By Antioch Police Department

We’re listening Antioch!!

APD’s Traffic Unit had a busy day responding to your concerns about speeding vehicles, stop sign violations, and reckless driving. Our focus areas on Friday, May 8, 2020 included East 18th Street, Lone Tree, Putnam, and Highway 4.

While patrolling Cavallo, an officer spotted a reckless driver traveling in excess of 65 MPH, and causing other motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision. After stopping said vehicle, the officer noticed an illegal dagger in the center console. The vehicle was whisked-off to car jail and a search revealed a bag full of stolen mail. The driver was sent to people jail to receive remedial education on shelter in-place.

Reminder: The US Postal Service has a FREE service called Informed Delivery. This service provides a daily email preview of mail and packages arriving at your address . For more information, check out this link: https://informeddelivery.usps.com

Stay-tuned for more traffic enforcement on James Donlon and many other areas you’ve contacted us about! #AntiochPD #APDTrafficUnit #AntiochStrong #WeAreListening

By Antioch Police Department

“I only had one beer…”

That’s what the driver of this car told officers after crashing into a light pole and three trees at James Donlon Blvd. and Hummingbird Drive. By the looks of things, you’d expect to see major injuries, or even worse. The driver, who was placed under arrest for DUI, escaped with only minor cuts and scrapes. Her car is totaled, and if convicted, she faces fines/fees of approximately $10,000, loss of her license, DUI offender classes, and jail or community service. Thankfully, no innocent bystanders were hurt from this incident.

I don’t know how many times we gotta say this – PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! Tens of thousands are injured on our roadways from DUI drivers each year. THERE IS NO EXCUSE!!!

What can you do if you spot an impaired driver? First, maintain a safe distance, try to get a license plate, and call 9-1-1. You never know who you might save by doing this.

By CHP – Contra Costa

Friday evening, May 8, 2020 at approximately 9:20 pm, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a vehicle collision vs. a pedestrian on HWY 4 westbound, east of Laurel Road. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, a 29-year-old male pedestrian from Pinole, had been struck by a vehicle and was lying in the roadway. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. The driver of the Nissan sedan that hit the pedestrian suffered major injuries and she was transported to the hospital. The Contra Costa County Sheriff Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of identify of the deceased male pedestrian.

In the initial investigation, the 23-year-old female driver from Bethel Island was traveling westbound on HWY 4 in a 2012 Nissan Versa, east of Laurel road. For unknown reasons, the male pedestrian was in the roadway and directly in the path of the approaching Nissan. The driver of the Nissan was unable to avoid the pedestrian and collided into him, causing fatal injuries. The driver suffered non-life-threatening but major injuries and was transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. Her two passengers in the Nissan were not injured.

This incident is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Thank you

Continuing to coordinate with other Bay Area counties to determine when more loosening will occur; “Contra Costa is not an island” – Dr. Chris Farnitano

By Allen Payton

In light of Governor Newsom’s recent loosening of the rules on some businesses, including allowing florists to reopen as of today, Friday, May 8, 2020, Contra Costa Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano was asked several questions about what appears to be a positive trend and therefore why he’s not following the state’s lead.

The number of cases of those with COVID-19 in hospitals in the county peaked around April 14 at 47 and has continued to drop to just 16 as of today. Other statistics on the Contra Costa Health Services Coronavirus Dashboard also show decreases in almost all of the statistics tracked. The only statistic that continues to increase is the number of new cases, which is currently at 1,015. But, the dashboard doesn’t currently show how many of the 1,017 people who have tested positive in our county have recovered. The total number of deaths is currently at 29 and hasn’t increased since Monday, May 4.

Q: How many have recovered? When will we see that statistic on the Contra Costa Health website?

Dr. Farnitano: We’re waiting for the state and the CDC for a definition. Most people recover within 14 days. So, we’re working on a definition that if It’s been 14 days, you’re not in the hospital, and not dead, you’ve recovered. The data team that works on the website, we’re hoping to next week have that statistic on the website. Marin County is using something similar to that.

Q: With the continued reduction in numbers of those with the virus in the hospital in our county, do you see we are heading in the right direction?

Dr. Farnitano: We are definitely heading in the right direction. It’s both decreasing hospital numbers and decreasing the number of new cases. That gave us confidence in allowing all construction and all outdoor and most outdoor recreation, this past Monday. It takes two or three weeks to see after things are loosened up if cases don’t start to increase, again. So, there’s a little bit of a lag. We really haven’t seen the effects of the health order change on May 3^rd.”

Q: Asked specifically about why he wouldn’t allow florists to reopen in time for Mother’s Day and what’s the difference if they use curbside delivery and everyone’s wearing their masks, he responded, “grocery stores are essential businesses, but florists are not. Essential businesses are allowed to sell non-essential items.”

Q: Why can’t you follow the lead of the governor?

Dr. Farnitano: We’re trying to work together (with the other Bay Area counties). Contra Costa is not an island and there’s lots of travel for work and shopping with Alameda County. What’s happening in Alameda County and San Francisco affects Contra Costa. The other counties’ statistics aren’t as good as Contra Costa County’s.

Q: If things are looking good in the next few weeks is it possible the shelter in place order can end on May 31^st?

Dr. Farnitano: If we keep trending in the right way we can have more loosening.

Q: Asked if he’s been adding new criteria and raising the bar or just being more specific about what was already in place?

Dr. Farnitano: Some of it’s being more specific. There’s got to be a lot of social distancing requirements to open back up the economy. Wearing masks and social distancing are going to be in place for quite a long time, in order to open back up shopping and dining.

Q: What about churches opening for services, again?

Dr. Farnitano: The state has more details for their phases. In-person church gatherings and other public gatherings, they have in their Phase Three. A local order can’t allow anything looser than the state.

Q: On a more personal note, did you ever think you would have to use your authority to deal with something other than a temporary shelter in place order for something such as a chemical release?

Dr. Farnitano: I actually became a deputy health officer about five years ago. One of the health officers at that time who trained me told me, “there are tremendous powers in the health officer. Try not to use them and use them very wisely.” One of the main purposes of the statutory authority is for outbreaks and diseases. This is such an overwhelming event that it’s much more than I did really ever sort of plan for or expect. Ever since the H1N1 we’ve had these pandemic outbreak plans and that these social distancing tools would be one of the most effective tools. We didn’t expect this to go on so long.

Farnitano has also been personally affected by the shelter-in-place order when he had to watch his middle son get married in Georgia via Facebook Live, last week.

“When Chris makes decisions that affect us, it weighs heavy on him,” shared Kim McCarl, Contra Costa Health Communications Officer.

With the increase in tests at eight different drive-up or walk-up sites, for anyone in the county who wants one, regardless if they are experiencing symptoms of the virus, “that will help us get the economy open quicker,” she said. (See related article).

For more statistical details about COVID-19 in Contra Costa County visit https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/.

By Allen Payton

Yesterday, Thursday, May 7, 2020 Deer Valley High School celebrated the Class of 2020 as they picked up their caps and gowns with a special surprise for each senior. That surprise was the gift of a yard sign with the words “Congratulations Class of 2020 Wolverine Strong” emblazoned across it, with the school’s DV logo in the center.

Seniors were greeted with balloons, as they drove through bubble blowers illuminated with the school colors, and music filled the air to celebrate the students. Even Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks attended and congratulated the soon to be graduates.

The event was held from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the school’s parking lot. See more in the KTVU Fox 2 news report, here.

Book about his life “Wrestling the World” published last year available on Amazon

By Allen Payton

Antioch’s last cowboy, Jack Roddy and his wife, Donna are heading for greener pastures. On May 15th they will be moving from their home south of Antioch to Stephenville, Texas, known as the Cowboy Capital of the World, about an hour southwest of Fort Worth. The Antioch City Council will honor the Roddys and their contributions to our community with a proclamation, during their meeting next Tuesday, May 12th. Jack Roddy Proclamation Antioch City Council 05-12-20

Jack Roddy wrestled the world, as a new book published last year about him, reads. The six-foot-five native Californian and U.S. Marine was the All-Around Cowboy National Intercollegiate Championship and the World Champion Intercollegiate Steer Wrestling title in 1959, while studying for a bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Then as a two-time world champion steer wrestler in 1966 and 1968, “Roddy and the Rodeo Cowboys Association board members turned professional rodeo into a multi-million-dollar sport” as the book has it. Roddy is credited for turning the sport of rodeo into the big business it is today.

“Arena wrecks and broken bones, were nothing compared to the tragic death of friend Malcolm Baldrige,” the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, when the horse he was riding fell on him while participating in a calf-roping competition at the Roddy Ranch in 1987.

Jack would continue to wrestle with local government in Antioch and Contra Costa County as a landowner, to see his dream of The Roddy Ranch Golf Club and new home community become a reality.

He won his first major round of local land wrestling when he and his partners opened the golf club in 2000.

Jack also battled radical environmental extremists, claiming to be Luddites, who killed his cattle using bow and arrow, and threatened him, as well.

Jack won another major round in 2005 when the people of Antioch joined him and his partners in fighting back against the county, after the Board of Supervisors moved in the Urban Limit Line and cut out his property that the voters had already included. We passed Measure K overwhelmingly giving the approval for the 700-acre new home development surrounding the golf course. It was to be the Blackhawk of Antioch.

He battled a partner who came to town and said he “had more money than God” but instead got Jack embroiled in a controversial funding scheme with a school district from the Central Valley to finance a water line to the Roddy Ranch property. As a result, that kind of “roving joint powers authority” is now illegal in the state.

Jack also battled with a neighbor who stole his water, illegally tapping into the water line.

But after 20 years of work to obtain approvals for the Roddy Ranch housing development, due to delays by city staff and a mayor who ignored the will of the voters, Jack lost another round of wrestling. He and his partners sold the land to the East Bay Regional Park District in 2013. (See related article)

Worse, his young protégé, to whom Jack leased the golf course to run like his own business and whom he treated like a son, took it down as a result of financial fraud. (See related article) Shortly thereafter, the golf course closed in 2016 giving Jack what appeared to be a final defeat. (See related article)

But, ultimately, Jack who was used to picking himself up, dusting himself off and getting back on the horse, won his final round of local land wrestling, when and his partner sold the remaining property including the Roddy’s 40-acre homestead to the East Bay Regional Park District in 2017 and the golf course in 2018. Combined, all 1,885 acres will be permanent open space and one day open as the Deer Valley Regional Park, which will be Jack and Donna’s legacy for the region. (See related article).

A few years ago, Jack wrestled with pneumonia after being bucked off his horse and cracking three ribs. He’s been down, but never out and has always managed to get back up.

He has continued to live life as a cowboy, running cattle on their land over the years, bringing in cows from Hawaii, fattening them up on the grass, then shipping them to Texas to be fattened on feed before being sent back to Hawaii for butchering.

Jack and Donna have contributed to Antioch and East County through the years, hosting many events at their place, including fundraising barbeques entitled the Roundup at Roddy Ranch every two years which helped raise $400,000 for the Delta Advocacy Foundation, which he helped found; the Antioch Rotary Club which he was a member of for decades; as well as the Antioch-Chichibu Sister City farewell dinners when the Japanese delegation was in town for their semi-annual visit.

In 1991 and 1992 Roddy was the Seniors Steer Wrestling World Champion. He went on to serve on the Rodeo Cowboys Assocation as Steer Wrestling Director for over 16 years and in 1997 Roddy was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. He won the Steer Wrestling title at the California Rodeo in Salinas in 1962, 1964 and 1966 and was inducted into the California Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2010, as well as the California State Fair Hall of Fame. Today, he mentors future rodeo champions and carries on the traditions of the West.

In 2017, Jack was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, along with Dwight Clark of the 49ers. (See related article) See video introducing him for the presentation, below:

The book about Jack published last year, entitled Wrestling the World: The Life and Times of World Rodeo Champion Jack Roddy, available on Amazon, tells the story of Jack’s tough upbringing in San Jose with a “hard driving Irish father who forbade rodeo dreams.”

He’s been in several movies including a documentary that earned an Oscar. A few years ago, Jack, Donna and friends traveled to Ireland, where his father was born, and made his own movie about their trip.

Then last year, Jack appeared in an episode of the TV show, Man vs. Food when the host took on the 49er Club Steak Challenge at Vic Stewart’s in Brentwood. Some of Jack’s memories and accomplishments can be seen inside the restaurant, owned by former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Assistant Secretary of the Navy, John Herrington, where a few of his championship saddles and photos of his steer wrestling days are on display.

Among their other influential friends, the Roddys can also count Stephen Hearst, with whom they take horse rides at the Hearst Ranch in San Simeon, each year.

According to their property sales agreement with the park district, the Roddy homestead will become a public museum dedicated to his rodeo history once he and Donna pass. It will include trophies, buckles, photographs of Jack with President Reagan and celebrities, and other memorabilia for future generations to enjoy.

To learn more about Jack Roddy’s life visit www.jackroddy.com.

We now say farewell to Antioch’s last cowboy, Jack, and his wife Donna as they head off into the sunset. Actually, the sunrise since their heading east! It’s been great having you here, getting to know and serve the community with you, through the years. God bless you in your new home. You are loved and will be missed. Just know, Antioch will always be Roddy Country!

On Friday, May 1st, Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Stephanie Anello announced the in-person graduation schedule for seniors in Antioch high schools. However, seniors are picking up their caps and gowns, this month. Deer Valley High seniors picked up theirs, today, Thursday, May 7. Antioch High Seniors will be picking up their caps and gowns next Tuesday, May 12th. 

INFORMATION FOR GRADUATING SENIORS
Good evening Seniors and families,
We are so sad that your important day has been impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic! To honor you and your achievements, each high school will hold a virtual ceremony on the originally scheduled date and time of each school’s graduation. We also have two alternative dates set for each school to hold in-person graduations if permitted. If it is not permitted by the first date, we will attempt to hold it on the second date. If it is still not permitted, we will try to come up with alternative plans in hopes of recognizing this important milestone in your education and life. Please hold the following dates and times should we be able to have an in-person ceremony:
Early August
Monday, August 3, 6:00 PM – Bidwell High/Prospects High/Live Oak High Schools
Thursday, August 6, 6:00 PM – Dozier Libbey Medical High School
Friday, August 7, 5:00 PM – Deer Valley High School
Friday, August 7, 8:00 PM – Antioch High School
Late August
Monday, August 24, 6:00 PM – Bidwell High/Prospects High/Live Oak High School
Thursday, August 27, 6:00 PM – Dozier Libbey Medical High School
Friday, August 28, 5:00 PM – Deer Valley High School
Friday, August 28, 8:00 PM – Antioch High School
Please note that middle schools are also planning virtual promotion ceremonies. These dates and times will be shared directly by each school site.
We are AUSD,
Stephanie Anello, Superintendent
#WeAreProud #WeAreAUSD

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Contra Costa is first county in Bay Area to offer testing to anyone even if they don’t have symptoms

Contra Costa County will now offer an appointment for COVID-19 testing to any resident who believes they need one, regardless of insurance, ability to pay or whether they have symptoms or not.

Residents can make an appointment to visit one of eight sites throughout the county. The county is operating five drive-through testing sites while the state provides walk-up testing locations at three additional locations. Testing is available by appointment only. Call 1-844-421-0804 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily for an appointment at any Contra Costa site.

The increased access to community testing will help Contra Costa County reach its goal for easing social restrictions in the current shelter-in-place order, which lasts through May. Previously, tests were only offered for patients with symptoms of illness.

“We need to test many more county residents to get a better sense of how widespread COVID-19 is in our community, and to help prevent its spread,” said Candace Andersen, chair of the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors. “Testing will also give us a better idea of when we can relax the current health orders.”

Between 300 and 400 patients are tested daily in the county. Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) hopes to test about five times as many people.

All CCHS-run sites offer drive-through testing by appointment only. These sites are located in Antioch, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, San Pablo and San Ramon. Patients must visit these sites in their vehicles, as testing is done in the car.

Three new state-run sites also opened on Wednesday in Brentwood, Pinole and Walnut Creek, accepting walk-in patients by appointment only.

Appointments can be made by calling 1-844-421-0804. For appointments at county-run sites, a screener will take the information necessary to begin the process. Callers will then get a call back from a health professional during which an appointment will be scheduled.

There is no up-front cost for testing. County residents do not need medical insurance to get tested. However, if you have health insurance, your insurance will be billed.

While you don’t need symptoms to get tested, symptoms that may warrant a test include cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle ache, sore throat, headache, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, recent loss of taste or smell, or confusion, particularly in older adults.

Visit coronavirus.cchealth.org/testing for details about community testing, including site locations.