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Use it for trips on BART, Tri Delta Transit, County Connection, WestCAT, AC Transit and more

Multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14 to celebrate

By Carter Lavin, Co-Founder, Transbay Coalition

The Bay Area transit advocacy group Transbay Coalition, along with Seamless Bay Area and Hiking By Transit has launched new calculator, created by Evan Tschuy, to help show Bay Area residents how much they will save with the new Clipper 2.0 set to launch in December. It will automatically provide discounts of up to $2.85 per trip to people when they transfer between transit agencies (e.g. AC Transit to WestCAT, Muni to BART, VTA to Caltrain, SolTrans to the Ferry, The Vine to the Ferry, Sonoma County Transit to SMART, etc).

You are about to be able to save a bunch of money when taking transit in the Bay Area. Right now, when you transfer between bus and rail services, you generally have to pay the full fare for both legs of the trip, or if you’re lucky you might get a small discount. But starting in December, when you transfer between agencies, your fare gets reduced by $2.85 — down to potentially free — with the new Clipper 2.0.

Plus, under Clipper 2.0 you will be able to tap on to transit with your credit or debit card – no Clipper Card needed. So next time you want to bring friends, family, and out-of-town visitors onto transit with you, they don’t need to get a new card, they can just use their credit or debit card to tap in.

Bay Area transit trips are about to get a lot more affordable, and to help folks understand how much they’ll save, Transbay Coalition launched The Clipper 2.0 Savings Calculator with our friends at Hiking By Transit and Seamless Bay Area. Go to the Calculator, enter in the information about a trip you want to take that would require switching between agencies and check out how much you’ll save.

For Clipper 2.0 fares, the following rules are applied:

• Each time you transfer to a new agency, your next fare is discounted up to:
  • Adult: $2.85
  • Youth & Senior/RTC: $1.40
  • Senior/RTC on BART: $1.10 (to reflect the further Senior/RTC fare discount on BART)
• The discount value does not depend on your previous fare, so AC Transit ($2.50) to BART will give a $2.85 discount off of your BART fare
• AC Transit is introducing a new transfer policy with Clipper 2.0, allowing one free transfer between local buses

For example:

• Take AC Transit to BART to Muni? A $9.85 trip will become just $4.65.
• Visiting a friend in Palo Alto from your home in the Inner Sunset? A $13.90 trip will become just $8.20.
• Taking Sonoma County Transit to SMART? Save an additional $1.35 per trip
• The Napa Vine to the Ferry? You’ll save $2.85 per trip
• Use the tool here: https://clipper2.hikingbytransit.com/.

Other agencies may have updated their transfer policies, but at this time this tool is not aware of any other changes. This tool does not take into account the transfer time limit; Clipper 2.0 interagency transfers have a 2-hour time limit from first tap, while Clipper 1.0 fares have various different time limits depending on the specific agency pairs.

Fares on the website are an estimation only, based on the current information provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. As some details have yet to be released, some assumptions have been made. This website will be updated as possible to reflect new information.

Multi-Agency Trip to Mt. Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14

To celebrate this big transit win, Hiking by Transit is hosting a multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park on December 14th to celebrate.Come on out!

Plus, this Sunday, you’re invited to the garden party joint fundraiser for Transbay Coalition & Seamless Bay Area – get your tickets here.

Want to know more about what Clipper 2.0 means for you? Check out the Transbay Coalition blog.

About Transbay Coalition

The Transbay Coalition is a grassroots public transportation advocacy group championing bold near-term solutions to the Bay Area’s regional transportation crisis. Founded to campaign for dedicated bus-only lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches, we’re striving to create an equitable and efficient public transit system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about the Transbay Coalition

About Seamless Bay Area

Seamless Bay Area is a not-for-profit project whose mission is to transform the Bay Area’s fragmented and inconvenient public transit into a world-class, unified, equitable, and widely-used system by building a diverse movement for change and promoting policy reforms. Learn more about Seamless Bay Area

About Hiking by Transit

Hiking by Transit connects people in the Bay Area to our beautiful parks and preserves, car-free, by providing maps and hiking guides across the nine-county region and through advocacy for increased access and increased understanding. Visit Hiking by Transit

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By CHP – Contra Costa

We are proud to welcome six new officers who recently graduated from the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.

After 26 weeks of rigorous training at the Academy, they will now put their skills to the test as they begin field training for another three months.

Join us in welcoming these new officers as they embark on the next chapter of their new career.

Congratulations and welcome to the California Highway Patrol!

If you aspire to be a part of something greater, we encourage you to consider applying for a career with CHP. Discover the satisfaction of safeguarding your community and making a meaningful impact.

Join the CHP today!

Tickets available for “A Victorian Christmas”

For more information about the GFWC Woman’s Club of Antioch visit www.gfwcwomansclubofantioch.org.

“We don’t want criminals building up in here.” – Former Antioch Police Oversight Commissioner Leslie May

“Staff has determined that the project complies with the General Plan. Therefore, we can’t deny the project.” – Mayor Pro Tem Rocha

“They know we can’t stop this development from happening. This project needs to move forward.” – Councilwoman Torres-Walker said before voting to abstain.

“If we don’t approve this, we will end up in litigation. I don’t see this as a battle I want to fight.” – Mayor Bernal

By Allen D. Payton

During a special meeting on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Antioch City Council split 3-1-1 to approve DeNova Homes’ 159-unit Wildflower Townhomes 2 project. District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson flip flopped from last week and voted “yes”, Freitas again voted “no”, and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker voted to abstain after being absent last week, which resulted in a 2-2 tie vote, and even though she admitted the project needed to “move forward”.

The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha and seconded by Mayor Ron Bernal, after both implored their fellow councilmembers to recognize the City would face an unwinnable lawsuit by the developer and cost the General Fund, which is facing a deficit next year.

The project was approved for the four-parcel, 10.35 acre vacant property near the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Deer Valley Road and bordered by Wildflower Drive to the east and the road next to the KFC restaurant in the Hillcrest Crossroads shopping center which also serves the existing condo development.

During the meeting, the Council also received a Quarterly Report by Con Fire Chief Lewis Broschard, were introduced to new City staff, including new sworn police officers and new police department leaders, announced board and commission openings for resident to apply to serve on and unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing November as Homeless Awareness Month.

Wildflower Station Townhomes 2

Following a very brief report by City staff on the Wildflower Station Townhomes 2 project by Antioch Planning Manager Zoe Merideth, she asked for any council comments. But Bernal first opened up for public comments. The project is one of several new housing developments in Antioch by DeNova Homes, whose father and son leaders were indicted in April for bribery of a city councilman last year. (See related article).

As a result, some residents don’t think they should have any of their projects approved.

Public Comments

“It made my blood boil,” said resident and former Police Oversight Commissioner Leslie May. “I understand the council’s hands are tied. In the meantime, we have criminal activity by the developer. I don’t appreciate them bullying Antioch.”

“Watchu gonna do if Antioch doesn’t go for it?” she asked while looking for the developer’s representatives in the audience. But they were not in attendance.

“We don’t want criminals building up in here,” she continued. “We don’t know how many cups of money will be passed. I’m going to put them on blast, and you better come up here and be really humble.”

She threatened a class action lawsuit by residents, “To stop them from building here. Not even an outhouse,” May stated.

Resident Melissa Case said, “It’s sad that they aren’t here,” then asked about the Rancho Meadows project by DeNova Homes which is proposed to include six low-income homes in the northeast part of city, and is “now on hold.”

She then complained about the off-camera meetings the developer’s representatives had with city staff members in the hallway during breaks in last week’s meetings. 

“Who really benefits from these cozy relationships?” she asked.

“My heart says to vote, ‘no’ on this. But my head recognizes the state requirements,” Case added.

Low-income housing advocate Andrew Becker was the last member of the public to speak and took Wilson to task for her inconsistency on the project.

“I guess frustration is really just the tip of the iceberg. When the City goes through a Housing Update process and you have less than 50 people show up, it says something,” he stated. “I was so disheartened to see…Councilmember Wilson to say she couldn’t support a project on a site that she helped rezone.”

“When you were part of the process for rezoning those properties…I was a part of those meetings,” Becker continued. “I said to you there’s a disparity in where those properties are located…and what the community really wants. And nobody had the time to respond to my phone calls.”

“The development should have been approved the first meeting because it’s an SB330, because the developer did exactly what you wanted him to do,” he added.

Council Discusses, Approves Project on Split 3-1-1 Vote

Torres-Walker was the first council member to discuss the project asking simply, “Do we have to?”

City Attorney Cole responded, “Yes.”

“I will just stay consistent with what I said last week,” said Rocha. He then read from the state’s Housing Accountability Act and said, “Staff has determined that the project complies with the General Plan. Therefore, we can’t deny the project.”

Torres-Walker then said, “I wasn’t here last week but watched. They know we can’t stop this development from happening.”

“Instead of getting a mixed-use development…we got something totally different,” she continued. “I think moving forward…that we can address some of these zoning issues so we can have housing…that supports economic development.”

“I will not be voting for or against this project because I’m not against development. I have other reasons I will be voting to abstain, tonight,” Torres-Walker stated but didn’t offer any.

“We needed to increase economic development,” Freitas said speaking about public meetings regarding the property held when he was mayor from 2000-08.

“There should not be a development in this particular area. This area was specifically…chosen to help Antioch with economic development,” he continued. But he was mistakenly speaking about DeNova’s Slatten Ranch Townhomes project which was approved last week on a 3-1 vote with Freitas voting against.

However, after the meeting he said, “I misspoke. But my comments are the same. Wildflower was supposed to be a mixed housing and business development project which was zoned accordingly.”

“I am so offended by SB330, and I am so offended by DeNova housing,” the councilman continued. “We raised legitimate issues. But because they have the law behind them…they can completely ignore us.”

“I’m voting ‘no’ on this,” Freitas stated, although recognizing the possibility of a lawsuit by the developer. “We need to have some kind of protest. The law is broken. The law is not helping our local economy.”

“This property is going to be ripped away from us for economic development,” he stated. “I haven’t changed my opinion. I will be voting ‘no’.”

“The original project that was presented to us had a mix of residential toward the back and some commercial…and it was close to a BART Station,” said Wilson. “To have that changed, is what frustrates me. I understand state law. It’s unfortunate that we have to deal with this project.”

Bernal then said, “The developer is the wrong place to focus our anger. We must comply…we got a letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development. If we don’t approve this, we will end up in litigation. I don’t see this as a battle I want to fight.”

“The end result is it pushes housing so we can provide the workforce that goes into San Francisco,” he stated.

“This is something that we’re going to have to address. Because we have other properties being rezoned residential,” Bernal added.

“Just to be fiscally responsible, we’re opening up ourselves to litigation that we will have to pay from the General Fund and we’re facing a deficit next year,” Rocha stated. “We’re opening ourselves up to litigation that we have no chance of being successful. I just don’t understand why we are going there if we do. I think it’s a bad decision for us. We are a General Law City and we are required to comply with the California Constitution and the laws.”

Torres-Walker then said, “I think it’s been clear what the liability will be, and this project needs to move forward.” But then she voted to abstain, neither voting for or against the project.

The motion passed on a 3-1-1 vote with Wilson switching her vote from last week when she voted “no”, Freitas again voting no and Torres-Walker abstaining. (See related articles here, here, here and here to learn more about both townhome projects and state housing law requiring cities to approve new development).

Closed Session

Before their regular meeting at 7:00 p.m., the Council held a special Closed Session meeting to discuss one lawsuit, a potential lawsuit and a potential real estate transaction.

1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION: Trent Allen, et al. v. City of Antioch, et al., United States District Court Northern District of California, (Case No. 3:23-cv-01895-TSH). The lawsuit is against the City, six cops and former police chiefs, brought by murder suspect Trent Allen and others.
2. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS: Approximately 1,275 square feet of property adjacent to 113 G Street (APN 066-051-012), Antioch, CA; Negotiating Parties: City of Antioch Negotiators: Bessie Marie Scott, City Manager and Derek Cole, Interim City Attorney; Negotiating Parties: Sean McCauley, Owner of Adjacent Property; Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment. The property is the parking lot on the east side of the end of the G Street cul-de-sac and McCauley plans to use a portion for a dining deck as part of a new, planned restaurant at the corner of G and W. 2nd Streets.
3. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—ANTICIPATED LITIGATION – Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to California Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2): One potential case.

At the beginning of the Regular Meeting, Interim City Attorney Cole said, “No reportable action was taken” on any of the three items.

Board and Commission Openings

Mayor Ron Bernal announced the following openings:

• City of Antioch Board of Administrative Appeals – Two (2) Full Term Vacancies, expiring March 2028 and one (1) Alternate Vacancy, expiring December 2025.
• Parks and Recreation Commission – One (1) Partial Term Vacancy, expiring March 2028 § One (1) Alternate Vacancy, expiring April 2026.
• Contra Costa County Library Commission – One (1) Full Term Vacancy, expiring June 2029

To be considered for the vacancy position(s) listed above, please fill out an application available online on the website at: https://bit.ly/COA-BC23. Printed applications are also available at Antioch City Hall, 200 H Street. Please email the completed application to: cityclerk@antiochca.gov, by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. You can also drop off the application (Attn: City Clerk), in the water billing drop-off box just outside of Antioch City Hall.

For more information about each board or commission click, here.

New Police Officers, Leaders Introduced

During the new City employee introductions, Chief Joe Vigil introduced two new Antioch Police Officers, Bryan Diaz and Adrian Riera-Pelayo who just graduated from the academy, and a new Captain.

“I just wanted to say thank you for this opportunity and to be part of the progression the City is making” Diaz said. “I will not let you down.” Adrian

Vigil also introduced new Captain Shane Bower who said, “I want to thank you for this opportunity to provide exceptional service to this community.”

“Your family is proud of you…and I’m excited about working with you in the city,” said District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker.

New Lt. Franco Cesar was also introduced and said, “Thank you City Manager, City Council and to the Chief. I’m ready to work. I’ve been a worker all my life. I’m ready to help out the department. Thank you to the Chief for the opportunity.”

All four will be sworn in during a ceremony on Monday, Nov. 24, Chief Vigil shared later.

By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to approve the following proclamation recognizing Homelessness Awareness Month in November.

HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS MONTH

November 2025

WHEREAS, November is recognized as Homelessness Awareness Month across the United States to recognize the numerous reasons people become homeless, the challenges faced by adults, young adults, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, and to mobilize community-wide efforts toward lasting solutions;

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch recognizes that homelessness impacts individuals and families from all walks of life;

WHEREAS, research shows that criminalizing homelessness worsens the crisis and deepens existing racial inequities and systemic disparities;

WHEREAS, according to the January 2025 Point-in-Time count, the City of Antioch had the highest number of unsheltered individuals in Contra Costa County – 246 persons, representing approximately 11.6 percent of the countywide total – a significant decrease from 413 persons counted in 2024;

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch, through the Opportunity Village program, is providing interim housing and supportive services for 37 Devpar, specific, encampment residents and their 25 dogs;

and WHEREAS, the City of Antioch is committed to working in coordination with Contra Costa County and local organizations to provide housing, shelter, supportive services, and basic resources to all people experiencing homelessness.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON BERNAL, Mayor of the City of Antioch, hereby proclaim November 2025 as “Homelessness Awareness Month” and encourage all City of Antioch citizens, partners and businesses to recognize the need for, and commit to building and sustaining, a coordinated and equity-driven continuum of care that meets the complex needs of people experiencing homelessness, rooted in dignity, equity, and hope. NOVEMBER 4, 2025

RON BERNAL, Mayor

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “November is National Homelessness Awareness Month and National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. SAMHSA works in partnership with federal, state and local partners and national experts to provide training on housing, treatment and recovery models focused on adults, children, and families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have serious mental illness and/or serious emotional disturbance, and substance use. These partnerships contribute to housing stability, recovery, and ending homelessness. SAMHSA also supports the field through technical assistance to states and localities, treatment systems and individual providers on these issues.”

For more information click, here.

With daughter and grandson

By Mary Chapman & Nora vonUbin, An Elderly Wish Foundation

When Joyce Turner from Antioch was told she had terminal cancer, she contacted An Elderly Wish Foundation. She wrote that her wish was to go with her daughter and grandson, to meet Steph Curry in San Francisco at the Oracle Arena. Joyce claims to be his #1 Fan because her every room in her house proves it. Joyce said, “seeing him in person would be an absolute dream come true!”

On Friday, October 17, 2025, An Elderly Wish Foundation “made her dream come true!”  Joyce, her daughter, Julie and grandson, Marcos (age 11) were ushered into Oracle Arena, at a specific spot on the court to watch #30 practice. Joyce was thrilled the evening included having Steph sign her own 2015 Championship Jersey! Another thrill was to have her grandson stand with the entire Warriors Team for the anthem.

Our non-profit foundation loved granting this special wish for Joyce with assistance from Velma Wilson.

AEWF grants wishes to seniors, 50 years or older, who have been diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness and live in Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.elderlywish.org.

Join the Antioch Police Department, Downtown Antioch Association and the Rotary Club of the Delta-Antioch this Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, for a Community Clean-Up in Antioch’s Rivertown Business District.

Let’s come together to beautify our city and make a positive impact. It’s a great opportunity to give back and connect with local business owners.

Meet at 10:00 AM at Prime Vintage Realty, 340 W. 2nd Street in historic downtown.

See you there!