Source: Temperature from Apple Weather app and notice from City of Antioch.
4 PM “parade and festivities are moving forward as planned”
City will offer options to beat the heat
By Allen Payton
In a post on its Facebook page today, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the City of Antioch wrote, “We’re excited to celebrate Independence Day with you this year. Despite the expected high temperatures, our July 4th parade and festivities are moving forward as planned.
That’s in spite of the temperature forecast of 104 degrees that day.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. –In preparation for the Independence Day holiday, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is launching a statewide enforcement effort aimed at keeping the public safe on our roads. With unsafe speed being the main contributor to crashes in California, the CHP will focus on speed control and promoting safe driving practices throughout the holiday weekend.
“Speeding isn’t just breaking the law – it’s putting lives at risk. Every additional mile per hour reduces a driver’s reaction time and increases the severity of a crash,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “We’re asking the public to choose safety over speed to ensure everyone gets home safely.”
To help keep the roadways safe, the CHP will initiate a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7. During this extended holiday weekend, all available CHP officers will be on patrol to encourage safe driving and assist motorists when needed.
Last year during the Independence Day MEP, 68 people were killed in crashes throughout the state. Tragically, nearly half of the vehicle occupants killed in a crash within CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seat belt. Additionally, CHP officers made 1,224 arrests for driving under the influence during the 102-hour holiday enforcement period. This equates to an average of one DUI arrest every five minutes.
Keep yourself and others safe by designating a sober driver or using public transit or a ride-share service. If you see a driver who seems impaired, call 9-1-1 right away. Be prepared to give the dispatcher details about the vehicle, including license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your call could save a life.
“The safety of the public is our top priority. Slow down, drive responsibly, and ensure you and your loved ones reach your destination safely,” added Commissioner Duryee.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
The Antioch City Council were joined by Police Oversight Commissioner Leslie May for a photo with their 2024 Juneteenth Proclamation by Acting Assistant City Manager and Parks & Recreation Director Brad Helfenberger as Acting City Manager and Economic Development Director Kwame Reed looks on during the council meeting on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Video screenshot.
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting last night, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the Antioch City Council unanimously approved the following proclamation including promotion of this Sunday’s third annual City-sponsored event:
WHEREAS, Juneteenth is recognized as Freedom Day or our country’s second Independence Day;
WHEREAS, Juneteenth was the day that slavery ended in the United States resulting in the emancipation of all slaves and beginning the restoration of culture, name, language, faith, and identity;
WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln first issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing the enslaved people in the South, but those orders were ignored by Confederate Southern slave owners;
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and enforced the President’s order, freeing the enslaved people two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued;
WHEREAS, other systems of oppression and systematic inequalities, such as sharecropping, Jim Crow, redlining, and mass incarceration, the reverberation of Black bodies and Black impoverishment, continued well past slavery and some persist to this day, affecting the physical and mental health, safety, and even the continuing education of young African American children;
WHEREAS, liberation from these systems of oppression, demands nothing less than Black economic liberation manifested through financial literacy, a positive sense of self, an upright ethical and moral compass, high-earning jobs, mentors willing to share the means of self-improvement, and the ability to own the land in one’s own neighborhood;
WHEREAS, many African Americans have advanced academically, politically, and financially and continue to strive to build wealth within the Black community in and beyond; and
WHEREAS, on June 16, 2024, the City of Antioch will hold its Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Williamson Ranch Park, with speakers sharing our rich, proud history, music, ethnic foods, and activities. We invite all our brothers, sisters, and friends of every culture and ethnicity to join us for this historical event and celebration.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, LAMAR A. HERNANDEZ-THORPE, Mayor of the City of Antioch, do hereby acknowledge June 19th, 2024, as Juneteenth in the City of Antioch, the annual recognition of Black emancipation, the celebration of the past, present, and future of Black economic liberation, and our commitment to eradicate systemic racism that undermines our collective prosperity.
JUNE 11, 2024
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Following its reading and signature by Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, the proclamation was presented to Antioch Police Oversight Commissioner Leslie May with whom the council members took a commemorative photo.
In spite of two others being held in Antioch by non-profit organizations
Will include live music, rides, carnival games, food booths and activities
By Allen D. Payton
Confused by having three events in Antioch celebrating Juneteenth, again this year? According to the information from the City of Antioch’s Recreation Department, “This year marks the third annual city sponsored Juneteenth Celebration, where we come together as a city to honor freedom, culture, and community. Join us for a day of reflection that showcases the richness of African American heritage as we embrace the vibrancy and resiliency of Black culture. This event features live performances, music, food, activities for kids and adults, and so much more!”
The City’s event will be held on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16 from 12:00-5:00 PM at Williamson Ranch Park at the Corner of Lone Tree Way and Hillcrest Avenue.
Two Other Juneteenth Celebrations in Antioch, Again This Year
The multi-genreAriel Marin Band will perform at this year’s City of Antioch Juneteenth celebration from 12:30-1:30 pm.
Yet, there are two other events being held in Antioch again, this year celebrating the final end of slavery in America, both by non-profit organizations and one is completely free to the public. The first celebration will be held this Saturday, June 15th at Grace Bible Fellowship Church of Antioch, organized by their affiliated non-profit organization, Grace Arms of Antioch, for a third year in a row.
The reason the event was held in Brentwood that year was due to a control issue by the mayor, Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker, then-Interim City Manager Con Johnson and Wilson and her mother, Velma, who was supporting the mayor’s recall at the time and her husband, Claryssa’s father, was the titular chairman of the recall committee. The three city officials took the event away from the Wilsons just two months before it was to be held, by withdrawing the permit to hold it at the City’s Waldie Plaza in downtown Rivertown. (See related article)
The Celebrate Antioch Foundation stepped up to help Claryssa by providing the needed liability insurance for the event.
The first two hours of the City’s event is also being held the same day as, and will overlap the last two hours of, the annual Rivertown Father’s Day Car Show in Antioch’s historic downtown organized by the Celebrate Antioch Foundation, as did last year’s City sponsored Juneteenth celebration.
“What is Juneteenth?
Country loving, R&B, Soul-Rock singer Nzuri Soul will perform from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
The City’s promotional information also includes a brief history of the holiday and event, as does Grace Arms’.
“Short for June Nineteenth, Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States– marking the day when federal troops arrived in Galvenston, Texas to take control of the state and ensure the freedom of all remaining enslaved people. Texas became the first U.S. state to celebrate Juneteenth in 1979. Officially becoming a U.S. federal holiday in June of 2021, the City of Antioch is proud to present our third annual Juneteenth Celebration taking place on Sunday, June 16, 2024.”
Questions for Council and Staff
All five council members, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and Acting Assistant City Manager and Parks & Recreation Director Brad Helfenberger were asked if the City is using taxpayer funds to pay for this year’s Juneteenth celebration. If so, why the City is hosting and paying for one when there are two organizations each holding a Juneteenth event in Antioch. They were also asked how much is being spent on this year’s event if an organization was hired to organize the event or if is being handled by city staff.
Finally, they were asked, why the City didn’t just promote either the event organized by Grace Arms on June 15th and/or the event on June 19th organized by Claryssa Wilson and her 4Ever Me Foundation which would save taxpayer money.
District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock was the only councilmember to respond writing, “we set some funds aside for events, as we do for 4th of July.”
The Curtis Family C-Notes will perform their broad genre of music including 60s-70s inspired San Francisc/Oakland/Bay Area funk. from 3:30-5:00 pm
Helfenberger offered more details. He responded, “I can confirm that, as in 2022 and 2023, this year’s event is being funded from the general fund and will cost approximately $42,000.
The event is being organized by our dedicated City staff, without the use of an outside firm.
When the event budget was established in 2022, we placed a strong emphasis on creating community-wide special events that hold cultural significance. Our goal is to foster a sense of belonging within our community and ensure that our events reflect the diversity of our residents. While we deeply appreciate the efforts of various community groups in organizing events, we believe it is important for the City to host its own events with these objectives in mind.”
Juneteenth: A Free Celebration Details
The City of Antioch’s Juneteenth: A Freedom Celebration will include live musical performances by Ariel Marin Band from 12:30-1:30 pm, Nzuri Soul from 2:00-3:00 pm and The Curtis Family C-Notes from 3:30-5:00 pm.
In addition, a variety of activities are planned, including Ballistic Swing Ride, Carnival Games, a Dominoes Tournament, Father’s Day Card Creation Station, Juneteenth Crafts, Photobooth, Rock Climbing Wall and a Super Fun 90’ Slide plus, food vendor booths. To learn more about the event visit www.antiochca.gov/juneteenth/.
Bring your dad to Antioch’s historic downtown and enjoy seeing the cars, plus, vendor booths, music and food from Rivertown restaurants during Celebrate Antioch Foundation’s annual Rivertown Father’s Day Car Show on Sunday, June 16, 2024.
Resurrection Sunrise Service 6:30 – 7:15 am next to the Plaza
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus… “Why do your search for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen”
Join us for this special sunrise service as we celebrate the resurrection of our King. We will have a time of singing and scripture reading before our main Resurrection Sunday Services.
This service will be outside so please bring a chair.We are meeting in the Guest Parking Lot next to the Plaza.
Join us on Resurrection Sunday at 8:30am or 10:30am in the Sanctuary
Everyone is welcome for a time of worshipping our risen King through singing, scripture reading, and hearing from God’s Word.
We are hosting Sunday School classes for kids!
Please have your Walkers–5th Graders join us at our 8:30 service and Nursery–5th Graders join us at our 10:30 service. All other ages are encouraged to sit with their family in the main services.
Good Friday is the day we remember our Lord’s death. It is so easy to take the significance of the cross for granted because we hear about it often. We see the image of the cross everywhere. This service is a chance for us to slow down and truly reflect on what Jesus’ sacrifice means. This will be a somber time of reflection and thankfulness as we consider what Jesus did for us.
Join us at Golden Hills Community Church, as we worship through singing, the reading of scripture and prayer.
We do not recommend that young children attend this service, as it will be dark and quiet. We are offering childcare for your children for this service. Please use this link to register your child. Registration is required at least 3 days before this event (March 25) for staffing purposes.
