One Dead At Walnut Creek BART; Station Re-Opened
One person has been struck and killed by an incoming BART train at Walnut Creek Station this afternoon. The station has just been reopened (5:15 p.m.) with full service restored between Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek stations. The incident, initially believed to have been a suicide, is the culmination of a frenetic day for…
Contra Costa County To Allow Vehicle-Based Gatherings And Services
From County Health Services: Outdoor gatherings during which participants stay in their vehicles are now permitted in Contra Costa County if organizers follow instructions in a new health order issued today. The new order, which takes effect May 19, provides new options for religious organizations that have been unable to hold services since COVID-19 began…
Contra Costa Extends Time People With COVID-19 Must Remain In Isolation
Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano today issued orders extending the amount of time people must remain in isolation from 7 to 10 days after the onset of symptoms or a positive test for those without symptoms. Dr. Farnitano said the change is being done based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and…
Martinez PD Arrest Suspect In County Recorders Office Burglary; Other Downtown Crimes Under Investigation
The Martinez Police Department is actively investigating a series of incidents involving window smashes at offices and businesses downtown. The department announced that one person had been arrested in connection with at least one incident Wednesday. Police said the person, whose name, age, or hometown was not given, had been arrested on suspicion of an…
Day 60 – Mother Nature Rumbles; SIPpers Grumble; Some Begin To Stumble
Paine had Revolutionary War-era ‘Merica in mind when he penned his famed “These are the times that try men’s souls” line in reference to a crisis of another kind – but this one feels no less critical. Forgiving the 18th Century gender exclusion, Paine pretty much nailed the prevailing national sentiment during an age bereft of…
Grandson Arrested In El Sobrante Homicide
From the Office of the Contra Costa County Sheriff: This morning, May 10, 2020, at about 9:28, Bay Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a medical-police call at the 700 block of Pebble Drive in El Sobrante. Deputies found a 90-year-old woman who suffered from trauma in a bedroom. She was later pronounced deceased at…
Some Tough Unemployment Numbers…
… out this morning, with people mentioning the “D”-word in the same breath as 20 million of our countrymen deal with the impact of widespread job loss. As Children of Children of the Depression we always wondered if we would ever get back to the Bad Old Days we heard so much about at family…
Predatory Shoppers Picking Up More Than Purell During Excursions in Concord, Walnut Creek
From the Walnut Creek police department: On 4/30/2020 and 5/2/2020, two suspects stole wallets from elderly females from a local grocery store. Stolen items included credit cards, cash, identification and a social security card. The suspects subsequently made fraudulent charges with the victims’ credit cards. If you have any information regarding the identity of these…
Contra Costa Offers COVID-19 Testing For All County Residents
The County is first county in Bay Area to offer testing to anyone – even if they don’t have symptoms Contra Costa County will now offer an appointment for COVID-19 testing to any resident who believes they need one, regardless of insurance, ability to pay or whether they have symptoms or not. Residents can make…
COVID Cowboys – Haircut Parties; Catalytic Converter Hunts; And Unsportsmanlike Roadkill
Americans – even 24/680 residents – appear to have hit the limits of their patience with health department edicts to remain sheltered in place. Tales of a return to morning commute patterns and nocturnal crime waves by people with no fear of being punished have become regular fare for us these days. A Commando Reconnaissance…