Two separate vehicle collisions occurred within a block of each other as a result of drivers running red lights in the vicinity of Galindo Street in downtown Concord on Monday, a police lieutenant said.

At 3:52 p.m. a collision was reported at the intersection of Galindo Street and Concord Boulevard, Concord police Lt. Darrell Graham said.

The driver of a Nissan Frontier pickup truck ran a red light and crashed into a vehicle traveling through the intersection, Graham said.

The lieutenant said that the at-fault driver was transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and was cooperative with the investigation.

Less than an hour later, at 4:37 p.m., about one block away, a ”completely unrelated” collision occurred, Graham said.

The driver of a white Chevrolet sedan ran a red light at Galindo Street and Willow Pass and struck a vehicle traveling through the intersection, according to the lieutenant.

Graham said that the at-fault driver in this crash also sustained minor injuries and was cooperative with the police investigation.

The collisions remain under investigation and both at-fault drivers may be cited for running red lights, Graham said.

SEE PHOTOS OF THE CRASHES:

• Another Vehicle Collision in Downtown Concord
• Collision at Galindo & Concord Blvd. in Concord Blocking Lanes – Expect Delays

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California residents have until 11:59 p.m. today to complete their applications for health insurance through Covered California.

The original deadline for health coverage applications was March 31, but Covered California extended a grace period through today after its website was inundated with traffic on the last day of March.

“We recognize that people may not have been able to get through, either by phone or on their computer, to enroll by the March 31 deadline, so we are allowing them to get the help of an assister to cross the finish line,” Covered California executive director Peter Lee said in a statement.

Consumers who created online accounts and completed the first page of the application by 11:59 p.m. on March 31 can simply log into their Covered California account and complete their application before midnight tonight in order to be eligible for coverage starting May 1.

Consumers who were unable to start an application due to technical difficulties can still contact authorized certified enrollment counselors, certified insurance agents and county human service agencies and explain why they missed the deadline.

The certified assisters can help them complete an application and select a plan by tonight.

Consumers can find a certified assister at www.CoveredCa.com.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace under the federal Affordable Care Act. Covered California allows consumers to shop for plans from a number of providers and access subsidies they may be eligible for.

Today’s deadline does not affect low- and no-cost Medi-Cal insurance enrollment, which continues year-round through the Covered California website.

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Check out these fantastic photos from this morning’s total lunar eclipse. The top photo is a composite of before, during and after the eclipse.

Thanks to Charles Lindsey with www.CSKphotography.net for sharing them!

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The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it!

The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon!

Today’s question:

Do you have any fast-food horror stories? If so, feel free to share them with us.

Talk about it….

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Several units from ConFire & Concord Police responded to a reported kitchen fire just before 10:30am on Tuesday where two elderly residents were trapped inside the home on N. Larwin Dr. in Concord, just off Cowell Rd.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and at least one of the two residents suffered burns during the blaze.

The extend of his/her injuries is unknown at this time.

ConFire will remain on scene to remove smoke from the home.

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The Vice Unit of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff has been conducting ongoing operations at establishments that sell alcohol in the unincorporated part of the county.

Detectives conducted two types of operations: A Minor Decoy Program where an underage decoy enters a bar, restaurant or store and attempts to buy alcohol, and a Shoulder Tap Operation where a minor decoy stands outside of a liquor store or market and asks adults to purchase alcohol for them.

During the operation, the minor is under the direct supervision of law enforcement officers.

Since March, Detectives have conducted five operations visiting over 100 establishments throughout the county. 12 people were arrested and cited for furnishing alcohol to a minor. One person was arrested for having an outstanding arrest warrant. In addition, decoys were sent in to 33 establishments to try to buy alcohol. None of those businesses sold alcohol to the decoy.

Any person seen furnishing alcohol to the minor decoy is arrested (cited or booked) for furnishing alcohol to a minor. This is a violation of Section 25658(a) of the Business and Professions Code. Penalties can include fines of up to $1,000, community service and possible revocation of the alcohol license. Those who sell alcohol to a minor face a minimum fine of $250 or community service and possible loss of their license.

This project is part of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

photo credit: Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

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These photos are courtesy of our friend “Rebel”, who was able to capture these great pictures of the total lunar eclipse.

You can click on each one for a much larger view.

Thanks, Rebel!

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Thanks to Logan Robertson for this awesome picture of the total lunar eclipse.

Great picture! Thanks again, Logan!

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Big thanks to CBS5 for covering our effort to bring fireworks back to Concord on the 4th of July!

Click on the video above to watch the report from Reporter/Anchor Ann Notarangelo

If you have trouble viewing the video, you can click ON THIS LINK.

RELATED STORY: UPDATE: Grassroots Effort Underway to Save Concord’s 4th of July Fireworks

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San Francisco’s Montgomery BART station has reopened and trains are recovering from a delay this evening after a person was extracted from beneath a train at Montgomery station, a BART spokeswoman said.

Emergency crews received a report at 4:49 p.m. that a person was under the train at Montgomery station, BART spokeswoman Luna Salavar said.

Eastbound trains did not go through Montgomery station, while westbound trains continued running without stopping at the Montgomery station, Salavar said.

Emergency crews uncoupled the trains and were able to remove the person from the tracks. The person is alive and has been transported to the hospital, Salavar said.

Montgomery station reopened at about 5:45 p.m. and a slight delay is expected in both directions, according to Salavar.

BART is investigating how the person came to be on the tracks and have not yet released the age or gender of the person.

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