Office - Stephaine Wentz • Las Juntas Elementary Amy Mark • Martinez Junior High- Stefanie Guerra • MEIPP - Jana Nguyen • Food Service - Diana Braun

Earlier in 2020 Educators of the Year were named: • Naema Ray - MEIPP/ Teacher • Palma Dell - Vicente/ Briones School/ Counselor • Stephanie Battles - John Swett Elementary/ Teacher • Grant Matsumoto - Morello

Park Elementary/ Teacher • Amber Love - Las Juntas Elementary/ Teacher • Melissa Boyd - Martinez Junior High/Teacher • Marianne Griffin - Alhambra High School/ Teacher • Beth McVay - MUSD District Nurse

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AT HOME from B7

needed another wheelbarrow like a hole in the head, but it was free so we took it home and parked it in his backyard next to the other two wheelbarrows.

In high school, Lewis worked at Shadowbrook Restaurant as a prep cook. He washed vegetables, chopped salad, started prime rib, peeled potatoes, and got everything ready for when the cooks arrived. He had a huge French parsley plant in the garden at home. The plant’s extraordinary size came from soil fertilized by 20 carrier pigeons. To make money, Lewis harvested and sold fresh parsley to the restaurant. He had sold the pigeons for a healthy profit two years previously. He was always resourceful.

After high school, Lewis became a carpenter and excelled.

His specialty was trim work like stairs, banisters, doors, and fireplaces. He showed me a random piece of wood one day that was roughly six feet long and six inches thick. It did not look like anything special to me until he explained it was some kind of rare wood that had cost him more than $800 wholesale. He was cutting it up to make a fireplace mantel.

I have never had the nerve to cut something that expensive.

He did it for a living.

LOWRY from B7

If it gets loose in the United States, there could well be a panic that in itself would be damaging to the social fabric and the economy.

Maybe none of this comes to pass, but it's better to be overly prepared and vigilant than play to catch up.

Besides, the political valence of the coronavirus crisis should be favorable to Trump's worldview. It

Courtesy of Jeff Roubal Lewis Roubal young.

Because of his job, Lewis always had the coolest tools – power saws, planers, joiners, and all kinds of hand tools.

He visited once while Vivian and I were building a retaining wall in the backyard. Lewis shook his head after watching me hack at the hillside mightily for an hour with a mattock.

He went home and returned with his Bosch 35-pound electric jackhammer and spade bit.

That made the job a lot easier.

Without his advice, I might still be hacking on the hill.

Of all us siblings, Lewis was the most sensible and downto-earth, truly a gentle soul.

I still miss him from time to time. Lewis was a great source of knowledge on home projects and freely loaned me construction tools I could not afford to buy. Too bad I never needed a wheelbarrow. demonstrates a downside of globalization and shows the importance of borders. It is an object lesson in our overdependence on a China that is dictatorial, dishonest and poorly governed.

The president shouldn't shrug off the threat in the hopes of talking up the stock market. If his team responds effectively, the Dow will take care of itself.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

Peoples reported from Philadelphia. Weissert reported from Washington.

MUSD from A1

the Las Juntas Library was the “heart of the school, where “love of reading is nurtured.”

Intervention teacher positions at John Muir Elementary and Las Juntas Elementary would be reduced. Both schools have a highest need for early intervention programs according to speakers.

Las Juntas seems to be in a cycle of “two steps forward, one step back,” according to a speaker.

Several speakers asked the board and superintendent to take the fight to the Governor and legislature.

Cammack said he was joining with other county superintendents and before the Coronavirus threat required attention, they were close to a meeting with the Governor Newsom.

There was no action on the reduction plan and the budget cuts will come back before the MUSD Board on March 23 for a vote.

At the beginning of the Board meeting the District honored the Classified Employees of the Year: • John Swett Elementary - Nicole Kelly • John Muir Elementary - Sahar Shabann • Adult Education - Maria Lumb • Alhambra High School Karin Sloper

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DC SOLAR from A1

to commit wire fraud and money laundering. His wife, Paulette Carpoff, 46, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering. According to court documents, between 2011 and 2018, DC Solar manufactured mobile solar generator units (MSG), solar generators that were mounted on trailers that were promoted as able to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting events. A significant incentive for investors were generous federal tax credits due to the solar nature of the MSGs. The conspirators pulled off their scheme by selling solar generators that did not exist to investors, making it appear that solar generators existed in locations that they did not, creating false financial statements, and obtaining false lease contracts, among other efforts to conceal the fraud. In reality, at least half of the approximately 17,000 solar generators claimed to have been manufactured by DC Solar did not exist.

U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “This billion dollar Ponzi scheme hurt investors and took money from the United States Treasury. This case represents not only the largest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the District, it also represents the largest criminal forfeiture in the history of the District with over $120 million in assets forfeited. All of this money will be returned to the victims. This scheme also targeted the United States Treasury, and we have returned $500 million to the Treasury to date. Agents, investigators and attorneys from various federal agencies are still working to continue

DC Solar DC Solar warehouse located in Benicia, California.

to return money to victims and the United States Treasury. Today’s guilty pleas sends a strong message that fraudsters will get caught and will pay for their crimes. You can run, but you cannot hide.”

The forfeiture included seizing and auctioning 148 of the Carpoffs’ luxury and collector vehicles, including the 1978 Firebird previously owned by actor Burt Reynolds. This historical auction resulted in recouping approximately $8.233 million for victims.

In addition to their collection of luxury and collector vehicles, Jeff and Paulette Carpoff used money from the scheme to pay for a minor-league professional baseball team and a NASCAR racecar sponsorship; to purchase luxury real estate in California, Nevada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and else-

where; a subscription private jet service; a suite at a professional football stadium; and jewelry.

“The Carpoffs and their co-conspirators wove a web of lies and deceit in a massive fraud scheme.

Meticulous review and analysis of millions of documents revealed the operation and true intention of the scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. “The FBI is committed to our partnerships with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Marshals Service. Together, we seek to uncover fraud that exploits investors and taxpayers, ensuring criminals face justice.”

“By all outer appearances this was a legitimate and successful company,” said Kareem Carter,

Classifieds The Martinez News-Gazette is published weekly by Martinez News-Gazette, Inc. editor@martinezgazette.com • martinezgazette.com • (925) 293-9471

Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation. “But in reality it was all just smoke and mirrors — a Ponzi scheme touting tax benefits to the tune of over $900 million.

IRS CI is committed to investigating those who take advantage and impact the financial well-being of others for their own personal gain.”

“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) is pleased to join our law enforcement colleagues in announcing these guilty pleas,” stated Special Agent in Charge Wade Walters for the FDIC OIG San Francisco Regional Office. “The defendants conspired with others to create a fraudulent business venture that duped unsuspecting entities, including banks, to invest approximately $1

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billion, which the two later used to support a lavish lifestyle. They also knowingly engaged in a money laundering transaction involving criminally derived property. The FDIC-OIG is committed to ensuring that those who use our Nation’s banks to undermine the integrity of the financial system will be held accountable.”

Four defendants have previously pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges related to the fraud scheme since October. Joseph W. Bayliss, 44, of Martinez, and Ronald J. Roach, of Walnut Creek, each pleaded guilty to related charges on Oct. 22, 2019. Robert A. Karmann, 53, of Clayton, pleaded guilty to related charges on Dec. 17, 2019.

Ryan Guidry, 53, of Pleasant Hill, pleaded guilty to related charges on Jan. 14, 2020. A seventh coconspirator is scheduled to plead guilty on Feb. 11. The investigation into the fraud remains ongoing.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS‑Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys André M. Espinosa and Kevin C. Khasigian are prosecuting the case.

Jeff and Paulette Carpoff are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on May 19. Jeff Carpoff faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. Paulette Carpoff faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS

PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE

PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001524 The name of the business: M.E.D. Lab Services Located at: 3190 Old Tunnel Rd #B, Lafayette, CA 94549, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Arina Makarov, Mark Makarov. This business is conducted by: Married Couple. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 2/19/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Mark Makarov. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: March 9, 2020 by Deputy County Clerk L. Arosemene Expires 3/9/2025 Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0313-9 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27 April 3, 2020.

business: Easy Handy Located at: 123 Virginia Hills Dr, #C, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Ilia Isupor. Business is conducted by: Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 3/2/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Ilia Isupor. This statement was filed with the Contra Costa County on: March 2, 2020 by Deputy Clerk S Smith. Expires 3/2/2025. Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0313712 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27, April 3 2020.

nature of registrant: /s/ Alejandro Soria. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: March 9, 2020 by Deputy County Clerk S. Smith Expires 3/9/2025 Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0313-15 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 2020.

Deceased. The administrator named below have been appointed as administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time such claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the administrators or the administrator’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the administrator served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in section RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.

Date of First Publication: March 13, 2020 Adminstrator: Lauri Funai Attorneys for Administrator: Roger Hawkes, WSBA 5134 Kate F. Love, WSBA 51314 of HAWKES LAW FIRM Address for Mailing/Service: 19944 Ballinger Way, N.E. #100 Shoreline, WA 98155 Tel: 206-367-5000 Fax: 206-367-4005 Court of probate proceedings And Cause Number Snohomish County Superior Court #19-4-21042-4 SEA MNG 2020-0313-14 Published 3/13, 3/20, 3/27

certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/16/2020, 9:00 AM, Dept.: 15 Room: N/A. Address of court: same as noted above. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. if you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Samantha Hart Farren, Esq., 9057-B Soquel Drive, Suite F Aptos, Ca 95003 831-688-2026 Published March 13, 20, 27, 2020

decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval.

Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 04/7/2020, 9:00 AM, Dept.: 15 Room: N/A. Address of court: same as noted above. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. if you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: Piper Hanson 1750 Franciso Blvd 650-738-0720 MNG 2020-0313-17 Published March 13, 20, 27, 2020

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001197 The name of the business: 1) Senior Forensic Consultants 2) GA Froyd General Contractor Located at: 373 Grapevine Place, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523 is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Anthony Allen Froyd. This business is conducted by: Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 2/24/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Anthony Froyd. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: February 24, 2020 by Deputy S. Alvarez Expires 2/24/2025 Martinez NewsGazette No. 2020-0313-10 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27 April 3, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001484 The name of the business: 1) Industrial Medic Clinic 2) IMEDCC Located at: 3725 Lone Tree Way, Suite D1, Antioch, CA, 94509, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Industrial Medic Clinic LLC., 5230 Glenridge Way, Antioch CA, 94531. This business is conducted by: LLC. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 1/1/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Alexis Sidney. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: March 6, 2020 by Deputy L. Fallas Expires 3/6/2025. Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-03137-11 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27, April 3 2020

DBA FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001356 The name of the

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FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0000944 The name of the business: Flip’n Knowledge Located at: 5140 Arroyo St. In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Terrence James Banks and Issa Anthony Portlock This business is conducted by: Co-Partners. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 2/11/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Terrence James Banks. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: February 11, 2020, 2020 by Deputy C. Garcia Expires 2/11/2025 Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0228-5 Publish dates: February 28, March 6, March 13, March 20, 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001147 The name of the business: JSM Construction Located at: 3049 Sanstone Rd., Alamo, CA 94507, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Jeffrey McCormick, 3049 Sanstone Rd., Alamo, CA 94507 This business is conducted by: Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 2/24/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ Jeffrey McCormick. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: February 24, 2020 by Deputy L Failas Expires 2/24/2025 Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0306-6 Publish dates: March 6, 13, 20, 27 2020.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001515 The name of the business: Alex’s Synthetic Grass Installer Located at: 3831 Pacheco Blvd, Apt #5, Martinez, CA, 94553 is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Alejandro Soria. This business is conducted by: Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 3/9/2020. Sig-

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-0001554 The name of the business: Kirby Carpet Cleaning Located at: 3330 Vincent Rd, Suite L, Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523 is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Maximum Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning. This business is conducted by: Corporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 3/5/2020. Signature of registrant: /s/ David Steely. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: March 10, 2020 by Deputy County Clerk H. Franklin Expires 3/10/2025 Martinez News-Gazette No. 2020-0313-16 Publish dates: March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 2020.

NOTICE OF SERVICE NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS

BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY In the General Court of Justice District Court Division Service by Publication RICHARD GREGORY FILE NO.: 19 CVD 1915 Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed and your response is required to be filed not later than April __15__, 2020 in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Absolute Divorce. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than 40 days from the first publication of this notice, and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the __6__ day of March, 2020. /s/ Kendra D. White Kendra D. White, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff N.C. Bar No.: 37273 The Law Office of K.D. White 3622-A Morganton Road Fayetteville, NC 28303 Tel: (910) 213-3456 MNG Mar 6, 13, 20, 27 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS In The Superior Court For Snohomish County State Of Washington In the Matter of the Estate of NO.20-4-00418-31 NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) BONNIE SONNIKSON,

PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may othenvise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: JOANNE HARRINGTON, JOANNE MARIE HARRINGTON. The Petition for Probate has been filed by : DAVID ROBERT BRUNO in the Superior Court of California, County of : CONTRA COSTA. The Petition for Probate requests that: DAVID ROBERT BRUNO be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking

Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may othenvise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: Roger W. Jaquith.

The Petition for Probate has been filed by : Robin A. Jaquith in the Superior Court of California, County of : CONTRA COSTA. The Petition for Probate requests that: Robin A. Jaquith be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the

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GAMES & CARTOONS

a

EDITORIAL & OPINION

/

ENTERTAINMENT

/

CROSSWORD

/

POLITICS

Posting Date March 9, 2020 Posting Date March 9, 2020

1. ADVERTISING SLOGANS: Which product was advertised as “the champagne of bottled beer”?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Which was the first designated designated national national park park in in the the United United States?

States?

3.

3. BIBLE: BIBLE: From From which which book book of of the the New New Testament does the proverb “the Testament does the proverb “the blind blind leading leading the the blind” blind” originate? originate?

4.

U.S. PRESIDENTS: 4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which Which president president established established the the Purple Purple Heart Heart award award to to milmilitary members injured or killed in battle? itary members injured or killed in battle?

5. LITERATURE: What is the title of a 5. LITERATURE: What is the title of a classic novel that its British author origiclassic novel“Strangers that its British originally named fromauthor Within”? nally named “Strangers from Within”?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which ani6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: mal’s home is called a lodge? Which animal’s home is called a lodge?

7. FOOD & DRINK: Which spice is 7. FOOD spice is described as & “theDRINK: Queen ofWhich Spices”? described as “the Spices”?

8. MUSIC: WhoQueen wroteofthe libretto and 8. MUSIC: libretto and music to the Who operawrote “The the Flying Dutchmusic man”? to the opera “The Flying Dutchman”?

9. HISTORY: Which country’s revolu9. HISTORY: Which revolution was described in thecountry’s book “Ten Days tion described in the book “Ten Days Thatwas Shook the World”?

That the World”?

10. Shook ANATOMY: What is the most com10. blood ANATOMY: What is the most common type in humans? mon blood type in humans? © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Trivia Test Answers 1.

MillerTest High Life Trivia Answers 2. Yellowstone 1.

Miller High Life 3. Yellowstone Matthew 2.

4. Matthew George Washington 3.

5. “Lord the Flies” by William 4.

GeorgeofWashington 5. Golding “Lord of the Flies” by William 6. Golding Beaver 7. Beaver Cardamom 6.

8.

Richard Wagner 7. Cardamom 9. Russia 8.

Richard Wagner 10.

O positive 9. Russia 10. O positive

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Friday, March 13 - 19, 2020

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