HIGHWAY LANE CLOSURES:

State Route 4:

There will be highway lane closures in the westbound direction of State Route 4 between Railroad Avenue and Contra Loma on Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

There will be highway lane closures in the eastbound direction of State Route 4 between Bailey Road and Contra Loma on Monday through Friday from 4:30 am to 12:00 pm.

There will be highway lane closures in the eastbound direction of State Route 4 between Contra Loma and A Street/Lone Tree Way Monday through Thursday from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am.

RAMP CLOSURES:

There will be a ramp closure at the A Street/Lone Tree Way eastbound off ramp Monday through Thursday from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am.

For questions or comments please send e-mail to info@4eastcounty.org.

The Antioch Unified School District Board of Education has selected Leadership Associates to conduct the search for the selection of our next district superintendent. An essential part of the process is to gather information about the perspectives of our stakeholders.

Leadership Associates Search Advisors will be at the Antioch Water Park Community Hall on March 14th and the Nick Rodriquez Community Center on March 15th to meet with interested individuals and groups. In addition, an open forum will be held 7:00 p.m., Monday, March 14th at the Antioch Water Park Community Hall, located at 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531.

Our advisors will ask for thoughts on desired qualities, characteristics, background and experience for the new superintendent. They will also ask you for perspectives on the strengths and challenges of the Antioch Unified School District.   Please contact Christine Todd at 925-779-7500, Ext. 54095 to schedule a meeting time.

For those unable to attend an in-person meeting, an opportunity to participate in an online survey is available.  The online survey will be posted on the District’s website from March 8 through March 25th.  The survey will be available in English and Spanish.

Candidate for District 3 Supervisor, Antioch Mayor Wade Harper, announced Saturday, he has received endorsements from fellow city council members Mary Rocha and Tony Tiscareno.

Mary Rocha from City of Antioch website.

Rocha is the longest serving member of the current Antioch City Council and first Hispanic mayor of Antioch (1996-2000). Rocha is very knowledgeable of the nonprofit world and has dedicated her life to supporting Contra Costa County families. She has been a community liaison for Brighter Beginnings, with the Mary Rocha Child Development Center named in her honor. She serves on the board of directors for Tri-Delta Transit and Delta Diablo Sanitation District with Harper.

“I am supporting my mayor because he has done a great job bringing our city together to address many of the problems that we face,” Rocha said. “Wade is the most experienced candidate in the race. As a directly elected mayor and 24-year veteran police officer, he is the strongest candidate to tackle the challenges that persist in the county.”

Tiscareno was appointed to the city council in 2012 to fill Harper’s unexpired term when Harper won the race for Mayor. Tiscareno is a 33-year retired steelworker, and a former Political Director for the Contra Costa Labor Council. In the 1990’s, Tiscareno owned a small business trading sports cards. The 46-year resident of Antioch is now a real estate agent.

Tony Tiscareno from City of Antioch website.

“What stands out about Wade is he cares about people,” he said. “I share Wade’s commitment to stand up for hard-working people when we returned city employees back to a full-time work week after five-and-a-half years of work furloughs. I am honored to stand with Wade for Supervisor and support his campaign.  He will make a great supervisor.”

When Harper was elected as mayor he led the city council in team-building and strategic planning. He also led the charge in authorizing violent crime suppression teams, while also spearheading the Measure C campaign to hire more police. Measure C is bringing in more than $5 million per year to hire police officers, code enforcement officers and blight reduction.

Harper is chair of Delta Diablo Sanitation and a member of the board of directors for Tri Delta Transit. In the past, he has served on the Transplan, Highway 4 Bypass, eBART and East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Finance Authority committees.  Harper was also elected to serve as chair of the Contra Costa County Conference of Mayors.

“Today, on my birthday, I am honored to have key support from my fellow council members,” Harper said.  “I look forward to bringing my leadership to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. The community deserves integrity, excellence and hard work from their elected officials.  I will work with the current supervisorsand community to find solutions to problems and add value to the community.”

Harper also added that he is “ready to work on the many issues facing our community such as public safety, jobs, protecting our Delta, healthcare and transportation to name a few.”

Harper is one of seven candidates running for Supervisor in District 3, which includes most of Antioch. The election is June 7. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two candidates will face each other in a run-off during the November General Election.

Congressmen Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-11) and Jerry McNerney (D, CA-09) will host a joint town hall meeting in Antioch on Wednesday, March 9th, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Both Members of Congress represent a part of the City of Antioch.

This unique forum will be an opportunity for residents to receive a Congressional update on key issues of importance to their community and learn more about the broad range of constituent services the Representatives’ offices can provide.

• What: Representatives DeSaulnier and McNerney’s Joint Town Hall Meeting in Antioch
• When: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Check-in begins at 6:00 pm
• Where: Antioch Middle School, 1500 D Street, Antioch, CA 94509

For more information or to request ADA accommodations, please email CA11.RSVP@mail.house.gov or call (925) 933-2660.

Antioch business and community leaders joined Pastor Shaun, Dianna Nepstad and daughters (with scissors) for the ribbon cutting of Fellowship Church’s new building on Lone Tree Way on Thursday, March 3rd, 2016.

By Allen Payton

Antioch business and community leaders joined Pastor Shaun and Dianna Nepstad on Thursday, March 3rd for a ribbon cutting at the new building for Fellowship Church in Antioch. Located in the former Orchard Supply Hardward building at 4873 Lone Tree Way, the church as grown from 22 people in a living room in 2003 to a weekly attendance of over 2,100 people.

Speaking of the new building, Pastor Nepstad shared some thoughts.

The slogan of Fellowship Church Hope & Healing on the wall inside the new church building.

“We started this whole process about two-and-a-half years ago,” he said. Our church really is about the community Our slogan is Hope and Healing. Hope for tomorrow and healing for their yesterday. We want to give honor back to the city and to one another.”

“This is not a business but we function with all of you,” Nepstad shared with the business owners in attendance. “We’re all in the same business of reaching people in some capacity. Let’s team up together to change the region.”

“I believe our best days are ahead of us for Antioch,” he added.

Then Dianna Nepstad spoke.

“I just want you to know we want to add value to the city,” she stated. “We want to elevate the city. Promotion of the people of God. That leads to a quality of life. Right now is the best time for us. Like my husband said, our best days are ahead of us.”

Representing the City of Antioch, Mayor Wade Harper offered his thoughts.

“This is a great ministry,” he said. “Come and visit. Come and join. The pastor is anointed. He’s funny. You’ll see his members out in the community.”

Speaking of the process for approval the church went through for the new building, Harper said “I made some calls and said I’m the mayor I want them here. What’s the problem?”

“We have a lot of people in Antioch who want to serve God,” he continued.“Anything we can do to serve you please let us know.”

Then Antioch Chamber of Commerce CEO Sean Wright said “I want to thank you for your investment in our community. But I would like you to say a prayer then cut the ribbon.”

Colleen Isenberg representing Congressman Jerry McNerney presented the Nepstads with a certificate of special Congresssional recognition. That was followed by Erica Rodriguez of State Assemblyman Jim Frazier’s office, who presented them with a certificate of recognition.

Then the ribbon was cut marking the official opening and those in attendance were treated to refreshments and a tour of the new building.

Fellowship Church services will be held in their new building for the first time, this Sunday, March 6 at 9:00 a.m. and 11 a.m., and 5:00 p.m.. For more information visit www.thefellowshipchurch.com.

In July, Simon & Schuster will publish Freedom: My Book of Firsts, a memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard, the bestselling author of A Stolen Life, whose widely acclaimed account of being kidnapped at age 11 and remaining a prisoner for 18 years, just outside of the city limits of Antioch, became an international bestseller in 2011, selling over 1.5 million copies in the United States alone.

The kidnapping of Ms. Dugard occurred on June 10, 1991 in South Lake Tahoe, California, as she was walking from her home to her school bus stop. She was 11-years-old at the time.  She remained missing for 18 years, until 2009, when her captor, a convicted sex offender, was arrested.

In her new book, Ms. Dugard will tell the story of her first experiences after years in captivity: the joys that accompanied her newfound freedom and the challenges of adjusting to life on her own. “There is life after something tragic happens,” Ms. Dugard said. “Life doesn’t have to end if you don’t want it to. It’s all in how you look at it. Somehow, I still believe that we each hold the key to our own happiness and you have to grab it where you can in whatever form it might take.”

“Jaycee Dugard is a remarkable woman,” said Jonathan Karp, publisher of Simon & Schuster. “Her strength has been an inspiration to millions, and her story is a remarkable example of resilience and spirit.  Readers of this book will gain a new appreciation of how joyful freedom can be.”

The work will be published on July 12, on the fifth anniversary of the publication of A Stolen Life, in hardcover, ebook, and audio editions by Simon & Schuster in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India.  Jaycee Lee Dugard was represented by Morton Janklow of Janklow & Nesbit Associates and Nancy Seltzer of Nancy Seltzer & Associates.

As published in City Manager Steve Duran’s Weekly Report dated February 25, 2016 and provided by Chief of Police Allan Cantando. More serious or interesting crimes highlighted in bold.

Calls for Service and Arrest Data:

Time Period: 02/18/16 00:00:00 – 02/24/16 23:59:59

Number of Calls for Service: 1,539

Number of Case Reports: 261

Number of Arrests: 74

Felony: 26

Misdemeanor: 48

Arrests with DUI charge: 3

The data is based upon unaudited CAD/RMS data at time of report generation.

• ·On 2/25/16 at 3:37 am, officers responded to an alarm call at 3220 Lone Tree Way. They located 28 year old Cameron Alexander sleeping against the door the alarm was triggered from. There were no signs of forced entry, but Alexander was found to have a warrant for his arrest and was taken into custody. He was booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/24/16 at 7:38 pm, officers were dispatched to the area of Bonfare Market on W 10^th St to assist Contra Costa County Fire with a combative bystander who was interfering with them while responding to a medical call. When officers arrived on scene, a Fire Captain from Engine 81 pointed out a subject, later identified as 34 year old Doran Cole, walking in the middle of West 10th St. Fire stated that Cole claimed to be a Norteno Gang member and threatened to shoot the firefighters as well as the victim they were treating. Cole was immediately detained and found not to be in possession of a weapon. He was however found to have a .244 blood alcohol level. He was arrested for making felony threats and public intoxication. He was sent to county jail.
• ·On 2/24/16 at 7:21 am, 36 year old John Pavlin entered Sam’s Liquors at 2 Wilbur Ave and began eating food and taking items off the shelves to steal. When he was confronted, he threatened to shoot and kill everyone. Pavlin moved to the main doors and blocked them refusing to let anyone out as he continued to threaten to kill everyone. Officers arrived and took Pavlin into custody quickly. He was not armed and booked into the county jail.
• ·On 2/24/16 at 3:335 am, 28 year old Ashley Bassosborne was travelling north on Hillcrest Ave in the number 2 lane approaching Terrace View when she did not realize that there was a stranded motorist along the curb side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Bassosborne collided into the rear of the parked vehicle. Bassosborne was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol. Bassosborne was transported to the hospital and medically cleared. She was arrested for DUI and later released pending further investigation.
• ·On 2/23/16 at 11:04 pm, an officer was driving on Hillcrest Ave when he observed the vehicle in front of him swerving within its lane and driving well below the posted speed limit. An enforcement stop was conducted and 55 year old Cheri Childs was contacted as the driver. Childs displayed objective symptoms of intoxication and failed the subsequent sobriety tests. Childs was placed under arrest and later provided a breath sample. Childs was booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/23/16 at 8:42 am, officers were dispatched to the area of E 18^th St and Hillcrest Ave regarding a vehicle stopped in the roadway. While responding to the location, dispatch advised the license plate came back as stolen out of San Francisco. Upon arrival, officers located 24 year old Deontae Alexander passed out in the driver’s seat. He was immediately detained. Officers cleared the rest of the van and located 25 year old Samuel Charles in the back of the van with a blanket covering his body. He was also detained. During a search of the van, officers located a loaded .38 revolver inside a backpack. Alexander was a convicted felon and on probation. Both Alexander and Charles were arrested and sent to county jail for auto theft and weapons charges.
• ·On 2/22/16 at 10:13 pm, an officer was driving in the area of G St and W 13^th St when his attention was drawn to a suspicious U-Haul van on W 13^th St. When he turned around to investigate, the van had driven away out of sight for a few seconds but was subsequently located on W 12^th St. The driver of the U-Haul; 56 year old Kaivalya Earls exited the van and was walking away from the vehicle. The officer exited his patrol vehicle and contacted Earls. As the officer approached, Earls removed a silver handgun from his waistband. The officer quickly reacted and drew his duty weapon at which point Earls dropped the handgun to the ground. Earls cooperated with officers demands and was taken into custody without incident. Earls is a convicted felon with a prior firearm related conviction. Earls was transported to county jail.
• ·On 2/22/16 at 3:09 pm, dispatch received a call of a subject with a gun at Bonfare Market on W 10^th St. Arriving officers were not able to locate any disturbance and no one in the store had seen a gun. 25 year old Joseph Curiel was contacted in the parking lot and consented to a search of his person. Curiel was found to be in possession of heroin. Curiel was released from the scene with a citation.
• ·On 2/22/16 at 2:41 pm, APD received several calls from neighbors throughout the day that 19 year old Brian Colland was in the area of 2200 Peppertree Way and that he had several warrants. He also was a suspect in a recent shooting. On this call, security advised Collard arrived in a black Infinity and was inside apartment #3. Upon arrival, Colland was seen exiting #3 and standing between the buildings. An officer and his police K9 attempted contact with Colland who fled on foot. The police K9 was deployed and after a short foot pursuit was able to detain the suspect. Colland received dog bites and was treated at a local hospital before being sent to county jail.
• ·On 2/22/16 at 8:00 am, an officer was conducting a security check of 97 and 85 S Lake Dr. As the officer drove west bound on S Lake Dr he observed a white pickup truck approaching him. The truck had an orange light on the top which the officer was aware that one like that had been stolen the day before. As the truck passed him, he saw a male later identified as 26 year old Robert Kelly driving with two other occupants. The officer made a U-turn and attempted to catch up to the vehicle which fled at a high rate of speed north bound on Hillcrest Ave. As the vehicle approached Jacobsen St, the officer attempted a car stop. The vehicle slowed and briefly came to a stop and then the truck took off. A pursuit was initiated and the vehicle fled west bound on Wilbur Ave at speeds of approximately 45mph. As the vehicle approached E 18^th St, it crossed into the north bound lanes in order to go around cars stopped for the red light. The officer saw this and terminated his pursuit. The truck entered the intersection against the red and collided with another vehicle (No injuries.) The collision severed the front right tire of the truck but it continued south bound on A St. The truck then collided with a second vehicle at West Tregallas Rd before hitting a city owned light pole and coming to rest against the Quick Stop Building. The driver and female occupant fled the vehicle on foot towards San Joaquin Ave. Officers arrived a short time later and began an area check locating Kelly on D St. There were no injuries during any of the collisions. Kelly was taken to county jail and booked on numerous felony charges.
• ·On 2/21/16 at 8:29 pm, officers were dispatched to the area of Taco Bell on Deer Valley Rd regarding a verbal dispute. Officers discovered one of the involved parties; 37 year old Raphael Pintado had a felony warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and sent to county jail.
• ·On 2/21/16 at 5:35 pm, officers were dispatched to Nelson Ranch Park regarding a male subject stumbling out of the bushes with a handgun that fell out of his pants. Upon arrival, officers located three subjects sitting at a table and drinking beers. One of the males, 24 year old Nicholas Steiner, matched the description given by the reporting party. As officers approached, Steiner grabbed onto his waistband, making an adjustment to his shirt and pants. He was immediately detained and found to have a loaded .38 revolver in his waistband. The gun was not registered to Steiner who said he bought it off the street. He was arrested and booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/21/16 at 1:35 am, officers attempted to contact 44 year old Douglas Doolin as he was riding his bicycle in the intersection of Sunset Dr and Hillcrest Ave. Doolin did not want to be contacted and fled on foot. Officers gave chase and caught up to Doolin in the open space near the BART park n ride. Doolin had a no bail warrant for his arrest and was booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/21/16 at 12:50 am, dispatch received several calls of shots fired at Safeway on Deer Valley Rd. Officers arrived and contacted several people who heard three to four shots in the area but no one saw the shooter. A vehicle was located in the parking lot which had been struck by a bullet. The owner of the vehicle advised she was inside shopping and heard the gunfire. The victim could not provide any further information. There are no suspects or leads at this time.
• ·On 2/20/16 at 11:20 pm, 29 year old Michelle Westbrooks attended a family party on Fernbank Way. Westbrooks became too intoxicated to drive, so a friend attempted to get Westbrooks’ car keys from her as she was trying to get into her vehicle to drive away. Westbrooks became belligerent and punched her friend twice in the head causing a minor injury. The friend signed a citizen’s arrest for battery. A computer check revealed Westbrooks had a citable warrant for her arrest. Westbrooks was cited and released on both charges and left with a family member.
• ·On 2/20/16 at 7:11 pm, officers responded to a narcotics complaint at the Bonfare Market on W 10^th St with an associated blue Honda. There were multiple subjects in front of the business who quickly left the area as officers were arriving. They contacted 27 year old Malcom Jordan who was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. As officers approached they saw Jordan with his hands in his pants trying to hide something. A consent search revealed he was in possession of .7 grams of cocaine and 1 ecstasy pill. Jordan was arrested and released on a citation.
• ·On 2/19/16 at 9:47 pm, officers responded to the report of shots fired in the parking lot of Diablo West Park on Prewett Ranch Dr with subjects said to be running from the park and others in a dark colored 4-door vehicle. Upon arrival, several personal items were found strewn around the parking lot and two bullet holes in the bathroom were found. None of the parties could be located or their ID confirmed at this time. An extensive area check for any involved parties or possible victims was conducted with negative results. All area hospitals were notified.
• ·On 2/19/16 at 4:00 pm, officers were aware 25 year old Angelina Moreno had a felony warrant for her arrest. The officers drove past the 1300 block of W 9^th St where Moreno was known to frequent. Moreno was located in a vehicle parked in the driveway and was arrested without incident. During a search of Moreno’s person, officers located a bindle containing suspected heroin from her pocket. Moreno was arrested for possession of heroin and a probation violation as well as an outstanding warrant for her. Moreno was booked at APD and later sent to county jail.
• ·On 2/19/16 at 1:23 pm, an officer was dispatched to a disturbance at 800 Blue Rock Dr. While he was enroute there he attempted to make a traffic stop on a Honda with no plates. The vehicle failed to yield and he chased the vehicle for two city blocks. 27 year old Nifae Tinoifili stopped the vehicle at 800 Blue Rock Dr and fled on foot. Two passengers of the Honda were contacted and it was learned that Tinoifili’s brother lived at 800 Blue Rock Dr and that Tinoifili was involved in an earlier disturbance. The residence was searched but Tinoifili was not located. During this incident Richmond PD took a stolen vehicle report in their city for the Honda.
• ·On 2/19/16 at 8:21 am, officers responded to two calls for service at 2100 Buchanan Rd for 34 year old Melvin Russell causing a disturbance. He was not on scene during the first call for service. Russell was contacted during the second call for service and determined to be under the influence of a stimulant. Russell was arrested and sent to county jail.
• ·On 2/19/16 at 2:54 am, an officer contacted 23 year old Ashley Torres during a vehicle stop at W 9th St and O St and found she had a warrant for her arrest for petty theft. She was transported and booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/18/16 at 11:15 pm, an officer saw 21 year old Michael Moore in a vehicle occupied by two other people parked in front of the Bonfare Market on West 10^th St. The officer saw another male adult walk away from the vehicle as he approached. He contacted the three and heard something hit the floorboard at Moore’s feet. Knowing all three were on searchable probation, the officer located a pill bottle with coins and what appeared to be “cutter” inside during a search. Moore was searched and found to be in possession of heroin. He was arrested without incident and booked into county jail.
• ·On 2/18/16 at 8:21 am, officers were in the downtown area when they did a records check on a Honda that 43 year old Eric Agundez was getting into and found it was stolen. Agundez drove off in the vehicle and was able to take some side streets and dumped the car at W 5^th and H Streets. Agundez was located at 9^th and H Streets and positively identified as the person driving the stolen Honda. It was learned that Agundez is the boyfriend of the victim’s daughter. He was also on parole. He was arrested and transported to county jail for auto theft and a parole violation.

Dear Editor:

I was surprised by the negative comments about Hillary’s qualifications made by Mr. Ralph Hernandez (my good friend) in a letter to the Antioch news paper.  I think he believes the propaganda put out by Republicans to discredit her.

I believe she is well qualified to be president of the United States. She served under President Obama as Secretary of State and did a very good job, contrary to the what the Republicans say. She was in Washington eight years with President Clinton and is well aware as to what goes on there.

My wife and I worked for the Antioch Democratic Club for many years.  My wife represented this area in the Conventions in Washington and Florida. I served as president and treasurer of the Democratic club for years and supported the Clintons for years.

Sincerely,

Joseph T. and Carolina M. Zamora

Antioch