Adult male victim’s car recovered by police

By Allen D. Payton

An email from the “Kaiser Permanente Antioch Leadership Team” on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, alerted employees of a carjacking in one of the parking lots Tuesday afternoon. It was reported by an individual who chose to remain anonymous that the carjackers were armed and that “someone from administration said it was two high school kids and they caught them.” But that has not yet been confirmed by Antioch Police or Kaiser personnel.

UPDATE #1: However, according to Interim Police Chief Brian Addington, the suspects were not armed, as of 4:40 PM they have not been apprehended and APD will provide further information via a press release, later.

The email reads, “You may have seen or heard about some Security activity in and around parking lot C yesterday afternoon. We want to provide you with an update surrounding that activity for your awareness.

On Tuesday, April 2, at approximately 2 p.m., an employee went to their vehicle to go to lunch. Upon approaching their vehicle, the employee found the hazard lights on, and sunroof broken. Two nearby suspects directed the employee to move away from the vehicle. As the employee moved away from the vehicle, one of the suspects entered the vehicle and both cars drove away from campus. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

The Antioch Police Department were onsite within minutes and, along with AMC Security, are actively investigating the incident.

As a reminder, the safety of everyone who work in and visit our medical center is paramount. While we understand that hearing this story can be unnerving, we felt it important to share with our AMC community for transparency and collective learning.

We also understand this incident can be unsettling. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your manager or you may also contact Employee and Physician Assistance (EAP) directly at 877-801-5751.”

UPDATE #2: According to an Antioch Police press release issued at 5:58 PM by Acting Captain Desmond Bittner of the Community Policing Bureau, “On April 2, 2024, at approximately 1:13 PM, Antioch Police Officers responded to 4501 Sand Creek Road (Kaiser Antioch) for a reported carjacking that had just occurred. When officers arrived, they learned the victim, (an adult male), had interrupted several suspects in the process of stealing his vehicle. One suspect confronted the victim, causing the victim to fear for his safety.

The suspects left in the victim’s vehicle towards Sand Creek Road. Antioch Police Officers later recovered the victim’s vehicle in a nearby neighborhood, unoccupied. Through the initial investigation several investigative leads were obtained. The investigation was forwarded to the Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau.

This preliminary information is made available by the Community Policing Bureau. Any further information or additional inquiries can be directed to Detective Cole Shaffer at 925-779-6944 or by emailing cshaffer@antiochca.gov.”

“…it’s important that people with average risk get screened starting at age 45” – Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center Gastroenterologist Arun Suryaprasad, MD

By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women, and it’s the second most common cause of overall cancer deaths.

More young people are also getting diagnosed with the disease. In 2021, the recommended screening age for colorectal cancer was lowered to 45 by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

“With more young people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, it’s important that people with average risk get screened starting at age 45,” said Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center Gastroenterologist Arun Suryaprasad, MD. “Regular screening saves lives, and it can prevent cancer altogether by finding precancerous growths. At Kaiser Permanente, we encourage our members to keep up with their health screenings.”

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, and a good time to remember the importance of routine screenings.

“Colon cancer rarely has symptoms,” Suryaprasad said. “Most patients with colon cancer have no symptoms at all. Early detection is key.”

Suryaprasad is a proponent of the highly effective FIT (fecal immunochemical) test. It is a simple test that is safely done in the comfort of patients’ homes.

“Since launching our Kaiser FIT outreach program, where more than 80% of Kaiser Permanente members are getting colon cancer screenings done every year, we have reduced colon cancer deaths by 52 percent and have prevented the incidence of colon cancer by 26 percent,” Suryaprasad noted.

As long as FIT tests remain negative, they can be repeated every year for screening. Another at-home stool test offered by Kaiser Permanente is Cologuard testing. This stool test can be done once every three years, as long as it remains negative. Cologuard measures various types of stool DNA.

“If a patient has a positive FIT test or a positive Cologuard test, we recommend a follow-up colonoscopy exam,” Suryaprasad explained. “Colonoscopies are usually done every 10 years, but they may be done sooner if precancerous growths called polyps are removed.”

Earlier and more frequent screening might be recommended for those with a family history of colorectal cancer, who have certain health conditions or hereditary syndromes and who are at increased risk for colorectal cancer. Suryaprasad said maintaining a healthy weight with diet and exercise is extremely important.

“Smoking increases your risk of colon cancer,” he said. “If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. In addition, high processed foods, red meat, and processed meats such as hotdogs and deli meat can also increase your risk for colon cancer. A diet high in fruits, vegetables and fiber keeps your colon healthy. Reducing alcohol also decreases your risk of colon cancer.” 

According to Suryaprasad, the death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping for several decades. A statistic he credits to people doing their routine screenings.

“Colorectal polyps are now being found more often by screening and removed before they can develop into cancers,” he said. “By encouraging colon cancer screening, we will continue to see this reduction in colon cancer. Colorectal cancer screening saves lives.”

Part of National #SaveLunch initiative to help fight senior hunger, isolation in Antioch across Contra Costa County, and country

By Skylar Schaefer, Communications Specialist, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region

Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe joined Meals on Wheels Diablo Region for Community Champions Week 2024 to bring attention to the important work the nonprofit does for older adults in the Antioch community. The mayor participated in a Young at Heart Fall Prevention exercise class and encouraged the participation of nearly 20 seniors!

The mayor had an opportunity to see the impact Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has on Antioch’s older residents when he participated in a ‘Young at Heart’ Fall Prevention exercise class as part of the #SaveLunch initiative. Led by Meals on Wheels America, this nationwide initiative is designed to rally communities around our senior neighbors and protect the essential services that enable so many to remain healthy and independent at home. Across the country this week, Meals on Wheels programs have enlisted elected officials, community influencers and other prominent figures to deliver meals, speak out for seniors and raise awareness for the power of Meals on Wheels. Mayor Thorpe joined a class of roughly 20 seniors at the Antioch Senior Center and learned exercise techniques to improve strength and balance at any age!

“Last year, MOW Diablo Region delivered over 700,000 meals! That is 100% increase since before the pandemic and we are on track to deliver even more this year,” said Sherry Nadworny, MOW Diablo Region Director of Development & Community Relations. “This is an important time for our elected officials to see the impact of our work as federal Covid-stimulus funding will end in September. MOW Diablo Region is committed to keeping our seniors nourished and more connected to our community through this challenging time and beyond.”

As a full-service organization, we at Meals on Wheels Diablo Region are dedicated to addressing all the needs of the seniors we serve. In addition to meal delivery, we provide exercise and fall prevention classes, home safety modifications, elder abuse prevention, and much more. MOW Diablo Region is the only Meals on Wheels that delivers both meals and services to seniors in Contra Costa County.

National #SaveLunch efforts in March will commemorate the historic day in March of 1972 when the Older Americans Act was amended to include a nutrition program for Americans 60 years and older. More than 50 years later, 12 million older Americans are still threatened by or experience hunger, and one in three seniors feels lonely. That is why Meals on Wheels programs from across the country are joining forces to raise awareness and support to ensure we can continue to address food insecurity and malnutrition, combat social isolation, enable independence and improve health for decades to come.

“We commend all of our 2024 Community Champions for stepping up to ensure that Meals on Wheels is there for all of our senior neighbors in need,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “In the face of soaring demand and costs that surpass our current resources, we need to come together as communities to bridge the gaps. We can’t do it alone – it takes all of us to save lunch for our seniors.”

For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute, or speak out for the seniors in Antioch and around Contra Costa County this March, visit mowdiabloregion.org.

About Meals on Wheels Diablo Region:

For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has improved the lives of vulnerable seniors in Contra Costa County by delivering nutritious meals and supportive services that allow seniors to remain in their homes safely and with dignity. Programs include home-delivered meals, Breakfast Bags, Grocery Bags, Fall Prevention, Cafés, Care Management, Friendly Visitors, Health and Wellness, and more.

About Meals on Wheels America

Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time.

At the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. Hosted by the Contra Costa Health Department’s Violence Prevention Program and Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, and Bridge Builders to the New Generation.

According the CCHealth’s website, The Violence Prevention Program uses a public health approach to prevent and reduce gun violence in Contra Costa County by providing high-risk populations with social support and services informed by evidence-based practices and equity principles. The program, established in October 2022, was made possible through a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.

The Violence Prevention Program is partnering with community stakeholders to develop a Gun Violence Reduction Strategic Plan for the county. The plan will focus on developing social-emotional learning programs for at-risk youth, building workforce development opportunities and career paths, and working with communities to improve the physical environment, neighborhood appearance and community engagement.

Currently, the program is working with the nonprofit consultant on a landscape analysis of the county’s existing violence prevention efforts.

The Gun Violence Prevention Coalition is a diverse, community and multi-agency-driven collaborative supported by Contra Costa Health’s Violence Prevention Program. The Coalition seeks to increase collaboration among residents, community partners, and agencies who are interested in and are actively involved in reducing gun violence and advancing gun-violence prevention policies. The Coalition’s goal is to prevent and reduce the incidence of gun violence and its associated negative community and health impacts.

By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Pittsburg mother-to-be Josephine Trujillo had a big surprise Wednesday night – she went into labor! What began as a trip to see a midwife at the Kaiser Permanente Delta Fair Medical Offices ended at the Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center. A few hours later – at precisely 12:04 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, – Josephine gave birth to baby Blake Harper. The adorable baby with lots of hair and steel blue eyes is one of the Bay Area’s first 2024 Leap Year babies.

Proud dad Timothy Trujillo, a project manager at the Worley Group, said the little bundle of joy weighed in at 9 pounds, 6 ounces and measured 21 inches.

“It feels surreal but excellent,” he said.

Josephine, a middle school science teacher at Edna Brewer Middle School in Oakland, said everything happened so fast once she went into labor.

“Our due date was February 27, but it was still a surprise,” she said. “Our care at Kaiser Permanente was amazing – they made it easy. Everyone was on top of it. ‘We’ve been calling him our ‘little chonker’ and we’re just ecstatic.”

“Congratulations to the Trujillo family on the birth of baby Blake,” said Pam Galley, Kaiser Permanente senior vice president and area manager for the Diablo Service Area. “Our health care team at the Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center welcomed a very special Leap Year baby today, and we wish his family all the best.”

$202.7K from the Office of Traffic Safety

Contra Costa Health (CCH) announced today that it has received a $202,692 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program. This grant will allow CCH to promote safe practices for pedestrians and bicyclists and provide education about the importance of sharing the road.

Local data show an increase of nearly 30% in fatal crashes involving pedestrians over the past 10 years in Contra Costa County, and that pedestrians and bicyclists are 2.4 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a traffic crash compared to drivers. The OTS grant funds multiple efforts to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“Everyone deserves a safe environment to travel, regardless of how people get to places,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “The safety of people walking and biking on our roads is a high priority. Education plays a pivotal role in creating a strong road safety culture that prioritizes traffic safety, especially for our most vulnerable road users.”

Grant funds will support a variety of activities focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety:

• Support for local jurisdictions to include public health in road safety plans and address the community conditions that create unsafe environments for non-motorized road users.
• Local bicycle and pedestrian safety campaigns.
• Community bicycle and walk “audits” of streets with high rates of pedestrian or bicyclist fatalities and serious injury crashes.
• Bicycle training courses that teach youth on how to stay safe on the road.
• Community events that promote bicyclist and pedestrian visibility and the importance of sharing the road, slowing down, and staying alert to bicyclists and pedestrians while driving.

Area Goals for the OTS program include:

• Reduce the total number of pedestrians killed.
• Reduce the total number of pedestrians injured.
• Reduce the number of pedestrians killed under the age of 15.
• Reduce the number of pedestrians injured under the age of 15.
• Reduce the number of pedestrians killed over the age of 65.
• Reduce the number of pedestrians injured over the age of 65.
• Reduce the total number of bicyclists killed in traffic related crashes.
• Reduce the total number of bicyclists injured in traffic related crashes.
• Reduce the number of bicyclists killed in traffic related crashes under the age of 15.
• Reduce the number of bicyclists injured in traffic related crashes under the age of 15.
• Increase bicycle helmet compliance for children aged 5 to 18.

The grant program will run through September 2024.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Applications for its Community Health Care Program are due by January 31, 2024.

There’s a new option for people struggling to find affordable health care coverage, and the deadline to apply for this Kaiser Permanente program this year is fast approaching. Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health Care Program provides comprehensive, affordable health care coverage for qualified low-income adults and children in California who don’t have access to other public or private health coverage.

If eligible, you’ll receive comprehensive health coverage from Kaiser Permanente including preventive services, without paying a monthly premium. You also won’t need to pay copays or out-of-pocket costs for most care at Kaiser Permanente facilities.

“Even with the expansion of Medi-Cal to all low-income residents regardless of immigration status this year, there are still people who don’t have access to health care coverage,” said Yvette Radford, vice president, External and Community Affairs, Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “The Community Health Care Program is part of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to make health care more affordable for everyone.”

Who is eligible for the Community Health Care Program?

The program is designed for applicants who meet the following criteria:

• total household income of 138% to 300% of the federal poverty level (Example: $20,122 to$43,740 for an individual and $41,401 to$90,000 for family of 4 in 2023)
• not eligible for any other health coverage, including Medi-Cal, Medicare, a job-based health plan, or Covered California
• must live in a Kaiser Permanente California service area

Individuals do not have to be U.S. citizens to qualify. Applications must be submitted by January 31, 2024.

How to apply

You can apply online at www.kp.org/chcp. Click the “apply now” button at the top of the website for a link to the application. If you need assistance, click the “get help” button for a list of community agencies that can provide help, or call Kaiser Permanente Member Services at 1-800-464-4000 (TTY 711).

January is Sanctity of Human Life Month

By Alliance for Life

January is Sanctity of Human Life Month, and this year Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (SOHLS) is celebrated on Sunday, January 21, 2024. SOHLS is a day for Americans to focus on the value of each and every human life. It is celebrated every year on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which legalized abortion in every state for any reason through all nine months of pregnancy.

In the past two years, the right to abortion has been one of the most heated discussions in our country.

We rejoice that the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in 2022. But this hasn’t stopped abortion; it simply placed the decision back into the hands of each state. While many states have chosen to stop abortions, we still recognize the awful tragedy that, on average, the lives of approximately 98 precious babies are ended every hour!

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, the abortion industry nationwide has stepped up its efforts of promoting a culture of death by offering abortion as the “smart answer” to an unplanned pregnancy during uncertain times.

One of the best ways to stand against this evil is to come together and openly state “We support and defend the Sanctity of Human Life.”

Pastors, churches and life organizations across the United States use this day to bring awareness to the attacks that are daily waged against human life through the abortion industry.

In 1984, President Ronal Reagan issued a presidential proclamation designating the third Sunday of January as National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

“We have been given the precious gift of human life, made more precious still by our births in or pilgrimages to a land of freedom. It is fitting, then, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that struck down State anti-abortion laws, that we reflect anew on these blessings, and on our corresponding responsibility to guard with care the lives and freedoms of even the weakest of our fellow human beings.”

Ronald Reagan

President

We are continuing that tradition by setting this day aside – January 21, 2024 – as a day to pray for the end of the tragedy of abortion, ask for God’s mercy on our country for this heinous sin, and proclaim loudly that all lives are created in the image of God and should be treated as such.

On Sunday, January 21, we declare the sanctity of all human lives and stand together to protect the lives of each and every unborn baby.

“The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.” – Isaiah 49:1

“For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139;13-16

We would also like to encourage you to focus on the value of human life all month — and all year — long. Watch the video below to find out four ways that you can make a difference for life this January.

A Message for Sanctity of Human Life Month (youtube.com)

Additional information included from Heartbeat International and LifePlan.