Witness says he saw 15-20 people possibly involved

By Sergeant Tom Fuhrmann, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:25 AM the Antioch Police Department was dispatched to the area of Cavallo Road and E. 18th Street on the report of shots being fired. Upon arrival officers located two victims at separate locations who had been struck by gunfire. Those victims were transported to area hospitals and are currently in surgery.

Officers converged on the area and were able to locate several persons of interest in this investigation and are in the processes of interviewing those individuals. Antioch Police Investigators were called to the scene and are in the early stages of the investigation into this shooting.

No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Gonzalez with the (925) 779-6923. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH. Mention file #16-13525.

For more information and to view a video of a witness who said he saw 15 to 20 people involved, see the story on the KRON4 TV New website, here –  http://kron4.com/2016/12/19/two-people-injured-in-antioch-shooting/

A long time Antioch tradition has returned to downtown Rivertown. Seeing Frank Ballesteros as “Scrooge” in his version of “Humbug!” became a yearly holiday tradition for many local families but sadly it had been put on hold for the past three years.

Elite Event Center is excited to help bring back Frank and his amazing show. The remaining show dates and times are as follows: Thursday, December 22nd 7:30 pm, Friday, December 23rd 7:30 pm and a special 1:00 pm showing on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24th.

Tickets prices: Adults 12 years old & Up $12.00, Children 5-11years old & Senior Citizens $10.00. Bring two canned or boxed food items for each ticket purchased and receive a $2.00 discount. Included with ticket price is a 30-minute meet and greet, hot cocoa and cookies party, following each show.

Call 925-778-DANZ(3269) to reserve your tickets. Elite Event Center is located at the corner of W. Third and G Streets in downtown Antioch.

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos #2176, Community Policing Bureau

On Sunday, December 18, 2016 at approximately 09:30 AM, 82-year-old Gino Ridolfi left his residence in Antioch. Ridolfi has gray hair, blue eyes, standing approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds. Ridolfi is believed to be wearing blue jeans, a blue polo shirt with white stripes, a black jacket, and a black hat.

Ridolfi drove away in his 2008 black Ford Focus 4 door sedan California license 6MCF913.

Ridolfi has medical conditions and may become disoriented. A Silver Alert has been issued for Ridolfi.

Anyone with information should call the Antioch Police non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Council forms benefit district to pay for road, other improvements for long-planned employment area

By Nick Goodrich

During the Antioch City Council meeting, Tuesday night, December 13, Mayor Sean Wright presided over his first agenda with action items and faced his first challenge and split votes. They were a result of his choices in which council members he nominated to represent the city on various city and regional committees.

In other council action, they formed the East Lone Tree Benefit District for fees on new home developments to pay for the completion of Slatten Ranch Road, and and heard about the county’s efforts to help the homeless in Antioch.

Challenge Over Transportation Committee Appointments

Wright’s first challenge occurred at the end of the meeting, when his nominations for appointments of council members to city and regional committees resulted in a 3-2 split in votes over Wright’s assignments and a 4-1 split over Council Member Tony Tiscareno’s.

A vote was taken for the appointments for each council member. Both Tiscareno and Council Member Lori Ogorchock voted against Wright’s and Ogorchock provided the lone vote against Tiscareno’s. The appointments last for two years through December, 2018.

Wright ended up with seven committee assignments; Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe with two and two alternate positions; Council Member Monica Wilson has five assignments with three alternate positions; Tiscareno has four assignments and Ogorchock was given two.

The council split occurred when Wright chose not to reappoint Tiscareno to represent the City on TRANSPLAN and two other East County transportation committees, but nominated himself instead. TRANSPLAN is the East County division of and advisory board to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. The other two are the State Route 4 Bypass Authority and the East Contra Costa Regional Fee & Financing Authority, which collects developer fees for transportation improvements.

During the council’s discussion of the appointments, Ogorchock took issue with the move, noting Tiscareno’s history at the position and recent success he has seen in bringing BART to Antioch. Tiscareno said that he had asked Wright to maintain his seat on the committee.

“Mr. Tiscareno has a history with the TRANSPLAN committee,” Ogorchock told Wright. “With his connections, and the history that he has, I’d request that you place him [on the committee], and then yourself as an alternate…This is lopsided. You have to have someone that’s going to be there on a regular basis, who has that history with these companies. I don’t get this. This is frustrating. I don’t know what we’re doing.”

Wright denied the request. With his removal from TRANSPLAN, Tiscareno now does not sit on any committees that meet regularly. Although he ultimately stated he was “OK” with Wright replacing him, Tiscareno worried that the new mayor was taking on more than he could reasonably handle.

“What I’m seeing here is that you’ve taken quite a bit of responsibility with these committees, and it’s leaving some of us here out of the loop,” he said. “I’m having a bit of an issue with not having any responsibility.”

Ogorchock was visibly frustrated with the appointment, leading to a few tense minutes as Wright refused to budge.

“This is very disrespectful. I don’t approve of any of this,” she said. “This is not right.”

Tiscareno also declined to serve as Wright’s alternate to the transportation committees. Instead, Wilson, who had previously served as the city’s alternate to the committees, was appointed to be the alternate, again.

Same Assignments for Past Antioch Mayors

However, previous Antioch Mayors have also nominated themselves to represent the City on the East County transportation committees, including Joel Keller, Don Freitas and Wade Harper. Neither Mary Rocha nor Jim Davis served on the transportation committees when they each served as Mayor. Harper served on the transportation committees for the first two years of his term and then appointed Tiscareno to serve on them for the past two years.

When reached for comment about the matter, Wright said, “I appointed myself to the same committees that other mayors have appointed themselves to in the past, for the betterment of Antioch.”

Ultimately, the Council split 3-2 in voting on Wright’s appointments, which included TRANSPLAN and the other transportation committees. Ogorchock and Tiscareno dissented, while Wright was supported by Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe and Councilmember Monica Wilson.

Rocha Appointed to Tri Delta Transit Bus System Board

In an unusual move, Wright nominated former Councilwoman Mary Rocha as Antioch’s other representative, along with Wilson, to the Board of Directors for Tri Delta Transit, known as the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, which operates the bus system in Antioch and East County. Each city gets two representatives on the board, which Rocha has been serving on, and is currently its Vice President, through next June.

See below the complete list of the council members’ committee assignments or to view the list, click here: council-appointments-dec-2016-dec-2018

Benefit District to Help Create New Employment Area

A second and final public hearing was held to formally create the East Lone Tree Benefit District, after the Council resolved during their November 8^th meeting to complete the process. Plans for the District were laid out by the City Council in 1996 when it formed the East Lone Tree Specific Plan. It allows for the financing of infrastructure in the area north and east of the Highway 4 Bypass surrounding the Laurel Road interchange, and north of the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center. That area has been planned for employment since it’s specific plan’s adoption.

The formal creation of the district authorizes the levy and collection of fees on new homes to pay for certain public improvements, such as streets, water and sewer lines. The payment of fees to the city by the developer are “a condition of the approval of a subdivision map or as a condition of issuing a building permit for the purposes of defraying the actual or estimated cost of constructing public facilities which benefit the developments subject to the fees,” according to the staff report.

The fees will help pay for the estimated $36 million of cost for improvements in the area, approved in 1996. Those include construction of a portion of Slatten Ranch Road between the J.C. Penney building and Laurel Road, extending to portion that currently ends at the new eBART maintenance facility. In addition, the fees will pay for the related infrastructure including storm drain, water line, sanitary sewer, utilities, and East Antioch Creek Trail and landscaping improvements.

The first subdivision to be affected by the per home fee, will be the Park Ridge project currently underway by developer Davidon Homes. Steve Abs, representing Davidon, spoke to the council and staff to relay his thanks for their help in allowing the project to move forward.

Park Ridge was approved by the Council in 2010, he told the audience, and said the creation of the District couldn’t have come at a better time, as Davidon is gearing up to begin construction.

“We’re excited to finally move forward,” he said.

The Council approved the new benefit district on 5-0 vote.

To see the Engineer’s Report on the East Lone Tree Specific Plan, please click here: engineers-report-eltsp-phase-ii

Homeless Outreach Action Plan

The Council also voted to allocate $17,000 from the city’s Housing Successor fund toward homeless outreach services, on Tuesday.

The previous Council had adopted a Homeless Outreach plan in May of this year, committing $2.15 million to helping Antioch’s lower income residents and neighborhoods.

However, because Contra Costa County reorganized its approach to providing homeless services, the County will now oversee all homeless outreach services, to ensure that all teams operate with the same standards and protocol.

The County is contracting Anka Behavioral Health to implement outreach on evenings and weekends, and the allocation of the $17,000 represents Antioch’s part in funding their program.

For now, the contract with Anka is set to expire in June 2017, but is expected to be renewed by the County for a three-year cycle next year.

Council Committee Assignments

Mayor Wright

Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)

Delta Diablo Sanitation District Board

Mayor’s Conference

City/School Relations Committee

Budget Committee

Lone Tree Golf Course Committee

Sycamore Corridor Committee

Transportation Committees:

TRANSPLAN

State Route 4 Bypass Authority

East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority

Mayor Pro Tem Thorpe

East County Water Management Association

Budget Comittee

Alternate, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)

Alternate, Mayor’s Conference

Council Member Wilson

Chamber of Commerce Liaison

Community Facilities District CFD 89-1 Board (Mello-Roos)

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority Board of Directors (Tri Delta Transit bus system)

City/School Relations Committee

Sycamore Corridor Committee

Transportation Committees:

Alternate, TRANSPLAN

Alternate, State Route 4 Bypass Authority

Alternate, East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority

Council Member Tiscareno

Community Advisory Board – S.F. Bay Water Emergency Transit Authority (ferry system)

CDBG Committee (Community Development Block Grant)

Graffiti Committee

Lone Tree Golf Course Committee

Council Member Ogorchock

Community Facilities District CFD 89-1 Board (Mello-Roos)

East Bay Division (League of California Cities)

Northeast Antioch Annexation

CDBG Committee (Community Development Block Grant)

Former Council Member Rocha

Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority Board of Directors (Tri Delta Transit bus system)

 

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Hears from Save the Yard supporters about proposed downtown park and event center

By Nick Goodrich

On Tuesday, December 13th, the Antioch City Council held its first meeting with a new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.

As a result of the November elections, Dr. Sean Wright oversaw his first council meeting, having unseated Wade Harper as Antioch’s Mayor, and Lamar Thorpe replaced Lori Ogorchock as Mayor Pro Tem. Wilson was re-elected to the council, and Ogorchock and Tony Tiscareno continue in their roles as council members.

Wright appeared comfortable and confident throughout the meeting, as the newly formed city council oversaw a number of public hearings, heard from residents about the historic Antioch Lumber Company lot, and grappled with the extending restrictions on marijuana within city limits.

Public Comments

The ongoing saga of the city’s deal to build townhomes on the site of downtown Antioch’s Beede Lumber Yard continued into the new council, as “Save the Yard” supporters once again showed up in force to protest the city’s decision to forego a park and event center on the site.

The council members were also nominated and appointed to various assignments representing the council on city committees and the city on regional committees.

Hoping to convince the new Council to reverse the direction of its predecessor, Leigh Ballesteros of Celebrate Antioch asked for the opportunity to privately build and manage the proposed park and event center for two years.

Celebrate Antioch’s goal, to prove to the Council that a new event center could be built and maintained with limited costs to the city, would require Antioch to cancel its deal with City Ventures, which currently gives the developer exclusive negotiation rights for the former Beede parcel.

Ballesteros noted that Celebrate Antioch already has much of the necessary funding for its project, and a plan in place to ensure its success.

Joy Motts, Celebrate Antioch’s Treasurer and Fundraising Chair, read from the City’s General Plan, which designates Antioch’s downtown waterfront as a possible “town square” and gathering place.

“Fulfill the wishes of the people you represent,” she told the council. “It’s time to talk about the Antioch Rivertown Town Square.”

Rick Stadtlander, Save the Yard’s Director of Fundraising, also pointed out that townhomes would detract from Antioch’s beautiful waterfront view.

Stadtlander spoke of his two grown sons, who have become disenchanted with Antioch and intend to leave, as an example of Antioch’s struggles in making the city an attractive and desirable place to live.

“The people don’t support homes on the Lumber Yard,” he said. “A park and event center will attract many more people, and their wallets.”

Interim Urgency Marijuana Ordinance Extended

The first public hearing overseen by the new Council involved the city’s policy on marijuana use, after the passing of Proposition 64 in November.

The council’s initial ordinance, adopted on November 8th, put a freeze on the status of all non-medical marijuana use within Antioch for a period of 45 days, while the city decided how to proceed on its marijuana policy, going forward.

On Tuesday, they chose to extend the interim ordinance for a period of 10 months and 15 days, with an expiration date slated for October 2017.

The continuation of the ordinance extends the ban on marijuana dispensaries and deliveries, prohibits outdoor cultivation for personal use, and essentially allows for no commercial activities involving the drug until Prop 64 takes full effect in January of 2018.

Under Prop 64, cities cannot prohibit indoor cultivation for personal use, but can “reasonably regulate” it. The Council directed city staff to explore ways to regulate indoor growing without outright discouraging or banning it, which is now illegal under California state law.

Despite a spirited discussion, the Council was united in its sentiment that recreational marijuana should be postponed in Antioch for as long as possible.

The council called on Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando during the hearing to share his opinion.

Cantando was firmly of the opinion that Antioch should hold off on allowing non-medical marijuana until required to by state law in 2018. He cited a potential increase in crime as a major reason, in a city already plagued by a high crime rate and understaffed Police Department.

Cantando was also concerned by the difficulties he believed other states were experiencing after legalizing recreational marijuana.

“I think that we should postpone this for as long as we can,” he told the council.

Tiscareno and Thorpe, while not entirely in support of legalization, did note that most voting precincts in Antioch showed heavy support for Prop 64, with 65% of residents voting in favor of the measure.

Tiscareno also raised the question of increased tax revenue as a result of regulations, which the city could be missing out on for the next 10 months if the current ordinance stands.

Several Antioch residents stepped up to share their opinions, as well.

Mark Jordan, a real estate broker in Antioch, suggested that the city add cultivation to the rental registration process, and can perhaps add fees to growers. Brian Eloff noted Colorado’s $2.3 billion increase in tax revenue since it legalized recreational marijuana in 2012.

Ogorchock was the most firmly opposed to legalization, and stated it was “a quality of life issue” for Antioch residents.

Wright weighed in as well, calling it a “complicated issue” and electing to stand with Chief Cantando’s opinion for the time being.

A 4/5 vote from Council was required to prolong the ordinance, but wasn’t needed as they voted unanimously in favor of extending it.

The City can revisit the ordinance and choose to end it at any time until it expires in 2017.