SACRAMENTO (CBS SF/AP) — Prosecutors say a former contract manager for California’s transportation agency pleaded guilty Monday in what they called an ongoing investigation into a bid rigging and bribery scam involving millions of dollars worth of contracts.

Choon Foo “Keith” Yong agreed to cooperate with the investigation into what prosecutors said was a conspiracy to rig the competitive bidding process for improvement and repair contracts at California Department of Transportation facilities.

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The scheme ensured that companies controlled by his co-conspirators submitted the winning bid and won the contracts, prosecutors said.

The contracts were cumulatively worth more than $8 million, and Yong’s agreement called for him to be awarded at least 10% of the value, according to his plea agreement.

He received cash bribes and other payments in the form of furniture, wine and remodeling services on his home, valued together at more than $800,000, prosecutors said.

He agreed to pay restitution as part of his plea deal in a scam that ran from early 2015 through late 2019, prosecutors said.

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Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the US Justice Department’s Antitrust Division described Yong’s guilty plea as “the first in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation into bribery and bid rigging at Caltrans.”

Caltrans officials did not immediately comment.

The plea deal says Yong worked with “Contractor A, Contractor B and other co-conspirators,” without naming them. He would “submit the agreed upon bidders’ names — which always included Contractor A” for consideration. Another company would submit a “sham bid” so that Contractor A or another co-conspirator’s company would win the contract.

Contractor A would then pay money or provide other benefits to the co-conspirator bidders.

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The post Defendant Pleads Responsible In Caltrans Bribery Scheme – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

OAKLAND (KPIX) — A deadly fire at a homeless encampment in West Oakland Tuesday was the last straw for Caltrans, with agency officials saying the camp under Interstate 880 needs to go.

One person was killed and three RVs and two cars were destroyed Tuesday afternoon in the fatal fire that sent a massive plume of black smoke overhead. Five people who lived in the camp were displaced.

A man died in his RV as a fire ripped through his vehicle that was parked at the Wood St. encampment in #Oakland this afternoon. According to OFD, the fire spread from one RV to the one where the deceased person was discovered. In total, five vehicles were destroyed. @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/fQ3QTjqs6I

— BrianKPIX (@brianyuenKPIX) April 5, 2022

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KPIX 5 has learned that Caltrans has decided that the massive encampment beneath Interstate 880 must be cleared, and soon.

The agency said the deadly RV fire Tuesday was one of more than 100 fires in recent years. Planning is now underway for a large-scale intervention.

The Wood Street encampment starts just north of the old 16th Street Train Station and stretches almost to the 580 interchange. That’s about three quarters of a mile.

For the hundreds of people living in the camp, the fatal fire might be what leads to their next move.

“You know, I knew a life would be lost sooner or later,” said camp resident Dearlean Bailey. “I told people that was coming.”

Bailey lives about 100 yards from the scene of Tuesday’s fire. It did not come as a surprise to her, nor is she surprised to hear that Caltrans is now talking about taking action.

“There are several different entities down there,” said Caltrans Deputy District Director for External Affairs Cheryl Chambers. “East Bay MUD, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, City of Oakland, ourselves. So we all
need to get together and talk about what needs to happen in a short timeframe.”

Caltrans told KPIX all of those parties will meet before the week is over to begin discussing some kind of resolution for the encampment. The agency said it will involve moving everyone out.

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“The goal is to clear the area out of a lot of abandoned cars and debris, and to relocate the people to safer conditions, yes,” Chambers explained.

By the agency’s estimate, that could mean relocating more than 100 people.

“It will be a mixed bag,” said Richard, an off-and-on resident of the camp. “Some people are ready for it. Some people are going to say ‘No!’ forever.”

“A lot of people would rather be out here, being free, and I have to pay bills,” Bailey said. “I’d rather pay bills and we broke in a spot myself. yes I would take it.”

“There have been people in that area for years,” Chambers said. “They have a sense of place, and we have been mindful of that. But at the same time, we just need to look at the reality. What happened yesterday needs to be prevented.”

“I feel that we have been very patient here,” said nearby business owner Terry Caughell. “Beyond patient. And I think it’s really time to do something. This fire yesterday was significant.”

Area business owners like Caughell are ready for changes.

“It really is beyond description,” Caughell said. “You know, I’ve had people visit from out of state, vendors. Even after I tell them about what’s going on and give them, if you will, fair warning, when they get here, they still can’t believe what’s going on here. And it’s been going for about 4 to 5 years.”

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Caltrans says meetings will be held in the next few days. They’re hoping for some kind of formal strategy in the next couple of weeks.

The post Lethal RV Hearth Prompts Caltrans Plan to Clear West Oakland Encampment – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

OAKLAND (KPIX) — A deadly fire at a homeless encampment in West Oakland Tuesday was the last straw for Caltrans, with agency officials saying the camp under Interstate 880 needs to go.

One person was killed and three RVs and two cars were destroyed Tuesday afternoon in the fatal fire that sent a massive plume of black smoke overhead. Five people who lived in the camp were displaced.

A man died in his RV as a fire ripped through his vehicle that was parked at the Wood St. encampment in #Oakland this afternoon. According to OFD, the fire spread from one RV to the one where the deceased person was discovered. In total, five vehicles were destroyed. @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/fQ3QTjqs6I

— BrianKPIX (@brianyuenKPIX) April 5, 2022

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KPIX 5 has learned that Caltrans has decided that the massive encampment beneath Interstate 880 must be cleared, and soon.

The agency said the deadly RV fire Tuesday was one of more than 100 fires in recent years. Planning is now underway for a large-scale intervention.

The Wood Street encampment starts just north of the old 16th Street Train Station and stretches almost to the 580 interchange. That’s about three quarters of a mile.

For the hundreds of people living in the camp, the fatal fire might be what leads to their next move.

“You know, I knew a life would be lost sooner or later,” said camp resident Dearlean Bailey. “I told people that was coming.”

Bailey lives about 100 yards from the scene of Tuesday’s fire. It did not come as a surprise to her, nor is she surprised to hear that Caltrans is now talking about taking action.

“There are several different entities down there,” said Caltrans Deputy District Director for External Affairs Cheryl Chambers. “East Bay MUD, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, City of Oakland, ourselves. So we all
need to get together and talk about what needs to happen in a short timeframe.”

Caltrans told KPIX all of those parties will meet before the week is over to begin discussing some kind of resolution for the encampment. The agency said it will involve moving everyone out.

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“The goal is to clear the area out of a lot of abandoned cars and debris, and to relocate the people to safer conditions, yes,” Chambers explained.

By the agency’s estimate, that could mean relocating more than 100 people.

“It will be a mixed bag,” said Richard, an off-and-on resident of the camp. “Some people are ready for it. Some people are going to say ‘No!’ forever.”

“A lot of people would rather be out here, being free, and I have to pay bills,” Bailey said. “I’d rather pay bills and we broke in a spot myself. yes I would take it.”

“There have been people in that area for years,” Chambers said. “They have a sense of place, and we have been mindful of that. But at the same time, we just need to look at the reality. What happened yesterday needs to be prevented.”

“I feel that we have been very patient here,” said nearby business owner Terry Caughell. “Beyond patient. And I think it’s really time to do something. This fire yesterday was significant.”

Area business owners like Caughell are ready for changes.

“It really is beyond description,” Caughell said. “You know, I’ve had people visit from out of state, vendors. Even after I tell them about what’s going on and give them, if you will, fair warning, when they get here, they still can’t believe what’s going on here. And it’s been going for about 4 to 5 years.”

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Caltrans says meetings will be held in the next few days. They’re hoping for some kind of formal strategy in the next couple of weeks.

The post Lethal RV Hearth Prompts Caltrans Plan to Clear West Oakland Encampment – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN RAFAEL (KPIX) – Authorities began clearing a North Bay homeless camp located under a San Rafael freeway overpass late Monday morning.

Both Caltrans and city officials said they had no choice but to force those living there without shelter to flee.

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The entire eviction process will take hours. Crews arrived late morning to begin cleaning up the tents and huts under the US Highway 101 flyover at the intersection of Fourth and Heatherton near downtown San Rafael.

People who lived in tents and cars had assembled an entire neighborhood made up mostly of looted objects. They called the dismantling of the camp a major systematic failure.

“This place was a good place of healing and peace for the people,” said camp resident Christian Gift.

After the Caltrans crews started hauling items and clearing the warehouse, the people who lived here said the workers could destroy their homes, but it wouldn’t destroy their mood.

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In all of California, housing is only available for about 30% of the homeless.

“It is devastating when your community is torn apart; what you built, what you could bring together and merge, and then the state comes and tears it to pieces, ”said Robbie Powelson of the Marin County Homeless Union.

San Rafael officials say local and state leaders have worked hard for the past five years to end chronic homelessness by providing services and support. This particular camp on state property under Highway 101 has grown significantly since the pandemic began. The city says it just got too big.

“The reason there are so many people under the viaduct is because when people go to San Rafael and try to pitch a tent, the SRPD snatched their tents from people,” explained Powelson.

Caltrans says police and fire calls in the area of ​​the camp have doubled, including calls for violent crime and theft.

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Caltrans told KPIX that it had worked with the city and county to help unoccupied residents move into permanent housing or housing.

The post Caltrans Crews Clear Out Homeless Encampment Below San Rafael Hwy 101 Overpass – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.