Contra Costa Herald

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Marine Unit Officers assist boaters in the Delta. Photos: CCCSO

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of boating season on the Delta. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is urging all boaters to stay safe while enjoying the water.

“Many boating accidents can be avoided by planning ahead,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “80% of boating fatalities could have been prevented by wearing a life jacket. Fol-lowing the law and these tips could help you stay safe on the water.”

California Boater Card Required – Anyone who operates a motorized vessel must carry a California Boater Card. Learn more at californiaboatercard.com.

Engine Cut-off Switch – Last year, California law required the use of an engine cut-off switch—also known as a kill switch or lanyard—on ves-sels under 26 feet. This safety device must be worn by the operator when at the helm and operating above 5 mph or dis-placement speeds. This law is designed to prevent runaway boat incidents in the event the operator is thrown from the helm, adding another layer of safety to California waterways.

Life Jackets Save Lives – All vessels, including stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), must carry a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person on board. Life jackets must be the correct size for the intended wearer and children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times aboard a vessel, unless in a fully enclosed cabin. Everyone is strongly encouraged to wear a life jacket at all times on the water.

Boating Under the Influence (B.U.I.) – Operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal and dangerous. Boaters arrested for B.U.I. face similar consequences to D.U.I. drivers, including fines, license suspension, and possible jail.

Safe Navigation Practices – Always operate at safe speeds, especially in narrow channels or areas with limited visibility. Stay to the right side of the waterway. In crossing situations, the vessel to the right has the right of way.

Ski Flags and Observers – While engaged in towing activities, an observer who holds the ski flag, at the minimum age of 12 years old, must display the ski flag when required: a downed skier in the water, a skier in the water preparing to ski, a line is in the water extended from the vessel, and a ski or similar equipment is in the water in the vicinity of the vessel.

Blue Light Law – Boaters must slow to a no-wake speed when approaching/being approached by any law enforcement or emergency vessel displaying an illuminated blue light, whether the patrol vessel is moving or stationary.

Emergency Preparedness – Carry an emergency kit that includes a flashlight, warm clothing, a cell phone, VHF radio, and navigational charts. Before heading out, file a float plan. Learn how to create a float plan at: https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/floating-plan.php

Carbon Monoxide Awareness – Be cautious of carbon monoxide buildup, especially when sitting on the swim platform or near the boat’s transom while the engine is running.

Youth Operation Rules – Children ages 12–15 may operate boats with motors over 15 horse-power or sailboats over 30 feet only if directly supervised by an adult (18+) who holds a California Boater Card.

Throwables Required – Boats 16 feet and longer must carry a U.S. Coast Guard-approved throwable flotation device, such as a life ring or square cushion, which must be easily accessible.

Additional Resources – The ABC’s of Boating safety handbook is available at most boating retailers. Visit dbw.ca.gov for more boating laws, safety tips, and California Boater Card information. For questions or non-emergency assistance, contact the Marine Services Unit at (925) 427-8507.

In emergencies, Dial 911 or call Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at (925) 646-2441.

By City of San Ramon

Let’s go fly a kite!  at the 37th Annual San Ramon Art & Wind Festival, the best festival in the East Bay. The Art & Wind Festival is scheduled for Sunday and Monday, May 24-25, 2026, in San Ramon’s Central Park, 12501 Alcosta Blvd. from 11am to 6pm both days.

This annual event features fine arts, crafts and specialty food vendors, three entertainment stages headlining international music, party bands and variety entertainers, children’s shows, two festival food courts, family amusement zones, professional choreographed kite flying demonstrations, helicopter landing, free kite making workshop, puppet shows and much more.

The Art and Wind Festival is a family, bike and pet-friendly FREE outdoor event!

For individuals with additional sensory needs, check out the Sensory Zone at City Hall for a quiet break from the festival without having to leave.

For more information visit ArtandWind.com.

By Mike Arrata

A report on the 2026-27 budget, by a Contra Costa County public information officer, is essentially a tax-promotion advertisement for Measure B’s intended 0.625% sales-tax increase.  It omits essential facts to the potential benefit of the County’s already overpaid administrative staff and its 15 highly compensated employee unions.  Consider the following:

1. The County’s tentative $7.248 Billion budget for 2026-2027, were it to remain unchanged at the July 1 start of new Fiscal Year 26-27, would still be a massive 60.7% higher than FY20-21’s $4.51 Billion. (See p. 9 at link.)  November 2020 was when the County passed Measure X, itself a 0.500% sales tax increase. The Bay Area’s CPI inflation rate, meanwhile, has totaled 18.4% since Measure X’s passage (358.6 /302.9 = 1.184). The County’s spending increase since the end of 2020 is 3.3 x the inflation rate.
2. Measure B, on the June 2nd ballot, would add another 0.625% in new sales taxes, raising every part of the County above the statutory 2% limit on LOCAL sales-tax rates, over and above the existing statewide 7.250% rate.  7.250% + 2.000% = an effective statutory-limit total of 9.250%.  If Measure B passes, sales-tax rates in the County will instead range from 9.375% to 10.875%.   An additional 0.500% transit sales-tax measure is upcoming on the November ballot.
3. In bypassing the relevant statute, all the County’s tax promoters had to do was to get an on-call legislator to include Contra Costa County in an existing, illegitimate Los Angeles bypass bill (AB1768), say shazam(!) — and poof!  No more 2% limit on any local sales-tax rates here.  (Actually, Measure X itself took local rates in six Contra Costa municipal jurisdictions above 2%.)
4. As is, the County’s 2026 own union-member employment head count is up 4% over 2025(slide 10) — 10,308 vs. 9,913.  And 9 of the County’s 15 union contracts expire 4 weeks after Election Day.  That’s a clue for the likely real purpose of Measure B.
5. As of 2024 (last year available), 4,781 County employees were already above $150,000 in salary plus benefit compensation.  3,056 of those exceeded $200,000.  1,045 of those exceeded $300,000.  278 of those exceeded $400,000, with 78 above $500,000.  How many executive-level employees does the County need?  How many should we pay for?
6. Measure X presented an urgent, COVID-time focus on healthcare and “life-saving services.”  Now, allegedly, “lives will be lost” without Measure B (pages 33-34 of 86 in Voter Guide).  In fact, Measure X’s millions have been used for multiple other purposes.  And Measure B’s authorizing ordinance, like Measure X’s, again exposes this new tax as “solely for general governmental purposes and not for specific purposes.” County politicians and administrators could spend Measure B’s millions on whatever they consider “governmental” — as they’ve already been doing in Measure X’s first 5 of 20 years.  Measure B could facilitate or directly bankroll the next round of employee enrichments.
7. Measure X, the template for Measure B, was supposed to collect $81 Million annually in additional new sales-tax revenues.  Instead, it’s taken in over $120 Million annually (page 11 of 16), and Measure X has another 15 years to run.  Meanwhile, Measure X has accumulated $263 Million in unspent funds (same page).  Those dollars, rather than more new sales-tax revenue, could and should be dedicated to any healthcare deficiency that actually develops.
8. And speaking of excess funds, the County has a General Fund balance of $1.21 Billion, of which the unassigned portion is $585 Million. Both figures are more that 4 times the County’s own announced standardfor reserves on hand (pages 18 and 56 of 269).
9. County supervisors tried to get away with an alleged $307 million ANNUAL healthcare budget deficiency, (e.g. hereand here) until I and others pointed to figures stated by their own financial advisory firm (itself holding an $8 Million contract).  That reality was a potentially CUMULATIVE $307 Million by FY28-29, not an annual one.  Their chief financial advisor then returned with a new slide showing larger potential amounts in FY29-30 and FY30-31 — in a new presidential administration and 2 new Congresses from now.  As stated in ballot arguments, Measure B is at best premature.
10. Due to some funding restoration already announced, the new budget deficiency projected in an updated County slide was a cumulative $219 Million by FY28-29 (though minutes of the Board of Supervisors’ meeting presented the amount as $239 Million).  Even that is speculative; and again, Measure X could cover that amount if needed, under its originally announced purposes.  And to begin with, much of the funding problem derives from withdrawal by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services of “federal Medicaid dollars to cover health care for individuals who are in the country illegally” (as “a backdoor pathway to subsidize open borders”).
11. The County’s Measure B propagandists claim elsewhere that “It exempts food, housing, and medical care, so most of the money from this tax will come from corporate or large luxury purchases.”   But as the East Bay Times said (among many other factors in opposing Measure B itself), “State data indicates that the average person in the county currently pays at least $1,050 a year in sales tax.”  Food/grocery exemptions?  Not for prepared foods, soft drinks, beer and wine, ice, many convenience grocery store items, etc. — and not for restaurant bills.  Housing exemptions?  Not for materials used to build and maintain houses.  Exemptions for medical care?  Not for over-the-counter medicines.
12. Rather than voting to continue engorging the already vastly over-funded and overcompensated County spending apparatus and apparatchiks:  attentive and fair-minded voters will vote NO on Measure B — thereby to leave taxpayers, especially those already struggling with affordability problems, with more of their own money to spend for items THEY see as needs.

Regarding the County’s self-serving Measure B schemers — and their dishonest 2020 predecessor, Measure X:  the response now should be “Fool us once, shame on them.  Fool us twice, shame on us!”

More information:  StopMeasureB.com

Arrata is a member of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, but opinions expressed here are his own.

Fourth arrest since 2018; also arrested by U.S. Marshalls, alleged to be hit man for organized crime 

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – On May 18, 2026, a Contra Costa County jury convicted a Hayward man of attempted murder with premeditation, shooting at an occupied vehicle, reckless evasion, and being a felon in possession of a firearm — along with firearm enhancements for personally using a firearm.

The convicted man, 26-year-old Tanginoa Pahulu Tangi, (born 12/31/1999) attacked a victim in Oakley on August 27, 2025. Evidence at trial showed that Tangi drove from Alameda County to Oakley and waited approximately three hours outside the victim’s home. When the victim arrived, Tangi approached the vehicle and fired 17 shots at close range. The victim survived. Tangi then fled the scene and disposed of the firearm. Minutes later, a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to pull Tangi over, but Tangi refused to yield, leading officers on an 11-mile high-speed chase before law enforcement apprehended him.

The District Attorney’s Community Violence Reduction Unit prosecuted the case. District Attorney Diana Becton said, “This conviction reflects the outstanding work of our entire team, and we are grateful to everyone who helped bring justice for the victim in this case.”

Tangi’s violent conduct extends beyond the United States. Authorities in New Zealand currently want him for the murder of a courier in Auckland.

His sentencing hearing for the Contra Costa County offenses is scheduled for June 29, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4 of the Richard E. Arnason Justice Center in Pittsburg.

Case No. 04-25-01632 | The People of the State of California v. Tanginoa Pahulu Tangi

According to localcrimenews.com, Tangi is Asian Pacific Islander and has been previously arrested three other times in 2018 and 2020 for burglary, robbery and use of a deadly and/or dangerous weapon.

Arrested by U.S. Marshalls for New Zealand Murder as Hit Man

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, he is six-foot, one-inches tall, 225 pounds, and is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility. Tangi was also arrested on Sept. 5, 2025, by U.S. Marshalls for the New Zealand case.

According to the Kaniva Tonga news source in New Zealand, Tonga Independent and Helm.news, Tangi is accused of being sent from California to New Zealand in 2024 to commit murder, leading to the death of an Auckland courier and he now, faces extradition. “Police say a United States national (Tangi) alleged to have acted as a contracted ‘hitman’ in the killing of Auckland courier driver Tuipulotu Kokohu Vi.”

“New Zealand Police alleged the 26‑year‑old flew into the country in August 2024, carried out the fatal shooting, and then fled back to the US before investigators were able to identify him. New Zealand police say he is also the subject of an extradition request relating to the Auckland killing.”

Tangi “is accused of traveling from California to New Zealand in 2024 at the direction of a U.S.-based organized crime group to carry out a murder. He is charged in New Zealand with the fatal shooting of 59-year-old Auckland courier Tuipulotu Vi, who was found dead in his van; police believe Vi was not the intended target. After the incident, Tangi returned to the U.S., where he was arrested in August 2025 following a separate shooting attempt. Extradition to New Zealand is pending, with three others now charged in connection with the case. The investigation remains active, and suppression orders have been lifted, allowing further details to be reported.”

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Photos: mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy

Led by the mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy at the tuuštak Ecocultural Garden

By Kimberly Hawkins, Senior News and Media Manager/PIO, Cal State East Bay

On Saturday, June 6, the mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy, in partnership with Cal State East Bay, Concord Center, CAL FIRE, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District (CCRCD), will conduct a ceremonial cultural burn of less than one acre at the Cal State East Bay Concord Center.

This event continues the restoration of Indigenous-led fire practices in the East Bay, reaffirming cultural traditions and supporting ecological health on Ohlone homelands. The project is designed to reduce invasive grasses, improve soil health and restore native plants important for food, medicine and basketry.

100 Acres at the tuuštak Ecocultural Garden at Cal State East Bay in čupkan/Concord

According to the mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy website, “We restore and steward 100 acres of oak woodland, highland chaparrel and the Gallindo Creek riparian corridor at the base of our most sacred mountain, tuuštak—Mt. Diablo.

“In this beautiful place, mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy works in partnership with Cal State East Bay Concord and our dear friends from Terremoto Landscape to restore a landscape that teaches of the abundance of the East Bay while actively repairing former cattle-grazed landscape for the benefit of all those living on this land.

“Here, we implemented our first cultural burn in at least two generations, with seasonal burns to come every year, paired with constant monitoring of the soil for the benefit of the landscape to alleviate overgrowth that leads to wildfires and to encourage constant regeneration of the plants that do best here.

“’It’s a way of giving back to the land,’ Auntie Dottie, 95, told us while she was there for our first renewed burn in generations.”

What to Expect 

• Smoke may be visible near the CSU East Bay Concord Center (4700 Ygnacio Valley Road) between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., weather and air quality permitting.
• The invitation-only event begins with a private Ohlone ceremony, followed by a controlled cultural burnled by Ohlone firekeepers under cultural protocols.
• Fire personnel and equipment from CAL FIRE and Contra Costa County Firewill be on-site throughout the day.
• The project will only proceed on a permissive burn day, as determined by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).

Safety Measures

• Public safety is the highest priority. The burn will be conducted under a strict, approved burn plan that considers fire behavior and weather conditions.
• Fire breaks, water supply and suppression equipment will be established on-site.
• Crews will remain until the fire perimeter is fully secured and declared out.
• The burn will not proceed if wind, humidity, or other conditions make it unsafe.

Air Quality Compliance 

This project qualifies as a ceremonial fire under BAAQMD Regulation 5. It is exempt from open burn notification and fees, with the only condition being that the burn will not proceed on a Mandatory Burn Ban (Spare the Air Alert) day.

Public Information 

For updates on the burn, please visit:

• CalState East Bay Concord Center website
• Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
• CAL Fire

About the mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy

The mak-warép Ohlone Land Conservancy works to reacquire, restore, and steward Ohlone ancestral lands through Indigenous-led ecological restoration, hyper-localized land management, and the practice and transmission of traditional culture. Our work strengthens Ohlone relationships to land, supports access to traditional foods, medicines, and basketry materials, and engages the public in understanding Ohlone history, culture, and place-based knowledge. For more information visit www.ohloneland.com.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Photo: CCCSO

By Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

At the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, we are dedicated to serving our diverse community with integrity, professionalism and accountability. Our mission – to work in partnership with the community to safeguard lives, rights and property through innovative and ethical law enforcement – guides everything we do.

We uphold core values of honor, courage, commitment, leadership and teamwork, and strive to conduct ourselves with the highest ethical standards in every interaction.

Our Commitment to the Community

To earn and maintain your trust, we aim to:

Provide accessible data about our policies, performance and community outcomes;

Engage openly with the public through accessible reports and dashboards;

Report on activities that affect community safety and wellbeing; and

Continuously evaluate and improve our practice based on community feedback and evidence-based standards.

We believe transparency is essential to public trust and to strengthening the partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and communities we proudly serve.

This portal is part of that commitment – your resource for understanding who we are, what we do and how we measure our performance.

The Community Transparency Portal:

-Provides accessible data about our policies, performance, and community outcomes.

-Engages openly with the public through accessible reports and dashboards.

-Reports on activities that affect community safety and wellbeing.

-Continuously evaluates and improves our practices based on community feedback and evidence-based standards.

The Community Transparency Portal is your resource for understanding who we are, what we do, and how we measure our performance.

https://transparencyportal.so.cccounty.us/

By Yelena Miakinina, Program Manager and Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County

The 2026 Far East Contra Costa Career Fair is happening on May 27 at the Brentwood Community Center, hosted by the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County (WDBCCC). The event will feature 40+ employers across healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, technology and construction, including Michael’s Transportation Service/MTSA, Sutter Delta Medical Center, People Ready Skilled Trades and Spherion Staffing.

This is an opportunity for job seekers to connect directly with hiring employers and learn about low-cost training options to advance your career!

In today’s digital-first economy, career fairs cut through the noise of faceless online applications, allowing job seekers and employers to make memorable first impressions. They provide a unique venue to fast-track networking and uncover hidden opportunities through face-to-face conversations with active recruiters.

Job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumes and come dressed for success!

Register for this event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-far-east-contra-costa-career-fair-tickets-

Sponsored by City of Brentwood City Manager’s Office-Economic Development Division, Antioch Community Foundation and Marathon Petroleum Corporation.

The event will take place 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Brentwood Community Center is located at 35 Oak Street.

Details and registration are available HERE. Anyone requiring special assistance, call (925) 655-3800 before this event.

About the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County

The WDBCCC is a business-led board that builds public-private partnerships with education, economic development, labor, and community organizations to solve complex workforce challenges. Our work achieves equitable economic growth for Contra Costa County. We ensure a pipeline of diverse workforce talent is available to keep local companies competitive. Through our strategic connections and partnerships, we find innovative, sustainable solutions to solve complex workforce issues and leverage public-private resources to benefit the workforce and businesses alike. More at www.wdbccc.com/

Antioch Police investigate

By Brentwood Police Department

BRENTWOOD, CA – On Sunday, May 17,  2026, at approximately 11:40PM, a marked patrol vehicle operated by an Officer of the Brentwood Police Department was involved in a traffic collision at the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Jeffery Way.

Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and involved parties were evaluated following the collision. Nobody was seriously injured.

The circumstances surrounding the collision and cause remain under investigation by the Antioch Police Department.

No additional information is available at this time. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.

Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6900.

The victim’s pick-up truck was pulled out of the bay near Canal Blvd. in Richmond. Photo: Richmond PD

Pick-up truck driven into, extracted from bay

SFPD and Oakland PD Marine Units, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, volunteer California Recovery Divers assist

By Richmond Police Department

At approximately 11:17 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026, Richmond Police Department officers responded to reports of a possible deceased person in the water near the 1300 block of Canal Boulevard.

Upon arrival, officers located a deceased individual. Richmond Police Department detectives responded to the scene and investigators have determined that the incident previously being investigated as a suspicious death on Saturday is now believed to be a solo-vehicle fatal collision.

During the investigation, detectives utilized the department’s Flock Safety camera system and located video footage showing what appeared to be a vehicle entering the water near Canal Blvd. at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Based on this information, the Richmond Police Department requested assistance from the San Francisco Police Department Marine Unit, the Oakland Police Department Marine Unit, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team.

The San Francisco and Oakland Police Departments’ Marine Units with diver help locate the submerged vehicle. Photo: Richmond PD

All three agencies responded and using specialized sonar equipment and marine resources, responding personnel were able to locate a submerged vehicle. Dive teams, including members of the volunteer California Recovery Divers, then assisted in recovering the vehicle and confirmed there were no additional occupants inside.

At this time, the investigation indicates this was a solo-vehicle, fatal collision, and there is no evidence of foul play.

The Richmond Police Department extends its sincere condolences to the driver’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.

We also want to thank our allied agencies for their swift response and for providing the specialized marine and dive resources that were critical in locating and recovering the vehicle.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Richmond Police Department Dispatch at (510) 233-1214.

Cobos Smith text to Lathan rescinding her endorsement on April 19, 2026, and Lathan’s campaign Facebook page post on May 19, 2026, showing Cobos Smith (in yellow circle) included. Source: Olga Cobos Smith

“This is literally the unilateral decision making that has frustrated me for months now.” – Antioch Trustee Olga Cobos Smith

By Allen D. Payton

In a post on her official Facebook page on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Antioch School Board Area 4 Trustee Olga Cobos Smith complained about the use of her photo in a Facebook post promoting the campaign of her colleague, Board President and Area 2 Trustee Dr. Jag Lathan, who is running for Contra Costa County Superintendent of Public Instruction. The post of Lathan’s endorsements was shared on her campaign Facebook page, earlier that day, according to Cobos Smith but has since been removed.

It read, “Dr. Jag has built a coalition of educators, families, students, and elected officials across the State and County who care deeply about the education and wellness of our students and the educators that serve them. This multigenerational, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious rich coalition of leaders demonstrate her gift to bring people together for one purpose: our children.”

Screenshots of Cobos Smith’s Facebook post on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, which includes Lathan’s post from earlier in the day.

Her post also showed photos of 14 people, including Cobos Smith, Contra Costa DA Diana Becton and District 5 Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston.

In response, Cobos Smith shared screenshots of both Lathan’s post and text messages between the two and wrote, “Today I was notified of an image dated today (5/19/2026) circulating with my likeness on it promoting the campaign of Dr. Jag Lathan, AUSD Board Member, Area 2. I was deeply offended by the lack of respect it took to post my picture in campaign materials as I explicitly asked on April 19, 2026 for my image to be removed from all such materials. This is literally the unilateral decision making that has frustrated me for months now.”

Screenshot of Lathan’s response post on her official Facebook page on May 19, 2026.

Later in the day, Lathan responded in a post on her official Facebook page. It included a photo of Cobos Smith, Lathan and a man taken inside Cobos Smith’s bookstore in Antioch with Lathan holding her campaign sign. The candidate wrote, “I’m sorry to hear that you were upset by the image showing your support of my candidacy. You were one of the very first people to host an event for my campaign, and I have always appreciated your support and valued the relationship we have shared as colleagues. It was never my intention to cause harm or disrespect you.

“More importantly, I sincerely wish you healing, strength, and peace during this time, and I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

“I also believe that, as board members, our focus must remain on working together to continue improving our district and supporting the students, staff, and families we serve. Our students deserve nothing less.”

Screenshot of Lathan’s response on Cobos Smith’s official Facebook page on May 19, 2026.

That comment has since been removed. But Lathan then posted the same comment on Cobos Smith’s Facebook page below the post about the matter, and again included the photo inside Cobos Smith’s bookstore.

Screenshot of announcement of Cobos Smith’s endorsement of Lathan posted on the candidate’s campaign Facebook page on March 20, 2026.

Endorsement Announced March 20th, Rescinded April 19th

On March 20, Lathan announced Cobos Smith’s endorsement in a campaign Facebook post, which was still up as of Tuesday, May 19, 2026. That post reads, “We’re proud to share that Olga Cabos Smith, School Board Trustee for Antioch Unified School District, has endorsed Dr. Jag Lathan for Contra Costa County Superintendent.”

But on April 19th, Cobos Smith sent a text to Lathan writing, “Good morning. (Smiley face emoji) I have an ask: if my name, image, or likeness is on any of your campaign imagery please pull it. I am rescinding any endorsement of your campaign. I am now undecided.”

Cobos Smith Offers Reasons for Rescinding Endorsement

When reached for comment about the matter Cobos Smith said, “I didn’t want to make a spectacle of it. At first, I assumed it was something old. I was told it was posted a few hours ago.”

Asked why she rescinded her endorsement and if it’s due to the recent challenges on the Antioch School Board, the first term trustee said, “There are challenges with all of us. The leadership is obvious. I literally asked her, ‘could we please work as a team?’ As board president, she should be working to coalesce us as a team. I don’t feel like I’m getting the answers to my questions. We bring things up we want to discuss… Mary said it the other day, ‘I don’t know what I have to do to get these numbers out of you.’”

“If I can’t trust somebody’s leadership at this point, how can I endorse them for an even more intense leadership position?” Cobos Smith asked rhetorically. “I was not trying to put my thumb on the scale. I did not say I was endorsing Dana Eaton. But I have to say, I’ve watched some videos of him and I’m impressed.”

“This shows me the lack of respect for my boundaries and personhood,” she stated. “I shouldn’t have had to make a public statement.”

“You can’t even unify your five-member board. How are you going to unify the community?” Cobos Smith asked, again, rhetorically.

Lathan Does Not Answer Questions

Multiple efforts to reach Lathan were unsuccessful prior to publication time. She was asked if the endorsement announcement posted on her campaign Facebook page was a flier printed before April 19th, if she saw the text from Cobos Smith that day, if she was aware Cobos Smith’s original endorsement post was still up and why Lathan still used her photo a month after her colleague rescinded the endorsement.

She was also asked what she meant by, “I sincerely wish you healing, strength, and peace during this time.”

Lathan faces one opponent in the race, Brentwood Union School District Superintendent Dana Eaton. Whichever candidate gets a majority of votes in the June 2nd Primary will be elected.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.