We, at the Antioch Herald, love Antioch and once again, we’re looking for others who feel the same. So, in February, the first 100 readers who either stop by our office at 101 H Street, Waldie Plaza, Suite 3 in the old Casino Building in historic, downtown Rivertown or email us at info@antiochherald.com, to get your free I    Antioch bumper/window sticker for your car, home or business.

So, who loves Antioch, like we do? Stop by and say “Hi” and “I love Antioch,” today and get your free sticker. We’re not always in. So be sure to leave a note with your name, number and the words “I love Antioch” under our door, if we aren’t.

Then show your love for our city – the oldest city in the county – all year!

Join Police Chief Allan Cantando and members of the Antioch Police Department as they team up to build amazing Lego creations with kids in our community. This event is sponsored by the Antioch Police Activities League (PAL).

Who: Antioch residents ages 5 to 10 with a parent or guardian

When: Saturday February 20, 2016

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Where: Antioch Police Department’s Community Room

Refreshments will be provided

Space is limited. The first 25 kids will be confirmed. RSVP at (925) 779-6875.

By Captain Aguinaga, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

Join Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando on Wednesday, February 10th from 7:00-9:00 P.M. in a casual setting to discuss public safety issues, crime statistics, etc.

Open communication about community issues is encouraged, and there will be plenty of time for Q & A.

This casual “Pizza with the Police” workshop will be held in the Antioch Police Department Community Room located at 300 L Street in downtown.

The Antioch Police Department is dedicated to promoting the quality of life in Antioch in partnership with our community, by proactively reducing crime with integrity and commitment to excellence.

By Allen Payton

This week, Joy Motts, one of the leaders of an effort to turn the old Antioch Lumber Company lot into a park and event center, in downtown, known as “Save The Yard,” filed the necessary papers for an initiative to help make that a possibility.

Entitled “An Ordinance of the People of the City of Antioch Designating the Old Beede Lumberyard Site as a Town Square,” the initiative pre-empts the expected action by the City Council to sell the parcel to a developer who could build up to 18 housing units per acre on the 2.5 acre site, instead of waiting for the vote and filing a referendum.

Last June, a majority of council members, including Mayor Wade Harper, Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock and Council Member Mary Rocha, indicated that they would support allowing the group of Antioch residents to move forward on a possible park and event center on the property, and the council voted 5-0 to give it the designation of mixed-use which would allow for it. It would also allow for retail, commercial and residential uses on the property.

But, then during a closed session on August 25^th, the Council voted 4-1, with Ogorchock dissenting, to direct City Manager Steve Duran to negotiate with a developer to sell that parcel and eight others the city owns in downtown. (See article, here).

Created with the help of an attorney, according to Motts, the ordinance, if passed, states the park and event center would include “a large gazebo or similar amenity along the river, or with a view of the river, which…could be the site of summer concerts and other performances.”

Known as “The Rivertown Town Square Ordinance,” it further states that the “general plan designation (of ‘Rivertown/Urban Waterfront’) also encourages recreational uses such as bocce ball and lawn bowling courts; provision for family activities for all ages; and an emphasis on historical recognition.”

Planned for the November, 2016 election, the supporters will need to get signatures of 10% of the registered voters in Antioch, which is about 4,600, according to Motts.

“But we’re hoping to get about 6,000 signatures to make sure we have enough valid ones,”  “We don’t want to come up short. So that’s our goal.”

According to Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen, “They will have 180 days from the day I approve their petition” to gather the required signatures.

Other proponents of the initiative, according to Motts, are Antioch downtown businessman Jim Lanter and Wayne Harrison, President of Celebrate Antioch Foundation, which has organized the annual Antioch July 4th Celebrations since 2013.

“We have a lot of citizens and business owners from all over the Antioch community on our committee,” Motts shared. “We’re asking people to donate to support the effort.”

For more information on the plans for the park and event center, as well as the initiative effort visit www.savetheyard.com.

Click here to read the ordinance. Final Initiative Ordinance

Following is the complete text of the Notice of Intent to Circulate, prior to submission to the City Clerk:

Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition

Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9202

 Notice is hereby given by the person whose name appears hereon of their intention to circulate the petition within the City of Antioch for the purpose of giving the voters a chance to adopt the attached ordinance to designate the Old Beede Lumberyard Site as a Town Square. A statement of the reasons for the proposed action contemplated in the petition is as follows:

The City of Antioch has embarked on an effort to revitalize its original core downtown-known as Rivertown-through a Rivertown Specific Plan. Prior to this, in a separate action that did not include public input, the city designated several city owned parcels within Rivertown for sale to a developer through an RFP or Request for Proposals process as a way to bring more residents, foot traffic and business to the area. The largest of these parcels is the Old Beede Lumberyard.

This site sits within one block of the founding place of Antioch, is the  focal point entering historic  Rivertown from A Street and Southeast Antioch, and provides unparalleled panoramic views of the Delta. Because of its historic location and proximity to Rivertown businesses, we believe its highest and best use to be as an event center, town square, and multi-use park that will fulfill Antioch’s General Plan request for development of such a venue.

By adopting this ordinance, the City of Antioch will forever provide its citizens with a link to its history, a connection to its Delta environment, the people needed to revitalize Rivertown’s economy, and an unsurpassed location for gathering and celebrations.

NOTE: The proposed ordinance is attached and the $200 refundable fee enclosed as required by Elections Code Section 9202.

Dated:__________                ____________________

                                                          Initiative Proponent

Assemblyman Jim Frazier and members of the California Highway Patrol, and Warriors Watch Riders will be honoring Officer Augusta during a ceremony in Martinez, on Friday, January 29, 2016 at the Contra Costa Area Office. Other riders are invited to participate in the escort.

Following is the incident that led to him being honored:

On May 29, 1977 at 1:30 a.m., CHP Officer Dick Augusta was on routine patrol in Contra Costa County, on Sellers Avenue, near Cypress Road when a car began weaving across the center line past his patrol vehicle.  Officer Augusta made a U-turn and followed the vehicle to conduct an enforcement stop, when the suspect vehicle suddenly turned onto a side street and came to an abrupt stop.  Augusta and his partner, Officer Darrell Todd, exited their police cruiser and approached the car.  As Officer Augusta walked to meet the female driver of the vehicle, the woman exited her vehicle and walked toward him, and returned back to her car to obtain her driver license.  Augusta followed behind.  It was at that moment he noticed the vehicle had two male passengers still inside.  Officer Todd stood at the passenger side of the vehicle as Officer Augusta talked with the driver.

As Officer Augusta spoke with the woman, one of the men exited the back of the vehicle and rested a handgun on the door ledge.  The gunman cursed at Officer Augusta and fired two shots from close range at him.  One shot missed completely; however, the other hit Officer Augusta’s left side and he fell onto the pavement. Bullet proof vests were not worn by CHP officers in those days and the bullet punctured his left kidney and struck near his spinal cord.

On the ground Officer Augusta struggled.  His uniform was torn in the knee and his hand was badly cut.  When he fell to the ground he landed just behind the gunman, who ignored the wounded officer and began firing at Officer Todd.

Officer Todd and the gunman exchanged a few shots and then the gunman got back into the vehicle. Officer Augusta fired three shots at the vehicle striking it in

the rear door where the gunman had reentered the vehicle.  The driver got back in the vehicle and accelerated forward.  Officer Augusta fired a shot toward the driver side and one toward the front of the vehicle as it sped off.

The exchange of gunfire lasted only 15 seconds.  Officer Augusta realized he was in bad shape and pulled himself into the patrol car and propped up his feet on the door in an effort to keep himself from going into shock.  Officer Todd radioed for emergency assistance and Officer Augusta was rushed by ambulance to a hospital in Antioch, where a Catholic Priest administered last rites prior to surgery.

The last rites turned out to be premature.  Officer Augusta recovered; however, was forced to medically retire due to his permanent injuries.  The suspects were eventually caught after committing a bank robbery in Bakersfield, California.   The gunman was found guilty of attempted murder on a police officer and he served 15 years in prison as a result of his conviction.

Dick Augusta is also a co-founder of the Badge of Life non-profit organization.  The cornerstone of the Badge of Life program is an entirely new approach to suicide prevention, called the “Emotional Self-Care Program” (ESC). They are a group of active and retired police officers, medical professionals, and surviving families of suicides from the United States and Canada. He served as a member of the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission.

It’s been nearly 40 years since that incident and Officer Augusta is finally going to receive some long overdue recognition for his service and sacrifice to our State and our community.

The Warriors’ Watch Riders have been invited to help escort Officer Augusta from his home to a long overdue recognition of his sacrifice in the name of our community by Assemblyman Jim Frazier, and would like extend an invitation to all Military Support Organizations and their members to attend the above mission.

When: Friday January 29th, 2016

Staging Time: 1145 ( 11:45 AM)

Staging Area: Starbucks 1896 A St, Antioch, CA 94531

Briefing: 1200 ( 12:00 PM)

KSU: 1215 ( 12:15 PM)

Destination: Pickup and Recognition Ceremony

Road Captain: Matthew Boggs, 925-765-0785, mboggswwr@gmail.com

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

The Antioch Police Department will be accepting applications for its second Citizen’s Academy. The Citizen’s Academy begins March 16thand applications will be accepted now until February 22nd.

You must be at least age 18 without any misdemeanor violations within one year of applying and no felony convictions. Space is limited to 20 students and you must commit to attending all academy sessions.

Applications can be located at the City of Antioch Police Department web site (www.ci.antioch.ca.us) or at the front counter of the Antioch Police Department (300 L Street). Please contact Lieutenant Desmond Bittner with any questions at (925-779-6999). Please see the informational flyer here: Citizens Academy Flyer 2016.

To learn more about the experiences of those in the last Antioch Police Citizens Academy, click here.

Everyone is invited. Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 5:00-10:00 p.m. at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center.

Dinner and no host bar. Tickets are $50.00 per person.

Contact Sue Carris Siino at 925-325-9559.

The Eastern Contra Costa County Transit Authority, better known as Tri Delta Transit, will be handing out over 1,000 umbrellas to East County residents in anticipation of El Niño rains.

“The rain has already begun and more is expected to fall in the coming months. We want our customers to stay dry while waiting for the bus,” said Mike Furnary, Director of Marketing and Customer Service. “While we have a number of shelters located throughout our service area, many bus stops don’t offer protection from the elements. An umbrella is a great way to provide personal protection from the rain, and sun, and can be put to use anywhere.”

Every winter, Tri Delta Transit receives an increase in the number of requests to install shelters at bus stops where there is no overhead protection. Unfortunately, funding and space requirements limit their ability to add shelters. The umbrellas will provide immediate protection to over a thousand Tri Delta Transit customers.

“Plus, the shelter provided by the umbrellas will be available to our customers wherever they go. We refer to them as ‘mobile bus shelters’,” Furnary added.

Back in 2008, Tri Delta Transit provided umbrellas to bus patrons during the summer months as a means to escape the brutal heat of the Eastern Contra Costa sun. “Revising this giveaway seemed like the right thing to do given the forecast for such a wet winter” said Furnary.

The umbrellas are both a customer appreciation gift and useful tool for Tri Delta Transit customers. Patrons are encouraged to bring the umbrellas with them every time they ride the bus. They are light and compact so they’ll easily fit in a purse or back pack. Having one handy will provide protection on a moment’s notice in both sunny and rainy conditions. “It’s just a practical tool to have with you if you ride the bus. We’re very happy to be providing them,” said Furnary.

Tri Delta Transit staff will be canvassing East County over the next couple of weeks distributing umbrellas on buses, at bus stops, park and ride lots and at BART. Bus drivers will be handing them to customers as they board their bus, and riders can pick one up at Tri Delta Transit’s administrative offices on Wilbur Avenue in Antioch while supplies last.

So if you see an abundance of blue and white umbrellas on a rainy el Niño day this winter, you’re sure to find some very happy and much more comfortable people underneath them, compliments of Tri Delta Transit.

Tri Delta Transit was named small bus operator of the year in 2014. They provide over 3,000,000 trips each year to a population of over 250,000 residents in the 225 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. They operate 13 local bus routes Monday – Friday, 4 local bus routes on weekends, door-to-door bus service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and shuttle services to community events.

For additional information about Tri Delta Transit, please visit www.trideltatransit.com.