Photos courtesy of John Goodner, Elite Photography and Design

The Antioch community joined together to once again honor those who sacrificed all for the freedoms we enjoy in America, on Memorial Day, 2012, at the annual ceremony held at Oak View Memorial Park on Monday.  To see more photos click here.

Honoring the fallen

Motorcycle Veterans roll in with the sound of thunder

Veterans and others attended the ceremony

Military personnel and Scouts in attendance at Antioch's Memorial Day ceremony

The Color Guard

Ringing of the bell

Susie Dove of Delta 2000 with Dow's donated bikes

As the saying goes “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  A recent decision to ban bicycles on the Dow Pittsburg site has resulted in a boon for a local nonprofit.

For decades, old bikes have been used to traverse Dow’s 500-acre property, allowing employees to easily move from plant to plant without using their cars.  Maintained annually to ensure safety and functionality, a recent injury at Dow Pittsburg when a worker fell off his bike and broke his arm while commuting prompted leadership to take a close look at bicycle usage at the manufacturing site.  It was decided to eliminate all bicycles and, instead, purchase new tricycles that provide better stability.

What to do with more than 100 old bikes?  Dow put out an announcement early this year to see if any local non-profits were interested.  The response was overwhelming.

Susie Dove, Executive Director for Delta 2000 responded quickly with the idea for a new program – providing second-hand bikes to low-income and disadvantaged youth who need a way to get to school or work.  Focused on creating a community of volunteers, youth will learn how to maintain and build their own bicycles.  “Working with their hands on something of their very own will create pride in their work and what they have learned in owning a bike,” said Dove.

“Our mission with this program,” Dove explained, “ is to promote bicycles as a fun, safe and accessible form of transportation, to foster a healthy community and to provide a welcome space for youth to learn about building, maintaining and riding bicycles.”  Her hope is that the youth will also choose to spend their community service time – something all high school students are required to have before graduating – teaching other students about bike repair or fixing up bikes for other youth to use.

Though Dow is happily donating the bikes, there are other needs associated with this program.  According to Dove, the program will need all sorts of tools and equipment including bike stands.  “We’ve got lots of interest, just not lots of capital.  Anyone who wants to be involved can donate money, tools – we’ll even take old tool kits gathering cobwebs in your basement or garage.”

Dow chose Delta 2000 from dozens of interested organizations for several reasons.  They had a plan to use all the bikes, even the ones that might not be in the best of shape – or look great.  “This is a win-win situation by Dow’s standards,” said Dow spokesperson Patty Deutsche.  “We love the idea that the bikes are going to kids who need to go to school or work.  But we especially like the idea that the kids will be learning at the same time – not just maintenance but responsibility and maybe even the skill of teaching others.  The fact that this is all right in our backyard was a bonus.”

Bikes were delivered to Delta 2000 on Thursday, May 24, 2012.

About Dow’s Pittsburg Operations

The Dow Chemical Company purchased the Pittsburg facility in 1939 from the Great Western Electrochemical Company. It is one of more than 150 manufacturing sites located in 37 countries around the world and supports two of Dow’s eight global businesses – Dow AgroSciences and Performance Chemicals.  The Pittsburg facility produces a variety of products used in personal care products as well as a variety of crop protection products and intermediates. www.dowpittsburg.com

About Delta 2000

For more than 26 years, Delta 2000 Rivertown Resource Center has provided service to residents of Contra Costa County.  With 28 non-profits and social service organizations under one roof, help can be found for everything from prenatal care to senior services.  For more information about Delta 2000 contact Susie Dove at 925-779-1404 or Susie.dove@yahoo.com.

Antioch Auto Center Tom Nokes presents a check for $100,000 to Mayor Jim Davis and Councilmembers

By James T. Ott

Tom Nokes, owner of the Antioch Auto Center presented the City Council with a $100,000 check at the Tuesday, May 22, 2012 council meeting as part of a promise to match the city’s fundraising efforts.

Although the city did not raise quite the $100,000 that Nokes and his son Brian Nokes pledged to match – Tom said they would support the city any way they could and presented the full $100,000 anyway.

City Council Members were heavy in praise for all that Nokes and the Auto Center had done for the city.

Kalinowski said he thought the Auto Center single handedly kept Antioch out of bankruptcy during the last few troubled years and said that the best way for residences to support the city was to shop at the Auto Center.

Mayor Davis said “we appreciate everything you do,” and Council Member Mary Rocha said Nokes “represents the spirit of Antioch.”

An effort by the Antioch Police Department and interested citizens has raised $9,000 toward their goal of $10,000 to pay for a new police dog.

Please make checks out to: The Kiwanis Club of Antioch Foundation-K9, Tax ID# 16-1693220 and send to: The Kiwanis Club of Antioch Foundation-K9, 3377 Deer Valley Road, Suite 239, Antioch, CA 94531

For more information call Lt. John Vanderklugt at 779-6973.

Residents, Staff excited about Senator’s visit to their community.

Senator Mark DeSaulnier will address residents of The Commons at Dallas Ranch at their Candlelight Dinner on May 25, 2012.

The Commons at Dallas Ranch, the premier Independent, Assisted, and Memory Care Community in Antioch will welcome Senator Mark DeSaulnier as they celebrate their Candlelight Dinner.

“The Candlelight Dinner is a chance to show the Resident’s that they are loved and appreciated by having a special dinner and recognizing birthday’s for the month. The dinner will be extra special this month because of the Senator’s visit”, says Dina Osakue, Community Relations Director. “We are all excited and thankful that the Senator will take time out of his busy schedule to join us.”

The Commons at Dallas Ranch Assisted Living Community is a community established by Premeira Care, an Oakdale, CA-based company. Dallas Ranch opened in Antioch in 2006, and continues to provide affordable luxury living and care for the senior community. For more information visit www.commonsatdallasranch.com.

Cost will be closer to $25,000 and avoid $90,000 in future expenditures. Council to decide Tuesday.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Following much discussion among commissioners, the Antioch Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council the renaming of L Street to Marina Parkway, at their May 16, 2012 meeting.

Commissioners stated that this will help promote the marina and downtown to anyone driving down the freeway. Commissioner Mark Langford pointed out that although it’s not a parkway, yet, that’s something the city should pursue in the future.

Only three members of the public gave input, including two residents of L Street who spoke against the change. I spoke, as well, providing additional historical background on the issue and in favor of the change.

The renaming idea originated with Antioch’s 1996 Economic Development Plan, that was developed with the help of 100 community leaders, and adopted by the City Council, later that year. It also included changing the name of A Street to Rivertown Drive.

The idea was brought up again, when Don Freitas was Mayor. He stated he liked the idea but thought it best to wait until the improvements to L Street between 4^th and 10^th Streets were complete, and Highway 4 was widened.

While driving down the freeway a few months ago, I realized the state was in the process of putting up the new off ramp signs. I then sent an email to the Mayor, Councilmembers and City Manager reminding them of the idea of changing the names of L and A Streets and suggested it be done, now before the new signs went up.

Mayor Pro Tem Wade Harper asked staff to pursue the change to just L Street, for now.

City staff explained to the commissioners that this will be the most cost-effective time to make the change and informed them that the cost to change Somersville Road to Auto Center Drive was $90,000 and only included the state’s portion. If the change was made later, the city would have to pay those extra costs, as well as the projected city costs. Director of Public Works Ron Bernal stated that the cost will be closer to $25,000 than the original $40,000 estimate.

While one proposed source of funds to pay for the change is the city’s gas tax funds, there are other potential sources, such as the remaining funds in the Residential Development Allocation program. The council in the past spent $200,000 of those funds to pay for the bluish-grey and silver “City of Antioch” signs seen throughout town.

One attempt by the Council to change the name of A Street to Rivertown Drive, failed on a 2-3 vote, in 1997, since there were three businesses on A Street with “A Street” in their name. Those businesses are now gone or have changed owners and names. Now that A Street is connected to 2nd Street, the suggestion is to rename both to Rivertown Drive. The City Council could decide that at a later meeting, since the freeway widening hasn’t yet reached A Street, giving businesses and residents more time to adapt to the renaming.

The City Council will make their decision on the name change of L Street at their meeting on Tuesday, May 22.

WHAT: The Antioch Salvation Army, serving all of East Contra Costa County, will host its first spaghetti dinner fundraiser event. Tickets are $12, and proceeds will go to The Salvation Army’s after-school program

For the last 12 years, The Salvation Army has been operating an after-school program called the TRY (Teaching to Redirect Youth) Club in Antioch. The program has been established to improve literacy skills, basic math memorization, computer literacy, and assisting students with homework.

Last year, more than 1000 children attended the after-school program.

Tickets can be purchased at the Antioch Salvation Army, or call (925) 778-0808, ext. 17, for more information.

WHERE: 620 East Tregallas Road, Antioch

WHEN: Saturday, May 19, 2012, 5:00 p.m.

CONTACT: Lt. Alexander Williams (925) 778-0808 ext. 17 (office)