Animal Control Officer Gabrielle Johnson (center) with Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando and Animal Control Services Supervisor Monika Helgemo. from Animal Control Services Facebook page

Congratulations to Officer Gabrielle Johnson, who was promoted to the position of Animal Control Officer at Antioch Animal Services, a division of the Antioch Police Department.

Officer Johnson started volunteering at Antioch Animal Services at the age of 16. She then went on to serve as an Animal Care Attendant. Officer Johnson graduated from the Animal Law Enforcement Academy in March of 2012.

Congratulations, Officer Johnson!

Volunteers are needed in the Antioch, Pittsburg and Brentwood areas to assist Seniors and low to moderate income taxpayers with tax preparation; training provided; time commitment of one day per week during tax season.

For more information, questions and to volunteer please call Sally at (925) 684-3505, or mechamrs@pacbell.net

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Saturday, September 15, 2012 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Antioch Police officers were dispatched to a local hospital for the report of a woman who was brought into the emergency room suffering from three gunshot wounds. The injuries are not life threatening.

Upon arrival at the hospital officers questioned the 20-year-old female and her friends. They could only say that the shooting occurred on an unknown street in Antioch. Officers located evidence of a shooting in the area of the 2100 block of L Street. It is unknown if this shooting scene is related to the shooting of this victim who is an Antioch resident. Officers collected evidence at the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) are widening State Route 4 (SR-4) through Pittsburg and Antioch. As part of this construction work, the contractor will be installing various drainage systems across the existing highway. In order to ensure crew and public safety during this work, the contractor will close all lanes of SR-4 in the westbound direction between Lone Tree Way and Contra Loma Boulevard, and the westbound on-ramp from Lone Tree way to SR-4 on Saturday evening, September 15 from 11:59 pm until 6:00 am.

The contractor will also close all lanes of SR-4 in the eastbound direction between Contra Loma Boulevard and Lone Tree Way on Sunday morning, September 16 from 1:00 am until 7:00 am.

The detours for this work will be as follows:

o Westbound motorists will be directed off the highway at Lone Tree Way, right on A Street, left on 18th Street, left on L Street, and right on westbound SR-4 on-ramp.

o Eastbound motorists will be directed off the highway at Contra Loma Boulevard, right on Contra Loma Boulevard, left on Fitzuren Road, right on G Street, left on Putnam Street, left on Lone Tree Way, right on eastbound SR-4 on-ramp.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and allow extra time for their commute. Please drive with caution through the detours and leave a safe traveling distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. Caltrans and CCTA appreciate your patience as we work to improve the highways. For the most current information on all SR-4 corridor closures please visit our web site at: http://widensr4.org.

Free Publication Features Bay Area Route Maps and Popular Destinations

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and its 511 Traveler Information Service have released the 2012 edition of the Getting There on Transit guide. The free publication features detailed maps of three dozen transit systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and highlights more than 250 popular destinations with directions to reach them on public transit.

“Bay Area residents and visitors can find everything they need to get around by bus, train, ferry and trolley in one handy guide,” said Melanie Crotty, MTC’s operations director. “Getting There on Transit is one of our most popular publications and provides the most comprehensive information on the nine-county transit system.”

Free transit information is also available by calling 511, going to 511.org, or using the 511 SF Bay-Transit app on a smart phone. “The maps contained in the Getting There on Transit guide are a great companion to these other sources of transit information,” Crotty noted.

The guideoffers both frequent and occasional transit users an easy-to-understand overview of the region’s diverse transit modes, routes and agencies. Features include a detailed diagram of Bay Area rail systems and their interconnections, and downtown maps of Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and other key cities. Also included is a directory of paratransit van and taxi services for disabled and elderly passengers, a guide to airport ground transportation, and information on 511 transit planning resources.

Newly added in this seventh edition are the region’s 150 free Park & Ride lots, shown on county maps and on an overview map. Conveniently placed throughout the Bay Area, Park & Ride lots are locations where drivers can meet carpool and vanpool partners or park and make transit connections.

Information on new 511 features and tools—such as the 511 SF Bay-Transit app for iPhone 4 and Android, and the new 511 Enhanced Trip Planner—is also included. The app provides door-to-door transit trip planning for more than 30 transit agencies, as well as scheduled departure times for transit routes throughout the region. The online 511 Enhanced Trip Planner at http://enhancedtripplanner.transit.511.org/TransitMMTP/tripplanner/index.aspx provides a unique side-by-side comparison of using transit, driving or a combination of both.

Additionally, transit information in the Getting There guide has been updated to include information about Clipper^®, the Bay Area’s all-in-one reloadable transit card. Currently, Clipper is accepted on Muni, BART, AC Transit, Caltrain, SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, the Dumbarton Express, and San Francisco Bay Ferry on the East Bay to South San Francisco route.

The new publication also features updated transit route maps, including a new ferry routes map, redesigned and reorganized interior pages that are more user-friendly, and a new cover design.

To receive a free copy of the 511 Getting There on Transit guide, email your name and address to library@mtc.ca.gov, fax 510.817.5848, or call 510.817.5836. Copies of the guide also are available through Bay Area transit operators, at Bay Area airports, and in San Francisco at the Embarcadero BART/Muni station (visit the Clipper kiosk on the main concourse) and the Bay Crossings store located in the Ferry Building. A PDF file of the Getting There guide is available at: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/library/getting_there/Getting_There_On_Transit_2012.pdf.

About 511

511 is a one-stop phone and web source for up-to-the-minute Bay Area traffic, transit, rideshare, bicycling, and parking information. It’s free of charge and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from anywhere in the nine-county Bay Area. Call 511 or visit 511.org. 511 is managed by a partnership of public agencies led by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Transportation.

Meeting gives residents opportunity to address city council candidates

The Commons at Dallas Ranch will host a “Meet the Antioch City Council Candidates” Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at The Commons at Dallas Ranch, 4751 Dallas Ranch Road, Antioch.

The Commons at Dallas Ranch, the premier Independent, Assisted, and Memory Care Senior Community in Antioch will welcome the Antioch City Council Candidates for a Town Hall Meeting. During the town hall meeting, each candidate will be given the opportunity to present a brief introduction of themselves and their election platform. The candidate presentations will be followed by a question and answer period by the moderator and the audience.

“This is an opportunity for our residents and the community to have the opportunity to ask questions and hear first hand what the candidates bring to the table.” “We are honored to host the event.” says Dina Osakue, Community Relations Director at The Commons.

For more information or to submit questions for the candidates, contact Dina Osakue at (925) 754-7772.

The Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) has announced, after interviewing the four candidates for Mayor of Antioch, that its members voted unanimously to endorse former Antioch mayor and mayoral candidate Don Freitas.

APOA president Tom Furhmann stated, “Our city is operating in the worst state budget crisis ever. Sacramento is raiding the budget we count on for essential city services like police, public safety and other essential city services. Now more than ever, we need experience and effective leadership at City Hall. Don is that leader. We don’t expect to agree with him on everything, but we know this: Don Freitas doesn’t beat around the bush. What you see is what you get. He brings proven experience and effective leadership ability – leadership that Antioch needs to successfully navigate the challenges ahead.”

A lifelong Antioch resident and career County employee, Freitas served as Antioch’s elected mayor from 2000-2008, after being elected in 1998 to the City Council, and having served 16 years on the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors. Today, Don Freitas, who recently retired as the County’s Clean Water Manager.

“I am thrilled,” said an enthusiastic Freitas. “I was honored to serve as Antioch’s mayor from 2000 – 2008. We accomplished a lot during that time by partnering with the APOA and others. Sadly, the past four years have been a different story. Receiving the APOA’s support at this critical time means the world to me. Working together we can create stability at City Hall and restore community optimism to move our city forward.”

During his first term on the Antioch City Council Freitas voted to give the police the “three percent at fifty” retirement benefit that has been a cause of increased costs for cities and counties throughout the state. It allows current sworn officers the ability to retire at age 50 with an annual income equal to 3% multiplied by their highest year’s salary, again multiplied by the number of years worked. That benefit was changed, this year, to 3% at age 55 and is calculated on the final three year’s salary for new hires, reducing the pension costs to the city budget.

Then in 2007, during his last term as Mayor, Freitas voted to give the police a six year contract, which included two pay raises. That contract was to run through the end of this year, but the current council worked with the Police Association to adjust their compensation package, requiring they pay 9% toward their retirement, and eliminated the two pay raises allowing the city to avoid two, multimillion dollar balloon payments to cover the costs of those raises.

Two of the other three candidates running for Mayor, current Mayor Pro Tem Wade Harper and Councilman Gary Agopian, voted to implement the new, less expensive contract.

The election for Antioch mayor will be decided on the November 6th ballot. Last June, Antioch voters decided by more than 84% to keep the city’s system of electing its Mayor. “Residents want an independent, strong, effective leader. This will always be my goal if voters give me the privilege of serving as Antioch mayor once again,”said Freitas.

For more information contact Don Freitas directly at 925-778-1161 or via email at dpfreitas@comcast.net.

Publisher Allen Payton contributed to this article.

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Sand Creek Road Interchange and widening State Route 4 at Lone Tree Way (SR-4) – (Formerly Bypass Road) through Antioch and Brentwood. As part of this construction work the contractor will be performing pile driving activities for the new Sand Creek Road Undercrossing bridge.

Pile driving began on September 10th and will take place from 7:00 AM until 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, for approximately 2 to 3 weeks. Local residents/businesses can expect increased background noise levels during pile driving activities.

Please drive with caution through the work area and leave a safe traveling distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. CCTA appreciates your patience as we work to improve mobility in East Contra Costa County. For the most current information please contact the project hotline number at 925-206-3002 or go to www.ccta.net