Editor:

Attention everyone, on behalf of the Antioch Police Department and Antioch Police Officers Association, which, although they are short staffed and are unable to do a Christmas toy drive, this year, there are now two boxes to drop off new, unwrapped toys.

One is at Tailgater’s Sports Bar & Grill in Antioch. The other is at the Antioch City Hall. I know it’s last minute, please please try to make it to either location to donate a toy. Thanks to a great Antioch resident, Edward Antrim, for delivering the boxes.

Kenji Freitas

Antioch

Race Overview and Welcome

Dear Friends, Sponsors, and Fitness Enthusiasts:

We know you will enjoy the 37th Anniversary of the Holiday Run and Walk for Health and Health Fair in Antioch, coming on December 14, 2013. We invite you to participate in this year’s run, walk & health fair. Use this event as a goal for increasing your own personal fitness and energy—and that of your family!

Three decades! This event is the longest “running” fitness event in East Contra Costa—and is one of the earliest and most steadfast events promoting fitness and clean living in Northern California. It’s been possible to carry on this tradition and spread this message due to the generous support of sponsors and the tireless energy of hundreds of volunteers. If you’d like to join our planning committee for 2014, let us know. We need your ideas and help.

We welcome your feedback. We’re always looking to improve and expand. As a result of our generous sponsors, the recent event proceeds benefited the Orin Allen Rehabilitation Center, local youth groups and service clubs, Contra Costa County Schools and Contra Costa Libraries, and Senior Centers. Those awards were given at the Annual Awards Breakfast held in February! This year we will continue to offer similar benefits to our great local organizations.

The Antioch Kiwanis Club of the Delta invites you to share this unique health awareness and fitness action event in 2013…Join in on the fun & the health of it! Click here to download a race registration form or click here to register on-line!

For more information, please visit http://holidayrun.org.

See you on Saturday!

Sincerely,

Assemblymember Tom Torlakson Race Founder

Paul Schorr Race Director Antioch Kiwanis Club of the Delta 37th Holiday Run and Walk for Health

 

 

Holiday Run and Walk for Health Race History

In 1977, current California State Superintendent of Public Education, Tom Torlakson, a teacher and coach at Pacific High School, and Mike Hurd, the Antioch High School Cross Country coach during the 1970s, decided to pull together a new East County event. One in which their runners could participate after the Cross Country season ended, and one that would involve their community more in running.

In the 2nd year, Torlakson approached Clark Gelhaus—a teacher as well as a swimming instructor and fitness enthusiast—and the Delta Kiwanis Club to help with the event. Both the Kiwanis and Gelhaus enthusiastically embraced the Holiday Run.

The event’s organizers have continued to expand and transform the event to make it enjoyable and meaningful for participants.

A 10K race was added by 1979. In the 1980s, the race was moved up to Raley’s Shopping Center to take advantage of the nearby Contra Costa Canal trail. In 1987, the Holiday Run’s “School Participation Challenge” was initiated as a way to get younger students involved in the race and fitness.

In 1991, the race moved to the nearby Delta Memorial Hospital, now Sutter Delta Medical Center, allowing the use of their facilities for race headquarters. The walk was added to attract parent participation, seniors, and the growing number of recreational walkers.

In 1995, Delta Kiwanis made the Byron Boys Ranch—recently renamed the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Center—a targeted beneficiary of the financial proceeds of the event. Youth groups remain major beneficiaries to this day. A health fair was added and in 1997 our name evolved once again, to the “Holiday Run and Walk for Health.”

New participation challenges were also added. A Libraries Challenge gave our wonderful local libraries the opportunity to become beneficiaries of the event. Though their participation, libraries are awarded funds to buy up-to-date materials on fitness and nutrition.

In 2006, the Holiday Run and Walk for Health moved to the Contra Loma Regional Park with the cooperation of the East Bay Regional Parks District. This spectacular location was well received by a record-number of runners in its first three years.

We have worked together to celebrate three decades of family fun and fitness! We continue to believe that the “Holiday Run and Walk for Health” has great potential to grow and bring its message of fitness and family health to hundreds of others in our community

So you’ve winterized your car, your house, and your lawn. But what about your pet? It may sound amusing at first, but with winter already bringing Arctic winds and tumbling temperatures this year – not to mention an abundance of snow, sleet and freezing rain – it’s important that you take the time to prepare your pet adequately for the season. Here are some winter threats that lurk around, as well as tips on how to keep your pet safe

Toxic Winter Products

Anti-Freeze:  Never, ever leave automotive antifreeze where your pet can access it, and make sure you clean up any spills quickly and thoroughly. This highly toxic, yellowish green contains ethylene glycol, which is a powerful toxin that can quickly damage your pet’s kidneys. A single lick of this fluid can pose serious danger to the health of your pet, and, unfortunately, it has a smell and flavor that pets can find appealing. If you suspect that your dog or cat has come into contact with or ingested anti-freeze, take them immediately to the vet – this is a life-threatening emergency.

Windshield Cleaner:  This cleaner is less toxic than antifreeze, but it’s still a serious threat to your pet. Most varieties contain methanol, which can cause severe nervous system depression in pets, which may result in drooling, vomiting, and instability.

Ice Melt Products:   For most people who live in cold climates, treating walkways, driveways, and outdoor steps with rock salt or other ice melt products de rigueur during winter months. It may seem harmless enough – it’s just salt after all, right? 

Unfortunately, these products can cause everything from gastrointestinal tract irritation to depression, weakness, seizures and cardiac problems. Keep in mind that even if your pet never ingests ice melt products, walking on treated areas can dry out and irritate your pet’s paws.  Dry paws can lead to cracking and discomfort, and creates the possibility of infection.

Pet safe ice melt products are available. However, it’s impossible to control what other people put on their sidewalks.  To keep your pet safe and comfortable, gently wash and dry off his paws and his belly at the end of each walk, and when you enter the car during travel. Boots can prevent some irritation, but it’s hard to find varieties that truly stay on. Coating your dog’s paws with pet paw wax may be your best option for a preventative measure.

Indoor Dangers

Heating Elements:  Pets naturally seek out warm, cozy places during winter, and they’re often drawn to space heaters, heat lamps and fireplaces. These heat sources can pose dangers to your pets, so it’s important to monitor them.  Stray hairs can ignite quickly, so keep all fluffy tails from exposure to heat lamps and space heaters. Protect your pet from the open flames and sparks of a fireplace by using a safety screen or glass.

Outdoor Threats

The Elements:  Your pet isn’t totally protected from winter’s chill just because he has fur. Short-haired breeds that live in cold climates may be in need of protective clothing when spending time outdoors.

Keep a close eye on your pet while outdoors in cold weather, and bring them indoors if they are exhibiting signs of being too cold.  Monitor your pet closely to avoid overexposure, which can lead to hypothermia – a life-threatening condition. Signs of hypothermia include lethargy, weakness, muscle stiffness, difficulty breathing, and fixed and dilated pupils. Time outdoors during particularly harsh cold snaps should be limited for all breeds.

Never leave your pet unattended in freezing cold car. Once you shut off your car’s heater, the temperature drops far more rapidly than you might think.

Bodies of Water:  Romping through the snow off-leash is a favorite winter pastime for many dogs. However, before you remove the leash, it’s important to know the area in which your dog is playing to ensure that he doesn’t inadvertently fall into an unseen body of water.

Even seemingly frozen bodies of water can pose threats. Every year there are incidents in which dogs fall through thin ice and injure themselves, or worse – incidents which could easily have been prevented.

Car Engines:  Cats who roam outdoors often seek shelter from the cold by curling up in the warmth of a recently-turned off car engine. Turning your car on while a cat is snuggled up on your engine is obviously something you never want to have happen.  To alert any cat that may be near your car engine, bang on your hood a few times before getting in and starting your car.

Of course, you could always avoid winter threats by traveling south to a warmer climate! If you plan to escape winter’s chill by traveling with your pet, be sure to plan ahead.  If traveling by plane, check with your carrier to determine their airline pet policies. If traveling by car, be sure to take all the necessary steps for a safe, happy and fun winter road trip, including securing pet friendly hotels & accommodations along your travel route!

About TripsWithPets.com

TripsWithPets.com is the #1 online resource for pet travel. Named best pet travel site by Consumer Reports, TripsWithPets.com’s mission is to offer resources that ensure pets are welcome, happy, and safe while traveling.  The website features a directory of pet friendly hotels and accommodations across the United States and Canada, as well as airline & car rental pet policies; pet friendly restaurants, beaches, and events; a user-friendly route search option; pet travel tips; pet travel supplies; and other pet travel resources.

Stop By and Enjoy 20% Off All Food Items All Day!

By Sergeant Morefield, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, officers of the Antioch Police Department, in partnership with members of the Richmond Police Department, California Department of Corrections, FBI, and Contra Costa County District Attorney Investigators conducted a proactive enforcement detail in the City of Antioch. This operation was targeted at the high crime areas of the city.

At approximately 7:04 PM, officers assigned to this detail affected a traffic enforcement stop in the area of G Street at Texas Street. During this traffic stop, a police officer was struck by the suspect vehicle as it fled from officers, leading them on an over hour long pursuit through the cities of Antioch, Pittsburg, Bay Point, and Concord.

Multiple agencies were involved at different points in the pursuit to include the Pittsburg Police Department and CHP. Speeds in the pursuit reached up to 100 mph on SR-4. Spike strips were deployed several times during the pursuit, flattening some, but not all of the tires of the suspect vehicle. The pursuit ultimately ended up in the area of G St. and Longview Rd. in Antioch, as the suspect vehicle circled the neighborhood, driving on its rims.

The pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle was disabled in the 2900 block of Longview Road and the driver (a 36-year-old male) fled on foot. This suspect was quickly apprehended a short distance away by the pursuing officers. He was later sent to the Martinez Detention Facility for charges including Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer and Felony Evading.

No officers or civilians were injured during this incident and there were no reported vehicle collisions. This case is still under investigation by the involved police agencies.

No further information will be released at this time.

You may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

Starting January 1, 2014, BART riders will pay on average an extra 19 cents in fares to help pay for new train cars and other top priority projects that will ensure reliable, safe and clean train service for the Bay Area for years to come.  In February 2013, the Board of Directors voted to continue BART’s inflation-based fare increase program and dedicated the new revenue to replace and improve BART’s aging system.

The projects supported by the program include the purchase of Fleet of the Future train cars, a new train control system to improve reliability and to allow more trains to run more frequently, and the expansion of and improvements to the Hayward Maintenance Complex to serve the new fleet and support future service to Silicon Valley.

The inflation-based fare increase program has been in place since 2003 and provides passengers a predictable pattern of small fare adjustments over time as opposed to larger increases with little notice.  60% of surveyed BART passengers support small, predictable increases like these.  The renewed program will mean fare increases at a rate below inflation in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 and will generate a total of $325 million to be applied toward these important programs. The first increase will be 5.2%, raising fares on average by 19 cents.

“BART is required to come up with a portion of funding for many of our capital projects in order to qualify to receive extra money from other sources,” said BART Spokeswoman Alicia Trost, “BART must pay $800 million toward the cost of new rail cars—this fare increase will help us achieve that goal.  We understand no one wants to pay higher fares but riders should know this money can only be spent on these identified projects which will benefit passengers.”

Download the new far chart by clicking here. For more information visit www.bart.gov.