Use it for trips on BART, Tri Delta Transit, County Connection, WestCAT, AC Transit and more

Multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14 to celebrate

By Carter Lavin, Co-Founder, Transbay Coalition

The Bay Area transit advocacy group Transbay Coalition, along with Seamless Bay Area and Hiking By Transit has launched new calculator, created by Evan Tschuy, to help show Bay Area residents how much they will save with the new Clipper 2.0 set to launch in December. It will automatically provide discounts of up to $2.85 per trip to people when they transfer between transit agencies (e.g. AC Transit to WestCAT, Muni to BART, VTA to Caltrain, SolTrans to the Ferry, The Vine to the Ferry, Sonoma County Transit to SMART, etc).

You are about to be able to save a bunch of money when taking transit in the Bay Area. Right now, when you transfer between bus and rail services, you generally have to pay the full fare for both legs of the trip, or if you’re lucky you might get a small discount. But starting in December, when you transfer between agencies, your fare gets reduced by $2.85 — down to potentially free — with the new Clipper 2.0.

Plus, under Clipper 2.0 you will be able to tap on to transit with your credit or debit card – no Clipper Card needed. So next time you want to bring friends, family, and out-of-town visitors onto transit with you, they don’t need to get a new card, they can just use their credit or debit card to tap in.

Bay Area transit trips are about to get a lot more affordable, and to help folks understand how much they’ll save, Transbay Coalition launched The Clipper 2.0 Savings Calculator with our friends at Hiking By Transit and Seamless Bay Area. Go to the Calculator, enter in the information about a trip you want to take that would require switching between agencies and check out how much you’ll save.

For Clipper 2.0 fares, the following rules are applied:

• Each time you transfer to a new agency, your next fare is discounted up to:
  • Adult: $2.85
  • Youth & Senior/RTC: $1.40
  • Senior/RTC on BART: $1.10 (to reflect the further Senior/RTC fare discount on BART)
• The discount value does not depend on your previous fare, so AC Transit ($2.50) to BART will give a $2.85 discount off of your BART fare
• AC Transit is introducing a new transfer policy with Clipper 2.0, allowing one free transfer between local buses

For example:

• Take AC Transit to BART to Muni? A $9.85 trip will become just $4.65.
• Visiting a friend in Palo Alto from your home in the Inner Sunset? A $13.90 trip will become just $8.20.
• Taking Sonoma County Transit to SMART? Save an additional $1.35 per trip
• The Napa Vine to the Ferry? You’ll save $2.85 per trip
• Use the tool here: https://clipper2.hikingbytransit.com/.

Other agencies may have updated their transfer policies, but at this time this tool is not aware of any other changes. This tool does not take into account the transfer time limit; Clipper 2.0 interagency transfers have a 2-hour time limit from first tap, while Clipper 1.0 fares have various different time limits depending on the specific agency pairs.

Fares on the website are an estimation only, based on the current information provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. As some details have yet to be released, some assumptions have been made. This website will be updated as possible to reflect new information.

Multi-Agency Trip to Mt. Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14

To celebrate this big transit win, Hiking by Transit is hosting a multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park on December 14th to celebrate.Come on out!

Plus, this Sunday, you’re invited to the garden party joint fundraiser for Transbay Coalition & Seamless Bay Area – get your tickets here.

Want to know more about what Clipper 2.0 means for you? Check out the Transbay Coalition blog.

About Transbay Coalition

The Transbay Coalition is a grassroots public transportation advocacy group championing bold near-term solutions to the Bay Area’s regional transportation crisis. Founded to campaign for dedicated bus-only lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches, we’re striving to create an equitable and efficient public transit system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about the Transbay Coalition

About Seamless Bay Area

Seamless Bay Area is a not-for-profit project whose mission is to transform the Bay Area’s fragmented and inconvenient public transit into a world-class, unified, equitable, and widely-used system by building a diverse movement for change and promoting policy reforms. Learn more about Seamless Bay Area

About Hiking by Transit

Hiking by Transit connects people in the Bay Area to our beautiful parks and preserves, car-free, by providing maps and hiking guides across the nine-county region and through advocacy for increased access and increased understanding. Visit Hiking by Transit

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By CHP – Contra Costa

We are proud to welcome six new officers who recently graduated from the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.

After 26 weeks of rigorous training at the Academy, they will now put their skills to the test as they begin field training for another three months.

Join us in welcoming these new officers as they embark on the next chapter of their new career.

Congratulations and welcome to the California Highway Patrol!

If you aspire to be a part of something greater, we encourage you to consider applying for a career with CHP. Discover the satisfaction of safeguarding your community and making a meaningful impact.

Join the CHP today!

With daughter and grandson

By Mary Chapman & Nora vonUbin, An Elderly Wish Foundation

When Joyce Turner from Antioch was told she had terminal cancer, she contacted An Elderly Wish Foundation. She wrote that her wish was to go with her daughter and grandson, to meet Steph Curry in San Francisco at the Oracle Arena. Joyce claims to be his #1 Fan because her every room in her house proves it. Joyce said, “seeing him in person would be an absolute dream come true!”

On Friday, October 17, 2025, An Elderly Wish Foundation “made her dream come true!”  Joyce, her daughter, Julie and grandson, Marcos (age 11) were ushered into Oracle Arena, at a specific spot on the court to watch #30 practice. Joyce was thrilled the evening included having Steph sign her own 2015 Championship Jersey! Another thrill was to have her grandson stand with the entire Warriors Team for the anthem.

Our non-profit foundation loved granting this special wish for Joyce with assistance from Velma Wilson.

AEWF grants wishes to seniors, 50 years or older, who have been diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness and live in Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.elderlywish.org.

Will again consider Wildflower Station Townhomes 2 project by troubled developer Tuesday night

Learn how state law is forcing Council to approve new housing developments

By Allen D. Payton

After the Antioch City Council held a public hearing during their meeting on Sept. 23, 2025, on the proposed Wildflower Station Townhomes 2 Multifamily Residential Project by troubled DeNova Homes, postponed a decision until their meeting last Tuesday, Oct. 28, but split 2-2, with District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker was absent, the Council will once again consider the project during a special meeting tomorrow night, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

The council meeting is scheduled then instead of the regular day of the second Tuesday of each month due to the Veterans Day holiday on Nov. 11th.

It will be the third time the Council will consider the project by the embattled developer, whose father and son leaders were indicted in April on charges of bribing an Antioch city councilman last year. (See related articles here, here and here). During last Tuesday’s meeting, Antioch resident Melissa Case named former Councilman Mike Barbanica as the target of the attempted bribe but who has repeatedly told the Herald he will not speak about an open investigation. So, the target could also have been former Mayor Lamar Hernández-Thorpe.

Council Approved Developers’ Other Townhomes Project on Oct. 28

Like DeNova Homes’ Slatten Ranch Townhomes Project, approved last Tuesday night on a 3-1 vote, with District 3 Councilman Don Freitas voting against, the Council is expected to also approve the Wildflower Station project because it, too, was submitted under SB330 which basically ties the councilmembers’ hands.  The law gives certain protections to developments that follow the law’s procedures. (See below)

Both Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Louie Rocha and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson complained during last week’s council meeting about the state forcing the councilmembers to approve the project. Yet, Wilson along with Freitas, voted against it. The Council then voted 4-0 to continue the item until tomorrow night’s meeting which Torres-Walker is expected to attend and potentially break the tie vote.

State Housing Law Forces Councilmembers to Approve New Developments – HAA, HCA, RHNA

According to a publication by the Southern California Council of Governments, Key Provisions of SB330, the state Housing Crisis Act (HCA) of 2019, include:

• Retroactively “freezes” residential zoning standards to what they were on January 1, 2018.
• Does not allow jurisdictions to enforce moratoriums or growth control measures on new housing development.
• Prevents jurisdictions from imposing or enforcing new design standards on housing projects that are not “objective”.

Plus, “The HCA strengthens the Housing Accountability Act – HAA – (Gov. Code §65589.5) which states that a housing development project that complies with the objective standards of the general plan and zoning ordinance must be approved by the agency, unless the agency is able to make written findings based on the preponderance of the evidence in the record that either: 1) the local government has already met its Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirement (Antioch hasn’t); 2) there is an impact to the public health and safety and this impact cannot be mitigated; 3) the property is agricultural land (it’s not); 4) the approval of the project would violate State or Federal law and this violation cannot be mitigated; or, 5) the project is inconsistent with the zoning and land use designation and not identified in the general plan housing element RHNA inventory (it isn’t).”

According to a Sept. 2020 Technical Assistance Advisory by the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Division of Housing Policy Development, the HAA “establishes limitations to a local government’s ability to deny, reduce the density of, or make infeasible housing development projects, emergency shelters, or farmworker housing that are consistent with objective local development standards and contribute to meeting housing need.”

In addition, the Advisory explains that SB330/HCA “set forth vesting rights for projects that use a new pre-application process,” which both townhome projects did. Most of the bill’s provisions were to sunset on January 1, 2025, but they were extended until January 1, 2030, with the passage of SB8.

The RHNA – now referred to as the Regional Housing Needs Allocation – requires the City of Antioch to approve 3,016 new homes in four income categories between 2023 and 2031. (See related articles here and here, and chart above)

Wildflower Station Townhomes 2 Project

The proposed Wildflower Station Townhomes 2 Multifamily Residential Project is a 159-unit townhome-style condominium development. It is planned for the four-parcel, 10.35 acre vacant property near the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Deer Valley Road and bordered by Wildflower Drive to the east and the road next to the KFC restaurant in the Hillcrest Crossroads shopping center which also serves the existing condo development.

According to the City staff report for the agenda item, #6, the proposed project consists of a Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map to create 19 residential lots for 19 three-story buildings, containing 159 new townhome condominiums in two different building styles: “back-to-back” and row townhome-style. Both styles of townhomes include individual one-car or two-car garages with the living areas primarily on the second and third levels above the garage parking.

The proposed project would include a total of 2.8 acres of landscaping and open space, consisting of two open play areas and open space for bioretention. The play areas would include 25 additional parking spaces with another 57 surplus shared parking spaces with the adjacent Wildflower Station development. The 159 residential units would consist of a mix of two- and three-bedrooms units, ranging in size from 1,135 to 1,381 square feet.

The project site was part of the larger 23-acre Wildflower Station project that includes 22 single family homes (on the ridgeline above), the 98-condominium stacked flat homes immediately adjacent and planned commercial development that was entitled in 2018. The single-family homes and condos were built, but the commercial parcels along Hillcrest Avenue (the current project site) weren’t and the land sat undeveloped.

In 2023, the City Council revised the General Plan and rezoned the four parcels to High Density Residential District (R-25). The proposed project would result in a density of approximately 20 du/ac.

The project was also submitted in 2023 as a Preliminary Housing Application under SB330.

Con Fire Quarterly Report

Before the item is heard, the Council will receive the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District – Quarterly Report presentation by Fire Chief Lewis Broschard.

See the complete Council Meeting Agenda packet.

Meeting Details

The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 H Street, in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. They can also be viewed via livestream on the City’s website and the City’s YouTube Channel, on Comcast Cable Channel 24 or AT&T U-verse Channel 99.

By Lt. Joe Njoroge #7052, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Sunday, November 2, 2025, just after 4:30 p.m., Antioch Police Department officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 300 block of Sunset Drive. Upon arrival, officers located a 9-year-old boy who had been struck by gunfire.

Officers immediately provided medical aid until personnel from Con Fire arrived. The victim was transported by helicopter from nearby Bidwell High School to a local hospital where he is being treated for injuries determined to be non-life-threatening.

Through the course of the investigation, the suspect was identified as a 17-year-old male who was later taken into custody.

UPDATE 1: According to KTVU reporter Henry K. Lee in a post on X, the 17-year-old saw a man at a smoke shop on Sunset Drive “in Antioch with whom he has ongoing feud. Teen fires numerous shots (opens fire inside business), missing his target – and instead hitting 9yo boy in neck while victim is in back room of his uncle’s shop.”

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Antioch Police Department at tips@antiochca.gov.

See Spotlight CoCoCounty video of response to the incident.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

UPDATE: Starts Tues., Nov 11 | 7 AM–7 PM Pre-loaded grocery cards + food boxes

As federal SNAP food benefits are cut during shutdown

EL CONDADO SE PREPARA PARA APOYAR A LOS RESIDENTES CUYOS BENEFICIOS DE ALIMENTOS ESTÁN SIENDO REDUCIDOS

El condado se prepara para distribuir tarjetas de débito para comestibles a 107,000 inscritos en CalFresh

By Contra Costa County District 1 Supervisor John Gioia

Contra Costa County is stepping up to help our neediest County residents due to the Federal government’s failure to fund its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which is called CalFresh here in California. SNAP serves 1 in 8 Americans and is a major part of our nation’s social safety net. 

Failing to fund this benefit threatens the food security of 107,000 County residents, 55% of whom are children and seniors. The average monthly benefit for a family of 3 is $573 per month.   

The Federal Government’s failure to fund SNAP benefits also threatens the financial sustainability of 706 retailers (most are locally owned neighborhood markets) who sell groceries to CalFresh families. 

Our Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) has developed a plan to distribute debit cards to CalFresh enrollees who live in our County. These debit cards, whose value will be similar to a family’s existing benefit amount, will be distributed soon at a date to be announced at our busiest EHSD lobbies at: 

• 4545 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch 
• 151 Linus Pauling Dr., Hercules
• 400 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill 
• 1305 MacDonald Ave., Richmond 

UPDATE: Starts Tues., Nov 11 | 7 AM–7 PM Pre-loaded grocery cards + food boxes

EHSD and the County Sheriff’s Office are partnering to ensure security of debit cards and safety at these locations. 

Subject to the Board of Supervisors vote next Tuesday, where we will declare a Local Emergency, we plan to allocate up to $21 million out of our rainy day reserves to fund these benefits for the month of November. We are able to do this because of our County’s responsible fiscal management and AAA bond rating. 

Food boxes for needy families, even those who are not CalFresh enrollees, will be available starting Monday, November 3rd, at these same four locations. Needy families, regardless of immigration status, are welcome to come by. 

If anyone needs food now, go to the Contra Costa/Solano Food Bank’s Find Food in My City Link to see where to pick up free food near where you live. 

A Federal Court decision on Saturday ruled that the Trump Administration must continue to fund SNAP food benefits using contingency funds during the government shutdown. However, it is unclear when debit cards used by enrollees can be reloaded with the November benefit amount. It can take one to two weeks to do this.  

That’s why the County is moving forward with its plan to support hard working families who rely on this vital food benefit.

We continue to work with our Federal legislators to advocate for an immediate end to the harmful government shutdown. 

Español

El Condado de Contra Costa está tomando medidas para ayudar a nuestros residentes más necesitados debido a la falta de financiamiento del gobierno federal para su programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP), conocido en California como CalFresh. SNAP atiende a 1 de cada 8 estadounidenses y es una parte fundamental de la red de seguridad social de nuestra nación.

No financiar este beneficio pone en riesgo la seguridad alimentaria de 107,000 residentes del condado, de los cuales el 55% son niños y personas mayores. El beneficio mensual promedio para una familia de tres personas es de $573 por mes.

La falta de financiamiento del gobierno federal para los beneficios de SNAP también amenaza la sostenibilidad financiera de 706 minoristas (la mayoría son mercados locales de vecindario) que venden alimentos a las familias que usan CalFresh.

Nuestro Departamento de Empleo y Servicios Humanos (EHSD) ha desarrollado un plan para distribuir tarjetas de débito a los inscritos en CalFresh que viven en nuestro condado. Estas tarjetas, cuyo valor será similar al monto actual del beneficio familiar, se distribuirán pronto en una fecha que se anunciará en las siguientes oficinas más concurridas del EHSD:

• 4545 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch
• 151 Linus Pauling Dr., Hercules
• 400 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill
• 1305 MacDonald Ave., Richmond

El EHSD y la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado están colaborando para garantizar la seguridad de las tarjetas de débito y la seguridad en estos lugares.

Sujeto a la votación de la Junta de Supervisores el próximo martes, donde se declarará una Emergencia Local, planeamos asignar hasta $21 millones de nuestras reservas de emergencia para financiar estos beneficios durante el mes de noviembre. Podemos hacerlo gracias a la gestión fiscal responsable de nuestro condado y a nuestra calificación crediticia AAA.

Las cajas de alimentos para familias necesitadas, incluso para aquellas que no están inscritas en CalFresh, estarán disponibles a partir del lunes 3 de noviembre en los mismos cuatro lugares. Las familias necesitadas, sin importar su estatus migratorio, son bienvenidas a acudir.

Si alguien necesita alimentos ahora, puede visitar el enlace Find Food in My City del Banco de Alimentos de Contra Costa/Solano para saber dónde recoger alimentos gratuitos cerca de su domicilio.

Una decisión del tribunal federal el sábado dictaminó que la Administración Trump debe continuar financiando los beneficios alimentarios de SNAP utilizando fondos de contingencia durante el cierre del gobierno. Sin embargo, no está claro cuándo podrán recargarse las tarjetas de débito con el monto del beneficio de noviembre. Esto podría tardar de una a dos semanas.

Por eso, el condado avanza con su plan para apoyar a las familias trabajadoras que dependen de este beneficio alimentario vital.

Seguimos trabajando con nuestros legisladores federales para abogar por el fin inmediato del perjudicial cierre del gobierno.

Deadline: Nov 7; Virtual interview Nov. 24

By Julie DiMaggio Enea, Senior Deputy, Contra Costa County Administrator’s Office

(Martinez, CA) – The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants for the Public Law Library Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees was established pursuant to State law and County Ordinance to maintain a law library in Martinez.

The Board of Trustees is the governing body for the Law Library with the authority to determine personnel, fiscal and administrative policies to fulfill the legal information needs of the community. County residents who are members of the State Bar and have an interest in public policy and library administration are encouraged to apply for this non-paid volunteer opportunity. The County Board of Supervisors will appoint to fill one vacancy for a one-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and ending on Dec. 31, 2026.   The Board of Trustees normally meets monthly in Martinez.

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 655-2000 or the application can be completed online by visiting the County website at  https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418. 

Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, County Administration Building, 1025 Escobar St., Martinez, CA  94553 no later than by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. 

Applicants should plan to be available for public interviews to be conducted virtually via Zoom on Monday, November 24, 2025. 

More information about the Contra Costa Public Law Library can be obtained by calling Amreet Sandhu at (925) 655-4600 or director@ll.cccounty.us, or visiting the Law Library website at http://www.cccpllib.org.

5 Regional Early Voting Sites in Brentwood, Pittsburg, Richmond, San Ramon, Walnut Creek open today

Some polling places in Antioch have changed.

By Dawn Kruger Community and Media Relations Coordinator Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department

Regional Early Voting Sites open today, Friday, October 31st and polling places are open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Voters can still return their ballots by mail, postmarked on or before Election Day – to ensure your mailed ballot is received on time, mail ballots before Election Day. Voters can drop their ballot off at one of the County’s 45 official drop boxes before 8:00 PM on Election Day, to ensure we receive your ballot on time.

“Voters have many opportunities to cast their ballot early,” said Kristin B. Connelly, the County’s Registrar of Voters. “The Contra Costa County Elections Office is here to ensure voters can cast their ballots safely, early, and conveniently to make sure their voices are heard.”

In-Person Voter Services

If you prefer to vote in-person or need in-person services to cast your ballot, Contra Costa County residents have early voting options at five Regional Early Voting sites throughout the county.

All Contra Costa registered voters will be able to vote at any of the Regional Early Voting locations, which will be open Friday, October 31st from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM; Saturday, November 1st from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM; and Monday, November 3rd from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 

Here are the locations of Contra Costa’s Regional Early Voting sites: 

• Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street, Brentwood
• Pittsburg Library-Community Room, 80 Power Avenue, Pittsburg
• Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
• San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church, 902 Danville Boulevard, Alamo
• Walnut Creek City Hall, 1666 North Main Street, Walnut Creek

Polling Places

Polling places will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.  Please go to our website and check “My Voting Information.” to find your assigned polling place. Please note that some polling places in Antioch, Bay Point, Lafayette, Pinole, Pittsburg, San Pablo, and San Ramon have changed.

Conditional Voter Registration

If you missed the voter registration deadline, you can still register and vote in-person using Conditional Voter Registration. It is a one-stop opportunity to register and cast your ballot and is available (1) at our office at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez, (2) at Regional Early Voting sites, and (3) at all polling places.

Accessible Voting Equipment and Additional Language Access

Official ballots and voting instructions are provided in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Additional language resources are available through ballot translation guides which are available online and at in-person voting locations. Ballot marking equipment with accessible features is available at every in-person voting location for voters with disabilities who may need assistance.

Be Prepared

If you vote in person, many voters find it helpful to come prepared. Make your choice ahead of time and bring your pre-marked Sample Ballot to the polls to help you save time. Copies of the Voter Information Guide are available at the polls and the information is also available online.

Leave the Campaign T-Shirts, Buttons, and Hats at Home

Please remember that voters have the right to cast a ballot free from intimidation or distraction. Under California law, electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet of any voting location.  Anyone wearing items promoting any position in this election will be asked to remove or cover them while they are at the voting location.  Please help our poll workers by refraining from electioneering and leave your campaign t-shirts, buttons and hats at home.

For more information on voting options for the Statewide Special Election, visit www.contracostavote.gov or call 925.335.7800.