Mayor Jim Davis speaks at the Chamber’s Annual State of the City – photo by Art Garcia, courtesy of Antioch Chamber of Commerce

By Sean Wright

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce hosted the City of Antioch’s Annual State of the City Luncheon on Monday, June 11, with over one hundred and twenty attendees. The lunch provides an opportunity for the Mayor, the Chief of Police and the City Manager to give a city report card, and to celebrate accomplishments and share their vision for the future.

Mayor Jim Davis started by sharing his prognosis for the city.

“Last year, I characterized Antioch as being in guarded condition,” he stated. “Today, I say this city is in stable condition, and on track for a full recovery.”

This past year Antioch has opened the brand new Boat Launch and continues to prepare for eBART and the completion of the widening of Highway 4. Sales tax revenues have also shown an upturn with an estimated five percent increase this year, which allowed Davis to characterize Antioch as moving forward and slowly upward.

The city staff have all stepped up and taken on more responsibility in order to make up for staff shortages, and the mayor applauded and thanked the efforts of our city employees. On a positive note the city is starting to hire some positions back and will see a Code Enforcement Officer working for the city in the near future.

Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando kept an upbeat focus for the luncheon as he shared several innovative ways that the police department is working with the community to initiate more crime reducing tactics. Three new officers will be hired, shortly and the police are utilizing volunteers to help park decoy police cars throughout the community to create a greater presence. He also talked about utilizing patrols in different schedules and areas to increase their ability to fight crime.

Another focus of the Chief was to add greater community involvement via Neighborhood Watch, and social media outlets like Facebook. He also alluded to a new program to give anonymous police tips on crime without fear of repercussion using texting. If you would like to know more about the efforts of our police department, go to Facebook and “like” them. Cantando is being proactive in these social media forms to get the word out about the department’s ongoing efforts.

The concluding speaker, City Manager Jim Jakel, gave a very positive outlook on the regional, financial markers that are pointing towards a promising future. He pointed to increased housing prices in surrounding areas, the half-billion dollars that will be spent in and around Antioch by the construction workers as they build Highway 4 through our town, sales tax increase of 5% this year, and decreasing unemployment rates. He also mentioned possible future revenue for our city via smart use of our water rights and working with power generating stations.

Antioch is looking better than it has looked in a few years. There is lots of work to be done to continue fighting crime, creating job opportunities, and helping the schools to excel. If the community can come together and help to improve these important aspects of Antioch, the future looks bright.

Wright is the Executive Director of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and a Chiropractor in Antioch.

Second monthly night walk to be hosted by Antioch Church Family

On Sunday, July 8th at 7 p.m., Antioch residents will gather at Antioch Church Family to stand up against the violence that threatens East Contra Costa County.  This movement was launched last month and over 60 participants attended the first night walk.  This Sunday, community and faith leaders will continue to walk to deliver their message of peace, unity and offer up a prayer to end the violence that has greatly impacted their communities.

Nearly a dozen congregations from the area have joined the movement that aims to bring hope and address the issue of violence in East County.  The participating congregations include: St. John Lutheran Church; Antioch Christian Center, Antioch Church Family, East County Shared Ministry (Pittsburg Community Presbyterian & First Congregational Church of Antioch); International Christian Ministry; Grace Bible Fellowship; St. Ignatius of Antioch; Most Holy Rosary Church; Islamic Center of the East Bay; and St. George Episcopal Church.

After witnessing violence in their own churches and the impact it was having on their congregation members, the faith leaders were determined to do something to address the critical issue of violence.  The night walks is only the first step in what they see as a strategy to decrease the violence in their communities.

The night walks will be held every second Sunday of the month at 7 p.m. in rotating church locations and all are invited to attend.

The Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO) is a federation of 25 religious congregations, seven different denominations, representing 35,000 families in Contra Costa County. CCISCO is an active member of the PICO National Network.  For more information call (925) 779-9302 or visit them at 202 G Street, Suite 1 or online at www.CCISCO.org

Fireworks explode over the river during Antioch, California’s July 4th, 2012 celebration – by Art Garcia

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Thousands of Antioch and area residents ventured to historic downtown Rivertown on Wednesday, July 4, to enjoy the privately funded celebration and lined the streets for the parade and the waterfront for the first Independence Day fireworks in the city, since 2009.

Following the parade, Nancy Green said, “This looked like something that Norman Rockwell should have been here to paint.”

The 90-minute parade on 2nd, I and 3rd Streets was followed by the 20-minute fireworks extravaganza by Fireworks America, lead by hometown boy Kevin Crews. The 22-minute show was accompanied, this year, by patriotic and other instrumental music all along the waterfront, provided by Rundall Productions.

The crowd voiced their pleasure for the fireworks with the usual “oohs” and “aahs” as well as applause. Some sang along to the music, as well.

“Good job on the fireworks,” one viewer said. “Everyone thought they were dope.” (For you older folks, that means they were good).

The day also included a well-attended Car Show at the City Hall parking lot, a Kids Zone at Waldie Plaza was provided by Jeff Warrenburg of Paradise Skate, and accompanied by the DJ music of Jim Lanter, as well as food vendors and the DJ music of DJ Throttle and entertainment of Jeff Rundall and his team at the main stage on 2nd Street.

Be sure to read the August issue of the Herald for more photos and details.

See more photos by Art Garcia at http://art4antioch.org/album/7-4-12/I/album/index.html and http://art4antioch.org/album/7-4-12/II/album/index.html.

See the official Celebration videos by Greg Enholm on YouTube, by clicking here.

Antioch, California’s July 4th, 2012 Celebration of America’s 236th birthday, is today!

Events begin at 5 p.m. with the Car Show, Kids Zone, food and entertainment, followed by the Parade at 7 p.m. – all on 2nd and 3rd Streets in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown. Then the grand finale will be the fireworks show on the river at 9:30 p.m.  Best viewing is along the waterfront from Humphrey’s at the end of L Street to G Street.

This is a FREE, Family Friendly, No Alcohol event. (The only costs are for the Kids Zone rides and items for sale).

Parking is available at the Antioch High School parking lots on 18th Street between G and L Streets and a free shuttle will be provided from 6 to 11 p.m. from the school lots to downtown and back.

For more information, please visit www.AntiochJuly4th.com.

Pittsburg resident Reuben Rosalez heads federal agency’s western region

A native Contra Costa County resident has been appointed as the new regional administrator of the Western Region of the Department of Labor. Ruben Rosalez learned of his appointment June 25.

A resident of Pittsburg, Calif., Rosalez will be the guest speaker at Supervisor Federal Glover’s Breakfast Club. The breakfast will be held at the Wedgewood Event Center, 2222 Golf Course Road in Pittsburg starting at 7:30 a.m. on July 20.

“We’re delighted that Ruben is speaking at my breakfast,” said Glover. “His first public address as regional administrator will be a homecoming, of sorts.”

Rosalez, who also served as a school trustee for the Pittsburg Unified School District, graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1987 with a B.S. in Public Administration. He began his career with the Wage & Hour Division that same year as an investigator in the Los Angeles District Office and worked his way up through various positions until 1997 when he was promoted to be the Assistant District Director in the San Francisco District Office.

In February 2007, he was promoted to serve as the Western Region’s Director of Enforcement. In May of 2009, Ruben was again promoted to assist in leading the Western Region as the deputy regional administrator, during a time of significant growth and change.

Since September 2011, he has served in the role of acting regional administrator, overseeing DOL operations in eight western states.

In addition to his work, Ruben is very civic minded and involved in his community. He was active in the Pittsburg Unified School District, School Board of Trustees (elected in 2000, 2004 and 2008), Future Leader of America East Bay, Founder/Board Member Youth Leadership Program, and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. When he does find time to unwind he enjoys coaching youth wrestling and playing golfing, fishing and cooking.

Ruben still resides in his hometown of Pittsburg with three of his four children: Ruben Jr., Chica and Maya. His oldest daughter is Lazara.

For more information about the supervisor’s breakfast, call 925-202-5001.

Final Phase of Two-Step Increase

The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) reminds drivers of big-rig trucks, cars and trucks hauling trailers, and other vehicles or combinations with more than two axles that the second step in the two-phase toll increase approved in 2010 for multi-axle vehicles on Bay Area toll bridges takes effect Sunday, July 1. The first step in the toll increase took effect in July 2011.

Beginning July 1, 2012, tolls for vehicles or combinations with three or more axles on the seven state-owned toll bridges will be fully indexed at $5 times the number of axles, or $15 for three-axle vehicles; $20 for four axles; $25 for five axles; $30 for six axles; and $35 for rigs with seven or more axles. The fully indexed toll rate on the Golden Gate Bridge will be $6 times the number of axles, with a $5-per-axle rate for FasTrak® customers.

BATA approved the two-step increase in tolls for multi-axle vehicles on the state-owned bridges in January 2010 as part of a comprehensive toll increase package to finance seismic retrofits of the Antioch and Dumbarton bridges, to help offset the increased cost of debt financing resulting from financial market turmoil that began in 2007, and to counter revenue losses caused by a decline in tollpaying traffic on the bridges since fiscal year 2003-04. While the toll hike for most vehicles went into effect in July 2010, the Authority voted to delay the increase for multi-axle vehicles for one year and then implement the new toll schedule in two steps. This phased approach was designed to allow commercial trucking firms to incorporate the higher tolls into new contracts with shippers. These contracts typically carry 18- to 24-month terms.

California state law (Streets & Highways Code Sec. 30150.2) requires that tolls on state-owned toll bridges be based on the number of axles on a vehicle or the total number of axles on a vehicle plus the total number of axles on a drawn trailer or vehicle.

BATA encourages all motorists — including drivers of big-rig trucks and recreational vehicles – to take advantage of the FasTrak electronic toll collection program to make toll payment easier and more convenient. FasTrak can be used in all lanes at all Bay Area toll plazas. FasTrak toll tags are available at Costco, Safeway and Walgreens stores throughout the Bay Area. Customers also can enroll in the FasTrak program online (at 511.org or bayareafastrak.org), by telephone (dial 511 and ask for “FasTrak” at the first prompt), or in person at the FasTrak customer service center at 475 The Embarcadero in San Francisco. Currently, there are more than 1 million FasTrak account holders in the Bay Area.

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.

See toll schedule for state-owned toll bridges here: http://bata.mtc.ca.gov/tolls/schedule.htm.

By Greg Enholm

Have you wanted to go a museum but could not go on a free day or afford the entrance fees? Thanks to our Contra Costa County Library, any Library cardholder can receive a FREE or REDUCED PRICE pass for 30+ museums and other cultural institutions in the Bay Area. All you need to do is know about when you want to go, go to the County Library website (www.ccclib.org), look at the left-hand side column, and click on “Discover & Go” under MUSEUM PASSES. You will then be able to choose among all available options and print out your pass at home without going to the Library. But if you want, you can also go to any of our 26 community Libraries and a Librarian can help you find the museum or cultural institution pass you want.

As of July 1, the following museums and other cultural institutions offer FREE or REDUCED PRICE passes to County Library cardholders (It is very easy to become a cardholder – it’s free and available at any of our 26 community Libraries): Aquarium of the Bay, Asian Art Museum, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Bedford Gallery, Blackhawk Museum, California Academy of Sciences, California Historical Society, California Shakespeare Theater, Cartoon Art Museum, Charles M. Schulz Museum, Children’s Creativity Museum, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, Exploratorium, GLBT History Museum, Golden State Model Railroad Museum, Habitot Children’s Museum, The Lawrence Hall of Science, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, The Marine Mammal Center, Museum of Children’s Art, Museum of Craft and Folk Art, Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD), Napa Valley Museum, Oakland Aviation Museum, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland Zoo, Pacific Pinball Museum, Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, Ripley’s Believe it or Not! ODDitorium , Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art, San Jose Museum of Art, The Tech Museum, UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, USS Hornet Museum, Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Detailed information about what kind of passes are available for each institution including time restrictions is available on the website.

Antioch’s main library is located across the street from Antioch Middle School at501 W. 18th Street. Hours are Monday & Tuesday Noon – 8 pm; Wednesday & Thursday 10 am – 5 pm; Saturday Noon – 5 pm; CLOSED: Friday and Sunday.

Antioch’s Full-screen Prewett – GenOn Gateway Center for Learning is across from Deer Valley High School at 4703 Lone Tree Way. Its hours are Tuesday 10 am – 7 pm; Wednesday and Thursday Noon – 8 pm; Friday and Saturday Noon – 5 pm; CLOSED: Monday and Sunday.

Enholm is County Library Commissioner (5^th District – Antioch, Bay Point, Crockett, Hercules, Martinez, Pittsburg, and Rodeo). He can be reached at gbenholm@hotmail.com.