(Left) Chamber Board Member Ana Walker with Elisa and Mike Van Der Valk, owners of 2024 Antioch Small Business of the Year winner Mike’s Pastry Shop. (Right) past Chamber Board Chair Michael Gabrielson with Cindy Tunales, Manager of 2024 Large Corporate Business of the Year, Travis Credit Union’s Hillcrest Branch in Antioch, with the 2024 Chairman’s Award honoring 2023 Chamber Board Chair Marivel Branco, the former Hillcrest Branch Manager. Photos by Kord Holland
By Antioch Chamber of Commerce
At the annual Antioch Chamber of Commerce Gala on Friday, March 28, 2025, Mike’s Pastry Shop was awarded the 2024 Antioch Small Business of the Year and Travis Credit Union was honored as the 2024 Antioch Large Corporate Business of the Year.
Small Business of the Year – Mike’s Pastry Shop
Congratulations to Mike’s Pastry Shop for being awarded the Small Business of the Year Award! This well-deserved recognition goes beyond their delicious pastries and warm, welcoming staff. It honors their unwavering commitment to the community. While they never seek the spotlight, Mike’s Pastry Shop quietly made and continues to make a difference by consistently donating to those in need, sharing their love for baking in the most meaningful ways.
Their generosity, done without expectation of praise, speaks volumes about their values and dedication to giving back. This award is not just for their exceptional baked goods but for the kindness and compassion they sprinkle into everything they do.
Thank you, Mike’s Pastry Shop for blessing us all with your kindness, generosity, and delicious treats.
About 300 people attended the annual Gala at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center on Friday, March 28, 2025.
Large Corporate Business of the Year – Travis Credit Union
Travis Credit Union continues to be recognized for its outstanding service and commitment to financial wellness, earning several prestigious awards. In 2024, they were named on the Newsweek’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions List, a testament to its excellence in banking. Additionally, they have been honored as a Forbes Best-In-State Credit Union for multiple years, showcasing its dedication to superior member service. Their impact extends beyond traditional banking, as seen in their recognition as the U.S. Air Force Distinguished Credit Union of the Year.
More than just a financial institution, Travis CU actively works to uplift communities by advocating for financial education, assisting the underserved, and investing in meaningful partnerships. Through its knowledge is Power Financial Education, Financial Literacy, and Financial Advocacy, they collaborate with organizations such as Opportunity Junction, The Lighthouse Mentoring Center, Antioch Parks and Recreation, and the Antioch Public Library.
With a passion for making a difference, Travis Credit Union continues to change lives and strengthen communities through financial wellness.
Economic Development Department partners with key stakeholders to offer direct services to the small business community.
By Collette Hanna, Executive Director, Alliance for Community Development & Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch
ANTIOCH, CA — The City of Antioch Economic Development Department has launched the Antioch Business Collaborative, a collective effort to support the city’s small business community. The Antioch Business Collaborative brings together technical assistance providers and funders to provide one-on-one as well as group advisory services, and access to capital for small businesses located in the city of Antioch. It provides a range of resources to help ensure small business success in the Antioch community.
The Antioch Business Collaborative is an economic development initiative of the City of Antioch, with the goal of providing support to the over 3,000 small businesses in the city. The initiative is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, with targeted support provided to businesses through 2027. Through the Antioch Business Collaborative, small businesses can contact one of the designated partners for help with any of the following services:
• Technical assistance on starting a business, writing a business plan, budgeting, financial management, marketing, and other topics • Workshops and accelerator programs • Assistance with access to capital including low-interest loans and grants
Antioch Business Collaborative partners include: • Alliance for Community Development • Arroyo West • East Bay Small Business Development Center • ESO Ventures • Pacific Community Ventures • Renaissance Center • Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative • Working Solutions CDFI
In addition, according to Gaby Seltzer, the City’s Economic Recovery Corps Fellow, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce “has been actively involved as a supporting partner in this effort. The Chamber and the Antioch Business Collaborative are two separate but mutually supportive business resources. The Antioch Business Collaborative is a group of organizations funded by city contracts to provide free technical assistance to all Antioch businesses. The Chamber is a membership organization that provides input and promotes these services to its members.”
“We are very proud to support the small business community in Antioch, understanding that they play a critical role in building the entire Antioch economy. Our businesses deserve support to help them grow and thrive, and our residents and community need their existence for our everyday needs of goods and services. We’re happy to have this partnership in place to build and grow the Antioch economy,” said Brad Helfenberger.
Businesses can visit www.growfromwithinantioch.com to learn more about the Antioch Business Collaborative and to find a partner with which to work on growing their business.
Dress like a cow to eat free on opening day at new location in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center on Lone Tree Way
Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m.
A new Chick-fil-A® restaurant will begin serving guests in Antioch on Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 a.m. Chick-fil-A, Inc. has selected Evan Hawthorne to serve as the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Antioch at Lone Tree Way in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center. The new restaurant brings approximately 100 jobs to the community.
To celebrate the restaurant moo-ving into town, Hawthorne and his team are inviting the community to show off their cow spots at the restaurant on opening day for one free entrée*!
New Owner-Operator Evan and his wife Lindsey Hawthorne (with scissors), her father Dan Kosin, the owner of a location in Fremont, and team held a ribbon cutting followed by a separate ribbon cutting with the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and local officials, including Mayor Ron Bernal and Councilman Don Freitas, during what was labeled a “small closed private ceremony” Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Photos by Zeno Group.
Whether it’s a full cow suit or a simple cow-spotted accessory, Guests of all ages are encouraged to join the fun. The celebration takes place on opening day, offering the community a chance to celebrate the iconic Chick-fil-A Cows seen in TV commercials and on billboards. Guests dressed in cow attire can redeem the offer of one free entrée inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru.
Located at 5705 Lone Tree Way, Chick-fil-A Antioch at Lone Tree Way will serve Guests Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., offering dine-in, drive-thru and carry-out.
Rendering of the new Chick-fil-A location in Antioch. Source: City of Antioch
Locally Owned and Operated • “Chick-fil-A holds a special place in my family’s heart, and I am forever grateful to my father-in-law for introducing me to the brand – it has truly changed my life,” said Hawthorne. As we open our doors in Antioch, my goal is to make a meaningful impact by bringing our community together through service and care. I look forward to mentoring future generations while serving great food with genuine hospitality.”
Evan started his journey with Chick-fil-A as a Team Member at his father-in-law’s restaurant in Fremont, California and advanced to General Manager. Today, he is thrilled to become the local Owner-Operator of the first Chick-fil-A in Antioch – a dream nearly eight years in the making.
Caring for the Antioch Community Hawthorne is committed to giving back to the Antioch community by: • Recognizing 100 local heroes making an impact in the Antioch area by providing them with free Chick-fil-A entrées for a year. • Participating in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program, which redirects surplus food to local nonprofits, helping to create over 35 million meals nationwide to date. • Celebrating the opening with a $25,000 donation from Chick-fil-A, Inc. to Feeding America to support local hunger relief efforts of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, a Feeding America partner food bank, in honor of the new restaurant.
For the latest news and updates on Chick-fil-A Antioch at Lone Tree Way, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page and follow along on Instagram. For more on Chick-fil-A’s high-quality menu options, click here.
*Guests who dress in cow attire on opening day can redeem the offer of one free entrée inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru. Breakfast offer options are a Chick-fil-A® Chicken Biscuit, Egg White Grill or 4-ct Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis® . Lunch/dinner offer options are Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, 8-ct Grilled Nuggets and a 5-ct Nugget Kid’s Meal for kids. The offer is limited to one per person in cow attire, per day, while supplies last. Customizations are not available for this offer and no purchase is necessary. See the restaurant for more details.
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 and Puerto Rico.
Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand’s entry into Asia.
Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.
The suspects crashed their stolen getaway car into a fence. Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies and other emergency personnel with one of the suspects in the back of a Sheriff’s vehicle on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Photos by and courtesy of Mike Burkholder, ContraCosta.news
See 4/1/25 Update: Suspects identified; all four are from Antioch, one was arrested for similar charges in December and January
By Allen D. Payton
According to Pleasant Hill Police Lt. Jason Kleven, on Thursday, March 27, 2025, “The Pleasant Hill Police Department responded to a report of a possible robbery in progress at the 7-Eleven store parking lot located at 601 Patterson Blvd. Two delivery truck drivers were making a scheduled delivery when several suspects stole multiple cartons of cigarettes from the truck’s cargo area. No weapons or injuries were reported during the theft.
The suspects fled the scene in a stolen vehicle. Pleasant Hill Police Detectives later located the vehicle traveling on Highway 4 near Concord. With the help of a police helicopter, the vehicle led authorities to the city of Antioch, where the vehicle stopped near Fremont Elementary School. Four suspects then fled on foot from the vehicle.
With the support of Antioch Police, Pittsburg Police, the Sheriff’s Office, and the helicopter, officers set up a perimeter. All four adult suspects were apprehended and arrested.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are asking anyone with information that may assist in the investigation to contact the Pleasant Hill Police Investigations Bureau at (925) 288-4630.
According to a press release by Lt. Joe Njoroge of the Antioch Police Field Services Bureau, “At approximately 2:57 p.m., APD Dispatch received a report about a suspect vehicle involved in a previous incident in Pleasant Hill. APD was requested to assist in locating the vehicle, which was quickly found in the area.
While driving near the intersection of F Street and W. 13th, the suspect vehicle collided with a fence. The suspects then fled the scene on foot. Pleasant Hill PD arrived shortly after, and with the assistance of the Contra Costa Office of the Sheriff and APD, all suspects were apprehended.”
Njoroge later said the four suspects included three males and one female.
3/28/25 10:45 AM UPDATE: In response to a question from an eyewitness who claimed another person was also arrested, the lieutenant said, “A fifth person was detained but he was not associated so, he was released on scene.”
Antioch Police issued a Community Alert on Facebook Thursday afternoon that they were “working in the area of Antioch Middle School and the surrounding area of F Street from W. 13th to W. 18th. Expect heavy police presence in the area. If you see anything suspicious, please call 911 or (925) 778-2441 immediately.”
Later APD provided an update, writing, “We have now cleared the area. Thank you for your patience and cooperation. There is no danger to the community, and the subjects we were looking for have been arrested. Stay safe, and as always, report any suspicious activity to 911 or (925) 778-2441.
4/1/25 UPDATE: According to Pleasant Hill Police, the four suspects were 20-year-old Robert Lee Crawford (born 12/9/04), a six-foot tall, 165-pound Black male from Antioch, 19-year-old Robert Samule Garcia-Scrape of Antioch (born 7/22/05), a five-foot, 11-inch tall, 200-pound White male with blond hair, 21-year-old Jailen Emani Scales of Antioch (born 2/3/04), a six-foot tall, 200-pound Black male and 24-year-old Marieilacqua Bartholomew, a five-foot, one-inch tall, 130-pound Black female, also from Antioch.
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, Crawford is being held in the West County Detention Center on no bail; Garcia-Scrape is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail and his next court appearance is on April 15 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 03, Superior Court, Mt. Diablo; and Scales is also being held in the West County Detention Center on no bail.
According to localcrimenews.com, Scales was arrested last year, on Dec. 6th by San Francisco Police for burglary, conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, carrying a loaded firearm on a person or in a vehicle while in a public place, receiving or concealing stolen property, and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer. He was arrested again on Jan. 15, this year by Fremont PD for robbery, carrying a loaded firearm and with intent to commit a felony, carrying a concealed weapon with a large capacity magazine, receiving stolen property – motor vehicle, and elder or dependent adult abuse.
No additional information could be found through online searches for Bartholomew. However, according to Pleasant Hill Police Lt. Jason Kleven, she is also still in custody.
Dotted red outline shows project location and monument sign located at entrance (inset). Source: City of Antioch
Majority of parcel that’s remained vacant for 20 years finally being developed, just not as originally envisioned
By Allen D. Payton
Starting their regular session an unusual 55 minutes late, the Antioch City Council met on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, and approved the new Lone Tree Retail Project on an unusual 3-2 split vote with Councilmembers Don Freitas and Monica Wilson joining in opposition.
The meeting began with a closed-door meeting at 6:00 p.m. before the regular session began at 7:55 p.m.
“We had a closed session before this. So, here we are ready to go,” Mayor Ron Bernal explained for the delay.
Acting City Attorney Derek Cole reported out from Closed Session saying, the Council met to discuss three items. The first was an employee evaluation. No reportable action. Second was conference with real property negotiators on the Sycamore Square police substation. The council gave direction to its negotiators. No reportable action. Third, was a “Qui Tam” including several agencies. No reportable action was taken, he stated.
Tenants and locations for the approved Lone Tree Retail project. Source: City of Antioch
Lone Tree Retail Project Approved on Split Vote The Lone Tree Retail project on three parcels totaling 3.22 acres next to the In-Shape Fitness health club at 4099 Lone Tree Way, is part of an 18-acre Master Planned Development, named Antioch Town Center, that had previously been approved in 2004, when Freitas was Mayor, for fitness, grocery and hard and soft retail uses. The health club was built in 2007, but the rest of the site has remained undeveloped.
Following council discussion with both Freitas and Wilson expressing their concerns that the project didn’t fit with what they had envisioned for the site, the Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to approve the project.
According to the City staff report, the new project consists of three buildings: a car wash, fast casual restaurant (aka Quick Service Restaurant or QSR), and combination, fast casual restaurant and retail building, along with associated site improvements Tenants with signed leases include Mister Car Wash, Habit Burger & Grill, Chipotle and to be determined retail. It will also include an adjacent multi-family residential project on the nine acres behind the project.
A representative of the project applicant, Architecture Plus, Inc. of Modesto, Paul Rothbard, former CEO and owner of In-Shape Health Clubs, said the larger restaurants suggested by members of the public won’t work at that location as those types of restaurants want freeway visibility.
At the March 11th meeting, he said they also had spoken with multiple grocery stores, but none were interested.
Street view renderings show the three retail project buildings with the future multi-family housing behind. Source: City of Antioch
“The rear nine acres are in contract with a developer, a local, Central Valley, to build a residential complex,” Rothbard said. “They’re ready to go…in Q3 of this year.” His father and partner on the project, Morton, was also in attendance at the meeting.
The son said they’re hoping to be under construction with the retail project by this August and have it completed by next July.
Rothbard also mentioned that the Chipotle will have a drive-through for picking up orders made on the app.
The Council then heard opposition from three members of the community during their March 11th meeting, with the main concerns being the fast food uses, no grocery store and no affordable housing included in the adjacent multi-family residential development.
Brian Heron of Fresno-based Commercial Retail Associates, who has been working on the property with the Rothbards since 2005, responded to those concerns, saying, “Under the previous PD..7,000 square-foot, sit down, in-house restaurants were suggested. Back then, we had agreed to get those 7,000 square-foot restaurants. Since COVID, it’s a whole new world. By and large those are obsolete concepts and…not willing to come to this location. And we have tried…many and many a time.”
The brands are “in demand in your community,” he added.
“We have tried getting all the grocers,” Heron continued. “We’ve spoken to Sprouts…to Nugget…from big to small. We went from Food 4 Less, down. We’ve tried Amazon. There isn’t a grocer for this site. We went into the next phase of that development, anchor…in 2008, 2009. The market shifted. Once again, change.”
During Council discussion, Freitas spoke first saying he was “very surprised”, “disappointed” and “very, very saddened.”
“We had a very, very grandiose view of this particular development…and I embraced it,” he continued. “I’m conflicted…because the world has changed, and we all are aware of that.” Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha asked, “Are we really in a position that we can turn away business and revenue?”
District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker then said, “What the opponents are saying is ‘we don’t want this, bring us something else.’ But this is not our property. We’re talking to the actual owners who are trying to develop it because they lost money on it for 20 years for not being able to get a project completed.”
But then she switched things up and said, “My recommendation was to sell it to someone who wanted to develop more housing.”
Mayor Ron Bernal spoke next saying, “I was also surprised, not at the uses, but the way they’re oriented.” He asked if staff if there was an attempt to place the drive-through on the back side of the building. When you’re looking at 30 cars sitting up there with marginal landscaping, that’s a whole different looking project to me.
City of Antioch Associate Planner Nathan Tinclair responded saying, “One of the things we have to look at on this parcel is it’s already partially developed. There’s already this main entrance drive with the main, kind of circle with the access points to the adjacent parcels.”
He then shared his concerns with the project being presented to council “with a couple days’ notice to look at it on really tiny sets of plans” as well as landscaping, since “Lone Tree is lower and the pads, higher.”
At Freitas’ urging, the council voted 5-0 to continue the item until their meeting last night, March 25th.
A noise study was completed to confirm that noise generated by the new project does not create a significant impact, in excess of the noise levels permitted in the City of Antioch General Plan.
According to Tinclair, the Planning Commission at their February 19, 2025 meeting, with two members (Robert Martin and Christian Hills) absent and one vacancy, voted 4-0 to approve the Addendum to the Adopted Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration. All four members, Chair Kevin Riley, Vice-Chair Seth Webber, and Commissioners Jennifer Perez and Cortney Jones, voted in favor.
The IS/MND was approved by the City Council in 2005. But the motion to adopt the Final Development Plan, Use Permit and Design Review failed on a 3-1 vote, with Webber voting no, as motions require four “yes” votes to pass.
Nevertheless, on Tuesday, the Council majority of Bernal, Rocha and Torres-Walker approved all four requirements for development of the project, while Freitas and Wilson voted “No”.
After 45 years in business and 41 years in Antioch, Delta Vacuum & Sewing Center is going out of business and hosting a great sale! Owner Mike Bates says, “No reasonable offer will be refused.”
Program will empower a Northern California nonprofit with up to $39,000 in grant funding
By Michelle Sabolich, AVP, Corporate Communications, Travis Credit Union
Travis Credit Union Foundation announces the application deadline has been extended for its 2025 Financial Coaching Grants program until March 31. This initiative is an opportunity for one Northern California nonprofit organization to access $30,000 in unrestricted funding and up to $9,000 to train its staff to become financial coaches. Those interested in applying can start here.
“Our hope is that through this grant, we can create a ripple effect of positive financial behaviors that will benefit not only the individuals directly involved but the broader community,” said Damian Alarcon, president of Travis Credit Union Foundation. “Financial stability is a cornerstone of a thriving community, and we are committed to making a lasting impact.”
Eligibility requirements are: • Organizations benefiting people in Napa, Solano, Yolo, Contra Costa and Merced counties. • Organizations classified as public charities. • Organizations with the ability to reach diverse communities, including those that are unbanked/underserved. • Organizations that do not discriminate by race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or military status. • Organizations with the capacity to allocate time and resources for two staff members to become financial coaches (self-study) and provide 10 or more one-hour financial coaching sessions to beneficiaries each month. • Organizations that are willing to promote their participation in the Financial Coaching Grant Program and acknowledge funding received from Travis Credit Union Foundation in traditional and social media.
Those who apply and are selected as coaches will undergo comprehensive, three- to five-month long, self-study training through the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and/or Financial Counseling for Empowerment Program (FICEP). Upon completing the course, coaches will be equipped to address a wide range of financial topics, from summarizing saving principles to educating community members about credit reports, credit scores and the wise use of tax refunds.
The TCU Foundation is committed to supporting nonprofits throughout the grant’s lifetime, ensuring that financial wellness outcomes are achieved. The foundation will monitor financial coaching goals, metrics and outcomes related to reduced debt, increased savings and established and/or improved credit scores. Renewal preferences are given to nonprofits with a demonstrated record of coaching more beneficiaries.
The grant application will close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
About Travis Credit Union Foundation The Travis Credit Union Foundation supports financial education and wellness initiatives and is the philanthropic arm of Travis Credit Union. The Foundation is committed to making a positive impact in the communities it serves through financial education, charitable giving, and community support. Travis Credit Union generously funds the administrative costs of the Travis Credit Union Foundation, allowing for 100% of funds raised to go back to the community. To learn more about the Travis Credit Union Foundation’s mission and how to participate in all it’s doing to build financial wellness in the communities it serves, visit tcufund.org.
The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Tax ID #82-4159040
