The California Energy Commission has tentatively approved construction of a power plant on the old DuPont property on Bridgehead Road in Oakley.

In its presiding member’s proposed decision (PMPD) released today, the committee said the 624-megawatt facility, as mitigated, will have no significant impacts on the environment and complies with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards.

The proposed decision was based solely on the record of facts, which were established during the facility’s certification proceeding.

The PMPD is not a final decision on the project. The siting committee released the document for 30 days of public comment. The committee will consider input before bringing the proposed decision to the full Energy Commission. The entire document can be found on the Energy Commission’s website at: http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/oakley/documents/index.html

The PMPD determined that the record, which contains a detailed environmental impact assessment required by the California Environmental Quality Act, was adequate. The record includes the Energy Commission staff’s thorough and independent assessment of the project’s potential impacts on the environment, public health, and safety.

The Oakley Generating Station Project is being proposed by Contra Costa Generating Station, LLC, a limited liability corporation owned by Radback Energy, Inc. The proposed project is a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle electrical generating facility. The project is located on a 21.95-acre site in the city of Oakley in eastern Contra Costa County.
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Tickets are on sale now for the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Gala and Recognition Dinner on Friday, April 22nd at the Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center. The evening includes the installation of the 2011 Antioch Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as well as awarding Antioch Citizen, Small and Large/Corporate Businesses and Youth of the Year for 2010.

The nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award are Carmen Aguilar-Ochoa, William “Bill” Chapman, Krist Jensen, Larry Osorio and Walter Ruehlig.

Ochoa is Executive Director of Give Always to Others & Company, a nonprofit dedicated to volunteerism and education in health, environment, arts, culture and media.

Chapman is Chairman of the Antioch Committee on Aging, Antioch Youth Sports Complex Treasurer and the Secretary for An Elderly Wish Foundation, in addition to other numerous organizations.

Jensen is Community Service Director and Member of the Antioch Rotary Club, leads Dow Wetlands Volunteer Team, and volunteer teacher for the Financial Peace University.

Osorio is a Mello Roos Board Member and Boy Scout Troop 247 Scout Master.

Ruehlig is Antioch Unified School District Trustee, Mello Roos President, Co-founder of the Antioch Music Foundation and Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus.

The Most Impact for 2010 nominees are Jim Lanter, Josie Monaghan and Kirkland Smith.

Lanter is a Delta Advocacy Board Member, Past President of Rotary of the Delta, Co-chair of An Elderly Wish, and Founder of “Born to Dance” a 25-year effort sponsoring dances for special needs children.

Monaghan is Founder of Wingz to Fly, Inc.,  founder/director of East County Military Families & Friends and East County Veterans OIF OEF Peer to Peer; three nonprofits supporting veterans and their families.

Smith is Founder and Pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship and organizer of Holy Eve Community Carnival, Community Picnic and the Christian Comedy Show.

Three students nominated for the Youth Category are Maureen Gil, Matthew Satyadi and Teron Schaeffer. 

The Small Business nominees are Paradise Skate, FastSigns and Dow Great Western Credit Union. The Large Business/Corporate nominess are Travis Credit Union and Sutter Delta Medical Center.

Tickets are $70 per person; reserved tables for 8 are $575.  Silent Auction and the famous Balloon Pop are part of this not-to-be-missed evening.  More information can be found on the Antioch Chamber of Commerce website: www.AntiochChamber.com or by calling 925/757-1800.

On April 11 just after 12:30 p.m. police officers responded to a report of a shooting in the area of Mahogany Way at Mandarin Way.

As officers arrived on scene, they located a 23-year-old Antioch male in the garage of a nearby residence. The victim had a single gunshot wound to the neck, but was awake and alert. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Evidence of the shooting was later located at the corner of Mahogany Way and Mandarin Way.

Police are in the process of determining the circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department at (925) 778-2441.

Back in the mid 1980s Antioch obtained $6.3 million in loans from the California Department of Boating and Waterways to develop and construct a 285-berth marina. The Marina, with an accompanying privately owned restaurant and public fishing pier (half of which was paid for by a state grant of $54,000) was to be a catalyst in the revitalization of the waterfront and expected to reach a break even cash flow within 5 years.

Unfortunately, the council at that time decided to defer state loan payments for the Marina, both during construction and during the first few years of operation. When they finally decided to start repaying the state loans around 1990, it was discovered that payment was $234,000 more annually than had been budgeted, and capitalized interest had brought the loan balance to approximately $7.3 million.

In 2002 the City negotiated new loan terms with the state and committed to providing $2.5 million in redevelopment subsidies (from Project Redevelopment Area #1) to the Marina over 10 years ($250,000 per year beginning in FY02) with $1.7 million of it earmarked for a capital outlay reserve. However, from FY02 through FY11, only $2,481,710 was transferred to the Marina as part of the loan condition – $18,290 short of the $2.5 million.

Also in 2002 the City Manager asked staff to develop a proposal for increasing occupancy and eliminating the deficit. Although two private Marina management firms were consulted in regard to the possibility of a public/private partnership, both expressed disinterest due to the debt service requirements. That put an insurmountable financial burden upon the marina, the low berth occupancy rates which were expected to remain low due to a competitive market, and land leases with private business which were bringing in revenues far below original estimations.

The situation hasn’t improved since. Now, 13 years later, the City still owes the state approximately $6.3 million and remains unable to obtain an 100 percent occupancy rate for both open and covered berths. (Currently the marina has a combined occupancy rate of 73 percent). Probably, because in addition to screwing up financial projections, no one realized that the non-optimal wind alignment of the marina limits rental of approximately 20 percent of the open space double occupancy berths.

Nor has the assumed revenue goal from the four commercial lease enterprises on the site met expectations. Currently there are only two at the marina: Humphrey’s Restaurant and Twin Rivers Marine Insurance Agency.

The city contributed more than $1 million in shared parking and decking, piling along the waterfront to support the restaurant whose owner signed a 35-year lease requiring that he pay the city $2,500 a month or 2 percent of gross and receive a rent increase every 5 years based on the rate of inflation in the proceeding four years. Currently Humphrey’s rent is $4,089.03, with the last adjustment occurring in January 2011. (They owe March and April rent. )

Apparently, it was Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to possibly abolish redevelopment agencies that prompted staff to review all agreements in place with the Antioch Development Agency. (ADA is Antioch’s Redevelopment Agency). Staff has recommended that additional monies be transferred from Project Area #1 to the Marina Fund in 2011 in order to comply with loan conditions.

Sounds like heavy seas and rough sailing still ahead for the Antioch Marina.

On April 10 just before 2 p.m., Antioch police officers responded to a report of a drive-by shooting in the area of Sycamore Drive and Banyan Way.

As officers arrived on scene, they located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it.  A vehicle pursuit ensued with one of the suspects jumping out in the area of Lemontree Way. That suspect was caught by officers with a handgun. The suspect vehicle ultimately crashed into a small wall in front of a residence on Gloucester Court. The driver and rear passenger were then taken into custody after another brief foot pursuit. 

Evidence of the shooting was later located at 1600 Sycamore Drive. No victims were found, but a building at that location was struck with several rounds.  All three male suspects – an 18-year-old from Bay Point and two 21-year-olds from Antioch – were arrested on multiple charges related to the shooting and other offenses.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department at (925)778-2441.

Assuming the persona of General Douglas MacArthur, Walter Ruehlig (standing left) congratulates Death March survivors Manuel Gavino (standing right) and Edward Abinsay during the 69th anniversary celebration of the Fall of Bataan. Photo by Cynthia Ruehlig

After a three-month battle to defend the last bastion of Philippine democracy at the Bataan Peninsula, General MacArthur escaped by boat during WWII promising “I Shall Return” to liberate the Philippines.

Bataan was captured by the Japanese Imperialists on April 9, 1942, in the largest surrender in American and Filipino military history. Many died when the 72,000 starving and disease-ridden POWs were forcibly transfered from Bataan/Corrigidor to Capas, Tarlac, in what is now known as the Bataan Death March.

After two years of fighting in the Pacific, General MacArthur fulfilled his promise. MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945. There are 9 known Death March survivors living in East Contra Costa County. The Fall of Bataan celebration, sponsored by the Filipino-American Association, Inc. of Pittsburg, was held April 9, 2011 at Humphrey’s Restaurant, Antioch.

If Cicero was right that if you have a garden and a library you have everything you need, then maybe Contra Costa County isn’t doing so bad after all.

Seems that just when you maybe thought that the county library system had surpassed reinvention, it outdoes itself again. Little wonder, then, that the 26-branch organization is in the running for national library system of the year honors. We’ll know that outcome, incidentally, in early May.