Meet former local professional baseball players

Enter to win tickets to an Oakland Ballers baseball game

The Antioch Sports Legends Hall of Fame is holding its MLB day on Saturday April 12th from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.

Come by to meet and speak with former MLB players from Antioch: Aaron Miles, Butch Rounsaville, Nick Pasquale and Manuel Bermudez.

Get your free photos and autographs! Enter to win four tickets to an Oakland Ballers baseball game to all who visit the museum! (must be 18 years or older to win)

We are located at 1500 W 4th Street on the bottom floor of the Antioch Historical Museum. It’s FREE to visit!

Depicted them watering City’s Official Flower; part of public art program

Former mayor, councilwomen who approved it in 1994 upset

By Allen D. Payton

Following damage and theft of the girl depicted in the “Hey Daddy, Look!” statue for a second time, the City of Antioch has announced it has removed the dad public art piece from its location on Lone Tree Way near James Donlon Blvd. The statue depicted the two holding a pail and watering a replica of the City’s Official Flower, the Antioch Dunes Evening Primrose, an endangered species that grows along the waterfront in the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge off of Fulton Shipyard Road.

The art piece was approved by the city council in 1994 at a cost of $150,000 and it was first vandalized in 2021. According to the City, “Toward the end of September 2021, Frostad Atelier Foundry in Sacramento was tasked with restoring this landmark statue due to vandalism (severing) of the dad’s hand and a watering pail. The restoration took approximately seven…months.”

“The patina, a green or brown film on the sculpture’s surface produced by oxidation over a long period, has also been restored as part of the process. Additionally, the installation of new primrose flowers has also been completed!”

A post on the City of Antioch’s Facebook page on Monday, April 7, 2025, reads: We’re saddened to share that one of Antioch’s cherished public art pieces — the “Hey Daddy, Look!” sculpture located on Lone Tree Way near James Donlon Blvd.— has been vandalized.

“Originally restored in 2022 at a cost of over $38,000, the bronze statue has stood as a symbol of joy and connection in our community. Sadly, on March 12, the City was notified that the statue of the little girl was stolen. Out of concern for further vandalism, City staff have since removed the remaining ‘dad’ statue for safekeeping.

“The Antioch Police Department has been notified, and a report has been filed. If you have any information or saw anything suspicious in the area, please contact Antioch PD at (925) 778-2441.

We know many residents loved and appreciated this piece of art. Please know that we’re actively looking into options for what comes next.

Let’s continue to look out for one another and our public spaces.”

Former Mayor, Councilwomen Upset with Vandalism

When reached for comment former Mayor Joel Keller, and Councilwomen Cathryn Freitas, Liz Rimbault and Mary Rocha, who voted to approve the statue, shared their frustration with the theft.

“I was an advocate for having public art be part of every subdivision and I was disappointed when I read that people had stolen a piece of public art that residents had paid for,” Freitas stated. “Nothing’s a free lunch. It’s just a shame.”

“They took the little girl to melt her down as bronze,” Rimbault posited. “That’s like when they were vandalizing the Cannery Lady Statue in Rivertown by stealing the plaques which were made of bronze. So, we replaced them with marble. One of them was cutup into several pieces and sold to a recycler but later recovered by the police. It’s now at the Historical Society Museum with the Cannery Lady display.”

“That was when Helen Meagher and Faye Curtis were heading up that effort,” she shared. “It was an entire art program that went up Lone Tree Way and came back down Hillcrest Avenue.”

“They included several mosaics on the wall on Hillcrest which used to get vandalized and were removed,” Rimbault continued. “Also, the silver sculpture (entitled, ‘Delta Moon’) at the (southeast) corner of Hillcrest and Lone Tree, the old man in the wagon pulled by a horse (entitled, ‘I Knew It Was Coming’ at Hillcrest and Laurel Road, which depicts him pointing at all the new people moving to town), the horses on the hill at Wild Horse Road (and Hillcrest, entitled, ‘The Spirit Rider of the Seasons’) the bears (on Hillcrest at Terrace View Avenue entitled, ‘Mother and Cub’) and the fountain (at the corner of Hillcrest and Deer Valley Road entitled either, ‘Elements’ or ‘Two Rivers’). Although, I don’t think that one was part of that art program.”

The City’s Art in Public Places program also included the blue lighted water drop, entitled simply, “Drop” at the entrance to Prewett Family Park where the Antioch Water Park is located, and the sculpture at the corner of Dallas Ranch Road and Rockspring Way possibly entitled either, “Delta Breeze” or “Delta Winds”.

“It’s just the state of the world, currently. Everybody’s hurting, thieves are running amok, we don’t have the police department at full strength and people are getting away with anything,” Rimbault added.

“It’s just too bad as it was an important part of Antioch’s past and future,” Keller stated. “Why people have to steal things it’s too bad. It’s part of what makes a city special, especially that particular statue. It was an uplifting statue and whoever stole it took that away from the public.”

Later, when reached for comment, Rocha said about the statue of the girl being stolen, “Oh, no. She was the cutest thing in it. She represented the future.”

“I’m sad. I go by there all the time,” she added.

See more of Antioch’s Public Art on the City’s website, here.

Restaurant and property put up for sale

By Allen D. Payton

A 69-year-old Antioch institution and icon, Mac’s Old House, will close in June as owner and president Gary Noe and general manager and head chef Rick Cook have decided to throw in the dish towel and chef’s hat.

Locally famous for their dine-in, family-style prime rib and pasta dinners, as well as their very affordable cocktails, “The story of Mac’s stretches back to 1925 when Floyd ‘Mac’ McKinney built this house with his father. In 1956 he began to operate a bar out of a converted part of the home. He operated it for 17 years before selling it and retiring,” according to a report by onlyinyourstate.com. “The restaurant changed hands a few times after Mac, but today’s owner bought it in 1983.”

Noe and Cook, who have operated it on E. 18th Street, announced the closure in a post on Facebook Friday evening:

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Mac’s Old House on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

We know this may come as a shock, but after 42 incredible years it’s time to hang up our hats. In 1983, Gary and Rick came together with a vision to create the Mac’s you know and love today. Gary purchased this old house with the dream of bringing Bertolas style to Antioch, and Rick, who spent over a decade at Bertolas in Oakland, joined him. We were welcomed with open arms and were a success from day one.

We have weathered recessions, a pandemic, and ever-changing times, and through it all, we have been fortunate to serve this community. We could not have done it without our loyal customers and our dedicated staff. This little house has served well over three million meals, and we are grateful for each and every one of you.

As difficult as this decision is, all good things must come to an end.  Rick and Gary have dedicated more than half their lives to Mac’s—along with many of our staff. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who has been part of our Mac’s family over the years. Their hard work and loyalty is what makes Mac’s Old House so special.

We hope this gives you time to visit and enjoy Mac’s a few more times before we say our farewell. Your stories and memories mean the world to us, and we look forward to celebrating with the community that helped make Mac’s an iconic and loved institution.

There is still hope for the future—Mac’s Old House and the property are for sale, meaning it’s possible that Mac’s could live on with new ownership and management. For inquiries, please contact Tatiana Guzman, Chromata Real Estate at 925-783-2480 or tatiana@chromataRE.com.

Thank you all for being the most important part of our story.

With gratitude,

The Mac’s Old House Family”

Their menu also includes Extra Cut Prime Rib, Ribeye Steak, fresh Salmon and Red Snapper, Calamari Steak, Grilled Chicken Breast and Ground Round. Mac’s dine-in meals include hot baked bread, Minestrone soup, salad, pasta and fresh sauteed vegetables. See all of their menu at www.macsoldhouse.com and go get some while you still can!

Presented by East Bay Family Nights and Claryssa Wilson of Antioch’s 4Ever Me Foundation and as a fundraiser for their annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Giveaway.

Flag will fly through Juneteenth

By Allen D. Payton

During their regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, the Antioch City Council voted unanimously to approve a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month in the City of Antioch and fly the Pan-African Flag in February and until Juneteenth.

Under Consent Calendar agenda Item 1.01, the council on a 5-0 vote approved the Black History Month Proclamation. (To read the proclamation see below or click here).

Then, to further recognize Black History Month, under the Consent Calendar Item 4.A., the council approved on a 5-0 vote flying the Pan African Flag at City Hall during February and until Juneteenth on June 19 to honor the nation’s newest holiday. That’s the day in 1865, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, when Union Army troops entered Texas and General Gordon Granger announced that the slaves in that state were also free.

According to the Flag Database, “The Pan-African flag, also known as the Afro-American flag, Black Liberation flag, and various other names, consists of three equal horizontal bands of red, black, and green. The red band is positioned at the top, followed by the black in the middle, and green at the bottom. This flag is a powerful symbol of African and African Diaspora unity, pride, and freedom. The red color represents the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and that was shed for their liberation. The black band symbolizes black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag. The green represents the abundant natural wealth of Africa.

“The Pan-African flag was first adopted on August 13, 1920, during the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League’s (UNIA-ACL) convention in Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was introduced by Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican political leader, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator, who founded the UNIA-ACL in 1914. Garvey proposed the flag in response to the 1900 coon song ‘Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon,’ which highlighted the fact that African Americans at the time did not have a flag symbolizing their own race. The creation of the Pan-African flag was a response to the derogatory song, aiming to provide Black people around the world with a symbol of their own pride and sovereignty. Since its adoption, the flag has been used in various African diaspora contexts, particularly within civil rights movements in the United States. It has also been embraced by many African countries and movements seeking to assert their independence and unity. Over the years, the flag has grown to become a global emblem of African solidarity, liberation, and pride.”

According to Wikipedia, “The flag was created as a response to racism against African Americans…with the help of Marcus Garvey,” who was “a Jamaican political activist” and “founder and first President-General” of the “Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL)” which “formally adopted it on August 13, 1920, in Article 39 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World, during its month-long convention.”

IN HONOR OF
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
FEBRUARY 2025

WHEREAS, the origins of Black History Month can be traced back to 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States;

WHEREAS, in 1976, Black History Month was formally adopted to honor and affirm the importance of Black History throughout our American experience and is full of individuals who took a stance against prejudice advanced the cause of civil rights, strengthened families, communities, and our nation;

WHEREAS, the Black History Month 2025 theme, “African Americans and Labor,” focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary. That work ranges from the past agricultural labor of enslaved Africans to today’s Black professionals providing leadership as corporate executives and entrepreneurs;

WHEREAS, because of their determination, hard work, and perseverance, African Americans have made valuable and lasting contributions to our community and our state, achieving exceptional success in all aspects of society including business, education, politics, science, and the arts;

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch continues to work toward becoming an inclusive community in which all residents – past, present, and future – are respected and recognized for their contributions and potential contributions to our community, the state, the country, and the world; and

WHEREAS, the City of Antioch is proud to honor the history and contributions of African Americans in our community, throughout our state, and our nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON BERNAL, Mayor of the City of Antioch, hereby proclaim February 2025 to be “Black History Month.” I encourage all citizens to celebrate our diverse heritage and culture and to continue our efforts to create a world that is more just, peaceful, and prosperous for all.

JANUARY 28, 2025

RON BERNAL, Mayor

3 projects to choose from

Join us this Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we spend “a day on, not a day off,” encouraging all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Let’s work together to build a stronger Antioch!

This Year’s Services Include:
• Senior Day of Engagement – Antioch Senior Center | 415 W 2nd Street
• Antioch Community Park Revitalization Project | 801 James Donlon Blvd.
• Fremont Elementary School Community Project | 1413 F Street

Register to get involved at antiochca.gov/mlk-day.

Fundraiser for Boys Mentoring program

By Anthony Randolph

A Martin Luther King Day event will be held on Monday January 20th, from 9:30 am to 12 noon at Grace Bible Fellowship of Antioch. It will be a great breakfast including shrimp and grits and a MLK, Jr. program. It is also a fundraiser for our Boys Mentoring program and all proceeds will help send them on a summer trip to Atlanta.

We are also having a Black History Contest open for all school age students in Contra Costa County. Below are some details but for complete details visit our website: www.gracearmsofantioch.org/mlkjr.

The church is located at 3415 Oakley Road.