Deadline: Feb. 1; Awards Celebration: Feb. 26

By Juliet V. Casey, Director of Marketing, Los Medanos College

Los Medanos College (LMC) is pleased to announce its call for nominees, recognizing community civil rights and social justice champions, and students whose activism sets them apart as emerging leaders. Use this form (or visit www.losmedanos.edu/mlk) to submit a nomination. The nomination deadline is February 1, 2026. 

Award recipients will be honored at LMC’s 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Celebration at 11 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2026, in the Student Union Conference Center of the Pittsburg Campus, 2700 E. Leland Road.

Award Categories:

Emerging Leadership Award

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Emerging Leadership Award recognizes an LMC student or alumnus who embodies the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and, who within the past year, has made a significant difference on the LMC campus or in the local community through advocacy and social justice. Emerging leaders in our community exemplify the principles of Dr. King and affect social change. Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Visionary Leadership Award

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visionary Leadership Award recognizes a member of the East Contra Costa County community who demonstrates the qualities of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Visionary Leadership Award honors individuals who embody Dr. King’s strengths as a transformational, servant leader. Dr. King inspired others to shape the future articulated in his vision. He focused on the well-being, growth, and empowerment of others and the community he served. Dr. King said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable … Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Beloved Community Award

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Award is presented to a local resident who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to service and who best represents the core values modeled by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Beloved Community Award is inspired by the term popularized by Dr. King – a global vision in which, as noted by The King Center: all people can share in the wealth of the earth; poverty, hunger, and homelessness will not be tolerated; racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood; and love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. At the heart of the quest for the Beloved Community is agape love, which Dr. King described as “understanding, redeeming goodwill for all” – a love “seeking to preserve and create community.”

See video about the awards.

According to Martinez resident, Scott Gordon, whose father, George Gordon was President of the Contra Costa Community College Board in 1964, that February, Dr. King visited the county for a speech at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.

About LMC

LMC is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District serving the East Contra Costa County community. Established in 1974, LMC has earned federal designations as a Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving institution. It offers award-winning transfer and career-technical programs, support services, and diverse academic opportunities in an inclusive learning environment. With exceptional educators, innovative curriculum, growing degree and certificate offerings, and state-of-the-art facilities, the college prepares students to succeed in their educational pursuits, in the workforce, and beyond. LMC’s Pittsburg Campus is located on 120 acres bordering Antioch, with an additional education center in Brentwood.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Following police pursuit and threats to officers; held on $105,000 bail

By Lt. Michael Mellone, Antioch Police Department

This morning, Monday, January 26, 2026, at 4:17 a.m., Antioch Police Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a disturbance in the 800 block of L Street. The caller reported that a man was knocking on a resident’s door and telling the occupants they did not live there, before returning to his vehicle, honking repeatedly and driving in circles in the area.

Officers responded and learned the man, later identified as Jesse Ryan Cheroti, a 35-year-old resident of Pittsburg, (born 2/25/1990) was unknown to the residents and was alleged to have attempted to hit one of them with his vehicle during their encounter.

A short time later, officers located the suspect vehicle nearby and attempted a traffic stop. Cheroti failed to yield and fled at a slow speed before being stopped by officers. Officers attempted to negotiate with Cheroti and employ de-escalation techniques, but he was not cooperative. During the incident, Cheroti made verbal threats toward responding officers and later attempted to flee a second time.

Following the second attempt to flee, officers deployed a tire deflation device and again boxed the vehicle in, bringing the pursuit to an end. Officers were able to safely take Cheroti into custody. He was transported and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.

Cheroti was arrested for the following violations:

• Penal Code 245(a)(1) — Assault with a deadly weapon (other than a firearm)
• Penal Code 71 — Threats against a public officer or employee
• Vehicle Code 2800.4 — Evading a peace officer by driving in the opposite direction of traffic
• Vehicle Code 23152(f) — Driving under the influence of drugs

No injuries were reported to officers or members of the public.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, 10-inch tall, 160-pound Cheroti is Hispanic and being held on $105,000 bail.

According to RecentlyBooked.com, he was arrested on Jan. 13 by San Joaquin County Sheriff for DUI.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department at (925) 778-2441 and reference Case #26-900.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this arrest.

Plus, $7,650 of in-kind services

By Allen D. Payton

During their regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, the Antioch City Council will consider approving $50,000 in Civic Enhancement Grants to 16 community groups. An additional $7,650 of in-kind contributions to two of the organizations for City facility uses are also recommended.

According to the City staff report for the Consent Calendar agenda item #5Q, “The FY25-26 Budget includes continued funding for the Civic Enhancement Grants Program to support community events and improvement projects that originate with Non-Profit organizations in Antioch. The City Council authorized $50,000 in FY25-26 to fund the civic enhancement grant program. The staff report shows the total amount of funding requested was $285,730 but the chart (below) shows a total of $308,890 in requests.

“A committee comprised of Mayor Pro Tem Don Freitas, City PIO Jaden Baird, and three Park and Recreation Commissioners, Chair Dorothy Ellis, Mariah Williams and La Shan Hunt all reviewed, scored and made the final recommendations for grant approval to the City Council, which ultimately authorizes the grant allocations.”

A total of 13 organizations that also requested funds were not approved by the committee for grants, this year.

Proposed 2025-2026 Civic Enhancement Grants:

• $1,500 grant to the Antioch Historical Society for School educational programming

• $2,000 grant to the Antioch Police Activities League for Youth Sports programs;

• $2,500 grant plus approximately $2,300 of in-kind City facility services to the Antioch Rotary Club for the King’s Conference for Underserved Male Youth;

• $1,500 grant to Be Exceptional for Funds to Expand Youth Programs for people with disabilities;

• $1,000 grant to Cancer Support Community SF Bay Area supporting programs assisting Antioch families affected by cancer;

• $2,000 grant to Celebrate Antioch Foundation for organizing and supporting family safe community events. That’s in addition to the $5,000 economic development grant received last year;

• $4,500 grant to Delta Learning Center for enhancing educational outcomes for underserved students

• $5,000 grant to Delta Veterans Group for the Veterans Day/ Memorial Day Ceremonies and the Veterans Banner Program;

• $2,000 grant to Downtown Antioch Assoc. & Foundation for small Business Saturday to market downtown businesses. That’s in addition to the $22,500 economic development grant received last year;

• $1,500 grant to East Bay Forward Economic Development Association for a free community music festival;

• $5,000 grant to Grassroots Poetry to Open mic events for both youth and adults for creative expression;

• $5,000 grant to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa for a hot meal program for unhoused and low-income residents;

• $1,500 grant to NAMI Contra Costa for Crisis Intervention;

• $2,500 grant plus approximately $5,350 of in-kind City facility services to New Generation Equity/STEM4Real for a STEM community Event;

• $2,500 grant to Rotary Club of the Delta for Support Antioch’s senior community with home repairs;

• $10,000 grant to Three Thirty-Three Arts for design and lead two crosswalk murals on 2nd street.

Antioch Council Meeting Details

A Closed Session begins at 5:00 p.m. to discuss employee group contracts and the regular meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall located at 200 H Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. It can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website and the City’s YouTube Channel, on Comcast Cable Channel 24 or AT&T U-verse Channel 99.

See complete meeting packet.

For more information about the Downtown Antioch Association visit downtownantioch.com.

^{Paid advertisement}

By Allen D. Payton

In an update on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, Antioch Police Lt. William Whitaker reported, that the Contra Costa County Coroner’s office completed an autopsy over the weekend on the 17-year-old female victim whose body was found on the side of the road near Antioch High School and the Contra Costa County fairgrounds Friday morning.

Based on the findings it appears the victim, Jeana Flores, was struck by a vehicle. Based on the findings this will be classified as a fatal hit-and-run investigation. The Antioch Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit will take over the investigation.

As previously reported, on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 3:33 a.m., the Antioch Police Dispatch Center received a report of a person down on the side of the roadway in the area of L Street between West 18th Street and West 10th Street, directly across the street from the football field in Eells Stadium at Antioch High School.

Responding officers arrived on scene and located an adult female victim. Officers immediately rendered medical aid; however, the victim died at the scene. Based on preliminary information and evidence, the death is being investigated as suspicious. Currently, there are no known suspects.

Later, KTVU FOX2 reported on Saturday the family had identified Flores and shared comments by Flores’ father, Joseph. According to the report, “Joseph said he knew something was wrong when he got on the phone with an Antioch police investigator, who asked if he was sitting down. Joseph said that, after sharing the news, the investigator told him his daughter last visited a family friend – who he identified as his sister due to their close relationship.”

About Jeana he said, “She was fierce, sometimes. She was witty. She had a really, really good heart.” Joseph said she was working on Treasure Island through Job Corps.

Anyone with information related to this collision is encouraged to contact Antioch Police Officer James Desiderio at (925) 331-7474 or via email at jdesiderio@antiochca.gov.

$170,000 for Crime Lab

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Forensic Services Division (FSD), a nationally accredited crime laboratory, has been awarded a competitive one-year grant of $170,000 to help keep our roadways safe from impaired drivers. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The FSD will use the funding to support the testing program for detecting alcohol and drugs in driving under the influence (DUI) cases. New equipment will be purchased to enhance the analysis of alcohol and other volatile substances in DUI cases. Supplies will also be purchased to support comprehensive analysis and enable detection of illegal, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs commonly found in DUI cases. Funding for the pro-grams runs through September 2026.

“This grant will improve testing capabilities, analysis, and turnaround times at the Forensic Services Division,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “Having rapid results will benefit county law enforcement agencies and prosecutors and improve public safety.”

UPDATE: A 2012 candidate for Mayor of Antioch, Michael Leon accused of killing then 52-year-old Brenda Leon, held on $1 million bail

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – Today, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office charged 67-year-old Michael Anthony Leon (born 7/17/1958) with the 2015 murder of his wife, Brenda Joyce Leon, who was 52 years old at the time of her death.

After an extensive investigation, the District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit determined that Brenda Leon’s death on September 28th, 2015, was an act of homicide. The investigation uncovered previously unknown digital evidence and new factual details that were central to the decision to file charges.

Michael Leon was taken into custody from his Antioch residence on January 22nd by the DA’s Office Bureau of Investigations. It was initially investigated in 2015 by Antioch PD. He is charged with murder under Penal Code Section 187(a) and personal use of a firearm causing death under Penal Code Section 12022.53(d). If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.

“Brenda Joyce’s family never lost faith that the truth would come to light,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “Today’s filing in Contra Costa Superior Court honors that perseverance and demonstrates that cold cases are never forgotten, regardless of how much time has passed.”

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, eight-inch tall, 190-pound Leon is being held on $1 million bail.

No press release about the incident was issued by Antioch Police at the time, nor was it included in the City Manager’s weekly report which offered the Department’s calls for service highlights for Sept. 24 – Oct. 1, 2015, as provided by then-Police Chief Allan Cantando. Efforts to reach Cantando to ask if he could recall why that occurred was unsuccessful prior to publication time.

2012 Candidate for Mayor of Antioch

8:00 PM UPDATE: It was discovered in the Herald’s archives that Michael Leon was a candidate for Mayor of Antioch in 2012 and a newcomer to politics, placing fourth behind Wade Harper, Gary Agopian and Don Freitas. At the time, his candidate statement showed he was a “Marketing Associate for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning company.”

Later, during the campaign, Leon said he was a business owner and located it in Oakley.

Leon described himself as a “regular Joe” or “Joe the Plumber” type who was encouraged to run by his neighbors after he was featured on Channel 4 news for helping get rid of squatters and some problem Section 8 tenants from his neighborhood. (See related articles here, here and here)

According to her obituary, “Brenda Joyce Leon passed away Monday, September 28, 2015, at the age of 52. She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Michael Leon and her two loving children, Michelle Wonders, and Monica Tagas. Brenda was born to James and Myrna Francis in Walnut Creek, CA, on August 28, 1963 – the sixth of nine beautiful children. She called Concord home for 36 years where she truly blossomed in life – obtaining her High School diploma from Carondelet, working for her father’s transportation company, Bay Area Piggyback, Inc., marrying her loving husband, and starting her family. Her greatest pleasure and ultimate solace came from being a doting grandmother to her grandchildren, Michelle Wonders’ daughter Audrey – age 4 and son Elliot – age 1 ½.”

1/25/26 UPDATE: According to an SFGate report, “Brenda’s two adult daughters had doubts from the start that their mother would kill herself. In 2021, they filed a wrongful death suit against a male killer named as ‘John Doe’ in court records. In the lawsuit, they claimed the killer faked a suicide note and staged the scene before police arrived.”

Michael Leon is set to be arraigned in court on January 26th at 1:30 pm in Martinez.

Case No. 01-26-00248 | The People of the State of California v. Michael Anthony Leon

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Early Friday morning before school hours

By Lt. William Whitaker #6155, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

APD UPDATE: Additional information has come to light. The victim was a 17-year-old female and was not a student in the Antioch Unified School District.

On January 23 at 3:33 a.m., the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received a report of a person down on the side of the roadway in the area of L Street between West 18th Street and West 10th Street, directly across the street from the football field in Eells Stadium at Antioch High School.

Responding officers arrived on scene and located an adult female victim. Officers immediately rendered medical aid; however, the victim died at the scene. Based on preliminary information and evidence, the death is being investigated as suspicious. Currently, there are no known suspects.

Later, Whitaker said the girl had injuries that were inconsistent with an accidental fall but that did not necessarily indicate a homicide and officers did not find evidence of narcotics use.

The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, including Crime Scene Investigators and detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit, responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no additional information is available at this time. Any updates will be released by the Investigations Bureau as they become available.

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Antioch Police Detective Robert Ibanez at (925) 481-8398 or via email at ribanez@antiochca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.