Just in time for Valentine’s Day, D&D Jewelers, one of Antioch’s oldest fine jewelry stores, is offering 60% off gold and diamonds and up to 40% off on watches, including 25% off on Citizen brand.

Stop in and visit them and see their wide selection of fine diamonds, rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, watches and more.

They’re located at 2001 West 10^th Street at the corner of Verne Roberts Circle inside the Community Trust Credit Union building. Or call them at 706-8842. They’re open Monday through Friday from 9 to 5. Be sure to see their ad on the right side of the page and click on it to visit their Facebook page.

Residential electric and gas customers who have concerns about wireless technology can now choose either a new SmartMeter™ or a traditional analog meter, following the final decision today by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) supports the CPUC’s decision and will respond quickly to customers who opt-out of the utility’s SmartMeter™ program.

“We know personal choice is important to our customers when it comes to the meters on their homes,” said Helen Burt, PG&E’s Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “This final decision in support of analog meters is a positive step forward for those who have concerns over wireless technology. We understand some customers have been waiting for this decision, and we are actively reaching out to those who have expressed their desire for a SmartMeter™ alternative.”

PG&E is installing digital, wireless SmartMeters™ throughout its service area in Northern and Central California as part of a statewide effort to help customers save on their bills by offering them more control over their energy usage, improve reliability and customer service, and conserve natural resources to help the environment. As part of a global effort to modernize the energy grid and transform it into a digital network that will deliver more reliable power to homes and businesses, similar metering programs are now underway at utilities throughout the country and around the world. To date, PG&E has installed nearly nine million gas and electric SmartMeters™, on its way to about 10 million meters in 2012.

Independent studies repeatedly have affirmed the safety and accuracy of SmartMeters™. However, in response to comments from some customers, PG&E in March 2011 proposed offering them a choice to turn off the radios in their SmartMeters™, and then provided customers with the option to delay the installation of new SmartMeters™ pending the CPUC’s final decision. In December 2011, PG&E asked the CPUC to approve analog meters as another alternative to receiving a SmartMeter™, which was the central element of the CPUC’s decision today.

Burt added, “The vast majority of our customers are already seeing the many benefits of SmartMeters™. By choosing to stay with our program, our customers will continue having control by seeing where they can save energy throughout the course of the day and making simple but effective changes around the home to save money.”

PG&E customers who want to opt-out of the SmartMeter™ program can submit their request online at www.pge.com/smartmeteroptout or call 1-866-743-0263. PG&E plans to remove the gas and electric SmartMeters™ from the homes of those opt-out customers who already have SmartMeters™; those customers who still have analog meters will be able to keep them.

The CPUC’s final decision requires customers who opt-out of the program to pay a $75 initial setup charge and a $10 monthly charge. This will cover the costs of manual meter-reading and associated operational and billing issues. Income-qualified customers will pay a $10 initial setup charge and $5 a month.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.

Dow has recently decided to eliminate the use of bicycles at our manufacturing site in Pittsburg, which means we have about 100-130 adult-sized bikes that we would like to donate to some charity. These are not pristine bikes (some are VERY old – almost “classic” looking) but they are all functional. Our employees have been riding them across our site – safely – for decades.

Does anyone have ideas of where we can donate these? A charity can certainly come here to pick and choose what they want. I’m hopeful we can find one or two organizations to take the majority (instead of 15 charities coming to take 5-6 bikes each or dozens of individuals – too labor intensive).

Or if you know an educational program that teaches kids/adults to work on or repair bikes, that would certainly qualify too. Please email if you know of any such organizations.

Patty Deutsche
Senior Manager, Public Affairs
Dow California Operations
The Dow Chemical Company
901 Loveridge Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565
phone: 925.432.5576 | email: pdeutsche@dow.com

Brown Bag Lunch This Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 from 12pm – 1:30pm in the Antioch Chamber Offices, 101 H Street, Unit 4 Antioch.

Last year the Antioch Chamber made some drastic improvements to its online presence and online tools. During this transition it was important to implement a system that would be a benefit to the Chamber Members.

This week’s Brown Bag Lunch will focus on the available online promotion tools you have access to as a member of the Antioch Chamber. Some of the topics we will cover are:
How to log in and edit your Antioch Chamber business portal (if you are a member you actually have a password and username assigned to you)
How to edit and improve your listing webpage in the online directory
How to post and promote hot deals
How to place a job posting
How to place a free advertisement on the Antioch Chamber website
How to place an ad or promote an event in the Chamber E-blast
And more…

Cost: FREE!
Bring business cards, pen, paper and your Lunch!
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Ribbon Cutting and Open House
Friday, January 20, 2012
10 AM – 11:30 AM
Address:
Venture Commerce Center
5095 Lone Tree Way
Antioch

Ribbon Cutting at 10am
Meet Directors and Staff
Take a tour of the new office
Light snacks will be provided

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Our first business mixer of 2012 is on Thursday, January 26, 2012. Join us for networking, food and fun. This mixer is an opportunity to meet potential power partners, forge new relationships, solidify existing ones and be apart of the Antioch business community.

The Antioch Chamber is looking forward to a great year as we focus on our efforts to promote success
for our business community. Remember to bring plenty of business cards!

Where: Travis Credit Union
2721 Lone Tree Way, Antioch CA 94509
Date: Thursday, January 26 , 2012
Time: 5pm – 7pm

By the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce is hosting our Annual Inaugural Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Friday, March 9, 2012 at the Lone Tree Golf Course Event Center. During our evening, we award and recognize our Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, Youth of the Year and inaugurate our 2012 Chamber Board.

Annual Inaugural Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Date: Friday, March 9, 2012
Time: 6pm Social Hour, 7pm Dinner
Where: Lone Tree Golf Course and Estates
4800 Lone Tree Way
Antioch CA 94509

As Chamber Members and non-members, we would like to request your participation in this exciting event by doing five important things:

1. Donate an item to our auction.
The funds raised by the auction go towards supporting business education and advocacy efforts for the Antioch business community. In addition, you will be promoting your company to approximately 200 people at the event and even more through our website! Download a donation form here.

2. Nominate a Business for the Business of the Year Award.
The Antioch Chamber of Commerce, through its “Business of the Year” Award, honors a company’s contributions in developing the social and economic well being of Antioch. The Award will be presented at the Annual Inaugural Gala on Friday, March 9, 2012.

3. Nominate a citizen for the Citizen of the Year Award.
The Antioch Chamber of Commerce, through its “Citizen of the Year” Award, honors an individual for his/her contributions in developing the social and economic well being of Antioch. There are two categories: Lifetime Achievement Award (this category looks at the entire body of work over many years) and Most Impact for the Year (This category looks only at accomplishments in the year of 2011, although the nominee may have worked in the community in other years). These Awards will be revealed and presented at the Annual Inaugural Gala on Friday, March 9, 2012.

4. Nominate a youth for the Youth of the Year Award.
The Antioch Chamber of Commerce, through its “Youth of the Year” Award, honors a youth for his/her contributions to the community of Antioch.The Award will be presented at the Annual Inaugural Gala on Friday, March 9, 2012.

5. Purchase your ticket or table and secure your spot at the event!
We invite you to join us in this celebration and enjoy the festivities as we recognize those that have made an impact in our community. Tickets are on sale at $70 per person and $575 for a table of 8. No tickets will be sold at the door. Enjoy a premier event with a red carpet and local dignitaries recognizing the best of our community.

We know you’d support us anyway, but as a thank you…
Upon receipt of your donation, we will place a link to your website from our award winning website www.antiochchamber.com. You will be recognized in press releases, our event program and we will be happy to distribute any information you send us.

On our website you will find a link to download a forms for donations and nominations. Please complete these forms and fax to 925.757.5286. Or mail it to: The Antioch Chamber of Commerce, 101 H Street, Unit 4, Antioch Ca 94531 so we can properly recognize you. If needed, we would be more than happy to arrange for a pick-up of your donation.

Should you have any questions, we can be reached at (925) 757-1800. We hope you will take this opportunity to share your business with the community and your fellow Chamber members! Contact us for our tax ID. Visit us at www.antiochchamber.com

“Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics once gave a speech and it started with “Do not be afraid.” This was the jumping off point for Guy McIntyre’s keynote speech this morning at Dow’s Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King.

McIntyre, a former offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers was on hand to address the community and Dow employees about Dr. King – and he did through his experience as a pro athlete.

Though sports stories were only part of his twenty-minute address (citing the difficulties faced by Jackie Robinson and others), growing as human beings took center stage. He spoke about fear, courage, love and faith, saying, “The only way to master fear is with love … perfect love,” and ending with an old English proverb, “When fear knocked on the door, love answered and there was no one there.” No doubt, his words came from experience.

But just as inpiring was the essay read by Pittsburg High School sophomore, Bianka Machado, who took first place in Dow’s annual essay contest. The contest this year focused on civility, a value that the County Office of Education is working to restore in our schools.

Specifically, the question asked of students was “How has modern technology (cell phones, social media and the Internet) impacted civility?” Machado weaved Dr. King – and his era of no cell phones, no reality television shows and no Facebook – into an expose of how we have lost sight of civility.

“Modern technology has changed civility because we’ve inherited a shyness and timidity to meet people, so we add them on Facebook,” she writes. “Dr. King would go out and meet people to understand how they felt and reach a level of formality and kindness towards each other. We demolished that with new modern day technology.”

Also part of the packed program was noted jazz saxophonist Kevin Moore, who played two selections from his new CD “The Prayer Closet.”

Dow honored Silvester Henderson, Chair of the Music Department at Los Medanos College and a professor at UC Berkeley, with Dow’s MLK Community Award, for his decades of work using gospel to unite the community. Dow also presented the Dow MLK Employee Award to employee Jamie Polan, an engineer who has been a champion of diversity in the workplace and has promoted unity not only among her colleagues but across the entire site. As her supervisor, Paul Caizzi, said, “She inpires me to not only be a better employee but a better person.”

All attendees left with a gift – a journal. On the cover of the journal was the winning artwork from Deer Valley High School senior, Karla Rosales. Her art was chosen over more than 50 submissions in Dow’s first Poster Contest, asking students to illustrate one aspect of civility.

This was Dow’s 12th annual Celebration of Dr. King and is indicative of the company’s commitment to all Dr. King espoused – respect for others, tolerance, love, acceptance, diversity and equality.

California Unified Certification Program Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP
Including one-on-one certification assistance

The Business Outreach Committee (BOC), with co-sponsor Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover and City of Pittsburg, invites you to learn about the DBE Certification Program.

Date: Thursday, January 19, 2012
Time: 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Pittsburg Senior Center
300 Presidio Lane, Pittsburg, CA

For information on taking public transit to the event, please visit http://www.511.org/

WHY ATTEND?
* Learn how a DBE certification can provide you access to federally-funded projects. New federal requirements coming into effect February 2012 make it even more important for your firm to be certified.

* Bring your DBE certification application or questions and receive one-on-one assistance. Download an application at http://www.caltrans.ca.gov/hq/bep/downloads/pdf/DBE_Application.pdf

* Receive information on upcoming projects from BOC member agencies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR DBE CERTIFICATION:
(Go to www.CaliforniaUCP.com for complete details)

* Firm must be at least 51% owned and operated by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.

* Firm must be an independent business.

* Only existing for-profit “Small Business Concerns” as defined by the Small Business Act and Small Business Administration (SBA) regulations may be certified.

* SBA size standards apply.

* Personal Net Worth (PNW) of socially and economically disadvantaged owners must not exceed $1.32 Million, excluding the individual’s ownership interest in the applicant firm and the equity in his/her primary residence.

To register online or sign up for future newsletters and event information, click link below (or copy to web browser), complete form, then click “submit form’: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dDZWWUg2ZF83blhPeTZSYUI5MXF4c0E6MQ#gid=0

Certifying agencies include BART, SFMTA, Samtrans, and VTA.

Global NxLevel Strategies & The Antioch Community Foundation is pre-registering for its 2012, “Increase your sales by one-million dollars business planning class.” For existing business owners or new startups, this may be your last chance for business development training for Antioch & Pittsburg residents. Due to 2012 funding cuts, this program may know longer be offered.

Why start or expand a business in this economy, because there are opportunities everywhere. The problem with finding the opportunities is a lack of business planning. 1 out of 5 businesses in the “Land of Opportunity” survives. A business owner, who fails to plan, plans to fail!

GNS wants to help you write a winning business plan. By writing your plan, you will work through your strategies; avoid potentially costly errors like undercapitalizing your business, negative cash flow, hiring the wrong people, selecting the wrong location, underestimating your competition, and pursuing the wrong markets.

To remain relevant in an economy that has experienced downsizing and manufacture’s moving to other countries, GNS is inviting you to register for this 11-week business planning program for just $95.

Not an Antioch or Pittsburg resident? The course is Just $395

Class starts Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce. For more information contact Quincy Hardin at 925-209-1584 or visit www.GlobalNxLevelStrategies.com.