Join St. Ignatius Church of Antioh for a memorable organ concert featuring an evening of colorful, uplifting music with German organist, composer, and YouTuber, Paul Fey on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Fey stands out for combining traditional church music with modern media, making organ music more approachable — especially to younger audiences. His performances reflect both reverence for sacred music and a fresh, engaging style that marks him as one of Germany’s most innovative young church musicians.
On his website, Fey shares, “I was born in 1998 near Leipzig and always loved playing music, especially because of the way it can connect people, and the feelings it can communicate.
“My music education started when I was in kinder garden and my parents signed me up for ‘early music education’. I really enjoyed making music, so we decided the next step would be to start me with classical guitar lessons during my first grade at primary school.
“About one year later, I’d also discovered the magic of piano music. When I was about 15 years old, I was eventually introduced to the pipe organ at our local church – which caught my attention almost immediately! I went on to practice and experiment on this instrument for several hours at a time, never once getting tired of all the possible combinations of the different timbres.
“After studying organ and sacred music full time at the specialist university in Halle (Saale) I’m now a full-time musician, composer and Youtuber.”
Con Fire personnel attend to a Park Middle School student who was struck by a car while walking home in the cross walk of the Lone Tree Way and Putnam Drive intersection, Thursday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2026. Photo courtesy of Ronn Carter, Emergency Spotlight
One near Antioch High, the second near Park Middle
By Allen D. Payton
Traffic accidents injured two minors near two different schools in Antioch Thursday, February 12, 2026. According to Con Fire, a call came in at 7:26 AM about a minor who was struck in front of Antioch High School at 700 W. 18th Street. The second occurred at 2:43 PM in the Lone Tree Way and Putnam Street intersection not far from Park Middle School.
The call for the accident near Antioch High was cleared at 8:56 AM. According to Con Fire PIO Lauren Ono, “we were called for a vehicle accident and transported one person” to a local hospital. Antioch Police Sgt. Rob Green of the Antioch Police Traffic Division, who was not on the scene but in training, today, said the victim “complained of pain and was transported out of precaution.” But he had “no names of involved drivers or pedestrians.”
According to a report by Ronn Carter of the Emergency Spotlight OnScene Team, “No additional details about the circumstances of the collision were immediately released. The driver involved remained at the scene.”
Asked about the incident and if the victim was a boy or girl, for their age and if they’re a student at Antioch High or elsewhere, Police Lt. Mike Mellone responded, “All I know is it was a minor and a vehicle hit the minor, but the injuries aren’t critical.” He said he would ask the officer for additional details.
Source: PulsePoint
SecondCollision
Then Thursday afternoon at 2:47 PM, Carter shared with the Herald, “Another student was just hit at Park Middle School.”
According to Con Fire, the call for that incident came in at 2:43 PM.
About the collision, Carter reported on the Spotlight Facebook page, “a Park Middle School student was struck while crossing Lone Tree Way on her way home from school. The driver involved remained at the scene.”
“The student was transported to a hospital with injuries. The extent of those injuries has not been disclosed,” he added.
The call was cleared at 4:03 PM.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
By Denise P. Kalm, Contra Costa Taxpayers Association
Little more than five years after raising our sales taxes, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors is going back to the well. On Tuesday, they voted unanimously to move forward with another sales tax increase, further increasing the costs of everyday essentials and making the County even more unaffordable for seniors and working families alike. (See related article)
Although Supervisors express pride over how 2020 Measure X sales tax revenue was spent, many of us question whether the money is going to core government functions. A recent oversight report listed these Measure X funded projects: Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Democracy Initiative, African American Holistic Wellness Center & Resource Hub and a Guaranteed Income Pilot. While many readers may agree with these projects, many taxpayers do not, and so they should be privately funded.
As the accompanying graph shows, County revenues have risen sharply in recent years with the passage of the Measure X and increased federal grants to County programs. When I quoted statistics from this graph, Supervisors questioned my accuracy, so let me assure them that the numbers come from the County’s own audited financial reports and budget.
Source: CoCoTax
A large share of the increase relates to Medi-Cal, a federal/state program that funds healthcare for low-income residents. Contra Costa County has aggressively involved itself in Medi-Cal, creating a pioneering Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan to provide care to Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
Between 2020 and 2025, the cost of Contra Costa County’s Medi-Cal Plan surged 157% from less than $900 million to almost $2.3 billion. A major contributor to this growth was the decision to extend Medi-Cal benefits to adult undocumented immigrants. According to state data, over 30,000 undocumented Contra Costa adults were receiving free healthcare through Medi-Cal last year.
Until recently, this was not a financial problem for the county because it was able to shift the cost onto the state and federal governments. But now this is becoming more difficult with Congressional Republicans, the Trump Administration and even the state government restricting reimbursements for undocumented immigrant coverage.
To continue growing this program, the Supervisors are now looking to residents to cover the tab by adding 0.625% to our sales taxes Countywide.
I realize that neighbors have a variety of views about immigration. Personally, I think the US should allow more of the talented people we need as well as a program to allow temporary, migrant workers to come here, which might go to support their request to immigrate here legally.
While I am for legal immigration, I do not agree that local communities should be on the hook to provide free medical care to anyone who comes here and completes an application. That policy is unsustainable, and unfair to the rest of us who pay a lot of money for healthcare. There are hundreds of millions of people around the world who would love to come to northern California and not have to worry about our high cost of living, including our high healthcare costs.
While I think we should welcome new neighbors, we should expect them to either shoulder the costs of living here or find friends, relatives, and charitable organizations that will help them do so.
Finally, the pro-tax side may portray your yes vote as a way to resist Trump and DC Republicans. But I urge you to hold two opinions simultaneously that may seem contradictory yet aren’t: you can hate the Administration’s hostile treatment of immigrants while also believing that local government should be fiscally responsible. We have to manage our budgets carefully; those taking our tax money should be just as responsible.
If Supervisors are able to pass this sales tax in 2026 by a wide margin, there is every reason to think that they will come back for even more taxes in the years ahead with cities following them. We already know that a transit sales tax increase of 0.5% is likely to be on the November ballot, another case of failing to manage BART and AC Transit money prudently. So, I hope you’ll vote no in June, talk to your friends, and consider volunteering with our group to oppose this measure.
For more information about the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association visit www.cocotax.org.
Riders at the Antioch (left & center) and Concord BART Stations (right) make friends on transit Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Photos left & center by Tri Delta Transit and right by Transbay Coalition
Morning and evening riders participated in a game to make personal connections while riding transit
By Transbay Coalition
Yesterday, Wednesday, February 11th, was International Make A Friend Day, and transit advocates were helping people throughout the region to make a friend on transit. Morning and evening riders participated in a game across Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties to make personal connections while riding transit.
Early that morning hundreds of Bay Area residents participated in Make a Friend (On Transit) Day and wore name tags as they went about their regular BART, Caltrain, ferry and bus trips to celebrate the day and build camaraderie in the Bay.
“It’s good for us all to remember the old saying that strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet.” said Carter Lavin, Transbay Coalition Co-Founder. “Transit is a shared public resource, connects us all, and is an integral part of our community. Make A Friend (On Transit) Day may be simple and a bit silly, but we hope it can bring a little more joy and connection.”
Between 7:30 and 9am at 10 BART stations, five Caltrain stations and one ferry terminal across the region, transit advocates across the region passed out materials at all corners of the Bay from Antioch to San Jose, San Francisco to Dublin/Pleasanton, Redwood City to Oakland. Despite a drizzly morning, transit riders wearing name tags with, “Hi my name is _____, ask me about ______” got to know one another while chatting about a range of topics including Bad Bunny, 3D printing, R&B, dancing, hobbits, and much more. A nice reminder that making a new friend can be as simple as getting to know your fellow transit rider.
“Make a Friend Day reminds us that friendship is a powerful bond that connects us all. Let public transit be that bridge; a simple hello to a fellow passenger today has the potential to brighten someone’s world,” says Tri Delta Transit CEO Rashidi Barnes.
In the evening, Transbay Coalition hosted free events at five locations around the Bay for people to gather and have another opportunity for folks to make some new friends.
“Make A Friend on Transit Day is a great reminder that our buses and stations are shared community spaces,” said Bill Churchill, General Manager of County Connection. “A simple hello can go a long way.”
Tri Delta Transit, County Connection and LAVTA Wheels helped with nametag distribution at Antioch, Concord and Dublin/Pleasanton BART stations– which are also bus hubs served by the agencies. BART, Caltrain and SF Bay Ferry promoted the events on social media.
“SF Bay Ferry loves to welcome enthusiastic riders onboard our vessels. We hope that Make a Friend on Transit Day is an opportunity for passengers to connect about their favorite experiences on the ferry,” shared Teo Saragi, SF Bay Ferry spokesperson.
About Transbay Coalition
The Transbay Coalition is a grassroots public transportation advocacy group championing bold near-term solutions to the Bay Area’s regional transportation crisis. Founded to campaign for dedicated bus-only lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches, we’re striving to create an equitable and efficient public transit system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our Mission and Vision is to build an equitable, seamless, and successful transportation network in the Bay Area by building a broad-based, ongoing, grassroots movement to advocate for equitable, sustainable public transportation.
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 1:16 a.m., Antioch Police officers and members of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District were dispatched to the area of Lone Tree Way and Dallas Ranch Road for a reported traffic collision.
Upon arrival, officers located a solo-vehicle collision with two occupants trapped inside the vehicle. Emergency personnel took immediate lifesaving measures, and both occupants were transported to area hospitals with major injuries.
The driver is a 17-year-old female and the passenger is a 21-year-old female. Due to the severity of the collision and the ongoing investigation, no additional information is being released at this time.
The Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. The preliminary investigation indicates that alcohol appears to be a factor in this collision.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information related to this incident is asked to contact Officer Egan at (925) 778-2441 or via email at jegan@antiochca.gov.
The Antioch Police Department reminds everyone that impaired driving puts lives at risk.
If you plan to drink, please designate a sober driver, use a rideshare service, or arrange alternate transportation.
To pay for healthcare costs, offsetting cuts in federal budget
If passed, Antioch’s sales tax rate would increase 0.625% to over 10%
By Allen D. Payton
During their regular, weekly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors decided to tell the taxpayers that they love our money by giving an early Valentine’s Day gift of a 5/8-cent sales tax increase measure on the June ballot. As a general tax, a simple majority of voters will have to give it their support in order to pass. If they do, it will generate an estimated $150 million per year for five years for a total of $750 million, intended to pay for healthcare for county residents impacted by federal budget cuts.
To adopt the sales tax ordinance a 4/5 vote of the Board was required but it passed unanimously. According to the proposed “2026 Retail Transactions (Sales) and Use Tax Ordinance”, all of the proceeds from the tax will be placed in the County’s general fund and used for purposes consistent with general fund expenditures of the County.
Screenshot of Board of Supervisors 5-0 vote on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, to adopt resolution placing sales tax increase on the June 2026 ballot.
Timeline to the Supes Vote
In the staff presentation for the proposed ordinance, the supervisors were provided with the timeline of events that led up to their vote: On November 18, 2025, the County Administrator’s Office offered a presentation on the State Budget and impacts of H.R.1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump which cuts healthcare expenditures. Then, on December 16th, the Health, Employment and Human Services departments provided an in-depth presentation on federal and state financial impacts. That was followed on January 20th by Board direction for seeking legislation allowing for an additional 0.625% general sales tax and development of a related taxing ordinance for a period of five years. Finally, during last Tuesday, February 3rd’s Board Retreat, presentations from Beacon Economics, the County Finance Director, California Welfare Director’s Association (CWDA) and the California Association of Public Hospitals & Health Systems (CAPH) were made to the Board.
Projected Sales Tax Levels by City
If the measure passes, the amount of sales tax collected in each city in the county will increase by 0.625% or 62.5 cents for each $100 spent on taxable items. The presentation shows the sales tax increase would cause 15 of the 19 cities in the county to be above the local sales tax cap, including the tax cap changes from SB1349. That law, passed in 2020, allowed Contra Costa County to impose a sales tax of up to 0.5% for transportation projects, which is exempt from the state’s 2% cap. According to an April 2025 Issue Brief on Sales and Use Tax by the California State Association of Counties, “Today, the statewide sales tax rate on eligible taxable goods is 7.25%.”
Some components of the state rate go to various local revenue funds.”
In addition, “Cities may impose a rate of up to one percent (1%).”
In California, the local sales tax cap is generally set at 3.5% above the 6% state sales tax rate for a total of 9.5%.
Following is the list of the new sales tax amounts by city if the county measure passes:
Source: Contra Costa County
The cities with the highest current sales tax rates in the state are Alameda and Albany at 10.75%. With the proposed Contra Costa sales tax increase, El Cerrito and Pinole would have the highest sales tax rate in both the county and state at 10.875%. Antioch would have the second highest in the county at 10.375%. That does not include other sales taxes that may be passed in 2026 including the regional transit tax slated for the November 2026 ballot, which would be an additional 0.5% Countywide. (See related article)
Gioia Offers Comments on Facebook, in TV Interview
In a post by John Gioia on his Facebook page, today, Feb. 11th, he shared a video of his comments during a KTVU FOX2 interview “about why a unanimous bi-partisan Board of Supervisors is placing a 5/8 cent temporary 5-year sales tax on this June’s ballot to protect our county’s hard working families from Trump’s devastating health, human services and food assistance cuts.”
“The average Contra Costan would pay about $10 per month to prevent over 50,000 people from losing healthcare and crowding emergency rooms that we all use and protecting emergency response times,” he added.
Resolution Details
The Resolution adopted by the Board includes the following clauses, “On July 4, 2025, the President signed H.R. 1, which enacted the deepest cuts in our country’s history to Medicaid and the federal food assistance programs;
“Medicaid and Medicare are the largest sources of revenue for the County’s public health and hospital/clinic system, which provide lifesaving and essential care to county residents, including Medi-Cal beneficiaries, Medicare recipients, and uninsured residents.
“H.R. 1 immediately freezes supplemental Medicaid funding and blocks the County from drawing down expected supplemental payments, producing escalating negative impacts on the County’s budget, while simultaneously making significant eligibility changes which will cause thousands of county residents to lose health coverage;
“Lack of health coverage often causes people to delay medical care resulting in sicker residents and will increase demand for emergency care sought by residents no longer able to access preventative healthcare after losing insurance coverage;
“More than 335,000 County residents rely on Medi-Cal for their health care, and the County is the primary health-care provider for this population;
“H.R. 1 also makes substantial reductions to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), limiting food assistance relied upon by approximately 110,000 county residents;
“As a result of the federal funding cuts and rising costs, the County projects annual revenue losses exceeding $300 million by 2029;
“The combination of decreased federal funding with the increased demands on the County’s healthcare and social services threatens ALL County services, from public safety to homeless services;
“An additional five-eighths of one cent countywide general transaction and use tax (sales tax) would generate an estimated $150 million annually for five years…”
Adopted Proposed Ballot Measure Language
The resolution also includes the proposed ballot measure language pending approval by the County Clerk’s Office:
“To help Contra Costa County address deep cuts in federal funding; support critical local services such as health care, supplemental food assistance, and other general county services; and reduce the risk of closures at Contra Costa’s regional hospital and health clinics, shall Contra Costa County adopt a five-eighths of one cent general sales tax for 5 years, providing an estimated $150,000,000 annually, not available to the federal government and subject to annual audits and independent citizens oversight?”
The primary election will be held Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
The Antioch Water Park is hiring for the summer season!
Apply to become a lifeguard, swim instructor, facility maintenance team member, building attendant or cashier and help create fun, engaging experiences for our community!
We’re looking for positive, hardworking individuals who enjoy being part of a team and contributing to a fun, and safe water park experience.
Apply today: Scan the QR code and visit antiochca.gov/recreation or stop by the front desk at the Antioch Community Center for a physical application.
The Antioch Water Park is located in Prewett Family Park at 4701 Lone Tree Way.
Lori Asuncion was voted to be the new Antioch City Attorney on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. Photo: LinkedIn
Will be paid $288,000 salary per year, $513,028 in total compensation
By Allen D. Payton
After granting her request to postpone the matter during their last meeting, at which only three members were present, the Antioch City Council voted 5-0to hire former Stockton City Attorney Lori Asuncion as Antioch’s new City Attorney. The matter was placed on the agenda for the Jan. 27th meeting, but both Mayor Ron Bernal and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson. Asuncion made a last-minute request to postpone the vote.
This time, both Bernal and Wilson, who arrived at 7:55 p.m., were there for the vote. But Asuncion was not in attendance.
Interim City Attorney Derek Cole introduced the item saying Asuncion is “an exceptional, very talented attorney with city attorney experience…who I’ve known for several years. She has a fantastic reputation.”
He also spoke about SB707 requiring the council to report out of Closed Session, “the compensation package of your key executive and key department heads. It has to be…put on the record in a public meeting.”
Cole then shared Asuncion will receive an annual salary of $288,000 or $24,000 per month, and benefits of $225,028 for total compensation of $513,028 per year.
It’s a 26.7% increase over the compensation she received in Stockton. According to Transparent California, in 2024, Asuncion earned Regular pay of $290,601, Other pay of $15,300 for Total pay of $305,901. In addition, she received $98,700 in benefits for a total compensation package of $404,601 per year.
No one from the council had any questions for Cole or made any comments, nor were there any public comments before the motion to hire Asuncion was made by Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas and seconded by Wilson. It passed unanimously.
It’s been 13 months since Thomas Lloyd Smith resigned the position on Jan. 17, 2025. Since then, Cole, of law firm Cole Huber, has served as Antioch’s Interim City Attorney on a contract basis. Asuncion was chosen following a statewide search, several closed session meetings with both the consultant, Recruiter Joe Gorton, from the Bob Hall & Associates recruiting firm, and candidates during the recruitment process.
According to a press release sent out by City PIO Jaden Baird immediately following the vote, “Ms. Asuncion brings more than 18 years of dedicated public service to Antioch, most recently serving as City Attorney for the City of Stockton, where she served as a trusted legal advisor on some of the City’s most complex and high-profile matters.
Ms. Asuncion began her tenure with the City of Stockton in 2007 as a Deputy City Attorney, was promoted to Assistant City Attorney in 2018, and appointed City Attorney in 2022. During her service, she played a critical role in shaping key city policies and ordinances, advancing strategic goals and priorities, leading sensitive investigations, and managing complex litigation. She brings deep expertise in land use law, Brown Act compliance, and litigation management.
Following an extensive and competitive recruitment process, the City Council selected Ms. Asuncion based on her depth of experience, leadership background, and demonstrated expertise in municipal law.
Mayor Bernal welcomed the appointment, stating, “With eighteen years of municipal law experience in the City of Stockton, City Attorney Asuncion brings proven leadership and the ability to navigate complex challenges. I am confident she will be a valuable asset as we continue moving Antioch forward.”
Cole expressed strong support for the appointment, stating, “I am excited that Lori Asuncion will be the next Antioch City Attorney. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lori through our mutual involvement with the League of California Cities. Lori is widely respected in the City Attorney Community. She has nearly two decades of legal experience in a large city attorney office. She is well prepared to work with the City Council, City Administration, and Executive Team to move Antioch forward.”
Reflecting on her selection, Ms. Asuncion stated, “I am honored that the Mayor and Council chose me to serve the City of Antioch and contribute to the success, stability, and resilience of the community.”
Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to public service, transparency, staff support, and community improvement.
Ms. Asuncion has also been actively involved in professional legal organizations. She has served on the California League of Cities City Attorneys’ Department Nominating and Legal Advocacy Committee and has contributed as an editor to the League’s Municipal Law Handbook.
Born and raised in Stockton, Ms. Asuncion earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2005 and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Stanislaus, awarded in 2002.
When asked, Baird responded, Antioch’s Human Resources Department has not yet shared Asuncion’s start date.
