Teen End of School Block Party

32nd annual event brings communities together outdoors to celebrate and give back to trails

Take the 2024 National Trails Day® Pledge by June 8 to be entered to win premium gear prize packs.

East Bay Regional Park District offers variety of trails to hike

By American Hiking Society

The nationwide celebration of National Trails Day^® on Saturday June 1, 2024, will bring together people from across the country, Puerto Rico, and beyond, to celebrate, enjoy, and give back to the trails. American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day^®, is an annual event aimed at advocacy, trail service, and encouraging local communities to connect in the outdoors. 

Trail users, including hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, paddlers, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, and various organizations, unite on National Trails Day® to improve the trails and outdoor community. This is accomplished through collective efforts toward advocating for, maintaining, cleaning up, and celebrating trails and nature. By working together, this diverse coalition can ensure that these outdoor spaces remain accessible, safe, and enjoyable for everyone now and in the future.

National Trails Day® is an event that people of all ages, abilities, and lifestyles can celebrate by participating in a local trail event. Participants can also take the National Trails Day® pledge to commit to leaving the trails and the outdoor community better than they found them. Additionally, individuals can share their trail experience by tagging #NationalTrailsDay and @AmericanHiking on social media.

Last year, more than 700 sites across the U.S. brought people together for various recreational and volunteer opportunities. More than 7,044 trail volunteers built and maintained more than 558 miles of trails as part of the festivities. 

The East Bay Regional Park District offers multiple trails to hike this Saturday. See list, locations and maps, here: www.ebparks.org/trails.

“National Trails Day® provides a unique opportunity to bring community members of all walks of life together in the outdoors, all with a common goal of enjoying nature and preserving it,” said Heather Klein Olson, Executive Director of American Hiking Society. “This is our 32nd annual celebration of National Trails Day®, and it’s incredible to see how the trails unite us and remind us of the power of our collective action and passion. Spending time on the trails offers us time to reflect on nature’s positive impact on our physical and mental well-being and the positive impact we can have on it, too. This annual event reminds us to appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors and commit to doing our part to protect it for generations to come.”

2024 National Trails Day® Pledge

“In honor of #NationalTrailsDay, I’ll leave the trails and the outdoor community better than I found them.” Take the pledge by June 8 to be entered to win premium gear prize packs.

Corporate & Federal Sponsors

American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day^® is made possible by the generous support of Corporate Sponsors – Exclusive Beer Sponsor Athletic Brewing, Aflac, AKHG by Duluth Trading Company, REI, Osprey Packs, Fjallraven, GORE-TEX Brand, Zevo Insect, and GOES Health. Federal Partners include: National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau Of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Federal Highway Administration.

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all to enjoy, share and preserve the hiking experience.

Not all based in the city; one Antioch-based organization receives $85,000

By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the Antioch City Council unanimously approved funding of a total of $307,275 of awards for Fiscal Year 2024-25 to the following community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-profits providing essential services to youth and young adults in Antioch.

Before the vote, District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker asked for explanations on some of the grants from Department of Public Safety and Community Resources Director Tasha Johnson in addition to the information included in the meeting agenda.

Following are the grants awarded by the council.

• Architecture Foundation of San Francisco – $20,000 – Workforce Development for Interns to participate in a design studio led by a design professional.
• CASA of Contra Costa County – $5,000 – Academic Support/Mentorship: CASA Contra Costa County seeks funding to expand and strengthen its trauma-informed tutoring program, which is specifically designed to support foster children and youth in Antioch and throughout the county.
• RR Transitional Housing (Fall) – $5,290 – Academic Support/Mentorship: The tutoring program operates on a structured schedule, convening twice a week for two hours each session during the summer months.
• RR Transitional Housing (Fall) – $16,050 – Academic Support/Mentorship: The tutoring program operates on a structured schedule, convening twice a week for two hours each session during the fall months.
• RR Transitional Housing (Spring) – $16,934 – Academic Support/Mentorship: The tutoring program operates on a structured schedule, convening twice a week for two hours each session during spring months.

RR stands for Rey de Reyes Ministries, and is a church on W. 2nd Street in Antioch which provides tutoring services to youth, Johnson shared.

• Richmond Community Foundation, now known as RCF Connects – $50,000 – Civic and Social engagement: youth will cultivate a deep sense of civic engagement and social responsibility among the youth, especially focusing on those from underserved communities.

RCF President and CEO Jim Becker, an Antioch resident, offered additional information about the organization and program.

• One Day at a Time (ODAT) – $40,000 – Civic and Social engagement: Youth will understand privilege, racism and intersectionality in a welcoming and encouraging environment. ODAT is based in Brentwood.
• Bridge Builders to the New Generation (Summer) – $65,000 – Personal Enrichment: This is a highly engaged camp experience for Antioch youth, who will participate in an interactive, dynamic, and transformational learning cohort. Each day is themed to reflect the day’s learning objective during summer.
• Bridge Builders to the New Generation (Spring) – $10,000 – Personal Enrichment: This is a highly engaged camp experience for Antioch youth. They will participate in an interactive, dynamic, and transformational learning cohort. Each day during spring break is themed to reflect the day’s learning objective.
• Bridge Builders to the New Generation (Fall) – $10,000 – Personal Enrichment: This is a highly engaged camp experience for Antioch youth. They will participate in an interactive, dynamic, and transformational learning cohort. Each day during fall break is themed to reflect the day’s learning objective.

Bridge Builders is based in Antioch.

• Antioch Unified School District – $20,000 – Physical Health: This program promotes physical activity and teaches foundational skills to students in grades K-6. It helps bridge the equity gap and ensures that every student has access to the benefits of physical activity.

On that funding, Torres-Walker said to Johnson, “be careful or you might have your desk end up on a roof,” referring to the recent accusations of bullying in the school district’s Maintenance Department.

• J6 – $24,000 – Physical Health: Youth are engaged in and assisted in personal growth, academic success, and avenues for future advancement through basketball and broader professional arenas.
• Trade Jobs for You – $25,000 – Workforce Development: The new innovative leader in the beauty industry is an apprentice program in cosmetology and barbering. It includes training and placement.

Questions were sent to Johnson, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and Acting Assistant City Manager Brad Helfenberger asking about the latter two organizations as no information about them could be found from an internet search. Please check back later for any updates to this report.

6/3/24 UPDATE: In response, Johnson wrote, “J6 is…an organization with a program and platform for empowering our future leaders through a basketball program and engagement in a transformative manhood development program. Through mentorship, skill development, and instilling essential values, they aim to shape confident, responsible, and successful community members.

Trade Jobs 4 You is a comprehensive organization whose programs include funding, training, access to necessary tools and equipment, and connections to employment opportunities. They empower and guide individuals toward success in their chosen trade. Their ultimate goal is to create a ripple effect of positive change in the lives of our program graduates, ultimately leaving a legacy of fulfilled dreams and thriving communities.”

However, no websites or Facebook pages for the organizations were provided by Johnson. She was then requested to provide that information and if they don’t have an internet presence, to provide the groups’ contact information.

Please check back later for any additional updates to this report.

By Allen D. Payton

Before the city council heard public comments about and discussed a ban or moratorium on more gas stations and additional fossil fuel dispensers at current gas stations in Antioch, City Attorney Thomas L. Smith explained it would require a General Plan amendment. It would then be sent to the Planning Commission for a recommendation before a council vote, he added.

City Clerk Ellie Householder then announced District 1 Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker had to leave the meeting at 9:53 p.m. With her absence, the council stalemated with two in favor, Mayor Pro Tem and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson and Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, and two opposed, District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica and District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock.

Public Comments

During public comments on the agenda item, a woman who said her name was O.G. Stargatz (spelling?) who said she was a volunteer with 350 Contra Costa spoke in favor of the moratorium saying, “I’m here to offer our full support.” The Pinole City Council passed an urgency moratorium ordinance last month, she shared.

“I don’t think we need more gas stations in our city,” said resident Devin Williams. “I don’t think we’ll be around in another 40 years if we keep going at this rate with the climate.”

A resident named Lou spoke about the mayor’s pledge towards a fossil-fuel free Antioch government and said the gas station moratorium dovetails in with it. He then quoted a sentence from the mayor’s press release about his pledge published in the Herald, that, “The average global temperature on Earth has irreversibly risen by at least 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, with most of this increase occurring since 1975” as an argument in support of the ban.

Frank Sterling also spoke in favor of the proposed moratorium.

Nicole Errington said, “I like hybrids. Hybrids are great. No, we don’t need any more gas stations. My biggest concern is benzene as a cancer survivor.”

Resident Harry Thurston said, “I see many more gas stations. Our city doesn’t look very good with them. I’d like to see them go away or reduced.”

Wilson was the first council member to speak as she made the proposal. She said, “I feel I need to advocate for a healthy community. Climate change is real. We’re talking about the 24 gas stations in our city. We need to end our reliance on fossil fuels. I’m in the process of converting to a hybrid car or electric car. I relooked at our Climate Action Plan which was done in 2020…we do state we need to prepare for Climate Change.”

“I really want to see a ban on the development of new gas stations…and a ban on more pumps at our existing 24 gas stations,” she continued. “We really need to start thinking about the future and be proactive. This is one step toward how we can be sustainable. Going green isn’t sometimes affordable. We need to make it affordable for low-income residents.”

“I believe the open market will flush this out. If we switch over to electric vehicles by 2035 this will work itself out,” said Barbanica. “But if we go out to our parking lot, right now…99% of the vehicles operate on gas.”

“We don’t ban new businesses coming into our community,” he continued. “Will we say, ‘no, you’re not coming in?’ It’s a case-by-case basis. We said no, last year, to a 24-hour station right next to residential homes. As the EV market continues to grow, you’ll see less and less demand for these coming into our community. The council still has the ability to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

“I’m not for the ban. I think it’s a case-by-case. There will be some areas that will need a gas station,” Ogorchock said.

“You all know where I stand,” Thorpe said. “We’ve actually already said ‘no’, twice. But I am for the policy. I am for the ban. There isn’t consensus for this to move forward but we can bring it back in the future and see how Councilwoman Torres-Walker stands on the issue.”

The matter died on the two-two split of council members.

The food distribution is a joint effort of the Golden Hills Community Church Serving & Engaging Neighbors Together, (SENT) ministry and Team Jesus Outreach Ministries. 

Free hot meals are also served at the Community Outreach Center at 525 E. 18th Street in Antioch Monday through Friday. Doors open at 5:00 pm. Our desire is that no one in our community suffer from hunger or malnutrition. Each night we serve a wholesome, home-cooked hot meal to satisfy our appetite. However, we also realize there is a spiritual hunger that God wants to fulfill in each one of us and we have a brief worship service designed to help us connect with the Lord each evening. Everyone is welcome to join regardless of their faith background. For more information visit Community Outreach Center.

Golden Hills Community Church is located at 2401 Shady Willow Lane in Brentwood. For more information about the church and its ministries visit www.goldenhills.org.

Sponsors needed

By Sophia Martin, Regional Director, Love Life NorCal Antioch

Please support us in our annual fundraiser, LifeRide. We will be riding bikes across the nation to raise awareness and funds to unite and mobilize the Church to end abortion and the orphan crisis.

What is LifeRide?

In 2023, Pastor Jay Stewart at the age of 60, rode his bicycle over 3,100 miles across America to bring awareness to the ministry of Love Life and to raise over a million dollars. Pastor Jay has been a partnering pastor with Love Life from the beginning and his church is also a House of Refuge church. (See video1 and video2)

Locally, our goal is to raise $10,000. If you would like to give $25, $50 or $100 to help us meet our goal and learn more, please visit: https://join.liferideusa.org/team/580862.

“Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” – Proverbs 24:11

For more information about Love Life visit: https://lovelife.org. To sign up for a 1-Hour Journey visit: https://lovelife.org/1-hour-journey. Get your Love Life apparel and coffee here: https://shop.welovelife.org/?ref=antioch.

Benefitting Alzheimer’s Association

For more information about TreVista Senior Living & Memory Care visit www.TreVistaSeniorLiving.com.

By Bill Harms

Get your unwanted documents shredded at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Antioch Saturday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will raise funds for scholarships and other charitable purposes coordinated by the church’s Endowment Committee.

Through its endowment, the church has given scholarships to students pursuing college degrees as well as continuing education opportunities such as gaining teacher certification. It has also given a grant to support training school tutors, said Eileen Blumhardt-Butler, Endowment Committee Chair.

The endowment has provided a grant to a childcare center to enhance art education. A teacher received a grant to purchase microscopes for her middle school classroom.

“These grants are a way our church can share God’s love with the community,” Blumhardt-Butler said.

St. John’s Lutheran Church is located at 1360 East Tregallas Road and has Sunday School at   9:30 a.m. and services at 10  a.m.  on Sundays. For more information visit https://stjohnsantioch.org.