By Allen Payton

After three years in the development, the Antioch City Council voted 5-0 to table the Sand Creek Focus Area Specific Plan update to the city’s General Plan on Tuesday night, October 25.

The plan calls for 4,000 new homes in the area surrounding the Kaiser medical center on Deer Valley Road. Approximately 1,174 homes have already been approved in two developments at the east end of the valley.

The decision means that the current Specific Plan for the area adopted by the City Council in 2005 is still in force and that development can move forward under its guidelines. It also means the remaining developments will have to include any General Plan Amendments with the submission of their plans.

According to the city staff report on the agenda item, they made the recommendation because the city is undergoing the development of both a Habit Conservation Plan and the Natural Community Conservation Plan which will allow the city to mitigate any habitat and biological impacts. Those plans are expected to continue to be developed through 2018. Plus, the Ranch project which is proposing 1,337 homes on the west side of Deer Valley Road “is required to undergo extensive environmental review including the development of an Environmental Impact Report, under the California Environmental Quality Act.” The timing of its completion could be confused with the city’s efforts to finalize the Specific Plan Update. So tabling it now would avoid it in the eyes of the public, staff stated.

The final reason given by staff for their recommendation to table was cost. The City has to update the General Plan again in 2023 at an estimated cost of $800,000 and the fund currently has only $80,000 remaining. If the update continued to move forward it would deplete the fund by another $40,000 to $60,000.

What the council decision doesn’t do is to stop or preclude any development of new homes in the Sand Creek Focus Area. The two projects that have already been approved can move forward when those developers are ready to, and the other developers who own the rest of the land can also move forward on submitting their projects to the City for approval through the normal process.

Mark Meuser

Top priority as Secretary of State is to restore voter confidence in open, secure and fair elections

WALNUT CREEK, CA – On Thursday, Oct. 19 just prior to last weekend’s state Republican Party Convention, small business legal advocate, entrepreneur, and small business owner Mark Meuser announced his candidacy for California Secretary of State. The office, currently held by Alex Padilla, boasts a dismal national ranking of 43rd in voter turnout and is ranked almost dead last by The Pew Charitable Trust’s Election Performance Index. Padilla was elected in 2014 and can only run and serve for a second four-year term.

When asked why he was running for Secretary of State, Meuser replied, “A few months ago, I heard a news story that there are currently 11 counties in the state that have over 100% voter registration. I learned that it is the Secretary of State’s job to enforce all election laws in this state. As I studied the issue, I realized that the current Secretary of State has failed to enforce the basic election law requiring the removal from the voter rolls those who have died and moved.”

“If the Secretary of State has failed to enforce such a simple election law, what other election laws has he not enforced? Just how secure is our vote here in California?” Meuser asked.

“Participation in California elections remains criminally stagnant, relying on the appeal of current candidates or issues to buoy voter turnout instead of an innovative Secretary of State who uses every tool to enhance not only registration, but civic engagement,” he added.

Polling shows that 30% of Californians who aren’t registered to vote don’t bother, due to lack of confidence in elections and politics, while 36% of those actually registered cite lack of interest in politics, elections, or candidates for inconsistent voting.

“Californians continue to communicate clearly with their elected representatives and yet, nothing changes. My unique background and training have taught me to listen to people, craft simple solutions to the complex issues they’re facing, and work tirelessly to help them overcome those challenges,” said Meuser.

“Our Secretary of State needs to be someone who is looking out for all Californians by enhancing civic engagement in every community while increasing transparency. That’s why as Secretary of State, I will improve voters’ confidence in our elections, modernize the registration process for businesses, and enhance the People’s ability to use their initiative process.”

“The current Secretary of State’s office is antiquated and clearly still stuck in the Stone Age,” said Meuser’s spokesperson Derek Garner.

Meuser is a small business legal advocate, native Californian, and a small business owner, committed to fighting for honest and fair elections.

From a young age, Meuser was an entrepreneur. At age 12, he would pick cherries in the morning and operate a street-side stand during the afternoon. He was also hard at work taking care of orphaned animals, bottle-feeding sheep, pigs, and cows. Meuser believes that these years of developing character through hard work were important, formative years in his life. By age 15, he was in a management position at a local restaurant and by age 21, he purchased his own pizza restaurant. While his restaurant business was thriving, Meuser began studying law. He graduated with honors from the Oak Brook College of Law.

To better help small business owners handle California’s complex regulatory environment, he opened The Meuser Law Group where he operated a diverse civil litigation team that represented both individuals and small businesses. The 43-year-old is now with the Dhillon Law Group in San Francisco.

According to Ballotpedia, Meuser ran unsuccessfully in 2014 against then-incumbent Mark DeSaulnier for the State Senate in the 7th District, which covers most of Contra Costa County. Then in 2014 he formed the Bay Area Republican Political Action Committee and funded it with $10,500 of his own money running ads in the Antioch Herald and TV ad production. It is no longer active.

For more information on Mueser’s campaign visit www.markmeuser.com. The election for Secretary of State will be held during the Primary, next June. Then the top two candidates regardless of party will face off in the November election.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Division

On Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, the victim in this case died from his gunshot wound. The investigation is now being called a homicide. The identity of the victim is not being released at this time.

Original Post: On Sunday, October 22, 2017, at 6:06 p.m. Antioch Police Department patrol officers responded to the call of a subject bleeding in the driveway of a residence on Cashew Court. When officers arrived, they located a subject in the driveway suffering from a gunshot wound. The subject was transported to a local area hospital and is currently in critical condition.

Antioch Police Investigators were called to the scene and are in the early stages of the investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Bledsoe with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6884.

This preliminary information is made available by the Investigations Division. Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Division

On Monday, Oct. 23, 2017 at 10:38 PM, Antioch Police patrol officers responded to the call of shots fired in the 900 block of W. 10th Street. When officers arrived, they located a subject on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim of the gunshot wound was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. It is Antioch’s seventh homicide of the year.

Antioch Police Investigators were called to the scene and are in the early stages of the investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Bledsoe with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6884.

This preliminary information is made available by the Investigations Division. Anyone with information can also call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Nicknamed for county school board member; Brown “not convinced it’s a widespread problem…”

By Allen Payton

A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Jim Frazier to increase penalties on candidates who lie on their ballot statements was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown on Sunday, Oct. 15. The bill, AB 894 was introduced in response to the ballot statement by Contra Costa County Board of Education Trustee Jeff Belle during his 2014 campaign, in which he wrote that he had earned a degree in political science, when he had not been awarded one by his alma mater.

The county District Attorney’s office prosecuted Belle who could have been fined a maximum of $1,000 for the violation. However, both sides agreed to a diversion program of community service, instead. (See related article).

Belle, through his attorneys, argued that he had done all the course work to earn the degree and even walked during graduation ceremonies, but that due to not paying some fees it was never conferred on him.

Frazier, who represents portions of Eastern Contra Costa County where Belle resides, was elected and also represents portions, wanted to increase the maximum penalty to $5,000. The legislation passed easily through both the Assembly and the Senate.

But, the governor didn’t believe it was necessary, stating in his veto message for the bill, that he was “not convinced that this is a widespread problem in California elections or that this bill would be much of a deterrent.”

That leaves in place the current maximum fine for lying on a ballot statement that is sent to all voters in a district. It also means that there is a greater, maximum fine of $1,000 and penalty of up to three years in prison for lying on a candidate’s nomination papers which remain with the elections official and is not made available to the public. Frazier considered that backwards.

An attempt to reach the Assemblyman for comment for this report was unsuccessful.

Belle’s term in office ends in 2018 and the election will be held next November.

Antioch Police K9 Enzo and her handler Officer J. Ramirez. Photo by APD

From Antioch Police Facebook page

At 11:40 am Monday morning, Oct. 23, 2017, we received a call from Lucky’s on Contra Loma Blvd. stating that a purse snatching had just occurred, and the victim was an elderly customer. Officers quickly responded to the area, and found there were multiple witnesses assisting.

Officers were able to locate the subjects, and after a brief chase took them into custody. K9 Enzo was on duty and was able to locate the property that had been stolen so it could be returned to the owner.

Thank you to everyone in the community at the store who was willing to help in our search. So many of these positive outcomes wouldn’t be possible without your help. Following this incident, the victim called in to APD Dispatch to express her gratitude to all those involved that helped her.

Only on specific routes, every weekend in November

ANTIOCH, CA – 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of local public transportation in Eastern Contra Costa County provided by Tri Delta Transit. To celebrate, the agency will be providing free rides on all weekend routes, every weekend in November.

“This will include Thanksgiving Day and the day after,” added Marketing Director Mike Furnary. “Free rides will be available on routes 392, 393, 394, and 395. No special coupon will be necessary to receive free rides. Customers simply can board any bus on the weekend and their ride will be free.”

Few services have had such an impact on our community as the introduction of Tri Delta Transit.

“Our system plays an integral role in keeping our community moving,” said agency CEO, Jeanne Krieg. “When you consider that this agency literally started as a kitchen-table-discussion in the home of long-time board member Barbara Guise, and we have grown to provide more than 3,000,000 rides each year, it is a true symbol of our community’s perseverance.”

Tri Delta Transit began service in 1977 with only two limited-service bus routes, operated by AC Transit. Since then, service has grown to 18 bus routes including express service to BART and paratransit services for seniors and disabled. Service is provided 365 days a year.

“We are excited to share our accomplishment with our customers and thank them for their support over the last 40 years” Krieg continued. “However, as important as it is to acknowledge our history, we are equally excited about our future and our commitment to our customers.”

Tri Delta Transit recently grew again, adding another weekday route in downtown Pittsburg.  New Route 381 began service September 25 and travels between the Pittsburg Marina, through downtown Pittsburg, to Los Medanos College.

Tri Delta Transit provides over 3,000,000 trips each year to a population of over 250,000 residents in the 225 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. They operate 14 local bus routes Monday – Friday, 4 local bus routes on weekends, door-to-door bus service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and shuttle services to community events. For additional information about Tri Delta Transit, please visit www.trideltatransit.com.

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Division

On Sunday, October 22, 2017, at 6:06 p.m. Antioch Police Department patrol officers responded to the call of a subject bleeding in the driveway of a residence on Cashew Court near Almondridge Drive. When officers arrived, they located a subject in the driveway suffering from a gunshot wound. The subject was transported to a local area hospital and is currently in critical condition.

Antioch Police Investigators were called to the scene and are in the early stages of the investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Bledsoe with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6884.

This preliminary information is made available by the Investigations Division. Anyone with information can also call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.