U.S. Navy First Division Officer Ensign Emma Crandell (official photo) serves aboard the Amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) as it steams through the Pacific Ocean, April 8, 2026. John P. Murtha was underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elyssia Rodriguez) The Orion space capsule Integrity inside the flooded well deck of the ship. Photo by Emma Crandell
First Division Officer Ensign Emma Crandell watched completion of historic space mission
“It was crazy to see water fill our deck and the capsule slowly pull into our ship. I thought, ‘Wow! That’s the Integrity right there.”
By Allen D. Payton
Emma Crandell, a 2021 Deer Valley High School graduate, serves as a First Division Officer Ensign aboard the USS John P. Murtha, which was chosen as the recovery ship for the Orion spacecraft and its crew upon their return from the historic Artemis II mission on Friday, April 10, 2026, which she witnessed. Crandell is the daughter of Jeff and Marie Crandell of Antioch.
Before she graduated from high school, Crandell was presented with a $200,000 Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship. She was selected through a rigorous process from among thousands of students across the state and nation.
Then-Petty Officer Byung Jung, of the Antioch U.S. Navy Recruiting Station, said the scholarship would “pave the way for Emma to get commissioned as an Officer in the Navy.” (See related article)
Emma took her scholarship and attended then, graduated from the University of San Diego, Class of 2025 with a Political Science major. Out of the entire naval fleet, she chose to serve aboard the John P. Murtha as a First Division Officer with the rank of Ensign.
U.S. Navy Ensign Emma Crandell with the Artemis II Orion space capsule Integrity following splashdown and recovery in April 2026. Photo courtesy of Emma Crandell
About the Recovery Mission
About the Artemis II recovery mission Crandell said, “Our ship was off the coast of San Diego and I was, actually on the bridge after being on-watch” which means she “was helping drive the ship, navigating it safely and served as the Conning Officer” as she had the ‘Conn’ “right before splashdown.”
“So, I could just observe it. I heard the sonic boom. We were up there with a lot of NASA contractors, most of the ship was top side and we just watched,” Crandell shared.
Asked about the recovering process she explained. “We had a team of small boats that went out with a team of Navy divers to medically assess the astronauts. When they were cleared, the helicopters flew in to do an air evacuation with assistance from the divers. It was a low and slow process. We were up until the wee hours of the morning.”
“We had to approach the capsule. There was a lengthier process to tow it into our well deck,” Crandell stated. “They rigged up the capsule to a piece of machinery that essentially pulled it into the dock.”
Asked if she witnessed that process, as well Crandell said, “I was on station the entire time as a safety observer.”
“It was crazy to see water fill our deck and the capsule slowly pull into our ship,” she stated. “I thought, ‘Wow! That’s the Integrity right there in our ship.’”
The Artemis program is the overarching name for multiple missions, Orion is the type of capsule, and the astronauts named this one, Integrity.
Asked why her ship was selected for the operation Crandell said, “Our main mission is to conduct amphibious warfare, so, we are built to extract amphibious vehicles and we’re a transport ship. I can’t speak specifically why the Murtha, but the back of our ship opens up to the ocean. We can ballast down to let the ocean in and extract the capsule. I don’t know why they chose us but I’m grateful that they did.”
“I’ve only been on board a few months. I’m pretty new to the ship,” she continued. “This was my first major mission, for sure.”
Her Basic Training was in ROTC during college. “I did intermittent summer trainings, but there wasn’t any boot camp,” she explained.
After college she remained in San Diego and went to work on the John P. Murtha which is stationed there.
Asked about her experience in the Navy, Crandell stated, “It’s been amazing so far. It’s opened up opportunities and I’ve got to do a lot of exciting things.”
Like meeting one of the four Artemis II astronauts.
“I got to meet Christina Koch briefly, the morning they were flying out,” Crandell stated. “After landing on the flight deck in the helicopters the astronauts stayed overnight on our ship.”
Asked why she wanted to join the Navy Crandell said, “It was a cool purpose behind it. A sense of leadership and ownership and getting to do cool stuff with amazing people.”
That’s her favorite thing about the Navy, “The people.”
U.S. Navy Ensign Emma Crandell dressed in her “civvies” was joined by her parents Marie and Jeff Crandell to see the Artemis II mission Orion space capsule Integrity on board the John P. Murtha in April 2026. Photo courtesy of Emma Crandell.
Although she hasn’t been home since she joined the John P. Murtha, her parents visited her last week.
“I invited them to come down and see the Orion capsule while it was on the ship,” Crandell explained.
Her mother, Marie, said about Emma’s experience, “Definitely huge Forrest Gump moments for her. Her dad and I are still shaking our heads. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around all the cool stuff she did.”
Marie shared about a People Magazine article entitled, Little green alien spotted at Artemis II crew’s splashdown following high-stakes mission around the moon, which shows a photo of the bridge of the John P. Murtha and Emma standing right next to “an inflatable green alien peeking out and appearing to wave along with the crew.”
Asked about her favorite subject in high school Crandell said, “Mock Trial was the best.”
In 2020, as a student in Deer Valley High’s Law and Justice Academy and a member of the school’s Mock Trial Team that made it to the third round of the county competition, she won a prosecution witness award.
That helped lead her to now doing legal work in the Navy.
Asked about her daily activities and future plans Crandell said, “A normal day for me is doing some administrative paperwork for my division, doing some legal paperwork. I also work as one of the Command legal officers. I try to spend time with my sailors getting to know them better. Then working on my qualifications to be a Surface Warfare Officer. It means I’m qualified to essentially drive the ship.”
Asked if it means she’d have the ‘Conn’ in that position Crandell shared, “I could have the ‘Conn’ but I would have the ‘Deck’ which is a stronger position and takes longer to obtain.”
Amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) steams through the Pacific Ocean, April 8, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elyssia Rodriguez)
About the John P. Murtha
According to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jomark Almazan, the ship is named in honor of the late and long-serving Pennsylvania Congressman John P. Murtha and is a San Antonio Class Amphibious Transport Dock currently operated by the United States Navy. The USS John P. Murtha has been in active service for 10 years.
“It is a fitting tribute to Congressman Murtha, who dedicated his life to serving our nation, that the ship bearing his name will be integral to this historic moment in space exploration,” said Capt. Erik Kenny, commanding officer of John P. Murtha. “He was a champion for our military and a visionary. We are honored to carry on his legacy by supporting NASA and the Artemis II mission.”
A former Marine Corps officer, Murtha was the first Vietnam War veteran elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. (Source: Wikipedia)
The San Antonio class amphibious transport docks feature a large floodable well deck, advanced flight deck, and extensive command facilities. They can transport nearly 800 Marines along with vehicles, landing craft, and helicopters for effective ship-to-shore movement.
The Artemis II mission was the first crewed flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, sending four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey that took them beyond the Moon. This mission marks humanity’s first crewed voyage to the vicinity of the Moon in over 50 years.
Upon completion of their mission, the Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean west of San Diego, where John P. Murtha and its crew recovered the astronauts and the spacecraft.
The U.S. Navy’s amphibious transport dock has unique advantages, including a well deck, helicopter pad, onboard medical facilities, and communication capabilities needed to support the mission. The platform gave NASA the ability to recover the Orion space capsule and collect critical data to help ensure it’s ready to recover the astronauts and capsule during future Artemis missions.
MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 provided imagery support for NASA by tracking the Orion space capsule as it traveled through Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown, HSC-23 helicopters recovered the astronauts once they emerged from the capsule and brought them to the ship for assessment and then transported them to shore.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 provided Navy divers to recover and transport the Orion space capsule from the ocean to the ship’s well deck. Navy divers are experts in mobile diving, salvage, towing and open water, small boat operations. In addition to the Navy divers, EODGRU-1 supported the recovery mission with a dive medical team which assessed and assisted the astronauts following their exit from the capsule.
Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission in a series of missions around and to the lunar surface where crew can build and test systems needed to prepare for the challenge of future missions to Mars. The mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, April 1, with four astronauts onboard, three from the U.S. and one from Canada.
Source: Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Showcases “justice reform progress”; highlights public corruption investigation, prosecution of Antioch, Pittsburg cops
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Martinez, California – Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued the office’s 2025 Annual Report, showcasing the justice reform progress made for the county’s residents.
“We are making meaningful progress with a sharp focus on public safety, pragmatic solutions and alternatives to a one-size-fits-all criminal justice system,” said District Attorney Becton. “By modernizing our infrastructure and focusing on victim-centered practices, we are ensuring that accountability and support go hand-in-hand to keep our communities safe”
Becton wrote in her introductory message of the report, “We have strengthened partnerships with law enforcement agencies, public officials and community organizations to ensure public safety efforts are both effective and equitable. The professionalism and tireless commitment of our Deputy District Attorneys, Investigators, Victim Advocates, and Support Staff make this great work possible.
“In this annual report, you’ll see the results of that work in some of the following areas:
Prosecuting serious and violent felonies and misdemeanors
Implementing restorative justice programs for young people and adults
Resolving cold cases – including unsolved homicides
Creating prosecutorial units focused on community violence, retail crime, hate crimes, human trafficking, and public integrity
Establishing an analytics team to identify crime trends, improve case outcomes, and allocate resources for more efficient crime prevention
“The path to improving public safety is challenging, filled with setbacks, resistance, and obstacles. But despite these challenges, we’ve made real progress building a smarter, more effective justice system with solutions that work.”
“This is the kind of progress that moves beyond the status quo, toward a more just and safe community for all. Thank you for your continued trust,” she concluded.
Source: Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Key highlights from the 2025 Annual Report include:
• Prosecution Results: The office’s Direct Court Unit achieved a 96% felony conviction rate for jury trials in 2025 — 15 percentage points above California’s statewide average of 81% — securing guilty verdicts in 25 of 26 felony cases tried. The Homicide Unit conducted 15 homicide trials, resulting in a total of 14 convictions, 12 of which were murder convictions – a 93% conviction rate. The Interpersonal Violence Unit conducted 20 trials involving domestic partner crimes, sexual assault, and elder abuse achieving at 85% conviction rate in the cases which reached verdicts.
• Victim Support: The Victim Witness Assistance Program served over 10,600 victims, provided close to 48,000 forms of services, and secured $9.8 million in restitution. The office also welcomed a second facility dog, Fenner, who joined Bear in providing comfort to crime victims — particularly children — throughout the criminal justice process.
The report also adds, “Our work extends beyond prosecution. We’ve led in statewide efforts on ethical AI and launched the Underserved and Unserved Survivor Program. The office expanded trauma-informed support for victims—particularly those impacted by gun violence and unsolved crimes. Our superpower is protection with purpose, combining innovation, data, and human care to seek justice for victims while preventing future harm.”
• Restorative Justice and Alternatives to Incarceration: The office’s Neighborhood Restorative Partnership Program (NRP) continued to demonstrate remarkable outcomes since its 2022 launch. Of 119 participants who have completed the program, only one — a recidivism rate of 1% — went on to reoffend, compared to California’s statewide misdemeanor recidivism rate of 21.1%. A total of 288 cases have been referred to the program since its inception, with 59 participants currently enrolled.
• Cold Case Breakthroughs: The Cold Case Unit secured multiple convictions in crimes dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s using advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy. Notable resolutions included the conviction of James Grimsley for the nearly three-decade-old murder of Terrie Ladwig, a transgender woman in Concord, and guilty pleas in a 2007 Pittsburg homicide after touch DNA linked the suspect to the crime.
• Public Accountability: The office secured guilty pleas in all six cases stemming from its joint FBI investigation into public corruption and bribery among Antioch and Pittsburg police officers — reinforcing the principle of equal justice under law. Launched in March 2022, the investigation uncovered a scheme in which officers illegally canceled traffic tickets in exchange for personal benefits, resulting in some officers losing their law enforcement certifications.
According to the report, “The bribery and conspiracy charges were serious, but the investigation uncovered other troubling behavior as well. When investigators reviewed the officers’ messages, they found a large number of racist, sexist, and homophobic texts shared among more than a dozen officers.
“These messages raised concerns about fairness in hundreds of criminal cases that those officers had worked on. As a result, our office reviewed hundreds of cases to determine whether the officers’ bias affected the outcome.”
• Expanding Access to Justice: District Attorney Becton cut the ribbon on December 15, 2025, at the grand opening of a new branch office at 3890 Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg, housing approximately 30 staff members and bringing justice services directly to East County residents. “East County matters, and the people who live and work here deserve accessible and responsive justice,” Becton said at the ceremony. (See related article)
About the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Established in 1850, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office serves a diverse population of 1.15 million residents across four office locations in Martinez, Pittsburg and Richmond. Over 175 years, the office has grown to employ approximately 250 staff members, including attorneys, inspectors, victim-witness advocates, legal assistants, case preparation analysts and administrative staff, operating under the principles of equal justice, transparency, and public safety. For more information visit District Attorney | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website.
Get your unwanted documents shredded at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1360 East Tregallas Road, Antioch Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will raise funds for scholarships and grants coordinated by the church’s Endowment Committee.
“Through its endowment, the church has given scholarships to students pursuing college degrees as well as continuing education opportunities such as gaining teacher certification. It has also given a grant to support training school tutors and a grant to purchase microphones for a middle school classroom,” said Eileen Blumhardt-Butler, chair of the Endowment Committee.
“These scholarships and grants are a way our church can share God’s love with the community,” Blumhardt-Butler added.
St. John’s Lutheran Church (stjohnsantioch.org) has Sunday School and services at 9 a.m. on Sundays. For more information, please call (925) 767-3070.
Plus, this year’s National Night Out and Sister City activities; but no mention of Holiday Delites Celebration
By Allen D. Payton
During their special meeting budget workshop on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Antioch City Council directed staff to keep funding for four community events and activities. They include this year’s Juneteenth celebration, the July 4th celebration on the nation’s 250th Independence Day and the National Night Out event. Also, the council protected funding for this year’s Sister City activities with Chichibu, Japan.
While reviewing a list of Deficit Reduction Proposals from city staff, Council postponed decisions for several of the items asking for more information from staff, first. Those are expected at a Budget Session before next Tuesday’s regular Council meeting.
Council’s decisions on the Deficit Reduction Proposals for FY 2026-27 budget. Source: City of Antioch
“Since we’re hosting, this year, I’ll say ‘no’,” Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas said to the recommendation to “Pause Sister City Activities.” The other three council members and Mayor Ron Bernal agreed.
Following are the costs to the City’s General Fund budget for the four items:
Juneteenth – $54,606, which includes vendors, supplies and police staffing;
July 4th – $157,586, which includes fireworks, vendors, supplies and police staffing;
National Night Out – $3,842 for police overtime; and
Sister City activities – $15,000
City Finance Director Dawn Merchant asked the council members to confirm they were agreeing to only fund the three events, plus, Sister City activities, they each responded, “Yes.”
However, none of the council members or staff mentioned the annual Holiday Delites Celebration in December which wasn’t on the list for cutting. A question asking about funding for that event was sent to council members and staff.
UPDATE: Later, Bernal responded, “Forgot about that one. I’m sure we can add it when we do our next study session.”
Get ready for a fun-filled Mother’s Day weekend with live music, delicious dinner, dancing with great company at the Bay Area’s premier location for Soul, Style and Celebration!
Join us for The Wright Social Spot’s 6th Annual Mother’s Day Weekend Dinner Show with Live Music and Dancing, Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
Join us for a night of great music and delicious food at our cozy venue. Get ready to groove to live tunes and enjoy a scrumptious dinner with your loved ones.
Dinner served 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM followed by the Show and Dancing.
This in-person event will be held at The Wright Social Spot. So, mark your calendars, get your tickets and come on down for a fantastic time. Don’t miss out on this special occasion celebrating all mothers!
Tickets are $75 per person plus, fee and available at www. Eventbrite.com/e/1983484799429. Location provided upon purchase. For more information about The Wright Social Spot and Wright’s Catering visit their Facebook page or Instagram at TheRightSocialSpot.
Spot the BARTy car wrapped with mascots on the tracks. Photos: BART
Test wrapping Fleet of the Future cars in paid advertisements as potential new revenue source
As of Monday, April 20, 2026, be sure to look to the BART tracks. You might spot something never seen before in the Bay Area: a bright blue train car covered in dancing BARTy mascots.
The eye-catching car is expected to spark smiles, waves, and plenty of photos as it rolls into stations. But beyond its playful appearance, the train is part of an ongoing effort to explore new and creative revenue opportunities for BART.
The BARTy design is being used to test wrapping Fleet of the Future cars in paid advertisements as a potential new revenue source as BART addresses a significant fiscal cliff. At the same time, BART continues to implement cost-cutting measures that have already reduced expenses by hundreds of millions of dollars.
“This is a fun and creative way to connect with riders while exploring a new source of revenue,” said Dave Martindale, Director of BART Marketing and Research. “If this pilot proves successful, train wraps could become a unique platform for advertisers and help support the transit service our riders rely on.”
BART previously sold train car wraps for its now-retired legacy fleet. This pilot will help determine how the new Fleet of the Future cars, which have a different exterior finish, perform with wrap materials, including durability, appearance, and maintenance over time in real-world conditions.
Following the test, staff will evaluate whether selling train car wraps is a viable long-term option for advertisers.
“Wrapping a train car is a detailed, hands-on process that requires precision and coordination with our maintenance schedules,” said Catherine Westphall, Manager of BART’s Advertising Franchise Program. “This pilot helps us understand how the material performs on our Fleet of the Future cars and what it would take to scale this as a revenue program without impacting service.”
In the meantime, keep an eye out for the BARTy car as it roves across the system over the next few months. And if you find yourself onboard the special train, don’t worry — you can still see out the windows!
See the train in the wild? Snap a photo and tag BART on social media:
Proposed budget cuts include cancelling annual July 4th celebrationduring nation’s 250th Independence Day
By Allen D. Payton
The Antioch City Council will hold a Special Meeting Tuesday, April 21, 2026, with Study Sessions on the Budget for Fiscal Years 2026-2027 and the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program for 2026-31.
Budget Study Session
The Council will discuss follow-up items from their meeting on March 24, 2026, including Position Vacancies, Consultant Services Contracts, Fiscal Year 2027 Fleet Replacements, American Rescue Plan (“ARPA”) funds remaining budgets, Budget Deficit Reduction Proposals totaling $5,360,641.
After transferring in $5 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund and making the proposed cuts, the City will end the 2027 Fiscal Year on June 30, 2027, with a $2,884,167 deficit.
One line item in the proposed budget cuts is to Cancel the 4th of July event. But it’s not clear if that is for this year during the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration or for July 4th, 2027.
UPDATE: In response to questions for city council members and staff, Finance Director Dawn Merchant said, “This would be for this July. Although we pay for a lot of the expense to vendors in June, for accounting purposes, this is recorded as a ‘prepaid expense’ at June 30th and then booked as an expense in July 2026 since the actual event is in July. I hope this clarifies for you.”
Deficit Reduction Proposals for FY 2026-27 budget. Source: City of Antioch
Capital Improvement Program Study Session
According to the City staff report for the agenda item, the $74,359,000 Capital Improvements Budget for Revised Fiscal Year 2025/26 and $29,125,000 Capital Improvements Budget for Fiscal Year 2026/27 will be included in the City’s operating budget. Projects in the outlying years of the 5 Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 2026-2031 are for planning purposes and may be incorporated into future budgets.
The Council meeting begins at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. The meeting can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website.
