Just before midnight on Dec. 16  a 36-year-old man was leaving Cruisers Saloon at 1611 A Street when he was confronted by Pedro Santos, 33. A fight ensued and Santos is suspected of stabbing the man several times in the upper chest, back and face, according to police.

The victim was transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek – his wounds do not appear to be life threatening. Santos was arrested at the scene and booked into the Main Detention Facility in Martinez.

Antioch Police were dispatched to Knoll Park on Country Hills Drive on Dec. 16 just after noon when neighbors reported hearing multiple shots fired in the area and people running from the park.

A short time later a 20-year-old man was found in front of a residence on Country Hills Drive suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and one to the face. He was airlifted to an area hospital where he was being treated for what appear to be non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

It appears the victim was sitting at a table in the park when he was approached by several males who attempted to rob him at gunpoint. When he resisted, the gunman opened fire on him. The victim ran and got away from his attackers.

Officers did an extensive area search for those responsible, but were unable to locate them. This shooting is still under investigation and witnesses are encouraged to contact Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau.

Council Members Were Not Informed

By Allen Payton, Publisher

According to Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) President Tom Fuhrmann, Chief of Police Jim Hyde handed out layoff notices to six police officers, today. They’re effective in two weeks.

In response to a question about the statement on the APOA’s website (www.APOA.com) regarding the layoffs, Furhman said “Yes…it is true. The Chief notified each of the six officers personally, today.  I believe they were told ‘two weeks.’”

The council members were not aware the notices were given out, today, nor was it mentioned by either City Manager Jim Jakel or Chief Hyde at last night’s council meeting.

“This is the first I have heard, as well,” Mayor Jim Davis said. “However, it was inevitable. This city must remain solvent. I firmly advised that the City Council make the ultimate decision based on the indecision of the bargaining units.”

“I was not notified, per say,” Davis added. “We authorized Jim Jakel the dollar amount to reduce. He made and makes the decision where and when. The two weeks is a total surprise, however.”

Councilman Gary Agopian also wasn’t aware of the notices.

“No announcement I have seen,” he replied to this reporter’s question. “But we did authorize $700,000 in reductions to this fiscal year to balance the budget. Without concessions there will be potential layoffs.”

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Police Union Warns of Six Officer Layoffs

By Dave Roberts

Seeking to keep Antioch’s government out of bankruptcy, the City Council late Tuesday night agreed to cut $737,000 from the budget – possibly including police officer layoffs – if city employees don’t continue to agree to salary and benefit concessions.

That cut follows a $700,000 budget reduction that the council authorized on November 30, which will take place regardless of employee concessions. And it could be a prelude to an additional $2-$5 million in cuts in the next fiscal year beginning in July 2011.

“We have a responsibility to stop the bleeding,” said Councilman Brian Kalinowski.

He noted that the city’s five employee unions have previously agreed to defer salary and benefit increases, but that some of those deferred compensation agreements are due to expire in January, putting the city on the hook for the extra employee costs.

“I’m not underestimating, understating or trivializing the reductions made by any bargaining group,” said Kalinowski. “Everybody has taken a hit. The problem is we have additional challenges on top of this number, and if we don’t move we are financially insolvent. If it doesn’t happen, we are not in business. We need to make the modifications to close that number.”

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Superintendent Don Gill gives oath of office to Gary Hack as his wife Diana holds the Bible.

The two newest school board members, known as Trustees, were given their oaths of office, last Wednesday night and took their seats at the dais, and soon created a new majority with their first major decision of who would become Board President.

Retired teacher and former teacher’s union president Gary Hack, who was the top vote-getter in the November election was given the oath by School District Superintendent Don Gill, with his wife Diana holding the Bible, by his side and mortgage consultant and former Antioch High School staffer Joy Motts was sworn in by Councilwoman Mary Rocha, who is a former school board member. Joy’s brother Kerry held the Bible for her during the ceremony.

Councilwoman Rocha pointed out to the audience that Mott’s mother, also named Joy, who served on the school board in the 1960’s and 70’s, said her daughter would take her place on the board one day.

“I want to thank everybody and my family who had to stand there and tolerate me during the campaign,” Motts stated. “I am truly honored and look forward to the next four years and the challenges ahead.”

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On December 6 at approximately 10 a.m. Antioch police officers responded to 2950 Delta Fair Blvd. on the report of a woman who had just been stabbed. Officers located a female victim with stab wounds.

They also located the person believed to have stabbed her, Roy Crites, 56, of Antioch, a short distance away. The victim was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The victim was not immediately identified.

The early stages of the investigation have revealed that Crites and the victim were involved in a dispute in the parking lot and Crites assaulted her with a knife, according to police. The knife was recovered in the parking lot. Anyone with information regarding this investigation should contact Antioch Police Detective Castillo at (925) 779-6933.

On December 2 at 11:33 a.m. Antioch Police responded to the report of a child who had suffered a gunshot wound at a residence at 2405 Lemontree Court. Upon arrival they found a two-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the head. Life-saving measures were taken and the child was transported to the hospital where he was eventually pronounced deceased. A handgun was recovered from the bedroom.

The preliminary investigation into this incident has determined the child was in his parents’ bedroom with his 4-year-old brother, according to police. Their paternal grandmother was caring for them at that time and was in the living room area of the apartment. She heard a gunshot and the 4-year-old brother exited the room. The grandmother found the two year old boy in the bedroom with the gunshot wound. A neighbor who was outside the apartment heard the grandmother saying a child was shot and called the police.

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 Council members discuss cutting the city budget by $700,000 – likely with more to follow.

By Dave Roberts 

What a difference an election makes.

After Antioch voters rejected Measure P, a half-cent sales tax that promised to put an additional $4 million/year in city coffers, on Tuesday night the City Council with two new members firmly wielded the budget-cutting axe, unanimously authorizing $700,000 in immediate cuts to the General Fund. Council members said they did not want to kick the can down the road in dealing with the city’s ongoing budget crisis.

The city needs to cut spending by nearly $700,000 in the current fiscal year in order to not be spending more than it’s taking in, according to City Finance Director Dawn Merchant. An additional $2.2 million in budget cuts will need to be made in the fiscal year beginning next July to keep the city afloat financially and avoid bankruptcy.

As bad as that looks, those numbers might be optimistic because they are based upon city employee unions agreeing to continue deferring or reducing salary and benefit increases that had been previously agreed to. Many of those deferred-compensation agreements have expired or are due to expire at the end of the year.

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