In second year of two-year contract

“It sounds hard, and it is – but JOY abounds here!” – Bessie Marie Scott

By Allen D. Payton

Antioch City Manager Bessie Scott is currently serving in the second year of her two-year contract since being hired for the position on a split, 3-2 City Council vote in August 2024 less than three months before the election. With a new mayor and two new council members some residents didn’t expect Scott to last more than another six months at the most. But, 18 months later she continues serving in the position and has shared information about the role of city manager and her experience.

On Scott’s LinkedIn profile she provides a description of her position:

“As City Manager for the City of Antioch since October 2024, I contribute to key municipal operations by leveraging expertise in financial understanding, policy implementation, economic and community development, and crafting effective policy implementing and business communications.My role involves fostering organizational efficiency, staff development, enhancing regional partnerships, and driving initiatives that align with the city’s priorities, Council goals, and community needs. It sounds hard, and it is – but JOY abounds here!”

Then earlier this month, Scott shared the following about the role of city manager and her experience in the position:

One of the most misunderstood jobs in local government is the City Manager!

People often assume the role is about authority.

It’s not.

It’s about responsibility.

Hi, I’m Bessie Scott, the first female City Manager in Antioch, California. I’m also a Black woman serving in a profession where leadership has historically looked very different.

Over time, I’ve learned there are a lot of misconceptions about what city managers A C T U A L L Y do.

Here are a few things people often get wrong about the role.

1. “City managers run the city however they want.”

In reality, city managers work at the direction of an elected city council. Our job is to implement policy, provide professional advice, and make sure city services are delivered effectively.

2. “It’s just a management job.”

Yes, we manage organizations — but we also navigate politics, community expectations, crises, labor negotiations, infrastructure planning, economic development, and public trust… often all at the same time.

3. “The work happens in council meetings.”

Council meetings are just the visible tip of the iceberg. The real work happens long before the meeting — in planning, listening, problem-solving, and coordinating across departments.

4. “City managers stay out of the public eye.”

In today’s environment, city managers are often front and center during community challenges, emergencies, and major civic decisions. As an Introvert, this is my LEAST favorite truth as I’m more of a Best Supporting Actress kinda girl!

5. “It’s a purely technical role.”

The technical skills matter. But the truth is that emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to bring people together are just as critical. Local government is where democracy becomes real for people. It’s the street someone drives on every day.

The park their kids play in.

The safety of their neighborhood.

The future of their community.

City managers sit at the intersection of all of it.

It’s challenging work. It’s often misunderstood work.

But it’s also some of the most meaningful work in public service.

I’m proud to serve alongside so many dedicated professionals in this field, including those connected through the International City/County Management Association, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the League of California Cities, and the National League of Cities.

——-

The official description of Scott’s job and responsibilities is provided on the City Manager’s webpage:

The City of Antioch operates under the City Manager form of government.  Under the policy direction of the City Council the City Manager serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the City; assumes full responsibility for planning, administering, directing, overseeing, and evaluating the activities and operations of all City departments.

Responsibilities

• Implementing City Council policy
• Directing departments and the City’s administrative functions
• Providing day-to-day leadership in policy development and implementation
• Assuring an efficient and equitable delivery of City services
• Initiating and developing short and long-term special projects
• Overseeing the annual budget process
• Managing the City’s inter-governmental relations and public information functions
• Directing major economic development projects
• The City Manager’s contract

Scott’s contract is up for renewal in September. She serves at the pleasure of the city council and renewal requires three votes of the five members.

By City of Antioch Recreation Department

In an effort to Keep Antioch Beautiful and to celebrate Arbor Day we hosted an event to plant nearly 30 trees around Prewett Family Park and in the Antioch Community Center’s parking lot!

First celebrated in the U.S. in 1872, Arbor Day is a national holiday in which encourages public attention to the importance of trees in our ecosystem. Planting, relocating and even climbing trees are encouraged, along with learning more about the myriad of ways trees function in our environment and help us all to exist. Learn more about Arbor Day from the Farmer’s Almanac and Arbor Day Foundation.

Thank you to everyone involved:

• Students from Holy Rosary School
• Antioch Public Works
• Antioch Police Department
• Antioch Public Safety
• City Council Members Don Freitas and Monica Wilson

The strides our community makes to Keep Antioch Beautiful are ongoing!

And takes the involvement of our entire community.

If you are interested in any upcoming volunteer events, please visit our website: antiochca.gov/recreation

See more photos of the event on the City of Antioch Recreation Department Facebook page.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

23-year-old Dominick Edward DeSouza has history of 19 arrests including 2021 Fairfield jewelry store robbery and in Solano County on Feb. 7th

By Allen D. Payton

According to Lt. William Whitaker of the Antioch Police Investigations Bureau, the Antioch Police Department is releasing video related to an officer-involved shooting that occurred on February 20, 2026, during an armed robbery investigation. The suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Dominick Edward DeSouza of Antioch, born August 27, 2002.

“To be as open with our community as possible, this material is being released even while the investigation remains ongoing. The video includes body-worn camera footage, surveillance video and other evidence gathered during the investigation,” Whitaker shared in a press release issued today, Tuesday, April 23, 2026. “The officers involved were placed on administrative leave in accordance with department policy.”

As previously reported, at 5:16 a.m. that day, Antioch Police officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Lone Tree Way for a report of a robbery in progress. While officers were en route, the reporting party stated that one of the suspects was armed with a firearm and had threatened him.

According to Captain Desmond Bittner, “The suspect vehicle backed into the FoodMaxx store before the officers arrived,” smashing in the front glass doors. One employee said store employees heard the crash, saw some of the commotion, called police who arrived quickly, and that there was more than one suspect who entered the store and attempted to steal alcohol.

When officers arrived, they confronted a suspect at the scene. During the encounter, the suspect rammed his vehicle into an occupied patrol car. An officer who was outside the suspect’s vehicle then came into contact with the driver, and a physical struggle ensued.

During the altercation, the officer was pulled into the vehicle as the suspect drove forward, striking both a patrol car and the nearby store.

The officer gave the driver multiple commands to stop the car, but he did not comply. The suspect continued driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed with the officer trapped inside. The officer then discharged his service weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect exited the vehicle on the sidewalk in front of a house on the corner of Southwood Way at Field Brook Court and fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later.  Bittner confirmed, “The suspect was arrested in the area of the Southwood Way location.”

Description of Incident from Body Cam Videos

As the nine-minute Antioch Police Critical Incident Video shows, after one of the suspects, identified as DeSouza, exited the store and entered the driver’s seat two officers arrived in separate vehicles and DeSouza rammed his car into Officer Armstrong’s vehicle.

The video offers further description of the incident: “Officer Donaldson, on foot, reached into the suspect vehicle and engaged in a struggle with DeSouza. During the struggle, Officer Donaldson was knocked into the suspect vehicle as DeSouza accelerated into the store (in reverse) and then drove forward at a high rate of speed” crashing again into the police vehicle, before driving off.

“Two other suspects in the robbery fled the scene on foot’’ and Officer Armstrong pursued one.

Donaldson gave “the driver, DeSouza, repeated commands to stop the vehicle. DeSouza drove for approximately two miles while Officer Donaldson repeatedly attempted to de-escalate the situation and persuade him to stop the vehicle.

“DeSouza repeatedly told Officer Donaldson to ‘get out’ and said he was going to crash the car. DeSouza refused to stop to let the officer out and told him to jump from the vehicle. Given the speed of the vehicle, there was a risk of great bodily injury or death.

“As DeSouza continued to drive recklessly through city streets, Officer Donaldson informed DeSouza that he would be shot if he did not stop. DeSouza did not comply.”

DeSouza can be heard saying, “I’m going to crash this…car. I ain’t going to jail…I’m going to crash, bro.” Donaldson responded, “Don’t. It’s not worth it,” to which DeSouza said, “It is worth it. I got family, bro.”

Donaldson can be heard responding repeatedly, “Talk to me. Talk to me.”

The video narrative shares, “Officer Donaldson tried putting the vehicle into neutral as DeSouza continually pulled the officer’s hands off the gear shift.”

DeSouza can be heard saying, “That’s not gonna work, bro. That’s not gonna work.”

Then Donaldson can be seen punching DeSouza in the face and saying, “Stop. I will shoot” as he pointed his service weapon at DeSouza.

DeSouza, with a bruise to his right eye area, repeatedly tells Donaldson to “get out the car” and the officer responds, “I will put one in you…I’m not gonna jump…just stop.”

“I’m not going to do this on a private street,” DeSouza can be heard saying. Then, as Donaldson grabs the steering wheel, DeSouza said, “You’re going to kill us, bro.”

Then, Donaldson can be seen repeatedly striking DeSouza with his service weapon and saying, “I’m warning you, I will shoot your leg,” as he pointed his gun at DeSouza’s leg.

The narrative explains, “Officer Donaldson intentionally shot DeSouza in the leg to reduce the likelihood of a fatality to DeSouza, himself and members of the community. DeSouza’s car collided with a parked car and he fled on foot. DeSouza’s vehicle continued rolling and came to rest in the yard of a nearby home” on the corner of Southwood Way at Field Brook Court.

“Officer Donaldson attempted to transmit on his police radio” saying, “C5, shots fired”, “but it was shut off during the struggle,” the narrative continues. Donaldson then pursued DeSouza on foot.

“Additional officers arrived on scene and located DeSouza about ten minutes after he ran from the car. DeSouza, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, was found hiding in bushes and was taken into custody without further incident.”

In the video several officers can be seen pointing their weapons at DeSouza while one issued commands to “raise your hands like an airplane” and “don’t move.” As they approached him, DeSouza could be heard yelling, “He shot me. He shot me.”

The narrative continued, “Officers rendered medical aid until the arrival of paramedics. DeSouza was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Officer Donaldson suffered minor injuries during the incident. No other members of the public were injured.”

“As part of the Internal Affairs investigation, a third-party independent investigator will determine whether department policies and procedures were followed,” the video concluded.

Lt. William Whitaker later said, DeSouza “was in the hospital for a while.”

“This incident is under investigation by the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau, in coordination with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, pursuant to the county’s Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol,” he shared.

Critical Incident Video

A critical incident overview of the incident is linked below.

Refer to critical incident video link:

English – https://youtu.be/5-Sas6KU8VI

Spanish – https://youtu.be/YExVKqCjuPw

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information regarding the incident, is encouraged to contact Detective Becerra at (925) 779-6937 or via email: abecerra@antiochca.gov or by calling the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6926.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, nine-inch tall, 185-pound DeSouza was arrested out of county, is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail but also has bail amounts of $600,000 and $75,000, and his next court appearance is scheduled for June 5, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4 of the Delta Superior Court in Pittsburg.

According to an Antioch Herald report, at age 19, he and two other teens were arrested in November 2021 with $50,000 of jewelry stolen from a Fairfield store.

According to localcrimenews.com, DeSouza is White and has a history of arrests since 2021 by multiple agencies. His arrest on February 20th was for crimes including resisting, obstructing, delaying a Peace Officer, kidnapping and kidnapping to commit any violation of Codes 211 / 264.1 / 288 / 289 211, robbery,  assault with a deadly weapon – no firearm likely great bodily injury to a Peace Officer or Fireman, violation of parole: felony, burglary, grand theft, receiving stolen property – motor vehicle,  vandalism of $5,000 or more and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

DeSouza’s 17 other arrests, just two weeks before in Solano County on Feb. 7, 2026, included charges of threats of violence and vandalism; plus, he was arrested previously on multiple charges of assault, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and child endangerment, as well as for grand theft, petty theft, burglary, robbery, drug possession, reckless driving on a public street and evasion with wanton disregard for safety.

First Division Officer Ensign Emma Crandell watched completion of historic space mission

“It was crazy to see water fill our deck and the capsule slowly pull into our ship. I thought, ‘Wow! That’s the Integrity right there.”

By Allen D. Payton

Emma Crandell, a 2021 Deer Valley High School graduate, serves as a First Division Officer Ensign aboard the USS John P. Murtha, which was chosen as the recovery ship for the Orion spacecraft and its crew upon their return from the historic Artemis II mission on Friday, April 10, 2026, which she witnessed. Crandell is the daughter of Jeff and Marie Crandell of Antioch.

Before she graduated from high school, Crandell was presented with a $200,000 Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship. She was selected through a rigorous process from among thousands of students across the state and nation.

Then-Petty Officer Byung Jung, of the Antioch U.S. Navy Recruiting Station, said the scholarship would “pave the way for Emma to get commissioned as an Officer in the Navy.” (See related article)

Emma took her scholarship and attended then, graduated from the University of San Diego, Class of 2025 with a Political Science major. Out of the entire naval fleet, she chose to serve aboard the John P. Murtha as a First Division Officer with the rank of Ensign.

About the Recovery Mission

About the Artemis II recovery mission Crandell said, “Our ship was off the coast of San Diego and I was, actually on the bridge after being on-watch” which means she “was helping drive the ship, navigating it safely and served as the Conning Officer” as she had the ‘Conn’ “right before splashdown.”

“So, I could just observe it. I heard the sonic boom. We were up there with a lot of NASA contractors, most of the ship was top side and we just watched,” Crandell shared.

Asked about the recovering process she explained. “We had a team of small boats that went out with a team of Navy divers to medically assess the astronauts. When they were cleared, the helicopters flew in to do an air evacuation with assistance from the divers. It was a low and slow process. We were up until the wee hours of the morning.”

“We had to approach the capsule. There was a lengthier process to tow it into our well deck,” Crandell stated. “They rigged up the capsule to a piece of machinery that essentially pulled it into the dock.”

Asked if she witnessed that process, as well Crandell said, “I was on station the entire time as a safety observer.”

“It was crazy to see water fill our deck and the capsule slowly pull into our ship,” she stated. “I thought, ‘Wow! That’s the Integrity right there in our ship.’”

The Artemis program is the overarching name for multiple missions, Orion is the type of capsule, and the astronauts named this one, Integrity.

Asked why her ship was selected for the operation Crandell said, “Our main mission is to conduct amphibious warfare, so, we are built to extract amphibious vehicles and we’re a transport ship. I can’t speak specifically why the Murtha, but the back of our ship opens up to the ocean. We can ballast down to let the ocean in and extract the capsule. I don’t know why they chose us but I’m grateful that they did.”

“I’ve only been on board a few months. I’m pretty new to the ship,” she continued. “This was my first major mission, for sure.”

Her Basic Training was in ROTC during college. “I did intermittent summer trainings, but there wasn’t any boot camp,” she explained.

After college she remained in San Diego and went to work on the John P. Murtha which is stationed there.

Asked about her experience in the Navy, Crandell stated, “It’s been amazing so far. It’s opened up opportunities and I’ve got to do a lot of exciting things.”

Like meeting one of the four Artemis II astronauts.

“I got to meet Christina Koch briefly, the morning they were flying out,” Crandell stated. “After landing on the flight deck in the helicopters the astronauts stayed overnight on our ship.”

Asked why she wanted to join the Navy Crandell said, “It was a cool purpose behind it. A sense of leadership and ownership and getting to do cool stuff with amazing people.”

That’s her favorite thing about the Navy, “The people.”

Although she hasn’t been home since she joined the John P. Murtha, her parents visited her last week.

“I invited them to come down and see the Orion capsule while it was on the ship,” Crandell explained.

Her mother, Marie, said about Emma’s experience, “Definitely huge Forrest Gump moments for her. Her dad and I are still shaking our heads. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around all the cool stuff she did.”

Marie shared about a People Magazine article entitled, Little green alien spotted at Artemis II crew’s splashdown following high-stakes mission around the moon, which shows a photo of the bridge of the John P. Murtha and Emma standing right next to “an inflatable green alien peeking out and appearing to wave along with the crew.”

Asked about her favorite subject in high school Crandell said, “Mock Trial was the best.”

In 2020, as a student in Deer Valley High’s Law and Justice Academy and a member of the school’s Mock Trial Team that made it to the third round of the county competition, she won a prosecution witness award.

That helped lead her to now doing legal work in the Navy.

Asked about her daily activities and future plans Crandell said, “A normal day for me is doing some administrative paperwork for my division, doing some legal paperwork. I also work as one of the Command legal officers. I try to spend time with my sailors getting to know them better. Then working on my qualifications to be a Surface Warfare Officer. It means I’m qualified to essentially drive the ship.”

Asked if it means she’d have the ‘Conn’ in that position Crandell shared, “I could have the ‘Conn’ but I would have the ‘Deck’ which is a stronger position and takes longer to obtain.”

About the John P. Murtha

According to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jomark Almazan,  the ship is named in honor of the late and long-serving Pennsylvania Congressman John P. Murtha and is a San Antonio Class Amphibious Transport Dock currently operated by the United States Navy. The USS John P. Murtha has been in active service for 10 years.

“It is a fitting tribute to Congressman Murtha, who dedicated his life to serving our nation, that the ship bearing his name will be integral to this historic moment in space exploration,” said Capt. Erik Kenny, commanding officer of John P. Murtha. “He was a champion for our military and a visionary. We are honored to carry on his legacy by supporting NASA and the Artemis II mission.”

A former Marine Corps officer, Murtha was the first Vietnam War veteran elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. (Source: Wikipedia)

The San Antonio class amphibious transport docks feature a large floodable well deck, advanced flight deck, and extensive command facilities. They can transport nearly 800 Marines along with vehicles, landing craft, and helicopters for effective ship-to-shore movement.

The Artemis II mission was the first crewed flight of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, sending four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey that took them beyond the Moon. This mission marks humanity’s first crewed voyage to the vicinity of the Moon in over 50 years.

Upon completion of their mission, the Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean west of San Diego, where John P. Murtha and its crew recovered the astronauts and the spacecraft.

The U.S. Navy’s amphibious transport dock has unique advantages, including a well deck, helicopter pad, onboard medical facilities, and communication capabilities needed to support the mission. The platform gave NASA the ability to recover the Orion space capsule and collect critical data to help ensure it’s ready to recover the astronauts and capsule during future Artemis missions.

MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 provided imagery support for NASA by tracking the Orion space capsule as it traveled through Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown, HSC-23 helicopters recovered the astronauts once they emerged from the capsule and brought them to the ship for assessment and then transported them to shore.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 provided Navy divers to recover and transport the Orion space capsule from the ocean to the ship’s well deck. Navy divers are experts in mobile diving, salvage, towing and open water, small boat operations. In addition to the Navy divers, EODGRU-1 supported the recovery mission with a dive medical team which assessed and assisted the astronauts following their exit from the capsule.

Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission in a series of missions around and to the lunar surface where crew can build and test systems needed to prepare for the challenge of future missions to Mars. The mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, April 1, with four astronauts onboard, three from the U.S. and one from Canada.

For official imagery and video, please visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/Artemis.  

Showcases “justice reform progress”; highlights public corruption investigation, prosecution of Antioch, Pittsburg cops

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued the office’s 2025 Annual Report, showcasing the justice reform progress made for the county’s residents.

“We are making meaningful progress with a sharp focus on public safety, pragmatic solutions and alternatives to a one-size-fits-all criminal justice system,” said District Attorney Becton. “By modernizing our infrastructure and focusing on victim-centered practices, we are ensuring that accountability and support go hand-in-hand to keep our communities safe”

Becton wrote in her introductory message of the report, “We have strengthened partnerships with law enforcement agencies, public officials and community organizations to ensure public safety efforts are both effective and equitable. The professionalism and tireless commitment of our Deputy District Attorneys, Investigators, Victim Advocates, and Support Staff make this great work possible.

“In this annual report, you’ll see the results of that work in some of the following areas:

• Prosecuting serious and violent felonies and misdemeanors
• Implementing restorative justice programs for young people and adults
• Resolving cold cases – including unsolved homicides
• Creating prosecutorial units focused on community violence, retail crime, hate crimes, human trafficking, and public integrity
• Establishing an analytics team to identify crime trends, improve case outcomes, and allocate resources for more efficient crime prevention

“The path to improving public safety is challenging, filled with setbacks, resistance, and obstacles. But despite these challenges, we’ve made real progress building a smarter, more effective justice system with solutions that work.”

“This is the kind of progress that moves beyond the status quo, toward a more just and safe community for all. Thank you for your continued trust,” she concluded.

Key highlights from the 2025 Annual Report include:

• Prosecution Results: The office’s Direct Court Unit achieved a 96% felony conviction rate for jury trials in 2025 — 15 percentage points above California’s statewide average of 81% — securing guilty verdicts in 25 of 26 felony cases tried. The Homicide Unit conducted 15 homicide trials, resulting in a total of 14 convictions, 12 of which were murder convictions – a 93% conviction rate. The Interpersonal Violence Unit conducted 20 trials involving domestic partner crimes, sexual assault, and elder abuse achieving at 85% conviction rate in the cases which reached verdicts.

• Victim Support: The Victim Witness Assistance Program served over 10,600 victims, provided close to 48,000 forms of services, and secured $9.8 million in restitution. The office also welcomed a second facility dog, Fenner, who joined Bear in providing comfort to crime victims — particularly children — throughout the criminal justice process.

The report also adds, “Our work extends beyond prosecution. We’ve led in statewide efforts on ethical AI and launched the Underserved and Unserved Survivor Program. The office expanded trauma-informed support for victims—particularly those impacted by gun violence and unsolved crimes. Our superpower is protection with purpose, combining innovation, data, and human care to seek justice for victims while preventing future harm.”

• Restorative Justice and Alternatives to Incarceration: The office’s Neighborhood Restorative Partnership Program (NRP) continued to demonstrate remarkable outcomes since its 2022 launch. Of 119 participants who have completed the program, only one — a recidivism rate of 1% — went on to reoffend, compared to California’s statewide misdemeanor recidivism rate of 21.1%. A total of 288 cases have been referred to the program since its inception, with 59 participants currently enrolled.

• Cold Case Breakthroughs: The Cold Case Unit secured multiple convictions in crimes dating back to the 1990s and early 2000s using advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy. Notable resolutions included the conviction of James Grimsley for the nearly three-decade-old murder of Terrie Ladwig, a transgender woman in Concord, and guilty pleas in a 2007 Pittsburg homicide after touch DNA linked the suspect to the crime.

• Public Accountability: The office secured guilty pleas in all six cases stemming from its joint FBI investigation into public corruption and bribery among Antioch and Pittsburg police officers — reinforcing the principle of equal justice under law. Launched in March 2022, the investigation uncovered a scheme in which officers illegally canceled traffic tickets in exchange for personal benefits, resulting in some officers losing their law enforcement certifications.

According to the report, “The bribery and conspiracy charges were serious, but the investigation uncovered other troubling behavior as well. When investigators reviewed the officers’ messages, they found a large number of racist, sexist, and homophobic texts shared among more than a dozen officers.

“These messages raised concerns about fairness in hundreds of criminal cases that those officers had worked on. As a result, our office reviewed hundreds of cases to determine whether the officers’ bias affected the outcome.”

• Expanding Access to Justice: District Attorney Becton cut the ribbon on December 15, 2025, at the grand opening of a new branch office at 3890 Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg, housing approximately 30 staff members and bringing justice services directly to East County residents. “East County matters, and the people who live and work here deserve accessible and responsive justice,” Becton said at the ceremony. (See related article)

The full 2025 Annual Report is available for public viewing at Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office 2025 Annual Report Final.

About the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Established in 1850, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office serves a diverse population of 1.15 million residents across four office locations in Martinez, Pittsburg and Richmond. Over 175 years, the office has grown to employ approximately 250 staff members, including attorneys, inspectors, victim-witness advocates, legal assistants, case preparation analysts and administrative staff, operating under the principles of equal justice, transparency, and public safety. For more information visit District Attorney | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this article.

Plus, this year’s National Night Out and Sister City activities; but no mention of Holiday Delites Celebration

By Allen D. Payton

During their special meeting budget workshop on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Antioch City Council directed staff to keep funding for four community events and activities. They include this year’s Juneteenth celebration, the July 4th celebration on the nation’s 250th Independence Day and the National Night Out event. Also, the council protected funding for this year’s Sister City activities with Chichibu, Japan.

While reviewing a list of Deficit Reduction Proposals from city staff, Council postponed decisions for several of the items asking for more information from staff, first. Those are expected at a Budget Session before next Tuesday’s regular Council meeting.

“Since we’re hosting, this year, I’ll say ‘no’,” Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Councilman Don Freitas said to the recommendation to “Pause Sister City Activities.” The other three council members and Mayor Ron Bernal agreed.

Following are the costs to the City’s General Fund budget for the four items:

• Juneteenth – $54,606, which includes vendors, supplies and police staffing;
• July 4th – $157,586, which includes fireworks, vendors, supplies and police staffing;
• National Night Out – $3,842 for police overtime; and
• Sister City activities – $15,000

City Finance Director Dawn Merchant asked the council members to confirm they were agreeing to only fund the three events, plus, Sister City activities, they each responded, “Yes.”

However, none of the council members or staff mentioned the annual Holiday Delites Celebration in December which wasn’t on the list for cutting. A question asking about funding for that event was sent to council members and staff.

UPDATE: Later, Bernal responded, “Forgot about that one. I’m sure we can add it when we do our next study session.”

Test wrapping Fleet of the Future cars in paid advertisements as potential new revenue source

As of Monday, April 20, 2026, be sure to look to the BART tracks. You might spot something never seen before in the Bay Area: a bright blue train car covered in dancing BARTy mascots. 

The eye-catching car is expected to spark smiles, waves, and plenty of photos as it rolls into stations. But beyond its playful appearance, the train is part of an ongoing effort to explore new and creative revenue opportunities for BART. 

The BARTy design is being used to test wrapping Fleet of the Future cars in paid advertisements as a potential new revenue source as BART addresses a significant fiscal cliff. At the same time, BART continues to implement cost-cutting measures that have already reduced expenses by hundreds of millions of dollars.  

“This is a fun and creative way to connect with riders while exploring a new source of revenue,” said Dave Martindale, Director of BART Marketing and Research. “If this pilot proves successful, train wraps could become a unique platform for advertisers and help support the transit service our riders rely on.” 

BART previously sold train car wraps for its now-retired legacy fleet. This pilot will help determine how the new Fleet of the Future cars, which have a different exterior finish, perform with wrap materials, including durability, appearance, and maintenance over time in real-world conditions.  

Following the test, staff will evaluate whether selling train car wraps is a viable long-term option for advertisers. 

“Wrapping a train car is a detailed, hands-on process that requires precision and coordination with our maintenance schedules,” said Catherine Westphall, Manager of BART’s Advertising Franchise Program. “This pilot helps us understand how the material performs on our Fleet of the Future cars and what it would take to scale this as a revenue program without impacting service.” 

In the meantime, keep an eye out for the BARTy car as it roves across the system over the next few months. And if you find yourself onboard the special train, don’t worry — you can still see out the windows!

See the train in the wild? Snap a photo and tag BART on social media:  

• Instagram:@sfbayarearapidtransit
• Bluesky: @bart.gov  
• X: @sfbart 
• Facebook: facebook.com/bartsf
• YouTube: youtube.com/bartable
• TikTok: @sfbart

For more information about BART visit www.bart.gov.

Proposed budget cuts include cancelling annual July 4th celebration during nation’s 250th Independence Day

By Allen D. Payton

The Antioch City Council will hold a Special Meeting Tuesday, April 21, 2026, with Study Sessions on the Budget for Fiscal Years 2026-2027 and the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program for 2026-31.

Budget Study Session

The Council will discuss follow-up items from their meeting on March 24, 2026, including Position Vacancies, Consultant Services Contracts, Fiscal Year 2027 Fleet Replacements, American Rescue Plan (“ARPA”) funds remaining budgets, Budget Deficit Reduction Proposals totaling $5,360,641.

After transferring in $5 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund and making the proposed cuts, the City will end the 2027 Fiscal Year on June 30, 2027, with a $2,884,167 deficit.

One line item in the proposed budget cuts is to Cancel the 4th of July event. But it’s not clear if that is for this year during the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration or for July 4th, 2027.

UPDATE: In response to questions for city council members and staff, Finance Director Dawn Merchant said, “This would be for this July. Although we pay for a lot of the expense to vendors in June, for accounting purposes, this is recorded as a ‘prepaid expense’ at June 30th and then booked as an expense in July 2026 since the actual event is in July. I hope this clarifies for you.”

Capital Improvement Program Study Session

According to the City staff report for the agenda item, the $74,359,000 Capital Improvements Budget for Revised Fiscal Year 2025/26 and $29,125,000 Capital Improvements Budget for Fiscal Year 2026/27 will be included in the City’s operating budget. Projects in the outlying years of the 5 Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 2026-2031 are for planning purposes and may be incorporated into future budgets.

View the entire agenda packet.

The Council meeting begins at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. The meeting can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website.