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.

New DocAccess platform makes more than 4,000 city documents and 215,000 pages searchable, translatable and easier to use for residents of Antioch’s diverse community.

App required for Disability Assistance, charge after 30 minutes

By Jaden Baird, PIO, City of Antioch

ANTIOCH, CA — The City of Antioch has adopted DocAccess by CivicPlus to make public documents more accessible, searchable, and usable for residents, businesses, and community partners. The new platform transforms the city’s PDF files into WCAG-aligned HTML, helping Antioch advance its accessibility efforts under the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Title II rule, 28 CFR Part 35. Originally tied to an April 24, 2026, compliance deadline for local governments serving populations of 50,000 or more, that deadline has since been extended to April 26, 2027. Antioch made this transition ahead of the updated deadline, reinforcing the City’s commitment to improving digital access and usability for the community.

The rollout reflects Antioch’s commitment to transparency and public service while also responding proactively to a new federal standard for accessible web information and services. With a population of 115,016, the City is ensuring that residents can more easily access the information they rely on, whether they are reviewing council materials, budgets, strategic plans, ordinances, or archived records.

In total, the City has made 4,045 documents and 215,574 pages accessible through DocAccess — including archived and legacy content that was previously difficult to navigate on a phone, assistive technology, or in a different language. The platform offers instant translation in 250+ languages, AI-powered search and plain-language Q&A, mobile-friendly viewing even for older, handwritten, or scanned documents, and 24/7 live visual interpretation through Aira.io at no cost to the public.

“We wanted to do more than check a compliance box,” said Brad Helfenberger, Information Systems Director. “Our residents deserve access that is clear, practical, and respectful of their time. DocAccess helps us deliver that — and it does it in a way that supports the many languages and devices people use every day.”

Antioch’s decision is especially timely given the city’s linguistic diversity. According to American Community Survey estimates, more than one-third of residents speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish and Tagalog among the most common. DocAccess supports that reality by allowing users to ask questions about documents in their preferred language, while also helping people find the information they need from a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.

The City also emphasized the role of human support in the launch. DocAccess is backed by both internal human-in-the-loop review and external accessibility experts, with support available in English and Spanish. Complimentary assistance time is available to any member of the public who needs help navigating documents, filling out forms, or understanding content. City officials said that even with fully remediated files, it is important to approach access with humility because public needs and questions can vary widely.

In addition, the platform’s analytics tools will help the City better understand which documents generate the most interest, which questions residents ask most often, and which languages are being used. Those insights will support data-informed transparency while preserving privacy: no AI model training is permitted on Antioch content, and analytics are limited to aggregated, de-identified usage data without IP tracking or behavioral profiling.

App Required for Disability Assistance, Charge After 30 Minutes

However, users of the Disability Assistance are required to download an app and pay for the service after 30 minutes of free live visual interpreting through Aira to help you access a document.

Try out the City’s DocAccess by visiting the Agendas & Minutes page on the City’s website.

From Antioch, Brentwood, Discovery Bay & Martinez

Coronations May 14th at the 2026 Contra Costa County Fair

2025 Queen & Princesses end their reigns

By Cheyenne Erickson, CEO, Contra Costa Fair & Event Park

The Contra Costa County Fair Scholarship Program provides young participants with valuable life and career skills while giving them the opportunity to earn education funds. Through the program, participants develop speech writing and public speaking abilities, build professional resumes, and showcase their unique talents.

They also gain confidence through interview practice, including answering impromptu questions skills that prepare them for future academic and career opportunities. The program focuses on personal growth, leadership, and community involvement, all while rewarding participants with scholarships to support their educational goals. Miss Contra Costa will receive a $1,000 scholarship and Mini Miss Contra Costa will receive $500 provided by the Contra Costa County Fair. They will serve as ambassadors of the fair throughout the year at community service events.

MISS CONTRA COSTA CONTESTANTS:

• Emelia “Eme” Brown, 17, lives in Discovery Bay and she attends Liberty High School. She is a varsity volleyball player and participates in swimming and basketball. She enjoys surfing and spending time on the water.
• Yareli Santuario, 17, lives in Antioch and attends Antioch High School. She is passionate about spreading positivity in her community and is involved with Be Exceptional and serves as an ambassador for the We Get It Foundation.
• Kaylee Rhiann Wright, 17, lives in Martinez and attends Alhambra High School. She enjoys meeting and uplifting others, loves animals and has a soft spot for dark chocolate.

MINI MISS CONTRA COSTA CONTESTANTS:

• Gianna Lynch, 11, is a fifth grader from Brentwood. She enjoys performing in plays, singing, and acting, and is an active member of Brentwood 4-H.
• Teigan Moore, 8, of Discovery Bay, loves reading and art. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and hopes to become a teacher one day.
• Chloe Pettyjohn, 11, from Brentwood, has a two-year-old Pomeranian named Peanut. She enjoys dancing, karate and crafting, and values time with her family and friends.

2025 Queen & Princesses to End Their Reigns

Aili Selvin of Martinez will end her reign as the 2025 Miss Contra Costa County Fair Pageant Queen. The County Fair Board offered their appreciation to her saying, “We are so proud of you and appreciate your contributions to your community all while carrying yourself with the upmost poise and kindness. We look forward to seeing more of your bright future!”

The 2025 Fair Princesses Jocelyn Luna of Oakley and Madilyn Davis of Antioch and Miss Congeniality Michalia Banks of Antioch will also end their reigns.

Pageant Director Danielle Ferguson said, “I am honored to serve as the new Director for the Miss Contra Costa County Scholarship Program.  I grew up in the pageant world, competing from infancy through the age of 24, and spent many years as a dedicated dancer – truly growing up on the stage.  These experiences shaped my love for performance, confidence-building and empowering young women.  I am excited to bring passion, polish and heart to this program and to create an inspiring and memorable experience for every participant.”

Meet the six contestants during the 2026 Contra Costa County Fair May 14-17 at the Contra Costa Event Park, 1201 W. 10th Street, Antioch. Join us May 14th for both competitions and come support your next Miss & Mini Miss Contra Costa! For more information visit Miss Contra Costa and www.contracostafair.com where you can purchase tickets for the fair.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.