Paradise Skate owner Jeff Warrenburg receives is presented with his plaque by Past Chairman of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Rich McDaniel.

By the Antioch Chamber of Commerce

At the Antioch Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Gala, on Friday night April 22, the winners of Small and Large Business of the Year were announced.

Paradise Skate, owned by Jeff Warrenburg was chosen Antioch’s 2010 Small Business of the Year. Also nominated were Fast Signs and Dow Great Western Credit Union.

For the past four years that Jeff Warrenburg has owned Paradise Skate, it has changed the way families in East County enjoy their leisure time. Paradise Skate provides an affordable option for family fun. Jeff has made it his mission to help as many local groups as possible. He believes that businesses should contribute to the community in many ways. 

Paradise Skate Roller Rink is open to the public, providing local schools and youth groups the ability to enjoy a fun, safe entertainment while raising money for their various organizations. Jeff also understands there are families who are less fortunate and need a helping hand. Once a month, Jeff opens Paradise Skate to groups of adults and children with disabilities to an afternoon of fun, free of charge.

In 2010, Paradise Skate became the first official permanent home to the C.A.P.S Organization Annual Christmas Party. This event allows hundreds of handicapped families the opportunity to have Christmas Dinner and visits with Santa Claus – including special gifts for everyone! Paradise Skate also contributed substantial donations to over 14 Antioch schools. Paradise Skate is a proud sponsor of numerous local sports teams, including Antioch soccer, baseball, baseball and basketball teams, to name a few. In addition, Jeff offers the use of Paradise Skate to the local Charter School for P.E. classes when the weather prevents the children from holding class outside, as well as other special events.

Jeff Warrenburg holds a copy of the front cover the first print edition of the Antioch Herald in which the article of his achievement appears, on the night of the Chamber Gala where it was announced.

Paradise Skate has always been an active member of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and the Delta Rotary. Jeff believes in giving back to his community, and in 2010, his ownership of Paradise Skate allowed him to impact the lives of hundreds of children, organizations and businesses in Antioch.

To quote Jeff, “Paradise Skate takes on a fresh air of excitement and down right fun. We are committed to providing a safe, clean environment, staffed by friendly folks. Paradise Skate is a fun place where a family can enjoy great times together.”

Congratulations, Jeff!

Publisher Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Jennifer Victor and Eric Maldonado (right) of Travis Credit Union's Antioch branch are honored by Antioch Chamber's Past Chairman Rich McDaniel.

By Antioch Chamber of Commerce

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce chose Travis Credit Union as Antioch’s 2010 Large/Corporate Business of the Year and announced the award at their annual Gala, tonight, Friday, April 22, 2011 in front of a crowd of 200 guests at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center. Also nominated was Sutter Delta Medical Center.

Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution serving those who live or work in Solano, Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma, Colusa, and Merced Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 13th largest credit union in California, with more than 175,000 members and more than $1.8 billion in assets. As one of the leading financial institutions in Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Napa, and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members; its solid, secure history; and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.

Travis Credit Union opened its Antioch location more than six years ago at the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center and are involved in many civic organizations in Antioch. Travis Credit Union has supported the Antioch Chamber of Commerce through participation and sponsorship of the Great Race of Antioch, Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Gala, Economic Summit and the Golf Tournament Fundraiser.  Demonstrating our commitment to the community, Jennifer Victor, branch manager of the Slatten Ranch branch serves as an ambassador of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and is a Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Antioch.  In addition, Travis Credit Union supported the community through the involvement of Helen Raoufian, assistant vice president and regional manager of the Contra Costa region who has served as president of the Antioch Schools Education Foundation and Eric Maldonado, community involvement officer who has also served on the Antioch Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee.

Travis Credit Union supports the Antioch Community through sponsorship but most importantly through personal involvement. We are Travis Credit Union, the financial institution who demonstrates the credit union principle of “People Helping People”.

Photo by Allen Payton

A free, community kids Easter Egg Hunt will be held tomorrow, Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Williamson Ranch Park, located at the corner of Lone Tree Way and Hillcrest Avenue, across from Walmart in Antioch.

The hunt is for children ages 3 to 1o only and they must be accompanied by an adult.

To enter the drawing to win a giant Easter basket filled with goodies, bring two cans of food to donate

Presented by the Salvation Army of the Delta. For more information call 778-0808.

41st Anniversary of Earth Day  / 2nd Annual
“Keep Antioch Beautiful Day”

Citywide Clean Up!

April 23, 2011 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

To celebrate Earth Day, this year, volunteers are need to help “Keep Antioch Beautiful”, tomorrow on Saturday, April 23.

You can meet up with your organization or other volunteers at a variety of locations, including: Almond Ridge Park, Antioch City Hall, Antioch High School, Bidwell Elementary, Belshaw Elementary, Carmen Dragon Elementary, Dallas Ranch Middle School, Diablo Vista Elementary, Hillcrest Park, Jack London Elementary, John Muir Elementary, Mission Elementary, Park Middle School, Red Caboose Restaurant.

This is your opportunity to join with family, friends and other community volunteers to make a difference in your hometown! Allied Waste has donated dumpsters, which will be located at various schools throughout the city. Each location will be the distribution point for you to receive instructions, pick-up clean-up supplies (gloves, plastic bags, etc.) To register, please complete the form below and visit this website often for the latest up-to-date information click here or call 779-6137.

SPONSORS: City of Antioch, Antioch Unified School District, Allied Waste, Honeywell, Walmart, Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, Genon, East Bay Regional Parks, Pinky’s Klassy Kar Wash, Paintball Park, Paradise Skate, Dick Straub, Safeway, East County Military Families & Friends, Target, Staples, Fast Signs, Jim Lanter Antioch State Farm Insurance Agent, Antioch Coin & Jewelry Give Always to Others & Company (GATO), Delta Bowl, Central Self Storage of Antioch

Participating Organizations: AHS & DVHS Key Club, Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission, Antioch Rotary, Boys Scouts Troops of Antioch, Kiwanis of the Delta, East County Military Families & Friends, Rivertown Preservation Society, Rotary Club of the Delta, Take Back Antioch, Target Employees, UCBN

When Michael Pritchard started the sound effects of explosions and crashes that accompany video games he had the youthful audience’s full attention. When he started talking about bullying and intolerance, the comedian had them in the palm of his hands.

When a young man began talking about the difficulties of his life and how he began to act out as a reflection of those troubles, the gym full of youth was silent.

Between the bouts of laughter, Pritchard had a message that pierced the wall of teenage cool and indifference and touched the hearts of over 750 people in attendance at the 9th annual countywide Youth Summit at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg on April 16.

“He was the perfect choice for a keynote,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, who sponsors the event.

Pritchard kicked off the daylong event of workshops, booths and entertainment. After the comedian’s presentation, the youth were able to ask questions of the city, school and county officials. The topics ranged from more diversity in the teaching workforce to the ways law enforcement treated youth.

The 18 wide-ranging workshops covered topics from avoiding gangs, starting a business to being a good friend and how to find a job.

“Kids were able to see the Sheriff’s helicopter and some firefighting equipment up close,” said coordinator Paul Adler, a member of Glover’s staff.

“It says a lot about the summit that the youth – on a Saturday — got up early in time for the 9 a.m. start and stayed the whole day,” said Adler.

“This was the largest turnout we ever had,” said Glover. “Word of mouth among the youth and their use of social media is helping us get the word out.”

An hour-long documentary on the 2010 Gang Summit will air on Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 30 at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on CCTV. The day-long summit was taped by Give Always To Others (GATO), an East County-based nonprofit headed by Carmen Ochoa, that also produces another television
show aired on local public TV and focuses on issues affecting East County.

“It was a great event,” said Glover. “There was some uncertainty what the summit would be about. Some thought we were glamorizing the gang lifestyle. Others thought it was only for gang members. This show will give the general pubic a chance to see what went on at the summit where we emphasized the alternate choices young people have besides gangs.

“Going against peer pressure is very difficult for young people. It was important that we showed that there were safe and legal ways to express yourself, prevent bullying, stay away from drugs and earn money through jobs.”

CCTV is Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-verse channel 99.

You’re Invited To A Very Special Event – “Overcoming Adversity: Surviving and Thriving” with Congresswoman Jackie Speier. Sponsored by the Delta Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors, the event is from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday April 27 at 3428 Hillcrest Avenue, Suite 200, in Antioch.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Jackie Speier speak right here in our community! The Congresswoman will talk about her personal story, Women in Leadership and Current Events, followed by a Q and A session.

Cost: FREE. Please RSVP to: Maria Bruno, mbruno@ft.newyorklife.com, or call 925.457.3211

Seating is Limited! Doors Close at 2:00 pm. No admittance after doors close.

For Partnership and Advertising opportunities contact: Kathaleen Baisch, 925.290.0037 Direct, 253.250.5803 Cell, kb411realestate@gmail.com

Antioch to Once Again Have a Free, Direct-Mail, City-Wide Newspaper

By Allen Payton, Publisher

I’m happy to officially announce that the Antioch Herald will be printed and mailed to 26,000 homes and businesses in Antioch, beginning May 1st, 2011.

We appreciate the opportunity presented by the Monthly Grapevine, to insert a print version of our news site, into their East County/Antioch edition, which publishes on the 1st of each month, reaching 26,000 homes and businesses by mail – for FREE!

It has allowed us to reduce our postage costs and pass those savings onto our advertisers, reducing ad rates by 40% and more, making it more affordable for local businesses to reach their market with their message, each month.

We have some of the same team members who published the original Antioch Press, before I sold it in 2005, back together working to make both the Antioch Herald print and online versions, a reality, including Editor Dave Roberts and soon writer Teresa Klein and graphic artist Linda Baker. Plus, we’ve added some new team members, Webmaster and graphic artist Emily Bernardi, writers Harry Stoll and Tami Barrera, and advertising sales reps Dave Godfrey and Sharon Ouka.

We go to print on Tuesday night, April 19, so there’s still time to get your ad in our first issue. It includes a free ad on our website. Please email sales@antiochherald.com by Monday or call me at (925) 457-5324 and we’ll make it happen for you.

Since this is a free paper to the readers, it’s because of our advertisers that we’re able to publish our paper and news site. We thank them for that. So please be sure to support those advertisers and let them know you saw their ad in the Herald.

We look forward and are committed to bringing you the news and information about Antioch, you might not read elsewhere – about our people, politicians, police, pastors & priests, places, events and activities, while we help promote our businesses and grow our local economy, once again. Our desire is to help fulfill our City’s Vision to make Antioch a better place to live, learn, work, worship and play in a safe and stimulating environment.

The Herald is The People’s Paper – your paper. So if you have something you think is interesting and/or important that you want covered, either write it up and submit it to us, with a photo or two, or let us know by contacting Dave Roberts at editor@antiochherald.com. We’ll do our best to get it, at least on our website – which we’ll update regularly, and/or in the newspaper.

For those who want to advertise, we also represent the Monthly Grapevine in Antioch. So if you’d like an ad in that publication, please let us know. To learn more about them, please click on their ad, on the upper right side of this page. We thank Jim and Karen Spann for this new business relationship that we hope and expect will be beneficial for both our businesses and all those who advertise with us.

Please be sure to look for the Antioch Herald inside the Monthly Grapevine, each month, beginning on May 1st.