Saturday April 9, 2011  8:00 pm Tribute to the Music of John Denver Starring Jim Curry 

The music of the late John Denver is like an old friend, outlasting trends and standing the test of time.  Join acclaimed performer Jim Curry for this tribute to the music of one of the most beloved singer/songwriters ever to grace the stage.

Tribute artist Jim Curry, who’s voice was heard in the CBS-TV movie Take Me Home: The John Denver Story, has performed Denver’s music in sold out shows throughout the country and has emerged as today’s top performer of Denver’s vast legacy of multi-platinum hits.

Jim’s uncanny ability to mirror John’s voice and clean-cut look takes you back to the time when “Rocky Mountain High” “Sunshine”“Calypso” and “Annie’s Song” topped the charts, and his popular music had the heartfelt message of caring for the earth and caring for each other. 

Adults: $ 25   Seniors (62 and Older): $ 22  Youth (17 & Under): $ 10
Gold Circle (1st 3 rows): $ 35

Sunday April 10, 2010   4:00 pm The Preservation Hall Jazz Band

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band derives its name from Preservation Hall, the  venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. The band has traveled worldwide spreading their mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans Jazz.

Whether performing at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, for British Royalty or the King of Thailand, this music embodies a joyful, timeless spirit. Under the auspices of current director, Ben Jaffe, the son of founders Allan and Sandra, Preservation Hall continues with a deep reverence and consciousness of its greatest attributes in the modern day as a venue, band, and record label.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which in its 49 years has built a global reputation for presenting the traditional New Orleans sound, is taking a more contemporary approach these days — recruiting younger players, expanding its repertoire and allowing surrealist elements to creep into its performances.

But even as it modernizes its approach, the band, which comes to El Campanil Theatre on April 10, is keeping the old-time faith — hiring musicians whose strong links to the pioneers of jazz assure the music’s authenticity.

The combination makes for a multigenerational mix with appeal to a range of musical constituencies, not just aficionados of traditional jazz.

“Preservation Hall is not a museum piece,” said Benjamin Jaffe, 39 the band’s director and the son of its founder, Allan Jaffe. “We’re not recreating something that existed a hundred years ago.”

Adults: $ 28  Seniors (62 and Older): $ 25    Youth (17 & Under): $ 15
Gold Circle (1st 3 rows): $ 40

Box Information:   (925) 757-9500 www.ElCampanilTheatre.com   Theatre Address: 602 W. Second Street, Antioch

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (February 2011 revise), California has more residents and public school students than any other state, e.g. 1.7 million more students than Texas. California also has the highest percentage of English learners in the nation (about 25 percent), most of which (85 percent) speak Spanish.

Educating children of illegal aliens is the single largest cost to taxpayers, approximately $52 billion annually, with the majority of cost falling on state and local governments. California also allows undocumented students to pay the lower, in-state tuition rate at public colleges.

Although California spending on corrections, police, fire, health and hospitals has consistently been well above the national average, public welfare and higher education spending was close to the U.S. average and highway expenditure below average every year.

California’s unadjusted per pupil expenditure had been below the national average. In 1989-99 spending was 89 percent of the average and ranking 33rd. rising to 25th by 2001-02. Since then, on a per capita basis, the state spending on K-12 education has been slightly above the national average.

About two-thirds of spending goes toward instruction (salaries and benefits for teachers and instructional aides), which is a little more than the national average (67 versus 65.8 percent). California spends a larger proportion (11.8 percent) on administration than the national average, which is 10.8 percent.

California teachers make relatively high salaries, ranking first with a average salary of $65,808 in 2007-2008. However, the cost of living here is higher than elsewhere. Teachers are also responsible for instructing considerably more students than their counterparts in most states. California falls below the national average in spending on operations, e.g. counselors, librarians, clerical staff, custodians, principals, facility maintenance, energy bills, food services, student transportation, etc.

The bad news is that, according to former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, the dropout rate is unacceptably high, especially for African American students (34.7 percent in 2007 – 2008) and Hispanic students (25.5 in 2007- 2008), compared to a white dropout rate for the same period of 12.2 percent and an Asian dropout rate of 8.4 percent.

Antioch Riverview Garden Club had their plant sale on Saturday, April 2nd at the Antioch Library on 18th St.

LYNN HOUSE GALLERY EXHIBIT
 Art4Schools Exhibits 2011 
AUSD Special Day School Classes
April 6th – 16th, 2011
FREE Artist Reception
Wednesday, April 6th, 4-6 PM

Share   Enjoy the artworks from students in the Special Day Classes at the Lynn House Gallery.  The Lynn House Gallery is located in the Rivertown District at 809 W. 1st Street in downtown Antioch (across from the AMTRAK Train Station) and is open during exhibits  from 1 – 4 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For more information email Diane@Art4Antioch.org or call (925) 325.9897. The Art4Schools Program is sponsored by the City of Antioch and a Keller Canyon Mitigation Grant from Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover.

Additional Art4Schools Exhibit Dates for 2011
Antioch, Deer Valley and Dozier Libbey Medical High Schools, April 27th – May 7th
E.N.C.O.R.E. Home Schooling, May 18th – 28th

On March 20 at  7 p.m. in the 2400 block of Cambridge Drive in Antioch, a male posing as an AT&T employee came to several houses stating he had a special offer for the elderly residents.  The subject had an AT&T  identification card with a photo, that upon closer examination did not match that of the suspect.  The suspect asked for personal information, indicating it was part of the sales procedure.

AT&T has been contacted, and it has been confirmed that this was not one of their employees.  The Antioch Police Department would like to make this information known to the public so that they don’t fall victim to any such fraud.

If anyone has any similar future contacts, please call local police if the suspect is still present.  Anyone with information regarding similar past contacts in Antioch, please call Detective Kollo at 925-779-6895.

The Keep Antioch Beautiful Committee is seeking volunteers for the 2011 Keep Antioch Beautiful volunteer cleanup event. Last year, over 900 volunteers turned out for the first all-volunteer event and 11,740 pounds of trash was collected and deposited in Allied Waste dumpsters located at local schools.

The 2^nd annual event is once again chaired by former Antioch Councilmember Parsons and will be held on Saturday, April 23^rd from 8:30-11 AM. A free volunteer thank you lunch will be served following the event at Contra Loma Regional Park. This is your opportunity to give back to your community,  

Many individuals and organizations are supporting this event and the event is funded fully by the following sponsors: City of Antioch, Antioch Unified School District, Allied Waste, Honeywell, Walmart, Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, Genon, East Bay Regional Parks, Pinky’s Klassy Kar Wash, Paintball Park, Paradise Skate, Dick Straub, Safeway, Operation Homefront & ECMFF, Target, Staples, Fast Signs, Jim Lanter Antioch State Farm Insurance Agent, Antioch Coin & Jewelry Give Always to Others & Company (GATO), Delta Bowl, Central Self Storage of Antioch.

Groups, service clubs and others are volunteering at the event. Volunteer groups include: AHS & DVHS Key Club, Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission, Antioch Rotary, Boys Scouts Troops of Antioch, Kiwanis of the Delta, Operation Homefront & ECMFF, Rivertown Preservation Society, Rotary Club of the Delta, Target Employees, UCBN.

To sign up for the event, you may register on line at www.art4antioch.org. For more information call (925) 779-6137, option 1. You can also follow us on Facebook “Keep Antioch Beautiful” Group.  Committee members are also available to speak to clubs, groups, organizations, etc.

As word spreads among young people and the buzz gets on the Internet’s social networking sites, the Youth Summit sponsored by Supervisor Federal Glover continues to grow in attendance and offerings.

Young people, from 5^th grade through high school are encouraged to attend the 2011 Youth Summit. The annual event will be held at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, California on April 16, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The theme of this year’s conference is: Got Your Back! “The summit is a safe, healthy environment for young people to get some useful information that can help them in their lives,” says Supervisor Glover, “and have fun at the same time.” 

Besides speakers and workshops on topics as diverse as how to find a job, the increase of incidents involving girl-on-girl violence, dating and job training. “We will have a great lineup of entertainment and other fun stuff,” during the lunch hour,” says Paul Adler, who the supervisor assigned as coordinator.

“There will be dancers, rappers, a deejay, martial arts and more,” says Adler “Kids will have a chance to see the Sheriff’s helicopter up close, get a healthy free lunch and breakfast, or get a free manicure.”

Tri-Delta Transit will also be giving out free youth passes to the summit participants, which will be good all summer long. 

One of the morning highlights will be a session when the young people will be able to throw questions at local elected school, city and county officials on issues affecting youth.

“Last year, there were questions about the cutbacks in city-run recreation departments, school uniforms, city policies on smoking and the easy access to alcohol for teens,” says Adler. “Who knows what questions will come up this year? The kids can ask anything of the elected officials.”

Supervisor Glover began the youth summit when he was a Pittsburg City Council member. As Contra Costa District V Supervisor, he began sponsoring the county-wide event in 2002.

Extreme Delta: Inland Voyage
Part of the Oakley Science Week
Saturday, May 7
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hosted by the Delta Science Center € Ironhouse Sanitary District € Diablo
Water District
450 Walnut Meadows Drive (Cross Streets Districts Way and Main Street),
Oakley

Come Pet a Shark! Get hands-on with the SF Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta Marine Life and Ecosystem.

Displays, craft projects, water conservation tools and fun facts about the Delta and the Water You Drink.

Special tours of the Ironhouse Sanitary District’s New Wastewater Plant,
(still under construction), will be available.

Free Family Fun