Antioch 16-year-old Rebecca Boyer has been missing from home since March 29th. According to her parents, she may be with her boyfriend who is over age 18. She has experienced two head traumas in the past three years, from a pool diving accident and an amusement park ride, which also caused a heart murmur.

If you know who and her whereabouts, please contact Antioch Police at (925) 779-6900 or her parents Johnny & Bonnie, who are offering a cash reward for information that leads to her safe return, at (415) 990-7319.

Her parents say “We love her and just want her to come home. Whatever she’s going through we can work it out.”

Please see and download the flyer, here: Rebecca Boyer

 

 

Stockton – Kathryn Nance, current President of the Stockton Police Officers Association and a 19-year member of the Stockton Police Department, today received the endorsement of the Northern California Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors in her campaign for Congress against incumbent Congressman Jerry McNerney in California’s 9th District.

“Taxpayers deserve the best quality at the best price,” said Michele Daugherty, President and CEO of ABC NorCal. “Kathryn Nance is a strong supporter of fair and open competition.   The Associated Builders and Contractors and its close to 500 Northern California contractor members look forward to working with Kathryn Nance to promote new jobs and get our local economy moving again,”

Today ABC NorCal represents close to 500 companies across Northern California and trains over 300 apprentices per year in its five state and federally approved apprenticeship programs.  Members and their employees are also offered Construction Craft Training, Green and Renewable Energy Training, Management and Supervisory Education, Safety, and Labor Compliance.

Born and raised in the Stockton area, Kathryn Nance is a 19 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, who also serves as an officer with the Stockton Police Department.  Together, they have a blended family of four children, ranging in ages of 15 to 23.  Kathryn is an avid outdoors enthusiast and enjoys activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking and CrossFit.  Kathryn also serves as the Chairwoman of Stockton’s annual “Strides Against Cancer” relay.

The 9^th Congressional District includes parts of Eastern Contra Costa County, including most of Antioch, plus most of San Joaquin County and a small portion of Sacramento County.

To learn more about Kathryn Nance for Congress, visit us online at www.Nance2016.com, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KathrynNanceForCongress and follow us on Twitter @Nance2016.

By Dave Roberts

The six candidates for county supervisor representing District 3, covering most of East County and a portion of the San Ramon Valley, agreed on the need to protect the Delta, improve public safety and transportation at a recent League of Women Voters debate. They differed, however, in their priorities if given the opportunity to replace Mary Piepho, who is not running for re-election after three terms on the Board of Supervisors.

Brentwood City Councilman Steve Barr said his top priority, based on what he’s heard from his constituents, is public safety. “We’ve always maintained our police force at a level to keep our community safe,” he said. “And that starts at the county with the county sheriff.”

To provide that level of safety in the unincorporated areas of the county, compensation for sheriff’s deputies needs to be increased, he said. “I’ve looked at those budgets and where the pay rates are, and they are not meeting the needs of the residents of the county,” said Barr.

East Bay Regional Park District board member Diane Burgis, who is also a former Oakley City Council member and executive director of Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed, is focused on environmental issues. Like the other candidates, she believes the Delta’s water quality will suffer if the state goes through with its plan to construct tunnels siphoning water from north of the Delta and sending it to central and southern California.

“District 3 deserves and needs a county supervisor that’s going to be a champion for the Delta, and make sure that we are a voice making sure that Delta tunnel is not built and our water is protected,” said Burgis.

Oakley City Councilman Doug Hardcastle’s main focus is fiscal responsibility in government. Like many, he was outraged when the supervisors approved a $32,000 pay raise for themselves before being pressured to reduce it to a 12 percent pay hike.

“I will bring more financial stability” if elected, Hardcastle said. “Not to go after people’s wages or anything, but there’s always waste. [We need to] look at it like you would your own house or whatever. You’re going to make that dollar go as best you can. You’re not going to be frivolous with your own money. We’ve got to treat that money like our money and not government money.”

Antioch Mayor Wade Harper, who is a former Tracy police officer, shares Barr’s interest in improving public safety by increasing compensation for sheriff’s deputies and firefighters.

“[I’m] seeing we don’t have enough firefighters, we don’t have enough fire stations to cover 250 square miles, over 100,000 people,” said Harper. “Looking at the police out there, knowing the sheriff’s department is going to be used as a training ground because they don’t have the proper pay and benefits.”

Antioch’s rate of violent crime is nearly twice as high as the California average, according to Neighborhood Scout. Harper acknowledged that the increase in low-income Section 8 housing in the city has contributed to the problem. “There’s a need not only for affordable housing, but for safe housing,” he said.

Odessa Lefrancois, president of the East County Branch of the NAACP for six years, and a retired Navy veteran who works for the county as a respiratory therapist, wants more governmental social service programs in East County.

“I’ve sat back and looked at the county, studied the budget and kind of realized that a lot of the resources, especially after I moved out to far East Contra Costa County, haven’t been allocated out in that area,” she said. “When I … see how people are treated in one part of the county versus another part of the county, and we’re all paying property taxes, and we don’t have the same resources, and people are actually sitting on Highway 4 a lot longer. We’re not able to live, play and worship in a community that we actually would like to be in.”

Antioch City Councilwoman Monica Wilson shares Lefrancois’ desire to increase government services in East County.

“I believe that it’s time for East Contra Costa to have the access to job training, affordable health care, education, economic development,” she said. “[H]ow do we support [East County’s] industry and make sure that they are surviving, that they can hire more? And also look at industries such as advanced manufacturing, biomedical and energy. And finally, people want to come home to safe communities. They want to come home, raise their kids, have a wonderful life and still feel safe.”

The candidates also had varying stories of how they decided to run for office.

Barr said a friend suggested he apply for a vacancy on the school board, which he did and then was elected to another term. “I think my ability to work with people, solve problems and with my financial background, I made a good candidate,” he said. “And that’s why I’m in politics today and serve now on the City Council.”

Burgis said that she is a divorced mother of three boys under 10. “[A]nd I wanted to live in a place that I could be proud of, where they would be safe and they could go to good schools,” she said. “The reason why I’m running for county supervisor is that I have this regional experience. I have this really strong experience with the Delta. I have strong shoulders, a compassionate heart, I’m really smart and I want to make a difference in my community.”

Hardcastle said he was motivated to run after a confrontation with Piepho over the supervisors’ initial pay raise.

“When the Board of Supervisors voted to give themselves a $30,000 a year raise, I was furious,” he said. “I told one of the supervisors that I serve on many boards [with that I] was going to run against this person. She said, ‘Well, why?’ I said, ‘I think you’ve lost touch with the people that you’re supposed to serve.’ When we take a position in public service, it’s service. It’s not to make ourselves any better, not to financially make our lives better. It’s to serve the people out there. So, like I said, when they voted for the $30,000 a year raise, I said, ‘You’ve lost touch because there’s a lot of people that you serve that don’t even make $30,000 a year.

Harper said his motivation for running for office is simple.

“I just want to help people,” he said. “I’ve never lost an election. When you win an election they call you a politician. I don’t want to be a politician. I just want to help people. I served in law enforcement for 24 years. I started off as a police dispatcher, worked my way up through the ranks. I volunteered for the school attendance review board for the high school. I’m now teaching part-time at the local high school. And I’m training up the next generation of police officers. My family was in ministry. I am a minister. And it is in my heart to help people.”

Lefrancois said there are two types of people in the world – doers and complainers – and she’s the former.

“I learned a long time ago that you can sit around and complain about things, or you can be somebody that actually makes things happen,” she said. “Twenty-one years I spent on active duty in the military, and that’s the lesson that I learned. I think I bring leadership and accountability, responsibility and a dedication to make something happen. Because it isn’t about me. It’s about making sure that every resident out in far East Contra Costa has a say in how their dollars are spent and what type of life they should have.”

Wilson got involved after struggling during the Great Recession.

“Back in the early ‘70s when my parents moved to the Bay Area, they were able to buy a home, raise three kids and had jobs that paid affordable wages,” she said. “Fast forward 2008, I go to buy my home, two weeks later the economy crashed, I lose my job. I used a lot of my savings to keep myself afloat. So I got involved in my community. I eventually was appointed to the Economic Development Commission.

“And then eventually I ran for the City Council. I ran for a seat I wasn’t supposed to win. And I went out there and I worked really hard to let the community know who I was and I was serious about running. I now currently work for the Workforce Development Board. I work with a lot of people in the community ranging from 16 all the way up to people in their 60s and 70s making sure that they have job training available to them so they can get jobs that pay them livable wages.”

The entire candidates’ forum can be viewed on Contra Costa TV. CCTV is available to subscribers of AT&T U-verse on Channel 99. Comcast subscribers can watch CCTV on Channel 27. Following is the schedule for the remainder of May: Sundays – 9:00 AM; Mondays – 8:00 PM; Wednesdays – 12:00 PM; Fridays – 3:00 PM.

The election is June 7th. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, then the top two face off in the General Election in November.

On Thursday, U.S. Representative Mark DeSaulnier, (D-CA11)  issued the following statement about his personal health.

“Last summer, I was diagnosed with the most common leukemia in the world, a cancer named Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). I recently completed aggressive chemotherapy. I feel fortunate that I had a positive response to this treatment, and that neither CLL nor the treatment impacted my professional work.

CLL is a chronic disorder many Americans face, which doctors liken to diabetes and hypertension. While CLL cannot currently be completely cured, incredible breakthroughs, medical advancements and cutting edge therapies are allowing it to be managed over a lifetime.  As a result of these developments, there are approximately 1.2 million Americans, like myself, living long, full lives with blood cancer.

Before sharing my diagnosis, I had much to consider personally and professionally. My doctors assured me that people with CLL, myself included, could continue to work and function at a high level. The medical professionals were right; I have been able to go home every weekend, except one, logging over 170,000 miles flown, held 14 town halls, had meetings with thousands of constituents, and maintained a 99.1% voting average in my first session of Congress.

By publicly sharing my story, I hope to add my voice to the growing number of people fighting cancer and the other chronic conditions so many families confront. I look forward to continuing to serve the people of our district, and do so stronger and with a better understanding having faced this experience.”

DeSaulnier represents most of Contra Costa County including a portion of Antioch in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Highway 4 Widening Project continues to achieve notable progress thanks to the opening of new lanes of traffic on eastbound and westbound Highway 4 at Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch. The eastbound lanes at Hillcrest Avenue were opened to traffic on Sunday, May 1, with the westbound lanes opening Thursday, May 5.

These lane openings are a significant milestone in the Highway 4 Widening Project as now all westbound highway lanes for the entire corridor are open to traffic.

“Now, instead of people spending their time on Highway 4, they’ll be spending it at home with their families,” said Doug Hardcastle, Chair of Transplan, the East County transportation advisory board. “Thanks to the taxpayers who supported Measure J to help fund the widening project. We look forward to getting the rest of it finished in the next year.”

The purpose of the $1 billion overall project is to improve traffic flow and motorist safety along a 10-mile stretch of freeway between Pittsburg and Antioch. Work at Hillcrest Avenue also includes the construction of a new BART station in Antioch.

“We want to thank the public for their patience. The Highway 4 Widening Project is vitally important to East County and the greater Bay Area in terms of mobility, economic revitalization, and, in the longer term, multi-modal options for 250,000 East County residents,” said Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Executive Director Randy Iwasaki. “Because we have been carefully staging the work to occur at night, and opening each section of the widening project as it is completed, we have also been able to provide incremental congestion relief on this heavily used corridor, without any loss of capacity.”

See images of these newest lanes at the Highway 4 Widening Project’s website: http://4eastcounty.org/media/hillcrest-avenue-may-2016/.

“The improvements to Highway 4 that are brought about with this project and through this partnership are a benefit to every driver that has experienced the traffic congestion on this corridor,” said Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi. “We look forward to crossing the finish line later this summer and giving the new and improved Highway 4 back to the residents of East Contra Costa County and all motorists.”

For additional information about the new lanes at Hillcrest, and other work on Highway 4, please visit the Highway 4 website at www.4eastcounty.org.

About the Highway 4 Projects

The Highway 4 projects include improvements that will help modernize eastern Contra Costa County. The projects expand Highway 4 from four to eight lanes between Loveridge Road in Pittsburg to just west of State Route 160 in Antioch, from two to four lanes from Lone Tree Way to Sand Creek Road in Brentwood, add missing connector ramps at the State Route 160/Highway 4 interchange, and add a BART extension from Pittsburg to Antioch. This will greatly improve transit accessibility for the region, help reduce traffic congestion, and enhance the quality of life for the more than 250,000 residents of eastern Contra Costa County. The projects have been carefully staged to keep 130,000 vehicles per day moving as major construction and demolition work continue. These projects, plus previously constructed projects in the region, bring the total investment in East County to $1.3 billion, including State, Federal, Contra Costa Transportation Authority Measures C and J, regional bridge tolls, and other funds.

About CCTA

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 ccta.net.

By Allen Payton

Following three rounds of questions, and the narrowing of the field from six of the candidates who showed up at the meeting, Wednesday night, down to two, the Antioch School Board voted unanimously to appoint Alonzo Terry to the board. He will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of long-time Board Member Claire Smith.

The appointment is provisional and Terry can’t take his seat until at least 30 days have passed. That is expected to occur at the next regular board meeting on June 8th.

Terry served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Synergy Education Project, a state approved, public charter school in Pittsburg with former County School Board Member Cynthia Ruehlig, the wife of Antioch School Board Member Walter Ruehlig.

Prior to that Terry worked for 19 years with the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office in training, crime prevention and custody alternative, and as Athletic Director for the East County Boys and Girls Club. He’s owned his own businesses and works as a Senior Investigator for Excalibur Investigations and has worked as a substitute teacher in the past. Terry is also the father of two grown sons.

“I’m single and free and happy and I have all the time to give to your children,” he said in his closing statement to the Board.

During his opening statement, Terry said he was born and raised in Chicago until age 18.

“I came from a rough background,” he shared. “There were 10 children in our family. I learned from my coach and my teachers.”

He wanted to be a judge but couldn’t pass the bar, Terry told the Board. Then he came to California and went to work with the Sheriff’s Office

“I have my own business, so my time is my own,” he added. “I’m here to help.”

Later he stated “I have the time. I have the energy. I have the knowledge.”

In an interview prior to the board meeting, Terry said he supported Walter Ruehlig when he ran for school board in 2014. He also said that he supported transparency and either televising the school board meetings, or at least live streaming them on the internet. When asked if any of the board members had recruited  him or encouraged him to apply for the vacant seat, he said “No.”

Asked if he would run for election this fall, Terry wouldn’t commit, saying “We have to work as a team. Our whole goal is the children. If that’s the case, then I’ll run.”

During the questioning, Terry said his top three priorities are transparency and communication, tools and materials for students and teachers, and training.

His response to the question “What’s the difference between public, private and charter schools” Terry offered a unique response.

“There’s no difference,” he stated. “They’re schools. I hate separating things.”

Following the first round of questions, Terry received all four votes from the board members, both Candy Amigo and Joy Motts received three. Gary Hack, Julie Young and Ed Daviess each received two votes. A run-off vote was taken by the board and Hack received three votes in order to move forward to the next round, eliminating Young and Daviess. George Rehm did not show up to the meeting.

After the second round of questions, Amigo received four votes, while Hack and Terry each received three votes, eliminating Motts. Then following the third round of questions by the Board, Ruehlig moved and Trustee Fernando Navarro seconded the motion to move forward Terry and Amigo.

The final two candidates each gave their closing statements, with Amigo speaking first and becoming emotional.

“I’m doing this because I care,” said the mother of four daughters who have all attended or are attending Antioch public schools. “I don’t know why I’m getting emotional, right now. I love this community. I love this district. I’m so passionate about things. I just want to make Antioch this great community and district that I know that we are.”

Terry asked “You want me to follow that?” to laughter from the board and audience.

Following his closing statement, Amigo’s sister, Celestina Perez who works for the district and didn’t know her sister had applied for the vacant seat, spoke during public comments.

“She was raised by a mom where was very involved in the school district, as well,” Perez stated. “She has created four beautiful daughters who have contributed to this community, already. She is a very passionate person. She will give you her all.”

The board members then shared their thoughts before the vote.

“I want to appreciate everyone who applied,” said Board Member Debra Vinson.

“I’m always a big fan of the average citizen not just griping under their breath,” Navarro stated. “The fact that you are here, this is what our country was built on.”

Then Navarro moved and Ruehlig seconded a motion to appoint Terry to the vacant board seat, and it passed on a 4-0 vote.

 

 

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 70th installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program. This is a collaborative community effort which involves active participation from the Antioch Police Department, Crime Prevention Commission, Neighborhood Watch Program, Volunteers In Police Service, community volunteers and the Public Works Department.

Collectively, “We”, everyone who works and lives in the City of Antioch, can make a difference and improve the quality of life. It’s our community and it’s our chance to make a difference.

The City of Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup program is not just for residential neighborhoods. It is a program that will change venues on a monthly basis and it will include business and commercial areas as well. Neighborhoods that are free of trash and refuse are inviting, and a clean community instills a sense of community pride.

The 70th Neighborhood Cleanup event will occur on Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the Live Oak School parking lot. We will be cleaning the neighborhoods between G and F Streets from 17t to 11th Street. See map, here:  CityCleanUp70

If you have a suggestion for a future cleanup area, please inform the assigned Volunteer in Police Services (VIP) or you can call (925) 779- 6878. If there is no answer please feel free to leave a message regarding your suggested cleanup area.

Remember, cleaning up your neighborhood can make life better for your family, your neighbors and your community!

By Captain Tammany Brooks, Antioch Police Support Services Division

This is still very much an active investigation. However, the following is additional information that was confirmed since last night’s press release. Yesterday morning at about 8:51 p.m., Antioch officers were dispatched to the McDonalds on Mahogany Way on a report of shots fired. Officers at this scene learned that a Hispanic male shot into the business with a shotgun, shattering several windows, and then fled in a white Chevrolet truck. A male inside the business was struck by the gunfire, but suffered only minor injuries.

About 15 minutes later, Pittsburg Police was notified of a shooting into a residence in the 1200 block of Beacon Street. Witnesses said a Hispanic male fired at least one shot from a shotgun into a front window of a house at this location, and then fled in a white Chevrolet truck.

Officers from both jurisdictions began working together and were able to identify a suspect. They also determined through shared information that these two incidents were more than likely related. Antioch officers located the suspect’s girlfriend and confirmed she was employed at the McDonalds on Mahogany Way and has relatives who live at the home on Beacon Street. She was safe and unharmed, and was not at either location at the time of the shootings. Information obtained from this interview suggests the motive of these shootings was a domestic dispute.

At 5:52 p.m., Antioch officers were notified of a carjacking report taken by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Initial information was that this carjacking took place in Bay Point, but it was later learned it actually took place just off of Highway 4 near the Martinez/Crockett area. In this case, a Hispanic male pointed a shotgun at the 17-year-old victim and stole his 1998 BMW. The responsible left behind a white Chevrolet truck, and was last seen heading eastbound toward Pittsburg/Antioch.

It does not appear this victim has any ties to the suspect or the domestic dispute.

At 6:11 p.m. an Antioch officer spotted the carjacked BMW, which lead to the pursuit, crash, and exchange of gunfire between the suspect and officers at the intersection of E. Leland Road and Loveridge Road. The suspect was taken into custody when he dropped the shotgun and surrendered to officers. He was later booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for attempted murder of two police officers.

One of the officers on scene was shot in the head during the exchange of gunfire, but his injuries were not life-threatening. He was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and has since been released. The officer is currently doing well and expected to make a full recovery.

There is still significant work to be done on this case, and a number of interviews that need to be conducted. Because of this, we are not yet releasing the name of the suspect or officers involved.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Antioch Police at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.