The Contra Costa Pulse September 2024 edition

Richmond Will Get $550 Million, Remove Refinery Tax From Ballot in Chevron Settlement See Pg. 11

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September 2024

The Pecking Order of Chicken and Waffles in Contra Costa County

JOE PORRELLO

This plate made The Hangout in Pleasant Hill our reporter’s favorite spot for chicken and waffles in CoCo County. Read on for more details and his full top five.

BY JOE PORRELLO

I

mmersed in batter and fowl, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best chicken and waffles Contra Costa County has to offer.

I packed on the pounds conducting such treacherous science to keep others from going through the trial and error that I did.

As a foodie who orders chicken and waffles whenever I see it on a menu, I felt honored when tasked with assembling such a record.

The dish can be found all over San Francisco and the East Bay. In CoCo County, however, I thought there might not be enough options, but a little digging did the trick.

But before we dig into said list, let’s take a crash course on the origins of fried poultry, waffles and their marvelous marriage.

According to Simplot Foods, frying chicken dates back to ancient Egypt and

Rome; waffles, ancient Greece. The first course of the combination started with pulled chicken and gravy, created by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 17th century.

Later shaped by American soul food in the 1930s, the chicken became fried and was popularized by the Wells Supper Club in Harlem, N.Y., where jazz musicians like Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr. found the perfect postperformance meal in the hours between dinner and breakfast. Then, Harlem-born Herb Hudson opened Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles in 1975. The restaurant, visited by Barack Obama during his presidency, solidified the dish’s prominence and popularity.

Nowadays, new spins on the meal have taken it to the next level as it continues to evolve while captivating people’s taste buds everywhere. Contra Costa County is no exception.

No. 5) Bubbaloo Café (Richmond) Tucked away in an industrial area lies

Bubbaloo Café. Predominantly serving nearby workers, as well as families of children attending the schools next door, it is only open on weekdays.

With a thin American-style waffle with bone-in fried chicken and eggs, the dish is classic and straight to the point.

Averagely priced at $16.95, it might not be anything to write home about, but it isn’t anything to complain about either.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. — Monday through Friday Address: 1402 Marina Way S Suite B, Richmond, CA 94804 No. 4) Sue’s Place (Pinole) Stationed on a sleepy side street of Old Town, Sue's Place almost feels like going back in time. The dimly lit and relaxing eatery features a mural depicting details like a vintage circus flier and a poster advertising Challenge butter for 69 cents.

The boneless fried chicken tenders and light Belgian waffles came out steaming

hot and tasted clean, without lots of grease or butter. With not too much seasoning on the chicken, it's good for those who don’t like or can’t have their food too salty. At $14, it’s the cheapest on my list — saving money always makes food taste better to me. It was also the fastest, as I was in and out in 20 minutes, which had something to do with me being unnecessarily hungry and scarfing down my rations.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays (closed Tuesday) and 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekends Address: 2265 Pear St., Pinole, CA 94564 No. 3) Broderick Roadhouse (Walnut Creek) Centrally located downtown, Broderick Roadhouse features modernized decor faintly resembling a watering hole from 1893.

A tough choice awaits — standard See Chicken, pg. 6

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In Pictures: Third Annual Multicultural Festival in Antioch Is ‘Like a Holiday That Brings Families Together’ See Pg. 4

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September 2024

Two Contra Costa Women Doused With Liquid and Told to ‘Leave’ in Martinez

BY JOE PORRELLO

T

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wo South Asian American women say they were physically and verbally assaulted July 7 in Martinez after getting coffee.

The best friends, both born and raised in the Bay Area, were walking on Alhambra Avenue when they say they were doused with a mystery liquid. One of them couldn’t help but think of the acid attacks on women in her parents’ native Bangladesh. The liquid had come from a passing car, and so did one word: “Leave.”

To protect the women’s privacy and safety, The Pulse has agreed to refer to them by aliases.

“I was just doing something anybody would want to do,” said Jenny.

They do things a lot of people like to do: Jenny, 25, likes seeing live music and spending time with friends in Oakland and San Francisco; Zena, 27, enjoys dancing, hiking and creating online content.

But now, they are afraid that even normal activities may not be safe.

It was around 9 p.m. when they went to get coffee because Jenny had a headache.

They were walking back to Zena’s car when it happened.

“I was completely drenched,” said Zena.

“Jenny and I were frozen for like a full 30 seconds.”

Being the daughter of immigrants from Bangladesh — where she knows acid attacks on women who refuse sexual advances and marriage proposals have been commonplace — Zena feared the worst.

“My face felt like it was on fire; if it was just water, my skin wouldn’t have reacted,” said Zena, who has a skin condition and said she had a visible reaction to the liquid almost immediately.

At first, Jenny’s parents — Indian immigrants — didn’t want her to report the incident. “(Immigrants) have more of a need and want to assimilate and keep the waters calm, even if something really isn’t going

well for them,” she said.

Zena said, “In general, immigrant parents just want you to lay low, keep your head down, and blend in.”

To keep things in perspective, she reminds herself that both her and Jenny’s parents survived genocide. “We can be as pissed as we want to be, but we can never be hopeless.”

Jenny said the incident reinforced the belief many parents of young women — particularly immigrant parents — have that their daughters should stay inside and “not do normal things because it’s dark out or whatever the reason is.”

They each made a statement to Martinez police. But because the incident happened so quickly and at night, neither could recall details that could help identify the vehicle or the people inside.

With so little to go on, Zena said, the police didn’t open a formal investigation or file a report.

“Considering there’s a lot of missing pieces to the story, (police) were able to help us as much as they could,” said Jenny.

She pushed officers to look for surveillance footage that might supply the information they couldn’t.

Days later, the police secured video they said showed water guns shooting liquid out the open windows — but not the license plate.

“I don’t know if we’re going to get a lead with this, but we’ve been trying to prioritize getting our story out,” Jenny said.

Zena said the pair considers what happened a hate crime, “but who knows if that will ever be institutionally validated.”

Hate crimes are difficult to prosecute because they require proving both that the suspect committed the crime and that prejudice against a protected group was the motivation; even if someone does something hateful while doing something illegal, it may not technically qualify as a hate crime. That can make officials reluctant to charge something as a hate crime.

As time has passed, Jenny and Zena’s

feelings surrounding the incident have shifted.

For Zena, shock and panic turned into anger. Jenny tried to rationalize what she did wrong or why this happened. But now, she says she’s just trying to feel safe again.

“Growing up and living here, I think I had this conception that this is home — this is safe. Now I have to think twice,” she said. “Living in this bubble of the Bay Area, I think it was kind of just a rude reminder to make sure that you’re aware of your surroundings because you never know when your safety could be compromised.“ Jenny added that incidents like theirs could happen randomly, when you least expect it, so people can’t let their guard down — even in familiar surroundings.

“It’s true that the Bay is generally pretty liberal and a safe place to be a minority person compared to other parts of the country,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean we can just sit back and be comfortable, because we’re not immune to things like racism and all of the other phobias that exist.”

Both said this was the first physical act of hate they’ve been subjected to, but Zena said she has been stalked and verbally abused. And growing up in a Muslim family, she says she experienced Islamophobia throughout her life.

Jenny says talking with family and mental health professionals has helped her deal with what happened.

“As time went on and I told my loved ones, I realized how bad it was and how much worse it could have been. I had to break it down with someone because it kind of started to eat at me,” she said.

“The whole experience was out of my control, but my emotions and my outlook are within my control.”

Telling people what happened has been freeing, Jenny said, and makes her feel less alone because other people have similar stories and are there to support her.

“It could have happened to anyone,” she said. •

Antioch Makes It Illegal to Watch, Put on or Promote Sideshows

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

A

ntioch’s newest law is meant to reduce sideshows in the city, but not everyone is convinced it will actually deter the events.

The Antioch City Council made watching, organizing and advertising a sideshow illegal at its July 23 meeting, passing the ordinance 3-1-0 with council member Tamisha Torres-Walker abstaining and Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson absent.

The ordinance means that, if found guilty, spectators, organizers and advertisers of sideshows could be fined $1,000, jailed for six months or both.

It will go into effect 30 days after its adoption.

“The devil is really in implementation and enforcement,” said Torres-Walker, “and we really won’t know whether it works or it doesn’t until it’s enacted and we trust current officers who are committed to quality policing in Antioch to enforce this ordinance and see where it goes.”

Torres-Walker and other council members have long agreed that something to address sideshows in

the city needed to be done, but efforts stalled largely because of debate over the inclusion of spectators in the ordinance.

Most council members and some in the community have criticized the ordinance’s definition of “spectator” for being too broad, saying it gives officers too much discretion that might lead to mistakes or abuse of power.

Council members first asked staff to exclude spectators from an ordinance in November, but then failed to vote on that ordinance in March because they said it didn’t do enough to prevent sideshows.

The passed ordinance, however, retains much of the language from the November ordinance that prompted council members to move away from punishing spectators.

A “spectator” is defined in the ordinance as “any individual who is present at an illegal motor vehicle sideshow, speed contest, or exhibition of speed, or at a location where preparations are being made for such activities for the purpose of viewing, observing, watching, or witnessing the event.”

An individual must be within 200 feet of an event or where preparations for an event are being made to be considered “present,” according to the ordinance.

Antioch Police Chief William “Brian” Addington addressed other concerns brought forward by Torres-Walker, including whether the ordinance might have a disproportionate impact on some communities.

“I think our officers are going to do the best they can to enforce the law based on the information they see at the time,” Addington said at the meeting.

Antioch’s ordinance takes inspiration from sideshow ordinances in Oakland, Pittsburg and San Jose. Council member Michael Barbanica has previously said Pittsburg’s ordinance has reduced sideshows, according to his conversations with Pittsburg officers.

Barbanica, a retired police officer, has remained supportive of the ordinance and the inclusion of spectators. In previous meetings, he’s said that he believes officers can tell the difference between spectators and those who may simply be trapped by the sideshows.

Officers will consider, among other things, the time of day, the conduct of an individual present and the number of people and vehicles at a scene when determining if someone is in violation of the ordinance. •

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September 2024

Pittsburg Pirates Confident as Football Training Camp Opens’

BY JUAN CEBREIROS

W

ith most of their core players returning to the team for its 100th football season, the Pittsburg Pirates are poised to achieve something that has eluded the program in recent history despite their success: a state championship.

Pittsburg has made the Northern California Championship Bowl Game each of the past three seasons and reached the state championship once.

However, head coach Charlie Ramirez said he believes the surplus of returning players will be key in their state title run this year.

“The matchups that we have had in those big games, it’s just been one of those things where we got the short end of the stick,” Ramirez said. “We’re losing to the top of the top, so this is a matter of having the matchups in our favor.

Hopefully, we’ll be able to have that this year.”

In recent years, Pittsburg has had a loaded preseason schedule against some of the most notable playoff schools up and down the state. On Sept. 20, the Pirates will head south to battle national football powerhouse St. John Bosco.

Ramirez said one of the things he took into consideration when scheduling this game was to get his players accustomed to traveling long distances so they are prepared come playoff time.

“Bosco, they’re elite; they’re a national powerhouse,” Ramirez said. “That’s where we’re trying to get, but also you need everything that comes along with it, which is a competition and traveling experience.”

Pittsburg Makes Changes to Its Housing Plan

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

T

JUAN CEBREIROS.

Ramirez added that, originally, the Pirates were trying to schedule a game against Kahuku High School in Hawaii, but both districts had difficulties with the planning. Thus opened the opportunity for Pittsburg to play St. John Bosco.

The Pirates have dominated their Bay Valley Athletic League opponents over the last five seasons, winning league titles in each and not losing a league game since 2018 against Liberty High’s state championship team.

While Ramirez acknowledges his team’s success against league opponents, his way of keeping players motivated during those games have been a big part of the Pirates success.

“Our expectation is that when we start subbing guys in blowouts, there shouldn’t be any drop off,” Ramirez said.

“We got to make sure everyone’s trying to compete and it really starts in practice, how we carry ourselves and how we’re competing week to week.”

Returning as starting quarterback for the Pirates is Marley Alcantara who threw for 2,675 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and won BVAL Offensive Player of the Year during Pittsburg’s undefeated regular season.

“He’s always had that knack that elite quarterbacks have to push themselves and everyone around,” Ramirez said.

“Having that level of humility he has is infectious.”

The expectations Ramirez has for Pittsburg are high this season and he believes that this can be the season his team can make the jump from reaching the state title game to winning it. •

he Pittsburg City Council revised its housing element Aug. 5. to further include fair housing opportunities across the city and stay compliant with state law.

Revisions to the element, which is part of the city’s overall General Plan and addresses local housing needs, comes after the California Department of Housing and Community Development said changes were needed to “substantially comply” with state housing law.

“They’ve moved the benchmark a few times on us, and they’ve done it on a lot of cities,” said John Funderburg, the city’s assistant director of planning, but changes made since are now consistent with goals set by council members, Pittsburg and what the state requires.

At the request of HCD, city staff increased outreach in communities that are special needs populations or from protected classes; included data related to transportation disparities, especially regarding BART; added water and wastewater grant project priorities for low-income units and an accessory dwelling unit guidebook.

Funderburg said revisions made to the element were minimal.

Despite having to do some catch-up with state requirements, Pittsburg’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation grade, which determines housing needs in California, is rated the highest in Contra Costa County. Unincorporated areas, El Cerrito, and Oakley are the next highest-graded areas in the county.

“I’m hoping, as part of these next two cycles, …we’ll report back we’re still that No. 1,” said Funderburg.

To increase outreach about housing needs, city staff held surveys, meetings and other listening sessions to hear from community members. HCD requested outreach efforts to have “meaningful, frequent, and ongoing” participation from residents and include specific efforts to communities that experience housing issues.

Revisions to the housing element also included formally approving the ADU guidebook, which was previously unadopted. City staff has received several requests for information regarding ADUs (a.k.a. in-law units) in the community, and a few others are undergoing the process of getting requested permits for the units, according to Funderburg. “(The guidebook has) been a success,” he said. “We point them right to our ADU guidebook, and they really like that because it’s self-explanatory, and it gives you a step-by-step on how to go about applying for an ADU and what the city is doing to ensure we’re providing affordable housing.” •

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September 2024

Third Annual Multicultural Festival in Antioch Is ‘Like a Holiday That Brings Families Together’

The Multicultural Festival had pony rides, rock climbing, inflatable slides and sumo wrestling costumes for kids.

STORY AND PHOTOS • JOE PORRELLO

A

ntioch’s Recreation Department and Bay Area Backyard Movement, a nonprofit created in 2020 to help small businesses while unifying communities through events, hosted the third annual Multicultural Festival on Aug. 10..

Community members gathered at WIlliamson Ranch Park to see dances from different cultures, eat a wide array of global cuisines, and have fun with the family taking part in games and activities.

Over 60 different tents and trucks lined the grass, selling food and merchandise — like Italian ice, lumpia, clothing and plants — as well as giving out information for things like college and travel groups.

A 95 degree day with no clouds in the sky didn’t stop attendees from enjoying the festivities, a few of whom said they are used to it; others used nearby shade to eat and temporarily cool off.

Festival attendee Clifford Nivens Jr. said he is pleasantly surprised by the new city he calls home.

A Black man from Oakland, he says stories he heard about Antioch regarding racism made him hesitant to

make the move. However, he was met by welcoming neighbors and has not had any recent experiences with discrimination.

“Don’t listen to what everybody else is saying until you know firsthand… until you get to know people personally,” he said.

Events like the Multicultural Festival challenge stereotypes and enable diverse bonds to form, says Nivens.

“Once you get out here and interact with everybody, you might think differently,” he said.

Trista Gullon, a resident of Antioch since 1991, had a similar sentiment to Nevins Jr. “This shows everyone that Antioch is still safe and that there’s good things here; It’s not as bad as it looks on social media,” she said.

As owner of Melody’s Dance Studio, one of 10 that performed at the festival, Gullion says she tries having a presence at all local community events to brighten people’s days. The studio will have shows at Antioch’s Rhythms by the River concert series and Tunnels of Joy Christmas, along with Brentwood’s Hometown Halloween.

Nicole Almassey, the director of outreach and welcome services at Los Medanos College, says its

Members of Melody’s Dance Studio dance on stage at the Multicultural Festival in Antioch.

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booth was aimed at offering people an academic path of success.

“We just want to connect with our community and really drive home that education is the way to a better economic future,” she said.

Living in Antioch for over 30 years, Almassey noted how intrinsically valuable events like the Multicultural Festival are.

“We can get very siloed in our different areas of the city, so just bringing everyone out and showcasing everything the city has to offer in a family friendly way is really important,” she said.

Moving to Antioch at the turn of the century, festival attendee Herman Lavrgne says the city is much more diverse now and that events like the Multicultural Festival" reflect such change.

“We need more events like this,” he said.

His wife, Latonya Lavrgne, pointed to all of the different cultures she saw represented at the festival as a source of comfort.

“It’s almost like a holiday that brings families together,” she said.

Part of that came in the form of various dances specific to many different cultures performed throughout the day. •

Dancers perform Los Machetes, part of the Mexican baile folklórico tradition. It was created by farmworkers who used the tool to harvest sugarcane in the Jalisco region.

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September 2024

A young Raiders fan has their interest piqued by the Chinese dragon dance performed in Antioch at the Multicultural Festival.

The Filipino dance group Steadfast Covenant performs one of multiple routines at the Multicultural Festival.

The DJ kept the music spinning for five hours straight, with a little help from a small fan ensuring his laptop didn’t overheat.

The sound behind the Chinese dragon dance, according to Singapore’s National Library Board, “drives away evil spirits and ushers in good luck and blessing for the community.”

Folklórico dancers lit up the stage with their colorful ensembles at the Multicultural Festival in Antioch.

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September 2024

Problems at Stege Elementary in Richmond, Now Temporarily Closed, Had ‘Happened Too Long’

BY MITZI PÉREZ-CARO

D

uring summer repairs, environmental hazards — including asbestos — were found in July at Stege Elementary School in Richmond. The repairs were halted and the school temporarily closed with a stand-in campus to be set up elsewhere. The closure took families by surprise. But the reason why did not.

Saving Stege, a group of community members invested in making the local community more knowledgeable about conditions at Stege Elementary, hosted a Stege Elementary Family Meeting on Aug. 8 at Booker T. Anderson Community Center.

Throughout the day, Lakisha Mitchell-Keith, a school site council member, gave recurring 20-minute presentations about the conditions of the regular campus and how the district intends to rebuild the school.

“What has happened now is that the heart of Richmond has been activated,” says Mitchell-Keith.

“We’re rallying around the families and the parents, because they need our support.”

The day the closure was announced, West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Kenneth “Chris” Hurst said Stege would be closed for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

“This will ensure the safety of students and staff, and allow our facilities department to begin the Stege rebuild project ahead of schedule,” he said in an update on the district website.

In another update the following day, he announced plans to bus the Stege students to the Lovonya DeJean Middle campus, which will have separate sites “with limited interaction between the school communities.”

The update continued, “Sufficient space is available to ensure both communities can operate effectively and independently.”

Hurst also said lunch would continue to be provided to all students and parking areas designated for Stege families, though “due to bus transportation, traffic is expected to be minimal.”

The sudden relocation of the campus was a surprise to families. However, the hazardous materials found on the campus in July was not news to the Stege community.

Last year, The Pulse reported that the school board

DENIS PEREZ-BRAVO

Stege Elementary was temporarily closed in July due to "environmental hazards" and faces allegations of mold, overflowing toilets, infestations and more.

identified Stege as “one of the schools most in need of renovation” and that it was slated for “demolition to make way for site improvements in the future.”

Stege was closed “days after the district was sued for failing to address and remedy 45 complaints of poor building conditions at the school,” EdSource reported.

The lawsuit, which was filed July 19, “ alleges the school has moldy walls, broken tiles, and classrooms exceeding 90 degrees with windows that won’t open.”

There have also been reports of “toilets overflowing with sewage,” “missing fire extinguishers,” exposed wiring and “pest and vermin infestations running amok,” among other issues, according to the East Bay Times.

“It’s time for everybody, every board member, the superintendent, every district employee to recognize that this is happening. It’s happened too long,” says Mitchell-Keith. “You asked for the parents to get involved; 50 of them wrote letters complaining. You asked for the community to get involved; we went to a meeting and could barely ask questions.”

Mitchell-Keith is referring to the Williams Complaint letters that Stege staff and families wrote in the 202324 school year. A Williams Complaint is a Uniform Complaint Procedure complaint, regarding instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils and staff.

Families and staff wrote several Williams Complaint letters to the district. The facilities team in the district then was required to look into the issue.

In a settlement from the district, the site visit report concluded that the overall facilities passed with a 92.69% rating. The systems, cleanliness, restrooms/fountains, safety, structural, and external conditions were all rated

Chicken...

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chicken and waffles with bourbon maple syrup for $18 or sweet and spicy Koreanstyle chicken and waffles with sesame seeds for $20. Curious, I went with the latter and was not disappointed. However, a piece or two more of the dark meat poultry wouldn’t have been disappointing either.

Broderick only serves chicken and waffles during brunch Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday Address: 1548 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek, CA 94596 No. 2) Pear Street Bistro (Pinole) In a more elegant setting than usual for our dish of topic, slow instrumental music played softly and lavish chandeliers lined the ceiling at Pear Street Bistro.

The biggest pro for me is the options: bone-in or boneless fried chicken and different portion sizes for $16 or $24.

The chicken is crispy and juicy; chopped bacon in the thick and fluffy waffle creates a heavenly smoky taste. It’s served with jalapeño butter — lethal combined with syrup.

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The bistro is situated on the quaint main strip of Old Town.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday Address: 2395 San Pablo Ave., Pinole, CA 94564 No. 1) The Hangout (Pleasant Hill) Nestled in a small shopping center near Diablo Valley College, Carrington College, and College Park High School is The Hangout. With skateboard decks and neon signs, the restaurant feels modern and hip. Seeing $13 and $24 dishes sized accordingly, I went with the gluttonous choice and got more chicken than anywhere else on in this list. The poultry is extra-crunchy (double-fried, if my connoisseur knowledge is correct) and phenomenal; the Belgian waffle, thick and dense. Because I couldn’t decide, the nice waitress gave me both regular and spicy maple syrup, the latter of which paired incredibly with fried chicken.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day Address: 2217 Morello Ave., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 •

well. The only problem areas indicated were interior and electrical.

Yet the sudden closure of the campus and the shift to prioritize the rebuild of Stege indicates it was not in compliance as the Williams settlement originally indicated.

The current Stege building was constructed in 1943.

The hope of Saving Stege is to have Stege be a state-ofthe art campus matching the new Michelle Obama and Lake elementary campuses.

“We are working behind the scenes with the powers that be to get this done,” says Michele Jackson, a Saving Stege member and chair of the education committee for the NAACP El Cerrito branch. Jackson is also a Stege alumna and a retired community member. “We’re trying to build relationships. We’re not trying to hit anybody over the head, but we are telling the truth.”

Both Mitchell-Keith and Jackson said it is an equity issue that the district does not plan to build Stege in the same manner as Obama and Lake elementaries. When asked why, the facility team told Mitchell-Keith that funding was an issue.

In November of 2020, voters passed Measure R, a $545 million bond measure, to improve several WCCUSD campuses.

The Stege community is left in a state of limbo wondering why a school with about 39% of its student population identified as African American is being overlooked. It is the only district school in which Black and African American students together make up the largest portion of the enrollment. •

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September 2024

WCCUSD Adopts New AntiRacism Policy, Asks What It Means to Be Held ‘Accountable’

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

D

espite being divided on a nearly identical statement earlier in the year, the West Contra Costa school board unanimously voted Aug. 7 to pass a districtwide anti-racism policy."

The policy comes only months after board members shared their experiences with alleged racism in the district and the ongoing reports of racism, which is largely anti-Black, among staff and students in WCCUSD. “This is a journey that we are taking with clarity and with caution,” Board President Jamela Smith-Folds said, “but with motivation to continue moving forward.”

The policy, which passed 4-1-0 with Trustee Mister Phillips abstaining, aims to create an anti-racist environment by dismantling racist ideas that, as it points out, sometimes come in the form of formally adopted district policy or in unconscious biases that contribute to racial inequity.

Part of upholding that policy rests on board members — and the WCCUSD community — holding each other accountable while moving towards its goal of anti-racism. The policy does not define what being held “accountable” means, which was behind the divide over the prior anti-racist statement the board reads before each meeting.

Phillips previously made an unsuccessful attempt to remove the word “accountable” from the statement because of how he said he had seen it used against past decisions by the board, namely Trustee Leslie Reckler’s censure.

“I do support the move towards anti-racism,” Phillips said at the Aug. 7 meeting, “but due to all the political infighting that has happened, I am very uncomfortable with the language saying trustees are going to hold other

"I do support the move towards anti-racism, but due to all the political infighting that has happened, I am very uncomfortable with the language saying trustees are going to hold other trustees accountable,” said school board member Mister Phillips.

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

trustees accountable.”

Phillips was one of the board members who said he experienced racism from community members.

Reckler, who abstained on the board’s anti-racism statement in March with Phillips, also asked for clarity on what “accountable” meant at that meeting and followed up on that clarification during the board policy adoption.

“When we go in to have a level of accountability, that level of accountability is going to look different at each form, at each state,” Smith-Folds said. “So we are dealing with intense conversations in interrogating our policy and what we need to do to hold those levels accountable, starting with our cabinet.”

Smith-Folds said cabinet members, which are those in Superintendent Kenneth “Chris” Hurst’s executive team, are now in the process of having conversations about what accountability looks like in each department and how those not in line with the anti-racist statement and policy can be held accountable.

“And then it trickles down from there,” she said, pointing to ongoing discussions on accountability among principals, human resources and the paperwork it might involve.

Racism has been a problem in WCCUSD, which serves a student body that is made up of over 50% Latino students and over 10% Black, and board members have previously said they’ve seen racist incidents reported every year.

Within the last year, calls to address racism have ramped up across the district, with district administration partnering with anti-racist consultant Harvest Consulting and students calling for an end to racist incidents they’ve experienced. Students have spoken out at board meetings and on campus against the use of the n-word and discrimination by students, staff and administration of Black Student Unions.

Rachelle Rogers-Ard from Harvest provided insight into how racism affects the district — presenting data that showed one in three Black students reported in a survey that they’d experienced explicit racism in the district during the 2020-21 school year.

Other groups of students were more likely than others to experience these incidents, including one in five East Asian Students and Latino Students.

Among adults in the district, Rogers-Ard said Black women were the group most subject to racism in the district. •

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Parchester Village Mural Project Brings History Alive and Community Together

Parchester Village is a neighborhood in northwest Richmond that was historically planned to have a majority-Black population and still does today.

STORY AND PHOTOS DENIS PEREZ-BRAVO

A

2,800 square foot mural, spanning 88 soundwall panels and multiple blocks in Parchester Village, will reportedly be the largest in Richmond history, once completed.

The mural features large lettering spelling out Parchester Village, as well as imagery of activists who helped preserve the local environment. “Parchester fought a lot to be part of the city of Richmond,” lead artist Richard Muro Salazar said.

The project is a collaboration among the city of Richmond, the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission, Richmond Love Your Block, the Parchester Village Neighborhood Council and Meritage Homes company.

Hundreds of volunteers came together to paint on multiple Saturdays in June and July.

“When the people are involved, they value it that much more,” Salazar said. “So it gives the mural longevity for the next generation to enjoy.”

During the community paint days, volunteers check in with organizers. They are offered pastries, fruit, coffee and juice.

Volunteers can pick up a cup of paint with a number.

The number on the cup is then used to identify what

wall and where to paint.

On the July 13 paint day, Parchester Village Neighborhood Council President Goretha Johnson could be seen with a sign encouraging passersby to hop out of their cars and join the painting."

"I just want people to know that Parchester is here," said Johnson, who has been council president for eight years.

“I just want the people to know that Parchester is here,” said Johnson, who has been the Parchester Village Neighborhood Council president for eight years.

She saw the beginning of this mural project back in 2016 when Salazar was awarded a grant from the Love Your Block program.

He began with a mural at the entrance sign to Parchester Village.

“The next year, we got another grant to do the other side,” Johnson said.

Then, in 2022, a 94 single-family home development

by Meritage Homes was approved by the Richmond City Council.

“When you put up a development, part of their money, 2%, should go to the public,” Johnson said.

Meritage gave $451,000 to fund the project "as part of the city's required 1% public art developer fee," according to Richmond Standard. A Public Art Advisory

Across multiple Saturdays, hundreds of volunteers painted the mural on 88 soundwall panels that span multiple blocks on Giant Road.

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Committee agenda said, "the developer will commit an additional $250,000 for road and sidewalk repairs, sound wall repair and painting primer prep."

“So what we decided to do was beautify the whole soundwall, put in sidewalks, lights and to redo the road,” Johnson said.

Previously, there wasn’t a sidewalk or lights, making the trek into Parchester Village unsafe at times, she said.

“So that was one of the conditions that we wanted to beautify the soundwall, put in a sidewalk and light so people could really enjoy it.”

San Pablo resident Anthony Billaran, 16, was a volunteer July 13.

Leading up to this summer, Billaran has gotten more involved in community volunteerism.

“We painted a little storage area in Richmond. After that, we just kept doing activities,” he said. Billaran is part of a workforce development program and his mindset for community development is continuing to shift as he becomes more involved.

“It was more like, I’d rather do stuff for sports. But then once I did those activities, it sparked interest for a lot of things,” Billaran said.

This time he reached out to mentor Ivonne Malare to seek out a spot to volunteer in the Parchester Village mural.

With volunteers working right along the roadside, drivers who passed by the painting in progress were encouraged to stop and join in.

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September 2024

Organizers offered volunteers pastries, fruit, coffee and juice before providing supplies and assigning them a place to paint.

This Parchester Village art project got its start with a mural at the neighborhood’s entrance sign. Parchester Village itself got its start when the neighborhood opened in 1950.

Meritage Homes, the firm behind a development bringing 94 single-family homes to Parchester Village, helped fund the art project and street, sidewalk and soundwall repairs in the neighborhood.

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Richmond Will Get $550 Million, Remove Refinery Tax From Ballot in Chevron Settlement

BY SAMANTHA KENNEDY

T

he Richmond City Council unanimously approved a $550 million settlement with Chevron on Aug. 14 that staves off substantial potential litigation and removes the Richmond Refining Business License Tax from the November ballot.

Under the agreement, Chevron will make payments to the city for the next 10 years; $50 million per year for five years and then $60 million per year for five years.

The money will go to the general fund.

“This is a historic moment because we — and when I say ‘we,’ I mean ‘we’ as the community of Richmond — have created a movement that will echo across the nation,” Mayor Eduardo Martinez said at a special council meeting. “What’s happened here has demonstrated…that when we as people pull together, we can create change.”

The agreement comes after language in the ballot measure last week was called “misleading” by a Contra Costa Superior Court judge, who called for the city to reword language for the ballot measure, according to the corresponding agenda report. Additionally, Chevron initially offered to pay $300 million in a tax settlement agreement, but the city negotiated that number up to the final figure of $550 million.

The ballot measure, which was expected to pass in November, was estimated to create $60 million to $90 million in revenue each year for 50 years for the city through a tax of $1 per barrel on refined oil. Like the settlement funds, revenue from the tax would have gone to the general fund, which is not limited in how money can be spent.

Supporters from the Asian Pacific Environmental

County Registrars Prepare for Uncertain November Election

BY RUTH DUSSEAULT | BAY CITY NEWS

F

eeling assured, but preparing for anything, Bay Area election officials are staffing up and making security plans for a safe and valid Nov. 5 general election.

Thirteen Northern California counties use handmarked ballots scanned into vote counting machines, which are considered the most reliable. According to Verified Voting, a nonprofit that promotes the responsible use of technology in elections, paper ballots marked by hand create a tangible, tamper-evident and auditable record of voter selections. They are used to count both mail-in ballots and those cast in person.

Of the 13 counties in and near the Bay Area, San Joaquin, Mendocino and Solano are the only ones that use Dominion Voting Systems brand ballot scanners.

While considered equally reliable to other makes, Dominion was singled out in conspiracy theories by former president Donald Trump, who lost the 2020 presidential election and is running again in 2024.

“We have had some people express concern to us as well as to the Board of Supervisors for using Dominion equipment. But not to levels we have seen in other counties,” said Solano County Registrar Deva Proto.

Election workers in some counties are trained in

“This is a historic moment,” Mayor Eduardo Martinez said at a special meeting Aug. 14 where Richmond City Council agreed to a settlement that will net the city $550 million from Chevron. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

Network and Communities for a Better Environment who first brought the tax to the council for a vote, were conflicted about the settlement and the tax’s removal from the ballot.

Kerry Guerin, an attorney with CBE who has remained confident the tax can survive legal challenges, asked council members at the meeting to reject the $550 million settlement and keep the measure on the ballot.

The tax would have generated more total revenue than the $550 million settlement, according to estimates, and was expected to begin lasting litigation between Chevron and the city, tying any revenue up from the tax. The agenda report points out that Carson, Calif., in Los Angeles County, has not been able to spend any revenue from its own refinery tax as it remains tied up in litigation. The tax in Carson, which is home to more than one refinery, was adopted in 2017.

Other supporters of the Richmond Refining Business License Tax acknowledged the impact that money from the settlement can have on the city but had hoped residents would have been able to have a say by voting on the ballot measure.

Money from the settlement is guaranteed and consistent, allowing the city to use it for any general government use without having to wait out the legal

challenges the tax likely would have brought.

“I think it is important that Richmond has a break of focus on rebuilding with guaranteed additional resources,” said council member Melvin Willis. “I’m also committed to having an advisory board. I want community members to be a part of our budgeting process.”

“I’m also looking towards another 10 years after the settlement because we need long-term sustainability.”

McLaughlin and other council members credited APEN, CBE and other community members for being the driving force behind the agreement because of their continued advocacy to hold Chevron accountable.

“It is the strength of their tax measure that brought us to where we are at today,” McLaughlin said in acknowledging a yearslong push by the environmental groups. “Chevron came to the table because of their efforts.”

McLaughlin said she plans to bring an item to the Sept. 10 meeting that would allocate funding from the settlement to a just transition, which environmental groups like CBE and APEN have been working towards.

Richmond City Council will officially return from summer recess with its next regular meeting Sept. 10. •

deescalation techniques and roleplay scenarios.

“While trust in Contra Costa County elections is high, we are facing a growing trend of mis- and disinformation that confuses voters and undermines the legitimacy of our elections,” said Dawn Kruger, spokesperson for the county elections division.

The county has launched a campaign to increase trust that includes video, print and radio ads. It is also training nearly 100 volunteer election ambassadors who will carry election integrity messaging through social media channels and speaking engagements.

“We do have some challenges filling volunteer vacancies in West and East Contra Costa County.

We would love to see more volunteers in the cities of Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Richmond, San Pablo, Hercules and Pinole,” said Kruger.

“Since we implemented the Voter’s Choice Act, we are no longer required to publish the names of election workers,” said Marin County Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts. The California Voter’s Choice Act of 2016 made elections in the state more flexible by allowing early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes and other changes.

“People’s identities are protected from the public,” Roberts said. “I provide a list of voting centers and drop boxes to local law enforcement and ask that they drive by the locations while conducting regular patrols in the community.”

Roberts said that prior to the March primary, the registrar’s office installed a counter in their lobby that includes 18-inch-high security panels to buffer direct contact between staff and the public.

“We have emergency alarm buttons located throughout the office. The building security guard regularly walks past our office during election time, and our office is located above the court floor, so security can come quickly, if needed. Staff has gone through active shooter training, and we have an escape plan, if needed.”

“We work with our local law enforcement agencies and utilize our county resources to create a plan each election for our voting locations,” said Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber. “As life is fluid, we continually are in discussions and making adjustments

as needed.”

Should the presidential election be challenged, Webber said they may adjust their current process as they get closer to the election and through the canvass to certification.

Most election officials believe transparency is the best path to security. Inviting all political parties to see the process and learn how elections are done helps every voter feel a sense of ownership in the democratic process.

“Back in 2016, we started to advertise to these groups that our doors are open, come down and watch. Here’s ways you can get involved. You can be part of the process versus just complaining about it,” said Gardner from Solano County. “Through that education process, we’ve really settled a lot of the misinformation that gets out there and it’s kind of come to the point now where the groups kind of come to fact check.”

“Republican and the Democratic parties, the American Independent, even the election integrity groups, all those people that typically are out there challenging election officials, we want them here every day so that they can challenge us to our face,” he said. “We can explain the process, so we don’t get challenged after the fact.”

Like other counties, the Solano County security presence will be intentionally low key.

“Not to intimidate or threaten anybody voting,” he said. “It’s kind of behind the scenes. We also have some election technicians roving around and supervisors that we have roving around, some legal people, some lawyers that are roving around.

They’re always making updates to us about any situation or hostility issues that voters might have. So we’re kind of in touch with all the places, but we’re not necessarily obvious.”

Copyright © 2024 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved.

Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. •

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The Transactions That Cost an MLB Pitcher His Pension STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOE PORRELLO

R

etired pitcher and longtime Richmond resident Les Cain made a storybook debut and had many noteworthy moments in Major League Baseball. But in the end, the realities of the business side of professional baseball have denied him the pension he says he earned.

As the Pulse reported earlier in this series, the 76-year-old Cain receives $111 weekly and $8,000 annually but says his pension should total around $1.5 million.

Cain says he wrongfully was denied service time that would have counted toward his pension at multiple points in his MLB career. That lack of playing time financially squeezed him then too. Plus, it showed he wasn’t as well regarded as he believes he should have been.

After two years of staying with local Black families while most of his minor league teammates in Montgomery, Ala., and Daytona Beach, Fla., stayed in “whites-only” hotels, Cain finally got the call up to Detroit he’d been waiting for.

On April, 28, 1968, at the age of 20, the man nicknamed “Sugar” in Little League dug his cleats into the front of the rubber at Tiger Stadium and took a shutout into the seventh inning against the New York Yankees. He pitched into the eighth and only surrendered one run.

In his first major league at-bat, Cain smacked a double, just as he had seen his father do the first time Cain saw him play in the Negro Leagues.

“I was able to get to a level that he dreamed of,” said Cain. “Everyone said I was exactly like him.”

Despite a serviceable start, the Tigers sent him back to the minor leagues midseason.

He was competing for a spot in a rotation featuring no-earned run averages above 3.70, and unanimous Cy Young winner Denny McLain. That season, McLain boasted a 1.96 ERA to go with 31 wins. No pitcher has won as many as 30 games since.

Cain says it was not his skill that kept him off the roster that year. Despite a signing bonus of $30,000, he only received $2,500 due to a lack of service time. “It was about money,” he said. “If they kept me there eight more days, they would have had to give me the full amount.”

Playing in a pennant-clinching game with the Triple-A affiliate Toledo Mud Hens to end that season, he held the opposition scoreless and got three hits — one of which was a grand slam — to drive in six runs.

Cain says the Tigers assured him he would be promoted in September, but he saw his teammates without bonuses due get called up instead. Then, he watched from home as Detroit won its third World Series in franchise history and one of only two in more than five decades since.

His contribution of eight games pitched with a 3.00 ERA was not acknowledged through the team’s standard championship gifts.

Les Cain, who played Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers, grew up in Richmond and still calls the city home. Injuries cut his career short and were allegedly used to interfere with his service time, which Cain says still costs him to this day.

“I thought I was going to get half a (championship bonus) share and a World Series ring… They gave me $200,” said Cain.

To finish 1968, he played in the Puerto Rico Winter League, where Cain threw the 11th no-hitter in league history.

His mother’s death the following year caused him to miss part of Spring Training; he then spent all of 1969 in the minors. Cain began 1970 with the Mud Hens again before getting brought up to Detroit in May. There, he reeled off nine straight wins. He started 29 games over 180 total innings for the Tigers that season, amassing 12 wins and five complete games along with a 3.84 ERA. His 7.77 strikeouts per nine innings were third-best in the American League, and Cain’s 156 strikeouts stood as a Detroit rookie record for 53 years.

After hitting his first major league home run that same campaign, Cain hit his last in the following season — the only one hit by a Tigers pitcher for over two decades.

Despite posting another double-digit win season in 1971 at 10-9, bone chips and a dislocation in his shoulder, to go along with rotator cuff issues, kept Cain from competing at his highest level, and he went back to the minors once more.

Cain says the league’s miscalculation of his number of service days partly stems from that transaction.

He says jobs with pension plans normally factor in time off for being injured. But when he was sent down to the minors instead of being placed on what was then known as the disabled list, it halted his service time credit. “They should have given me that time, but they didn’t give me a full year for that,” he said.

Another notable moment of Cain’s 1971 season came against legendary Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk.

In the third inning of a game Detroit would end up winning 3-2, Cain gave up Fisk’s first career home run, also the first of the 2,356 hits in his Hall of Fame career.

Back in Puerto Rico again for Winter League after the

Les Cain played parts of four seasons in the majors, all with Detroit.

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MLB season, Cain became the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in the league’s history.

To begin the 1972 season, MLB had its first player strike which took another eight days off his service time and cost him $8,000 in salary.

When that season actually got underway, Cain was still dealing with shoulder issues. Pitching in pain, he went 0-3 in five games started. Once again, Cain was not put on the DL but optioned to the minor leagues. He says the transaction cost him an additional 60 games of service time — that time alone would give Cain his full pension, as the MLB Players Association says he is 43 days short.

Shortly thereafter, the Berkeley-raised then-Detroit manager Billy Martin put Cain up against teammate John Hiller — who was dealing with his own physical ailment after having a heart attack not long prior.

Whoever had a more potent fastball in the session would stay on the team; the loser would go to Triple-A. Cain lost. For a third time, he was demoted — instead of being put on the DL — and his service time halted.

He refused his spot with the Mud Hens because he was in too much pain to pitch. Instead, he went home to California, where he would stay.

Cain played in Spring Training with the San Francisco Giants in 1973 and 1974 but never made it back to the big leagues. At 24, his career as a baseball player was over.

Before it was over, Cain did start to feel better on the mound. But he suspects the Giants stopped using him because they became aware of his plan to file a lawsuit against the Tigers and wanted to distance themselves.

Battling on the mound throughout his youth and young adulthood, post-baseball life for Cain entailed a different kind of contest — this time a legal fight.

This story will continue. •

As this newspaper clipping in Les Cain's scrapbook shows, he threw a no-hitter — Reggie Jackson made the last out — in the minors, something he had done at El Cerrito High as well.

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Summer 2024

High Schoolers React to Coming Financial Literacy Requirement E

ditor’s note: People have long complained that schools don’t teach kids certain things they’ll need to know in adulthood, namely financial tasks like doing taxes, balancing a checkbook and using credit responsibly. Well, that is set to change in California. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, state public schools will have to offer a semester-long course dedicated to personal financial literacy, and it will be a graduation requirement starting with the class of 2031. Though it doesn’t apply to them, we asked two of our current high school contributors to give us their take on the upcoming requirement.

Starting in a few years, California public high school students will have to take a class that will teach them about financial topics such as managing credit. (Photo by Avery Evans on Unsplash)

COMMENTARY, ANUSHKA DEVANATHAN

I believe that a financial literacy course is necessary for high school students. Personally, as a high school student, I hate to admit that I’m not as financially knowledgeable as I would like to be. A financial course that would cover a range of finance topics, including avoiding scams, managing debt and budgeting would be extremely beneficial for college but also the future, in general.

The National Endowment for Financial Education found that students whose states required financial courses were more likely to save and use a budget and less likely to make late credit card payments compared with those in states without the required course. Based on this research we can see that a required financial course has worthwhile benefits for the rest of our future.

It could help us in many ways, whether we’re taking out student loans or we are buying a car, for example.

Once students graduate from high school, whether they enter college or the job market, they face numerous financial decisions. Whatever the scenario, taking a financial course in high school would give them the basic knowledge to tackle the situation. Students would gain practical skills that are directly applicable to real life. It will give them the knowledge they need to make informed decisions for their future.

Statistics from Lendingtree.com show that around 55% of college graduates from private and public universities struggle with student loans. A major cause for this is that students hadn’t received enough education to make this financial decision. This financial literacy course would reduce this because students would have a better understanding about managing debts and loans.

CCH Recommends Indoor Masking to Avoid COVID-19

BY MICHAEL J. FITZGERALD

C

ontra Costa Health is recommending that people wear masks in crowded indoor settings to avoid contracting COVID-19.

Some might say that another graduation requirement is one too many and adds more academic pressure on students. After all, a Stanford report shows that approximately 56% of students said homework was their primary source of stress.

However, I think that this graduation requirement would be worth the extra effort, since it reduces the worry in the long run. I believe that spending the effort now, with people and resources to help and guide you, is infinitely easier than struggling with money later on.

Whatever career we choose for ourselves, we need to be financially knowledgeable. Finance is a life skill that will benefit us no matter what path we take and learning it early on makes it easier than learning it later.

Overall, a financial literacy course is a muchneeded requirement for California schools. Being knowledgeable in finance will be useful at any point in your life. It’s a skill that is valuable no matter the career one chooses. The course will make sure students are properly educated before they make a life-changing decision. Although it is an additional graduation requirement, which does mean more work, I think it’s better for student’s to put in the work now, than later.

s a rising junior who will graduate from a private high school in 2026, I know how crammed the schedule of a high schooler can get. From sports practices to tryouts, auditions to rehearsals, studying to doing homework, a high schooler has a lot of responsibilities to take care of. How would adding a new course to that affect the workload?

For me, I know how to manage the school workload,

and I am good at managing my time because I taught myself to do so. But I know that if I were to ask my friends, some would say that they spend too much time on social media, or they are too busy caring for their siblings, or maybe that they are simply not good at time management. I would most likely be able to handle an extra course about financial literacy, but I am not so sure about my classmates who have busier schedules or are not as familiar with balancing school and life.

I would love a course about financial literacy because financial intelligence was not taught to me as a child.

My family only recently started talking to me about it. I don’t remember really even thinking about money until I was about 9 or 10. But I wasn’t about what saving money looked like or how to grow money. My thoughts were about whether I should ask my parents for something because it would probably stress them out. Of course, my parents always managed to make miracles happen, and they worked hard to make a living. I am extremely grateful for that, but I was never really taught how to save money. It was more of how to make the right amount to live off of, and I just learned by observing.

In California, nearly one-third of our population is experiencing homelessness. One-third! This financial literacy course could help Californians to learn about finances and therefore how to live on their own, how to manage their money, etc. Hence, this could help people who fall into homelessness due to financial reasons. To me, that is a win in itself.

As the time gets closer and closer for the requirement to come into play, we will hear more and more about it.

I think that it will have a positive impact, but only time will show how it will go. Hopefully, this will be as good as it seems. Until then, we will have to wait and see. •

The health agency’s advice comes in the wake of an increase in COVID-19 infections across the Bay Area. The masking advice is particularly emphasized for individuals with high risk of serious illness if infected.

CCH officials said this recommendation is not an official health order. But it is in alignment with existing state requirements and advice offered by neighboring counties.

The strain of COVID-19 now spreading through the Western U.S is called FLiRT. Wastewater sampling in Contra Costa County shows a steady increase in the presence of the virus. From May 9 to July 9, state tests of wastewater from the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District showed a quadrupling of COVID-19.

Indoor masking requirements in the Bay Area were lifted by most health agencies in February 2022, but they have continued to recommend masks for those at high risk whenever COVID-19 case rates grow high.

“Face masks are an effective tool to reduce the spread of the virus, particularly for those who are at risk for serious illness when there is evidence of elevated COVID-19 activity in the community,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County’s health officer. “This is one of

those times. Our health system is not seriously impacted

by COVID currently, and our goal is to keep it that way.”

The county’s only standing COVID-related health order requires workers at healthcare facilities to mask from Nov. 1 to April 30 in order to reduce risk to patients from COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus.

Health recommendations for schools and community colleges remains unchanged. But officials said that with the school year beginning this month in most communities, CCH recommends encouraging students and faculty, particularly those who may be at risk for serious infection, to mask in classrooms and provide masks to anyone who asks for them.

Other ways to protect against COVID-19 are to remain up to date on vaccinations, testing for COVID-19 whenever symptoms occur, and remaining at home from work or school whenever feeling ill, they noted.

Home test kits for COVID-19 are available from healthcare providers and pharmacies in the county.

Individuals should check with their healthcare provider or insurer about any cost or copayment requirements for testing or test kits.

More information about COVID-19 in Contra Costa County can be found at cchealth.org/covid19.

COMMENTARY • YASLIN RODRIGUEZ

A

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‘He Was A Safe Space For All of Us’: Remembering Gerald ‘Coach G’ Montgomery

BY JOE PORRELLO

T

he late Gerald “Coach G” Montgomery gave countless children hope, comfort, advice, constructive criticism, and even shelter and rides to school.

“He was a great man, a great coach, a great mentor, a great father,” said his son, Louis Montgomery, 39. “I haven’t heard of too many kids or people that didn’t like him. He would give the shirt off his back to any kid.”

A longtime coach at Hercules High with strong ties to Richmond, Gerald Montgomery died in 2022 at 59. Two years later, those close to him say Coach G’s unexpected death continues to leave a hollow feeling in Richmond and Hercules and beyond.

“It was hard for a lot of people,” said Montgomery. “If I see people in the neighborhood or on the road, they always tell me what a big influence he was.”

Only 13 when his own father died, Coach G tried giving others the support he lacked at the same age, Montgomery says.

Growing up in North Richmond, the elder Montgomery graduated from Richmond High in 1980 as a basketball All-American. Shortly after, he found his calling as a coach in both sports and life.

Programs he coached included the Berkeley Cougars Pop Warner football team, Richmond Athletic Youth Association, and Richmond Police Activity League basketball. Many of his players went on to earn college scholarships and some made the pros like 14-year NBA veteran Drew Gooden, whom he coached at El Cerrito High, and Quinton Ganther, an NFL running back for five years.

“As a coach, he was understanding but, at the same time, expected and demanded respect,” said Montgomery.

“He would tell everyone he didn’t have time to sugarcoat things… He wasn’t shy about telling you the truth.”

Growing up in Richmond and playing basketball for the Oilers — though under coach Ken Carter — Montgomery says his house was a place for youth from all over the area to “have fun and be a kid.”

“Even though we lived on the Southside, everybody — from Parchester (Village), Central, North Richmond — everybody was welcome,” he said.

Ganther agreed. He met Coach G at age 11 while playing baseball with Louis at Nicholl Park.

“When you came to Coach G’s house, I don’t care what differences you had, that s— was done,” he said. “It didn’t matter

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September 2024

Youth Development and Community Engagement Make a Healthy Pittsburg

BY MARCOS LOPEZ

W The late Gerald “Coach G” Montgomery held many roles throughout his life, but all included being a mentor of sorts. Courtesy of Louis Montgomery

who your parents were or what you did wrong, he was a safe space for all of us.”

To Ganther, he was also a father figure.

“He took me in and raised me as his son,” said Ganther, whose father was in and out of prison. “I was the kid everybody thought was going to be in jail or dead, but he believed in me and wouldn’t let it happen.”

He said Coach G taught kids vital life lessons.

“Nothing was off limits… so nothing that we came across or ran into we were surprised by,” said Ganther. “I don’t know who in the community now holds that type of weight that these kids respect enough to let that communication take place.”

When Ganther became a father in high school, Coach G was there to see the birth of his child and teach him how to take care of his family. When Ganther wanted to buy a home or was upset or unsure about something, he turned to Coach G. “Even as an adult, I never made a big family decision or big business decision without consulting him,” he said. “He’s the first person I called for everything in my life.”

Ganther says he even owes him his career.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be a coach,” said Ganther, the running backs coach at the University of Utah. “The way he loved me and loved kids in the community, I couldn’t do anything but give that back.”

He still has a hard time accepting that his mentor is gone.

“I’m going through things in life, and

all I want to do is talk to him,” he said, fighting back tears. “I called his phone last week just to hear his voicemail.”

Deandre Mitchell, the Richmondraised rapper Laz Tha Boy, says he gravitated to the Montgomery household as a child to have familial warmth and friends who did not get into trouble.

“Most of the family I gathered was in the streets because that’s where I was as a kid,” he said. “A lot of kids from the ghetto … didn’t have that structure, that fatherly figure.”

Coach G’s tough love, Mitchell says, could take some getting used to.

“You could be mad at him, but he’d stand on what he said because he could already see your potential… or what could be your demise,” he said.

Mitchell says Coach G could connect on a deeper level with local youth because they could relate to him.

“He came from what we come from,” he said.

The Montgomerys moved to Hercules in 2003.

At Hercules High, he coached football, boys and girls basketball and, for 15 years, baseball.

Hercules High held a memorial for Coach G on its baseball field, which it renamed for him. Now, the school’s football field and basketball court also bear his name.

Beginning as a volunteer coach alongside his father, Montgomery worked with him the next 17 years. He is now the Hercules High baseball head coach and next season will lead seniors who were the last to be taught baseball by his father. •

hen it comes to health, we often think only of our own individual well-being, but it extends to the conditions of the city in which we live. Health is not just the absence of sickness in ourselves; rather, it’s the presence of proactive development in our hometowns.

Pittsburg, California, although often overlooked, is a city rich in culture and community spirit, and that is vital to its health. When I think of what a healthy Pittsburg should look like, it’s a city that prioritizes youth development and community engagement. And this town does just that.

While there are many aspects of what makes a healthy city, youth development should be the first priority. The youth are the backbone of our future, and it seems Pittsburg has taken this idea seriously by implementing various programs for the younger generations.

According to the city’s 2023 annual report, the Buchanan Swim Center welcomed over 8,000 swimmers, and offered numerous youth swim lessons as well as First Aid and CPR training.

Additionally, the city opened the Marina Community Center, which hosts youth indoor sporting leagues and other events throughout the year.

And those are just a few examples of the city’s commitment to fostering youth development. ​However, a truly healthy city does not stop there; it promotes community engagement as a whole. The Marina Center also hosts activities for adults such as basketball, pickleball and a variety of indoor sports. These activities allow residents of all ages to stay active and connected. Pittsburg is also known for its annual car shows and has events throughout the summer with live music, food vendors and more. These events not only engage entire families but also bring the community together, creating a sense of unity and belonging. Truly, I’ve only scratched the surface of how proactive this city is when it comes to community engagement. ​I don’t believe a city is healthy solely based on what they have to offer for youth development and community engagement. Though those are very important, there are many other key metrics to consider, such as the economy and infrastructure, where Pittsburg is also excelling. I think the current state of this city is in great shape, but the key is to continue developing and furthering options for the youth and community as a whole over the years. When I think of what a healthy Pittsburg looks like, it’s one that continuously improves, becoming better today than it was yesterday. •

Community News, Youth Voices

www.ccpulse.org

September 2024

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Community News, Youth Voices

www.ccpulse.org

September 2024

Trump Return to Power Would Spell Trouble for Immigrants, Experts Say

BY JOE PORRELLO

I

f Donald Trump serves a second term as president, major changes to the immigration system should be expected, experts say.

Immigration specialists at an Ethnic Media Services press teleconference say, if elected, Trump would not only revamp prior xenophobic practices — like separating families at the border and a Muslim ban — undone by the Biden administration but also further intolerance and economic harm.

Potential change would include mass deportation, detention camps and freezes on legal immigration categories. Legal residents and citizens who live with an undocumented person could also face discipline.

Experts say many of the details for Trump’s plan can be found in Project 2025, a right-wing vision for the next administration by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Cecelia Esterline, immigration research analyst at the Niskanen Center, said Trump implemented over half of prior recommendations from the Heritage Foundation during just his first year in office.

In February, the center published a report on over 175 proposed immigration policy changes in Project 2025, many of which she says have public support.

“The threat of these policies being the foundation for a second term is very real,” said Esterline.

The foundation and its project, she says, appeal to those whose political goals ignore the consequences of the plan’s implications.

“These policies really abandon traditional conservative values like supporting business growth and development, decentralizing power away from the federal government, and decreasing bureaucratic hurdles,” Esterline said.

She said H2A and H2B visas, which sustain numerous industries through temporary or seasonal work, could be drastically reduced by Trump, and businesses relying on them would take a “massive blow.”

In addition, any immigration category deemed to have an excessive backlog would be cut off from new applications. “However, ‘excessive’ is neither defined nor clarified,” said Esterline. Procedural hurdles, which create new or deeper backlogs, could trigger further cutoffs.

The federal government could use mandatory information sharing and the withholding of funding to “bully states and localities into compliance with priorities of the administration.”

Antioch Police Officer Is Convicted of Wire Fraud as Part of Larger Scandal

BY TONY HICKS | BAY CITY NEWS

A

federal jury convicted former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme to obtain pay raises for a university degree he paid someone else to obtain for him.

The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, Ismail J. Ramsey, and FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp announced the conviction Aug. 9 The verdict, reached after a four-day trial, makes Amiri the sixth former Antioch or Pittsburg officer convicted in the wire fraud conspiracy, along with Patrick Berhan, Amanda Theodosy (Nash), Samantha Peterson, Ernesto Mejia-Orozco, and Brauli Rodriguez Jalapa.

“We expect integrity and honesty from every police officer, every day, in the police departments across this country,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Amiri failed to uphold these basic responsibilities, and a federal jury has convicted him of defrauding his employer, the Antioch

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Cecelia Esterline, immigration research analyst at the Niskanen Center, was one of the panelists for an Ethnic Media Services briefing on the potential immigration-related impact of a second Donald Trump presidency. (Screenshot captured by Joe Porrello / The CC Pulse)

For example, Project 2025 directs the Department of Education to deny loan access to all students at schools that offer in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants.

David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, says Project 2025 includes deploying the military to advance its immigration agenda.

“There is concern about him ignoring the Constitution, ignoring court decisions, potentially legalizing the use of deadly force at the border,” he said.

A Supreme Court many have recently called corrupt, Bier says, adds concern.

“It takes a backbone from the courts to stand up to the president, in particular, one who’s threatening to violate orders,” he said.

According to Bier, the refugee program once reduced by roughly 90% could see increased reductions. He said about 10,000 refugees were admitted to the U.S. during Trump’s last year in office, compared to an estimated 100,000 in the final year of President Biden’s first term.

“All of the Biden administration executive actions that have made legal immigration easier… are going to be rescinded almost immediately,” said Bier.

Conversely, Trump’s election would bring a rise in illegal immigration, according to Bier, despite new processes that have mitigated such activity.

“We know these migration patterns are not controlled by who’s in office; it’s controlled by economic insecurity necessities of the individuals who are traveling and the availability of jobs and opportunity here in the United States… That’s not likely to change,” said Bier.

The highest number of Border Patrol arrests going back to 1999 was during Trump’s last month in office, and the number of immigrants held in detention reached its climax in 2019 at around 20,000. The detention centers often had no accommodations for sleep, sanitation, security or medical care.

Zachary Mueller, senior research director for

America’s Voice Education Fund, says Trump and other Republican candidates are “actively campaigning on calls to round up, detain and deport 15 to 30 million people.”

He cited Thomas Homan, who served in the Trump administration as Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, who said during a Trump rally in regard to new detainment and deportation policies, “Everyone is on the table.”

According to Mueller, 80% of undocumented immigrants who have called the U.S. home since 2010 would be at risk.

“The havoc brought by this plan will not be contained to those who lack legal status,” he said. “I think we’re also going to see folks not fitting the look of quote, ‘real Americans,’ become the target for massive harassment under this scheme.”

Mueller noted Trump saying immigrants are responsible for “poisoning the blood of our country,” despite terrorism rising domestically because of white nationalism over the last decade.

“Immigrants and calls for their deportation, and their descriptions, and their dehumanization, is leading to some other serious concerns for American democracy and our public safety,” he said.

Republican candidates have spent $190 million on traditional and connected TV advertisements featuring anti-immigrant rhetoric or negative immigrant messaging in 2024, according to Mueller.

Esterline conversely noted the recent progress of Biden in terms of immigration policy.

She said more non-immigrant visas were issued by the State Department in the first half of fiscal year 2024 than any year previously during the same period.

Regardless of who is elected president, Esterline says there is a need for “comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform that has yet to come to fruition in Congress.” •

Police Department.

“He, along with the other officers he conspired with, now face the consequences of violating the rule of law that they swore to uphold.”

The wire fraud cases were part of bigger probes, by both federal authorities and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, into police brutality and racist text messaging, most of which involved Antioch police.

At least 10 Antioch and Pittsburg police officers were indicted by the U.S. Justice Department on charges including improper use of weapons and a police dog on suspects, civil rights violations, falsifying records, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, turning off body cameras, selling steroids, and paying individuals to take college classes for officers.

Four Black suspects charged with murder made plea deals on lesser charges after 12 Antioch officers involved either in the arrests or the investigations of the suspects were found to have violated the California Racial Justice Act. The officers took part in racist, homophobic and threatening text message chains, some of which referred to Black suspects as the n-word, described violence against suspects, threatened Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, who is Black, and referred to thenPolice Chief Steven Ford — who is also Black — as a gorilla.

The text messages involving as many as 45 Antioch officers. Nearly half of Antioch’s then-99 officers were put on leave.

The Antioch and Pittsburg police departments had offered reimbursements toward higher education tuition and expenses, along with pay raises and other financial incentives upon completion of a degree, according to

prosecutors.

But Amiri, 33, and his co-conspirators hired someone to complete entire courses on their behalf at an online university to secure a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

The officers received extra pay for supposedly completing the courses, calculated as percentages of their salaries.

Prosecutors said in a statement Friday that evidence showed Amiri texted the person who took his classes for him, writing among other things: “can i hire you [ ] to do my … classes? ill pay you per class”; “don’t tell a soul about me hiring you for this. we can’t afford it getting leaked and me losing my job”; “if i submit my request for the degree on time by the end [ ] of the month i can coordinate my raise in a timely manner”; and “I’m gonna rush order my degree to get my pay raise jump started.”

Amiri is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 12. Each of the two counts carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The court may also order a fine, restitution, and supervision upon release from prison as part of any sentence.

Amiri is scheduled for trial in another related case in February in which he’s charged with conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, and destruction, alteration, and falsification of records in federal investigations.

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