The Boys and Girls of Scouts of America Troop 153 are doing Christmas tree pick up as part of our summer camp fundraiser.
Do you need your Christmas tree picked up? Have the Scouts do it.
We are asking for a donation of $30 for unflocked trees and $40 for flocked trees. These are suggested donations, please feel free to adjust if needed. This is a fundraiser for the scouts.
Pick up dates:
Dec 27 & 28, 2025.
January 3 & 4, 2026
January 10, 2026.
January 11, 2026. Last day.
To schedule your pick-up and for more information please use this link:
https://pickup.antiochtroop153.org/
Please use the link, it improves our services and help our parents and Scouts doing the tree pick up. Even if you email us, please fill out the link.
Please have your tree on the curb by 9 A.M. Our parents and Scouts will be picking up trees all day and might not pick up your tree until
later in the day. If you have issues, please email us, we will follow
up shortly. Use the email below.
We are all volunteers and have limited resources. No direct messages,
no text messages, we have multiple parents monitoring this email
account.
Please only email once, we may not respond to your email until later in the day.
Payment, please use Zelle and look for: Boys Scouts of America Troop 153. Use FULL name (no abbreviations). Zelle makes it easier. Email
If you’re unable to use Zelle, checks are appreciated made out to: BSA Troop 153. Checks can be left under your doormat on the day of pick up or mailed to: Troop 153, 3377 Deer Valley Rd, #329, Antioch CA 94531.
Stolen merchandise recovered during the CHP’s “Operation Silent Night” targeting an organized retail theft ring. Photos: California Highway Patrol
Executed in Richmond, 3 other cities, recovers 44,140 stolen items worth more than $800K
12 from Oakland and 53-year-old El Sobrante woman who was previously arrested in 2023 for grand theft and organized retail theft
By Officer Ruben Jones, PIO, CHP Valley Division
SACRAMENTO — Thirteen suspects were arrested, and more than $800,000 in stolen merchandise was recovered following a coordinated, multi-agency operation targeting an organized retail theft network operating across Northern California.
In September, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Valley Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) was alerted to a pair of retail theft suspects who stole merchandise in Placer County and at multiple other locations throughout the state. The Valley Division ORCTF includes investigators from the CHP, Sacramento Police Department and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
On October 1, the Rocklin Police Department conducted a traffic stop involving the suspects and requested assistance from the Valley Division ORCTF. During the investigation, the suspects provided information identifying individuals who were purchasing stolen merchandise from them and reselling it for profit. Investigators also learned the stolen goods were being distributed and sold at flea markets in Oakland, San Jose, Galt, Modesto and Stockton.
Based on this information, ORCTF investigators conducted surveillance operations that corroborated the suspects’ statements and established links among the theft suspects, those purchasing and reselling the stolen merchandise, and the flea-market distribution locations. Investigators subsequently obtained multiple search warrants covering six residences, three storage lockers, and one storage lot.
On December 11, a coordinated multi-agency enforcement effort, Operation Silent Night, was executed in Oakland, Richmond, San Leandro and Galt. The operation resulted in the arrest of 13 suspects. Investigators seized two firearms, more than $10,000 in cash, five vans, two passenger vehicles and two trailers. More than 400 boxes and 200 bags of stolen merchandise were recovered, including cosmetics, household goods, clothing, power tools, toys, alcohol, and diapers. All suspects were transported to the Placer County Jail for booking.
Stolen merchandise recovered. Photo: CHP
On December 12, Cal Expo provided an exposition hall to assist with the processing and cataloging of the recovered merchandise. In partnership with affected retailers, investigators documented a total of 44,140 stolen items valued in excess of $800,000.
The following are those who were taken into custody:
Bach Ngoc Thi Bui, 53, El Sobrante
Isaid Garcia Chapas, 41, Oakland
Irene Cruz Barragan, 35, Oakland
Daniela Cruz Barragan, 33, Oakland
Robert Lorenzo Luna-Varela, 34, Oakland
Jefferson Isaed Garcia-Rivera, 22, Oakland
Jennifer Garcia Cruz, 19, Oakland
Elan Rosales Montes, 35, Oakland
Claudia Ivet Cruz Barragan, 42, Oakland
Yolanda Carrillo Martinez, 45, Oakland
Ivan Miranda Espinoza, 33, Oakland
Yuridia Sandoval Ramirez, 35, Oakland
Eryn Wilfred Corea Guevara, 29, Oakland
“Organized retail theft is not a victimless crime. It impacts businesses, workers, and communities across California. This investigation highlights the strength of collaboration between law enforcement and our retail partners, and our commitment to holding organized theft networks accountable.”- CHP Valley Division Chief Tyler Eccles
The Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, the filing of criminal charges of organized retail theft, conspiracy to commit felony crimes, receiving stolen property, among numerous allegations against the 13 defendants.
The charges stem from numerous thefts that had occurred within Placer County that culminated in a multiple agency operation last week in Oakland that recovered over $700,000 worth of stolen merchandise and extensive counterfeit merchandise. This collaborative investigation and prosecution is made possible by Placer County’s retail theft initiative.
The defendants appeared in court that afternoon and defense attorneys were appointed to represent them. The next court date was scheduled for December 22 in Department 20 at 8:30 am.
Since the ORCTF’s inception in 2019, the CHP has been involved in over 4,200 investigations, leading to the arrest of more than 4,700 suspects and the recovery of nearly 1.5 million stolen goods valued at over $68.7 million statewide as of November 30.
According to localcrimenews.com, Bui is a female and was also arrested by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department in August 2023 when she was a Pittsburg resident for conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft, receiving or concealing stolen property and organized retail theft.
The CHP extends its appreciation to all participating law enforcement agencies, task force members, Cal Expo, and retail partners whose collaboration led to the success of this investigation. The case remains ongoing.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service,and Security.
Tolls will increase and carpool policies will change on the John A. Nejedly Bridge in Antioch and the other six state-owned Bay Area bridges beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Photos: BATA
$8.50 for all regular two-axle cars & trucks
First in series of 5 increases each year through 2030 – not voter approved
Plus, new policies for carpool lanes on bridge approaches
By John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications & Rebecca Long, Director, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission
With the new year starting next Thursday, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) reminds drivers that tolls at the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges will go up by 50 cents on Jan. 1, 2026. This will be the first in a series of five toll increases to be phased in each January through 2030, with the additional funds to be used only to pay for the maintenance, rehabilitation and operation of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges, and to service debt on BATA bond issues.
Approved by the BATA board in late 2024, not the voters, the new toll schedule includes a tiered rate structure aimed at encouraging more customers to pay electronically with FasTrak® toll tags. Because payment with FasTrak carries lower administrative costs than payment through a license plate account or by returning payment with an invoice received in the mail, customers will pay a premium for using a pre-registered license plate account or for invoiced tolling. To give customers ample time to sign up for FasTrak, BATA last year voted to delay the start of the tiered pricing structure until 2027.
Tolls for all regular two-axle cars and trucks will increase to $8.50 from the current $8 on Jan. 1, 2026. Tolls for customers who pay with FasTrak tags will then rise to $9 in 2027; to $9.50 in 2028; to $10 in 2029; and then to $10.50 in 2030. Tolls for customers who use a pre-registered license plate account will climb to $9.25 in 2027; to $9.75 in 2028; to $10.25 in 2029 and to $10.75 in 2030. Invoiced tolls will go to $10 in 2027; $10.50 in 2028; $11 in 2029; and $11.50 in 2030.
Tolls for large freight trucks and other vehicle/trailer combinations with three or more axles will rise by 50 cents per axle each year from 2026 through 2030.
History of Bay Area Bridge Tolls
Tolls include the $5 of voter approved toll increases on the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges. They include:
The $1 uniform base toll on the bridges from Regional Measure 1 approved by voters in 1988, except for tolls at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, which were already set at $1, and unchanged by passage of RM1.
Voters also approved Regional Measure 2 in 2004 which raised the toll price on the bridges by another $1.
The $3 from Regional Measure 3 approved by voters in June 2018 which raised tolls in three $1 increments that went into effect on January 1, 2019, January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2025.
Updated HOV Policies
BATA last year also set a Jan. 1, 2026, start date for updated policies about the use of high-occupancy vehicles on approaches to the Bay Area’s state-owned toll bridges. These include a uniform three-person occupancy requirement for half-price tolls during weekday commute periods at all seven bridges. Carpool vehicles approaching the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge must use a dedicated carpool lane, but can use either a standard FasTrak tag or a FasTrak Flex tag set to the ‘3+” position to receive the 50 percent discount available weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Carpoolers at the six other state-owned bridges must use a dedicated carpool lane and pay their tolls with a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the ‘3+’ position to receive the peak-period discount.
The new policies also will allow vehicles with two occupants and a switchable FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the ‘2’ position to use the carpool lanes on the approaches to the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges. These two-occupant vehicles will not receive the 50 percent carpool discount but will be able to use the carpool lanes to save time traveling through the toll plazas. Use of the carpool lanes on approaches to the Bay Bridge still will require at least three occupants.
The new carpool policies are designed to improve safety on the toll bridge approaches by minimizing ‘weaving’ between lanes and to increase person-throughput by prioritizing access for buses and carpools. The policy change will optimize lane configurations as now-obsolete toll booths are removed as part of the coming transition to open-road tolling. The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge will be the first of the state-owned bridges to convert to open-road tolling. Crews are expected to begin work later this month on the construction and demolition projects at the Richmond end of the bridge needed to institute open-road tolling. Completion is scheduled sometime in the new year.
BATA, which is directed by the same policy board as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), administers toll revenues from the Bay Area’s seven state-owned toll bridges. Toll revenues from the Golden Gate Bridge are administered by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, which joined with BATA to operate a single regional FasTrak customer service center in San Francisco. MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.
The 21 BATA board members are not directly elected by the voters but are appointed to represent the nine Bay Area counties and cities in each county, the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, plus, various agencies. Contra Costa County’s representatives are Chair Sue Noack, Mayor of Pleasant Hill, representing Cities of Contra Costa County, who was appointed in February 2023 (contact: 415-602-9929 or snoack@pleasanthillca.org) and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen representing the County, who was appointed January 2025 (contact 925-655-2300 or candace.andersen@bos.cccounty.us).
Glada Pauline Catanzaro, 97, of Antioch, CA, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2025. Born on June 27, 1928, in Gideon, OK, she was the devoted wife of the late former Antioch City Councilman Victor Catanzaro for 45 years, a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
She dedicated her life to creating a nurturing home for her family and loved nothing more than spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, whom she helped raise. She was a woman of faith and a long time parishioner of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church. She was active in her community, a member of the Fraternal order of the Eagles, and the Young Ladies Institute of the Catholic Church. She was known for her cooking, her contagious laugh, her warm heart, and welcoming home. She especially loved camping in her motor home, going on Caribbean cruises with her husband and many friends, and gambling in the casinos.
She is survived by her son Leonard Catanzaro and longtime partner Linda Jaramillo, daughter Victoria Catanzaro, grand-daughter Paula Martinez-Crawford and husband Brian Crawford, and great-grandchildren Danielle and Brandon Crawford. A Viewing and Rosary will be held on January 15, 2026, from 5:00-8:00 pm, and the funeral will be held on January 16, 2026, starting at 11:00 am, both at Higgins Chapel in Antioch, CA.
A celebration of life will follow from 3:00-5:00 pm at Skipolini’s in Oakley.
One of 8 Kaiser Nor Cal hospitals to meet rigorous standards and demonstrate their commitment to high-quality maternity care
By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
ANTIOCH, CA – Eight Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are designated as “2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” by U.S. News & World Report for providing high-quality maternity care to patients.
The eight Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals to receive the prestigious honor are: Antioch, Manteca, Modesto, Redwood City, Roseville, San Jose, Santa Clara and Vacaville.
This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
U.S. News recognizes hospitals that meet rigorous standards in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies. These ratings are intended to help expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, make informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family needs.
Last year, nearly 40,000 babies were delivered within Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals.
“Kaiser Permanente Northern California is continually recognized for providing high-quality, exceptional maternity care to families as they embark on this exciting time in their lives,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, interim president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our labor and delivery teams focus every day on caring for our patients in a warm and nurturing environment, providing them with a positive birth experience.”
Kaiser Permanente Northern California has a long-standing commitment to excellence in maternal health and creating a positive maternity care experience for our patients and members. Our comprehensive maternity care focuses on safe, high-quality care from prenatal to postpartum, including midwife services, prenatal classes, and support for breastfeeding and mental health.
“This recognition highlights the unwavering dedication of our physicians, midwives, nurses, and staff, who consistently provide high-quality care for parents and their newborns,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, chief executive officer and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We take great pride in delivering safe, compassionate, and exceptional maternity care, supporting parents through every stage—before, during, and after birth.”
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis.
This year, the national designation was awarded to only 495 hospitals in the United States, or about 55 percent of the 899 hospitals that participated.
Methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices, and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
About Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center Birthing Center
As you prepare to welcome your new baby, the care team at Kaiser Permanente Antioch looks forward to taking this journey with you. Count on us to support you through your pregnancy, empower you to have the birth experience you want to have, and give your baby a happy, healthy start in life.
Kaiser Permanente Antioch features CenteringPregnancy. This is a nationally-recognized style of prenatal care in a group setting. Its aim is to build a community that empowers women to be actively involved in their own care and equips them to make healthy choices throughout their pregnancy and beyond.
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report (USNWR, U.S. NEWS) is an American media company publishing news, consumer advice, rankings, and analysis. The company was launched in 1948 as the merger of domestic-focused weekly newspaper U.S. News and international-focused weekly magazine World Report. In 1995, the company launched its website, usnews.com, and, in 2010, ceased printing its weekly news magazine, publishing only its ranking editions in print. U.S. News licenses its name to the subjects it ranks, so they may then use the annual rankings in promotional literature. www.usnews.com
By Jaime Coffee Director of Communications Office of Media Relations, California Highway Patrol
SACRAMENTO — The California Highway Patrol (CHP) encourages the public to “brake” the habit of speeding this holiday season. The CHP will launch a Holiday Enforcement Period (HEP) starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 25.
During last year’s 30-hour holiday enforcement effort for Christmas, CHP officers arrested over 300 impaired drivers in just 30 hours, issued 2,251 speeding tickets – including 132 to motorists going over 100 mph. Tragically, during that same time period, at least 17 people lost their lives in crashes across the state.
Tragically, during that same time period, at least 17 people lost their lives in crashes across the state.
Every celebration starts with a smart choice. Always designate a sober driver before the festivities begin. If you plan to drink, plan your ride—use a rideshare, public transportation or call a trusted friend. Make this holiday season unforgettable for all the right reasons.
“Every instance of speeding or reckless driving carries the potential for life-changing consequences. Our officers see the destruction these choices can cause, and we urge every driver to slow down, stay alert, and make decisions that protect themselves and others. No destination is worth risking a life.” – CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee
Removing dangerous drivers from California’s roads remains a top priority for the CHP. To support this goal, the CHP and the Department of Motor Vehicles recently launched Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets, or FAST, a pilot program that speeds up the process of removing drivers who exceed 100 mph from the roads. FAST automatically sends these citations to the DMV’s Driver Safety Branch, which can suspend or revoke a license. The CHP has also deployed 100 low-profile, specially marked patrol vehicles that have issued nearly 33,000 speed-related citations since May.
These steps, along with the upcoming Christmas HEP, send a clear message to drivers: slow down or face being stopped. Every decision behind the wheel matters, and obeying the speed limit can make the difference between arriving safely or not at all.
Additionally, winter weather can present significant challenges for motorists, particularly as storms impact roadways across the state. Rain, snow, and debris can quickly change driving conditions, reducing visibility and traction and increasing the risk of collisions.
To help everyone get home safely for the holidays, the CHP urges drivers to slow down, allow extra following distance, and remain alert for hazards such as standing water, rockslides, mud, or icy pavement.
Before traveling, check the weather and road conditions, ensure vehicles are properly equipped, and adjust driving behavior accordingly. Patience and preparedness are critical, as arriving safely is always more important than arriving on time.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service,and Security.
Antioch Police and Con Fire personnel responded to the scene of the fatal collision causing a back-up in the eastbound lanes of Highway 4 between Pittsburg and Antioch Monday morning, Dec. 22, 2025. Video screenshot courtesy of Spotlight CoCoCounty.
Following collision involving DA Senior Inspector killing Antioch assault suspect running on Hwy 4; CHP leads investigation
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Martinez, California – A fatal traffic collision with a pedestrian is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol pursuant to the County Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol.
On Monday, December 22, 2025, at approximately 10:35 a.m., in the area of Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, a suspect engaged in a disturbance at Delta Bowl. According to Antioch Police, the initial incident occurred at the Comfort Inn, located at 2436 Mahogany Way, where the 27-year-old male suspect had pulled a fire alarm and then struck a 47-year-old male security guard. As police responded, the suspect climbed over a fence and entered eastbound Highway 4 on foot.
The individual was struck in the roadway by an oncoming county vehicle driven by a District Attorney Senior Inspector whose duties were unrelated to the disturbance. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The California Highway Patrol is the venue agency conducting the traffic collision investigation. The California Department of Justice has been notified. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has yielded legal analysis to avoid a potential conflict of interest. The investigation is ongoing.
Antioch Police and Con Fire personnel responded to the scene of the fatal collision causing a back-up in the eastbound lanes of Highway 4 between Pittsburg and Antioch Monday morning, Dec. 22, 2025. Video screenshot (top) and aerial drone photo (bottom) courtesy of Spotlight CoCoCounty.
Struck by on-duty County DA Senior Inspector
Multi-agency investigation ensues
By Lt. William Whitaker #6155, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau
On Monday, December 22, at 10:33 a.m., the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received a call from security personnel at the Comfort Inn, located at 2436 Mahogany Way, reporting that a suspect had pulled a fire alarm and then struck a security guard.
Responding officers arrived on scene and located the 47-year-old male security guard who was pursuing the suspect in the area behind Kaiser, near Delta Fair Boulevard.
An Antioch Police Department officer was in the area with emergency lights activated while responding to the call. The 27-year-old male suspect, who possibly saw the lights, then jumped over a fence and ran onto the freeway, where he was struck by an on-duty Contra Costa County District Attorney Senior Inspector who, by chance, was driving in the area and was not involved in the initial incident.
At no time were responding Antioch Police Department officers involved in a foot pursuit of the suspect.
The investigator and Antioch Police Department officers immediately rendered medical aid; however, the suspect died at the scene.
A witness, who chose not to be identified and was stuck in the eastbound traffic back-up on Highway 4 between Loveridge Road in Pittsburg and Somersville Road in Antioch, said he saw police pumping the suspect’s chest. According to Spotlight CoCoCounty, the suspect “was struck in the number one lane near the Center divide.”
The back-up lasted for about two-and-a-half hours until Antioch Police issued an update at 1:07 p.m. that “the roadway is now open.”
The suspect’s name is not being released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
As is standard protocol, the Antioch Police Department, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the California Highway Patrol will conduct a joint investigation into the incident. Any additional information will be provided by the Investigations Bureau.
Additional inquiries, tips, or information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Robert Ibanez at (925) 481-8398 or by email at ribanez@antiochca.gov.
