“We want citizens to use the forums and city council meetings during public comment” – Acting City Manager Forrest Ebbs. Says Circuit Court decision doesn’t apply

By Allen D. Payton

In response to comments from people outside the community following the recent racist text scandal involving several officers, the Antioch Police Department has shut off the ability for the public to post comments on their Facebook page as of today, Wednesday, May 3, 2023. In a comment below a post of a video of Corporal Price Kendall “showing off his dance moves at the Multi-Cultural Event hosted at Park Middle School”, the APD wrote, “Notice: The Antioch Police Department has been directed to disable public comments on Facebook social media posts. If you would like to provide your feedback, please contact us at (925) 779-6801 or email us at APDCommunityFeedback@antiochca.gov.”

Asked who gave the direction, APD PIO Ashley Crandell responded, “The City.” Pressed further asking if it was Acting City Manager Forrest Ebbs or City Attorney Thomas L. Smith, she did not respond.

When asked about it Ebbs responded, “Directed by me in collaboration with the Chief” Steve Ford.

Asked why and if it’s legal due to the 9th Circuit Court decision which held that official use of a social media platform created a public forum, and blocking members of the public violated the First Amendment (recognizing that case and a separate 6th Circuit Court case with the opposite decision being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court) Ebbs said, “The court case doesn’t apply. That was for being selective and it must be all or nothing. The reason for the decision is we’re really trying to encourage people to use the community forums to discuss policing. We want to have a civil conversation there. Facebook doesn’t give that ability. Some of the comments were disturbing and weren’t regarding the posts. We weren’t able to comment back and address things. So, we made the decision to not use Facebook as the community forum.”

There had been no posts on the page since April 25, including nothing about the eight shootings since last Thursday including the shooting death on Monday night. Information about that incident was shared via press release. (See related article)

However, Crandell said she would work with the department’s crime analyst to provide details on the other shootings.

Comments below a post on the APD Facebook page on April 24 included videos critical of Antioch Police Officer Tom Lenderman, shared by a man who lives in Santa Clarita, California and another by a man who lives in Huntsville, Alabama and another video shared by a third man who lives in Ovid, Michigan according to their own Facebook page profiles.

“We want citizens to use the forums and city council meetings during public comment. That Facebook page wasn’t set up as the forum for such an important issue as this one,” Ebbs added. “The forums are tailored to the local folks, here, in the community and Facebook allows anyone to comment.”

Note: Corporal Kendall’s impressive dance moves are worth the watch, here.

Police seek suspects including two seen running from vehicle

By Lt. John Fortner, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Monday, May 1, 2023, at approximately 7:41 PM, Antioch police officers responded to the report of a solo vehicle collision, in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven convenience store and 76 gas station, located at 2700 Hillcrest Avenue. Citizens nearby reported seeing two subjects run from the vehicle. It also appeared the driver was injured and not breathing.

Numerous officers responded to the scene. When officers arrived, they located one male victim in the driver’s seat suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene indicated the incident likely occurred inside the vehicle. Officers immediately began administering first-aid and called for emergency fire department personnel and AMR paramedics.

Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene, and he was pronounced deceased. The suspects who fled the vehicle on-foot were not located.

Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit, responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

Currently, detectives are interviewing witnesses and working to identify any suspects or persons of interest. The investigation is still active, and evidence is being collected.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gragg, rgragg@antiochca.gov, at (925) 779-6889, or Detective Palma, kpalma@antiochca.gov, at (925) 779-6286. You may also text-a-tip anonymously to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Midnight to 6:00 am for Mokelumne Trail overcrossing

BRENTWOOD, CA – In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4.  The overnight closure will facilitate final adjustments to the falsework as part of the construction work installing the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing over State Route 4.  This closure will impact State Route 4 in both the Eastbound and Westbound directions.  CCTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have scheduled the closure during the early morning hours in order to minimize impacts to the motoring public.

Overnight Freeway Closure of State Route 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road
In order to ensure crew and public safety during the planned construction work, a temporary nighttime freeway closure in both directions of State Route 4 will occur between Friday, May 5, 2023 and Saturday, May 6, 2023 on the following schedule (weather permitting):
Eastbound and Westbound Highway 4 will be closed from midnight on Friday, May 5 until 6:00am on Saturday, May 6, 2023. 

Detours
Detours will be in place to reroute drivers around the closure and are planned as follows:
Eastbound traffic will be directed to exit at Lone Tree Way, go eastbound to Shady Willow Lane, then southbound on Shady Willow Lane to Sand Creek Road, before proceeding westbound on Sand Creek Road to the eastbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Westbound drivers having to detour will exit on Sand Creek Road and go eastbound on Sand Creek Road to Shady Willow Lane, then northbound on Shady Willow Lane to Lone Tree Way, and proceed westbound on Lone Tree Way to the westbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Future Freeway Closures

Additional overnight closures will be needed over the course of the next eight weeks (weather dependent) to facilitate concrete pours for the stem and soffit and deck of the future Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.  Additional information regarding dates and detours will be provided once the schedule is confirmed.  This project is anticipated to be complete in late summer or early fall of 2023.

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multi-billion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.

This ad is being run to correct the date in the ad that ran in our April/May print edition.

Finley Road ranch property

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

The East Bay Regional Park District has purchased the 768-acre Finley Road ranch property located in Contra Costa County at the western edge of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the southern edge of Mount Diablo State Park. The acquisition preserves forever one of the largest remaining pristine open spaces adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park. The property was officially acquired on April 24, 2023. Park District board of directors voted to authorize purchase of the property on March 7, 2023.

“The acquisition is an important step toward a long-desired staging area at the end of Finley Road,” said Park District Board Director John Mercurio. “Access to western Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and southern Mount Diablo State Park has been limited over the years and this property is an important step toward improving public access.”

The Finley Road Ranch property includes a flat, accessible area for a potential staging area that would provide access to the property and significantly improve public access to the Park District’s Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the adjacent Mount Diablo State Park.

“The Park District thanks our partners for their contributions toward the acquisition, including the California Coastal Conservancy and Save Mount Diablo,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “The acquisition supports the Park District’s mission of habitat preservation and providing public access for recreation, and furthers California’s 30×30 Initiative goal of conserving 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.”

The Park District is a supporter of the state’s 30×30 Initiative and participates in the initiative’s partnership coordinating committee, which works toward implementing the policies of the 30×30 Initiative and facilitates coordination among state and federal public agencies, tribal partners, and other non-governmental partners.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

By Antioch Sports Legends

Happy 100th Birthday to Antioch Sports Legends Co-Founder Leo Fontana. Leo has been an Antioch public servant for nearly seventy years. He has served on the boards of several local charities and organizations and was elected to the Antioch City Council from 1982-1986.

As a sports community leader, Leo participated in the creation of the Antioch Hornets football team, Lob Ball League, Antioch Softball League and Antioch Babe Ruth Baseball, for which he served as its first president.

Leo was committee chairman to create the Antioch Municipal Golf Course, helped found the Antioch Bocce Ball League and in 2006 Leo was a Co-Founder of the Antioch Sports Legends.

Leo was also a long-time member of the Antioch Rotary Club.

HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY, LEO!!!

Leo’s bio from his ASL HOF induction Class of 2008 Community Sports Leader
https://www.antiochsportslegends.com/inductee/leo-fontana/