For more information visit www.celebrateantioch.org

The Antioch Department will be out Monday, February 19, 2024, from 6PM to 12AM looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence (DUI).

“Impaired driving is preventable,” said Sergeant Rob Green. “It’s a choice. If you’ve been drinking or taken drugs that impair, make the right choice by finding a sober driver or alternate transportation to take you places.”

The Antioch Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

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

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! “Looking for love in all the wrong places?”

Many have turned to online dating and social media throughout the last couple of years. New apps have been developed, and some social media platforms have even created ways to find your better half online. Unfortunately, these platforms have not only made it easier than ever to meet new people and find dates but have also made it easier to be scammed as well. Con artists create compelling backstories and full-fledged identities, then trick you into falling for someone who doesn’t exist. This form of deception is known as “catfishing”. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has witnessed a growth in romance scams in recent years. With Valentine’s Day around the corner BBB encourages those looking for love to be wary of fraudsters. Don’t let your quest for love blind you to the realities of romance scams.

How the scam works:

Most romance scams start with fake profiles on online dating sites created by stealing photos and text from real accounts or elsewhere. Scammers often claim to be in the military or working overseas to explain why they can’t meet you in person. Over a short period of time, the scammer builds a fake relationship with you, exchanging photos and romantic messages, even talking on the phone or through a webcam.

Just when the relationship seems to be getting serious, your new sweetheart has a health issue or family emergency or wants to plan a visit. No matter the story, the request is the same: they need money. But after you send money, there’s another request, and then another. Or the scammer stops communicating altogether.

Tips to spot this scam:

• Too hot to be true. Scammers offer up good-looking photos and tales of financial success.
• In a hurry to get off the site. Catfishers will try very quickly to get you to move to communicate through email, messenger, or phone.
• Moving fast. A catfisher will begin speaking of a future together and tell you they love you quickly. They often say they’ve never felt this way before.
• Talk about trust. Catfishers will start manipulating you with talk about trust and its importance. This will often be the first step to asking you for money.
• Don’t want to meet. Be wary of someone who always has an excuse to postpone a meeting because they say they are traveling or live overseas or are in the military.
• Suspect language. If the person you are communicating with claims to be from your hometown but has poor spelling or grammar, uses overly flowery language or uses phrases that don’t make sense, that’s a red flag.
• Hard luck stories. Before moving on to asking you for money, the scammer may hint at financial troubles like heat being cut off or a stolen car, or a sick relative, or they may share a sad story from their past (death of parents or spouse, etc.).

Protect yourself from this scam:

• Never send money or personal information that can be used for identity theft to someone you’ve never met in person.
• Ask specific questions about details given in a profile.
• Do your research. Many scammers steal photos from the web to use in their profiles. You can do a reverse image lookup using a website like tineye.com or images.google.com to see if the photos on a profile are stolen from somewhere else.

To report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker.

Check out our romance scam resource page at BBB.org/romance.

ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for over 110 years. In 2022, people turned to BBB more than 250 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on about 12,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. 

To make your reservation visit www.smithslandingantioch.com/events.

By Troop 153, Antioch CaRav

Do you need your Christmas tree picked up? Have the Boy Scouts do it.

We are asking for a donation of $30 for unflocked trees and $40 for flocked trees.

Please use this link to schedule your pickup: https://pickup.antiochtroop153.org/  

Please use the link, it is going to improve our services and help our parents and Scouts doing the tree pick up. Even if you already emailed us, please fill out the link. We are picking trees up on the weekends of Dec 30/31 and January 6/7. Please have your tree on the curb by 9 A.M. Our parents and Scouts will be picking up trees all day and might not pick up your tree until later in the day. If you have issues, please email us, we will follow up shortly.

We are all volunteers and have limited resources. No direct messages, no text messages, we have multiple parents monitoring the troop email account.

Please only email once, we may not respond to your email until later in the day.  To pay, please use Zelle and look for: Boys Scouts of America Troop 153. Use FULL name (no abbreviations). Zelle makes it easier. You can use our troop tree pick up Google email for Zelle: troop153treepickup@gmail.com

If you’re unable to use Zelle, checks are appreciated made out to: BSA Troop 153. Checks can be left under your doormat on the day of pick up. For taxes you can claim it as a donation to the Boy Scouts of America. BSA Troop 153, Antioch CA Nonprofit id: 94-1156249 

Thank you!

Ring in the New Year in San Francisco under fireworks.

We’ve made it to the last weekend of 2023, and it will be an event-FULL one! Dozens of New Year’s Eve celebrations are happening, along with a few “Noon Year’s Eve” events for the kids. Take in a live show, a musical performance, or dance until the clock hits 12 a.m. at the BARTable events below. BART will run special service this weekend with trains running as late as 1 a.m. on New Years Eve.

To view the list of BARTable partner events visit BARTable This Weekend: Dec 29-31 | BARTable.

Find more information about our special service here. Are you hosting an event near a BART station? Visit this page to learn about “what is BARTable.”

Use BART’s Trip Planner for detailed routes and transit options.

BARTable partners with local organizations located near BART stations to shine a light on the incredible diversity of businesses, restaurants and happenings that are easily accessible by transit. Our partners provide special deals and prizes for our weekly giveaways, which you can find on our Contest and Deals page. Interested in becoming a BARTable partner? Learn more here.

Will hold Maximum Enforcement Period Friday, Dec. 29 – Monday night, Jan. 1, 2024

909 DUI arrests during Christmas weekend MEP, a 42% increase over last year

As we prepare to usher in a new year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is ramping up efforts to help ensure the safety of all road users, while reducing the number of deadly crashes on the state’s roadways.

Beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, the CHP will implement a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP), which will continue through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. 

The CHP conducted a similar enforcement effort during the recent Christmas holiday.  Tragically, 20 people were killed in crashes within CHP jurisdiction between 6:01 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 25.  Additionally, CHP officers made more than 900 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) – an average of one every five minutes.

“Our personnel work through the holidays to help ensure people arrive safely at their destinations,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.  “The goal is to maintain a safe environment on California’s roads, which is achievable when all motorists make responsible decisions behind the wheel.”

In addition to assisting drivers and looking for traffic violations, such as failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, and distracted driving, CHP officers will be paying close attention to people suspected of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.  During the last New Year’s Day MEP, CHP officers made 570 DUI arrests statewide.

As we close out 2023, avoid becoming a statistic.  Have a plan and designate a sober driver or use ride-share services, avoid distractions while driving, and always wear your seat belt.  If you see or suspect an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your phone call may save someone’s life.

Christmas Weekend MEP Results

Over the past Christmas weekend, the CHP took decisive action to keep our roads safe! Here are the results from the maximum enforcement period:

CHP arrested 909 individuals for driving under the influence, a 42% increase from the year prior. Sadly, there were 19 fatal crashes resulting in 20 fatalities. Although this is a 23% decrease from last year, there is more work to be done to continue to reduce the mileage death rate.

Safety Reminder: Slow down, always designate a sober driver, and wear your seatbelt. These simple actions can save lives and prevent injuries.

Thank you to all who prioritize road safety. Stay safe!

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.