The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 78th installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program this Saturday, January 7, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We will be cleaning the neighborhoods adjacent to Knoll Park and surrounding streets.

Volunteers will meet on Valley Way and park along the curb next to Knoll Park (see map below).

This is a collaborative community effort which involves active participation from the Antioch Police 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 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.

Volunteers will receive instructions and the equipment necessary to accomplish the goal. The targeted area is within walking distance. Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

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

Ofelia Dimas

Born on 10/29/49 in McNary, Texas.

Entered in to eternal peace on 12/24/16.

Ofelia is survived by her seven children: Anna Marie Dimas, Lina Smith, Bennie Dimas, Jerry Dimas, Monica Gonzales, Paul Dimas, Russell Dimas and her 12 grandchildren.

Ofelia loved to be with her children and grandchildren. She loved to sing and loved gardening. She was a volunteer at Kaiser in Antioch and loved to help others. She was a very generous person and would often help a stranger if she could at any time.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Maclovio and Luisa Marquez.

Services will be held Saturday, January 7th, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Bear Creek Community Church, 1171 N. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi, CA 95242.

Burial and reception to immediately follow.

Antioch High running back Najee Harris practices for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, TX on Tuesday, January 3, 2016. photo by OregonLive.com

No. 1 by three different rankings, five-star running back won’t announce publicly; insiders say he’s flying to Alabama, Oakland on Sunday

Najee Harris ranked #1 recruit in the nation. Source: 247Sports.com

By Allen Payton

According to national news reports including by NBC Sports, which showed up on Yahoo! News, Antioch High running back Najee Harris will not announce his college of choice publicly, but will just show up on campus.

Making national news as the nation’s number one high school football recruit, this year, Harris was in San Antonio, Texas at the second day of training, Tuesday for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was being watched by media from across the country, but wouldn’t give any interviews. He did however speak with 247Sports on Monday and said, although he’s committed to the University of Alabama, Harris is still “undecided” and considering the University of Michigan, as well as U.C. Berkeley.

The website reported that Antioch High Varsity Football Coach John Lucido said Harris will simply fly to his college of choice after the game to enroll in school early, without notifying the media. Only his “circle of trust” will know.

Both Alabama head coach Nick Saban and former offensive coach Lane Kiffin visited Harris in Antioch, this past year, as well as Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, the former coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

According to 247Sports, Harris is “ranked by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 1 prospect,” and that “the five-star Harris has been a verbal to Alabama since April of 2015, but Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have created doubt about the future for the ballyhooed recruit who took his official to Ann Arbor in mid-December and has been there a few times.” (Harris is also ranked the nation’s No. 1 high school football recruit by Scout and Rivals).

Najee Harris at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl practice field. Source: AL.com

The article further stated that “Alabama quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa has told BamaOnLine insider Hank South this week that he is planning to room with Harris in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban and Alabama don’t generally lose recruits they want like Harris, but Harbaugh and Michigan have done all they can to make the West Coast talent think otherwise.”

According to MLive.com, “Harbaugh hosted a satellite camp at Antioch in June and even announced the homecoming queen while watching Harris play in October. Harris visited Michigan in August for the BBQ at the Big House annual recruiting event and took an official visit to Ann Arbor in December.”

According to AL.com, when Harris was “asked if he’d just duck interviews after the game and head to the airport and to his school of choice, he said that’s what he plans on doing. So, there will be no announcement.”

UPDATE 1/5/17: However, according to 247Sports, on Wednesday “Alabama quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa told 247Sports that he would be on the same flight as…Najee Harris to Birmingham at the completion of the Army Bowl. That news seemed to indicate Harris’ intention to enroll at Alabama in January, effectively ending his recruitment.”

The article further states Tagovailoa has also said this week that Harris is also his scheduled roommate in Tuscaloosa. Tracked down for confirmation in the hallways of the Grand Hyatt hotel, Harris playfully said, “What flight? I don’t even know my flight.”

Yet, on Thursday, 247Sports reported they have “since learned from two sources that Harris’ departing flight from San Antonio actually has Oakland — his hometown (airport) — as its final destination.”

Then, a further report by 247Sports Thursday morning, has Harris heading to Alabma. “As part of the invitation to play in the Army Bowl, travel is paid for, with a departing flight from San Antonio to anywhere of the player’s choice. Those flights can be changed — and Thursday afternoon, after practice No. 3, Harris made use of the flexible nature of the Army Bowl’s travel capabilities. It is unclear,  but assumed, that Harris’ travel request will be accommodated.

A non-Bama bound player on the West squad told 247Sports on Thursday he had heard Harris would stick with his Alabama commitment, too. Classes start Jan. 11 at Alabama.”

Watch Harris play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 7th at 10:00 AM on NBC.  For more information about the game visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com. To learn more about Najee Harris and his high school career playing for the Antioch Panthers, visit his Wikipedia page, his page on MaxPreps, or search his name on this website.

The late Karl Dietzel taking his oath of office following filing of his nomination papers to run for the Antioch City Council, in August, 2016.

According to a Facebook post by Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen, on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2016, the memorial for Karl Dietzel, the tw0-time Antioch City Council candidate who passed away last week, will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at10:00 AM., at the Delta Bay Church for Christ, 913 Sunset Drive in Antioch. A reception will follow.

Amtrak San Joaquins connects California from the San Francisco Bay Area to Bakersfield with 18 stations and 365 miles of track. It connects people to their families back home, their jobs every day and their adventures in national parks, cities and California’s hidden treasures. You could say we’re all about connections. That’s why we want to see how you connect to California – snap a photo while traveling on Amtrak San Joaquins and enter our photo contest!

We want to see your adventures, special moments, silly selfies, great shots of train stations, breathtaking views and more! Click here to enter.

Are bank account opening bonuses for real?

Yes, but you will pass many dark dank alleys in a dicey neighborhood, so take care. Banks often have a third party do the pitch, such as Hustler Money, Money Crashers, and Nerd Wallet. They are very up- front about being paid by the banks. In many of them Chase is mentioned first. Being paid by the banks doesn’t make the offer phony. Often there is promotional code you must use. You can open the account online.

Two bits of advice: Always, always, print a copy of the offer and keep it at least until you have collected the money. And, always, RTFP (definition available in the Suburban Dictionary). I ignored my good advice in a recent deal with Wings Financial Credit Union; I read the fine print but didn’t print out a copy. When it came time to collect the puny $50 gift card, customer “service” said, “Ah, ah, ah, you have to agree to accepting paperless statements to earn the gift card.” I didn’t remember that but I was stuck.

Chase often puts pitches in that envelope of coupons including sewer repair and ridding your abode of rodents. I have taken several Chase offers. I like to open the account at a nearby branch. They always recognize me even though I enter the bank only to open an account; otherwise I go to the money wall.

I recently opened a Chase Business Account, depositing $1,500. The rep won’t be fussy about your business,  E just wants to close the deal and rack up brownie points. Chase will deposit $300 to the account about 70 days after opening, when  It will be available to withdraw. You must maintain a $1,000 minimum balance. To avoid a monthly fee keep at least $1,500 in the account That’s an annual percentage yield 40%. The fine print says if you close the account before 12 months, it will deduct the bonus. Well, nyah, nyah, nyah, what if I take the money and run before I close it? But they might not recognize me when I come in next year with the offer. It’s like guys on Hogs in black leather jackets with an eagle on the back; I don’t wish to incur their displeasure.

For an HSBC Bank: bonus of $350, initially deposit at least $25 dollars, pay two bills a month through them for three months and collect $350. No minimum payment is stated; I deposited $25 and for two months made two payments of $4. Account opening was arduous, I danced to their tune online and it took three weeks to open. They asked questions indicating they were seeking affluent depositors, but I have the account.

BMO Harris offered a $200 bonus and Tech CU a $150 bonus for opening an account and making a direct deposit of a paycheck or government check, such as Social Security. Residents of Northern California are eligible for membership in both institutions.

These offers appear and poof, all gone, but new offers will appear.