Up to 10 Separate Contracts May Be Awarded to Assist with Outreach

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), in partnership with the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), invites community-based, not-for-profit, non-governmental or faith-based organizations (“Organizations”) to submit a proposal to assist MTC in inviting members of the community to participate in the development of the 2013 Sustainable Communities Strategy/Regional Transportation Plan (SCS/RTP) for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Organizations in low-income communities and communities of color with a high probability for housing growth and development that could cause displacement of existing residents are particularly encouraged to submit a proposal. Selected Organizations will hold meetings or utilize other techniques to engage residents in their communities in 2011 and 2012 (subject to available budget in those years). Up to 10 separate contracts may be awarded.

Participants will be consulted on issues such as Bay Area growth, location of housing to accommodate future population growth, and the transportation network necessary to support the needs of all residents.

“These community meetings will provide a forum for new ideas and creative approaches to solutions for the challenges the Bay Area faces in coming years,” said MTC Chair Scott Haggerty. “We need to provide for a healthy and safe environment with equitable opportunities for all Bay Area residents as we accommodate projected population growth.”

To view the Request for Proposal (RFP) with additional background information, minimum qualifications, scope of work and selection timetable, go to http://www.mtc.ca.gov/jobs/contracts/SCS-RTP_CBO_Public_Involvement.pdf. Note that requests for clarification of or exceptions to RFP provisions must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Feb. 4, and all proposals are due on Feb. 16 by no later than 4 p.m. For further information, contact Pam Grove, project manager, at 510.817.5706 or pgrove@mtc.ca.gov.

MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. ABAG is the regional planning agency for the nine counties and 101 cities and towns of the San Francisco Bay region. For additional information about the region’s SCS/RTP strategy, go to www.onebayarea.org/ivs.htm. Sign up to receive future updates from OneBayArea at www.onebayarea.org/get_involved.htm.

“Anytime we can return money to the residents of District 5, that’s good,” said Supervisor Federal Glover. “Tax refunds can act as our own economic stimulus.”

A report presented Jan. 25 to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors said that communities like Pittsburg, could get an infusion of about $6 million in refunds.

To help people with their income tax forms, five Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites will be available for all East Contra Costa County residents in order to raise awareness for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 

Every year, California fails to claim over $1.2 billion EITC dollars which can contribute to increased economic activity and the creation of thousands of jobs.

There is also the I-CAN program which is a do-it-yourself software program that low-income taxpayers can use for free. 

A study titled Left on the Table in Contra Costa County, which was commissioned by the Family Economic Security Partnership and prepared by Dr. Antonio Avalos of the California State University in Fresno, estimated that Contra Costa County residents claimed more than $77 million in EITC payments in 2007.

However, the study also found that approximately 16,000 eligible Contra Costa County residents failed to claim close to $20 million in EITC refunds in 2007.

All of the information about the sites in Contra Costa County can be found at the website www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

The VITA locations are listed below:

Antioch

Antioch Senior Center

415 West Second St. (925) 778-1158 Open: 2/3 – 4/14 Thur: 9am-2:30pm By Appt., Walk-In Spanish

AARP

Opportunity Junction

3102 Delta Fair Blvd. (925) 776-1133 Open: 1/21 – 4/20 Jan., Feb. & April hours: Tues, Wed & Fri: 6pm March hours: Sat: 10 a.m. By Appt.

Spanish

East Bay Works Career Center -Antioch 4545 Delta Fair Blvd. (925) 706-4830 Open: 2/5 – 4/9 Sat: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. By Appt., Walk-In Tagalog

Brighter Beginnings Antioch

418 W. Fourth St. (925) 427-8516 Open: 2/5 – 4/9 Sat: 1 p.m.-6  p.m. By Appt., Walk-In Spanish

Bay Point

Bay Point Works

3105 Willow Pass Rd. #3 (925) 252-2332 Open: 2/3 – 4/12 Mon – Fri: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sat: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

By Appt. Spanish (Not ADA accessible)

Pittsburg

Pittsburg Senior Center 300 Presidio Ave. (925) 252-4890 Open: 2/8- 4/12 Tues: 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. By Appt., Walk-In AARP

Delta Diablo Sanitation District (DDSD) is proud to announce two operations staff have been honored as outstanding wastewater professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area by the California Water Environment Association. DDSD received awards for Operator of the Year, recognizing an individual with outstanding performance in the field of wastewater plant operations, and Supervisor of the Year, recognizing an individual who shows exemplary supervisory skills while performing their daily work.

Juan Arevalo, a member of the DDSD team since 2007, was presented with the 2010 Operator of the Year Award. He was specifically recognized for his role drafting new Standard Operating Procedures for training purposes ensuring consistency in the operation of the wastewater treatment plant; the lead role he took in DDSD’s internship program which provides real world experiences to complement the academic training received in the classroom; and, the complex work he undertook on the computerized Supervisory Control and Data System which had developed flaws leading to several false alarms.

Supervisor of the Year Award winner Joaquin Gonzalez has been with DDSD for 18 years, the last four in the role of Operations Supervisor. Responsible for scheduling and planning all work tasks and coordinating maintenance repairs by DDSD’s 15 Operations staff, Joaquin’s win reflects his collaborative leadership style of promoting team work before personal aspirations. Under his leadership, the Plant has recorded seven years of “zero violations” and has received several local, state and national awards such as “Plant of the Year” and “Safety Plant of the Year”.

Wastewater operators are entrusted with the job of protecting the environment with the upmost integrity, optimizing the treatment process so it runs efficiently, while ensuring discharge permit regulations are met – and formally reporting if they are not. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year, DDSD is located on the Pittsburg-Antioch border and serves nearly 200,000 residents in the communities of Antioch, Bay Point and Pittsburg. In addition to its 16.5 million gallon a day wastewater treatment plant, DDSD also operates one of the largest industrial recycled water plants in California

Arevalo and Gonzalez now compete against other regional winners for the California Water Environment Association’s State award in April.

Also First Saturday – Community Clean Up Day on February 5th

By Donna Wilson

Take Back Antioch (TBA) is holding its first “Quality of Community” meeting on Friday, February 4th at 7pm in the Antioch Police Department’s Community room located at 300 “L” Street.

We invite you to join us in this forum style community feedback meeting. Members of our leadership team will lead the meeting and discuss many of the topics that have already been addressed on our Facebook page.

Please join us in coming up with lasting solutions that will lead to positive change in our city!

To learn more about Take Back Antioch, you can visit the fan page on FB. As of this morning, there are 1,597 supporters. For those who are not FB fans you can also check out the main website at the www.TakeBackAntioch.com or just click on the ad on the left side of this page.

Take Back Antioch was created to promote SOLUTIONS to the growing problems of our community, and it cannot exist unless we support each other for the common goal(s). Please help be a part of the solution and help get involved.

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Don’t forget that there is also a community clean up – AKA First Saturday Clean Up – scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5th from 9-11 am at Meadow Creek Park on Vista Grande (behind Carmen Dragon Elementary School).

We have bags, gloves and supplies so just bring your friends, neighbors, family!

The Deer Valley High School Football program is holding a Crab Feed and Auction on February 12 at 6 pm at the Veterans Hall in downtown Antioch. The Deer Valley High School Football program is looking to raise money to offset budget cuts to the program.

Tickets are just $40 and include all you can eat crab, pasta, salad and bread.  Along with dinner, there will a live and silent auction, and various raffle items as well!  A good mix of sports memorabilia, celebrity collectibles and gracious donations from many of our local businesses!  Something for everyone!  There will also be some authentic Deer Valley Football items for purchase!.

Tickets are available by contacting Coach Rich Woods at Deer Valley High School (925) 756-6705

By Allen Payton, Publisher

A nice crowd enjoyed the songs of the grammy-award winning rock band, the Eagles, as the tribute band “Hotel California” performed at Antioch’s historic El Campanil Theatre, in downtown Rivertown, last Friday night, January 21, 2011.

The band played the Eagles’ chart-topping songs including Desperado, Take It Easy, Tequila Sunrise, Already Gone, One of These Nights, Lyin’ Eyes, Life In The Fast Lane and Take It To The Limit, among others during the two-and-a-half hour show.

The band members hit all the high notes and played all the familiar guitar rifts, and drum beats, pleasing the original band’s fans in attendance. They finished their final set with the song for which they’re named, “Hotel California,” before returning to the stage with a three-song encore.

The El Campanil Theatre hosts concerts, comedy shows, classic movies, symphony, ballet, live theater as well as presentations by local groups, throughout the year. To learn more or purchase tickets for upcoming events, visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call (925) 757-9500 or simply click on their ad at the top of our home page.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

The new, grass-roots organization, known as “Take Back Antioch” formed under the leadership of Antioch resident Brittney Gougeon is now seeking formal, non-profit status and needs your help.

They’re raising $850 to pay the registration costs.  According to a post on Facebook, today, they raised 13% of that in just one evening, for a total of $119.

To learn more about the group visit their website at www.TakeBackAntioch.com. If you’d like to contribute to the effort, simply click on the “Chip In” button in the “Non-Profit Status (501c3)” box on the lower right side of the page.

In addition, supporters can purchase “Take Back Antioch” shirts in either black or red, by clicking on the “Store” button at the top of the page.

For more information, contact Gougeon at info@takebackantioch.com.

Sister City Relationship Efforts Continue

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Antioch Mayor Jim Davis and members of the Antioch Rotary Club were invited by Chinese Consul General Gao Zhansheng to join him at a reception in San Francisco, celebrating the Chinese New Year, last Wednesday evening, January 19, 2011. It was the same night Chinese President Hu Jintao was the guest of honor at a state dinner with President Obama in Washington, D.C.

Davis and Rotary President Darien Croce, Past President Allen Payton and members Gloria Martin, James Shen and Zhou Ming enjoyed seeing General Gao and meeting his wife. They were then treated to a Chinese buffet dinner, following speeches by Gao and other dignitaries, including Davis, State Senator Leland Yee and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

This was the second time the group met with Gao. He was a guest speaker, last year, at a lunch meeting of the Antioch Rotary Club, arranged by Shen and Zhou. During the lunch, Davis and Gao discussed establishing a Sister City relationship.

Thanks to the efforts of Shen and Ming, a city near Shanghai, China has expressed interest in becoming a Sister City with Antioch. The Antioch City Council is expected to discuss sending a letter of interest during one of their meetings in February.