Antioch school librarians and library technicians mount a protest outside the Antioch School Board meeting Wed. night, March 20, 2019.

Rocketship supporters and others talk outside of the school district offices and board room, after the meeting was cancelled.

By Allen Payton

Wednesday night’s Antioch School Board meeting had to be cancelled and postponed until Friday night due to a large turnout of district staff and Rocketship charter school supporters. The over capacity crowd for the small school board meeting room at the district office, included school librarians and library technicians who face possible budget cuts, and staged a small protest with signs. Plus, it included an estimated 250 parents and supporters of the Rocketship Delta Prep elementary school in Antioch whose charter is being threatened with possible revocation.

The Rocketship supporters were there to speak during public comments in support of the school.

“The meeting was continued to Friday at 7:00 p.m. due to the number of people in attendance,” Superintendent Stephanie Anello told the Herald. “Rocketship was not on the agenda but many (district) employees showed up due to pending expenditure reductions in addition to Rocketship.”

“Additionally, Rocketship did not notify us that they would be attending the meeting until Friday, March 15,” Anello continued. “Two public hearings that required a 10-day notification were on the agenda, so it was too late to change the venue. Friday’s meeting will take place at Lone Tree Elementary.”

The Fire Marshall was called, who in turn called the Antioch Police, and determined the meeting had to be cancelled.

Lone Tree Elementary is located at 1931 Mokelumne Drive in Antioch.

Tickets available at the door or by calling (925) 529-0861.

Other two from Concord, Pittsburg

By CHP-Contra Costa

Recently, three HWY-4 shooting suspects from 2016, were found guilty in a Contra Costa County Courtroom; two suspects received 13 years and the third received 12 years and 8 months in state prison. These were the results after a long and thorough investigation process and additionally long and thorough judicial process until final adjudication.

It takes quite a while for these shooting suspects to be brought to justice and finally sentenced but the effort and long hours are worth it, for the public to know that these criminals were tried and convicted and also for the families of the victims of these freeway shootings.

This specific case occurred on Feb. 1, 2016 and involved the three suspects traveling in a Nissan sedan on westbound HWY-4 when they shot their firearm out of their moving vehicle at the victim’s vehicle, which was all witnessed by an off-duty police officer. Then the suspects’ vehicle drove at a high rate of speed off the freeway to the Port Chicago Hwy off-ramp and subsequently was involved in a major collision within the intersection and caused injuries to all parties involved.

All three suspects were charged and convicted of the following:

-246 PC – Shooting at an occupied vehicle.

-186.22(a) PC – Participation in Criminal Street Gang

-29800 PC – Possession of Firearm by a Felon. (Oscar Torres)

– 11359 H&S – Possession for Sale of Marijuana

SENTENCES
-Zachery Paul Lopez (24 years old from Concord) was sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in State Prison.

-Oscar Osbaldo Torres (25 years old from Pittsburg) was sentenced to 13 years in State Prison.

-Antonio Ramirez Navarro (22 years old from Antioch) was also sentenced to 13 years in State Prison.

Public Safety and the preservation of life is always our #1 goal and although we cannot predict when criminals are going to commit these heinous crimes, what we can do is put together our very best investigation that will bring these criminals to justice and have them answer for their crimes.

Dear Editor:

I would like to make the community aware of upcoming budget cuts at the Antioch Unified School District. This Wednesday (March 20) at 7:00pm there will be a School Board meeting in the board room at the district office. At this meeting, the district will propose cuts to be voted on.

Among these cuts will be $775,000 worth of classified staff. Around 29% of that will be Library Media Technicians (elementary school librarians). In the past when budget cuts were made, library techs were laid off. Full time school libraries were not staffed. Some schools only had a library open two days a week.

When this happened, there was a drop in reading scores, love for reading, and books in general. We are seeing the result at the middle school and high school level now. Since library services have been restored, reading scores have began to improve. Some of our students never hear a story read to them aside from in the library or the classroom. Others are not able to afford to purchase books because it is just not in their budget.

Books are treasures to students who sometimes need to escape the hard realities they are living in. Libraries are a safe place for students, and librarians in our district are not just librarians. We do not just read to kids. We participate in PBIS programs such as Tool Box or Mindfulness. We plan activities and stories to support what is going on in the classroom. We teach literacy. We feed the inquiring minds of students daily. We process books and keep open schedules to accommodate teachers and students. We do yard duty in the mornings and after school. We plan fundraisers, book fairs, and family events. Some of us participate in PTO’s/PTA’s at our school sites. Others sit in on School Site Council meetings, and more. We are valuable.

If, as a community, we can agree that reading is important and has a place in everyday life, how can we not then say that libraries are not just as important? Let’s face it, we all know that cuts need and have to be made because at the end of the day, the budget is the budget. However, why do the librarians have to feel close to 29% of that cut? Why aren’t there more cuts being made to the high paid employees at the district office? Why aren’t we looking into programs such as the organics program offered by Republic Services as the Benicia School District and many restaurants in the area have adopted to save money? Why do our students have to suffer?

Our students will lose instructional assistants, reading teachers, librarians, and more. Out of 92 classified classifications, librarians will take 29% of the hit?

Do not sit by and just watch this happen. Let your voice be heard at the meeting Wednesday night. Afterall, We are AUSD.

To view the agenda item (14-B), please visit the AUSD Website

Thank you,

Samantha Loza

Dupree Straughter from his Facebook page posted April 11, 2018.

By Sgt. Rick Smith, Antioch Police Field Services – Patrol

On Monday, March 18, 2019, at 8:44 A.M. an Antioch Officer located an occupied reported stolen vehicle parked in an apartment complex near Cavallo Road and East 18th Street. As the officer was approaching the vehicle, the driver fled on foot through the back of the complex and into an adjacent field. The subject was last seen entering a nearby business, but never seen exiting. It was determined he was hiding on the roof of the business. Officers in the area were quick to setup up a perimeter.

A loaded handgun was recovered from the vehicle the subject had fled from. Officers were able to identify the subject as 34-year-old Dupree Straughter. Straughter is known to Antioch PD for prior weapons arrests and had an active Felony Warrant for his arrest. A witness in the business believed he had seen Straughter holding a possible weapon in his hand. Due to this, officers evacuated and secured the business.

Officers were able to get a visual of Straughter on the roof and after a short time, he surrendered peacefully. Straughter climbed down and was taken into custody without incident. A search of the roof and the suspect did not locate any additional weapons. Straughter was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on his warrant and other Felony Charges. No one was injured during this incident.

This preliminary information is made available by the Community Policing Division. Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Destinee Hillery from her Facebook page posted on June 8, 2017.

By CHP-Golden Gate Division

At approximately 2:25 PM on Saturday, March 16, 2019, CHP – Contra Costa Area was advised of a silver Honda that collided into the guard rail on Highway 4 eastbound at Port Chicago Highway. While units were in route another caller advised the vehicle ended up on the Willow Pass Road off-ramp from eastbound Highway 4.

Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined the vehicle drove off the roadway and collided with the guardrail. The solo 25-year-old female driver, Destinee Shaharisha – Jenae Hillery, a resident of Antioch was pronounced deceased on scene.

While units were investigating the scene, bullet holes were located on the driver side door. This investigation is ongoing, any further details will be released at a later time.

If anyone has information regarding this incident or witnessed it take place, they are encouraged to contact CHP investigators at 707-917-449.