For the first time proponents and opponents of the State’s plans to transform the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta will discuss the merits and drawbacks of the Delta Plan and the peripheral canal.

The forum will be held on Saturday, March 3 from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon in the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium, 525 N. Center Street, Stockton. Open to the public. Admission is free.

Guest Speakers
Dr. Jerry Meral, Deputy Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Jason Peltier, Chief Deputy General Manager, Westlands Water District
Jim Fiedler, Chief Operating Officer, Santa Clara Valley Water District
Ann Johnston, Mayor of Stockton and Chair for the Delta Coalition
John Herrick, Attorney and Expert on Local Water Issues
Dr. Jeffrey Michael, Director of the Business Forecasting Center, University of the Pacific
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director, Restore the Delta

By Lieutenant R. Kelley
Antioch Police Department

A volunteer orientation has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 13th at 6:00 P.M., in the police department community room.

We will be giving an informational presentation with regard to the various volunteer positions within the police department. We will also have some of our volunteers present in order to answer any questions interested applicants may have.

Community Resources 4 Youth, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization recently co-hosted a baseball tournament with Elk Grove-based All World Sports on Saturday, February 11, 2012 and Sunday, February 12, 2012 at the Antioch Community Park.

More than a hundred people came out to cheer and support ball players ages 11 and under from eight teams throughout the Bay Area going head to head in the 2-day Weekend Invitational tournament. North Bay Crushers, Walnut Creek Bulldogs Red, Brentwood Rampage, DP Bombers, Nor Cal Predators, SL Bomberz, Rays Baseball and Pleasanton Thunder.

The night-time championship game pitted the DP Bombers against the North Bay Crushers. Players from both teams received medallions and T-Shirts while trophies were presented to the managers of the tournament champion (DP Bombers) and runner-up (North Bay Crushers) by the founders of CR4Youth and their 10-year old son.

Community Resources 4 Youth, Inc.
Community Resources 4 Youth, Inc. was founded by Cheryl Rhodes Alexander and her husband Alex Alexander because of their passion and commitment to youth development. CR4Youth’s mission is to educate, equip and empower youth to reach their full potential and achieve personal and professional success.

Fulfillment of CR4Youth’s mission will be accomplished through its four separate yet related programs:
 Education Program – offers a variety of educational resources to help increase and enhance student learning and academic success.
 Mentorship Program – empowers youth to develop trusting and meaningful interactions with adults that produce positive outcomes for youth who may lack the presence of a positive role model.
 Life Training Program – teaches and equips youth with practical and useful information and tools necessary to be productive and successful contributors to society and helps youth acquire job-ready skills essential to success in the workforce
 Recreation Program – helps develop and promote physical, mental and social health/fitness and the overall well-being of youth.

Prospective board members for CR4Youth include: Walter Ruehlig, AUSD Board Trustee; Dennis Laniohan, management team executive (Delta Diablo Sanitation District); Lanetta Marshall, Independent Associate (Legal Shield); Michael Johnson, Deacon (Allen Temple Baptist Church) and Mentor/Trainer; and Teri Lynn Shaw, Youth Advocate and former AUSD Board Trustee.

Community Resources 4 Youth, Inc. is engaging with other local organizations such as Parents Connected to provide various educational programs and services that serve the needs and interest of youth, parents and the community.

CR4Youth and Parents are planning to co-host an Education Summit: A Call to Action this summer. The summit will focus on encouraging further efforts to diminish the achievement gap between White/Asian students and African-American/Hispanic students. Working with Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) administrators and other community organizers, a practical action plan can be developed to help stem the significant achievement gap between White/Asian students and African-American/Hispanic students.

In early May, CR4Youth and Manny Rin, a Deer Valley High School Alum (class of 2008) will be co-facilitating an Academic Achievement Conference for AUSD high school students, primarily juniors and seniors. The purpose of the conference is to motivate and inspire students to pursue higher education after high school. The conference will provide students with tools, resources and advice to help prepare them for college and life.
For more information about Community Resources 4 Youth, Inc., including how you can help support their efforts, visit their website: www.communityresources4youth.org.

Come join Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando on Saturday, March 10th from 9-11 A.M. in a casual setting to discuss public safety issues, crime statistics, etc. Captain Steve McConnell will also provide a brief presentation on Community and Problem Oriented Policing. Open communication about community issues is encouraged.

The location for this casual “Coffee with the Cops” workshop will be held in the Antioch Police Department Community Room located at 300 L Street. Members of the Antioch Crime Prevention Commission will be in attendance, and make themselves available to answer questions with a focus on enhancing Neighborhood Watch programs for Antioch residents.

The “Coffee with the Cops” concept was developed as a pilot program by the Antioch Police Department in an effort to improve communication between the Police Department and the citizens they serve. These meetings will consist of a “one-on-one” type format with a member of the police command staff and members of the community. The format of these meetings has been designed to be informative.

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.

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 32nd installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program on Saturday March 3, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Volunteers should report to Eagleridge Park located at 4200 Eagleridge Dr. Volunteers will receive instructions and the equipment necessary to accomplish the goal. The targeted area is within walking distance. Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events will be scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

Remember, cleaning up your neighborhood can make life better for your family, your neighbors and your community! Collectively, “We”, everyone who works and lives in the City Antioch, can make a difference and improve the quality of life. It’s our community and it’s our chance to make a difference.

The City of Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup program is not just for residential neighborhoods. It is a program that will change venues on a monthly basis and it will include business and commercial areas as well. Neighborhoods that are free of trash and refuse are inviting, and a clean community instills a sense of community pride.

This is a collaborative community effort which involves active participation from United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods (UCBN), community volunteers, and the Antioch Police Department Crime Prevention Commission; Neighborhood Watch Program, Target Volunteers, Volunteers in Police Service, community volunteers and the Public Works Department.

Curves In Antioch collects a decent amount from our members (last year we collected 1380 lbs of food and $625 cash for Loaves & Fishes), but we could do more with the community’s help.

Curves In Antioch participates in the March food drive in 3 ways –

1) we collect both physical food and virtual food for the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano

a: Any one can bring non-perishable food to drop off at the club. The food bank can not accept donations that are past their expiration/sell-by date. We make the arrangements to get all of the donations to the food bank from the club.

b: Any one can contribute to the virtual drive by going to this link – www.bit.ly/curvesfooddrive
They don’t have to go to the store, they don’t have to stop by the club, they can do it all from the comfort of their home as they finish reading the paper. The added benefit is that the food bank purchases the food at their discounted rates, so the money goes further.

2) for those that like to keep their money really, really local, we also collect for Loaves & Fishes.
Loaves and Fishes gets food from the food bank, but they also need cash to fund their operations and to buy things that are not available from the food bank. Loaves and Fishes has kitchen facilities in Pittsburg. They bring hot meals from their to dining rooms in both Antioch and Oakley, as well as Pittsburg and Martinez. There is no charge for the meals and anyone that needs may attend.

To encourage people to donate, Curves In Antioch also waives our sign up fee for people joining in March if they give a generous donation (a FULL bag of groceries, $25-30 to Loaves & Fishes, etc).

Again – any help you can give us to get people aware and dropping food/cash off or making a virtual donation is greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, the need is as great as ever.