By Don Martin II, DCRR Racing Media

Where: Antioch Speedway

When: Saturday night, March 26th

What: Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks, Delta Dwarf Cars, Mini Stocks, California Sharp Mini Late Models.

Who’s Hot: Danny Wagner won the Dwarf Cars last week. Bobby Gallaher got his best Hobby Stock finish ever in third last time.

Gate Times: Gates Open 4:00pm, First Race 6:00pm, usually finished by 10:00pm.

Admission: $20 for adults, $15 for military, senior (60 and over) and children (under 11) with children five and under free.

Antioch, CA…Saturday night racing returns at Antioch Speedway. Last week saw threatening skies for the early portion of the day, but the racing program went on as scheduled.

This time around, the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks will be competing along with the Delta Dwarf Cars and the Mini Stocks. The track will also see the first ever visit from the California Sharp Mini Late Models.

When last we left the Hobby Stocks, Misty Welborn was putting away her bridesmaid dress and becoming the bride as she finally got her first Main Event win. It didn’t come easy with seasoned veteran Les Friend pressuring her hard over the final 10 circuits before settling for second.

The fact is, the competition level has risen in the Hobby Stocks. We’ve had several new drivers join in the past couple of years, and they are all getting better. You’ll see 20 drivers line up to take a green flag, and many of them are capable of winning on any given occasion, including young guns Aiden Ponciano and Jewell Crandall. Ponciano ran in the Top 5 for most of the opening race, and Crandall ended up finishing fifth.

Hard chargers such as reigning champion Larry McKinzie Jr, Chris Long and Jared Baugh truly make things interesting.

We also have the Haney family, which is three generations strong. Grandson Cameron Haney just joined the fray last season. His grandfather Gene and father Jon Haney have been competing at the speedway for years.

Gene and Jon have competed in several different divisions, including Super Stocks, Dirt Modifieds and Mini Trucks, and they’ve done well. Gene Haney won a pair of championships in the Super Hobby Stock class, and before that he was a Street Stock Freedom Series champion. He was also a Mini Truck title winner. Jon has been Top 10 ranked in multiple divisions. It was Cameron representing the family the best last time out with a tenth place finish.

The Delta Dwarf Cars demonstrated they can be both fast and very exciting at their opener last week. Dwarf Cars have been competing at least once at the Speedway every year since the mid-1995.

It was prior to 2020 when two-time champion Danny Wagner gathered drivers together and formed the Delta Dwarf Car Association. This put the group under the Western States Dwarf Car Association rules, and made Antioch eligible to host a big National Dwarf Car event.

Wagner, who is also a feature winner in Dirt Modified and Sprint Car competition, had won the NorCal Dwarf Car championship, and he liked the competition level of the drivers using the united rules set.

Wagner kicked off the season last week by getting the win ahead of young up and coming star Devan Kammermann. Kammermann has several seconds and thirds to his credit during the past few seasons, but he’s closing in on his first victory.

Kammermann won’t be the only threat. Hard chargers such as Ellie Russo, Chance Russell, 2020 champion Travis Day, David Rosa and Jack Haverty are sure to make things interesting this weekend.

Management added the Mini Stocks to the equation prior to the 2020 season as there was a need for an entry-level class. There have been various entry level four cylinder classes for the past 20 years, which includes this division and the Mini Trucks.

In two seasons, this division has grown slowly. Tom Brown bears the distinction of winning both the Antioch and Petaluma titles last year. He’s had to battle with the likes of Laina Bales, Dan Abitz, Dana Gardner and Eddie Humphrey III. There are expected to be some new drivers in the field this time.

A division that has slowly taken hold in California is the Sharp Mini Late Models. These are 5/8 scale versions of Late Models with 600cc engines. A few of the drivers even made an appearance at one of the practice days a few weeks back.

Merced Speedway brought the class in 5 years ago as a way to get drivers up from the Outlaw Kart ranks onto the bigger track. They are already seeing drivers from this class graduate into the bigger divisions. Track management is looking at this same possibility for Antioch Speedway.

About a half-dozen of these cars are anticipated for this show. The field will include some new drivers from the area as well as drivers from down in Merced. If things go well, we could be seeing more Mini Late Model racing in the weeks ahead.

Management always strives to give the fans the best racing program possible, and Saturday’s lineup should be good.

The gates are scheduled to open at 4:00 pm. and this gives the fans a good opportunity to grab their favorite seat before racing starts at 6:00 pm. The track strives to get done by 10:00 pm on any given race night.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $15 for military, senior (60 and over) and children (under 11) with children five and under free.

For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Last seen in Antioch

Organizers of the Alexis Gabe search effort and the KlaasKids Foundation are asking farmers, ranchers, real estate agents and other citizens with access to unoccupied out buildings, unoccupied residences, structures, or fields to check those locations for signs of missing Alexis Gabe this coming weekend, March 26-27. (See related articles here and here)

The search for a missing loved one is a long, arduous task that requires the help and assistance of countless people. Law Enforcement and our volunteers have done an incredible job at searching public locations and lands, but we need your help to cover accessible privately owned property. For this reason, we are asking individuals with access to out buildings, unoccupied residences, and other structures to please search for any signs of missing Alexis Gabe. This effort will go far toward eliminating possible locations where she may be kept against her will, or other evidence of her current whereabouts.

If any suspicious items are located or if you have any information related to the disappearance of Alexis Gabe, please contact the Oakley Police Department at (925) 625-8855

We want to take this opportunity to thank the Oakley Police Department, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Search & Rescue and the selfless volunteers who have searched for Alexis, or otherwise supported the search effort. Another volunteer search will be scheduled and conducted on Saturday, April 2, 2022

$24 million for clean water program

Money to restore San Francisco Bay and address impacts from climate change received a $24 million boost via the federal omnibus spending bill signed into law this week by President Biden.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 provides funds to implement the priority actions identified in the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s Blueprint. Specifically, the money will go toward the U.S. EPA’s San Francisco Bay Area Water Quality Improvement Fund, which has focused work on removing pollutants, improving wetlands and reducing runoff.

The $24 million annual earmark is the biggest increase to the fund since it began in 2008, with a push from Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The Water Quality Improvement Fund currently receives about $5 million annually to advance wetland restoration, water quality improvement and green urban development projects.

“Thanks to the efforts of Rep. Jackie Speier and our members of Congress, the new law provides funds to implement the priority actions identified in the Estuary Blueprint,” said Caitlin Sweeney, Director of the Estuary Partnership. “This is a huge development and is critical for the long-term health of San Francisco Bay.”

With the support from the Appropriations Act, federal funding for San Francisco Bay will be on par with regional funding from sources like the Bay Area’s Measure AA, which passed in 2016 and dedicates $25 million annually to fund multi-benefit shoreline projects that protect and restore the bay.

The new law also provides a bump in funding for the National Estuary Program, bringing the San Francisco’s Estuary Partnership appropriation this year to $750,000, a $50,000 increase.

Enactment of the omnibus spending bill augments the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in November 2021, which allocates approximately $5 million annually over the next five years to the Water Quality Improvement Fund and dedicates about $4.5 million over the same period to the Estuary Partnership for implementation of the Estuary Blueprint.

The San Francisco Estuary Blueprint — being updated for 2022-2027 and due out later this year — is a five-year roadmap for restoring the estuary’s chemical, physical, biological, and social-ecological processes to health. The Blueprint identifies the top actions needed for thriving habitats and wildlife, improved water quality for animals and people, increased scale and pace of climate change adaptation and planning, and healthier human and wildlife communities.

Hosted by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the San Francisco Estuary Partnership is a collaboration of local, state and federal agencies; non-governmental organizations; and academic and business leaders working to protect and restore the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. The Estuary Partnership was established in 1988 by the state of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act’s National Estuary Program when the San Francisco Estuary was designated as an estuary of national significance.

Public test of Vote-by-Mail counting equipment

The April 5, 2022 Special Election for the California Assembly District 11 office is underway in California. The Contra Costa County Elections Division will perform the county’s official logic and accuracy testing on central ballot counting and processing equipment at 10:00 am Friday, March 25, 2022 at the Elections Office, located at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez and the public is invited to observe.

According to Helen Nolan, Assistant Registrar, “Contra Costa County purchased its ballot counting and processing equipment from Dominion Voting Systems. We originally purchased this ballot tabulation system in March 2018 and will be conducting our 11th election with the system in April using the Dominion Democracy Suite 5.10a.  Brand names used in the system include Dell, Canon, InoTec, OKI, AValue, and HP.” (See related article)

Logic and accuracy testing is a standard pre-election procedure. The test will confirm that all central count equipment is in working order and functioning properly. A set of test ballots will be run through each scanner to ensure they are properly programmed and operating as expected.

Visitors are asked to check-in at the Elections lobby.  For more information, call 925-335-7800.

 

The deadline to apply for the first round of recruitment is Thursday, March 31st.

💰To fill out an Economic Development Commission application:  https://forms.gle/iuBrckzUsUHfVprV7

🏞 To fill out a Parks and Recreation Commission: https://forms.gle/waw5SSozpDpgXkmk8

🧾 To fill out a Sales Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee application: https://forms.gle/4Ro5buKSXAhtsCsx9

 A Cabaret Concert Inspired by the Music of Karen Carpenter

Created by Laurie Roldan

Directed by Rachel Robinson

Musically Directed by Brett Strader

Singer and actress Laurie Roldan shares personal stories and memories in an uplifting evening woven through well-known Carpenters’ songs.

Featuring Special Guest Vocalists and Musicians!

Bass: Pat Tinling, Drums: Dillon Vado

Guest Vocalists: Anita Colotto , Stephanie Hill, Clarisse Nichole, Charlotte Jeffries

SATURDAY, MARCH 26th  2PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 27th  2PM

ADULTS: $35; SENIORS: $30; YOUTH: $20

El Campanil Theatre 602 W 2nd Street   Antioch

Tickets: https://us.patronbase.com/_ElCampanilTheatre/Productions/R014/Performances

“I am dedicating these two shows in loving memory of my incredibly talented friend, co-writer Don Huntington,” Roldan said. “I am also donating a portion of the proceeds to a local community center where Don and his wife donated their time called The Village Community Resource Center in Brentwood. www.vcrcbrentwoodca.org

 

Quick investigative work results in two arrests within 48 hours

By Steve Hill, PIO, Con Fire

CONCORD, CALIF., Mar. 23, 2022 – Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) today announced its fire investigators made arrests in the last 48 hours in two separate, intentionally set fires in Antioch and Bay Point.

On March 21, a Con Fire investigator responded to an exterior fire burning in brush along the soundwall near Larkspur Drive and Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch. Nearby, Jason McGee, 27, a transient living in Antioch, who had been seen in the area of the fire, was identified as a suspect.

During questioning, McGee admitted to lighting this fire and a witness in the area further identified the suspect as having been seen lighting another fire the previous Friday. McGee was subsequently arrested for both fires and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking on two charges of Arson of a Structure or Forest Land (PC § 451(c)).

On March 22, Con Fire investigators arrested Emanuel Serrano, 25, a transient, in the vicinity of two vegetation fires burning along Highway Four near Evora and Willow Pass Roads in Bay Point. The two separate fires originated along the walking trail next to westbound Highway 4.

As crews were arriving, a witness pointed out a subject who they had observed starting the fires. Investigators checked the area and observed Serrano running through a nearby field. Searching the area on foot and from above with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), investigators located the suspect hiding in tall vegetation on a nearby hill where he was taken into custody.

Witnesses positively identified Serrano as the individual seen starting the fires. Investigators conducted an “origin and cause” investigation, which did not reveal ignition sources other than human activity in the area of the fires. Serrano was transported to and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility, charged with two counts of Arson of a Structure or Forest Land (PC § 451(c)).

Con Fire’s Fire Investigation Unit asks residents to help them fight the crime of arson by calling the Arson Tip Line at 1-866-50-ARSON. They caution residents not to hesitate on information that seems too little or unimportant, adding some of the most valuable tips come from residents who were not aware what they saw was very important to the investigation of an incident. Residents can leave a recorded message on the tip line about fire-related criminal activity in English or Spanish. Tips can be anonymous, and all tips are treated confidentially. But investigators sometimes need additional information, so contact information is encouraged.

Some 50 fire personnel conduct rare, complex and risky rescue to free man in 30’s from where he had been trapped for up to two days

By Steve Hill, PIO, Con Fire

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) led a three-and-a-half-hour, nearly 50-person rescue effort Sunday evening that freed a man in his thirties from an underground storm water pipe where he had been stuck for up to two days.

The rescue took place after passersby heard cries for help coming from underground and reported this to 911. Con Fire was notified at 5:37 p.m. Sunday of someone possibly stuck in a drainage pipe near the 3100 block of Buchanan Road in Antioch. Arriving on scene moments later, firefighters quickly determined someone was trapped and launched the rescue effort.

The complex, high risk, and rare “confined space” rescue was conducted by specially trained firefighter technicians from Con Fire and East Contra Costa Fire with support from City of Antioch Public Works and Antioch PD. Four Con Fire firefighters, connected by umbilical cords for breathing air and underground communications, made entry into the storm water infrastructure, locating the victim, clearing considerable debris blocking his path, and bringing him to the surface shortly before 9 p.m.

“As an all-risk fire agency, we train for rare rescues such as this,” said Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Lewis Broschard. “Still, this was a complex and high-risk rescue effort that required extensive specialized resources and the skill and experience of many professionals from across the District to successfully complete.”

Confined space rescues are both uncommon and high risk. They are highly complex for many reasons including oftentimes the unknown location and condition of the victim and the potential risks to both victim and rescuers. Confined spaces such as these are not intended for humans to occupy, consequently, they may be an oxygen-deficient environment not capable of supporting human life.

In this case, uncertain of how to successfully reach the man through several potential access points, the incident commander ordered two simultaneous rescue attempts from opposite sides of the drainage pipe. The first, which eventually proved successful, involved sending rescue firefighters into a nearby underground vault to make their way to and free the victim. At the same time, City of Antioch Public Works responders were directed to use a backhoe to dig down to the underground pipe on the opposite side of the victim’s location in case it became necessary to break it open to affect a rescue from that direction.

Con Fire firefighters routinely train to conduct restricted space and a wide variety of other rescue types at our Training Division on Treat Boulevard in Concord. In addition to academic training facilities, the Con Fire training campus has many sophisticated training props designed to allow firefighters to train in the most realistic environments possible for rescues such as this.

Rescuers were unable to determine the man’s motivation for entering the stormwater drainage system or his exact entry point, which is believed to have been some distance from the rescue location.

Once brought to the surface, the victim was evaluated at the scene, determined to be uninjured, and transported to Sutter Delta for further evaluation.