Launches new 2026 infrastructure grant cycle to strengthen food access in communities it serves

New grant-funding round supports critical infrastructure needs at food banks and partner agencies throughout California and Nevada

By Carol Barsotti, Chief Communications Officer, The Raley’s Companies

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA – For 40 years, Raley’s Food For Families has been a steadfast partner in the fight against hunger. Since 1986, the organization has donated more than 81 million dollars and 70 million pounds of wholesome, nutritious food to its existing network of 12 Feeding America food bank partners and their subsequent network of more than 2,400 agencies.

Now, as Raley’s Food For Families marks this significant anniversary, the organization is demonstrating its long-term dedication with the launch of its renewed 2026 Infrastructure Grant Program. The grant initiative builds on immediate hunger relief efforts by investing in infrastructure that enables sustained, meaningful impact for years to come.

“For four decades, Food For Families has been privileged to donate millions of pounds of food and to provide support to hungry families across our communities. This milestone is a moment to celebrate that impact and recommit to the long-term work of food security,” said Julie Teel, President of Food For Families Board of Directors. “By focusing on infrastructure, we’re strategically making funds available so these vital community partners can strengthen their ability to get food to those who need it most.”

Building on a Year of Impact

The new grant cycle builds on the success of the inaugural 2025 Infrastructure Grant Program, which distributed just over $340,000 to support critical needs identified by food banks and their partner agencies. The first funding round made a significant impact, including funds for refrigeration units, box trucks, forklifts, and pallet jacks, along with many smaller infrastructure items, such as shelving units.

“These investments directly translate to increased food access for families by allowing food bank staff and volunteers to work more efficiently, ultimately serving more people with the same resources. For example, a single pallet jack can save 76 manual trips per truckload,” said Teel. “The grant funding is a tangible example of the profound commitment Raley’s has made to the communities it serves.”

2026 Infrastructure Grant Cycle Details and Guidelines

The 2026 Infrastructure Grant Program will prioritize grants that directly increase food access rather than focus on food education. Eligible applicants include partner agencies, food pantries and closets affiliated with Raley’s Food For Families’ Feeding America food bank partners:

• Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano
• Alameda County Community Food Bank
• Central California Food Bank
• Food Bank for Monterey County
• Food Bank of Northern Nevada
• Feeding the Foothills
• Redwood Empire Food Bank
• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
• Second Harvest Silicon Valley
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County
• Second Harvest of The Greater Valley
• Yolo Food Bank

As a way to celebrate and recognize its long-term food bank partner network, Raley’s will also highlight the work of one partner food bank each month throughout 2026. For more information about the 2026 Infrastructure Grant Program food bank partners should reach out to their Feeding America food bank partner.

“We’re honored to mark 40 years of food security leadership and real-world impact,” said Teel. “Raley’s Food For Families has remained committed in its mission to alleviate hunger by providing nutritious food to those in need. The organization’s longevity reflects a deep-rooted belief that food security is foundational to community health and opportunity.”

About Raley’s Food For Families

Raley’s Food For Families is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, which provides food to Feeding America Food Bank Members and their network of more than 2,400 partner agencies. The organization serves the communities of Northern and Central California and Northern and Central Nevada through Raley’s, Raley’s O-N-E Markets, Bel Air Markets and Nob Hill Foods stores. Since 1986, the organization has donated over 81 million dollars and 70 million pounds of fresh, wholesome food to its partners. With a long commitment to local communities, Raley’s Food For Families continues to grow and thrive as an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger by providing nutritious food to those who need it most. For more information and to learn how to donate, visit www.foodforfamilies.org. Raley’s Food For Families tax ID is 68-0195082.

About Raley’s

Raley’s is a family-operated customer experience grocery company. Founded in 1935, Raley’s stores are the destination for the best fresh products, affordable offerings and personalized service. The company’s commitment to infusing life with health and happiness by changing the way the world eats, one plate at a time, has made it a trusted source for food, nutrition, and wellness. Raley’s strives to enhance transparency and education in the food system in order to help customers make more informed, healthy food choices. Raley’s operates 119 stores under four banners: Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Raley’s O-N-E Market. Making healthier offerings accessible to everyone, Raley’s has expanded beyond the store to operate grocery curbside pick-up and delivery in their nearby communities. Please visit at www.raleys.com for more information. Raley’s is a division of The Raley’s Companies.

By Allen D. Payton

Join owner Gladys Torres for the ribbon cutting to officially open her new Timeless Elegance Vintage Store on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 11:00 A.M. The store is located at 204 G Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

Debbie Blaisure of the Downtown Antioch Association said, “Please come meet her and her amazing crew and welcome them to G Street! It looks like she has been there for years. Gladys owns Alliance Estate Sales and the shop, so she has a constant stream of new treasures. What a great asset to our downtown. Hope to see ALL of the downtown businesses and residents to support Timeless Elegance!”

For more information visit their Facebook page or call (925) 978-4159.

Officer trapped inside suspect’s car while driving high-speed across town

By Allen D. Payton

According to Lt. William Whitaker of the Antioch Police Investigations Bureau, this morning, Friday, February 20, 2026, at 5:16 a.m., Antioch Police officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Lone Tree Way for a report of a robbery in progress. While officers were en route, the reporting party stated that one of the suspects was armed with a firearm and had threatened him.

According to Captain Desmond Bittner, “The suspect vehicle backed into the FoodMaxx store before the officers arrived,” smashing in the front glass doors. One employee said store employees heard the crash, saw some of the commotion, called police who arrived quickly, and that there was more than one suspect who entered the store and attempted to steal alcohol.

When officers arrived, they confronted a suspect at the scene. During the encounter, the suspect rammed his vehicle into an occupied patrol car. An officer who was outside the suspect’s vehicle then came into contact with the driver, and a physical struggle ensued.

During the altercation, the officer was pulled into the vehicle as the suspect drove forward, striking both a patrol car and the nearby store.

The officer gave the driver multiple commands to stop the car, but he did not comply. The suspect continued driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed with the officer trapped inside. The officer then discharged his service weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect exited the vehicle on the sidewalk in front of a house on the corner of Southwood Way at Field Brook Court and fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later.  Bittner confirmed, “The suspect was arrested in the area of the Southwood Way location.”

Two K9 Officers could be seen searching the perimeter and a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigator could be seen leaving Southwood Way before detectives arrived.

According to Con Fire Captain Daniel, his agency was called by Antioch Police and Con Fire “transported one individual” to an area hospital. A photographer from Emergency Spotlight who heard the call said, “I woke up early to sirens then turned on the scanner and heard them request a fire engine and ambulance for a person on that street who was shot in the leg.”

Officers provided medical aid at the scene. The suspect sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and the officer suffered minor injuries.

In accordance with department policy, the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.

The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau is leading the investigation in partnership with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, pursuant to the Contra Costa County Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information regarding the incident, is encouraged to contact Detective Becerra at (925) 779-6866 or via email: abecerra@antiochca.gov or by calling the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6926.

Details about the suspect have been requested. Please check back for any updates to this report.

Nationwide breakfast giveaway available exclusively to all Chick-fil-A^® One Members

(ATLANTA) – Chick-fil-A^® is rolling out a nationwide giveaway guaranteed to make cold, winter mornings a little brighter. From now through Saturday, Feb. 28 during breakfast hours, Chick-fil-A One^® Members can claim a FREE Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Biscuit* through the Chick-fil-A App, no purchase necessary. 

“We love finding ways to surprise and delight our guests, especially during this years’ ‘Newstalgia’ celebration in honor of 80 years,” said Khalilah Cooper, vice president of brand strategy, advertising & media. “What better way to celebrate than by giving a breakfast classic to our Chick-fil-A One^® Members? It’s our small way of thanking guests for being part of our story, then and now.” 

The Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit is a breakfast classic, featuring a boneless breast of chicken, seasoned to perfection, hand-breaded and served on a buttermilk biscuit baked fresh daily at each restaurant. The breakfast entreé debuted in 1986, coinciding with the launch of the brand’s first ever standalone restaurant. 

For nearly four decades, Chick-fil-A has offered Guests a variety of delicious ways to start their morning. From the classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit to lighter options like the Egg White Grill and heartier favorites like the Hash Brown Scramble Burrito with Jalapeño Salsa, breakfast remains a favorite time of day for Guests of all ages.

Throughout 2026 Chick-fil-A is delivering a year of ‘Newstalgia’, celebrating its 80-year heritage of quality, service and care. The campaign serves up beloved classics and fresh new twists, fun Guest experiences and moments of surprise and delight, from the new Frosted Sodas and Floats to Classic Cups and all-new, retro packaging. 

Guests can download the Chick-fil-A App through their phone’s App Store or by visiting
Chick-fil-A.com/one. For more on our menu and information about Chick-fil-A’s food, people and Guests across the country, visit chick-fil-a.com. 

*The breakfast reward can be redeemed during breakfast hours, from restaurant open until 10:30 a.m., while supplies last, and is limited to one reward per person, per Chick-fil-A One^®account. 

About Chick-fil-A, Inc. 

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly-prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and Singapore.   

Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts and making a positive impact. Chick-fil-A gives back through programs including the Chick-fil-A Shared Table^® Program, True Inspiration Awards and Scholarships. The family-owned and privately held company got its start in 1946, founded by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at  www.chick-fil-a.com  and  Chick-fil-A Press Room. 

By Nicole Holmes

Introducing the Bloom Project – for entrepreneurs who don’t want to build alone.

You go into business for yourself…

but you’re not meant to do it by yourself.

That’s why Bloom was created.

Bloom is a community-centered project for entrepreneurs, creatives, and visionaries who have passion and purpose—but may not always have the bandwidth, support, or systems to fully thrive on their own.

Our goal by June is simple and intentional:

• Connection
• Build skills and confidence
• End with visibility and opportunity

We’re kicking things off with a Bloom Network Mixer on the 11th—a space to meet other entrepreneurs, share what you’re building, and feel less alone in the process.

From there, Bloom will continue with:

• Skill-set based workshops

• Learning together (not competing)

• Real community and collaboration

• And we’ll close the project with a market, giving entrepreneurs a chance to showcase what they’ve been working on

I see so many people who are great at what they do—but don’t always have the support, structure, or encouragement to fully step into entrepreneurship. Bloom exists to help bridge that gap.

If you’re:

• Building something
• Thinking about starting
• Or craving community, accountability, and support

We would love to have you.

Let’s bloom together.

The mixer will be held at The Lemon Tree, 514 W. 2nd Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

UPDATE: “…after careful review of the store’s performance and economic factors, we have chosen not to extend the lease.” – Carol Barsotti, Raley’s Chief Communications Officer

By Allen D. Payton

According to reports on social media by people claiming to be employees, the Antioch Raley’s store will be closing at the end of April when the lease expires. It was confirmed by corporate in Sacramento during a phone call with an Antioch resident this week.

Comments on Next Door claim an official announcement was made to store employees on Thursday but there’s been no public announcement issued by the company as of Friday night.

The store and the shopping center where it’s located on Lone Tree Way, have had problems over the years, including shoplifting, especially following the opening of the methadone clinic two blocks away next to the 7-11 Store on Sunset Lane at Davison Drive, in the late 1990’s. The City spent $800,000 fighting to prevent the clinic from locating there, but because it’s zoned for medical it couldn’t be stopped.

Questions were emailed Friday night to corporate media representatives asking for an official announcement and the reasons for the store closing other than the lease expiring. They were also asked if they know where the US Bank branch inside the store will be relocating.

2/7/26 UPDATE: In response, Carol Barsotti, Raley’s Chief Communications Officer wrote, “The Raley’s leadership team has made the difficult decision to close our Antioch store on Lone Tree Way. We have been proud to serve the community at this location since 1979. 

With the lease up for renewal and after careful review of the store’s performance and economic factors, we have chosen not to extend the lease. The store will close at the end of April. 

We are committed to supporting our team members through this transition and will work to place as many as possible at other Raley’s locations. 

At this time, I do not have information on where the US Bank branch may be relocating.

UPDATE 2: A U.S. Bank official said the branch is closing and they’re hoping to relocate but don’t know where at this point. The closest branches currently are in Brentwood and Concord.

We want to thank our loyal customers for their support over the years. While this location will close, we look forward to continuing to serve our customers at nearby locations and throughout our family of stores.”

Local treasure hunter buys it at Concord drive-in swap meet, offers it for sale at $4 million

Oakley resident Derek Baker is a part time vintage treasure hunter who frequents garage sales, estate sales and flea markets looking for interesting items he can flip for profit.  He sells on eBay, through his own personal network and at a vintage co-op store in downtown Antioch called the Rivertown Treasure Chest.  Comic books are his focus, but he tries to keep his mind open to anything that comes his way. 

One Sunday morning, Baker was at the West Wind Solano Swap Meet & Public Market at the drive-in in Concord, when he noticed a pile of concert posters on the ground.  The vender was the type of person who cleaned out homes or storage units and likely had no idea of what they really had.  Many of the posters had the kind of art that would be associated with The Grateful Dead or other similar bands, which can fetch a good price. Some of the posters had inscriptions and signatures on them.  So, he grabbed a stack, making sure to include all those with writing and got a bulk deal – 29 posters for $20.

They were almost all good posters that, in turn, can be sold for $10 to $30 each.  One poster was even related to the Grateful Dead as it appears to have a signature from Vince Welnick, who played for the band at one time.  However, the real gem was a pop culture piece of history from 1992.  A poster of “Girl’s Tyme” – later known as Destiny’s Child – from their performance on Star Search.

The poster was printed and displayed for the live studio audience of Star Search to view as they attended the performance.  It is unknown how many of these were actually printed for use inside the theater.  Being that they lost that night, it is likely almost all of them, if not all the rest of them, were thrown in the trash when the theater was being prepared for the next evening’s performances.  This particular copy appears to have been saved by one of the band’s managers at the time, Alonzo ‘Lonnie’ Jackson, who had several of the girls personalize it for him.

Beyoncé Knowles was 11 years old, and she already knew she was going to be a star.  Not only did she sign her name but also added her autograph. Only one other girl even thought to sign her name, Ashley Tamar Davis.  Two others inscribed notes but didn’t even put their names down. But Beyoncé already knew one day she would be the Queen B.

Baker’s poster appears to be the first signature and autograph of Beyoncé on any professional promotional material. Some baseball card collectors have told him that it’s like having the signature on a rookie card of one of the most popular players of all time. 

Baker purchased the poster in April 2025 and since then, he has had James Spence Authentication (JSA) certify that they believe it to be genuine. Star Search has since been rebooted on Netflix, making this a ‘Tymely’ treasure find.  Being a piece of pop culture history for both Star Search and Beyonce, it may be a museum-worthy artifact. Baker thinks the new Hip Hop museum opening in the Bronx this year would be a good home.

The poster may be a ‘unicorn’ with no other piece to compare it to.  How much is it worth?  Is it a $1,000 poster or a $10 million poster? One suggestion is that he travel to Las Vegas to have it valued by Pawn Stars from the famous TV show which Baker said he might do.

The value or rather price he can get for the poster – which is the only true value of such an item – is unknown, for now. But Baker will eventually find out as he has it up for sale, asking $4 million.  Maybe a super-fan from the BeyHive, as Beyoncé’s fanbase is known, or a museum benefactor will let him know.

Interested? Stop by and see Baker and more of his treasures for sale at the Rivertown Treasure Chest in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown at 306 G Street. Or make him an offer on ebay.

Good luck Derek!

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

For more information about the Downtown Antioch Association visit www.downtownantioch.com or www.facebook.com/downtownantioch.

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