Front row: Brianna Davenport (8 yr. old girl), Isaac Ramirez (10 yr. old boy), Isaac Torres (9 yr. old boy), Cristiano Pham (8 yr. old boy), Ruby duPont (11 yr. old girl) Second row: Jorge Aragon (14 yr. old boy), Lex Magpoc (12 yr. old boy), Matthew Gallego (13 yr. old boy), Gabriella Matar (12 yr. old girl), Thalia Pham (13 yr. old girl) Back row: Knights of Columbus Antioch Council #3265. Photo by Knights of Columbus.
Qualify for District competition
By Wayne Steffen
Ten boys and girls ages 8 to 14 were named local champions of the 2024 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship and have earned the right to compete at the district level. Antioch Council #3265 sponsored the local competition at Most Holy Rosary parish center.
The champions are:
Age Boys Girls
8 Cristiano Pham Brianna Davenport
9 Isaac Torres
10 Isaac Ramirez
11 Ruby du Pont
12 Lex Magpoc Gabriella Matar
13 Matthew Gallego Thalia Pham
14 Jorge Aragon
Each of these winners will compete in the district competition to be held on February 10 with an eye toward moving on to county, state national, and international levels.
Council #3265 in Antioch, CA is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the Knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally with financial contributions and hands-on service.
To generate at least $1 to $2 billion annually; priorities include transit, safer streets and roads, resilience
Commissioners considering a variety of tax options
By John Goodwin & Rebecca Long, Metropolitan Transportation Commission
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024 voted to pursue legislation in Sacramento this year that would enable Bay Area voters to consider a transportation revenue measure as early as November 2026.
The proposed measure aims to advance a climate-friendly Bay Area transportation system that is safe, accessible and convenient for all. This includes preserving and enhancing public transit service; making transit faster, safer and easier to use; repairing local streets and roads; and improving mobility and access for all people, including pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter and wheelchair users.
The vote was approved unanimously by all members present. There are 21 commissioners with three non-voting members. Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan who are voting members were both absent during the vote.
State Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco earlier this month introduced what is known as a spot bill that will be used as the vehicle for authorizing placement of the proposed measure on a future ballot in each of the nine Bay Area counties. The first opportunity to amend Wiener’s Senate Bill 925 will be in mid-February.
While the Commission has not yet identified a revenue source for the proposed measure, MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza noted that he and his colleagues are considering a wide range of options.
“Voters traditionally have supported transportation through bridge tolls or sales taxes. Bridge tolls are not an option in this case and we think it’s smart to look at more than a regional sales tax. We’re proposing a few options so we have enough flexibility and enough time to get it right.”
Tax Options & Projected Revenue
Legislators, and MTC staff and commissioners, will consider several options for generating revenue. These may include a sales tax, an income tax, a payroll tax, a square footage based parcel tax, a Bay Area-specific vehicle registration surcharge with tiered rates based on the value of the vehicle or a regional vehicle-miles traveled charge (VMT) charge subject to prior adoption of a statewide road usage charge not sooner than 2030.
MTC staff recommend raising at least $1 billion to $2 billion per year for robust investments in safe streets and other capital improvements, to improve and expand transit service, and to help Bay Area transit agencies operate their services.
Goals of the Regional Transportation Measure
The revenue measure’s core goal is to advance a climate-friendly transportation system in the Bay Area that is safe, accessible and convenient for all. Focus areas include:
Protect and enhance transit service. Ensure that current resources are maintained and used effectively; and enhance service frequency and areas served.
Make transit faster, safer and easier to use. Create a seamless and convenient Bay Area transit system that attracts more riders by improving public safety on transit; implementing the Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan; and strengthening regional network management.
Enhance mobility and access for all. Make it safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities to get to where they need to go. Preserve and improve mobility for all transportation system users, including people walking, biking and wheeling.
Proposed Expenditure Categories
Transit transformation: sustain, expand and improve transit service for both current and future riders; accelerate customer-focused initiatives from the Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan and other service improvements that are high priorities for Bay Area voters and riders; and help fund the transition to zero-emission transit.
Safe streets: transform local streets and roads to support safety, equity and climate goals, including through pothole repair, investments in bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure, safe routes to transit and other safety enhancements.
Connectivity: fund mobility improvements that close gaps and relieve bottlenecks in the existing transportation network in a climate-neutral way.
Climate resilience: fund planning, design and/or construction work that protects transportation infrastructure and nearby communities from rising sea levels, flooding, wildfires and extreme heat.
Transportation Measure Highlights
This measure reflects feedback from Commissioners, key legislative leaders and other stakeholders, including:
Improving transit coordination by strengthening MTC’s role as regional transit network manager;
A focus on Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan (TAP) action items and other customer facing policies that would benefit from a regional approach, such as ambassadors to assist riders and support a safe atmosphere;
Flexibility in the amount of revenue requested, as well as the way that funding could be generated;
Flexibility in spending priorities as the region’s needs evolve with time; and
A Transportation Demand Management mandate that encourages Bay Area employees to commute to work in ways other than driving to work alone; and
A limitation on how money could be spent on highway-widening projects.
Just as MTC commissioners have proposed a range of tax options, so too have they identified multiple expenditure categories.
“We recognize that we’ll be asking voters to take on a heavy lift,” acknowledged Pedroza. “The big lesson from COVID is the need to transform both our transit network and the way we pay to operate it. But we also need to transform our local streets and roads to fix potholes and make the roads safer for walking and biking. We need to improve connectivity and do it in a way that doesn’t encourage people to drive more. And we need to make our transportation infrastructure more resilient to rising sea levels, flooding, wildfires and extreme heat.”
Measure Vision Statement
The Commissioners also adopted the following Vision Statement for the measure: “The Bay Area needs a world-class, reliable, affordable, efficient and connected transportation network that meets the needs of Bay Area residents, businesses and visitors while also helping combat the climate crisis; a public transit network that offers safe, clean, frequent, accessible, easy-to-navigate and reliable service, getting transit riders where they want and need to go safely, affordably, quickly and seamlessly; local roads are well maintained; and transit, biking, walking and wheeling are safe, convenient and competitive alternatives to driving; enhancing access to opportunity, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the region’s economy and improving quality of life.”
To learn more about the proposed tax measure click, here. To read the supporting documents considered by the Commissioners click, here.
MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.
By Kristi Jourdan, PIO, Office of Communications & Media, Contra Costa County
Improving the quality of life for Contra Costa County residents through diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible programs and services will be the center of the Board of Supervisors annual retreat discussion Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Pittsburg City Hall, 65 Civic Avenue in Pittsburg.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
“Ensuring we’re meeting community needs is always our focus,” said Board Chair Federal Glover, District 5 Supervisor. “The retreat offers an opportunity for us to anticipate economic factors and continue prioritizing resources accordingly to make sure we’re having the greatest impact through our services.”
Supervisors will receive an economic forecast from Beacon Economics. Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ) Co-Directors Dr. Kendra Carr and Peter Kim will present a summary of ORESJ priorities for the coming year including new initiatives toward expanding equity, building office infrastructure and staffing, developing the Lived Experience Advisory Board, and proposed costs.Pittsburg City Manager Garrett Evans is also scheduled to speak.
The Board of Supervisors sets the direction of the County government and oversees its $5.5 billion budget to serve the 1.2 million residents of this diverse East Bay county with a “AAA” bond rating.
The Board meeting will be accessible in person at Council Chambers, Pittsburg City Hall, 65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg. The meeting will be televised live on Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse Channel 99, Astound Channels 32 & 1027, and can be seen live online at www.contracosta.ca.gov or www.contracostatv.org.
Significant decline in number of highway violence incidents involving firearms on for second year in a row.
By Jaime Coffee, CHP Media Relations
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a significant milestone for public safety, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) documented a substantial reduction in the number of freeway shootings across the state. The number of confirmed freeway shootings in California dropped from 349 to 274 last year – a reduction of more than 21% from the previous year and a 38% reduction from 2021.
In addition to the reduction in the number of freeway shootings, CHP data confirms the number of victims killed and injured in highway violence incidents also decreased. Last year there were four people killed in freeways shootings, which is a 60% reduction from 2022. Additionally, there was an 8% reduction in the number of people injured – from 74 to 68 last year. Reflecting the good work that contributed to these reductions, the number of arrests by the CHP in freeways shootings increased nearly 9% from 2022.
“While this downward trend marks progress, let’s be clear: one life lost by gun violence is one too many,” said Governor Newsom. “California will remain relentless in our pursuit to improve public safety, reduce gun violence, and invest in smart crime-fighting strategies that deliver real results.”
“Freeway shootings are serious crimes, and the CHP actively investigates every incident of highway violence,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “This accomplishment reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of our highways throughout California and fostering an environment where motorists can travel without fear.”
If you are driving on the freeway and a shooting takes place near you, you should remain calm, be a good witness and note any details such as vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers. Maintain a safe distance from the suspect, and call 9-1-1 if possible, to report the incident and your current location.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
By Jen Vanya, Public Information Specialist, East Bay Regional Park District
For the past 31 years, the East Bay Regional Park District has encouraged the public to explore their Regional Parks through its annual Trails Challenge program. The free program connects people with nature and healthy recreation by providing 20 designated trails for each year’s challenge.
The 2024 Guidebook includes 20 trails available for all levels of fitness, ranging from easy and moderate to challenging. There are trails open to hikers, bicyclists, dogs, and equestrians. Trails Challenge 2024 also offers increased accessibility with trails that have been evaluated and identified as usable by persons with mobility limitations.
To complete the challenge, hike five of the 20 trails, or 26.2 miles (the distance of a marathon) of trails within East Bay Regional Park District. You can submit your log, online or by mail, by December 1, 2024, and receive a commemorative pin, while supplies last.
Trails Challenge is made possible in partnership with the Regional Parks Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, who have both sponsored Trails Challenge since 2005.
Download the 2024 Trails Challenge and learn more at ebparks.org/TC.
Tips for the Trails
East Bay Regional Parks are popular with hikers, bikers, equestrians, and nature viewers, among others. Help keep trails enjoyable for all by following these tips for the trails:
Hikers: Stay to the right and stay alert
Bikers: Slow down around others and call out or ring your bell when passing
Equestrians: Keep to the right around other trail users and let them know how to pass your horse safely
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Actwould fund new units throughout state
Rep. John Garamendi. Official photo.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA08) and Joyce Beatty (D-OH03) reintroduced updated legislation to help address the affordable housing crisis. Their HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act would significantly increase the amount of federal funds available for affordable housing across the country. Companion legislation is being introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).
“Hardworking Californians face a drastic shortage of affordable housing options,” said Congressman Garamendi. “Minimum wage workers have to work an 88-hour week on average to afford a modest one-bedroom rental at a fair market rate. This legislation reauthorizes the HOME Investment Partnership Program for the first time since 1994 to bring this crucial program into the 21st century and provide states and local governments with the funding to construct and rehabilitate affordable rental housing as well as provide homeownership opportunities for working families. I’m thankful to Senator Cortez Masto for introducing the companion legislation in the Senate, and we will work tirelessly until this legislation becomes law.”
“Families across Ohio and the United States are facing a daunting affordable housing crisis that demands creative, collaborative solutions,” said Rep. Beatty. “For more than three decades, the HOME program has provided essential gap funding for states and communities across the nation to address their most pressing housing challenges. I am proud to join Senator Cortez Masto and Congressman Garamendi in leading this legislation to authorize ample funding for HOME for the next five years and to make critical improvements to the program that will ensure more American families have access to safe, affordable housing.”
“We have to do more to address our affordable housing crisis and increase the supply of affordable homes for Nevada families,” said Senator Masto. “The HOME program delivers critical funding to help communities build new housing units, support rental assistance, and support new homebuyers – but it needs to be updated to meet today’s needs. My legislation reauthorizing, improving and expanding this vital program will ensure more Nevadans have a quality, affordable place to call home.”
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is the largest federal affordable housing block grant and is HUD’s flagship affordable housing production program. Since 1990, HOME has helped state and local housing agencies support a wide variety of housing needs, from financing new construction and home repairs to funding down payment and rental assistance. It also provides additional funding to housing developments financed by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, helping the program serve more extremely low-income people including seniors, veterans, those experiencing homelessness, and people with disabilities. Since 1992, the HOME program in California has:
Invested $5.27 billion into housing across the state;
Built or preserved 121,727 homes;
Given rental assistance to 43,840 families;
Supported 277,318 jobs; and
Generated $19.2 billion in local income.
The program was last re-authorized in 1994 and needs critical updates to better address today’s housing crisis. Garamendi’s HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act would reauthorize the HOME program and make several much-needed improvements. Specifically, it would:
Authorize $5 billion in HOME funding for fiscal year 2024 and boost the funding for the program by five percent annually through 2028. Garamendi’s legislation would address chronic underfunding of the affordable housing investment program, which received only $1.5 billion in 2023;
Improve HOME’s ability to provide downpayment assistance to homebuyers and home repair assistance to homeowners;
Enable HOME funds to support Community Land Trusts and other shared equity homeownership programs; and
Increase access to HOME funds for nonprofits and provide state and local governments loan guarantee options that would allow them to leverage their future HOME funds for investments today.
The legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Shontel Brown (D-OH), André Carson (D-IN), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Juan Vargas (D-CA) and Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). It is also supported by the National Council of State Housing Agencies, Council of State Community Development Agencies, Enterprise Community Partners, Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), Grounded Solutions Network, National Multifamily Housing Council, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, National Community Development Association, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), National Association of Realtors (NAR), National CAPACD, Habitat for Humanity, National Apartment Association and National Association for Community Economic Development Associations.
Representative Garamendi has spent his entire career advocating for affordable housing, robust homeowner protections, and rental assistance programs. As California’s first-ever elected Insurance Commissioner, Garamendi successfully implemented Proposition 103, which reformed the homeowner insurance industry and lowered homeownership insurance rates. Last year, Garamendi and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) led members of California’s congressional delegation in sending a letter to California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara urging him to use his power under state law to protect homeowners in the face of an insurance crisis. During his congressional tenure, Garamendi worked with Habitat for Humanity to establish a financing mechanism that utilized existing funding to build new veteran housing units. Garamendi originally introduced the HOME Investment Partnership Reauthorization Act in 2020 and has continued to champion the legislation in Congress. He is also a cosponsor of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, which would support the financing of more affordable housing by expanding and strengthening the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
By Lt. Rick Martin, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau
On January 23, 2024, at approximately 10:53 pm the Antioch Police Dispatch center began receiving multiple calls of shots fired with a subject injured in the unit block of Bryan Avenue. Officers arrived and located two victims, a 41-year-old male and a 59-year-old male, both from Antioch each with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers rendered first aid to both victims. Contra Costa Fire Department and Paramedics arrived a short time later and transported both victims to local hospitals.
The 41-year-old male victim succumbed to his injuries at the hospital and was pronounced deceased. The second victim has life threatening injuries.
Antioch Police Detectives were notified and have taken over the investigation. We are withholding the names of the victims until proper family notifications have been made. No further information will be provided at this time.
It’s the city’s second homicide of the year. As previously reported, the first homicide occurred on Jan. 10th when a 43-year-old man was shot.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Gragg at (925) 779-6889 or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441.
Proposed Vineyard Crossing Preliminary Development Plan. Source: City of Antioch
Vineyard Crossing Preliminary Development Plan includes 71 homes, 70 ADU’s
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, the Antioch City Council will consider a new type of residential development consisting of 71 single-family residences (SFRs) and 70 accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on 71 residential lots. The 14.6-acre project site is located north of Oakley Road and west of Phillips Lane. ADU’s, formerly referred to as “in-law units” or “granny units” have become a significant form of in-fill development in the past two years following approval of new state legislation.
According to Selna Partners law firm, “In 1982, California allowed the construction of ADUs statewide, but gave local governments control over where to locate and how to regulate them. That changed in 2016 when the State Legislature approved bills requiring cities and counties to allow ADUs on most residential lots, preempting local zoning. More than 24,000 ADUs were permitted in 2022, up from 1,000 in 2016. State data indicates that currently 20% of the housing units built annually in California are ADUs, which is the equivalent of 20,000 new homes.”
Furthermore, “in 2022, the Legislature passed yet another round of bills to combat local resistance. The most impactful were those that enabled ‘mandatory’ ADUs: structures that met specific, basic criteria essentially could not be denied by a local government. 2022 bills, AB 2221 and SB 897 resulted in amendments to the California Government Code dictating that an ADU with the following characteristics, must be approved by the local planning and building department(s) with no discretion from a zoning board or planning commission:
A detached structure that does not exceed four-foot side and rear-yard setbacks for a lot with an existing or proposed single-family dwelling.
800 square foot floor area limit.
18-foot height limit, plus two feet for a single family residential zoned parcel to accommodate a roof pitch aligned with the pitch of the existing house.”
Vineyard Crossing home designs. Source: City of Antioch
According to the City staff report on the agenda item #, “The proposed unit mix includes three different SFR floor plans that range in size from 1,492 to 1,697 square feet (sf) and two different ADU floor plans that range in size from 603 to 750 sf. Each SFR included in the proposed project would have an attached two-car garage with a driveway and each ADU would include a driveway for one vehicle parking space.”
Vineyard Crossing site map. Source: City of Antioch
Also according to the City staff report, “The Preliminary Development Plan (PDP) the council will review is a non-entitlement action and does not require environmental review. The future project application review would require compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The purpose of a PDP is to gather feedback from the Planning Commission and others in order for the applicant to become aware of concerns and/or issues prior to final development plan and tentative map submittal. As standard practice, preliminary plans are not conditioned; rather a list of needed items, information, and issues to be addressed is compiled for the applicant to address prior to submitting an entitlement application.”
Vineyard Crossing project area map. Source: City of Antioch
The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers inside City Hall at 200 H Street following a 5:30 p.m. Closed Session on four legal matters. See the complete meeting agenda. The meeting can be viewed online via livestream on the City’s website or on Comcast local cable channel 24 or AT&T U-verse channel 99.
