To kick off the New Year, local signs and graphics provider FASTSIGNS^® of Antioch has moved to a larger facility located at 1388 Sunset Drive, which is right off Highway 4 and Hillcrest Avenue.

“Our new location allows us to serve our customers even better with increased space for design and production, as well as additional meeting space for customer consultations,” said Randy Sabatte, who owns FASTSIGNS of Antioch with his wife, Debbie, and son, Joel. “We have also expanded our capabilities by adding new equipment and an indoor vehicle bay to install vehicle graphics all year round.”

FASTSIGNS of Antioch’s new location is almost double the size of their former facility at 5035 Lone Tree Way. The added space allows room for new equipment to help meet the demand for high volume signage projects and quick turnaround. FASTSIGNS of Antioch acquired an HP Latex 360 Printer, which uses environmentally-friendly inks for versatile and long-lasting graphics. The center also added a Vision CNC Router for producing ADA-compliant signs, dimensional letters and an array of other unique applications.

“With our experienced staff, we look forward to continue supporting local businesses and providing the same great customer service,” Sabatte said. “My team and I are excited about the opportunities our new location and equipment will bring. When our customers walk in our center, they will also be greeted with new digital signage displays in our remodeled showroom.”

Independently owned and operated, FASTSIGNS of Antioch has been providing visual communications and marketing solutions to local businesses and organizations since 2007. The center provides wall, window and floor graphics, architectural signs, wayfinding solutions, trade show displays, safety signage, vehicle wraps and more.

About FASTSIGNS^®

FASTSIGNS^® of Antioch is an independently owned and operated sign, graphics and visual communications company that provides comprehensive visual marketing solutions to customers of all sizes—across all industries—to help them meet their business objectives and increase their business visibility. To learn more, visit fastsigns.com/520 or call (925) 755-7446.

Join Los Medanos College (LMC) in celebrating 40 years of serving the communities of East Contra Costa County. The College will be hosting an open house for all ages on Saturday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will include the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the College’s new Student Services Center, tours of the campus; music, dance and dramatic arts performances; workshops on college and career success, and the College’s support programs; the opportunity to see inside many of LMC’s academic departments; planetarium shows; arts and crafts activities; and an opportunity to meet representatives of student clubs and organizations. All ages are welcome to this free community event.

The event is free and a parking permit is not required. The campus is located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg.

Activities include:

– campus tours

– workshops on how to get started in college, career pathways,

– opportunities to learn about LMC’s academic programs and athletics

– planetarium shows

– theater performances: scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

– welders in action

– chemistry experiments including gummy bear explosions and making “elephant toothpaste”

– the LMC fire truck used to train firefighters

– Mexican bark paintings and other crafts (especially for kids)

– a mock archeology dig

– dance team performances

– music performances by the faculty, the college’s jazz band, and other music students

– ceramics demonstrations

– blood pressure checks by nursing students

– a chance to make DNA bracelets

– hands-on biology activities

– physics experiments and demos

– information about the college’s Brentwood Center

– American Sign Language (ASL) demonstrations

– open labs for computer science, appliance service technology, math, graphic arts/photography, journalism, English, emergency medical services

The campus will open at 10:00 with activity booths, the library and art gallery. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Student Services Center will take place at 10:30 a.m. Workshops, demonstrations and open departments will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.

Food will be available for purchase. Two food trucks will offer a wide variety of entrees, the college’s cafeteria will be open, and student clubs will be offering snacks and beverages.

LMC’s new Student Services Building was completed in January 2015 and is home to the many services that students need to facilitate and support their success at the college. This includes services such as Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, Scholarships, Disabled Students Programs & Services, Career Services, Counseling, Equal Opportunity Programs & Services, CARE and CalWORKS, along with the college’s leadership and instructional administration.

Los Medanos College opened its doors in 1974 on a 120-acre site near the boundary between the cities of Pittsburg and Antioch. For 40 years, the college has served the communities of East Contra Costa County, and students from Antioch, Liberty, Mt. Diablo, and Pittsburg Unified School Districts, as well as adults of all ages. Tens of thousands of students have attended Los Medanos College during its many years of service to the community.

The name of the college derives from the 8,000-acre Rancho Los Medanos, which was one of the last land grants made by the Mexican government when California was still a territory of Mexico. Rancho Los Medanos covered almost all of Pittsburg and Antioch, including the current site of the college. Translated into English, the name of the college refers to inland sand dunes or sand hills, which may be a reference to the sandy terrain that characterizes eastern Contra Costa County with its long history of sand mining.

Today Los Medanos College, as one of 112 community colleges with the California Community College System, is a thriving center of higher education activity. The college offers courses leading to transfer credit at senior colleges and universities, general education and major coursework leading to associate degrees, and courses leading to certificates of achievement.

LMC’s educational programs provide cutting-edge, rigorous workforce and advanced education preparation. The College’s efforts are strengthened by regional business and industry support as well as collaboration with K-12, institutions of higher education and community-based organizations. As the leading force in the economic development of eastern Contra Costa County, Los Medanos College offers high-quality instruction supported by the latest technology while still maintaining the personal touch and family orientation for which the college is known. To further meet the needs of local residents and businesses in Brentwood, Discovery Bay and Oakley, the College provides an educational center in Brentwood.

More information about the college’s history and open house can be found at www.losmedanos.edu/openhouse.

By Allen Payton

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) who represnts most of Antioch, issued the following statement after today’s Federal Communications Commission vote to adopt new rules concerning broadband access in the U.S.:

“Today, the FCC took a historic step in voting to protect the internet as we know it. Reliable broadband access is essential for the future of commerce, education, and innovation in this country. The FCC clearly took into account the more than four million public comments they received in advance of their decision.

“Today’s vote is an important step in an ongoing process to keep the internet as open for innovation and economic growth as possible. The FCC is responsible for providing the framework for internet communications, and I look forward to the release of the order. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that we empower consumers and businesses as technologies change and advance.”

According to a Huffington Post article about the FCC’s vote, three of the five members of the commision voted “to approve a rule that reclassifies consumer broadband as a utility under Title II of the Communications Act. The FCC intends to use this new authority to ban ‘paid prioritization,’ a practice whereby Internet service providers can charge content producers a premium for giving users more reliable access to that content, as well as to ban blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. These rules also apply to mobile access.”

The complete, official news release from the FCC about the ruling can be viewed here.

CCTA receives federal grant to plan new Technologies for a multi-modal transportation corridor on Highway 4

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), and U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-5) and Jerry McNerney (CA-9) today announced that a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation was received to begin planning for an Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) program on Highway 4. The ICM program will build upon the work that’s already been done to improve the Highway 4 corridor and demonstrates CCTA’s commitment to finding innovative solutions to smooth traffic and help Contra Costa residents get where they need to go safely and efficiently. 

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) authorized the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to encourage Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployment on the national highway system through demonstrations and grant programs. The purpose of this program is to promote the integrated management and operations of the transportation system. CCTA has been awarded the grant to support planning for a multimodal transportation corridor along Highway 4.

“These funds will allow us to implement new technology to help lessen congestion on the I-80 corridor to the entire 31-mile length of Highway 4,” said Congressman Mike Thompson. “Commutes will be made safer and easier, and our region will be even more attractive to residents and new businesses. I am proud to have worked with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority to secure this important grant.”

“The Contra Costa Transportation Authority, along with other agencies, have already invested over a billion dollars of mostly local and state funds to improve the heavily used SR-4 corridor. I am glad to support agency’s hard work and innovation by working with them to bring home this grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This grant funding will be used to reduce congestion and keep travelers informed of any delays.”

CCTA and its partner agencies have invested $1.3 billion to expand capacity on Highway 4, improve local connections to the highway, and to extend BART from Pittsburg/Bay Point to Hillcrest Avenue. This investment will dramatically improve the performance of the highway and parallel and connecting arterials, and adds a new transit option (eBART), HOV and HOT opportunities, along with facilitating increased local transit options. The improvements on the Highway 4 corridor are expected to be completed by early 2016; eBART is expected to begin revenue service in 2017.

The Integrated Corridor Management program is the next evolution of improvements along this busy corridor, and will preserve the mobility benefits gained by the Highway 4 widening and eBART project for decades to come.

“This ICM project redefines mobility in the 21st century,” said CCTA Board Chair Julie Pierce. “The Contra Costa Transportation Authority is committed to just this kind of innovation, as seen recently with the launch of our GoMentum Station Connected Vehicle/Autonomous Vehicle (CV/AV) program. In the span of 20 years, we’re working to take Highway 4 from the worst commute in Contra Costa to the best commute through our strategic investments and management of this corridor.”

CCTA, in collaboration with Caltrans District 4 (Oakland), Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), local cities, and transit agencies in Contra Costa County, has developed a Corridor System Management Plan (CSMP) to implement the Integrated Corridor Mobility solution along the Highway 4 corridor. The program will integrate several innovative key operational strategies for the freeway, ramps, local arterials, and transit to mitigate congestion and better manage traffic flow throughout the corridor. CCTA and its partners will utilize the lessons learned from implementations in San Diego and Dallas as well as the I-80 ICM programs being implemented in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

About The Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts.  CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA can be found online at www.ccta.net.

Dear Editor:

Susan Bonilla must come out to voters on her gay rights record.

As a member of the LGBT community, I am appalled by Assemblywoman Bonilla’s muddled record on gay rights. Not once in her candidacy for the 7th State Senate seat has she explained why as Supervisor she voted for Contra Costa not to stand up against Proposition 8.

Bonilla’s deciding vote made us the only county in the Bay Area to not join the fight against Proposition 8, even though her district voted overwhelmingly against it. And while today she claims to be a support of gay rights, her endorsement of pro-life, anti-gay candidates flies in the face of her newly formulated positions.

There’s only one candidate on the ballot who’s consistently supported marriage equality since her first day in office, and that’s Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan. Joan opposed Proposition 8 when it was politically unpopular, and has a zero-tolerance policy for endorsing candidates who do not support equal rights.

Please join me in supporting Joan Buchanan for State Senate on March 17, 2015.

Robert D. Camacho, Concord

Camacho was a candidate for the Concord City Council in 2012 and a 2008 Hillary Rodham Clinton Delegate from the 10^th Congressional District to the National Democratic Convention.

East Contra Costa Republican Women Federated will be meeting Thursday, March 12, 2015, 11:30 a.m., at Discovery Bay Country Club, 1475 Clubhouse Dr., Discovery Bay 94505. Our speaker will be Al Sauvadon, he will be speaking about his experience as an immigrant from France and terrorism in the U.S. and France. Everyone is welcome. For information and reservations call (925) 266-7674.

Why the Grassroots Democrats are for Joan Buchanan Four local Democratic Club Presidents say why they support Joan Buchanan for Senate District 7 in the March 17th primary. Submitted by Ellis Goldberg Four Democratic clubs endorsed Joan Buchanan and are actively working on her campaign. Club members are sending personal notes to voters urging them to vote for Joan. This is what the club presidents are telling voters.
Brodie Hilp President San Ramon Valley Democratic Club	Joan has spoken at our club many times and each time we are amazed at her expertise on a wide range of issues such as California water issues and the California budget. If you attended the candidate debates, you heard the other candidates speak in platitudes and generalities. In contrast, Joan’s answers were thorough and at a much higher level than the other candidates. Another example of her intellect and commitment to high standards is when she rescued several legislative bills from erroneous wording which would have left loopholes and cost taxpayers money. Besides her intellect, equally undeniable is her passion for public education and compassion for the children in California. In summary, we at the grassroots level support Joan for State Senate. She may not be good at wooing big organizations with big money for campaigns, but she is has a big heart and the intellect to get the job done right.
Ellis Goldberg, President TriValley Democratic Club	Joan Buchanan does her homework!State legislators consider 1700 bills in each two year session, they can’t have a good grasp of all of them. When state legislators need an analysis of the effects, costs and unintended consequences of a particular bill under consideration, they go to Joan. She is a highly respected, influential “GO TO” legislator known for insightful thought out analysis. When other legislators can’t get their head around an issue they come to Joan. That’s how she leads. It is not enough to vote on the issues, championing issues is required. Joan Buchanan is a champion.”
Karen Cohen President Diablo Valley Democratic Club	Our club unanimously endorsed Joan because of her integrity and her grasp of complicated issues that is the result of diligent study combined with unusual intelligence. We know we can count on her to make decisions for the good of all citizens.Joan is committed to securing a positive economic future by passing responsible, performance-based, balanced budgets; supporting small businesses and innovative technologies; and prioritizing education in order to ensure a competent workforce.
Jane Walter President Democrats of Rossmoor	Our club has voted to endorse Joan Buchanan’s candidacy for the State Senate for many reasons. Joan has a special relationship to Rossmoor. She is a dues paying member of our club and a popular speaker at our meetings which she attends on occasion. Joan has held constituent meetings on our campus and understands the needs and interests of the Rossmoor community. As our representative in the State Assembly, Joan was especially effective in the areas of technology, fiscal planning, and education. She is a passionate advocate for our public schools. Joan always does her homework and has never failed to impress us with her deep understanding of the issues facing our state and region. We know that she deeply cares about the causes she supports and never acts or speaks out of political calculation. As our State Senator, Joan would continue to work for the causes which we as Democrats would like to see supported in the State Legislature.