Improvements include new entrance, two outdoor patios, bakery and sandwich shop; will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

By Allen Payton

The much-anticipated re-opening of the former Riverview Lodge is still in process, with the reconstruction by building owners Sean McCauley and Ron Harrison, and their crew. Renamed Monica’s at Riverview, the restaurant sits on the dock over the water at the foot of I Street in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown. It has been getting both a serious facelift and major upgrades inside.

It’s named for Monica Barajas, the former partner of MJ’s Café & Bakery in downtown Brentwood and owner of Monica’s Livermore, who, with partner Robert Bonner, will be the new operators.

“Robert and I met through my ex-business partner. He was an integral part of that venture starting, having us cater his daughter’s wedding,” Barajas shared. “Then following that, conversations started about opening a restaurant, after I’d had a business plan in my mind to open an all-day breakfast place.”

“We opened MJ’s in 2010 at the end of the horrible economic crash,” she said. “I worked there for seven years and Robert was a customer who came in literally, every day. He suggested we open a place in Livermore, and I thought it was a great idea. So, we did.”

Second Location in Antioch

“We wanted to open this business model, elsewhere. So, we were excited when Sean and Ron talked to us about opening a location in Antioch,” she continued. “What we can bring to Antioch is not just good food, but a place to get away from home and have a good experience. We will have live music and are planning on bringing events to the pier, as well.”

But not everything is changing as the “Old Riverview” style and some menu items will remain.

“There will be some nods to the old recipes in our dinner menu, including three items that are Riverview Lodge classics,” Barajas shared. “But we’ll be bringing much of the same menu from our current location.”

Check out Monica’s Livermore website to see their menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert items of made-from-scratch recipes, as well as their variety of beverages, including local wines. See more on their Facebook page.

Just like before, the new Riverview will include a dining room, bar and banquet room, and is retaining some of the original wood paneling to keep the “lodge” look.

Working since late last summer, the crew has “put in 19 piers for the foundation of the deck,” according to construction foreman Tim Finklea. “Also new joists, subfloor, new girders, new beams and four new ADA restrooms, as well.”

There was an 11-inch sag in the ceiling which they raised up with the beams and the floor was caving in, too, Finklea explained. One of the crew, Justin Pereira was down in a hole in the floor (through which the river could be seen below) working on the subfloor, Tuesday afternoon.

“There will be $40,000 in new windows,” Finklea added.

New and Improved!

The improvements to the iconic restaurant include front and back patios for outdoor dining, room in the bar area for a band to perform, a roll-up door to the back patio and roll-up windows to the front patio for service to the outdoor granite bar that will be installed. It will also include a bakery and sandwich shop with a separate entrance.

“Ron and I are excited to procure such a good operator for the iconic Riverview Lodge. Monica will bring to the new waterfront dining district a fresh and much needed experience,” McCauley said. “We now have two of the largest and most sought-after restaurants on the Delta, coming to the Antioch Waterfront Dining District. They will not only attract Far East County patrons, but we will be a more regional draw for great food and atmosphere.”

This is the food establishment that McCauley and Harrison’s have brought to Antioch’s downtown, having purchased the former Humphrey’s on the Delta location, and under the leadership of Randy and Lynn Tei, turned it into Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill, as well as Guadalajara Taqueria, and Chill Tea & Coffee.

The pair expects to also open Chelsea’s, a sushi and Ramen house, with a current location in Brentwood, in the former coin shop on W. 2nd Street in April. Then the pair currently have three more restaurants planned to open in the Waterfront Dining District in the summer or fall of 2021.

Grand Opening Planned for May

Hopefully by May the COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted for at least, outdoor dining, if not indoor dining, as well and a grand opening celebration for Monica’s Riverview can be held.

“Robert and I want to be part of giving Antioch what they deserve, which is a vital downtown district,” Barajas added.

Look for more information about Monica’s at Riverview, soon on social media.

Celebrate MLK day, honor Humanitarians of the Year, appoint 11 to Racial Justice Oversight Body including Antioch Council Member Torres-Walker, increase vehicle license fees

By Daniel Borsuk

During the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, under the questioning of District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, Contra Costa County Public Health Director Anna Roth was asked why West County has the fewest vaccine locations, five, while other districts in the county have more sites where citizens can get vaccinated.

Gioia brought up the issue on why there are far fewer vaccination sites in the Richmond and El Cerrito area that has the highest COVID-19 incidence rates in the county because of its high percentage of Black and Latino residents. He noted that there were 10 vaccination sites in East County, 10 sites in the South County (San Ramon Valley) and seven locations in Central County.

Roth said she would report back to the Board on why West County had fewest vaccination sites, but District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville said many of the vaccination locations in her district are drug stores or grocery stores.

Gioia brought up the disparity of vaccination locations in West County after Roth had reported that the County had given about 52,000 vaccine shots since Dec. 15.  She noted persons over 65 are now eligible to receive the vaccine and the vaccine is being distributed through Kaiser, Sutter and at Safeway stories.  The vaccine is being distributed at 960 doses a day.

“The vaccine is giving us hope” said Contra Costa Public Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano.  “Almost one third of the deaths in Contra Costa County were COVID-19 related.”

Velma Wilson, Kimyatta Newby Honored at MLK Ceremony

During the county’s 43rd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, the Board Chair Diane Burgis presented a spectacularly produced video (see 2:34:00 mark) featuring Antioch activist Velma Wilson as the Humanitarian of the Year and Howard University student Kimyatta Newby as Student Humanitarian of the Year. (See related article)

Appoint 11 to Racial Justice Oversight Body

Supervisors approved, without discussion, the appointments of 11 residents to the Racial Justice Oversight Body, a multi-agency advisory body established by the Board of Supervisors in 2018 to oversee the implementation of the recommendations made by the Racial Justice Task Force to reduce disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems.  The 11 new members will serve their appointment throuogh December   31, 2023.

Richmond Police Chief Bisa French will serve as the Local Law Enforcement representative.  LaShanta Smith of the West Contra Costa Unified School District will serve as the school district representative.  Also appointed are Tamisha Torres-Walker, an Antioch Council Member; Jeff Landau, a County public defender; Michael Pierson, an Antioch lawyer; Chala Bonner, a political education organizer; Stephanie Medley, an attorney; Ronell Ellis, an entertainment company owner; Cheryl Sudduth, a Goodwill Industries director; Apollo Sulse, a pastor of The Bay Church; and Noe Gudino, a coordinator at Ryse Youth Center.

Vehicle License Fee Hike OK’d

Without hearing any citizen objection, supervisors unanimously approved increasing an annual vehicle license fee of $1.00 for all motor vehicles registered in Contra Costa County and an additional $2.00 for commercial vehicles to provide additional funding for the county’s CAL-ID program.  Used by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies in the county, the CAL-ID system provides funding for the Automated Fingerprint Identification System for persons who may be involved in driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, vehicular manslaughter, or any combination of those and other vehicle-related crimes.

The fee increase will help cover a projected deficit of $1.1 million starting August 1, 2021.

Bay Point Fire Station Construction Contract Approved

Serving as the Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board of Directors, supervisors unanimously approved a $9,579,000 contract with C. Overaa & Co. to construct a new Fire Station 86 in Bay Point at 10 Goble Dr. even though the second lowest bidder for the project, D.L. Falk Construction Inc., with a bid of $9,714,000 had submitted an objection that was rejected by county officials.

No public objections were lodged about the contract during the Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday.

“Overaa’s bid is responsive and that County Public Works Department staff has thoroughly reviewed the bid and determined that Overaa has documented an adequate good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the County’s Outreach Program, as provided in the Project specifications.  Staff recommends that the construction contract for the Project be awarded to Overaa Construction Inc., the lowest, responsible bidder, in the nearly $9,579,000, as listed in Overaa’s bid,” said the Public Works Department statement.

A third bid of $10,088,000 had been submitted by Alten Construction, Inc. of Richmond.

The new Fire Station 86 will replace the asbestos-plagued, 60-year-old fire station that is so outdated and “is too small to accommodate the needs of the modern fire service,” Contra Costa Fire Protection District Chief Lewis Broschard III wrote in a recommendation to the supervisors. “The layout consists of unconnected buildings used for various purposes. This station itself is believed to contain asbestos …This project has had several starts and stops over the decades.  This fire station will serve Bay Point and the adjacent City of Pittsburg.  The Pittsburg area south of Highway 4 has seen significant growth in recent years.  This growth is anticipated to continue.”

Retiring EBRPD Director Doyle Recognized

Supervisors also recognized Robert Doyle for his 25 years of service at the East Bay Regional Park District, the past 10 years where he served as General Manager of the park district.  Among his numerous achievements at EBRPD, Doyle was instrumental in managing the parks during the current COVID-19 crisis in which park use increased dramatically.

 

Overwhelming support for body worn cameras

By Allen Payton

The first of three “Bridging the Gap” discussions on Antioch police, community and race relations held Tuesday night, appeared to show there is no gap that needs to be bridged between the community and police department. The first discussion, on the topic of Police Oversight, Transparency & Accountability, offered broad support for both Chief Brooks and Antioch police in general from the 75 members of the public who participated and broke into five groups for their discussions. (View video of first meeting, here)

However, participants believe there is room for some improvement in the areas of transparency and accountability, with the use of body worn cameras, and better communication, as well as some additional citizen oversight, just not “overreach”.

The format of the forums was finally, fully explained to the public with the City only broadcasting the opening and report-out, closing session on the city’s website and on Comcast Channel 24. But not the five breakout sessions. Plus, the council members did not and will not participate in the discussions due to the Brown Act state open meeting law. They could just watch and listen.

Hildy Saizow of the consulting company CAN, hired to facilitate the discussions, opened the meeting and explained the format. She then introduced Mary O’Connor, retired Assistant Chief of the Tampa, Florida Police Department, and currently an instructor with the FBI-LEED, Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, according to her LinkedIn profile.

O’Connor spoke of the various ways that cities provide oversight of their police departments, both internal and external to “ensure the complaint process is available to anyone.”

“Some oversight committees have investigative authority,” she shared. “Some have subpoena powers.”

O’Connor then shared there are concerns that oversight committees are “way above and beyond what cities can do and afford.”

“Prosecution rates increase as a result of body-worn cameras,” she stated.

Saizow then shared the ground rules for the break-out sessions.

Then those members of the public who weren’t one of the 75 who either live or work in Antioch and randomly selected to participate in the breakout sessions were shown the following screen:

Earlier Tuesday, Mayor Lamar Thorpe, Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore, and Public Information Officer Rolando Bonilla were asked for a list of the names of the 75 participants for each of the three forums, and when and where the reports from the break-out sessions will be made available. A response is expected sometime on Wednesday.

When the group returned for the public to watch, O’Connor spoke about her break-out session.

“The majority of our group believes the Antioch Police Department is transparent,” she said. “They know of teams that go out to the community and meet with groups. They believe the police department does a good job on promoting their events” on social media.

“Our group felt, based on their breadth of knowledge, that some accountability was necessary,” O’Connor stated. “They did cite some officers who have been in the news that they’ve heard about. There was some positive, some negatives. Generally from an accountability the citizens would like to know more about what happens in the department.”

“Our group was overwhelmingly in favor of some oversight, but were concerned about costs and where they would come from,” she said. “They supported body-worn cameras over civilian oversight.”

“As far as civilian oversight, they said they would be willing to be a part of that,” O’Connor stated. “They said there should be civilian oversight but not overreach.”

She shared that one participant in her group said, “the bodyworn cameras are long overdue,” and another said, “we can’t afford not to have bodyworn cameras.”

There was “overwhelming support for bodyworn cameras and dashboard cameras,” O’Connor pointed out.

The city needs to “provide more information to the people who come to these sessions about bodyworn cameras,” she added. “There is a lot of information out there how bodyworn cameras can have negative impact on the community.”

“There was a large part of our group that has done the Citizen’s Academy and done ride-alongs,” O’Connor concluded. “I think that pretty much wraps up our report.”

Rachel Johnston, a colleague of Saizow shared about the results from her breakout session.

“There was a lot of support for the Antioch Police Department and Police Chief Brooks,” she said. “Regarding transparency, there’s not a lot of understanding of what transparency is. But overall there is agreement that there’s always room for improvement. APD could engage in these technologies, bodyworn cameras and dashboard cameras.”

Johnston spoke of “the overlap of accountability and transparency. How can APD be accountable if they’re not being transparent?” was a question from her group. “People weren’t quite sure what the outcomes of certain incidents.”

“As for police oversight, there’s a lot of support for the police department,” Johnston shared. There was mention that “community members aren’t entitled to known everything and that civilians wouldn’t be effective, because police require a lot of training.”

She also said the members of her group said communication with the police department could be improved.

Stephen Hickman, another colleague of Saizow, shared from his group:

“Generally there was an issue raised about transparency in hiring. Antioch has come a long way with transparency,” he said. “The police and community need to meet halfway to bridge that gap.”

“On accountability there was a feeling among some that there isn’t good accountability and they cited certain cases” and “a general concern about not having information,” Hickman continued.

Regarding “bodyworn cameras, there seemed to be general agreement, but once again, wanting more information,” he stated.

On “civilian oversight, they thought that was a good idea. There was some concern about volunteers being overwhelmed. There were some of the suggestions for making things better and for building trust…making better use of social media.”

Monique Jenkins, another colleague of Saizow’s, shared about her group’s interactions on the subject matter.

“Most felt good about transparency from Chief Brooks but that there could be improvement,” she said. “Members shared support for oversight but, there was dissent kind of to what point.”

“Others wanted to start from scratch and have a group with more power,” Jenkins stated.

“On building trust, my folks felt there needed to be more community outreach in non-policing situations,” she shared.

Saizow then reported out on her group.

“The first point was around transparency. Most people felt the department is fairly transparent,” she stated. “But, they thought if there was more data, or a data dashboard that was available.”

“Most supported bodyworn cameras,” Saizow said.

“While most felt there needed to be more public input, there’s some concern about a police oversight board, because Antioch is too small and there could be overreach. But some kind of oversight.”

There was discussion around police-community engaging, and community partnership,” she said. “Other people felt that police didn’t come and engage in their particular neighborhoods…with higher percentage of poverty and minority residents.”

“Overall there was support for police and none of these changes would change community trust,” Saizow concluded.

“There are two more round tables to be held over the next month,” she stated. Those will be held on Feb. 6th and 18th and will also only allow 75 participants chosen randomly.

Following the meeting Councilman Mike Barbanica said, “I listened to the main sessions, then monitored my breakout session and was impressed with not only the support for the police department in general, but also for Chief Brooks.”

CNA will be sending out a high-level summary of Tuesday night’s meeting and a report at the end of all three which will be shared with participants.

Dialogue 2: Racial Disparities in Policing

Date:  Saturday, February 6th

Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am

Discussion will focus on the disparate impact of police practices – such as recruitment and training, and use of force – on communities of color.

Register here.

Dialogue 3: Police-Community Engagement

Date:  Thursday, February 18th

Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am

Discussion will focus on how to improve the ways in which the police interact with young people and vulnerable communities, how police approach crime prevention, and how communities impact policing priorities.

Register here.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

 

In Northern California, grant funding to three grassroots and nonprofit organizations, including one in Contra Costa County, will address structures and practices that prevent communities of color from achieving good health and well-being.

By Kerri Leedy, PR and Media Relations Manager, Kaiser Permanente Northern California 

OAKLAND, CA – On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest integrated, nonprofit health system, announced it has awarded $8.15 million to support dozens of nonprofit and community-based organizations whose programs address systemic racism and its accompanying trauma on individuals and communities of color. These grants are part of the $25 million commitment Kaiser Permanente announced in June 2020 to promote health equity and break the cycle of racial inequities, injustices, and stresses that lead to poor health outcomes for its members and communities.

“As we reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., I hope Kaiser Permanente is one of many voices plainly saying that there is much, much work still to be done to realize Dr. King’s ideal of an equitable society that guarantees every individual the opportunity to thrive,” said Greg A. Adams, Kaiser Permanente chairman and CEO. “I am encouraged as I see what progress is possible through organization, activism, and advocacy — and I want our support to enable future generations to follow that path to create change.”

This first set of grants, awarded to 39 organizations in eight U.S. states and the District of Columbia, support established national and regional community-based organizations led by people of color, addressing racial and social justice or trauma, including the lifelong impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

In Northern California, a total of $975,000 in grants will help three community-based organizations work to end systemic racism and the resulting trauma experienced by people of color.

“It is fitting that we announce these grants on the day when our nation honors Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision of a just and equitable society,” said Yvette Radford, vice president, Kaiser Permanente Northern California External and Community Affairs. “These investments will support our community partners in organizing, advocating, and advancing policies and practices that foster racial equity and justice, healing, and the opportunity for every individual to thrive.”

The following Northern California organizations will each receive $325,000 over the next 24 months, as part of Kaiser Permanente’s $8.1 million investment:

• RYSE Inc.: Young people of color in Richmond and West Contra Costa will be engaged in RYSE’s leadership pipeline to build the next generation of leaders grounded in racial and social justice. They will work with adult stakeholders to help shape racially just policies and practices.
• Faith in Action Network (PICO California): Leveraging its organizing expertise and deep connections with Black faith leaders, congregations and directly impacted communities, PICO will work to dismantle systemic racism, reconstruct public safety systems, and help heal, protect and save Black lives.
• Public Health Advocates (PHA) in Stockton: Working with youth leaders, PHA will educate students on the impact of trauma, develop a campaign to reduce mental health stigma, and create safe healing and support spaces. PHA will work to address racist policies and practices with bi-weekly education and leadership training of youth to help them understand the relationship between public policy, trauma, and health outcomes. 

“This funding sends a message of hope to our youth that they are critical to this movement and have the power to make positive change,” said Tanice Wallace, program manager for Public Health Advocates’ Faces of Resilience program, which will receive additional funding through Kaiser Permanente’s racial equity grants. “Our program helps young people understand the roots of structural racism, then we offer them tools and the opportunity to work toward racial equity in their communities.”

Among the initiatives funded is a $2 million national partnership with PolicyLink to design and scale racial equity strategies, projects, and campaigns. The core issues PolicyLink addresses include housing justice, water equity and climate resilience, corporate racial equity, and reducing inequality.

“To truly honor Dr. King, we must build a just and fair society where all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Sadly, due to us not heeding Dr. King’s charge, more than 100 million people – 1 in 3 Americans – still live in or near poverty,” said Michael McAfee, president and CEO of PolicyLink. “Our partnership with Kaiser Permanente will support creating anti-racist practices and policies inside the organization, within Kaiser Permanente’s vast network, and in the broader society. This project will help to ensure that all people in America — particularly those who face the burdens of structural racism – participate in a just society, live in a healthy community of opportunity, and prosper in an equitable economy.”

As part of this partnership, PolicyLink will also play a role in working with organizations receiving grants – convening, engaging, and mobilizing regional grantees to catalyze learning and action communities. Kaiser Permanente and PolicyLink will evaluate the outcomes of funded programs, with input from a panel of national racial justice and trauma experts, to track and measure overall progress. The grants will be distributed through Kaiser Permanente’s fund at the East Bay Community Foundation.

In addition, in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an estimated 1,700 Kaiser Permanente employees in Northern California took part in the organization’s 17th Annual MLK Day of Service. Due to COVID-19, all volunteering was done safely and virtually. Projects ranged from making calls and writing letters to seniors and others who are isolated by the pandemic to creating blankets, masks, and wellness journals for people in need.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California is also donating a 1,000-square-foot mural to the Black Cultural Zone at Oakland’s Liberation Park where it will soon be permanently installed. Two local Oakland artists created the dynamic and colorful piece of art, which depicts images that reflect the Black community and culture.

About Kaiser Permanente

For 75 years, Kaiser Permanente has been committed to shaping the future of health and health care — and helping our members, patients, and communities experience more healthy years. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Since July 21, 1945, Kaiser Permanente’s mission has been to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health.

This year marks the 235th anniversary of the signing of Virginia’s Statute for Religious Freedom. The statute would eventually become a foundational principle in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which preserves an individual’s right to belief and to choose and exercise faith without government coercion or reprisal. Since 1993, every U.S President has issued a proclamation on January 16 to commemorate National Religious Freedom and celebrate America’s first freedom.

Proclamation on Religious Freedom Day, 2021

Issued on January 15, 2021

Faith inspires hope.  Deeply embedded in the heart and soul of our Nation, this transcendent truth has compelled men and women of uncompromising conscience to give glory to God by worshiping both openly and privately, lifting up themselves and others in prayer.  On Religious Freedom Day, we pledge to always protect and cherish this fundamental human right.

When the Pilgrims first crossed the Atlantic Ocean more than 400 years ago in pursuit of religious freedom, their dedication to this first freedom shaped the character and purpose of our Nation.  Later, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, their deep desire to practice their religion unfettered from government intrusion was realized.  Since then, the United States has set an example for the world in permitting believers to live out their faith in freedom.

Over the past 4 years, my Administration has worked tirelessly to honor the vision of our Founders and defend our proud history of religious liberty.  From day one, we have taken action to restore the foundational link between faith and freedom and promote a culture of religious liberty.  My Administration has protected the rights of individual religious believers, communities of faith, and faith-based organizations.  We have defended religious liberty domestically and around the world.  For example, I signed an Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty to ensure that faith-based organizations would not be forced to compromise their religious beliefs as they serve their communities.  This includes defending the rights of religious orders to care for the infirm and elderly without being fined out of existence for refusing to facilitate access to services that violate their faith.

We have also protected healthcare providers’ rights not to be forced to perform procedures that violate their most deeply-held convictions.  Additionally, we have ended the misguided policies of denying access to educational funding to historically black colleges and universities because of their religious character and of denying loan forgiveness to those who perform public services at religious organizations.  Throughout this difficult year, we have continued these efforts, cutting red tape to ensure houses of worship and other faith-based organizations could receive Paycheck Protection Program loans on the same grounds and with the same parameters as any other entity.  We have also aggressively defended faith communities against overreach by State and local governments that have tried to shut down communal worship.  Together, we have honored the sanctity of every life, protected the rights of Americans to follow their conscience, and preserved the historical tradition of religious freedom in our country.

While Americans enjoy the blessings of religious liberty, we must never forget others around the world who are denied this unalienable right.  Sadly, millions of people across the globe are persecuted and discriminated against for their faith.  My Administration has held foreign governments accountable for trampling — in many cases, egregiously so — on religious liberty.  In 2019, to shed light on this important issue, I welcomed survivors of religious persecution from 16 countries in the Oval Office, including Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and made history by standing before the United Nations General Assembly and calling on all nations of the world to stop persecuting people of faith.  The United States will never waver in these efforts to expand religious liberty around the world and calls on all nations to respect the rights of its citizens to live according to their beliefs and conscience.

On Religious Freedom Day, we honor the vision of our Founding Fathers for a Nation made strong and righteous by a people free to exercise their faith and follow their conscience.  As Americans united in unparalleled freedom, we recommit to safeguarding and preserving religious freedom across our land and around the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16, 2021, as Religious Freedom Day.  I call on all Americans to commemorate this day with events and activities that remind us of our shared heritage of religious liberty and that teach us how to secure this blessing both at home and around the world.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

DONALD J. TRUMP

By Allen Payton

The Antioch School Board will hold a special Work Study Session, labeled a “Governance Workshop” next Wednesday, Jan. 20.

The board members will have a discussion and obtain information on the following topics:

Roles and Responsibilities

• Board of Education and Board Members
• Board’s work: vision/direction, superintendent, accountability, policy, and advocacy/community voice
• Process for setting direction
• Accountability calendar
• Process for studying and setting policy
• Community Voice – being accessible; building confidence in process

Working Together/Communication Protocols

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and can be viewed on the district’s YouTube Channel.

The following Antioch Unified School District 2021 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art & Essay Award recipients presented their works during the online event, held Monday afternoon.

Elementary – Art

1st Place: Calli West, 5th Grade Belshaw Elementary

2nd Place: Bryce West, 3rd Grade Belshaw Elementary

Middle School – Art

1st Place: A’nyja Morton, 8th Grade Orchard Park School

2nd Place: Blake West, 7th Grade Park Middle School

3rd Place Tie: Kylie Wisely, 8th Grade Holy Rosary

Natalia Cortez, 7th Grade Orchard Park School

Middle School – Essay

1st Place: A’nyja Morton, 8th Grade   Orchard Park School

2nd Place: Ke’Ona Jones, 8th Grade   Black Diamond Middle School

3rd Place: Lily Bastedo, 8th Grade   Black Diamond Middle School

High School -Art

1st Place: Daxibel Oliveras, 10th Grade Deer Valley High School

2nd Place: Juliana Medina, 9th Grade Deer Valley High School

3rd Place: Eduardo Artiga Sanchez, 9th Grade Dozier Libby Medical High School

High School – Essay

1st Place: Olumese Oaiya, 12th Grade Deer Valley High School

2nd Place: Dennis Gavrilenko, 12th Grade Deer Valley High School

3rd Place: Ieshia Perez,  12th Grade Dozier Libby Medical High School

Reggie Moore Memorial Family Community Service Award

1st Place: A’nyja Morton, Orchard Park School

2nd Place: Olumese Oaiya, Deer Valley High School

3rd Place: Ke’Ona Jones, Black Diamond Middle School

4th Place Tie: Ieshia Perez, Dozier Libby Medical High School

Dennis Gavrilenko, Deer Valley High School

Honorable Mention:

Jeremiah Shirden-Bean, Antioch High School

Cristina Craven, Dozier Libby Medical High School

Nicole Orozco, Deer Valley High School

Robyn Page, Deer Valley High School

 

For the complete event program click, here.