Join the City of Antioch in celebrating Independence Day on Tuesday, July 4th in our historic, downtown Rivertown from 4-10 p.m.
Celebration Site
The main celebration will take place in Waldie Plaza and the parking lot of City Hall, encompassing W. 2nd to W. 3rd Streets and G to I Streets. There are many things to do and enjoy within the celebration site including a live entertainment stage, local vendors, food trucks, Kids Zone, DJ stage and much more.
Source: City of Antioch
Local Restaurants
The Rivertown Dining District has 14 establishments to enjoy a variety of dining experiences including Smith’s Landing Seafood Grille, Monica’s Riverview, Rick’s on Second, Chrome Coffee, Solid Rock Café/Q’s Cajun Kitchen, Guadalajara Taqueria, Canton City, Tony’s Beer Garden, Tease Southern Kitchen, TnT Smoothie & Juice Bar, La Plazuela, Taco Tone, plus, the newest additions, Buford’s BBQ and Four Legs Brewing at Monica’s.
Parade
The parade begins at4:00 p.m. Bring your own chairs and set up along W. 2nd and W. 3rd Streets before 4:00 pm to watch our annual Independence Day Parade pass by. Visit Waldie Plaza to experience live entertainment and enjoy local food vendors and trucks. Have an exciting time with friends and family in the Kids Zone located at City Hall.
Source: City of Antioch
Parade Route
The parade will begin at the intersection of W. 2nd and E Streets next to the old lumber company lot at 4:00 PM. The Judges’ Station will be located at the center of Waldie Plaza. A second parade performance stop will be on W. 3rd Street next to City Hall. We will finish the parade on W. 3rdStreet at the corner of D Street.
Enjoy live entertainment on the stage in Waldie Plaza.
Tony Lindsay – In 1980, RnB Jazz-Soul vocalist Tony Lindsay arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area from Kingston, New York and after 25 years as the lead vocalist for Santana, Lindsay has garnered 11 Grammy awards, traveled on several world tours and recorded on seven CDs.
Foreverland – The Electrifying Tribute to Michael Jackson – A fan favorite from last year’s July 4th Celebration, since 2009, Foreverland has been mesmerizing audiences around the country with their larger-than-life tribute to the one and only Michael Jackson. Featuring three dynamic vocalists, a powerhouse rhythm section, and the hardest working horn section in the biz, Foreverland recreates hits from the Jackson 5 era through the end of Michael’s incredible career in a way that honors the King of Pop’s musical genius and legendary showmanship like no other tribute band has ever done.
Fireworks Show
Be sure to pick your spot to see the big fireworks show on the river which will begin after dusk (usually about 9:30 pm).
Schedule*
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Parade
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM Kids Zone
5:00 PM – 5:15 PM That Math Magician
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Live Entertainment | Tony Lindsay
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Kids Zone Stage | DJ Melly Mel
7:00 PM Announcements of Parade Winners
7:15 PM – 9:15 PM Live Entertainment | Foreverland
The 8th Annual Mark Lucio Car Show at Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church will be held this Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 1313 A Street in Antioch.
Registration starts at 7:00 a.m., show is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Enjoy entertainment, food and vending booths. We will also have some drivers from the Antioch Speedway bring their cars to the show
For those interested in being a vendor please let us know by calling 925-529-7943 and ask for Vince.
Barbanica says he and Torres-Walker can’t attend open session, Ogorchock can’t attend either, Ebbs says he will confirm; two say they weren’t consulted on meeting time, don’t know who is being considered for appointment
By Allen D. Payton
Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe has called a special meeting for this Friday morning, June 23, 2023 for the council to appoint another acting city manager and discuss, hear public comments and give staff direction on 18 agenda items requested by council members. But three of the council members can’t attend one or both sessions. According to District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica, he and Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker will attend the closed session on the acting city manager appointment but not the open session to discuss the 18 items. District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock is out of town Thursday and Friday at a League of Cities conference as Antioch’s representative and can’t attend either session of Friday’s special meeting. (See agenda)
The meeting will begin at 10 AM with a closed session for the council to appoint an acting city manager to replace current Acting City Manager and Community Development Director Forrest Ebbs who announced, last week, his departure for a position as a Deputy City Manager in Modesto. He said his last day will be July 14. (See related article).
Then at 10:30 AM on Friday, during the open session, the council will discuss the following items, none of which have any details, including which council member requested the item, nor a staff report included. That’s in direct opposition to District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson’s complaint about having agenda items without staff reports during the last special council meeting on Tuesday, June 6. That meeting was called by her three council colleagues for which Mayor Lamar Thorpe was absent. (See related article)
Agenda Items for Special Meeting June 23, 2023
They are all listed as discussion item and the recommended action for each is for “the City Council discuss, receive public comments, and provide direction to staff.”
1. UPDATE ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUNDING
2. CONSIDERATION OF LIGHTING THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON JAMES DONLON BOULEVARD
3. UPDATE ON PARK PERMITTING FEES
4. CONSIDERATION OF A FREE COMMUNITY EVENT AT PREWETT WATER PARK SPONSORED BY THE ANTIOCH POLICE DEPARTMENT
5. UPDATE ON CAMERA INSTALLATION ON CITY STREETS
6. DISCUSSION ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF A PRESENTATION BY WHITE PONY EXPRESS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION (FOOD RESCUE AND GENERAL STORE)
7. HIGHWAY 4 AND L STREET GRAFFITI ABATEMENT AND CALTRANS COORDINATION
8. POLICE CHIEF ATTENDANCE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
9. ANTIOCH POLICE DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT OF OWN FLEET PURCHASING
10. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER (EOC) UPGRADE AND UPDATE
11. CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES FOR THE DELTA FAIR BOULEVARD AREA
12. MORATORIUM ON NEW GAS STATIONS
13. JUST CAUSE EVICTION AND ANTI-TENANT HARRASSMENT ORDINANCE
14. MORATORIUM ON RENT INCREASES AND EVICTIONS
15. PRESENTATION ON CURRENT REPARATION EFFORTS
16. HUMAN RIGHTS AND RACIAL EQUITY COMMISSION
17. REVIEW OF THE CURRENT RENTAL INSPECTION ORDINANCE
18. IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY (WI-FI, INTERNET) FOR NEIGHBORHOODS HARDEST IMPACTED DURING THE PANDEMIC
Questions for Thorpe and Councilmembers
The following questions were sent via email Wednesday night to Thorpe and the other four councilmembers: “Why are you holding another special meeting at a time when most people cannot either attend or watch and give input because they’re at work, this time on a Friday morning?
Are the three of you council members – who called for the last special meeting on setting agendas – willing to refuse to attend and demand the special meeting be held when more members of the public can attend and offer input during public comment on each of the items?
Is this how you think the council meetings should be conducted? Do you not want public input before deciding on appointing another acting city manager and giving direction to city staff on the 18 items you all have requested be placed on the agenda?
Why isn’t there a list of the names of the proposed candidates for the acting city manager appointment included in the agenda so members of the public can offer an educated opinion on who they want you to appoint? Who are you considering? Will it be a current staff member or a retired, professional, former city manager as is done for acting and interim city manager appointments in other cities?”
Three Members Can’t Attend Open Session
“I was never even asked about the time, other than I had to call the city manager, yesterday to find out if we were having a special meeting and if so, when it would be. He told me, ‘yes, it was scheduled for Friday morning at 10 AM’,” District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica responded. “I also spoke to the city attorney, earlier in the week asking if a special meeting was going to be held. But it hadn’t yet been scheduled.”
“I just spoke to Tamisha and she wasn’t consulted either about the time for the special meeting,” he continued. “Nor were we given a list of potential candidates for the acting city manager appointment. Neither of us will be attending after the closed session.”
“I advised the city manager that I will be leaving after the closed session due to work commitments,” Barbanica added later.
Ogorchock responded Thursday morning with, “The mayor can call his special meetings when he chooses to do so. With that being said I would hope that he would reach out to all council members to see how the time would fit into their schedules. I could have attended a 5:00 p.m. meeting as I will have returned from my policy committee meeting for the League of California Cities.”
“Since we are reviewing the 6-month list and some of the items were requested by me, I feel it is inappropriate to hold a special meeting when one of the council members cannot attend, especially if there will be another appointment of an acting city manager,” she continued. “All council members should have input on who they would want to see hold this position as we did when Director Ebb’s was given the title and responsibilities of Acting City Manager. This item could and should have been put on Tuesday’s agenda, that is only a couple of days to hold off on this item this is not an urgency item.”
Asked again if she had been provided with a list of potential candidates for the acting city manager appointment, either Ogorchock responded, “I’ve not been told anything. I have no idea who is being considered nor do I know who is wanting the additional responsibility of being the next acting city manager. I had no idea this was going to be on the special meeting agenda.”
Ebbs: Acting Manager Appointment Different Than Permanent Hire
Asked why a list of potential candidates for the acting city manager appointment wasn’t provided to the public or all council members, Ebbs said, “It’s considered a personnel interview. A candidate list won’t be provided to the public.”
“The entirety of the issue is discussed in closed session,” he continued. “When you appoint a permanent city manager, cities have a public process. But an acting city manager appointment is under different rules. They can always continue it.”
Ebbs also said he would be confirming with the council members who will and won’t be in attendance.
UPDATE: Ebbs later said he informed the council last week that he will end his time as acting city manager on Friday at 5:00 p.m. as he will be on a vacation over the next two weeks that has been planned since January, but he’ll remain as Community Development Director until July 14.
The meeting begins at 10:00 AM in the Council Chambers at City Hall at 200 H Street in historic, downtown Rivertown, before the council members adjourn into Closed Session. They will return to the chambers for the City Attorney Thomas L. Smith to report out any action they’ve taken including the name of the person they’ve appointed acting city manager, should that occur. The meeting can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website and on Comcast Cable Channel 24 and AT&T U-verse channel 99.
By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District
Each summer, the East Bay Regional Park District welcomes visitors to Regional Parks to spend time exploring nature and connect with family and friends. Whether it is a sunshine-filled hike, family picnic, or group barbecue, Regional Parks offer a place for healthy and safe recreation while also protecting open space and natural habitat for wildlife.
Popular summertime activities in Regional Parks include swimming, picnicking, barbecuing, fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, movie nights, day camps, adventure camps, and naturalist-led programs. Whatever your activity this summer, make sure you enjoy your time in East Bay Regional Parks responsibly and safely. (See maps: PDF or interactive)
Summer tips for visitors:
Stay Cool and Hydrated – Plan ahead and bring plenty of water.
Beat the Heat – On hot days, visit in the morning and early evening when it is cooler.
Drink Safely – Alcohol is only allowed at certain Regional Parks.
Follow Water Safety Rules When Swimming – Free loaner life jackets are available at all life-guarded Park District swim facilities as an extra safeguard for anyone concerned about their swimming abilities or those of their children.
Follow All Fire Safety Rules – Be aware of fire danger warnings and fire safety rules.
The Park District is celebrating Juneteenth with a Free Park Day on Sunday, June 18, in recognition of the date when enslaved Black Americans in Texas were notified of their freedom, albeit 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Please note that due to most District programming taking place on weekends, the Free Park Day will take place on Sunday, June 18, 2023. The District is committed to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and making our parks and agency more welcoming and reflective of the communities we serve.
Fees waived for Juneteenth include park entrance, parking, dogs, horses, boat launching, and fishing. However, the fee waiver does not apply to swimming, camping, reservable picnic facilities (due to capacity limits), District concessions, state fees for fishing licenses, and watercraft inspections for invasive mussels.
The Park District is also celebrating Juneteenth with several naturalist-led programs, including a hike at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont on Sunday, June 18, 2023, at 10 a.m. and nature walks at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in Concord on Monday, June 19, 2023, at 10 a.m. and at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley on Monday, June 19, 2023, at 8 a.m. For more information, visit www.ebparks.org/Juneteenth.
Enjoy Father’s Day in Regional Parks with themed activities at Crown Beach in Alameda and Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore.
Father’s Day will be celebrated at Crown Beach with a day-long celebration on Sunday, June 18 from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring family, food, and friends to the beach, then visit the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove for crafts and activities to celebrate Father’s Day. Meet a snake, make a craft for Dad, and enjoy some fun in the sun!
At Del Valle, Father’s Day will be celebrated with a hike on June 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Celebrate Dad by spending time in nature on a two-mile hike in the hills as you learn about nature’s fantastic fathers! The whole family is invited. Some of the hike will be on paved paths and there is a short hill. Meet at the Del Valle Visitor Center.
For more information about the Park District’s Father’s Day activities, visit www.ebparks.org/calendar and search “Father’s Day.”
Join the Park District at one of its naturalist-led campfire programs filled with songs, games, photos, stories, activities and more. Gather the family for an evening of fun and exploration of nature, plus s’mores of course! June campfire programs are scheduled at Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore, Anthony Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley, and Dumbarton Quarry Campground in Fremont.
Shadow Cliffs is full after years of severe drought and historic low water levels. The return of swimming is planned for a June 16 opening, based on water quality testing and park and lifeguard staffing. Fishing from shore is allowed. The return of boating is planned for late June, dependent on quagga inspection staffing. Shadow Cliffs has been closed to swimming for the past three years, first due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then due to severe drought.
In early May, the Park District entered into an agreement to purchase surplus water from the Zone 7 Water District via Arroyo Valle to refill Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreational Area to return recreational opportunities to the lake. Visit the parks webpage at www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow-cliffs for up-to-date information.
A year-round fire season is the “new normal” in California. The Park District’s wildfire safety efforts include removing flammable vegetation, maintaining a professionally trained full-time and on-call fire department, maintaining specialized wildland firefighting equipment, and monitoring fire weather conditions.
While the Park District works 365 days a year to manage and remove hazardous vegetation, it is our collective efforts that can have the greatest impact. For tips on how you can do to prepare for wildfires, visit www.ebparks.org/fire-safety-tips.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
