Back by popular demand…food trucks are returning to Antioch March 15

The Foodie Crew and the City of Antioch Recreation Department is thrilled to announce that Food Truck Thursdays is returning to Antioch. Our official kick off date will be Thursday, March 15th and we anticipate another fun and exciting season, bringing you 6-8 gourmet food and dessert trucks every Thursday from 5:00-9:00 p.m. until October 25th. In addition to the array of trucks, we also will have the well-known Lucky 13 Beer & Wine Truck keeping you refreshed with an assortment of craft beers and wines. Food Truck Thursdays will once again take place at the Antioch Community Center and Water Park parking lot located at: 4703 Lone Tree Way Antioch, CA 94531.

We’re excited to be bringing an extensive lineup of trucks serving many different global flavors each week. The Food Trucks will be rotated weekly, fulfilling all the different food cravings you may have. We will be posting the Food Truck lineup on a weekly basis, so make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated: @foodiecrewsf.

Food Truck Thursdays is a kid, family, and pet friendly community event with FREE admission. In addition to all of the delicious food and beverages; we will also have giant family friendly games, face painting on certain days and music…with occasional live music performances and DJ’s.

As of 1:30 PM on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2017 eight people had contributed $2,295 to the effort begun on Monday.

Dear Editor:

I understand how busy you are and appreciate the time you take to read this note, people can truly make a difference when they want to!

I know most people would want to help someone if they could, it’s who we are. I am committed to helping and I want you to hear about what I’m doing. K9 Officers (dogs) are vitally important in today’s police work. Look at some of these facts:

• K9 officers (dogs) have been used in law enforcement for centuries! They can perform a wide range of duties and services that even their human counterparts can’t accomplish.
• A Police K9 office has an average career of 6 to 8 years.
• A K9 can differentiate between identical twins.
• A dog team can search an area 50 times faster than a human and can smell up to 500,000 times better with a much-enhanced degree of certainty. A dog could smell a teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of water.
• A Police Dog Can Smell A Human Buried Up To 12 Feet Underground
• K9 Officers Keep Billions of Dollars of Drugs Off Our Streets. On June 25, 2014, IOL News reported that one of the biggest drug busts of all time was performed by a K9 Unit.
• K9 Dog Training Takes Approximately 10 Weeks
• K9 Officers Perform Tracking, Narcotic Detection, Explosives Detection, Cadaver Detection, And Public Enforcement
• Recently, K9s Have Been Trained to Sniff Out Electronics Like Hard Drives, Thumb Drives, And Other Pieces of Technology to Find Illegal Data
• Each Police Dog Costs Approximately $20,000 to Obtain and Train. This does not include security vests. (Bullet proof vests). These can cost as much as $8,000. per K9 officer.
• These dogs are a very valuable asset to any and all police departments. Some departments have a very robust program, and some are trying to get their program up and running.
• Funding for police departments is not enough for all the needs and for what we, the public, ask police departments to do for us.

So, what does this have to do with you? Help with these dogs is needed.  Please read this article: https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/12/31/antioch-famed-police-k9-thor-passes-away/

During my training through a condensed police academy, I became aware of how much these K9 officers help a police department to protect and serve us, the public. Increasing the amount of working K9 officers WILL make a difference.

I have committed to purchase and train a new K9 and I’m asking you to join me in making this happen. Yes, donations are needed. Large or small, all will help. YOU can, save a life. YOU can find a missing child. YOU can, arrest a dangerous criminal.

You want to help? Great! By following this link https://www.gofundme.com/k9-purchase-antioch-police-dept by donating, you can make a difference! I appreciate all of you for being willing to partner with me in this very important fundraising need. My goal is to raise $28,000. and all money received from the GoFundMe Page will be donated. PLEASE DONATE.

Tim McCall

Antioch

Stage Right Conservatory Theatre will hold auditions for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” on March 5th and 6th at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F Street in Antioch.  This classic tale of Charlie Bucket on his adventurous tour of Willy Wonka’s world-famous chocolate factory is based on the book by Roald Dahl and produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Co.  Directed by Rio Teixeira, there are many great roles available for actors ages 8-18.  No experience is necessary. 

To receive your audition time, you must register online at www.srctgrp.org.  Performance dates will be April 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th & 29th.  There is a $75 participation fee if cast.  For more audition and show information call (925) 216-4613.

Los Medanos College (LMC) is preparing to host its annual “César Chávez Celebration” on Thursday, March 22, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the college’s Recital Hall [Reception at 6:00 p.m., Awards & Recognition Ceremony at 7:00 p.m.].  LMC is located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg.  The public is welcome to attend the free event.

Los Medanos College hosts this event each year to honor the life of César Chávez and to recognize East Contra Costa County community leaders who continue his great tradition of service and social activism. A true American hero, César Chávez exemplifies service to community and non-violent social change.

The college is now seeking nominations for three recognition awards, which will be presented at the event.  The LMC César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service, established in 1995, is awarded to local residents who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to service and who represent the core values established by César Chávez: Service to Others, Sacrifice, Help the Most Needy, Determination, Non-Violence, Acceptance of All People, Respect for Life and the Environment, Celebrating Community, Knowledge, and Innovation.  The East County Educator Award honors members of the educational community who demonstrate the above values and a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for low-income students and students of color.  The Chávez Spirit Award recognizes emerging/student leaders who are making an impact on East Contra Costa County in the areas of advocacy and social justice.

To submit nominations for the César Chávez awards, visit:  www.losmedanos.edu/chavez/nominate.  The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Adams, jadams@losmedanos.edu or (925) 473-7302.

Los Medanos College (LMC), one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District, has served the East Contra Costa County community since 1974. LMC offers award-winning transfer and career-technical programs, high-quality support services, and diverse academic opportunities in an engaging and inclusive learning environment. With exceptional educators, innovative curriculum, growing degree and certificate offerings, strong regional partnerships, and state-of-the-art facilities, the College prepares students to succeed in their educational pursuits, in the workforce, and beyond. LMC’s Pittsburg Campus is located on 120 acres near the Antioch border, with an additional education center in Brentwood.

To celebrate Black History Month and empower tomorrow’s leaders

Join African American students throughout Eastern Contra Costa County during their 1st Annual Black Student Organizations Summit and Step Show. This free event is scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2018 at historic Antioch High School in Antioch. The event will begin at 12 p.m. with a pre-summit kick-off.

Event organizers want to highlight important and increasing issues such as: college access rates for our African-American student population, College and career readiness and the preservation of student-led Black History Month events within our schools.

It is easier to build strong children,

than to repair broken men.

– Frederick Douglass

They believe that with the help of the NAACP, local artists, business owners, community members, fraternities, and sororities, we can light a fire and empower our students in an effort to show them that college is and can be a space where they can see themselves. Furthermore, we are committed to supporting students as they navigate leadership roles and acquire the necessary experiences to prepare them for a promising future.

This event has been primarily organized by students throughout East Contra Costa County High Schools to enhance a cohesive and united stand for equal access for all students. The pre-summit kick-off will be hosted by the East County Branch of NAACP Youth and College Division, then offer various workshops starting at 1pm and ending with a finale Step Show hosted by several African American fraternities and sororities from various colleges throughout the Bay Area. The first 100 student attendees will receive a free T-shirt, and all attendees will be entered into a drawing for two lucky students to receive a prize pack with a ticket to attend the Warrior’s vs Hawks on March 23.

Exclusively from the Antioch Herald!

Vote for your favorite Antioch businesses in the 2018 People’s Choice Awards contest for them to win either a Gold, Silver or Bronze award and you’ll be entered to win a prize from Antioch businesses. See the official ballot below or on pages 9 & 10 of the February issue, and again inside the March issue. 2018 Antioch People’s Choice Awards Ballot

Write in the name of your favorite business for each category and complete the information section. Please clearly write or type. Then mail your ballot to or drop it off at our office at 101 H Street, Waldie Plaza, Suite 3, Antioch by March 9, 2018. Winners will be announced in our April issue. One ballot per person. Copies are accepted. Ballots will be entered the drawing to win gift certificates from Antioch businesses.

On Sunday, February 4, football fans across the country will gather with friends and family to watch Super Bowl LII.  The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind motorists to designate a sober driver before the game begins.

“Drunk driving is completely avoidable, but continues to be a serious problem,” CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley said.  “We want motorists to remember that drinking and driving is a choice that can have catastrophic results.  If you choose to drink, do not drive.”

According to preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, during last year’s Super Bowl, one person was killed in an alcohol-involved collision and 41 others were injured on California’s roadways.  That same day, there were 247 arrests made by the CHP for driving under the influence (DUI).  Consequences of a DUI arrest are jail time, the loss of a driver license, higher insurance rates, court fees, car towing and repair, and lost wages from time off work.

“There are no excuses when it comes to driving under the influence,” Acting Commissioner Stanley added.  “Have a game plan ready to avoid a tragedy.  Leave your car keys at home if you will be consuming alcoholic beverages, and use public transportation, a designated driver, or a ride-hailing service to stay safe.”

If you are hosting a Super Bowl party, be a team player and help keep impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.  Make proper arrangements and designate your sober driver before the big game begins.  And remember:  Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

The public can help by calling 9-1-1 if they suspect a drunk driver.  Callers should be prepared to give the vehicle’s description, location, license plate number, and direction of travel.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.