The City Council’s next Quality Of Life Forum is set for this Saturday, February 26 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at Deer Valley High School, located at 4700 Lone Tree Way, Antioch.

For a copy of the agenda, which includes presentations and discussions on the city budget, volunteerism, future priorities and by the school district, please click on http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/agendas/CityCouncil/2011/agendas/022611/022611.pdf.

Lone Tree Golf and Event Center invites you to join us Friday February 25 from 6-10pm at a Wine Tasting Fundraiser for The First Tee.  Appetizers will be prepared by our chef Jonathan Hork. Wine will be provided by Hanna Nicole Vineyards, Watts Winery and Brentwood Spices and Olive Oil. Silent Auction Items include hotel stays, rounds of golf, 49ers memorabilia, dinners at restaurants. There will be special pricing on cases of wine bought at the event

Tickets are available in the pro shop for $45 per person. A large portion of all proceeds will benefit the First Tee foundation.

On Thursday, February 17^th members of the Antioch Police Department along with a Special Olympics Athlete and her mother, volunteered as Celebrity Waiters at Chili’s located at 5809 Lone Tree Way, Antioch.

General Manager Sherie Farwell, Managers Rachael Harding and Jeff Henley and the remainder of the hard working Chili’s staff are deserving of praise for their welcoming spirit and patience in working with the Celebrity Waiters. 

The Chili’s Special Olympics Tip-A-Cop event was a huge success.  As a result of the tremendous community support and gracious donations from many community members, City employees and dignitaries who donated to this worthwhile cause, the fundraising efforts raised $1,686.00.

The outpouring of support during these difficult economic times is a testament to the caring and nurturing nature of our community. The amount of money donated this year exceeded our totals from last year and also exceeded the totals of eight other agencies who participated in Chili’s Tip-A-Cop events in their respective cities. Everyone should be proud of what was accomplished!

The gracious donations are appreciated.  The money we help raise will assist individuals with developmental disabilities reach their fullest potential.  Just know that the charitable donations received will help shape and enrich the lives of the Special Olympic Athletes. The Antioch Police Department thanks you and so do the Special Olympic Athletes!

The March 5th cleanup will target the Jacobsen Park area.

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 22nd installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program. 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, and the Public Works Department.

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.

The 22nd Neighborhood Cleanup event will occur on Saturday, March 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Volunteers should report  to the Jacobsen Park located at 1600 Jacobsen Street. Curb side parking should be plentiful. 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 are 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!

Antioch High Graduate will Sign Autographs for Fans

Meet 2006 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Champion, 2nd Baseman and 1995 Antioch High School graduate Aaron Miles, who will be here to talk, answer questions and autograph photos, this Saturday, February 12, at 1:00 p.m.

The event will take place at the Antioch Historical Society Museum, 1500 W. 4th St., Antioch.

For more information on the Antioch Sports Legends Foundation or Miles, visit www.antiochsportslegends.com/aaron-miles. To see a video on his Major League Baseball career, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l26LpCS9J3E&feature=related

One team of volunteers, led by Councilman Gary Agopian (center, in shorts) pick up trash just off Canada Valley Road in Southeast Antioch.

Gun Safe Found Containing Personal Documents, Police Called to the Scene

By Allen Payton, Publisher

About 100 residents, including council members and police commissioners, picked up trash in the neighborhoods and along the streets near Meadow Creek Estates in Southeast Antioch, this morning, February 5, during the monthly Community Clean Up.

Chief Cantando & Dennis Jeglum welcome and provide instructions to the volunteers.

Acting Chief Allan Cantando and Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commissioner Dennis Jeglum thanked those who showed up and gave instructions, as the volunteers divided up in teams to take on various sections of the neighborhood.

One team of volunteers that participated was from the local Target store. Others were some of the people who attended last night’s Take Back Antioch meeting.

Hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of trash was gathered, including a tire, broken flat screen television. The largest find was a gun safe containing personal documents including birth certificates, a marriage license and a receipt for a diamond purchase. After police were called and on their way to the location, two members of the Volunteers In Public Safety remained with the safe and told everyone not to touch anything because “it’s evidence, now.”

The next planned Community Clean Up is scheduled for Saturday, March 12.

Gun safe found with personal documents during Community Clean Up.

A bag of trash and a Christmas tree someone dumped on the side of the road.

Two young volunteers gladly show the tire they found.

Some of the trash found and picked up by the volunteers.

An estimated 150 people attended the first meeting of Take Back Antioch.

Get Involved, Make a Difference, Call the Police Residents Urged

By Allen Payton, Publisher

A standing-room only crowd of about 150 concerned residents and business owners attended the first “Quality of Community” meeting organized by the new group, Take Back Antioch, on Friday night, February 4 to hear what they can do to help stop the crime problems in our community.

Take Back Antioch Founder Brittney Gougeon.

The group’s founder, 23-year-old Brittney Gougeon, was joined by Mayor Jim Davis and Acting Police Chief Allan Cantando in welcoming those who attended.

“It brings tears to my eyes to see so many people come out, tonight,” Davis said. “I’m sure you can find something else to do on a Friday night.”

What was stressed continuously throughout the meeting was for residents to call the police when they suspect a crime is occurring or something looks suspicious.

Mayor Davis welcomes those in attendance at the Take Back Antioch meeting, as Acting Chief Allan Cantando awaits his turn to speak.

Gougeon outlined existing ways in which residents can get involved, including VIPS – Volunteers In Police Service, G.A.P. – Graffiti Abatement Program, Neighborhood Watch and the community clean-ups.

Dennis Jeglum of the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission provided information on starting a Neighborhood Watch program and encouraged citizens to call the police and report suspicious activities.

“You are the eyes and ears for our police department,” he said. “Will they come every time you call? Absolutely. But right away? Not necessarily. It depends on if the crime is in progress. They’ll respond to that first.”

If it’s not an emergency, he encouraged residents to call the police department’s Non-Emergency number, 778-2441.  It was later suggested that everyone put the number on speed dial in their cell phones.

Jeglum, a retired police officer, then defined what an emergency is. “Life threatening or a crime in progress,” he said.

Then he shared why sometimes a crime or suspicious activity doesn’t get reported. “People will say ‘I didn’t call because I thought he was gonna call’ or ‘I didn’t think it was important,'” Jeglum said.

“We have about one percent of our community who doesn’t want to be a part of it,” he added.

Jeglum then gave one simple way to improve neighborhood safety. “Make it easier for the police to see your address. Turn you porch light on when the sun goes down and off when the sun comes up. It costs you less than a latte a month.”

For those interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch, they were told to call 779-6980 and leave a message. “[Commissioner] Hans Ho will call you back,” Jeglum added.

He also encouraged everyone to attend a commission meeting, usually held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the police department’s Community Room. However, the next one will be held Wednesday, February 23.

Cantando said he wants volunteers, “as we have a diminished budget.”

“This is the largest turnout I’ve ever seen. It makes my heart warm,” he added.

He spoke of the need to reduce “Part 1 Crimes” in our city. “We had a spike in homicides [last  year]. But violent crimes were down. What were up were burglaries. (They were up almost 32% according to the city’s website, see http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/Police/crime-maps/crime-maps.htm)

“People think they’re bothering us by calling in or they’re embarrassed if what they observed doesn’t turn out to be a crime,” Cantando shared. “We would rather you call in and let us prioritize them. We want you to call us.”

Gougeon then shared some details on the city’s G.A.P. to clean up or paint over graffiti in Antioch.

Residents were encouraged to call the city’s Public Works Department at 779-6950 to report graffiti and within 24 to 48 hours the G.A.P. team will remove or paint over it. She also asked for volunteers to give two to 1o hours per week to help.

Photos from the group’s website were shown of recent graffiti, some of which had already been cleaned up, including a 300-foot long section of fence on Empire Mine Road, near Golf Course Road, that had been spray painted.

She shared a bit about the VIPS program, which assists the police department in handling abandoned auto abatement, handicapped parking enforcment, illegal sign abatement and traffic control. Volunteers are asked to give four hours a week to the program.

Then Gougeon shared a few new ideas, including establishing volunteers to bring back Code Enforcement and to combat blight, and to have a “Community Watch” mentality. She cited the fact that the city of Garden Grove, California has a volunteer code enforcement team. Currently Antioch has no staff in Code Enforcement/Neighborhood Improvement Services.

If residents see things dumped they were urged to call the city’s garbage collection company, Allied Waste at 1-800-NO-DUMPING (663-8674).

And if residents smell something suspicious, they’re encouraged to call Air Quality Control at 1-800-334-6367.

She announced that the necessary funds to pay to formalize the group as a 501c3 non-profit organization, had been raised in a matter of two weeks.  Gougeon shared the reasons why:  “It formalizes our goals, establishes formal structure, allows for securing grants and accepting tax deductible donations.”

She encouraged everyone to attend the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. at City  Hall.

Gougeon introduces the other Take Back Antioch leaders.

She then introduced the group of residents who helped get the organization started. Four of them then formed a panel for a question and answer time, which proved to be lively and caused some debate among those in attendance.

The primary matters of discussion were forming Neighborhood Watch programs and G.A.P.

Suggestions offered were: invite your neighbors to your home for a meeting, including those who are problem neighbors; have your meeting in your driveway; come out of your homes and walk your neighborhood; place a “Pay or Put” situation on a home owner with problem tenants; personally give your flyers announcing the meeting, to you neighbors; meet your neighbors, especially new ones moving in. Say “Hi,  my name is…We have a Neighborhood Watch. Would you like to join us?”; wave to your (problem) neighbors, kill them with kindness, make them feel uncomfortable, was another suggestion; participate in National Night Out in August.

Some individuals offered one woman, who was afraid, help distributing flyers to form a Neighborhood Watch. “We’ll walk door-to-door with you,” one said.

When the panel was asked  by another attendee “what are your long term goals,” Gougeon responded, “creating the kind of community we all want to live in.”

When asked “what are the consequences of tagging, are there talks in schools?” Cantando responded that he wants to get some ordinances passed by the city council to help address graffiti.

One woman, a local hair salon owner, said to a round of applause, “Make the kids and hold their parents accountable and make them paint over the graffiti.”

“Get a van, pile them up on Saturday and Sunday. They’re not going to church, anyway,” she added to laughter from the audience.

Gougeon also shared “we’re considering funding other things” with funds raised by the new non-profit.

She mentioned the police cars with eight-to-nine year old equipment. “Our police cars don’t have Google Earth to track our cars,” she stated. “It costs $10,000 per car.”

She also mentioned a security camera system that covers a wall and provides deterrence in areas where there is heavy graffiti.

Bari Costello shared what she and her neighbors have been doing through the Rivertown Preservation Society, in cleaning up painting the graffiti in the city’s historical downtown area. She invited people to attend their meetings the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 509 G Street, Antioch.

A video tape of the meeting was made by Bob Butler and will soon be available on the group’s website at www.TakeBackAntioch.com. For more information or to get involved, visit their website, click on their ad on the left side of this page or email info@takebackantioch.com.