Mayor gives organizers until Friday to cancel; enforcement will include $300 fines and $3,000 impound fees; Councilwoman Torres-Walker’s son believed to be promoting event on social media; she responds on Facebook, claims “six-month assault on her character and sons’ lives” by Antioch police.

“I’m not as respectable as you would like your nigroes in Antioch to be.” – Tamisha Torres-Walker

By Allen Payton

During a press conference Wednesday morning, June 16, 2021 Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Police Chief T Brooks announced the city is prepared for a “rideout” of off-road vehicles planned for this Sunday, June 20th promoted on social media.

The city has dealt with large sideshows of cars, this year. The rideout is expected to involve dirt bikes and ATV’s.

“Good morning and welcome to Antioch, a ‘No Sideshow Zone,’” Thorpe said before reading from prepared remarks in English and Spanish.

“On April 18th of this year, a large-scale sideshow consisting of 60 to 80 vehicles ascended into Eastern Contra Costa County. The sideshow including participants and spectators took over major intersections causing unnecessary disturbances, unnecessary delays and unnecessarily putting innocent lives in danger.

Since then, my colleagues and I have looked at measures to prevent these kinds of illegal and extremely dangerous events from occurring on our streets.

First, we are going to install elevated pavement markers at three intersections to reduce the smooth surface to make it difficult to perform sideshows.  James Donlon and Somerville, Sunset and Cavallo; and Bluerock and Eagleridge.

Second, we’re working to identify a property so that youth can use their off-road vehicles safely and legally. Third, the police department is authorized to initiate its proactive sideshow enforcement detail when it obtains actionable information about any such planned events.

And the Antioch Police Department did just that, the weekend of May 22nd, when it received key information about a planned large-scale sideshow. As a result, APD towed close to 30 cars and issued over 20 citations that start at $300. Please note, vehicles are impounded for 30 days, and the owner has to pay a $3,000 impound fee to get the vehicle out.

Sideshows and other similar types of unsanctioned vehicle events like ATV ride-outs, Harley-Davidson rallies, street racing, donuts, burnouts, and more are not welcome in Antioch or throughout Eastern Contra Costa County.
I do want to say that I recognize that these types of events are part of Bay Area culture particularly as an expression of resistance. But I cannot ignore the fact that these kinds of events can kill people and more importantly young people who in some instances believe they’re invincible.

On Monday, the Chief of Police briefed me on a planned largescale off-road vehicle “Summer Rideout” that is being promoted on social media and reaching far parts of the Bay Area. For those that may not know, these Rideouts, similar to sideshows, involve large numbers of people flooding city streets and sidewalks using off-road vehicles. This event is being planned for June 20th, Father’s Day. Again, this is extremely dangerous.

As mayor, I’ve had to embrace grieving moms who have lost their children to gun violence or whose children have died in police custody. Please don’t make me hug or pick up the phone to call a dad, on Father’s Day, because their child was killed as a result of an unfortunate traffic accident related to this event.

It is never my intention to involve law enforcement to prevent these events from happening in the first place. For those who are planning and orchestrating this event, you have until Friday to cancel this event. I encourage those who were planning to attend not to. Stay away.

If the Antioch Police Department has not received actionable and reliable information that this event has not been canceled, the Chief of Police will have my support in employing proactive law enforcement measures including seeking mutual aid assistance from allied agencies throughout the region, over time, and drone technology.”

“If you come to Antioch, your off-road vehicle will be impounded for 30 days costing you or your parents $3,000 and you’re going to be issued a citation starting at $300,” Thorpe continued emphatically. “I’m not messing around with anyone. This is not the place to conduct these kinds of activities. I’ve warned everyone who is organizing this. If not, you will be met with my full support for the Antioch Police Department.”

Chief Brooks spoke next saying, “as we have done in the past me will we take steps to prevent the event from occurring. If not possible, we will use available resources to ensure safe vehicle practices. I want to make three things perfectly clear. These events are dangerous. This behavior is illegal – to operate off-road vehicles on public roadways. Third, Antioch Police officers along will work with neighboring officers from agencies.”

“I would like to thank Mayor Thorpe for his strong stance on this issue,” Brooks added.

Councilwoman’s Son Promoting Rideout on Social Media

Due to claims that one of Antioch District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker’s sons promoting Sunday’s event on social media (which she later confirmed), Thorpe was asked if he had spoken to her to tell her son not to promote or participate in them. Thorpe responded, “this is about cancelling the event and let the public know we are going to hold people accountable. I’m not playing games.”

On a related matter Chief Brooks was asked when the outside investigators’ report will be released about the incident between the councilwoman’s sons and Antioch Police in December and if he could speak about the report. (See related articles here, here and here)

“I cannot,” he responded. “I’m here to talk about this event.”

Asked by another reporter what will be placed in the three intersections and when, Thorpe responded, “elevated street markers. They actually should be getting installed…in the coming week.”

Brooks then spoke of “the danger to everyone involved with the reckless driving” and “officers almost being hit by vehicles and being assaulted by those involved, as well.”

Asked by another reporter where the participants are from, Brooks responded, “in the last event…we found that the vast majority of people were not from Antioch and not even from East County.”

Asked by another reporter where it’s going to happen Brooks responded, “I don’t have that information, right now.”

These types of activities are part of Bay Area culture…and it’s part of cultural resistance. This is why we want to use these types of opportunities to share with everybody this is not safe this is not welcome.

Asked where the city is considering locating a legal and safe place for people to ride their dirt bikes, Thorpe said, “there is one property owner who is willing to work with us on a safe location.” But he was not ready to share where that is.

Brooks was then asked, about those riding their off-road vehicles on city streets, now and what is being done to enforce that. He responded, “it’s typical traffic enforcement.”

Asked if they get their vehicle impounded right then, he said, “it varies.”

UPDATE #1: Torres-Walker Responds, Claims Six-Month Assault on Her Character and Sons’ Lives

An email was sent to Torres-Walker showing her the Instagram post believed to be by her adult son and asking if she had spoken with him to tell him to stop promoting it and not participate in it. She responded simply, “He can promote what he wants.”

However, the councilwoman posted the following statement on her official Facebook page Wednesday afternoon along with photos of her son being detained by APD officers during the December 2020 incident, the same Instagram post by her son, above and an Instagram post by Thorpe about the planned rideout:

“I heard about the press conference today related to off-road vehicles and sideshows and I agree that these events can be dangerous, and with the addition of aggressive enforcement the odds of risk increase.

I am also aware that there is a certain sector of this community that is committed to furthering their hate-filled agenda against myself and my family because 2020 wasn’t your year and I’m not as respectable as you would like your nigroes [sic] in Antioch to be.

Since December 29, 2020, I and my son have been stalked and harassed by individuals in defense of APD and the APOA.

I requested an independent investigation into an officer attempting to run my son off the road that was tainted with false information, accusations, and conflicts of interest. Of which I have made it clear that I didn’t trust the process or then pending results.

Most recently Chief Brooks with the assistance of what he says were several other community members (APOA and Back the blue leaders) accused me and my son of organizing an illegal event (ride out) while demanding information about the event before going to the press or allowing a social media post advertised on my son’s private social media page to be shared with the press furthering this six-month-long assault on my character and my son’s lives. My son’s [sic] who are currently free young black men and are being dragged into court to intimidate me.

The Chief asked could myself or my son stop the event. I informed him that we had no power to stop an event we are not organizing however I can ask my son not to attend if he was planning to do so. My son then created another post to informed others that if they come the police are ready so either don’t come or be safe whatever you choose (Not his words mine).

Let’s be clear I have no control over what activities any individual especially my grown son decides to share on social media.

Lastly, I know why people are spending their precious time stalking my son’s social media trying to find anything they can to use against me it’s because you want me out in the next election. You lack legitimate evidence to prove your case against my leadership so you go after my children. I am not afraid.

I think that people who would use a person’s childhood grown or otherwise to further a hateful political agenda are disgusting and trifling.

Happy to keep serving Antioch and standing in my truth. I am also looking forward to a healthier relationship with Chief Brooks because working relationships are what this city needs to move us forward.”

A public records act request was made for any and all email communications between the APD and Torres-Walker, as well as any other council members regarding the rideout.

7-21-21 UPDATE: Emails between Torres-Walker and Chief Brooks requested on June 16 finally release. See related article.

 

 

“Surround yourself with positive people.” – Alexis Powell’s advice to her classmates.

By Jesus Cano

Prospects High School principal Carol Lowart reminded the graduating class of 2021 about the obstacles they faced during the last year of their academic career. (See video of ceremony)

From getting sent home due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 and beginning virtual learning in September of 2020.

But then, on June 15, 2021 – the same day California’s economy reopened – the Prospects class of 2021 were able to celebrate their graduation in front of family and friends at Antioch High School’s Eells Stadium.

“Students were excited to be able to get out and be with their teachers who they’ve been just seeing virtually through a computer screen the whole year,” Lowart said. “I think just, just an awesome experience. I mean I think it was just really satisfying.”

Lowart said that 86 students participated in Tuesday afternoon’s graduation ceremony but estimates that the overall number of Prospects graduates is just over 100 students.

Antioch Unified School District Board of Education president Ellie Householder – also a Prospects graduate – spoke to the class of 2021 about her journey from being evicted from her house in 2008 to graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a full-ride scholarship.

“Honestly, I believe in my heart that I would not be standing on this stage if I did not graduate from Prospects,” she said. “I look at you all day and I see a field full of extremely capable and intelligent and resilient young people who can accomplish whatever it is that they put their mind to.”

Student Alexis Powell was given the chance to address her peers and reminded them that their future could change with the effort they put in.

“We might work at McDonald’s now, but we can become the CEO,” Powell said in her speech. “Whatever you choose, I encourage you to keep going and never give up. Surround yourself with positive people. We have gone through a lot in a year and a half. And if we can get through this, we can get related.”

With the anticipated heatwave 🥵☀️ the City of Antioch, CA Government will be opening cooling centers 😎🧊starting today, Wednesday through Friday from 12:00-6:00 pm.

The cooling centers will be at the Antioch Senior Center at 415 W. 2nd Street and Antioch Community Center at 4703 Lone Tree Way.

Remember to stay hydrated, check on relatives and neighbors, and never leave pets or children unattended in a vehicle.

Tamisha Torres-Walker serves on that city’s Re-imagining Public Safety Community Task Force along with one or two others from out-of-town; absent for first vote on recommendations, abstains on second without explanation

“Why the people of Antioch elected someone like that to represent them. Maybe she thinks she can get more done in Richmond than in Antioch.” – Richmond Mayor Tom Butt

By Allen Payton

The City of Richmond’s Re-imagining Public Safety Community Task Force is recommending reallocating $10 million from the police department’s budget and using it on other emergency response, prevention and homeless programs, instead.

In a Friday morning post on his Facebook page, KPFA radio personality and task force member, Andres Soto wrote, “The Re-imaging [sic] Public Safety Task Force of Richmond, California has come out with an analysis and proposal to reallocate more than $10.28 million from the Richmond Police Department and to invest those funds into a variety of emergency response and prevention programs.

This proposal has been met by fierce opposition from the Police Chief Bisa French, the Richmond Police Officers Association and conservative elements in Richmond, most notably groups of primarily older folks in the various Neighborhood Councils.

The Task Force has taken this input and revised some of the amounts as the Richmond City Council is set to adopt its annual budget. We will speak once again with Marisol Cantu, one of the leaders of the Re-imaging Public Safety Task Force about the process they have engaged in and the recent revisions to their recommendations.”

However, the latest recommendations, with Soto supported, is for reallocating $6.3 million from the police budget.

Antioch District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker also serves on the task force, having been appointed along with Soto and others, last October 6, prior to her election to the city council. According to the task force’s June 9th meeting, Torres-Walker participated as a member.

Staff Liaison Johann Fragd was asked why Richmond would allow a non-resident, who does not have a business or organization based in their city, to serve on one of their city’s task forces and if it’s appropriate, especially a council member from another city. She responded, “According to my records, Tamisha Walker remains an active member of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. According to the original direction of the Richmond City Council the Task Force will be ‘composed by members of the public, including community organizations, individuals who were impacted by law enforcement, and law enforcement.’ We have several members and persons from the Interdepartmental Team, who are not Richmond residents.”

Asked why she, as an Antioch resident and council member can or should serve on another city’s task force and if her non-profit organization, Safe Return Project, is based there, since the location is not provided on either their website or Facebook page. Torres-Walker was also asked if her participation on another city’s task force is taking time and attention away from representing District 1 in Antioch which she was elected to serve. She was absent for the task force’s May 12th meeting, when they approved the recommendations to reallocate $10.2 million from the Richmond Police Department to other services and programs. She was asked if she supported those recommendations.

Finally, during the June 9th meeting, Torres-Walker attempted to get the motion to approve the recommendation to reduce the police department cuts to $6.3 million, “to go line item by line item for each vote,” but didn’t and said, “we can go forward with the vote.”

She then abstained on the vote that approved the recommendations on a slim majority of 11 votes out of the 21 members on the task force. Torres-Walker was asked why she voted that way and if it was because she supported  some of the recommendations but not all of them.

The councilwoman did not respond prior to publication time.

Residency Challenged, Defended

Task force member Don Gosney, who claims to be “a truly hated and despised member for actually thinking that we need public safety officers” shared his concerns with the residency of Walker and Soto, and two others.

“Along with Ms. Walker and Mr. Soto, I see from my voter registration spreadsheet from August of 2020 that Luis Chacon is registered to vote in San Pablo,” Gosney wrote. “We also have Eddy Chacon on the task force (I believe he may be Luis’ brother…) and I cannot find him registered to vote in West County.  Voter registration is not an entirely reliable tool to use to determine residency but it’s a starting point.”

“When Councilmember Nat Bates tried to ascertain the residency of the task force members, the pushback was fierce,” Gosney continued. “By the way, almost immediately after we were appointed, the City Clerk sent us all the 80-page handbook on committees and board.  On Page 13 it reads:”

During the June 9th meeting, task force member  Randy Joseph complained about Torres-Walker and Soto being “attacked by the mayor” and others for not being a Richmond resident.

“I wanted to bring up something that’s been bothering me over this last month that was going on in the City of Richmond, with people coming and attacking people on this task force for not living in Richmond and being part of Richmond,” he said. “I think that’s disgusting, especially with all the work and all the things that Tamisha Walker and Andrés Soto has put into this city and done for the city.”

“To be attacked by not only the mayor, but other community members that do not know half of the work that these two have done in the history of Richmond, is disgusting and it’s just flat out irritating,” Joseph continued. “It shows the divisive nature that people have made this up to be, to make this trite and just to generalize this process, to make this process illegitimate, to attack two people who have been Richmond community members and done so much for Richmond for so long.”

Member Marcus Njissang added echoed Joseph’s comments saying, “I just want to second what Randy just said. I don’t know what was said about Andrés but… What was said about Mrs. Walker…it made me kind of sick actually, some of the comments that were made by the mayor. Just dragging her through the mud. As a fellow task force member, I feel the same way. I thought it was despicable. That’s just my opinion. I thought that it was disgusting, and I just wanted to second what Randy was saying.”

“This is not the first time I’ve been attacked for this and other things,” said Soto. “When you stand up for the people, they always try to tear you down. But I don’t let that deter me.”

“Perhaps, not at this meeting, but if we ever want to consider a resolution condemning those kind of remarks, that’s something perhaps we can look at,” he continued. “But we have more work ahead of us right now that’s more important to worry about small little people like that.”

Task Force Recommendations

During the April 14th meeting, an overview of the Smart Budget & Resource Allocations “subgroup’s recommendation was provided by subgroup member A. Soto on a Richmond Police Department budget analysis and reallocation proposal. There is a recommendation to have a proposed amount of RPD funds roughly estimated at $10.2 million to be reallocated to other programs such as ONS, RichmondWORKS Summer Youth Program, SOS Street Teams, SOS Shower Power, and the SOS Transitional Village.”

According to their website, SOS! Richmond, which stands for Safe Organized Spaces,  “improves encampment and neighborhood living conditions through ​direct service, ​engagement, advocacy, and collaborations.”

During the task force’s May 12th meeting, (see minutes) for which Torres-Walker, Soto and other members were absent, they voted to approve the following recommendations: reallocate $2.5 million to the Office of Neighborhood Services which pays gang members $1,000 a month to not commit violent crimes in Richmond;  $1,930,150 for the Youth Works Proposal; $1,190,907 million on SOS Street Teams; $627,774 on the SOS Shower Power program; $1,585,658 on the SOS Transitional Village; and $2,455,600 on the Community Crisis Response Program for a total of $10,280,089 in reallocations from the police department budget.

The Richmond PD’s annual budget is currently $67.2 million. A $10.2 million cut would be over 15% and result in a reduction of 32 officers, according to the Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA).

Richmond Police Officers Respond

In a May 16th post on the RPOA Facebook page, it reads, “The Richmond City Council is proposing a cut to the Richmond Police Department’s budget, which would mean 32 less officers out protecting our community. We’ve seen what defunding the police would mean for the city – our police department is already understaffed, and crime has increased in cities like Vallejo and Oakland after similar cuts were made to their police forces. Richmond deserves better.

Please visit www.SaferRichmond.com to ask the City Councilmembers to keep us safe. Be sure to share this with your friends, family and neighbors to sign, too.”

On that website, it reads:

Tell the City Council to Vote No on Cutting the Richmond Police

The Richmond City Council is proposing a cut to the Richmond Police Department’s budget, which would mean 32 less officers out protecting our community. We’ve seen what defunding the police would mean for the city— our police department is already understaffed, and crime has increased in cities like Vallejo and Oakland after similar cuts were made to their police forces.

Richmond deserves better.

We understand the need for reform to provide the best levels and types of services to every Richmond resident. We also support additional funding for community services and intervention programs, but we have serious concerns about the current proposal to cut funding from the police department without a clear plan on how the city will make sure our friends, family and neighbors are not placed at increased risk.

We don’t need to defund our police. We need REAL reform with REAL solutions that protect the health and safety of us all.

The Richmond community and its police are working together to make Richmond safer. We need to come together now to keep it safe. Cutting 32 police officers makes no sense. There are other options to fund new services and keep our community police officers. The City Council needs to explore these options. The City Council must vote against defunding our Police Department’s budget until a more thorough plan has been proposed to make Richmond safer for everyone.

Please use this form to ask the City Councilmembers to keep us safe. Be sure to share this with your friends, family and neighbors to sign, too.

It offers a letter for residents to add their name and information which they can email through the website or print and mail it to the mayor and council members.

Subgroups Develop Recommendations in Secret

Gosney says he was not allowed to participate in any of the subgroups. “They wanted everyone to participate in two subgroups.” Everyone else was allowed to participate, “as far as I know.”

Asked why, he said, “anybody who disagrees with their positions is bullied into silence.”

“Half of the task force I think hates me,” Gosney shared. “The other half stay silent because they’re bullied into silence.”

“They were ad hoc subgroups, so they did not have to follow the Brown Act, did not have to give public notice and not have to take any public comment,” he explained. “The first time their recommendations were presented was at the task force meeting and the public had no opportunity to know what the recommendations were before the meeting.”

“The recommendations from one of the subgroups was rejected. They didn’t explain why,” Gosney shared. “That included training police on de-escalation techniques.”

Latest Recommendations Reduce Cuts to $6.3 million

“We’ve had multiple votes and made recommendations on a piecemeal basis,” Gosney explained. “In fact, they just took another vote the other night to reduce the recommended cuts down to about $6.3 million.”

That occurred at the task force’s June 9th meeting. Minutes of that meeting are not yet, available as of publication time. Torres-Walker

“Our new, revised proposed allocation of monies has been reduced by almost $4 million. There would be no layoffs and no additional hiring” by the Richmond Police Department, said task force member Deborah Small. She explained that the recommendations are “to better reflect our values and priorities as a city…so that the fire department and police department don’t consume as much of the resources as they do.”

Member Marisol Cantu mentioned, “using American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds” and Soto clarified that “it’s a motion to amend the reallocation recommendation.”

The motion was adopted on a 11-2-4-3-1 with four members abstaining, three members absent and one not voting.

Mayor Butt Explains Residency Issue, Opposes Recommendations

Asked for his thoughts on non-residents serving on his city’s task force, Mayor Tom Butt said, “The way this went down was the city council established this task force. By our charter, the mayor has the authority to make the appointments to all boards and commissions. I proposed that each of the six council members and I get three appointments. They made their recommendations and I appointed them. That’s where the 21-person task force came from. Turns out two of them were from out of town.”

Soto lives in Benicia, the mayor shared.

Regarding the task force’s recommendations Butt said, “I’m dead set against it. This whole thing has been a huge mistake. I think the vast majority of Richmond residents do not want to reduce the police force and don’t want to defund the police. But right now, the council is made up of a majority of radical progressives. It started most recently with the George Floyd’s death.”

“Nationwide it’s kind of rebounded. There were a lot of cities that went in this direction but they’ve kind of pulled back,” he continued.

“We have a police review commission and they recently voted 5-1 opposing defunding the police. And the people on that police commission are pretty progressive, yet they voted against it,” Butt stated. “There have been some social media polls run on it and it’s about 70% against and 30% for. But this is what they were elected to do and they’re probably going to do it.”

“As far as Tamisha goes, what they jumped on me about, I brought up the fact that there are two out-of-towners on the task force and questioned why that doesn’t make a lot of sense,” he said. “Both Tamisha and Andres have a bone to pick with police. They’ve both have had run-ins with police with Tamisha even sharing, I think on her website, that she was arrested 22 times and did time for arson.”

“They pointed out that her vast experience with law enforcement make her imminently qualified to serve on the task force and she worked in Richmond in the past,” Butt shared. “They have a re-entry facility in Richmond, and she has experience working with that. I’m not saying I agree just that’s what they said as the reason.”

“Why the people of Antioch elected someone like that to represent them,” he continued. “Maybe she thinks she can get more done in Richmond than in Antioch.”

In an online discussion, entitled “E-FORUM: City Manager Recommends Defunding Police” Butt wrote, “The biggest mistake I made, in a moment of excessive collegiality, was to agree to let each City Council member choose three members of the Reimagine Public Safety Task Force. The Richmond Charter vests the mayor with the sole power to make appointments to boards and commissions, subject to Coty Council approval. I should have paid more attention to who my colleagues were appointing.

I had hoped my colleagues would select people who represent all Richmond residents for an objective and balanced task force, but instead we got an organization dominated by anti-police radicals, including two who don’t even live in Richmond. Apparently, City Council members could not find task force members radical enough in Richmond, so they looked elsewhere. Task Force members Andres Soto and Tamisha Walker live in Benicia and Antioch, respectively, and both continue to nurse grudges against police that stem from incidents decades ago.

Soto had an unfortunate run-in with Richmond police way back in the last millennium when Isiah Turner was city manager and Joseph Samuels was police chief. that incident still defines his world view of law enforcement. Since then, the RPD world changed dramatically with Chief Chris Magnus, community policing and a precipitous drop in homicides, but Soto has never forgotten his alleged mistreatment by police, all of whom are now long gone.

Tamisha Walker lives in Antioch where she serves on the City Council, and works in Pittsburg. In her campaign pitch, Walker stated that she “… lives in District 1 and wants to make Antioch a home for her family for generations to come.” (https://www.tamishaforantioch.com/). Walker continues to nurse a grudge that dates back over a decade when, by her own account, she was arrested 22 times and jailed for committing arson. More recently, she had another run-in with Antioch police, shown in a “tearful, profanity-laced video shortly after police stopped her 23-year-old and 13-year-old sons on Dec. 29 for riding off-road vehicles on city streets. She accused the officers of overreacting and trying to run over her 13-year-old son and later handcuffing him after her older son escaped.” (https://youtu.be/pph35cdcPFI)”

Council Discussion June 15th

The Richmond City Council will make their decision on the task force’s recommendations as part of their budget hearings during the June 15th meeting. The city manager is recommending cutting $2.3 million from the police budget.

According to the mayor, the Agenda Report for item H-1 on the June 15, City Council meeting provides the City Council six options for addressing the recommendations of the Reimagine Public Safety Task Force, all but one of which, Option F, defunds police by amounts ranging from $2.3 million to $10.28 million.

Option F is the best choice, but with funding coming from ARPA instead of $1.7M from “the elimination of the budgeted use for facilities improvements and $1.6M from budgeted expenditures for vehicles.”

By Sergeant James Stenger #3604, Antioch Police Violent Crimes Unit Investigations Bureau

On Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at about 11:41 am, Antioch Police Department patrol officers were dispatched to the field area behind 2200 Sycamore Drive for a deceased male who died from unknown causes. The male was identified as 53-year-old Fredrick Perkins, a homeless citizen of Antioch. The Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office responded and picked up Perkins’ body for an autopsy.

An autopsy was performed on Perkins and he was found to have a hidden stab wound underneath one of his armpits. It was determined during the autopsy the stab wound was the cause of Perkins’ death.

The Antioch Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit, Special Operations Unit and Crime Scene Investigators initiated an investigation into Perkins’ death. Investigators are actively following up on leads in this case and the suspect(s) is/are unknown at this time.

Additional inquiries or information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Gragg at (925) 779-6889 or by emailing RGragg@antiochca.gov. Anonymous tips or information about this – or any other incident – can be sent via text to 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword ANTIOCH.

Dad’s BBQ and Cutie Pie Salon

By Allen Payton

The Hicks and King families are very entrepreneurial. On Saturday, June 12, 2021, they held ribbon cuttings for Dad’s BBQ and Cutie Pie Salon, for their new locations in Antioch. This is Dad’s BBQ’s second location, with their first in downtown Pittsburg, having opened during COVID. Cutie Pie Salon relocated from their A Street location in 2019.

Dad’s BBQ owners, Dietra Hicks King and her father, Dennis Hicks, Sr., were joined by staff members and Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson to cut the ribbon.

“We started in Oakland 21 years ago,” King said. “We were there for six years and then moved to Pittsburg, with my late, beloved husband Eric (who also owned Putt-and-Turf) as the second generation. We were there for 14 years. Now, we’re here in Antioch, where we opened on October 1st, 2020, with the family’s third generation.”

Hicks said he was thankful for all the support and overwhelmed with the increased business during the pandemic.

Dad’s offers popular food items, such as barbecue ribs, tri-tip, cheesy mac ‘n cheese, Mom’s Louisiana gumbo and for dessert, sweet potato pie, banana pudding and peach cobbler.

King’s daughter, Delitha Rideout Henson was joined by her staff and the city officials to cut the ribbon for her Cutie Pie Salon’s new location just a few doors down from Dad’s. (See video)

Henson opened her salon in 2012. This is her third location.

“It’s been a challenge and a blessing in one,” Henson said and shared that she is grateful for all the love and support.

Cuitie Pie offers thermal hairstyling, silk press, braiding, weaving, relaxers, haircuts, makeup, coloring, threading and more. They also sale their own brand of luxury haircare products. The salon is currently launching additional services including lashes, teeth whitening, and a wig collection partnering with Sista Cuzin. Plus, permanent make-up is coming soon.

Located at 5887 Lone Tree Way, Suite R in Antioch, near Office Depot in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center, Dad’s BBQ is open seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Place your order online through Doordash and Grubhub.

Cutie Pie Salon, located in Suite N, and is open Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Book your appointments online at www.cutiepiesalon.com.

Richmond man, another San Pablo man also arrested

By Sergeant Matthew Koch #3018, Antioch Police Special Operations Unit Investigations Bureau

On June 13, 2021, at approximately 4:04 AM, Antioch police officers responded to the 100 block of Hillside Road for a male that was shot.

When officers arrived, they located a 19-year-old male victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound inside the home. Officers immediately began to administer first aid and called for AMR paramedics. The 19-year-old male victim was transported to an area hospital where he was treated for his injuries and is in stable condition. A 57-year-old male and 54-year-old female were in the home at the time and listed as victims.

Evidence at the scene indicated several suspects forced their way into the house, were confronted by the victim and other family members, and one of the suspects shot the 19-year-old victim. None of the other family members were injured by gunfire. After what appeared to be a botched, home invasion-style robbery, the suspects fled from the area.

While officers were investigating the shooting, a 23-year-old male (from San Pablo) was dropped off at a local hospital with multiple stab wounds. Officers arrived at the hospital and contacted the injured subject, and an additional 20-year-old male (from Richmond) at the emergency room. It was determined both males were suspects from the home invasion robbery. The 23-year-old male was treated for stab wounds and is expected to survive.

Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with Violent Crimes and Special Operations Units, responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

During the course of the investigation, detectives were able to identify a third suspect, a 22-year-old male (from San Pablo). The third suspect was located and arrested in the City of Richmond. The investigation is still active, and evidence is being collected and evaluated.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441, or Detective Bledsoe at (925) 779-6884. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Special Friday noon meeting on Thomas Gaines K-8 Virtual Learning Academy, if approved will open Monday, June 14

By Allen Payton

During a special meeting, today, Friday, June 11, 2021, at noon the Antioch School Board will consider approving a new virtual learning academy and name it for the city’s first Black resident, Thomas Gaines (1821-1896). (See presentation, here)

In 2016 the City Council declared Feb. 9th as Thomas Gaines Day for the emancipated slave and Antioch’s only Black resident between the 1860’s and 1940’s. (See related article)

According to the staff report on the item, “The District is seeking approval to form and establish the Thomas Gaines Virtual Learning Academy as an Alternative School of Choice (ASOC) to open in the fall of 2021. The Thomas Gains Virtual Learning Academy will provide a virtual learning option for students and families who would benefit from such an instructional model. The Thomas Gaines Virtual Learning Academy will serve students in grades K-8. Enrollment is entirely voluntary. The school will be virtual in instructional delivery but will include opportunities for in-person experiences as well. The Thomas Gaines Virtual Learning Academy will be housed in a currently existing school location. Enrollment will open on June 14, 2021, and staffing will be assigned based on enrollment numbers. All families who wish to enroll their student(s) in the Thomas Gains Virtual Learning Academy will be able to do so.

Alternative schools of choice (ASOC) were established under California Education Code (EC) sections 58500—58512. Each ASOC must meet all the requirements of the law, including:

• All students and teachers are selected entirely from volunteers (EC Section 58503).
• The school is maintained and funded by the school district at the same level of support as other educational programs for the same age level operated by the district (EC Section 58507).
• The district annually evaluates the school and forwards the evaluations to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (EC Section 58510).

“I think it’s a phenomenal idea honoring the history of Antioch,” Board Vice President Dr. Clyde Lewis said when reached for comment. Asked if this is just for the summer, he replied, “It will be an ongoing academy.”

“It’s a perfect marriage between past and present, connecting Antioch’s history with the current state of student learning through a virtual learning space,” he continued. “Thomas Gaines was an upstanding African American who contributed to our city. I’m hoping our students will follow in his footsteps and contribute to the future of Antioch.”

An effort to reach Board President Ellie Householder, asking her what the focus of the academy will be, was unsuccessful before publication.

However, Trustee Mary Rocha was reached and said, “In the past three years, they’ve been working to change Black Diamond Middle School into an academy. At this time that distance learning has become a big issue, many students do well, but not everyone. We’re going to put a piece of that in there. The school will be both online and in person. They will work on the curriculum and part of it will be distance learning. Since it’s opening Monday, it’s just the distance learning that will be tied to it. We need to accommodate our students who want to learn that way.”

In addition, Superintendent Stephanie Anello said, “the focus isn’t going to be on a specific discipline, but because some of our students really thrived in distance learning and some of our parents want to continue their educational experience in that manner. We want to continue offering that choice. It’s completely by choice.”

The meeting begins at noon and will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QspiIc_NPME. Those wishing to make a public comment on the agenda item can submit their comments until 11:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. Comments can be submitted via an online form at https://tinyurl.com/ausd-public-comment-card or by email tokelliecavallaro@antiochschools.net. Comments received by 11:00 a.m. will be read to the public during the meeting.