Antioch Police Chief Brooks to participate in panel

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney

On Thursday, March 25, Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover and District Attorney Diana Becton will host a webinar town hall for the community focused on COVID-19 and the Black community. Local leaders will join them from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to review their experiences of getting the vaccine. Health experts will also participate in the town hall to convey how critical the vaccine is to stop the virus and save lives.

Vaccine numbers in the Black community locally are lower compared to their white counterparts. For example, in the city of Richmond as of March 15 only 20 percent of residents had received their first dose. In the city of Pittsburg, that number is as low as 18 percent. Overall, only 14,427 Black residents have received one dose of the vaccine.

The panelists during the town hall will review the latest medical information about the vaccine, how all three vaccines approved for use are safe and effective and will take questions from community members.

A recent joint statement from public health leaders across the Bay Area underscored the importance of getting vaccinated: “What we can say with certainty is that all three vaccines provide levels of protection that are comparable to some of the best vaccines we have for other serious infectious diseases for which we routinely vaccinate people.”

Members of the town hall panel include:

• Tammany Brooks, Chief, Antioch Police Department
• Nicola Ifill Fraser, Ed.D., MPH, Public Health Educator (Town Hall Moderator)
• Bisa French, Chief, Richmond Police Department
• Chris Farnitano, MD, Health Officer, Contra Costa County
• Ashley Vance, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
• Sonia Sutherland, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center

To attend the virtual town hall you can use this link: https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/84291028781?pwd=Wm5OczZ5TkZ6T1RadEFaUEE4MnU0QT09

Due to habitat concerns and other considerations, the planned Deer Valley Regional Park will remain in “landbank” status and closed to the public, for the foreseeable future.

The East Bay Regional Park District is developing a new Regional Park at the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course in Antioch. The plan being developed will restore native grassland habitat and include paths and facilities for walking, jogging, and picnicking. The former golf course property will be a part of the larger 3,500-acre future Deer Valley Regional Park.

Date: Thursday, March 11, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 P.M.
Meeting Zoom link: https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/93304942688
Meeting ID: 933 0494 2688

Join us via Zoom for the first public meeting and learn about:
• Habitat restoration, recreation, and public access planning
• A summary of existing conditions, constraints, and opportunities
• Project timeline and other opportunities to be involved

Project Site map of former Roddy Ranch Golf Course parking lot. Source: EBRPD

See Existing Conditions Report and Attachments.

The park district, in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, began purchasing land in 2009 that would become the future Deer Valley Regional Park. Jack Roddy sold his ranch to the park district, including the now-closed golf course, in various transactions from 2014 – 2018. Due to habitat concerns and other considerations, Deer Valley Regional Park will remain in “landbank” status and closed to the public, for the foreseeable future. The 230-acre former golf course is anticipated to be the first part of the future Deer Valley Regional Park to open for public access. (See related article)

Ridgeline between the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course (left) and Deer Valley (right), Photo: Stephen Joseph.

Learn more about the project history on Roddy Ranch – Restoring Habitat and Public Access on a Former Golf Course.

In coordination with An Elderly Wish Foundation

Please join in this free drive-through mobile shredding event at TreVista in Antioch at 3950 Lone Tree Way or TreVista in Concord at 1081 Mohr Lane on Saturday, March 27, 2021 – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm!

Freewill tax-deductible donations will be accepted for An Elderly Wish Foundation a non-profit granting wishes to seniors in Contra Costa County. Our website is www.elderlywish.org.

Thanks to Tamsen and Anne of TreVista for their support!!

In Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. Directions: take A Street, G Street, L Street or Auto Center Drive north toward the river. Enjoy shopping, dining and great views of the waterfront.

In coordination with the Antioch Unified School District middle schools, Unity theme

On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, Antioch Rotary Club and Antioch Unified School District will host a virtual Day of Empowerment for 700 8th-grade girls in celebration of International Day of the Girls. Our theme this year is “Unity” and will be the focus during the 3½-hour Zoom event.

“We are very committed to the success of the youth in our community of Antioch. We want our young ladies to know their options are not limited and there is a wide range of careers available to them,” said Tirrell Muhammad, Antioch Rotary President.

The virtual event will include keynote speaker San Francisco Mayor London Breed and will kick off with motivational speaker Tracie Berry McGhee, M.Ed. She will lead her “I am Enough” series, which rallies against society’s pressure for girls to be perfect.

In addition, a panel discussion will be held featuring four community leaders and positive female role models. AUSD Superintendent Stephanie Anello, infectious disease specialist Dr. Yenjean Hwang, probation officer LaTasha Jones and chemical engineer Caroline Salazar will discuss their professional careers and answer questions from students. Each panelist was chosen to inspire young women to pursue their future goals and aspirations.

As part of this project, the Antioch Rotary Club has been working closely with the principals of all Antioch middle schools, along with two charter schools and Holy Rosary.

“Antioch Rotary is very proud to be involved with AUSD and their middle schools to bring such a powerful program to our young ladies, again this year,” Muhammad added. “We hope to also bring our Kings’ Conference which focuses on African American males in the spring.”

For further information regarding this program or the Kings’ Conference, contact program coordinator Sal Sbranti, at salsbranti@comcast.net.

Directions: Drive north on A Street, L Street, or Auto Center Drive to 4th Street and head to Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown for events, activities, shopping and dining. See map, here.

Will now advance to the district competition

By Allen Payton

Following are the winners for the #3265 Knights of Columbus Antioch 2021 Free Throw Championship held on January 30 and February 6 at Holy Rosary School:

Photo: Knights of Columbus

AGE   BOYS                          GIRLS

  9       Ryan Wisely

 10                                           Thalia Pham

 11      Thomas Burr

 12      Justin Uribarri           Lilyana Ponce

 13      Mekhi Reed                Kylie Wisely

 14      Eric Mendoza             Brigida Coria

“The event was held as a drive-through,” Committee Chairman Wayne Steffen shared. “The parents drove up and could watch from a distance. The child got out. Everyone wore masks. We used the same ball but sanitized it between participants.”

Competitor Anthony Burr prepares to shoot a free throw during the Antioch competition. Photo: KofC

“The winners will advance to the district competition,” he said. “But no date has been set for that, yet.”

“Congratulations to all the winners,” Steffen added.

Since 1972, councils have sponsored the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship for boys and girls from the ages of 9 to 14 to provide an athletic outlet and encourage the values of sportsmanship and healthy competition. Kids compete within their own gender and age and progress from local level to district, regional and state/province competitions.  International champions are announced by the Knights of Columbus international headquarters based on scores from the jurisdiction-level competitions.

The Knights of Columbus Council #3265 was instituted on August 8, 1950 and affiliated with Holy Rosary Church in Antioch. It is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the Knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally and internationally with financial contributions and hands-on service. Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practicing Catholic men age 18 and older.