The Drama Factory is super excited to announce that our late Summer / Fall program is in the works. The script is being written and the dates are being submitted so hold onto your hats! To allow for the current recommendations from our Board of Directors – we will no longer be making COVID vaccination mandatory for our actors. You can see our updated policy on our website https://www.dramafactory.org
Auditions are coming up on August 7 th and August 8th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Nick Rodriguez Theatre. Put it on your calendar now so you will be ready to go. Save the Date – because the Fall Halloween production is going to be the Drama Factory event of the year.
Keep your eyes on your in-box for all the details. It’s only a matter of days.
See you there.
The Drama Factory is a 501(c)3 non-profit company and all contributions are tax deductible.
Speed table rendering from nacto.org and speed hump sign.
Directs staff on annual budget with funds for Emergency Operations Center, $500K more for homeless program
By Allen D. Payton
During the Consent Calendar portion of their meeting on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Antioch City Council approved on a 5-0 vote, bids for the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project for several locations throughout the city in response to requests from residents.
Example of a raised crosswalk. Source: saferoutesinfo.org
The council approved a $125,000 budget increase for the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project using Measure J funds, from the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation. In addition, they awarded the contract to the lowest bidder, Consolidated Engineering, Inc., in the amount of $377,950.
The project is for the installation of traffic calming devices including speed hump, speed table and raised crosswalk system.
The City’s Public Works Department list shows the following nine streets that will receive the devices in Phase II: Asilomar Drive, Clearbrook Road, Country Hills Drive, Deerfield Drive, Garrow Drive, Gentrytown Drive, Longview Road, Prewett Ranch Drive and Tulip Drive. See NTCP report for maps and locations of the speed humps.
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Devices Phase II list. Source: Antioch Public Works Department
2023-24 Budget Discussion
During discussion of the 2023-24 budget year, the council, after multiple, previous attempts by District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica, and supported by District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock, to fund the police department’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the council voted 5-0 to do so. The council agreed to use one-time ARPA funds from the federal government’s COVID relief grant to the City.
Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker requested more money for the City’s Homekey program for the homeless.
“I’m good with the $2 million,” Mayor Lamar Thorpe said.
Ogorchock suggested it be increased to $2.5 million.
“What we’re telling the public, the partners is, we’re willing to commit $2.5 million,” the mayor explained.
Barbanica supported the increased amount, as did the rest of the council members.
The final budget will be brought back for a vote in June. The fiscal year begins July 1st.
Marsh Creek Road Bridge Replacement Project map. Source: CCC Public Works Dept.
By Kelly Kalfsbeek, PIO, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, CCC Public Works Department
The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will begin construction of the Marsh Creek Road Bridges Replacement Project starting on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, through March 2025, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will occur from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting. Work will take place on Marsh Creek Road at Bridges 143 and 145. Bridge 143 is located approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Deer Valley Road near the Clayton Palms Community. Bridge 145 is located approximately 3.0 miles east of Deer Valley Road near the road transition to Camino Diablo.
Traffic control will be used. Restrictions will be in place to minimize impacts during commuting hours. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Drivers should expect delays through the construction zone and consider alternative routes during working hours.
The project will replace two (2) bridges on Marsh Creek Road with two (2) new concrete bridges. Work also includes reconstruction of the bridge approach roadways and construction of drainage facilities.
Funding for this project is provided by the federal Highway Bridge Program and local Gas Tax funds.
About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:
Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Memorial Day weekend is quickly approaching, and many Californians are preparing to kick off the summer with a holiday gathering or road trip. Forty-five people were killed in crashes in California during last year’s Memorial Day weekend, nearly a 30 percent increase from the same period in 2021. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has a plan to help people arrive to their destinations safely, while reducing the number of deadly crashes on the state’s roads.
Beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, May 26, the CHP will implement a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) in anticipation of the increased traffic that often accompanies a holiday weekend. The MEP will continue through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 29.
“The core mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security to the communities we serve,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “This holiday, motorists can expect to see additional CHP officers patrolling California’s roadways. All available uniformed members of this Department will be on patrol during this Memorial Day MEP. Our primary focus will be to enhance public safety, deter unsafe driving behavior, and when necessary, take appropriate enforcement action.”
In addition to assisting motorists and looking for traffic violations that often lead to serious injury or death, such as failure to wear a seat belt, speed, and distracted driving, CHP officers will be paying close attention to people who are suspected of driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs and/or alcohol.
CHP officers made nearly 900 DUI arrests during the Memorial Day MEP in 2022. Keep yourself and others who are on the road safe by designating a sober driver or using a ride-share service.
If you see or suspect an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your phone call may save someone’s life.
The CHP’s Memorial Day MEP coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s ongoing Click It or Ticket campaign, which continues through
June 4. Seat belts save lives. Take two seconds to secure your safety and buckle up. The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
BART is currently recruiting to fill positions in two civilian advisory committees critical for public safety and accountability.
The BART Police Citizen Review Board (BPCRB) is a civilian advisory committee with the authority to provide BART riders and the public with transparency and input into BART’s policing services. We are seeking a District 2 position candidate who will be appointed by BART Director Mark Foley.
The BART Transit Security Advisory Committee (TSAC) is the citizen and community oversight committee that works to ensure Assembly Bill 716 — which allows BART Police Officers the authority to issue prohibition orders to offenders who are cited or arrested for certain offenses — is implemented as the Legislature intended. BART is currently looking to fill several open positions.
Below are full announcements for both BCPRB and TSAC positions.
The BART Board of Directors is currently in the process of recruiting for the BART Police Citizen Review Board (BPCRB) for the District 2 position to be appointed by BART Director Mark Foley.
Applicants don’t need to reside in District 2, however they must be a resident of Contra Costa (including Antioch), Alameda, San Mateo, or San Francisco.
Members of the BPCRB work to increase the public’s confidence in BART’s Policing services by:
Reviewing, recommending and monitoring the implementation of changes to police policies, procedures and practices
Receiving citizen allegations of on-duty police misconduct
Advising Board of Directors, General Manager, Independent Police Auditor and Police Chief
Participating in recommending appropriate disciplinary action
Meeting periodically with representatives of the BART Police associations
BART’s Transit Security Advisory Committee (TSAC) is currently looking to fill several open positions and is accepting applications until June 1, 2023.
TSAC is the citizen and community oversight committee that works to ensure Assembly Bill 716 (Dickinson) — which allows BART Police Officers the authority to issue prohibition orders to offenders who are cited or arrested for certain offenses — is implemented as the Legislature intended. The oversight group, comprised of at least five citizens, serves as a volunteer review body for the implementation of BART’s prohibition policy.
Board-appointed members of TSAC are professionals in the areas of mental health, homelessness, public safety and youth advocacy and cultural awareness. Drawing from their private and public sector experiences, the committee brings a diverse set of skills to the review and execution of the prohibition policy. The advisory committee reports directly to the BART Board of Directors.
BART Transit Security Advisory Committee is currently looking for the following Open Seats:
One (1) Alternate Committee Member for the Mental Health, Youth Advocate, or Law Enforcement Representative Seat
Two (2) Public at Large Representative Seats
One (1) Mental Health Representative Seat
One (1) Law Enforcement Representative Seat
One (1) Youth Advocate Representative Seat
Final Filing Date – Application Deadline Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 5:00 P.M. (PST)
Please download the application here and return the application form and relevant attachments to the BART Office of the District Secretary at:
2150 Webster Street, 10th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612
For agricultural, arts and crafts, childcare, energy, housing, worker-owned cooperatives, etc.
By Alicia Sloper, Admin. and Communications Support Specialist, California Center for Cooperative Development
The Cooperative Movement is well positioned to play a critical role in the larger movement for social and ecological justice. The California Center for Cooperative Development (CCCD) will host its annual California Cooperative Conference at Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose on Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3, 2023. CCCD will be showcasing innovative leaders in the cooperative movement and promoting a commitment to local economic development and underserved communities. Statewide cooperators and changemakers will have the opportunity to network with leaders in the cooperative ecosystem, share insight from experience in cooperative development, and discover the cooperative difference.
The CCCD is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that promotes cooperatives as a vibrant model to address the economic and social needs of California’s communities. CCCD supports the myriad of cooperatives in California (agricultural, arts and crafts, childcare, energy, housing, worker-owned, etc.) with start-up, management, and other technical assistance. The Center’s Community and Economic Development Programs specifically highlight cooperative projects that promote opportunities for people with low and moderate incomes, as well as economically disadvantaged communities, regions, and neighborhoods.
This year’s California Co-op Conference is honored to host Keynote speaker Gopal Dayaneni, who will be speaking on Cooperation for Collective Liberation. Dayaneni has been involved in working for social, economic, environmental, and racial justice through organizing, campaigning, teaching, writing, speaking, and direct action since the late 1980’s. Currently, Dayaneni supports movement building through his work with organizations including The Climate Justice Alliance, ETCgroup, NDN Collective, the Center for Story-based Strategy and People’s Solar Energy Fund, among others.
The event will feature panels and workshops covering a wide range of topics surrounding the co-op movement, with opportunities to learn and take part in both English and Spanish. Some workshops of note include Herramientad de Comunicaion Efectiva para Nuestras Cooperativas with Claudia Arroyo and Ana Castano (Prospera Community Development), Legal workshops on Limited Equity Housing Cooperatives with Karen Tiedemann and Erin Lapeyrolerie of Goldfarb and Lippman LLP, and Cooperative Businessing with Elisabeth Barton (Echo Adventure Cooperative).
In addition, the California Co-op Conference will provide opportunities to network, with hosted lunches and a Co-op Social. Conference participants be directly connected with statewide cooperators to share their resources, products, and services at exhibitor tables during the conference. Please join CCCD at the California Co-op Conference in San Jose as we build connections, strengthen our learning, and use co-ops to create a just economy.
More information about the conference, including a full list of workshops, speakers, and links to registration are available via our QR code, at www.cccd.coop, by emailing info@cccd.coop or calling 530-297-1032. Individuals must be registered to attend.
Please let me know if you are interested in covering this story. I can be contacted via email at asloper@cccd.coop or phone at 530-297-1032 to discuss the details further. I look forward to hearing from you.
Referred to as the River Town Square on the former Antioch Lumber Company lot
The City of Antioch is excited to announce the development of a new gathering place in downtown Antioch. We invite you to share your vision for the future central attraction of historic Rivertown. This new outdoor public space is uniquely situated along the Sacramento-San Joaquin River. It will benefit our diverse community by fostering a vibrant, thriving downtown.
As previously reported by the Herald, during the Nov. 23, 2021 Antioch City Council meeting, after years of advocating for a park and event center on the former Antioch Lumber Company lot in the city’s historic, downtown Rivertown, former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts and members of the group, Save The Yard, got the go ahead from the city council. All five council members agreed to pursue the idea during their meeting Tuesday night, Nov. 23.
To celebrate Independence Day this year, sign up today to be part of the City of Antioch’s Annual Fourth of July Celebration and Parade on Saturday ! Schools, residents, and local teams and organizations are all welcome!
