By Claryssa Wilson & Velma Wilson, 4EverMe Foundation

The 4ever Me Foundation is excited to announce the 14th Annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Giveaway, returning on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Contra Costa County Event Park, 1201 W. 10th Street, Antioch, California.

This has been the most stressful year planning this event by far… it will be the first without my favorite bald guy to vent to and I’m honestly devastated but I know he is beyond proud of me.

This event is a testament of faith and perseverance and I am so amazed to see how this has grown from a small idea to help my classmates to a whole beacon a hope, a space where a whole community can be supported. Over 40,000 families since the start 14 years ago and I’m genuinely grateful to have been able to pour into others in this way for over half my life.

What a blessing.

We still need volunteers as this will be a labor of love far bigger than me. If you’re able to come and help, please sign up via this link: https://forms.gle/cqadRNFQxtGNaViB6

We are still accepting donations and resource vendors! the QR code will have that information.

Thank you to those who have supported and continue to pour into this event!

Founded in 2012 by Claryssa Wilson, Stuff the Bus has grown into one of East Contra Costa County’s premier back-to-school outreach events. Over the past fourteen years, the initiative has served more than 60,000 students and families by providing free backpacks, school supplies, educational resources, and encouragement.

“Our mission has always been to remove barriers to education while creating unforgettable experiences for children and families,” said Claryssa Wilson, Founder of the 4ever Me Foundation. “Every backpack represents hope, every volunteer represents compassion, and every smile reminds us why this work matters.”

Event Highlights

·         FREE backpacks and school supplies (while supplies last)

·         FREE haircuts and hair-care services

·         Ride in a real Monster Truck

·         Community Resource Fair

·         Educational and youth services

·         Food trucks

·         Live entertainment

·         Interactive games and family activities

·         Local nonprofit organizations and vendors

Event Information

Date: Saturday, August 1, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Contra Costa County Event Park
1201 W. 10th Street
Antioch, CA 94509
Admission: FREE

About 4ever Me Foundation

The 4ever Me Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth through education, mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement. Since 2012, the Foundation has impacted more than 60,000 students and families through school supply distributions, mentoring, holiday assistance, and community outreach.

Learn more about this year’s efforts in a KTVU FOX2 interview.

For more information visit https://linktr.ee/4evermefoundation.

“The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students.”

By Greg Burt, Vice President, California Family Council

SACRAMENTO, CA — California is quietly moving toward mixed-sex bathrooms in K-12 public schools, and the state’s own Department of Education is leading the way.

A new law California Family Council opposed, SB 760, now requires schools to provide at least one “all-gender” restroom option on campus.

Passed in September 2023, the bill was cosponsored by then-State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda). He, then-State Senator Nancy Skinner, now-State Sen. Tim Grayson and Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Buffy Wicks, and Lori Wilson who represent Contra Costa County, voted for the bill.

The stated goal was to make transgender-identified students feel safer from bullying. But in the rush to accommodate those students’ feelings, lawmakers apparently gave little thought to a different safety question: what happens when boys are given access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms?

The State Is Already Building the Roadmap

The California Department of Education has an entire webpage dedicated to “All Access Restrooms,” describing it as a resource offering background information, planning and design resources, laws and regulations, and references for implementing “gender-inclusive” restrooms in K-12 schools.

The background information on that page acknowledges that “the designs of all-access restrooms have been trending in schools throughout the state, the country, and the world,” while noting there are currently no California design standards for these facilities. In other words, the trend is already underway, and the standards are still catching up.

The planning section of the CDE page is even more candid about the scope of what is being proposed. It describes “shifting from multi-user gendered restrooms and single-user all-gender restrooms to offering blocks of restroom facilities for all students;” meaning the goal is not just a single converted nurse’s bathroom tucked in a hallway. The ambition is to redesign entire blocks of school restroom facilities so that boys and girls share the same space.

What Would It Look Like?

The new all-gender bathroom designs typically eliminate urinals entirely, replacing them with individual private stalls accessible to everyone. The CDE’s resources page recommends an academic article published in the Education Sciences Journal titled “Expanding the Scope of Universal Design: Implications for Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation,” by Ellyn Couillard and Jeanne L. Higbee (2018), as a guide for implementation. That an academic paper on gender identity ideology is among the state’s recommended planning resources tells you something about the ideological framework driving these design decisions.

But keep in mind, SB 760 doesn’t require a complete redesign of a single-sex bathroom for it to become all-gender. 

You Already Saw It at the State Capitol

If you want to get a glimpse of what legislators have in mind when they convert a single sex bathroom into an all gender bathroom, take a look at one of the converted male bathrooms at the state capitol, used by legislative staffers, adult visitors, and elementary school children visiting on field trips. California Family Council recently took a video of the empty bathroom located to one side of the Capitol Dome.

“I’m pretty sure most parents would object to their young children sharing a bathroom while men are using the urinals,” Burt said. “Even without the adult issue, I’ve witnessed the chaos that occurs when young boys are pouring into the same bathrooms as the girls while visiting the Capitol. The girls are not happy about it.” (Watch video tour of Capitol bathroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okTcKcP3ACQ) 

So, what should parents expect when multi-stall bathrooms are converted to all gender at their child’s school?

What the Law Actually Requires — And What It Doesn’t

It is important to be clear about what SB 760 does and does not mandate. The law requires that every school campus have at least one all-gender restroom option available to students. It could be single-stall or multi-stall. It must be supplied with menstrual products starting in 3rd grade, and it must be unlocked and easily accessible. But there are no requirements that urinals be removed or that additional privacy measures be added to stalls.

Sex-separated restrooms are still permitted, and most schools will continue to have them.

Burt explained what this means in practice for families. “How each school fulfills this new requirement is entirely up to the local school board. A conservative district might simply relabel a single-occupancy nurse’s bathroom and call it done. A progressive district could use this law as a green light to convert entire multi-stall restroom facilities to mixed-sex use. Parents need to find out right now what their district is planning,” he said.

The CDE’s planning resources make clear that the broader vision goes well beyond a single-stall accommodation in the corner of the building. It points toward a wholesale redesign of school bathroom facilities, one that treats sex-separated restrooms as a problem to be solved rather than a common-sense protection for children.

The Question Nobody in Sacramento Answered

SB 760’s supporters argued the law was needed to protect transgender-identified students from harassment, but the legislature never seriously asked the parallel question: does giving boys access to girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms create new opportunities for harassment and assault of girls?

California has seen case after case in recent years where policies designed to accommodate gender identity have created unsafe situations for female students. The discomfort of girls sharing intimate spaces with biological males is not a lesser concern. Lawmakers who refused to weigh it have not protected children. They have simply chosen which children’s safety matters.

Parents: Now Is the Time to Speak Up

Because each school board will decide how to implement SB 760 on its own campuses, parents have a real opportunity to influence what happens at their child’s school, but that window will not stay open indefinitely. Decisions about restroom redesigns and facility changes get made early in the budget and planning process, often before most parents are even aware the conversation is happening.

If you want a say in how your district handles this new requirement, call your school board member and school administrators now. Ask them directly: how does our district plan to fulfill the SB 760 all-gender restroom requirement? Will existing sex-separated restrooms be preserved? Will multi-stall facilities be converted? Every parent deserves to know the answers. 

Here is one of the committee hearings from 2023, when SB 760 was discussed, and CFC provided opposition testimony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwk7J82Prn8&t=1s

About California Family Council

California Family Council works to advance God’s design for life, family, and liberty through California’s Church, Capitol, and Culture. By advocating for policies that reinforce the sanctity of life, the strength of traditional marriages, and the essential freedoms of religion, CFC is dedicated to preserving California’s moral and social foundation.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

At the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds)

“It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.” Director Mary Halbasch

By Allen D. Payton

So Big Preschool invites the community to join them for their Open House, Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 4:30-6:30 PM and “discover what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow! Come meet our amazing teachers, tour our classrooms, explore our curriculum, drop off school supplies and get all your questions answered before the new school year begins,” says Director Mary Halbasch.

The preschool has been open since 1955 and she’s been here since 2008.

“Two doctors’ wives in Antioch started it so their children could play and learn with other children because there was no daycare or preschools in the 50’s,” she shared.

“The parents come in and participate in their children’s education if they want to,” Halbasch explained. “First-time parents don’t know what to expect. That’s why they’re here. We let them know what’s appropriate to know for each age.”

“We work with Los Medanos College students in ECE90 who need practicum hours. So, I have student teachers work with me. Each semester I have two to four,” she continued. “They work on a project approach, come in, get to know the students and then pick a topic from their child’s interest. The student teachers direct it and the parents participate.”

“We do field trips, here,” Halbasch shared.

“Since one student teacher was working on birds and the other on gardening, our next field trip was to Big Break in Oakley,” she said during the Spring Semester.

“It’s a non-profit organization. Jameelah Smith is the Board President,” Halbasch stated. “Currently we don’t have other members on the board of directors.”

During spring, she had five students and they all graduated this year.

“That covers the cost of rent from the Fairgrounds and insurance. I work for free,” Halbasch said.

The preschool can have up to 25 children as a licensed community care facility.

They’re governed, regulated and inspected by the state with surprise visits she shared.

Halbasch formerly worked in law enforcement as a patrol officer in Crescent City.

But when her daughter started preschool Mary decided that’s what she wanted to do, went and got her Early Childhood Education degree and started at Little LuLu’s in Antioch. She later started Cornerstone Christian Preschool.

When the director at So Big retired, Halbasch applied for the position and was hired.

“I like it where the children can be themselves which is what So Big is all about,” she shared. “It’s a ‘free to be me’ preschool where the students can use their imaginations.”

The classes are open 8:30-11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday.

“Friday is our deep clean day. We sanitize everything and get it all cleaned up,” Halbasch added.

The cost for two days a week is $200 per month, three days is $300 and four days is $400.

“Because the tuition is low, we ask the parents to help with the maintenance, including cleaning and yard work,” she said.

“We’re considered a ‘play-based’ preschool and we have a complete Kindergarten Readiness program,” Halbasch added. “We do the American flag salute. I pray with the students.”

“I love to teach life cycles,” she continued. “In the fall we bought baby chicks and now they’re grown and we’re gathering eggs every day.”

“We love the kids, here. I try to make sure they’re safe. They ride their bikes and play outside in the enclosed playground. They have so much fun,” Halbasch concluded.

You’re Invited!

“We can’t wait to welcome new and returning families for an evening of fun, learning and excitement as we get ready for another wonderful school year,” Mary said.

So Big Preschool is located at 1201 W. 10th Street, Antioch, inside the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds).

Questions? Give them a call at (925) 489-4890. See you there!

For more information visit sobigpreschool.org.

One of two mayors from California, among 46 from 15 countries, who together lead over 22 million people, selected for program

Joint effort with Bloomberg Philanthropies marks decade of strengthening local government while advancing research, teaching and the practice of city hall leadership

By Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch

ANTIOCH, CA — Mayor Ron Bernal announced, Friday, July 17, 2026, being selected as one of the 46 mayors from 15 countries for the tenth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. He participated this past week at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the Class of 2027. Through the nine-month professional management program, Mayor Bernal—alongside key Antiochstaff who will begin in August—will gain strategies to improve how local government works and move residents’ chief priorities forward. This is the second time Bernal has been selected to participate in a class at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard’s Kennedy School. He also attended the First 100 Days program in December 2024. Bernal and Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi were the only mayors from California selected for the tenth class.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and to bring learnings home to Antioch,” said Mayor Ron Bernal. “The program gives mayors access to expert faculty, research-backed frameworks, and practical tools we can put to work right away. For Antioch, that means building on our work to address blighted areas and make them cleaner, safer and more vibrant—because our community deserves a city hall that never stops learning and networking.”

The flagship Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at the center of more than 10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies through its Government Innovation program to strengthen mayoral leadership and local government across the globe. Today, it is where the world’s mayors come to learn—and to lead. Mayor Bernal joined them.

Established with Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard, the Initiative will have now served 447 mayors—including eight in ten of America’s big-city mayors and nine of England’s mayoral strategic authorities—alongside over 3,000 municipal chiefs.

“Mayors sit at the first and last mile of every major problem we face, and we built the Government Innovation program to ensure they have the capacity required to lead,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at its center, and in a moment that demands more from public leadership than ever, this class will have that world of support behind them. We look forward to these mayors putting it to work, and all that their city halls will do.”

Through the Initiative, Bernal will work alongside Harvard faculty, policy experts, veteran managers and fellow mayors—periodically in classrooms, virtual sessions, and in the field—beginning with a multi-day convening in New York City this week. Participants learn to organize teams around outcomes, ground decisions in evidence, and collaborate across departments and sectors—applying lessons directly to the issues at home, from housing and affordability to economic growth, public safety, and emergency response.

Once the coursework ends, Antioch remains eligible for more: professional education for senior officials in economic development, human resources, procurement and civic engagement; a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow, placed for up to two years on a priority the mayor sets; and research and instructional material developed across the program’s first decade.

“Leading a city is among the hardest jobs in public service anywhere as the demands on mayors—and the complex challenges they face—continue to grow,” said Jorrit de Jong, Director of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University and Emma Bloomberg Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management at Harvard Kennedy School.“Meeting those challenges requires city halls to continually strengthen how they work, and with Michael R. Bloomberg’s unwavering backing, we built the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative to help them do just that—and every mayor teaches us in return. With a decade of that insight and research behind this tenth class, we expect their city halls to deliver at home and push the program’s work—and the field itself—further still.”

The tenth class of mayors represents 28 U.S. and 18 international cities, home to more than 22 million residents. The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Class of 2027 included:

• NORTH AMERICA

United States:

• Mayor Dorcey Applyrs – Albany, New York
• Mayor Ron Bernal – Antioch, California
• Mayor Sean Ryan – Buffalo, New York
• Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui – Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Mayor Stephen M. Morris – Concord, North Carolina
• Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss – Dayton, Ohio
• Mayor Mary Sheffield – Detroit, Michigan
• Mayor Sharon Tucker – Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Mayor John Horhn – Jackson, Mississippi
• Mayor James Solomon – Jersey City, New Jersey
• Mayor Christal Watson – Kansas City, Kansas
• Mayor Jaime Arroyo – Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• Mayor Eileen Higgins – Miami, Florida
• Mayor John Ewing – Omaha, Nebraska
• Mayor Keith Wilson – Portland, Oregon
• Mayor Marsha Judkins – Provo, Utah
• Mayor Angela Birney – Redmond, Washington
• Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones – San Antonio, Texas
• Mayor Michael Garcia – Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Mayor Van Johnson – Savannah, Georgia
• Mayor Jake Wilson – Somerville, Massachusetts
• Mayor James Mueller – South Bend, Indiana
• Mayor Lisa Brown – Spokane, Washington
• Mayor Kaohly Her – St. Paul, Minnesota
• Mayor Christina Fugazi – Stockton, California
• Mayor Sharon Owens – Syracuse, New York
• Mayor Anders Ibsen – Tacoma, Washington
• Mayor Spencer Duncan – Topeka, Kansas

Canada: Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette – Gatineau, Canada

Jamaica: Mayor Andrew Swaby – Kingston, Jamaica

• SOUTH AMERICA
  • Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán – Bogotá, Colombia
  • Mayor Agustín Iglesias – Independencia, Chile
  • Mayor Felipe Alessandri – Lo Barnechea, Chile
  • Mayor Esteban Allasino – Luján de Cuyo, Argentina
  • Mayor Sebastián Sichel – Ñuñoa, Chile
  • Mayor Ramón Lanús – San Isidro, Argentina
• AFRICA
  • Mayor Sam Nujoma – Khomas Region, Namibia
  • Mayor Fatiha El Moudni – Rabat, Morocco
• EUROPE
  • Mayor Richard Shakespeare – Dublin, Ireland
  • Mayor Stephan Keller – Düsseldorf, Germany
  • Mayor Mathias De Clercq – Ghent, Belgium
  • Mayor Carlos Moedas – Lisbon, Portugal
  • Mayor Helen Godwin – West of England, United Kingdom
  • Mayor Tomislav Tomašević – Zagreb, Croatia
• OCEANIA
  • Mayor Sophie Barker – Dunedin, New Zealand
  • Mayor Mahé Drysdale – Tauranga, New Zealand

In July 13 and 14, 2026, posts on X, Michael Bloomberg wrote, “For the past decade, I’ve had the opportunity to share lessons from my 12 years in New York City Hall with hundreds of mayors through @BHcityleaders. This is our 10th class, and this month, 46 mayors from 15 countries will come together to begin learning from one another and working with Bloomberg @CenterforCities at @Harvard faculty & policy experts to help them better tackle the challenges their residents care about most. Mayors are expected to solve some of the toughest problems we face. That takes bold leadership, talented teams, and a willingness to try new ideas. It was great to meet the tenth class of the @bhcityleaders…They’re bringing fresh thinking and a determination to make their communities stronger.”

The flagship Initiative has also informed parallel efforts worldwide. The most recent is the Bloomberg LSE European City Leadership Initiative, whose inaugural class included 30 mayors and 60 senior officials from 17 countries.

Through these leadership programs, Antioch enters Bloomberg Philanthropies’ broader Government Innovation portfolio and global community of practice, tens of thousands of mayors and municipal officials strong, who draw on each other’s work to better the lives of the hundreds of millions of residents they collectively serve.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $4.3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook and X.

 About the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative:

The flagship Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is at the center of more than 10 years of work led by Bloomberg Philanthropies to strengthen mayoral leadership and local government across the globe. Established with Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard, the Initiative will have now served 447 mayors and over 3,000 senior municipal officials, including 8 in 10 of America’s big city mayors and 9 of England’s mayoral strategic authorities. Today, it is where many of the world’s most accomplished mayors come to learn—and to lead. For more information, please visit cityleadership.harvard.edu or visit us on LinkedIn and X.

About the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University:

Founded in 2021 with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The Center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The center is designed to have widespread impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world. For more information, please visit cities.harvard.edu or follow us on Instagram,LinkedIn, and X.

Monster Truck visit! Volunteers needed

By Team Jesus Outreach Ministries

ATTENTION KIDS!

Get ready for an unforgettable experience at the Team Jesus Outreach Ministries Community Backpack Giveaway!

Come out and take your picture with a REAL Monster Truck! This is an exciting opportunity for the whole family, and we can’t wait to see your smiles!

Saturday, July 18

Monster Truck Visit 10am-12pm

Backpack Giveaway-10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

11 Texas Street, Antioch

~Children must be present to receive a backpack (No Exceptions). *While Supplies Last*

Volunteer Arrival: 7:30 AM

As always, we kindly ask everyone to be respectful and patient with our guests, vendors and volunteers.

They are working incredibly hard to make this event a wonderful and successful day for every child and family in our community.

We look forward to serving you and making this a day to remember. See you there!

Two Antioch city council, two school board seats up

By Dawn Kruger, Community and Media Relations Coordinator, Contra Costa County, Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department 

The Candidate Filing Period for the November 3rd General Election will began, Monday, July 13, 2026, and nomination papers will be available for candidates running for office. The nomination period runs through 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2026.

A list of offices anticipated for the election can be found here: www.contracostavote.gov/wp-content/uploads/26Nov03_PositionsUpForElection.pdf.  Offices on this list are subject to change as resolutions are still being filed.

Antioch Elections

In Antioch, City Council seats for District 1, currently represented by incumbent Tamisha Torres-Walker, and District 4, currently represented by incumbent Monica Wilson, are up for election. So far only one challenger has announced for District 4, Sandra White, who is running and hoping her third time is a charm. Plus, on the Antioch School Board, the seats for trustees in Area 2, currently represented by Dr. Jag Lathan, and Area 5, currently represented by incumbent Mary Rocha, who recently told the Herald she will run again, are up for election.

Papers for offices that are up for election will be available at the Contra Costa Elections Office, 555 Escobar Street, Martinez. Papers for Municipal Offices will be available from the City Clerk’s office in the city the position represents.

For further information on the General Election and key dates, go to www.contracostavote.gov

“Our Candidate Services team is ready to work with Candidates who will be running in the November General Election,” said Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters. “Our office is here to help potential candidates.”

If an incumbent does not file to run for office by the August 7th deadline, the filing period for that office will extend until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. This rule does not apply to incumbents that have reached their term limit and are unable to run again.

Interested candidates can schedule an appointment by emailing candidate.services@vote.cccounty.us or by calling (925) 335-7800. Walk-ins are accepted, but service is subject to the availability of staff. Appointments are available on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Filing documents and information will be provided to interested constituents at their appointment. The process takes approximately 20 minutes.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Antioch Police Department

Congratulations to Lieutenant Michael Mellone on graduating from the 2026 Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) on Saturday, June 13, 2026!

We are proud to recognize Lieutenant Mellone for successfully completing this prestigious leadership program, a partnership between the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) and the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

For those who know Mike, this accomplishment comes as no surprise. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to learning, growth, and leading by example. Whether mentoring officers, supporting his peers, or serving our community, he approaches every challenge with professionalism, integrity, and a genuine desire to make those around him better.

The Executive Leadership Institute is an intensive 14-day program that brings together law enforcement leaders from across California to develop the skills, vision, and leadership strategies needed to guide their organizations into the future. Graduating from this program is a significant achievement and a reflection of the dedication required to continuously grow as a leader.

According to the CPCA website, curriculum of this program encompasses a wide range of key topics in a Drucker inspired learning environment where the principles of management consultant, educator and author, Peter F. Drucker are imbued with a law enforcement perspective. Some of these topics include: Application of Drucker Principles to your Organization, Managing and Communicating the Police Brand to the Public, Teams in Organizations: Developing a Culture of Collaboration and Leadership, Leadership Decision Making: Introduction to Decision Science and Evidence-Based Decision Making, Creating an Exemplary Policing Organization, Changing Culture in a Police Organization: A New Path for Modern Policing; Leading Through Conflict and Diversity, Women in Leadership: Issues Facing Men and Women, Creating and Maintaining the High Reliability Organization, and Policing and Social Influence, and more. 

Lt. Mellone’s investment in his professional development benefits not only our department, but also the community we serve. We are fortunate to have leaders who are committed to excellence and who never stop striving to improve themselves and those around them.

Please join us in congratulating Lieutenant Mellone on this well-deserved accomplishment. We are excited to see the continued positive impact of his leadership in the years ahead.

Congratulations, Mike! We are proud of you.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.