Join us for our Howl-O-Ween Pawty at Antioch Animal Services, Thursday, Oct 31st 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Extended adoption hours! Fancy dress Pawrade at 4:00 p.m. – bring your leashed dogs!
The event will include music and treats (for furry and human kids), vendors, fun and games – animal related, a chance to talk to our staff, volunteers and rescue partners and shelter tours… is that a ghost or a husky?
Antioch Animal Services is located at 300 L Street next to the Police Facility. For more information visit Animal Services.
For Furry Friends Pet Relief, Saturday from 10-4pm, Pet and Kids Costume Contests
The event presented by Hot Rods 4 Paws and Celebrate Antioch Foundation will be held on W. 2nd and G Streets in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown Business District. The benefit for Furry Friends Pet Relief will offer fun for the whole family, with:
Plus, continuing crisis response team, expanding ShotSpotter coverage area, park improvements, more; new city manager’s first meeting in role
By Allen D. Payton
During new City Manager Bessie Mae Scott’s first meeting in her position on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the second to last one before the election, the Antioch City Council will consider spending $500K for a Violence Reduction Initiative, voting to spend $2.1 million to extend the crisis response team through next October, accept a $740,000 federal award to expand the City’s ShotSpotter coverage areas; continue the police officer recruiting incentive program and expand it to dispatchers; spending $1,577,200 for Marchetti Park Renovations and close to $337,000 for the new Jacobsen Park playground; discuss revisions to the overnight camping ordinance and adopting a community policing resolution.
Violence Reduction Initiative
According to the City staff report for the proposed Violence Reduction Initiative (item 10), following the 15 shootings in September that resulted in the deaths of two young Antioch men, the council is being asked to adopt a resolution “Authorizing the payment of double-time for Antioch Police Officer’s Association Members for working extra shifts in designated areas of the City to reduce violence as directed by the Chief of Police or his/her designee; 2) Authorizing the City Manager to enter into agreements, approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office, to pay regional municipalities $200 per hour to send officers to work shifts in designated areas to reduce violence; and 3) Allocating up to $500,000 to fund this violence reduction initiative.”
Police Officer & Dispatch Recruiting Incentive Program
The council will consider continuing the existing Police Officer Recruiting Incentive Program and introduce a $10,000 signing bonus for newly hired Police Dispatchers. (Item 1) They would be paid in two increments: $5,000 upon successful completion of the Dispatch Training Program and $5,000 upon successful completion of two (2) years of employment with the City of Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center. The council is also asked to authorize the necessary budget through June 30, 2025, of up to $350,000 to cover the program costs.
Community Policing ResolutionExpands Definition, Scope
Under agenda item 3, at the request of District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker, the council will consider adopting a Community Policing resolution as the “Operant and Dominant Policing Philosophy of the City of Antioch.”
It would change and expand the traditional definition of community policing which is the system of allocating police officers to particular areas so that they become familiar with the local inhabitants. It also expands on the 2012 report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services which defines community policing as “a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.”
Instead, the Whereas clause at the end of Torres-Walker’s draft resolution includes the following proposed language:
“Community policing is a comprehensive philosophy that guides policy and strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime, improved quality of life, and improved police services and police legitimacy through a proactive reliance on community resources that seeks to change crime causing conditions. This assumes a need for greater accountability of police, elected community leaders, and the community in general, along with greater public share in decision-making through the identification of service needs and priorities and a greater concern for civil rights and liberties.”
Meeting Details
The Council meeting inside the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, begins with a Closed Session at 6:00 p.m. to discuss three legal matters including a lawsuit, a possible lawsuit and negotiations with Con Fire regarding property located at East 18th and Wilson Streets.
The regular meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. and can be viewed live on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, or live stream on the City’s website.
District 1 BART Board Director Debora Allen. Herald file photo.
The Contra Costa Taxpayers Association (CoCoTax) invites you to attend a Luncheon, Board and Members’ Meeting at Denny’s Restaurant 1313 Willow Pass Road, Concord, on Friday October 25, 2024, from 11:45 am to 1:10 pm.
Please register in advance on the CoCoTax website where you can pay online or bring cash or check on Friday and pay at the door-$25 for members, $30 for guests.
About Our Speaker: Debora Allen
Debora Allen was first elected to the BART Board of Directors in 2016 and re-elected in November 2020, representing eight cities in central Contra Costa County’s District 1. She leaves the BART Board at the end of this year having led the charge for improved fare gates, safe and reliable transit, and fiscal sanity.
In her lunch time remarks to CoCoTax, Debora will look back on her time on the BART board and discuss the transit district’s future.
Debora has over 30 years of financial and business management experience in both private and public sectors, primarily in construction and real estate industries. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (accounting) from CSU Sacramento and completed numerous continuing professional education courses in the areas of financial audit, taxation, accounting systems, institutional investing, and pension administration. She practiced as a Certified Public Accountant in California for almost 20 years and currently still holds an inactive CPA license.
Prior to election to BART, Debora spent decades volunteering on boards in youth sports programs, taxpayer oversight groups, and other non-profits including six years as a pension board trustee for the Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association.
Since 2016, she served on regional transportation boards including Capitol Corridor JPA, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, CCTA Accessible Transportation Strategic Policy Advisory Committee, and the Pleasant Hill BART Leasing Authority. She has also served on several BART Board subcommittees.
For more information call (925) 289-6900 or email info@cocotax.org.
The City of Antioch is seeking input on the design of this revolutionary park feature. We invite you to share your thoughts on the design elements of the Bicycle Garden. The Bicycle Garden will be located at Prewett Community Park to the east of the Antioch Community Center.
Community Design Workshops:
Thursday, October 17th, 6pm – 8pm at Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way
Saturday, November 16th, 10am – Noon at Antioch Senior Center, 415 W. 2nd Street
Enjoy sampling menu items from each of the 10 participating restaurants who are donating their food for this annual Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 and proceeds from the event will benefit local charities.
“Kiwanis empowers communities to improve the world by making lasting differences in the lives of children.” – Kiwanis Mission
Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 8:00 a.m. in-person at Denny’s, 4823 Lone Tree Way and on Zoom.
Homicide suspect’s 1999-2002 GMC Sierra pickup truck with a tool rack and black rims taken on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Photos: Antioch PD
Police seek public’s help; city’s 12th homicide this year, 10 others determined to be murder
By Lt. Matthew Koch #3018, Antioch Police Field Services Division
As previously reported, on Friday, September 20th at approximately 12:27 p.m., Antioch police officers responded to the area of Cavallo Road and Sunset Drive for reports of shots fired in the area. When officers arrived on the scene, they found an 18-year-old man who had been shot at least once. It was later confirmed by police that he was shot in the head. Antioch police officers provided aid to the victim who was transported to a local hospital. The victim died from his injuries at the hospital.
The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit responded to take over the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.
The vehicle is a blue 1999-2002 GMC Sierra pickup truck with a tool rack and black rims. Investigators are asking for any information related to this vehicle or the incident.
Any tips or other information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Cox at (925) 481-8147 or by email jcox@antiochca.gov.
