Concord City Attorney Mark Coon has passed away,

Image Notes: Pete Bennett began tracking incidents in Walnut Creek and surrounding cities many years ago.  In part due to the millions lost in Contra Costa Superior Court where Bennett losses can be directly tied to the murders of witnesses, defendants and in some cases Police Officers.

This location of Walnut Creek contains other stories untold, hidden or concealed by Walnut Creek Police, City Council and Employees of the Walnut Creek. 

Few know that the Walnut Creek Police Department is quietly removing officers via a unknown California Department of Justice investigation.  One officer was Greg Thompson who I encountered many times over many decades decided to take out a black woman in Richmond CA.

I am sure his time in jail was served with Coffee and Donuts.   



Concord City Attorney Mark Coon has passed away, according to an email sent to all city staff by Concord City Manager Valerie Barone.

Details of his death are not known at this time, but we’re hearing he died earlier this morning in Walnut Creek.

The City of Concord has closed all city offices, and tonight’s council meeting has been canceled.
Grief counselors have also been brought in for any city employee wishing to talk, according to the email.
UPDATE, 3:53pm: The City of Concord has released the following statement:

“The City of Concord is mourni
ng the loss of City Attorney Mark Coon. Coon served as Concord’s City Attorney since 2012.
“I have known Mark for many years and respected him both as a City employee and as a friend,” said City Manager Valerie Barone. “The City has suffered a great loss that will be felt for many years. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

Grief counselors have been made available to City employees. Tonight’s City Council meeting and Closed Session have been cancelled.

Coon was first hired by the City in January 2002 as a Deputy City Attorney. He was promoted to Assistant City Attorney in September 2004 and promoted to Senior Assistant City Attorney in January 2010. He was named City Attorney by the Concord City Council in 2012.”

UPDATE, 5:14pm: His death has been ruled a suicide.

Read More

U.S. officials are asking how a Hellfire missile

U.S. officials are asking how a Hellfire missile used in a training mission in Europe has ended up in Cuba.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that U.S. officials have asked the Cuban government to return the Hellfire missile. The report says it marks one of the most mysterious disappearances of sensitive U.S. military technology.

U.S. officials say the dummy missile was mistakenly shipped from Europe to Cuba in 2014. They say developer Lockheed Martin sent the missile to Spain. The NATO military used it in a training exercise. The missile was then to be returned to Florida. But, it disappeared after it was sent on a long journey through Europe.

By the time officials noticed the missile was missing, it was already traveling from Paris to Havana on an Air France flight.

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. officials are investigating whether the disappearance resulted from mistakes or whether spies or criminals were involved.

One U.S. official told the Associated Press that Lockheed Martin made a shipping error. The official said the United States is working with the company to return the missile.

The Hellfire missile did not contain explosives. But it did have sensors and targeting technology. U.S. officials say they fear the technology could be reconstructed. Officials are also concerned that Cuba would share the technology with other governments, such as North Korea.

The United States and Cuba ended diplomatic relations in 1961, but reopened relations on July 15, 2015. However, distrust remains between the two governments.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Read More