Author Archive

Free Medical Clinic in Pittsburg Turns One

Monday, February 6th, 2012

A volunteer free medical clinic in Pittsburg will celebrate its first anniversary Feb. 9, having served more than 700 uninsured patients in its very successful first year.

The RotaCare Pittsburg Free Medical Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul opened on Feb. 9, 2011. The clinic is a joint effort by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Contra Costa County and 10 Rotary Clubs in the county. It is open each Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at 2210 Gladstone Dr., Pittsburg. Volunteer doctors and nurses are the heart of the clinic.

The clinic serves a wide range of uninsured people in the community. Three-fourths of the patients live in Pittsburg or Antioch; most of the rest live in Oakley, Brentwood or Bay Point.

Many of the patients are middle-aged, most underemployed or recently unemployed. Two-thirds come to the clinic for acute illnesses, with upper respiratory infections the biggest single illness treated. More than a third of the patients have diabetes or hypertension.

Nearly 300 Attend Foreclosure Prevention Seminar

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Senator Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) hosted a foreclosure prevention seminar at the Antioch Community Center to provide an opportunity for Contra Costa County homeowners to hear from professionals specializing in loan modifications, legal procedures, and tax liability.

Nearly 300 Contra Costa residents attended the event and received valuable information to avoid foreclosure.

“The number of people that came out on a Saturday afternoon demonstrates how widespread the problem is,” said DeSaulnier. “Too many Contra Costa homeowners are losing their homes through no fault of their own and are desperately fighting to keep them. They need as much help as they can get. I am hopeful that the information they received today will help them preserve the American dream of home ownership.”

Last year, about one for every 95 Contra Costa home owners received a notice of default on their home loan. Nearly 6,000 Contra Costa homes are in foreclosure. In Eastern Contra Costa County alone there are nearly 2,500 homes in foreclosure – one of the highest rates in the nation.

The following people participated in the seminar:
· Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Chair, Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
· Diane Richardson, Director, “Keep Your Home California”, a program of the California Housing Finance Agency
· Jan Lynne Owen, Commissioner, California Department of Corporations
· Maeve Elise Brown, Executive Director, Housing and Economic Rights Advocates
· U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved counselors
· Staff from the Franchise Tax Board
· Representatives of Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Chase will also be available to provide additional information and resources.

Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) represents the Seventh Senate District, which includes most of Contra Costa County, including Antioch.

Valentine’s Concert

Sunday, February 5th, 2012

Please join the Friends of Music series at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church at 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 18th. This one hour concert celebrates Valentine’s Day, and showcases famous operatic love songs from Giancarlo Menotti’s “The Telephone.”

Dawn Farry, soprano, and Paul Cheak, bartione, will perform with Don Pearson at piano and organ. There is plenty of free parking and a champagne and dessert reception follows. No tickets sold but a free will offering will be taken.

For further information on the Series or to be put on a mailing list contact Walter at (925) 756-7628 or walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

ARTS4SCHOOLS EXHIBITS AT LYNN HOUSE GALLERY

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

The Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch is proud to host the 7th Annual Art4Schools Exhibits at the Lynn House Gallery, January 26th – April 23rd.

The Art4Schools exhibits showcase Antioch Unified School District classrooms involved in the Arts4Schools Program, sponsored by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, the City of Antioch, Union Pacific Railroad and a Calpine Grant funded through the office of Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover.

The first exhibit features students from the Special Day Classes, February 15th -23rd, followed by Carmen Dragon and Mission Elementary, February 29th – March 10th; AUSD High Schools, March 14th-24th; John Muir and Belshaw Elementary, March 298th – April 7th and the last exhibit features E.N.C.O.R.E. Home Schooling on April 19th and 20th (2 days only).

The artist receptions will be held the first day of each exhibit from 4-6 PM. The Lynn House Gallery is located at 809 W. 1st Street, downtown Antioch (across from the AMTRK Train Station) and is open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 1-4 PM, during exhibits. There is no admission fee and the exhibits are free.

For more information, visit www.Art4Antioch.org or contact Diane Gibson-Gray at the Arts & Cultural Foundation at 925.325.9897 or e-mail Diane@Art4Antioch.org.

Diane Gibson-Gray, Executive Director
Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch
PO Box 613 | Antioch CA 94509
(925) 325 9897 Office | (925) 778-5075 Fax
www.Art4Antioch.org | Diane@Art4Antioch.org

Antioch Author Details a Widow’s Journey to Happiness

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

When author Lori Godsey Anzini is asked to describe the beginning of widowhood, the spirited survivor answers with one word – grief. But Anzini doesn’t stop there. She joyfully adds that sunshine does indeed come after the rain.

In her new book Escaping the Jaws of Life: A Widow’s Journey to Happiness (published by AuthorHouse), she chronicles how she found joy after her husband succumbed to Parkinson’s disease.

“Happiness comes in various forms,” says Anzini, “but ultimately, I found that I was happiest when I purposely moved my intentions into pure positiveness, doing the things that I knew felt right. I became healthier, happier, and significantly drawn into my resolve that if I take care of myself first, then everything else is better.”

In her intimate memoir, Anzini divulges the highs and the lows of caring for her husband during his illness and how she and her children dealt with the devastation of his death. Becoming a widow, admits Anzini, was a tumultuous journey. She credits the art of submission to helping her overcome her grief and flow, gracefully, into her next phase in life.

“When practicing the art of ‘letting go’ my life dramatically changed towards a different path – one of spirituality, mystical belief, freedom, and acknowledging that my path unfolded the way it’s supposed to go, and nothing is ever wrong,” explains Anzini.

About the Author
Lori Godsey Anzini was married for 36 years before she became a widow. She was born and raised in northern California, later settling in the San Francisco Bay area. Before retiring, she launched a successful political career, serving as Democratic-party delegate, school board member, a city council member, and mayor. Anzini has two adult children and three granddaughters and seeks happiness in everything.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry’s only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services.

Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.

Bridal Faire

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

The City of Antioch Recreation Department Bridal Faire will be on March 10 from 10 am to 2 pm in the Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way.

You are cordially invited to our annual Bridal Faire. Discover everything you need to make your wedding the most special day of your life. See the finest wedding professional all in one place. Check out the latest fashions, get great new ideas, register for prizes, try samples and much, much more.

Kelly Brown, Facilities Coordinator, City of Antioch Recreation Department, 925 776-3052.

DA to Speak at Supervisor Glover’s breakfast

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

District Attorney Mark Peterson will be the guest speaker at Supervisor Federal Glover’s breakfast on Feb. 10. One of the topics he will speak about is his program to fight habitual truancy among school-age children.

Peterson has made fighting truancy one of his cornerstones of his office since he was elected district attorney. Last month, the DA’s Office filed charges against a pair of Rodeo parents because their children missed too many classes. It is the first time in county history that parents are facing charges for their children’s truancy.

“Our goal is to get these kids back in school and get parents to take responsibility for making that happen,” said Peterson.

Since he took office, Peterson has been laying down the groundwork for this program by working with local school districts and law enforcement agencies. He formally unveiled the truancy program in early 2011 to a meeting of the East County Gang Task Force formed by Glover.

The breakfast will be held at the Martinez Event Center, 536 Main St., Martinez and will
start at 7:30 a.m.

“The Breakfast Club was formed as another way of communicating with constituents,” said Glover. “It also serves as a fundraiser for office holder (non-campaign) expenses so that my staff and I can continue our outreach efforts, cover costs for attending informational seminars and workshops, and pay for other office-related expenses not routinely covered by the general fund.”

The breakfasts feature speakers who are usually local, state or federal officials as well as experts in particular fields. The popular events are held quarterly. Individuals who wish to be members and received advance details about upcoming events can pay for the entire year. Nonmembers can also attend and pay $50 per breakfast or $25 if you are a senior citizen or a student.

For more information about the Breakfast Club, call 925-202-5001. Checks can be made payable to Federal D. Glover Officeholder Account ID# 12-44440.

Cancer Survivors Rally to Support American Cancer Society

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

The American Cancer Society invites individuals who want to celebrate the lives of those who have faced cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease to join its Relay For Life, scheduled for June 23-June 24th from 10 AM-10 AM at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg.

In 1985, Relay For Life began with one man who walked around a track for 24 hours raising $27,000. This year, Relay For Life is coming to you in more than $4,800 communities.

The Relay For Life kickoff rally is where anyone families, caregivers, cancer survivors, schools, companies, etc., get together to kick off annual Relay For Life activities.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is an overnights community celebration where individuals and teams camp out, barbecue, dance, and take turns walking around a track relay style to raise funds to fight cancer. At nightfall, participants will light hundreds of luminaria around the track in a moving ceremony to honor cancer survivors as well as friends and family members lost to the disease.

he American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.

WHEN – Tuesday, February 7, 2012 – 6:30 PM
WHERE – The Pittsburg Elks Lodge #1474, 200 Marina Boulevard, Pittsburg, CA 94565
HOW – To join Relay For Life in our community, contact Event Chair Judy Dawson: judy_dawson@att.net, 925-787-9021 or Event Co-Chair Michele Littlefield: mmm5864@comcast.net, 925-813-5274 or visit www.RelayFor Life.org/antiochca