The Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch is proud to present artworks from students from Antioch Middle, Black Diamond and Dallas Ranch Middle Schools beginning March 11th and continuing through March 28th. There will be an opening reception on March 11th from 4-6 PM. There are many talented students in Antioch and this an opportunity to showcase their art like a professional artist in a local gallery.

The Arts4Schools Program is sponsored by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, the City of Antioch and Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund and Cal Pine Grants from Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover.

In addition to sponsoring the gallery exhibit, Supervisor Glover through the Keller Canyon Mitigation Grant, provides $500 to each participating school to be used for art and cultural supplies and educational endeavors. For more information about each exhibit call Diane Gibson-Gray at (925) 325-9897 or email Diane@Art4Antioch.org. The Lynn House Gallery is located in the Rivertown District at 809 W. 1st Street, Antioch (across from the AMTRAK Train Station) and is open from 1 – 4 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays during exhibits and admission is free.

Attorney Roy Stanley speaks to Global NxLevel Strategies’ current Business Plan Writing Course at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce conference room.

By Allen Payton

The Global NxLevel Strategies Entrepreneur program is a business planning and management, entrepreneur-training course. Led by the husband and wife team of Mitchell and Quincy Hardin, Global NxLevel Strategies brings with it the energy and excitement to captivate, motivate and inspire your communities’ entrepreneurs, youth-preneurs, start-ups, existing businesses and career seekers.

Business planning development is critical to start-up and existing businesses. They offer an interactive, instructor-led entrepreneurial training course, which guides in planning, writing and launching your business vision.

Guest speakers such as attorneys, bankers, accountants and successful entrepreneurs bring added insights to the course.

“Our program is delivered in a collaborative learning environment that encompasses real life case studies, business-to-business networking brought to you by experienced business owners and educators with a wide array of business and career experience,” said Quincy.

Global NxLevel Strategies provides comprehensive business development and leadership training. They have several different program formats available. The curriculum can be tailored to meet your individual and/or group needs.

The outcome of the development of a business plan acts as a road map for start-up and future growth. A business plan dissects every aspect of a business. More importantly it teaches you how to set realistic goals, predict cash flow, establish a budget and identify their markets.

Their next 10-week Business Plan Writing Course, which costs only $95.00, begins Thursday, April 9 and will be held at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce conference room, 101 H Street, Waldie Plaza.

To register call (925) 209-1584, email GlobalNxLevel@gmail.com or visit www.GNSInfo.biz.

Pastor Chris Williams preaches to the Sunday morning congregation at The Church@Antioch.

By F.D. Purcell

In a world full of options both positive and negative Chris Williams knew his city of Antioch thrived for something new and innovative, a place of worship that was groundbreaking, fresh and new.

“A lot of my congregation was moving to Antioch,” Williams said of the former church that he pastored for 16-years, Bethany Baptist Church in Oakland. “I had to leave my comfort zone and lead where the people are.”

Emery and Chris Williams

A third generation of ministers, Williams the eldest of three boys knew at the tender age of 16 that he was chosen to carry on the family tradition. While many teens his age were straddling their occupational goals, by 17 Williams had already retired from his drumming duties in the church his father pastored, a position he’d held since the age of 12 to focus solely on his ministry.

“I can’t explain how it happened, there was just a feeling of knowing that came over me,” said the Bay Area native about his choice. “It helped that its (pastoring) multi-generational in my family, between my aunts and uncles there is approximately 13-14 of us that are ministers so when I felt things were changing I started asking my dad a lot of questions and he told me to pray about it.”

A pastor for nearly 30-years Williams got his undergrad in Biblical Studies from California Baptist University in Southern California and went through intense training at Faith Theological Seminary in Washington State.

“We want to provide a place that’s full of energy, a place of neighboring and empowerment. I am humbled to be a part of this,” said wife Emery who like her husband grew up in the church, the daughter of two ministers.

The first of their five previews began in late August. The previews were held monthly until December and gave the community a taste of what they could expect through music, song, and dance and The Church @Antioch: A Place to Belong officially kicked-off on January 4, 2015 with a red carpet event. The nearly 250 in attendance included the Mayor of Antioch and a performance by Grammy Award winning songwriter KJ Scriven as well as praise dancers and a dramatic skit about a single working mother.

“Pastor Larry from Golden Hills has been a mentor to me and has opened his doors to us,” said Pastor Chris. “They have offered to help in any way they can and have opened their doors to us, as well as other sites with no sense of control.”

In fact their new members class, The Encounter at The Church @Antioch is held each Thursday at the Antioch campus of Golden Hills Church, 1800 Woodland Drive at 7 pm.

They even provide weekly reminders via text regarding new members classes and services.

Sunday services are held at 10 am in the theatre at Black Diamond Middle School, 4730 Sterling Hill Drive, Antioch.

For more information call (925) 679-5757 or visit their website at churchatantioch.org, or on Facebook: The Church @Antioch.

FULL FREEWAY CLOSURES:

State Route 4 (SR4):

There are no full freeway closures of SR4 planned for this week.

State Route 160 (SR160):

There are no full freeway closures of SR160 planned for this week.

HIGHWAY LANE CLOSURES:

State Route 4 (SR4):

There will be highway lane closures in the westbound direction of SR4 between Contra Loma Boulevard and Loveridge Road Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm.

There will be highway lane closures in the westbound direction of SR4 between Lone Tree Way/A Street and Somersville Road on Monday through Thursday evenings from 9:00 pm to 4:00 am.

There will be highway lane closures in the eastbound direction of SR4 between Lone Tree Way/ A Street and Somersville Road on Monday through Thursday evenings from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am.

There will be highway lane closures in the westbound direction of SR4 between Balfour Road and Lone Tree Way on Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

State Route 160 (SR160):

There are no highway lane closures of SR160 planned for this week.

RAMP CLOSURES:

State Route 4 (SR4):

There are no ramp closures of SR4 planned for this week.

State Route 160 (SR160):

There are no ramp closures of SR160 planned for this week.

LOCAL STREET CLOSURES:

Contra Loma Boulevard/ L Street will be closed in all directions between the SR4 on and off ramps on Monday through Thursday evenings from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am (see attached detour map: Hwy 4 Lane Closures 3-7 thru 13).

Aerial view of Contra Loma Plaza.

Phillips Edison & Company announced recently that the Contra Loma Plaza completed a façade renovation, major lighting upgrade and landscape improvements as part of a community revitalization effort in Antioch.

According to the company’s website, the shopping center is anchored by SaveMart and positioned in the heart of Antioch’s residential community and across the street from high-density residential development, with easy and direct access from Highway 4 and more than 88,300 residents in the three-mile trade area with an average household income over $74,500.

“I am really pleased with the renovation. The bright lights and the improvements to the landscaping have taken a large step towards the safety and the overall pleasing appearance of the plaza which is a good example of making Antioch a much more welcoming location for businesses,” said Hans Ho, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, a group that meets regularly and assists with safety enforcement, neighborhood involvement and improved communication between businesses within the center. “We look forward to the continued improvement of this community and Plaza,” said Ho.

“Renovating the Contra Loma Plaza was an important project for us, and we are thrilled to see its completion has made such a positive impact in the community,” said Joe Schlosser, vice president of portfolio management at Phillips Edison. “The support from the Antioch community and retailers in the Contra Loma Plaza to improve the area has been tremendous, and we are very proud to be an invested community partner throughout this resurgence.”

“I would just like to thank the new ownership at Contra Loma Plaza for investing in Antioch and doing such a great job upgrading the shopping center. It looks terrific,” said Steve Duran, Antioch City Manager.

The Plaza’s new façade was designed by Architecture Design Collaborative, a full service planning and architectural firm specializing in retail, commercial, and residential projects, located in Costa Mesa, California. The construction of the project was carried out by Smith Development & Construction Company, a general contractor with more than 30 years of experience in the residential and commercial building and design industries of California.

To see a Youtube video of the improvements to the center, click here.

Phillips Edison & Company offers a complete range of retail solutions for investors and retailers. The Company has an operating platform designed to optimize property value and consistently deliver a great shopping experience. Phillips Edison provides retail services including development, redevelopment, leasing and management of retail centers. Established in 1991, the company’s portfolio currently includes a national footprint of retail properties. The Company has corporate offices in Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, New York City and Atlanta.

For more information, please visit www.phillipsedison.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

By Allen Payton

Congressman Jerry McNerney, one of 42 Democrats in Congress who refused to attend the speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this past Tuesday, claimed in the Antioch Herald and Stockton Record, that the speech was nothing more than partisan politics. But, in a previous statement issued to The Washington D.C. newspaper The Hill, McNerney claimed he had previous commitments.

In the Herald and Record articles, published this past week, from a news release sent by McNerney’s office, he stated “I believe it was wrong for the Prime Minister and Speaker Boehner to arrange this event without informing the White House and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate.”

But, in a February 9th article on The Hill website, it states “Rep. McNerney is not planning to attend the speech. He’s got several previously planned commitments for that day.”

A 2016 challenger in the 9th Congressional District, which includes most of Antioch, Kathryn Nance, a police sergeant in Stockton, called McNerney’s statements troubling and strange.

“It’s obvious the Congressman will only listen to his fellow extremists led by [Rep.] Barbara Lee [D-Oakland] and now is trying to cover his tracks by giving statements in conflict with each other,” said Nance. “This district should expect more from their Member of Congress.”

“We need a Representative who will put an end to his politics of divisiveness and bring the people of the 9th district together to fight for our future,” she continued.

In a news release from the Nance campaign, it states “This brought back memories of his 2006 campaign where he was caught changing his positions on dozens of issues to hide his true extremism. McNerney, who barely survived his most recent election despite a challenger with little financial support, is best known for his trips to Antarctica and lack of clout to deliver for working families in his district on important issues like jobs, water and transportation for his mostly Central Valley district.”

“Jerry McNerney continues to fail this district to pay off his debt to dangerous extremists like Barbara Lee who put him in office,” said Nance spokesman Lee Neves. “He has a record of saying one thing while doing the other all the way back to his first campaign. Kathryn Nance will give this district the representation it deserves and fight for stronger job and wage growth for working families, better water and transportation systems, and a strong response to terrorist groups like ISIS. No double talk. No trips to Antarctica.”

Born and raised in the Stockton area, Kathryn Nance is an 18 year veteran of the Stockton Police Department, currently serving as a Sergeant with the Department’s AB109 Task Force and as President of the Stockton Police Officers Association. She has previously served as a Field Training Officer and as a member of the Department’s Gang and Homicide units. She is married to her husband of 10 years, James Nance. Together, they have a blended family of four children, ranging in ages of 15 to 23.  In her spare time she enjoys cycling, CrossFit and bowling, along with serving as the Chairwoman of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer San Joaquin.

The 9th Congressional District includes most of Antioch, all of Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, in Contra Costa County, as well as Stockton, Lodi and most of San Joaquin County. The Primary Election will be held in June, 2016.

Christopher Anthony Monico

April 16, 1993 – March 2, 2015

Christopher Anthony Monico (also known as Christopher Anthony Chiquillo) entered into brightness at approximately 11:30pm on Monday, March 2, 2015. Christopher’s parent, Central Americans Ninoska Monico and Walter Chiquillo were blessed with a beautiful son Friday, April 16, 1993, as well as his four older sisters on warm, sunny Friday in San Francisco. Born to a family of San Francisco Mission Natives, to Central American parents that found and built a home in this majestic community, his family, like so many other families, was recently displaced from the home they lived in their entire lives in the heart of the Mission, and forced to move out of the City. The last of five children, he was destined to be a warm, amiable, creative, and heavenly soul. He was always, and forever more, a person, a soul that felt and knew his body; he danced, hugged, consoled, and felt the cumulative and speckled spirits of those and everyone around him. Christopher never ceased to enchant and delight when he performed – a fact not left unnoticed, having been recruited at age 8 by the San Francisco Ballet. His smile, one that could never be forgotten, was in and of itself a bright and burning spot on this Earth meant to heal those in most distress. Christopher was a poet that felt, touched, and healed people in a manner that could never be known through this written format. A good and Godly man, he was fated to feel the depths of humanity from top to bottom, and though he died young, his purpose was ultimately realized.

This is a tremendous loss for Christopher’s family. He is survived by a 4-year-old son, Christopher Jr., loving partner, mother, father, four sisters, six nephews, four nieces, aunts, uncles, countless cousins, friends, and more and more and more. Hearts shattered, his family is seeking to bury Christopher with the love and dignity that he deserves. Many of you were touched by Christopher’s deep emotional sensitivity to what is humanity, and his family is thankful for the abundance of love that has been offered at this time.

Family welcomes donations at ‘Christopher Monico Funeral Funds’ www.gofundme.com/nvjpks.

With great sadness and unity,

The Chiquillo-Monico-Zapata Family

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The California Republican Party filed a trademark infringement complaint against the Democrat-run Asian American Small Business Political Action Committee for its unlawful use of the iconic Republican trademarked, registered elephant image, misrepresenting the CRP in multiple mailers (which can be viewed here) ostensibly supporting Michaela Hertle, a candidate in the special State Senate District 7 election, this month, who withdrew from the race weeks prior to the publication of the offending mailers. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, monetary damages, treble damages for willful infringement, and fees and costs of suit.

“Deceptive ads like these mislead voters and misinform them about the positions and endorsements of the California Republican Party,” said California Republican Party Chairman Senator Jim Brulte (Ret.). “It’s egregious on the part of a Democratic Political Action Committee to intentionally deceive Californians with its use of well-known Republican images.”

In the 2013-2014 election cycle the PAC only contributed to Democratic candidates including Sharon Quirk-Silva who was running against a Republican Korean American. For this PAC to claim that it is bipartisan is a false representation of its values as shown by its recent actions, including opposing Republican Asian American candidates for legislative office. The PAC’s FPPC independent expenditure reports filed on February 26 and March 4, 2015 lists its sources of funding for these mailers as four unions. [$50,000 AFSCME; $50,000 CA Professional Firefighters; $40,000 SEIU; $10,000 CA Nurses Association].

The Democrat-run PAC recently began distributing the mailers that featured the trademarked image, unapproved by the CRP, to voters in Senate District 7, where a special election is taking place on March 17. Immediately upon being made aware of the trademark infringement, the CRP issued a cease and desist letter, which the PAC ignored as it paid for and distributed yet another mailer, the second one with even more offending, unauthorized elephant images.

“This lawsuit [is] about protecting our property, but more importantly protecting the integrity of the political process and the rights of California voters not to be misled by blatant misconduct of this nature,” said California Republican Party Vice Chairman Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The PAC continued to publish a second mailer and deceive voters even after legal counsel for the California Republican Party sent it a cease and desist demand. We will pursue legal action against individuals and organizations who deceptively use our trademarked images without our authorization.”

Besides here elected position within the state party, Dhillon is also an attorney for the CRP, which as has multiple attorneys. She and her team of lawyers, who specialize in trademark infringement, filed the suit on behalf of the party.

“From time to time we have people who misappropriate our trademark,” Dhillon stated. “This is the first time the party has filed a lawsuit on something like this, since I’ve been involved. We’re seeking a court order that they never do this, again. They were warned in writing. We haven’t had a situation like this, before.”

“This is pretty brazen,” she added.

The complaint and additional documents can be viewed on the California Republican Party’s website