Mayor Jim Davis warns that the widening of Highway 4, scheduled to be completed in late 2014, will be delayed if Antioch officials kill the eBART line planned in the highway median.

 By Dave Roberts

The widening of Highway 4 will be delayed if Antioch officials follow through on a threat to potentially kill the eBART project that’s designed to travel down the highway median, warned Susan Miller, project manager for the highway widening, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“I’ve often said we are joined at the hip,” said Miller in reference to the widening and eBART projects. 

The widening of Highway 4 to eight lanes through Antioch will include preparation for the eBART line with stations at Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg and Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch. The widening is scheduled to be completed by late 2014, according to Miller. 

But that timeline could be extended if Antioch council members decide to oppose construction of a barebones eBART station in Antioch. That possibility was raised by Councilman Brian Kalinowski at the December 14 meeting if the Hillcrest Station does not include a station agent, restrooms and an escalator. Antioch’s opposition could derail the eBART project, perhaps limiting it no further than Railroad Avenue or perhaps killing it altogether. 

In any case, a significant change in the eBART project would slow down the highway widening. 

“I would hate to see a situation where we have to redo plans, we have to slow down the freeway schedule if there’s changes in decisions on the eBART project,” Miller told the council. “I personally have been involved in both these projects for a very long time. And I can understand the city’s concerns. But I have been so excited to finally see some of this come to reality, and to think that we are going to have finally some service and some transit extension so badly needed into East County, that I would really hate to see that come to a stop. I would really hope and encourage the city to be able to come to some resolutions with BART folks and come to terms with your disagreements.” 

Mayor Jim Davis, who did not comment on Kalinowski’s threat at the Dec. 14 meeting, warned at Tuesday’s meeting about the consequences of losing the $500 million eBART project. 

“It’s easy to say, ‘Let’s just pull out, let’s just stop, let’s not get involved with eBART,'” Davis said. “But I want to make sure the public is aware that there’s a close relationship between the widening of Highway 4 and eBART.” He pointed out that federal funding for transportation projects has dried up with the anti-earmarks attitude in Washington, adding, “We really need to think about all of those (anti-eBART) statements before we make them.” 

Miller agreed, saying that the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s funding, which comes from Bay Area bridge toll increases, could be jeopardized. “MTC is going on the premise that we are all committed to the project,” she said. “They would have grave concerns if there was a reverse in direction after they granted us these funds and we’ve been spending the dollars now under construction. So there’s significant dollars. There’s already been a significant commitment in the corridor by all entities involved that we were headed down this road and we had a game plan and we were moving forward.” 

Kalinowski was absent from Tuesday’s meeting and none of the other council members commented on the issue. 

In other business, the council approved contracts with several employee unions that defer 3 percent pay raises until 2013 and require an increase in employee contributions to their retirement benefits. Former Councilman Ralph Hernandez told the council that it should not be making promises for pay raises in two years. The city’s current dire financial circumstances include the possibility of bankruptcy if expenses are not significantly reduced in the coming years.

“It’s too early to guarantee increases,” said Hernandez. “It’s inappropriate financially for a city to defer essentially what the city is owing these groups. I think the city owes somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million for these deferrals.” 

But City Manager Jim Jakel defended the concessions, pointing out that the unions have existing contracts that promised raises, but which some employees have not received since 2008. The latest concessions total $1.25 million, in addition to a previous $3 million in concessions, said Jakel. The council members agreed, approving the new contracts unanimously. 

The council also discussed volunteer opportunities in Antioch, including helping the police, monthly cleanups, youth sports, painting over graffiti, building homes for the poor and helping seniors. Davis said he’s begging everyone who attends the Quality of Life Forum – starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 26 in the Deer Valley High School auditorium – to sign up to volunteer for some program. 

For several years Quality of Life forums, in which residents get city and regional updates and voice their concerns to the council, were held about twice a year. But the council has not held a forum since April 2009, when the forum was marked by controversy created when then-Councilman Reggie Moore appeared to be making excuses for the man who had recently gunned down four Oakland police officers. 

For more information on the highway widening, go to http://www.widensr4.org.

Gun Safe Found Containing Personal Documents, Police Called to the Scene

By Allen Payton, Publisher

About 100 residents, including council members and police commissioners, picked up trash in the neighborhoods and along the streets near Meadow Creek Estates in Southeast Antioch, this morning, February 5, during the monthly Community Clean Up.

Acting Chief Allan Cantando and Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commissioner Dennis Jeglum thanked those who showed up and gave instructions, as the volunteers divided up in teams to take on various sections of the neighborhood.

One team of volunteers that participated was from the local Target store. Others were some of the people who attended last night’s Take Back Antioch meeting.

Hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of trash was gathered, including a tire, broken flat screen television. The largest find was a gun safe containing personal documents including birth certificates, a marriage license and a receipt for a diamond purchase. After police were called and on their way to the location, two members of the Volunteers In Public Safety remained with the safe and told everyone not to touch anything because “it’s evidence, now.”

The next planned Community Clean Up is scheduled for Saturday, March 12.

Get Involved, Make a Difference, Call the Police Residents Urged

By Allen Payton, Publisher

A standing-room only crowd of about 150 concerned residents and business owners attended the first “Quality of Community” meeting organized by the new group, Take Back Antioch, on Friday night, February 4 to hear what they can do to help stop the crime problems in our community.

The group’s founder, 23-year-old Brittney Gougeon, was joined by Mayor Jim Davis and Acting Police Chief Allan Cantando in welcoming those who attended.

“It brings tears to my eyes to see so many people come out, tonight,” Davis said. “I’m sure you can find something else to do on a Friday night.”

What was stressed continuously throughout the meeting was for residents to call the police when they suspect a crime is occurring or something looks suspicious.

Gougeon outlined existing ways in which residents can get involved, including VIPS – Volunteers In Police Service, G.A.P. – Graffiti Abatement Program, Neighborhood Watch and the community clean-ups.

Dennis Jeglum of the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission provided information on starting a Neighborhood Watch program and encouraged citizens to call the police and report suspicious activities.

“You are the eyes and ears for our police department,” he said. “Will they come every time you call? Absolutely. But right away? Not necessarily. It depends on if the crime is in progress. They’ll respond to that first.”

If it’s not an emergency, he encouraged residents to call the police department’s Non-Emergency number, 778-2441.  It was later suggested that everyone put the number on speed dial in their cell phones.

Jeglum, a retired police officer, then defined what an emergency is. “Life threatening or a crime in progress,” he said.

Then he shared why sometimes a crime or suspicious activity doesn’t get reported. “People will say ‘I didn’t call because I thought he was gonna call’ or ‘I didn’t think it was important,'” Jeglum said.

“We have about one percent of our community who doesn’t want to be a part of it,” he added.

Jeglum then gave one simple way to improve neighborhood safety. “Make it easier for the police to see your address. Turn you porch light on when the sun goes down and off when the sun comes up. It costs you less than a latte a month.”

For those interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch, they were told to call 779-6980 and leave a message. “[Commissioner] Hans Ho will call you back,” Jeglum added.

He also encouraged everyone to attend a commission meeting, usually held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the police department’s Community Room. However, the next one will be held Wednesday, February 23.

Cantando said he wants volunteers, “as we have a diminished budget.”

“This is the largest turnout I’ve ever seen. It makes my heart warm,” he added.

He spoke of the need to reduce “Part 1 Crimes” in our city. “We had a spike in homicides [last  year]. But violent crimes were down. What were up were burglaries. (They were up almost 32% according to the city’s website, see http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/Police/crime-maps/crime-maps.htm)

“People think they’re bothering us by calling in or they’re embarrassed if what they observed doesn’t turn out to be a crime,” Cantando shared. “We would rather you call in and let us prioritize them. We want you to call us.”

Gougeon then shared some details on the city’s G.A.P. to clean up or paint over graffiti in Antioch.

Residents were encouraged to call the city’s Public Works Department at 779-6950 to report graffiti and within 24 to 48 hours the G.A.P. team will remove or paint over it. She also asked for volunteers to give two to 1o hours per week to help.

Photos from the group’s website were shown of recent graffiti, some of which had already been cleaned up, including a 300-foot long section of fence on Empire Mine Road, near Golf Course Road, that had been spray painted.

She shared a bit about the VIPS program, which assists the police department in handling abandoned auto abatement, handicapped parking enforcment, illegal sign abatement and traffic control. Volunteers are asked to give four hours a week to the program.

Then Gougeon shared a few new ideas, including establishing volunteers to bring back Code Enforcement and to combat blight, and to have a “Community Watch” mentality. She cited the fact that the city of Garden Grove, California has a volunteer code enforcement team. Currently Antioch has no staff in Code Enforcement/Neighborhood Improvement Services.

If residents see things dumped they were urged to call the city’s garbage collection company, Allied Waste at 1-800-NO-DUMPING (663-8674).

And if residents smell something suspicious, they’re encouraged to call Air Quality Control at 1-800-334-6367.

She announced that the necessary funds to pay to formalize the group as a 501c3 non-profit organization, had been raised in a matter of two weeks.  Gougeon shared the reasons why:  “It formalizes our goals, establishes formal structure, allows for securing grants and accepting tax deductible donations.”

She encouraged everyone to attend the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. at City  Hall.

She then introduced the group of residents who helped get the organization started. Four of them then formed a panel for a question and answer time, which proved to be lively and caused some debate among those in attendance.

The primary matters of discussion were forming Neighborhood Watch programs and G.A.P.

Suggestions offered were: invite your neighbors to your home for a meeting, including those who are problem neighbors; have your meeting in your driveway; come out of your homes and walk your neighborhood; place a “Pay or Put” situation on a home owner with problem tenants; personally give your flyers announcing the meeting, to you neighbors; meet your neighbors, especially new ones moving in. Say “Hi,  my name is…We have a Neighborhood Watch. Would you like to join us?”; wave to your (problem) neighbors, kill them with kindness, make them feel uncomfortable, was another suggestion; participate in National Night Out in August.

Some individuals offered one woman, who was afraid, help distributing flyers to form a Neighborhood Watch. “We’ll walk door-to-door with you,” one said.

When the panel was asked  by another attendee “what are your long term goals,” Gougeon responded, “creating the kind of community we all want to live in.”

When asked “what are the consequences of tagging, are there talks in schools?” Cantando responded that he wants to get some ordinances passed by the city council to help address graffiti.

One woman, a local hair salon owner, said to a round of applause, “Make the kids and hold their parents accountable and make them paint over the graffiti.”

“Get a van, pile them up on Saturday and Sunday. They’re not going to church, anyway,” she added to laughter from the audience.

Gougeon also shared “we’re considering funding other things” with funds raised by the new non-profit.

She mentioned the police cars with eight-to-nine year old equipment. “Our police cars don’t have Google Earth to track our cars,” she stated. “It costs $10,000 per car.”

She also mentioned a security camera system that covers a wall and provides deterrence in areas where there is heavy graffiti.

Bari Costello shared what she and her neighbors have been doing through the Rivertown Preservation Society, in cleaning up painting the graffiti in the city’s historical downtown area. She invited people to attend their meetings the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 509 G Street, Antioch.

A video tape of the meeting was made by Bob Butler and will soon be available on the group’s website at www.TakeBackAntioch.com. For more information or to get involved, visit their website, click on their ad on the left side of this page or email info@takebackantioch.com.

 

The week of January 23 – January 29, 2011 was National School Choice Week.  Although charter schools, permitted by the state since 1992, allow for some  freedom of choice for parents and pupils alike, as of 2009 serving approximately 250,000 state students, California regulations hamper students from choosing online learning alternatives or attending private or parochial schools with higher achievement scores and lower drop out rates.

(A new report by Pepperdine University says K-12 expenditures rose 22% between 2003-04 and 2008-09, up from $45.6 billion to $55.6 billion, but during the same period classroom spending declined from 59% to 57.8%. )

California is ignoring a movement by state leaders across the county to establish school choice voucher plans, or Education Savings Accounts (ESA), which would permit money the state sends to schools to be deposited directly into a family’s ESA, allowing parents to use to the money to send their child to the public or private school of their choice.

Don’t expect any promising changes, however, from either Governor Brown or California’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, the former Antioch city councilman, member of the County Board of Supervisors, the state Senate and Assembly. He’s a former Mt. Diablo Unified School District teacher. Teacher unions are opposed to burgeoning national education reforms, which advocate altering the way teachers are hired, evaluated and fired. Both Governor Brown and Supervisor Torlakson rely heavily on union support during election time.

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The Public Protection Committee of the Board of Supervisors will hear a plan to help recently released inmates to transition back into society.

“We either find a way to ease the inmates’ reintegration into their communities, or we face the strong possibility that they will return to their life of crime and back to the prison,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, chair of the committee. The recidivism rate for former inmates is 70-75 percent.

Spurred by a 2009 federal court order to reduce the state prison inmate population by releasing thousands of inmates, Contra Costa County agencies and community-based organizations have been taking part in a planning process to create the infrastructure to help former inmates adjust to life outside of prison.

The strategic plan produced by consultant Urban Strategies will be unveiled and discussed at the Public Protection Committee meeting on Feb. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., room 101, 651 Pine Street, Martinez.

High Energy Variety Dance Band, TONIGHT!, Fri, 2/4/11

Top Secret is a collaboration of seasoned musicians who have been performing at major hotels, casino’s, night club’s, and private venues for more than a decade. Top Secret is a High Energy Dance Band that packs the dance floor song after song, our focus is to keep people partying all night long. Come see Top Secret tonight at Bases Loaded, 400 G St., Downtown Rivertown, Antioch. No Cover Charge! Late Night Breakfast available after the shows on Fri and Sat nights! To read more about the band, visit www.tsdanceband.com. For more information on Bases Loaded visit www.BasesLoadedRestaurant.com or click their ad on the right side of this page.

Signing Autographs in his New Book

Legendary A’s and Giants’ pitcher Vida Blue, will autograph his new book, “Vida Blue: A Life,” at Bases Loaded Restaurant & Bar, 400 G St., Downtown Rivertown, Antioch, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on Saturday Feb 5th, 2011. Purchase the book for $15 and get his personalized autograph for free. For more information visit www.BasesLoadedRestaurant.com or click on their ad on the right side of this page.

It’s been nearly 4 months since the elections have been completed and the AUSD (Antioch Unified School District) is working on the budget for the coming year, however the changes , cuts to personnel, student services and others have yet to be publicized.

I thought that the budget was part of the “Transparency of Government” everyone was touting during the campaign. Why shouldn’t parents, concerned taxpayers and even students be kept in the loop, when these hard decisions are being made? So why not publish the budget warts and all on the district website and in the local press every quarter, or isn’t the board looking for public input?

Jack Yeager