In response to allegations against the late farm workers’ union leader

By Juliet V. Casey Geary, Director of Marketing & Media Design, Los Medanos College

Greetings from Los Medanos College,

In light of recent news concerning César Chávez and allegations of abuse of women and minors, Los Medanos College (LMC) is reorienting the awards that honored his legacy to focus instead on the collective work and values that are being recognized to strengthen community, social justice, labor rights and leadership. Since 1995, LMC has honored generations of activists, service providers, educators, students and more. We are proud of that tradition and will continue to honor the leaders born out of East Contra Costa County’s agricultural community. This year we will offer La Fuerza del Pueblo: Farmworkers’ Movement Legacy Awards.

Honorees will receive recognition at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2026, in the Student Union Conference Center, 2700 E. Leland Road in Pittsburg. La Fuerza del Pueblo in English means the power of the people. This event recognizes community members who stand as models of service, activism and non-violent social change. This year’s award categories include: 

Exemplary Community Service

For long-standing commitment to service to others, sacrifice, helping the most needy, determination, non-violence, acceptance of all people, respect for life and the environment, celebrating community, knowledge, and innovation.

East County Educator Award

For demonstrating a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for students of color and those from low-income families.

La Fuerza del Pueblo Spirit Award

For emerging/student leader(s) who embodies the spirit of the movement, and who within the past year, made a significant impact on the local community in the areas of advocacy and social justice.

Legacy Award Values

• Service to Others: Empowering individuals by engendering self-determination, self-sufficiency and self-help, rather than charity.
• Sacrifice: Recognizing the obligation every individual has to contribute to their community, despite having to endure great hardship.
• Help the Most Needy: Supporting efforts to reach those in need, those dispossessed, and those most forgotten individuals.
• Determination: Instilling an attitude that through steadfast commitment, patience, and optimism, people can overcome great adversity. 
• Non-violence: Achieving social and economic justice and equality through bold and courageous action.
• Tolerance: Promoting and supporting ethnic and cultural diversity as a means toward informing and strengthening communities.
• Respect for Life: Holding land, people, and all other forms of life in the highest regard.
• Celebrating Community: Sharing expressions of cultural identity through art, song and dance.
• Knowledge: Pursuing self-directed learning, the development of critical thinking, and constructive problem-solving.
• Innovation: Creating strategies and tactics to resolve problems and situations that often seem insurmountable.

About Los Medanos College (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.

Read the statement by the United Farm Workers about the allegations against Chávez.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Warren Cox, Market Manager, California Farmers’ Market Assocation

Antioch CA…It’s here! The new Farmers’ Market in Antioch, in the middle of the Rivertown District in historic downtown, opens Sunday, June 22, 9am-1pm. Conveniently located in the parking lot at the corner of I Street and W. 3rd Street near City Hall, the market will host plenty of free nearby parking in several public lots within 2 blocks of the market.

Join us on Opening Day, Sunday June 22, where 25 truckloads of fresh produce from local family farms will gather featuring the famous super sweet white corn from Brentwood, tree- ripened apricots from Patterson, peaches and nectarines from Hughson, vine-ripe strawberries and organic vegetables from Hollister. Farm fresh eggs, Asian vegetables, freshly baked breads and pastries from Little Sky Bakery are sure to be a hit.

Opening Day highlights include a ribbon cutting with the Mayor Ron Bernal at 10am. Bring the children for kids’ crafts, balloon art, and live music. Customers can also Guess the Number of Cherries in the Giant Jar for a chance to win a Market Basket packed with $200 worth of goodies from the vendors.

“Our farm is thrilled to have a farmers’ market in Antioch every Sunday, opening just in time for our first pick of the sweet corn in Brentwood. Picked in the morning, we will bring a truck loaded to the brim” says Glenn Stonebarger of G&S Farms.

This market is made possible from the springtime volunteer work of dedicated community groups.

“Sunday mornings in Antioch are a perfect time to meet up with neighbors, celebrate good food, and access the bounty of our local harvest season in one place!” says Joy Motts, President, Celebrate Antioch Foundation one of the partners for the farmers’ market, along with the City of Antioch.

THIS LOCATION IS CERTIFIED BY THE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER, WHERE FARMERS OFFER FOR SALE ONLY THOSE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THEY GROW THEMSELVES. IT IS OPERATED BY CALIFORNIA FARMERS’ MARKETS ASSOCIATION, SPONSORED BY CELEBRATE ANTIOCH FOUNDATION, AND HOSTED BY THE CITY OF ANTIOCH. FOR MORE INFO: @ANTIOCHFARMERSMKT, 800-806-FARM , CAFARMERSMKTS.COM.

Miss Contra Costa County Fair to be chosen Thursday, May 17

Discounted Presale Tickets & Carnival Unlimited Ride Wristband pass on sale now

Fair Hours: 12:00 Noon-9:30pm Daily. (Gates Close at 9pm)

Midway of Fun Carnival Hours: Noon-10pm Daily except Saturday, Noon-11pm (Carnival will remain open after Fair Gates Close)

SPECIAL DAYS

Dollar Day – Thursday, May 15 at Noon – $1 Admission until 5pm Buy 1 Carnival Ride Wristband get 1 FREE until 6pm (Riders must be present at time of wristband purchase)

Senior Day – Friday, May 16 – $1 Admission for Senior’s 62+

Military & Law Enforcement Day – Saturday, May 17 – Military/Law Enforcement and their families with active ID will receive FREE Admission.

Fiesta Day – Sunday, May 18 – Hispanic Themed Stage and Grounds Entertainment.

See complete schedule of daily events.

SPECIAL EVENT

Miss Contra Costa County Fair Queen Pageant at 5PM – Estrella Pavilion Stage – Come watch and support these local girls competing for the title of Miss Contra Costa County Fair.

DAILY ATTRACTIONS

Barnyard Bash – Get ready to go Hog-Wild with this interactive music and dance, audience participation Hoe-Down stage show. Daily Performance 1:30pm, 3:30pm, & 5:30pm.

BC Characters – Keep your eye pealed for these fun and furry characters.

Camel Rides – Feeling a little adventurous, here is your chance to take a ride on a camel.

Chicken Rider – Be on the lookout for the Chicken Rider and his chicken, Salt & Pepper.

Cowgirl Tricks – Cowgirl Tricks is a tongue-in-cheek vaudeville-style comedic bonanza of trick roping, whip cracking, music, magic, audience participation and lots of kooky cowgirl shenanigans. Performing daily on the Estrella Pavilion State, 12:30pm, 2pm and 3:30pm, May 15 – 17.

Daily Parade – 5PM on the Midway

Fables of the West – Look out for these two just horsing around.

Little Rascals Kids Club – FREE interactive, hands-on kid’s activity zone, where parents can relax and let their kids be kids in this fun activity area.

Paradise Roller Skating Academy – Demonstrations Watch as some of these skaters show you their amazing Roller-Skating talents. Demonstrations Thursday, May 15th at 6pm, and Saturday, May 17th at 2pm in Paradise Skate Roller Rink.

Petting Zoo – Here is your opportunity to get up close and personable with all kinds of fun furry creatures.

Pony Rides – Be a Cowboy or Cowgirl and ride the ponies.

Roaming Railroad – Take a ride on this Fun Little Train.

Sarah Nep Cheese Carver – Watch as Sarah turns a block of cheese into a fabulous work of art. Daily demonstrations from 1pm to 6pm in the Arts Pavilion.

Wiener Dog Stampede – Come out and support local contestants and their Wiener Dogs compete for Grand Champion in the Wiener Dog Stampede. Saturday May 17th at 3pm.

Wooden Creations – Chainsaw Carving Demonstrations – Watch these chainsaw artists work their magic and turn a log into a work of art. Fairgoers will have the opportunity to purchase Chainsaw Carvings. Daily Demonstrations 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm.

Xtreme Sports Zone – A thrill for everyone young and old. Bungee, Rock Wall, Water Balls and more.

EXHIBITS

Agriculture Pavilion

Arts Pavilion

Fur & Feathers Pavilion

Livestock Pavilion (Closed Sunday, May 18th)

Home Arts, Fine Arts, Photography, Agriculture Exhibits, Floriculture, Horticulture, Ag Mechanics, Industrial Technology & Science. – Take a look at what the talented local community artists have created, from youth home arts to adult fine art and photography, as well as agriculture and horticulture exhibits and displays.

LIVESTOCK COMPETITIONS & AUCTIONS – Livestock Show Ring

Daily Goat Show followed by All Other Breeding Goat Show – 5:00PM

Boer Goat Show followed by Sheep Show – Friday, May 16, 4PM

Swine Show – Saturday, May 17, 8AM

Small Stock Master Showmanship – Saturday, May 17, 4PM

Large Livestock Showmanship – Saturday, May 17, 7PM

Junior Livestock Auction – Sunday, May 18, 9AM

LIVE MUSIC – Headliners

Gotcha Country is the band that can keep you “Boot Scootin” all night long! Daily shows are at 4pm, 6pm and 8pm – PG&E Midway Stage.

You Should Be Dancing – A Tribute to the Bee Gees – The San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere Bee Gees Tribute band. Experience non-stop dancing, soaring falsettos, and the most beautiful ballads of all time. Friday 7:30pm – Estrella Pavilion Stage.

Patton Leatha – Making Music that moves your mind body and Soul. Saturday 5:30pm & 7pm – Estrella Pavilion Stage.

Night Owls – Top 40 Cover Band, based out of San Francisco Saturday 8:30pm & 10pm – Estrella Pavilion Stage.

Sunday Hispanic Themed Entertainment to include: DJ Winners, Banda Katana, El Rifle, Komando De La Siera

MIDWAY OF FUN CARNIVAL

Brass Ring Amusements Midway of Fun is a family owned and operated carnival business which has served the California fair circuit since 1991. From the Ferris Wheel to the Zipper and the Merry Go Round to the Viper there is something for all ages to enjoy at the Midway of Fun Carnival. Don’t forget to try your luck at one of the fun carnival games.

ANTIOCH SPEEDWAY – Saturday Night Races

Get your adrenalin pumping as you prepare for racing action, Saturday, May 17th. Watch IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks & Figure 8. Gates open at 4pm. Racing starts at 5:30pm. Separate Ticket required for Races, visit www.antiochspeedway.com for details.

Tickets & More Info

Ticket Prices: Kids 5 and under FREE Youth 6 – 12, $9 at the Fair, $7 presale

Seniors 62 & Over, $9 at the Fair, $7 presale

Adults, $14 at the Fair, $10 presale

Youth Season Pass – $25

Adult Season Pass – $35

Unlimited Carnival Ride Wristbands at the Fair $40, presale $35 Daily

Parking – $10

Season Parking Pass Livestock Lot – $35

Livestock Exhibitor Carnival Wristband – $99

To buy tickets and for more information visit contracostafair.com or call (925) 757-4400.

Chaperone Policy

The safety of our guests is of the utmost importance to the Fair. To improve this safety the Contra Costa County Fair Board of Directors adopted and implemented a Chaperone Policy for the 2024 Fair and will continue the policy for the 2025 Fair.

All youth under the age of eighteen (18) are required to be accompanied by a parent/guardian (adult – age 25+) to be admitted into the Contra Costa County Fair. Any person entering may be asked to show a valid California Driver License or Identification Card or other government-issued ID. Each adult can only chaperone 4 youths at a time. Groups larger than 4 youths require an additional chaperone for every 4 youths. The chaperone (parent/adult) are required to remain on the facility with the youth during their time at the Fair. The youth must provide a telephone number of the attending parent/adult to a Fair Security representative upon request. Any and all misbehaving youth will be held and released to their chaperone (parent/adult). Any youth under the age of eighteen (18) not accompanied by an adult will not be admitted.

Location

The 2025 Contra Costa County Fair at the Contra Costa Event Park, 1201 W. 10th Street in Antioch. Parking off L Street and O Street entrances.

To further enhance state’s preparedness and accelerate ongoing cross-agency response efforts following spread of Avian influenza A (H5N1) in 16 states, including California and outside the Central Valley,

“To date, no person-to-person spread of Bird Flu has been detected in California and nearly all infected individuals had exposure to infected cattle.”

Sacramento, California – December 18, 2024 – Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a State of Emergency to streamline and expedite the state’s response to Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as “Bird Flu.” This action comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, signaling the need to further expand monitoring and build on the coordinated statewide approach to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus. The virus has spread in 16 states among dairy cattle, following its first confirmed detection in Texas and Kansas in March 2024.

To date, no person-to-person spread of Bird Flu has been detected in California and nearly all infected individuals had exposure to infected cattle. California has already established the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation to respond to the outbreak.

This emergency proclamation will provide state and local agencies with additional flexibility around staffing, contracting, and other rules to support California’s evolving response. 

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak. Building on California’s testing and monitoring system — the largest in the nation — we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information. While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus,” said Newsom.

Ongoing efforts to prevent spread and serious infection

California has mobilized a comprehensive cross-agency response to Bird Flu in dairy cattle and poultry farms to minimize farm worker exposures, reduce raw dairy product contamination, and mitigate the spread of the virus. The state has enlisted local, state, and federal government technical and operational expertise to support all facets of the response; worked to educate the public, health professionals, employers, and workers on prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of exposure to Bird Flu; provided comprehensive information for employers and workers on personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements; and distributed millions of pieces of PPE to high-risk workers at dairy farms. 

Through coordinated public awareness efforts between the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and other agencies, the state is leading a cross-agency response that includes timely public updates, multilingual outreach to dairy and poultry workers, targeted social media efforts to promote preventive practices, online and printed resources for the public, and media interviews to keep Californians informed. Additionally, the state is ensuring that agriculture workers have access to additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce concurrent flu risks.

Officials have also been working in close collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S.  Department of Agriculture, and local health and agricultural officials, as part of a whole-of-government effort to coordinate, implement, and ensure timely surveillance and investigation of potential cases of Bird Flu.

Bird flu in the United States

Bird Flu was first detected in the United States in the wild bird population in South Carolina in January 2022, and in the wild bird population in California in July 2022. On March 25, 2024, an outbreak of Bird Flu in dairy cows was first reported in Texas and Kansas, and CDFA took immediate action to monitor for Bird Flu infections in California herds. Since then, there have been 61 total reported confirmed cases of Bird Flu infection in humans across seven states, including 34 reported human cases in California.

On August 30, 2024, following its detection in 13 other states, Bird Flu was confirmed in a dairy cow in Central California, and the California Department of Public Health immediately activated its Medical Health Coordination Center. 

See Gov. Newsom’s Proclamation of a State of Emergency.

See the 4-page insert inside the April issue of the Antioch Herald print edition and learn more at Contra Costa County Fair 2023 (contracostafair.com).

For tickets click, here – 2022 Heritage Foundation Dinner | Contra Costa County (cccfheritagefoundation.com).

Fair workers also needed

ANTIOCH – Online entries for the 2022 Contra Costa County Fair exhibit competitions close Friday, April 8th. Imagine the thrill of winning a blue ribbon at the Fair for a special talent. Think you own the best pig, bake the most delicious apple pie, made a beautiful quilt, or have an uncanny knack for making crafts? Want to see who’s the best in all of Contra Costa County? Then be sure to enter the Contra Costa County Fair’s competitive exhibits!

Entry information available on the fair’s website www.contracostafair.com

Cows, Corndogs & Carnival Rides. Oh My!! May 12-15 is sure to be a fun event for children of all ages, with new exhibits & entertainment, the carnival, livestock and the always popular Fair food. Money saving pre-sale tickets will be available starting April 22 and ending May 9.

Are you interested in working at The Fair? We are looking for Parking Attendants, Ticket Takers, Ticket Sellers and Information Booth Attendants. Visit contracostafair.com for details on each job position and to print out an application. Interviews and hiring will be on April 30th from 9am to 2pm at The Fair Administration Office Board Room.

For additional information visit our website at www.contracostafair.com, or like us on Facebook.

The County Fair is held at the Contra Costa Event Park at 1201 West 10th Street in Antioch.