Happy Friday to all the wonderful citizens in the City of Claycord. This is a post with no subject, you can talk about whatever you want. If breaking news happens (such as a shooting, earthquake, etc.), or you hear about something newsworthy, feel free to post it here.

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This post is “Talk About Politics”. Please use this post to talk about politics, and keep politics out of the “whatever” thread. Thank you, and be kind to each other.

Please Note: Users who use multiple names will be deleted. Please choose a name so others can easily chat with you. Users must provide a name in the ‘name field’, please do not use the ‘@’ symbol in the name field.

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As we previously reported, Concord Police are investigating a robbery at the Chevron ExtraMile store on Alberta Way, just off Ygnacio Valley Road. The incident occurred Monday evening, not Monday morning as we initially reported. According to information provided by a store employee, the robbery appeared to be coordinated. The suspect was reportedly dropped off near Pine Hollow Road and New Hampshire Drive around 9:15 p.m., then walked along Pine Hollow Road to the store, where he waited for customers to leave before entering. After the robbery, the suspect fled on foot toward a waiting getaway vehicle described as a newer black Chevrolet Suburban, which had been parked near a nearby PG&E substation. The vehicle then reportedly drove off toward Walnut Creek along Ygnacio Valley Road. The suspect made off with less than $200, according to the employee. Store staff followed company safety protocols during the incident, limiting the amount of cash in the register and prioritizing de-escalation to avoid confrontation or injury. No injuries were reported. Anyone with information should call the Concord Police Department.

The post UPDATE: Concord Robbery Occurred Monday Evening, Not Morning; Suspect Used Getaway Vehicle (PHOTOS) appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

QUESTION: Do you think Eric Swalwell will end up in prison?

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The post The Water Cooler – Do You Think Eric Swalwell Will End Up In Prison? appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

As it heats up outside, cold-blooded rattlesnakes are getting out to warm up. The East Bay Regional Park District said now that it’s spring, rattlers are emerging from hibernation and getting more active, which will lead to more encounters with humans and dogs, especially along trails and roads. The park district is encouraging people to keep snakes in mind when visiting wild areas and take proper precautions. Snakes are important to the natural environment; They control rodents and other reptile populations. The district said in a statement that snakes should be observed from afar and left alone. Collecting, killing, or removing any plants or animals from East Bay regional parks is illegal. The district recommends that people hike with someone else in case of an emergency and scan the ground ahead as they walk, jog, or ride. Stay on trails and avoid walking in tall grass. Look carefully around and under logs and rocks before sitting down.

People should listen for the buzz of a rattlesnake’s rattle warning that it’s there and should avoid placing hands or feet in places where they cannot see clearly. And keep dogs on a leash. If someone sees a rattlesnake, the district recommends leaving it alone — don’t try capturing or harming it. Move carefully and slowly away or around it to give it plenty of space. If a rattlesnake bites someone, they should stay calm and have someone call 911. Lie down with the affected limb lower than the heart. Getting medical attention quickly is critical — do not use tourniquets, sucking, or snakebite kits. If someone is alone, they should walk calmly to the nearest source of help to dial 911. Don’t run; doing so increases their heart rate and spreads poisoned blood faster through the body. If bitten by another type of snake, wash the wound with soap and water or an antiseptic and seek medical attention. If someone is unsure what kind of snake bit them, check the bite for two puncture marks (in rare cases, one puncture mark) associated with intense, burning pain. This is typical of a rattlesnake bite. Other snakebites may leave multiple teeth marks without associated burning pain. People don’t need to identify the specific type of rattlesnake to receive the correct antivenom. The northern Pacific rattlesnake is the species living in East Bay regional parks.

The post Heads Up, Hikers: It’s Rattlesnake Rush Hour In The East Bay appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

Join Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery for a behind-the-scenes tour of their recovery facility, where you’ll see firsthand how they optimize the use of the materials they collect and process. During the tour, you’ll see a fascinating blend of human expertise, heavy machinery, and advanced robotics working together as they responsibly manage waste and recover valuable resources from homes, businesses, and construction sites. Don’t miss this special guided tour opportunity. Reserve your spot today: mdrr.com/floor-tour-042026/

The post THIS WEEKEND! Take A Free Tour Of Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery’s Facility In Pittsburg appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

Concord police are investigating a strong-arm robbery at the Chevron Extra Mile convenience store (formerly Circle K) on Ygnacio Valley Road at Alberta Rd. According to authorities, the incident occurred Monday morning around 9 a.m. when a suspect reached over the counter and grabbed cash directly from an employee’s hand before fleeing the scene. No injuries were reported. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Concord Police Department.

The post Suspect Snatches Cash From Clerk In Daylight Robbery At Concord Chevron On Ygnacio Valley Rd. appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) released the following statement upon the resignations of Representatives Eric Swalwell (CA-14) and Tony Gonzales (TX-23) from Congress.

“The departures of Mr. Swalwell and Mr. Gonzales from Congress represent steps in a more constructive direction. While they have a right to due process and their individual day in court, it is both a privilege and a sacred responsibility to the public, not a right, to serve in the House of Representatives. Their alleged behavior is an attack on the integrity of the Congress and made them unfit to serve the American public in Congress. Their constituents deserve better. I am horrified, particularly as a member of the Bay Area delegation, to have learned of Mr. Swalwell’s alleged behavior last week and remain committed to ensuring justice for all victims.”

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QUESTION: What would you do to bring the Iran war to an end?

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The Concord Police Department is reminding drivers to stay alert and avoid distractions behind the wheel as part of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.

Officials say everyday behaviors such as checking a phone, adjusting in-car technology, eating, or changing the radio can significantly increase the risk of crashes. Police plan to step up enforcement throughout the month, focusing on violations of California’s hands-free cell phone law.

“Distracted driving continues to put everyone on the road at risk,” Police Chief Mark Bustillos said in a statement, urging drivers to keep their attention on the road at all times.

According to a statewide survey, more than 70% of drivers identified texting or phone use as their top safety concern. State data also shows that 158 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in California in 2023, marking an increase from the previous year. Officials note that the true number may be higher, as distraction is not always confirmed in crash investigations.

Under California law, drivers are prohibited from holding a phone or electronic device while operating a vehicle, even when stopped at a red light. Violations can result in fines, and repeat offenses within 36 months may add a point to a driver’s record.

Police are encouraging drivers to take simple steps to reduce distractions, including setting navigation before driving, silencing or storing phones out of reach, and pulling over safely if attention is needed elsewhere.

Funding for enforcement efforts is provided through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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A recently released report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examines the impacts of increased telework, finding effects on workers, the economy, and the environment, and identifying areas where additional federal support may be needed to help communities adapt.

The report was requested by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. It found that the rise in telework has contributed to changes in transportation patterns, vehicle usage, and real estate trends.

To address these shifts, the GAO recommends that the U.S. Department of Transportation develop and implement a detailed plan to improve travel demand data and provide guidance to Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The goal is to support more effective community planning related to workforce needs, public transit, and housing.

The report is the third in a series examining telework. Earlier reports analyzed telework trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its effects on worker productivity and business performance in certain sectors.

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The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office released its 2025 Annual Report on April 14, outlining progress in public safety, criminal justice reform, and victim support programs across the county.

District Attorney Diana Becton said the office has focused on balancing accountability with modern approaches to justice, emphasizing public safety, infrastructure improvements, and victim-centered practices. She noted that the goal is to move away from a one-size-fits-all system while ensuring communities remain safe.

According to the report, the office achieved a 96% felony conviction rate in jury trials through its Direct Court Unit, significantly higher than the statewide average of 81%. Prosecutors secured guilty verdicts in 25 of 26 felony cases tried during the year. The Homicide Unit handled 15 trials, resulting in 14 convictions, including 12 for murder, while the Interpersonal Violence Unit reported an 85% conviction rate in cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse.

The office also expanded services for crime victims. More than 10,600 victims received assistance through the Victim Witness Assistance Program, which delivered nearly 48,000 services and secured $9.8 million in restitution. The program added a second facility dog, Fenner, to help provide emotional support to victims, particularly children, during court proceedings.

Efforts to reduce incarceration through alternative programs also showed strong results. The Neighborhood Restorative Partnership Program, launched in 2022, reported a recidivism rate of just 1% among participants who completed the program, compared to a statewide misdemeanor recidivism rate of more than 21%. Since its inception, 288 cases have been referred to the program, with dozens of participants currently enrolled.

In addition, the office reported breakthroughs in long-unsolved cases. The Cold Case Unit secured convictions in crimes dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s using DNA technology and genetic genealogy. Among those cases was the conviction of James Grimsley in the killing of Terrie Ladwig in Concord, as well as developments in a 2007 Pittsburg homicide investigation.

The report also highlighted efforts to maintain public accountability. Prosecutors obtained guilty pleas in all six cases stemming from a joint FBI investigation into corruption involving Antioch and Pittsburg police officers. The investigation uncovered a scheme in which officers improperly dismissed traffic tickets in exchange for personal benefits, leading to disciplinary action and loss of law enforcement certifications for those involved.

Access to justice was another focus, with the opening of a new district attorney office in Pittsburg in December 2025. The facility houses about 30 staff members and is intended to bring services closer to East County residents.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, established in 1850, serves approximately 1.15 million residents and operates across multiple locations in Martinez, Pittsburg, and Richmond.

The post Contra Costa DA Touts 96% Conviction Rate, Reform Gains In 2025 Report appeared first on CLAYCORD.com.

QUESTION: “Would a per-mile tax in California make you drive less, or would it not change your habits at all?”

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The final person has been sentenced in what the U.S. Department of Justice said is the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

On Monday, Walnut Creek resident Ronald Roach, 59, was given five and a half years in federal prison for his role in the Benicia-based company DC Solar’s Ponzi scheme case that began in 2019.

Roach served as the company’s accountant and paid a central role in the fraud which has sent eight people to prison.

The crimes at DC Solar were sophisticated and complex but involved mobile solar generators (MSGs) that were mounted on trailers. DC Solar claimed they could provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting and other large events. DC Solar reeled in investors by pointing out that there were generous federal tax credits to be had due to the green energy the MSGs offered.

According to the DOJ, investors would buy the MSGs without ever taking possession of them, paying a percentage of the sale price and financing the balance with DC Solar. Then the investors leased the MSGs back to the company, which in turn purported to lease them to third parties. A portion of the lease revenue was supposed to go to the investors and a portion would be used to pay the investors’ debts to DC Solar.

Enter the Ponzi scheme. According to the DOJ, when the third-party leases generated little income, the company paid early investors with funds contributed by later investors. Generators were sold that didn’t even exist — at least half DC Solar claimed to have manufactured — making it look like MSGs existed in locations that they did not.

False financial statements and false lease contracts were created to keep the con going. Prosecutors determined that approximately 94 percent of the revenue claimed by DC Solar actually came from transfers of new investor cash.

Roach’s part in the scheme was to lie to investors and conceal the lack of any third-party revenue, prosecutors said.

between March 2011 and Dec. 18, 2018, investors invested approximately $759.4 million, and several financial institutions and other investors transferred $152.7 million to DC Solar as part of related transactions for the purchase and lease of generators. In total, DC Solar closed transactions with investors that contributed more than $912 million to purchase generators. Those transactions were purported to involve approximately 17,000 generators, at approximately $2.5 billion in value.

Other people sentenced in this case include owners Jeff and Paulette Carpoff, with Jeff receiving a 30-year sentence and a fine of $780.6 million. His wife received 11 years and three months in federal prison. Martinez resident Joseph Bayless received three years and a fine of $481.3 million for posing as a licensed engineer who signed off on the fraud.

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BART recorded its highest monthly ridership levels since 2019 in March, advancing a slow, years-long comeback from reduced commuter traffic that evaporated during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The transit agency is facing an ongoing yearly budget deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars and has pinned its hopes on a regional ballot measure this fall that would raise the sales tax in the five counties that carry BART trains.

BART relies heavily on passenger revenue from fares and parking fees from customers who park and ride. The system was kept afloat by significant federal and state assistance in the years after the pandemic, which caused significant shifts in customer activity. Commuter traffic into downtown San Francisco took a particularly sharp hit, according to the transit agency.

The increase in ridership crossed multiple metrics in March that BART said were positive signs of the system’s comeback, including average weekday ridership of over 200,000 people for the first time since the pandemic. That’s still far below the system’s average weekday ridership of about 410,000 trips in the years before the pandemic, according to BART.

BART General Manager Bob Powers said during his presentation of the numbers at the BART Board of Directors meeting last week that the system also recorded its fewest train delays in a decade in March.

“If you couple the two together, the ridership and our reliability, what we’re doing is working,” Powers said. “Ridership is up, folks are feeling better about taking public transportation, and connections with our partner agencies are there, we just need to stay the course and continue to push to improve the rider experience and good things will happen,” he told his colleagues.

Over 5.4 million riders were recorded exiting the system in March, exceeding the previous high of Oct. 2025 by about 60,000 trips.
The San Francisco Giants’ opening day on March 25 also helped set the new single-day high for riders since the pandemic, with nearly 230,000 exits recorded.

Saturday ridership was also up by about 38% compared to March 2025, according to the transit agency, which highlighted “No Kings” protests against the administration of President Donald Trump and Chinese New Year celebrations in San Francisco.

BART’s Board of Directors said that these numbers highlighted the system’s ability to move substantial numbers of people throughout the region for large events, including the Super Bowl, which had the previous single-day ridership high in February.

The regional ballot measure planned for this fall, called “Connect Bay Area,” would increase the sales tax in the counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa by a half-cent and in San Francisco by a full cent. The tax would start in 2027 and sunset after 14 years.

The tax would generate an estimated $980 million a year and would be divided mostly among several transit agencies including BART, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Caltrain, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

A smaller portion would also go to San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans), and certain smaller scale operators in the East Bay.

About a third of the revenue would go toward BART’s operating budget, according to an analysis of the tax from the nonprofit policy advocacy organization San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, known as SPUR.

That means that even if the measure passes, BART will be left with projected deficits of tens of millions of dollars.

The BART Board passed a contingency plan in February outlining drastic cuts to the system if the measure does not pass, including station closures and significant service reductions. The stations planned to close if that happens have not yet been finalized.

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