See videos of the Celebration here and here.

All photos and videos by Allen D. Payton

By Allen D. Payton

During Mayor Lamar Thorpe’s Unity and Healing Service held Thursday night, Nov. 30, five Antioch residents were awarded the Key to the City, Antioch’s highest honor.

Thorpe honored them “as symbols of unity in Antioch for others to emulate as we navigate a challenging period in our history.”

Held at the Antioch Community Center in Prewett Family Park, remarks were offered by the Rev. Kwang-il Kim of the Antioch United Methodist Church, Rabbi Peretz Goldshmid of Chabad of the Delta, and Instisar Malhi of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the mayor.

About the event and honorees Thorpe shared, “It’s not a secret that it’s been a tough year for Antioch and sadly it’s not over. However, as we navigate through the challenges, I’m guided by the belief that if we’re open-minded, moments from this past year will make our community better and stronger in the long run. I know this because every day, quiet voices in our city work to unite people around the idea of healing members of our community who are hurting. Right now, our city is hurting and as such it’s important that we stand in unity to begin the healing of our city.”

He listed and described the recipients and their contributions to Antioch as follows:

Ricka Davis-Sheard

Ricka is the founder of SHARE Community an organization that brings showers and toilets on wheels to our neighbors without houses. Her efforts promote unity in our community and help heal individuals who are often denied dignity and compassion. 

Flori Paniagua

Flori is the founder of Team Jesus Outreach Ministries an organization that brings groceries to struggling families. Her organization is now the largest food distribution center in East Contra Costa County.

Gerald “JR” Wilson Jr.

JR is the founder of Delta Veterans Group (DVG), an organization that supports military veterans. His efforts promote unity in our community and help heal veterans who are in need through events like Stand Down on the Delta. 

Cassandra Quinto Collins 

Cassandra is the mother of Angelo Quinto, who died in police custody in 2020 and is the founder of the Angelo Quinto Foundation. The foundation works to reform police policies throughout California. Her advocacy efforts have led to changes in local and state policy including the banning of the use of the term “excited delirium” by medical examiners and law enforcement personnel. 

William and Mary Chapman

Mary is the co-founder and executive director of An Elderly Wish Foundation, an organization that enriches the final days of an elderly person who is terminally ill by making a life-long wish come true. Bill has been by Mary’s side helping realize these requests as a long-time board member of the organization. 

See more by viewing the event video.

Paul Schorr Memorial presented by Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch and Rotary Club of the Delta.

We are very excited to bring back the Kiwanis Holiday run. This year will be the 47th running of this event. We have partnered with Rotary Club of the Delta to make sure we bring a high-quality event. We have worked to provide a better course, and lots of medals. We also hope our school’s challenge will be bigger than ever. There will be a medal to the top five runners in every age category, as well as cash prizes and trophies to our top three High school, middle school, and elementary schools. 

Many people have put a lot of work together to make this event happen, none more important than former race director Paul Schorr. This summer, Paul passed away but not before teaching all of us about every task needed for a great event.

It will be held at Contra Loma Regional Park, 1200 Fredrickson Lane in Antioch.

We hope you join us for the 47th Annual – Kiwanis/ Rotary – Paul Schorr Memorial Holiday Run and walk for health. Do it for the Health of It!

For more details visit https://runsignup.com/race/ca/antioch/antiochholidayrun2020.

The event seeks to support local families feeling the economic pressures caused by inflation

With families throughout the Bay Area feeling the economic pressures caused by high food and rent costs, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, Deeply Rooted and Makin Moves are proud to host the 4th Annual Turkey & Groceries Giveaway for Antioch residents on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023.

The turkey giveaway started during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the economic impact on families. However, as inflation continues to impact working families the mayor and his partners decided to continue the turkey giveaway for families during the holiday season.

According to the information on the eventbrite page, the event is already sold out.

What: Thanksgiving Turkey and Groceries Giveaway

When: Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Time: 3:00 – 4:00 pm Grocery Prep 

           4:00 – 7:00 pm Dive Up Turkey/Grocery Giveaway

Where: 4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA

About the City of Antioch: Antioch is located on the banks of the San Joaquin River in Northern California, just off of Highway 4 in Contra Costa County. With a population of over 120,000 people, Antioch has become the heart of Eastern Contra Costa County, offering a variety of employment, shopping, and vast recreational activities. The pace of development in Antioch has spurred activity for financial and insurance institutions, contractors, and other service-oriented businesses. Increased development has expanded job opportunities in schools, hospitals, and other local service sectors. Antioch is poised to capitalize on its location, skilled workforce, and fiscal strength.

Over 100 people and contractors helped and contributed to the $325,000 project

Will be used for tours by school children, can be rented for small parties

By Allen D. Payton

After being donated and relocated in April from its former restaurant location to the grounds of the Antioch Historical Museum, the Red Caboose was dedicated by as the Boccio family, friends and supporters who gathered for a special ceremony Saturday afternoon, November 18, 2023. (See related videos of the move here, here, here and here)

“This is a great day for the City of Antioch,” said former Mayor and former Historical Society President Don Freitas who served as the MC.

“You’re going to actually be able to rent space in the caboose for parties,” he shared. “It can hold 14-16 people. It will be a heck of a place to come and have a party.”

“This is a great opportunity for the Historical Society to work with the school district to bring kids out and talk about trains and the unique role of the caboose itself,” Freitas continued.

“When I get up at night…I can still hear the train whistles and it brings back great memories,” he reminisced.

“Jim and Phyllis Boccio owned this, and it was connected to the restaurant on Fulton Shipyard Road,” Freitas explained. “I would bring people to it for meetings, and we’d have lunch inside the caboose, and they didn’t want to leave. It was wonderful.”

“We’re very excited about this project. It’s taken a long, long time. There were more than 117 individuals who contributed,” he added.

Current Antioch Historical Society President Dwayne Eubanks spoke next saying, “I want to thank the Boccio family. I had no belief that a project like this could happen. This project has infused some enthusiasm into the Historical Society.”

Jim “Mac” Martin then sang the national anthem followed by the invocation offered by Rev. Gene Davis.

Dr. James Boccio, representing the family, shared about his parents, who have both passed away in the last few years.

“They came to Antioch during the Great Depression,” he said. 

His father grew up in Antioch near where the Red Caboose Restaurant was located.

“He always had a deep feeling for the railroad,” Boccio said. “In 1982 he told me ‘I’m buying a caboose…I’m going to connect it to the restaurant and bar.’ I told him, ‘that’s a swamp. It’s going to sink into the ground’.”

“He bought it in Selma,” the younger Boccio continued. “I went by there in the morning to see how far it had sunk and he already had built a pad and that a big crane placed it on.”

He said when speaking with his mom she could think of eight restaurant operators through the years, some of whom were in attendance at the ceremony.

“My mom was never a big caboose fan,” Boccio revealed. “She kind of felt it was my dad’s fifth, illegitimate child.”

He shared how his parents’ house that they lived in on E. 18th Street his father “had moved from Walnut Creek with the Trosts. So, I wasn’t surprised he could have the caboose moved.”

“In 2022, there was a fire that burned the back half (of the restaurant). But nothing happened to the caboose,” Boccio stated. “There was smoke damage and soot that was cleaned up.” (See related article)

“The family got together with my mom and my sister Norma suggested we get it over to the Historical Society. My mom said, ‘Call Tom Menasco’,” he continued.

“He’s a bulldog they let out of the cage,” Boccio said to laughter from the audience.

Menasco then led the effort to relocate the caboose.

“We actually sold the caboose and the property to Drill Tech with the deal he donate the caboose, which he did,” Boccio added.

He described the move saying, “it was like an orchestra.”

“We really want this to be an educational facility for young children who maybe have never been on a train other than BART,” Boccio concluded.

Doug Debs, Lead Docent of the Niles Canyon Railway then shared the importance for and explanation of the purpose of a train’s caboose. It’s where the engineer and “eyes and ears of the crew” could see the train. The cabin on top is called the cupola and was where the freight cars could be viewed and the windows could be slid open so the crew could lean way out and see around curves, he explained.

Freitas then recognized three individuals who were key to the project.

“There were a lot of volunteers, a lot of help,” he said and then mentioned Project Superintendent “David Brink. He was the engineer. He put in a tremendous amount of time.”

Freitas then mentioned Display Designer Laura Enea Jacques, who took on the project once the caboose arrived at the museum. Finally, he mentioned Project Coordinator and Fundraiser Tom Menasco about whom he said, “is really one of the most dedicated residents in Antioch. He raised about $325,000 to do this project.”

Freitas showed appreciation by presenting Menasco with a plaque.

“What’s most important to me is we made a wish become a reality,” Menasco stated. “Nineteen months ago, it was April 1, 2022, we jumped on a train with this caboose and took a long ride. We didn’t have to ask, people just handed me money. We collected $200,000 in donations from local developers and contractors.”

“I’d like to thank all the contractors who are standing in the back,” he added.

Those in attendance were then provided with brief tours of the Red Caboose and shown a video by Ronn Carter about its history and relocation. See a brief tour video, here.

The Caboose Project Team included Tom Menasco, Dave Brink, Laura Jacques, Project Advisor Don Freitas, Supervising Engineer Stan Davis and Project Advisor Eddie Beaudin. The Historical Society offered a “heartfelt thank you” to the Jim and Phyllis Boccio Family Trust who transferred ownership of the 1929 caboose to the museum and contributed financially for the construction of the display.

The Antioch Historical Museum is located at 1500 W. 4th Street at the end of Auto Center Drive and is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information visit www.antiochhistoricalmuseum.org.

For more information visit Bridge Marina Yacht Club or www.facebook.com/bridgemarinayachtclub.

Mayor Thorpe to host service in lieu of his annual State of the City address.

By Lamar Thorpe, Mayor of Antioch

Earlier this year Antioch was rocked by revelations of racism, federal indictments, and state investigations. Many members of the community were both shocked and hurt by the news. The revelations also brought about threats of violence. As a result, Mayor Thorpe postponed the annual State of the City address.

In lieu of the State of the City, Mayor Lamar Thorpe cordially invites residents to a Unity and Healing Service in collaboration with Rev. Kwang-il Kim of the Antioch United Methodist Church, Rabbi Peretz Goldshmid of Chabad of the Delta, and Intisar Malhi of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

As part of the event, Mayor Thorpe will be honoring several community members who represent the spirit of unity and healing with the Key to the City, Antioch’s highest honor. Award recipients will be announced a week before the event.

6:30 PM – 7:00 PM Doors Open

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Unity and Healing Program

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Post Event Reception

RSVP at eventbrite.