By Nick Goodrich

The Antioch City Council voted on Tuesday, November 24th, voted against the growing of marijuana for personal medical use in Antioch, was made during Tuesday’s meeting. State laws regarding marijuana cultivation will go into effect in March of next year, necessitating action by the City to either regulate or prohibit cultivation if it wants to retain its right to prohibit growing inside Antioch city limits.

If a city has not adopted an ordinance on the issue by March 1, 2016, it will be subject to state decisions on the matter. Concerns of security and crime issues weighed heavily in the discussion, with several Antioch residents speaking out in favor of prohibition; the notion of possible growing operations next door, small in size though they may be, proved disconcerting to many, as the presence of such operations could increase the risk of theft to the surrounding homes.

Police Chief Allan Cantando also expressed his concern before the Council about the possibility of regulated cultivation in Antioch, citing an increased crime risk and undue burden on the Antioch Police Department. Cantando reminded the Council that some past thefts in Antioch involving marijuana have resulted in homicides, and he is reluctant to support city measures that could possibly increase this trend. In addition, he said, other legal drug uses in Antioch, such as methodone, have tended to attract undesirable people and behavior to the area.

The issue also raised moral questions about restricting a medical user’s access to cannabis that may be an important part of the user’s treatment. The Council emphasized that the option to increase or decrease restrictions on cultivation should be left open if future considerations call for such action.

Following the discussion, the City Council voted unanimously to direct city staff to prepare an ordinance prohibiting marijuana cultivation in Antioch. Chief Allan Cantando saw the decision as an important move for the well-being and effectiveness of the APD, with the added benefit of remaining in accordance with federal marijuana laws.

“We’re trying to reduce response times and increase arrests,” he said. “This would be a burden to our department.”

Use of One-Time State Funds

The council also voted on the allocation of $883,175 received from the State of California. In June of this year, the State reimbursed the city of Antioch for nearly $800,000 for previous unfunded State mandates. The money was placed in the General Fund, where it collected interest before being brought to the Council.

The City Council directed that half of the $883,175 be applied to unfunded liabilities for the Police Supplementary Retirement Plan, as mandated by a Council decision earlier this year. That decision called for a minimum of 50% of all one-time monies received by the city to be allocated to unfunded liabilities. City Council considered several options for the use of the remaining money, including a Habitat Conservation Plan, an L Street redesign project, funding for the Antioch Historical Society’s Fire Truck Display Project, funding sister city activities, and funding an after-school library program at Deer Valley High School.

The City Council voted unanimously to fund the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), which establishes requirements for development projects that convert natural habitats into urban areas. Antioch was offered the opportunity to receive a Section 6 Federal Grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Services, worth more than $688,000, to pay for the HCP. In return, the city was required to pay only $229, 377, and can recoup money up to that amount from future development projects in the city. Antioch had previously been the last remaining city in East Contra Costa County to not participate in an HCP.

In a 4-1 vote, with Council Member Monica Wilson voting no, the Council also approved funding in the amount of $20,000 for the Antioch Historical Society’s Fire Truck Display Project, which was approved by the city last month. The project will add an additional building to the Historical Society Museum to house and display the Society’s antique 1927 Ford Model T fire engine, recently acquired from the city. In October, Mayor Wade Harper expressed his intent to offer funding for the project, and followed through this month with the support of most of the council.

In addition, the Council, in a 3-2 vote, with Wilson and Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock voting no, granted funding to Deer Valley High School’s after school library program, matching the $4,300 it has provided the program in recent years.

$500 was also allocated to fund activities with Antioch’s sister city, Chichibu, Japan. However, funding for the L Street redesign project fell short, on a 2-3 vote, with only Harper and Council Member Mary Rocha voting yes. The Council will revisit the project at a later date, with the goal to convert L Street into a “lovely, tree-lined parkway”, according to City Manager Steve Duran.

The next Antioch City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall between West 2nd and 3rd Streets in downtown Antioch. Council meetings can be viewed on Comcast local cable channel 24 or via live streaming on the city’s website at www.ci.antioch.ca.us.

New Antioch Police Officers, Jason Erickson, left and Kelly Inabnett, right, with Chief Allan Cantando following their oath of office ceremony on Monday, November 30, 2015

New officer Kelly Inabnett is given his oath of office by Antioch Mayor Wade Harper.

By Allen Payton

At a brief ceremony at the Antioch Police Facility, on Monday afternoon, November 30, two new Antioch Police Officers were given their oath of office by Mayor Wade Harper.

The officers were then given the opportunity to share a few words.

“I’m excited to come this way,” said Officer Kelly Inabnett, a lateral transfer from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department. “I have a lot of friends here who have said this is a great Dept to work for. I want to thank my wife for her support.”

Officer Jason Erickson who is a lateral transfer from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department said, “I want to thank my parents and friend (who were in attendance) in this big change of moving here from Bakersfield. I would like to thank the APD for giving me the opportunity to become a police officer.”

Chief Allan Cantando then shared his thoughts.

New officer Jason Erickson takes his oath of office administered by Mayor Harper on Monday, November 30, 2015

“These two officers are now part of the Antioch Police family,” he stated. “I will tell you that I could not be any prouder of the men and women who work for the Antioch Police Department. Going through the field training in this department, I think it’s amazing.

He then spoke to the families of the new officers.

“They’re going to develop relationships that will probably last a lifetime,” Cantando shared. “I want to thank the families. As they continue to move on with their careers they’re going to learn a lot here. They’re embarking on a career that is more challenging today.
“We haven’t lowered our standards in order to hire more,” he added. “The background check these gentlemen have gone through is extensive and you should be proud of that.”

That brings the total of sworn officers in the department to 95.

By Allen Payton

The November 9th court date for Contra Costa County School Board Trustee Jeff Belle at which he was to be arraigned for lying on his ballot statement in last year’s election, was postponed due to a motion filed by Belle’s attorney.

Belle filed a demure to dismiss the charge against him, claiming the District Attorney’s office did not adequately state the crime that he committed, Deputy District Attorney Steve Moawad explained.

The DA’s office responded and the hearing on Belle’s motion, which would dismiss the case, is set for this Friday, December 4 at 1:30 PM in Department 29 in Martinez.

In his candidate statement Belle stated he had a college degree, but had not yet obtained one, at that time. He faces a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine.

By Barbara Zivica

You’ve probably been hearing about the Antioch School Districts search for  a new school superintendent. Dr. Donald Gill, whose contract ran through June 30, 2017, announced in September that he would be leaving at the end of June 2016.  Don’t know the details of  his contract with the district but the board voted 4-0 to put him on paid leave until the end of June. So, now he can spend more time with his family in San Diego.  How generous.

What I didn’t know and perhaps you didn’t either is that his family lives in San Diego and he has been commuting there every weekend the whole seven years the district employed him. Unbelievable.  What was the board thinking?  Couldn’t they hire someone from this county or at least a nearby one like Alameda?  The fact that he didn’t relocate here shows that his heart was elsewhere.

The school board also, now minus Barbara Cowan who also resigned in September, appointed Associate Superintendent for Educational Services Stephanie Anello as interim Superintendent during their search for a new superintendent.

The board did, however, decide to appoint Fernando Navarro, one of eleven candidates,  to the school board  as of December 9th .   He will serve the rest of Barbara Cowan’s term which ends December 2016.

I like Mr. Navarro’s  statement in regard to wanting the district to get back to basics, with additional emphasis on science and history and stop using students as “social engineering guinea pigs”.

Well said Mr. Navarro.  I’ll be keeping my eye on you.  Perhaps you can also influence the school board when it comes to selecting a new superintendent.  They’ve made a number of mistakes to date to the detriment of student scores.

Angelo Ninoamaya

By Acting Lieutenant Thomas Furhmann, Antioch Police Investigations

At approximately 11:50 PM on Monday, November 30, 2015 the Antioch Police Department was made aware of a possible robbery with a shot being fired at the 7 Eleven located at 4901 Lone Tree   Way.  The 911 caller was following a vehicle that had just left the scene.  Shortly thereafter the citizen lost sight of the vehicle.  An Officer responding relocated the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle.  Both occupants were taken into custody without incident.  Evidence of the crime was located in the vehicle.  Both suspects were identified as those responsible in the robbery/shooting.

Additional responding officers went to the 7-Eleven where they found a clerk had been shot during the robbery.  The 20-year-old, male clerk was transported to an area hospital where he is listed in critical condition.

Arrested was Angelo Ninoamaya, a 20-year-old male from Pittsburg.  Ninoamaya was booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder, Robbery, Burglary, Conspiracy and Accessory.  He is being held on $1,220,000 bail.  Ninoamaya has no prior convictions.

Also arrested was Rebecca Hernandez, a 19-year-old female from Pittsburg.  Hernandez was booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder, Robbery, Burglary, Conspiracy and Accessory.  She is being held on $1,220,000 bail.  Hernandez has no prior convictions.

Rebecca Hernandez

At approximately 11:00 AM today, Antioch Police Detectives served a search warrant on Ninoamaya’s residence on Woodborough   Place in Pittsburg where additional evidence was recovered.  We are working closely with the Pittsburg Police Department on this case and looking to see if there is a possible link to a similar robbery that occurred in their city earlier Monday.

Investigators will be presenting this case to the Office of the District Attorney later this week.  No further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Colley with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6922. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.