We’re not saying it’s been a long wait for Blast & Brew in downtown Concord, but the “Blast & Brew” sign at Grant and Salvio has been up so long it’s practically eligible for historic landmark status. After at least two years of driving by and wondering if it would ever actually open, there’s finally a new sign promising an opening at the end of October. We’ll believe it when we’re inside with a cold drink in our hand – but hey, progress!

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ConFire & CalFire are responding to a vegetation fire in Briones Regional Park in Martinez. The blaze was allegedly started by downed power lines.

UPDATE: The blaze has been contained at about 10 acres.

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Leslie’s Pool Supplies permanently closed their Concord, Walnut Creek and Pittsburg locations. Pleasant Hill and Lafayette remain open.

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QUESTION: What’s something that used to be considered rude, but is completely normal now?

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California community colleges with health centers will be required to provide access to abortion medication beginning in 2029 under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Colleges will have flexibility in how they provide the service, including onsite prescriptions, telehealth, partnerships with outside providers or referrals with follow-up care. Costs will depend on future state funding and could vary by campus. The law will also require California public colleges and universities to inform students about the availability of abortion medication services.

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Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías announced that Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1627, legislation aimed at preventing former ICE employees with documented histories of misconduct from becoming peace officers in California. Ávila Farías said the legislation was inspired in part by concerns raised by community members during a No Kings rally in Concord last year. The measure is intended to prevent individuals with documented misconduct from moving from one law enforcement agency to another without additional accountability. The legislation takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

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Separate juries in Contra Costa County have convicted a former commercial airline co-pilot and a Walnut Creek woman on charges involving the repeated sexual abuse of a young girl. Rustom Bhagwagar, 35, of Florida, and Jennifer Spitz Powell, 46, of Walnut Creek, were each convicted of eight counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 years old or younger and 12 counts of forcible lewd acts on a child under 14. Prosecutors said the abuse began when the victim was 7 years old and occurred between October 2017 and October 2022. The case was tried in Martinez using a dual-jury format, with separate juries hearing evidence applicable to each defendant. Bhagwagar and Powell each face a maximum sentence of 230 years to life in state prison. Both remain in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility and will be sentenced at a later date.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 328, moving the redevelopment of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station another step forward. The legislation supports Concord’s plans to transform the property into a new community featuring 12,272 homes, including 25% affordable housing, approximately 6 million square feet of commercial space and more than 800 acres of parks and trails. The City will continue working with master developer Brookfield and the community on a Specific Plan that will guide future development of the site.

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QUESTION: What’s one of your biggest phobias, and how much does it affect your everyday life?

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The driver of a vehicle struck a PG&E power pole this morning just before 9am on eastbound Ygnacio Valley Rd in Walnut Creek, near Sports Basement. Expect big delays throughout the day. PG&E will have to replace the pole.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday that will allow California youths ages 16 and 17 to obtain a public library card without a parent being present. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2028.

The bill is meant to bring more consistency to how minors obtain library cards across the state. Some libraries require a parent or guardian to be present, while others require a signature, and others require just identification and proof of residency, according to an analysis of the bill.

In-person parental consent creates barriers for teens whose parents or guardians may not have the time to accompany them to the library, said Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas.

The legislation still allows libraries the option of requiring teens to get a parent’s signature before they are given a library card unless the minor is emancipated. The bill also requires that libraries and school districts be reimbursed for any related costs.

“[This bill] clarifies eligibility under existing systems while preserving local control over library operations and accountability for materials,” Blakespear said in her author’s statement. “Policies regarding lost or damaged items can be addressed through existing library policies.”

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The California Department of Justice has concluded that criminal charges are not warranted against four Martinez police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Tahmon Wilson in 2023. The shooting occurred on August 18, 2023, after officers responded to an attempted break-in at the Velvet cannabis dispensary on Sunrise Drive in Martinez. According to the DOJ, officers encountered Wilson behind the wheel of a vehicle in the parking lot. As officers approached with their firearms drawn and ordered him to stop, Wilson drove forward, striking an officer and sideswiping a patrol vehicle. Officers opened fire, fatally shooting Wilson. Authorities later determined the vehicle had been stolen and found a loaded semiautomatic firearm on the front passenger floorboard. Following its investigation, the DOJ determined there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers acted unlawfully rather than in defense of themselves or others. No criminal charges will be filed. The DOJ also issued eight recommendations for the Martinez Police Department, including additional training and policy changes involving shooting at moving vehicles, communication during critical incidents, use of force, providing medical assistance, body-worn cameras, officer separation following shootings and preservation of evidence.

The post DOJ Finds Insufficient Evidence To Charge Martinez Officers In Fatal 2023 Shooting appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

QUESTION: Do you think we’ll ever have World peace?

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It hasn’t been officially announced, but the Clayton Station shopping center’s website says the Carl’s Jr. building on Kirker Pass near Clayton Rd. will be available to lease in the near future. We’ll keep you updated. Who would be sad if this location closed?

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Nothing Budnt Cakes has plans to move into the H&R Block building in the Clayton Station Shopping Center on Clayton Rd near Kirker Pass. H&R Block will be moving into the empty building right next to Safeway (in the corner). Nothing Bundt Cakes is a bakery chain that specializes almost entirely in Bundt cakes – the round cakes with the hole in the middle.

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