An effort by the Antioch Police Department and interested citizens has raised $9,000 toward their goal of $10,000 to pay for a new police dog.

Please make checks out to: The Kiwanis Club of Antioch Foundation-K9, Tax ID# 16-1693220 and send to: The Kiwanis Club of Antioch Foundation-K9, 3377 Deer Valley Road, Suite 239, Antioch, CA 94531

For more information call Lt. John Vanderklugt at 779-6973.

Thrilling Arena Events, a Free Concert Series, and Sea Lion Splash

Entertainment abounds at this year’s Contra Costa County Fair, May 31 – June 3 at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch. This year’s Fair features ongoing daily shows, stock car racing, a free concert series, daily strolling shows, and boat trailer races.

The 2012 concert series features the Spazmatics on Thursday night at 6 and 8 pm and Nathan Owen Motown After Dark on Friday evening at 6 and 8 pm. On Saturday evening – it’s a night of Rock and Roll with Rockin’ Down the Highway (a tribute to the Doobie Brothers) at 5:30 pm; Cream of Clapton (a tribute to Eric Clapton) at 7:30 pm; and Blaze of Glory (a tribute to Bon Jovi) at 9:30 pm. On Sunday afternoon, find musical entertainment at the Main Stage with FRESH, and on the Fiesta Stage, enjoy a Hispanic Musical Celebration. All concerts are free with admission to the Fair.

For thrilling arena action, the Antioch Speedway will host two action-packed events! On Saturday, watch Stock Car Racing at the Speedway. Gates open at 5 pm, and racing begins at 6:30 pm. On Sunday, don’t miss the crashing and demolition at the Boat Trailer Races and the Roll Over Competition. Gates open at 5 pm, and destruction begins at 6 pm. Tickets are $6 per night, and tickets will be sold at the gate,. Price does not include admission to the Fair.

With four days of fun planned for Fair-goers of all ages, the Contra Costa County Fair is the perfect place to enjoy live entertainment, delicious food, carnival rides, animals, and hundreds of exhibits.

Gates open at noon on Thursday and Friday, and at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday. Gates close each day at 11 pm. Advanced sale tickets are on sale now! Take advantage of early discounts and save money! .Advanced ticket sales are taking place now through May 30, and can be purchased at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch, on-line at www.ContraCostaFair.com, or at your nearby Walgreens.

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds is located at 1201 West 10^th Street, Antioch, CA 94509. For directions, event details or general information, visit www.ContraCostaFair.com or call the Fair Office at (925) 757-4400.

Residents, Staff excited about Senator’s visit to their community.

Senator Mark DeSaulnier will address residents of The Commons at Dallas Ranch at their Candlelight Dinner on May 25, 2012.

The Commons at Dallas Ranch, the premier Independent, Assisted, and Memory Care Community in Antioch will welcome Senator Mark DeSaulnier as they celebrate their Candlelight Dinner.

“The Candlelight Dinner is a chance to show the Resident’s that they are loved and appreciated by having a special dinner and recognizing birthday’s for the month. The dinner will be extra special this month because of the Senator’s visit”, says Dina Osakue, Community Relations Director. “We are all excited and thankful that the Senator will take time out of his busy schedule to join us.”

The Commons at Dallas Ranch Assisted Living Community is a community established by Premeira Care, an Oakdale, CA-based company. Dallas Ranch opened in Antioch in 2006, and continues to provide affordable luxury living and care for the senior community. For more information visit www.commonsatdallasranch.com.

Amgen Bike race competitors head east down Marsh Creek Road. Photo by Brad Bennett

Over 100 cyclists raced through the roads of Contra Costa County, up Mt. Diablo and down Marsh Creek Road in East County on Tuesday, May 15, during Stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California 2012 Bike Race.

The race lasted from May 13 to the 20th, with eight stages throughout the state.

According to the Amgen Tour of California website “Stage 3 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California started in north San Jose…and made its way down to the city of Livermore. For the first time in the history of the race, the riders were challenged with a climb up Mt. Diablo, one of the most revered climbs in California. Peter Sagan (SVK) [Slovakia] of Liquigas-Cannondale crossed the finish line first taking his third stage win of the 2012 race and making Amgen Tour of California history by winning three consecutive stages.”

According to the Associated Press, “The seventh annual event began May 13 in Santa Rosa with a field of 128 representing 16 teams. The 735-mile race, which had 110 finishers, progressed to the Bay Area before taking a largely inland route to Southern California.”

After eight epic days of racing along some of California’s most iconic roadways, highways and coastlines, the 2012 Amgen Tour of California concluded at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, with Rabobank’s Robert Gesink of the Netherlands winning the overall race.

For Gesink, the win marked a both a remarkable comeback and bittersweet win in remembrance of his father, who passed away after a cycling accident in October 2010.

“I dedicate this win for my father,” said Gesink, who said his father attended the 2009 Amgen Tour of California to see his son place 8th overall and win the race’s Best Young Rider jersey that year. “For me emotionally it is something really big to be back at this high level and to win a stage here, the toughest stage of all. It’s a good thing to be back in California and to be winning again.”

American teammates David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson of the Garmin-Barracuda team took second and third place overall. It was Zabriskie’s fourth second-place finish in America’s Greatest Race, having finished second in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012.

“Sure, I’d like to win, doesn’t anyone?,” said Zabriskie. “But it was a good tour for the Garmin-Barracuda team.”

About the Amgen Tour of California

The largest cycling event in America, the 2012 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, created and presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 13-20, 2012.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe, effective medicines from lab to manufacturing plant to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital medicines, visit http://www.amgen.com. Follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE and Best Buy Theater Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race, and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG Live, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring, and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

Dear Editor:

Last week I observed on TV a march, in Oakland, of the Grocery Clerks union. At the end of the news spot a business agent, a.k.a. economic illiterate, announced to his followers that the only thing that keep the major chains from looking like Walmart was a strong local union. It was then as an old, old, old member of the Grocery Clerks union that I realized that the only thing Walmart has going for it IS a strong local grocery clerks union.

When the investors of Raileys, Safeway, Save Mart, etc., realize they can make more money running a cat house we will all be going to Walmart.

Bob Oliver

Antich

Cost will be closer to $25,000 and avoid $90,000 in future expenditures. Council to decide Tuesday.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Following much discussion among commissioners, the Antioch Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council the renaming of L Street to Marina Parkway, at their May 16, 2012 meeting.

Commissioners stated that this will help promote the marina and downtown to anyone driving down the freeway. Commissioner Mark Langford pointed out that although it’s not a parkway, yet, that’s something the city should pursue in the future.

Only three members of the public gave input, including two residents of L Street who spoke against the change. I spoke, as well, providing additional historical background on the issue and in favor of the change.

The renaming idea originated with Antioch’s 1996 Economic Development Plan, that was developed with the help of 100 community leaders, and adopted by the City Council, later that year. It also included changing the name of A Street to Rivertown Drive.

The idea was brought up again, when Don Freitas was Mayor. He stated he liked the idea but thought it best to wait until the improvements to L Street between 4^th and 10^th Streets were complete, and Highway 4 was widened.

While driving down the freeway a few months ago, I realized the state was in the process of putting up the new off ramp signs. I then sent an email to the Mayor, Councilmembers and City Manager reminding them of the idea of changing the names of L and A Streets and suggested it be done, now before the new signs went up.

Mayor Pro Tem Wade Harper asked staff to pursue the change to just L Street, for now.

City staff explained to the commissioners that this will be the most cost-effective time to make the change and informed them that the cost to change Somersville Road to Auto Center Drive was $90,000 and only included the state’s portion. If the change was made later, the city would have to pay those extra costs, as well as the projected city costs. Director of Public Works Ron Bernal stated that the cost will be closer to $25,000 than the original $40,000 estimate.

While one proposed source of funds to pay for the change is the city’s gas tax funds, there are other potential sources, such as the remaining funds in the Residential Development Allocation program. The council in the past spent $200,000 of those funds to pay for the bluish-grey and silver “City of Antioch” signs seen throughout town.

One attempt by the Council to change the name of A Street to Rivertown Drive, failed on a 2-3 vote, in 1997, since there were three businesses on A Street with “A Street” in their name. Those businesses are now gone or have changed owners and names. Now that A Street is connected to 2nd Street, the suggestion is to rename both to Rivertown Drive. The City Council could decide that at a later meeting, since the freeway widening hasn’t yet reached A Street, giving businesses and residents more time to adapt to the renaming.

The City Council will make their decision on the name change of L Street at their meeting on Tuesday, May 22.

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 closing all lanes in the eastbound direction of SR-4 from Loveridge Road to Somersville Road on the evenings of Tuesday, May 22 through Thursday, May 24 between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Beginning Friday, May 25 at 6:00 am, eastbound traffic on SR-4 between Loveridge Road and Somersville Road will be shifted to the south over a portion of the Century Boulevard Bridge to allow the contractor to prepare for demolition of the old Century Boulevard Bridge.

Caltrans and CCTA appreciate your patience as we work to improve the highways. For the most current information on lane closures please visit our web site at: http://widensr4.org.

By Sergeant Quintero, Antioch Police Traffic Bureau

On Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 12:45 p.m., a 29 year old male Oakley resident was traveling eastbound on a Honda motorcycle from Golf Course Road onto Bluerock Drive with a green signal light for his direction. At that same time, a 34 year old female Oakley resident driving a Toyota Highlander was traveling northbound on Lone Tree Way and failed to stop for a red signal light for her direction. The Toyota struck the Honda motorcycle broadside ejecting the motorcyclist into the street and sending the motorcycle to the curb.

The motorcyclist sustained severe lower leg injuries to both legs and was flown to John Muir Medical Center by helicopter for emergency treatment. Although severe, his injuries do not appear to be life threatening at this time. There were no injuries reported by the occupants of the Toyota.

There are no indications that alcohol or drugs were related to this collision.