WOW, it has been 400 days since we had to close Paradise Skate Roller Rink in Antioch. We get to open TONIGHT. Catch is you have to make a reservation, sign a release. Bring that release, your energy, your mask and most important your smiles. We start at 7:30 pm.

Click here to make that reservation. Paradise Skate Antioch – A PartyWirks Partner

We’re located at 1201 W. 10th Street in Antioch.

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Members of the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch present checks and certificates to the principals of Antioch Middle and Carmen Dragon Elementary Schools on Thursday, April 15, 2021.

Over 15,000 miles were logged during the 12-day competition

By Allen Payton

Members of the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch presented checks of $500 each to three schools in Antioch, this week, rewarding them for their participation in the service organization’s annual Holiday Run and Walk for Health. This year, the competition was held virtually and required participants to run or walk and log their own miles during a 12-day period. The top Antioch schools that formed teams and participated in each category were Deer Valley High, Antioch Middle and Carmen Dragon Elementary. Checks were presented to the schools, this week with two done by club members on Thursday, April 15.

The students could recruit whomever they wanted to run for their team and Prospects High School, with one of the smaller teams, recruited some ultra-marathoners and almost beat Deer Valley. Both teams logged over 2,000 miles.

Paul Schorr, who has led the organizing of the event in previous years, said the club has held the competition for the past 43 years. This was their 44th year.

“Katie Young stepped up and coordinated the event, this year,” he shared.

“Close to 600 participants signed up,” Young said. “They logged their miles they walked or ran over a 12-day period. A total of about 15,000 miles were logged. A couple teams recruited ultra-marathoners.”

“And 2,000 miles were from our school,” said Antioch Middle School Principal Lindsay Wisely.

“I think you did a heck of a job coordinating,” she said to Young.

“On behalf of the faculty staff and students we are grateful for the support from the Kiwanis Club,” Wisely stated. “We have a running club on campus and plan to use the funds for equipment and prizes associated with our club.”

During the presentation to Carmen Dragon Elementary, Principal Mark Hemauer said, “we had 31 participants who completed 1,837 miles.”

Asked how he planned to spend the money Hemauer replied, “I’d like to use it for our PE program because it was a physical activity and competition for when the students come back, hopefully fully next year.”

“I really appreciate the Kiwanis Club organizing this, I’ve been a runner in past years. But continuing it this year during the pandemic and having them give back to us is really special,” he added.

Deer Valley teacher Michael Green, the school’s head coach for both the cross country and track teams, received the check on March 31, during the Delta-Antioch Rotary Club meeting.

“The funds will be used to take those same runners who helped us earn that money to multi-school invitational cross-country races,” he said.

“Thank you to the Kiwanis Club for doing these great events and I encourage others to join their club and other service clubs to serve our community,” Green said.

Club President and Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees Vice President, Dr. Clyde Lewis shared thoughts from both of his positions.

“This is an example of community and schools working together. Our goal as a Kiwanis Club is to engage, encourage and promote collaborative opportunities,” he said. “As a school district this approach mirrors the support and relationship building that we hope to promote in our young leaders.”

Due to habitat concerns and other considerations, the planned Deer Valley Regional Park will remain in “landbank” status and closed to the public, for the foreseeable future.

The East Bay Regional Park District is developing a new Regional Park at the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course in Antioch. The plan being developed will restore native grassland habitat and include paths and facilities for walking, jogging, and picnicking. The former golf course property will be a part of the larger 3,500-acre future Deer Valley Regional Park.

Date: Thursday, March 11, 2021
Time: 6:30-7:30 P.M.
Meeting Zoom link: https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/93304942688
Meeting ID: 933 0494 2688

Join us via Zoom for the first public meeting and learn about:
• Habitat restoration, recreation, and public access planning
• A summary of existing conditions, constraints, and opportunities
• Project timeline and other opportunities to be involved

Project Site map of former Roddy Ranch Golf Course parking lot. Source: EBRPD

See Existing Conditions Report and Attachments.

The park district, in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, began purchasing land in 2009 that would become the future Deer Valley Regional Park. Jack Roddy sold his ranch to the park district, including the now-closed golf course, in various transactions from 2014 – 2018. Due to habitat concerns and other considerations, Deer Valley Regional Park will remain in “landbank” status and closed to the public, for the foreseeable future. The 230-acre former golf course is anticipated to be the first part of the future Deer Valley Regional Park to open for public access. (See related article)

Ridgeline between the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course (left) and Deer Valley (right), Photo: Stephen Joseph.

Learn more about the project history on Roddy Ranch – Restoring Habitat and Public Access on a Former Golf Course.

Fifth generation East Bay native, former Oakland City Administrator, Emeryville City Manager

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District

Sabrina Landreth. Source: EBRPD

The East Bay Regional Park District’s Board of Directors today approved the appointment of Sabrina Landreth as General Manager. She is the first female and the tenth General Manager appointed in the Park District’s 87-year history.

“Our Board is thrilled to have Sabrina join our organization,” said Dee Rosario, President of Park District Board of Directors. “She has all the right elements of urban public sector leadership experience and especially understands the diversity of the East Bay communities we serve.”

Ms. Landreth has deep roots in the East Bay as a fifth generation native who has held the top executive leadership positions managing the cities of Oakland and Emeryville.  She is a U.C. Berkeley graduate with a master’s degree in Public Policy, in addition to receiving a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“I am honored to be appointed by the Board as the District’s next General Manager,” Landreth said. “I look forward to continuing to build upon the great work the District does to improve the quality of life for our East Bay community, while adhering to its social and environmental responsibilities.”

Most recently Ms. Landreth served as City Administrator in Oakland from 2015- 2020, where she is credited with strong fiscal management and developing a capital improvement program that included community equity goals and has become a model program for local governments around the country.  She also worked for Oakland as Deputy City Administrator, Budget Director, and Legislative Analyst to the City’s Finance Committee.

Previously Ms. Landreth served as City Manager of Emeryville and as staff in the California State Assembly advancing state and local legislative initiatives.

Ms. Landreth succeeds Robert Doyle, who retired as General Manager after a 47-year career with the Park District.  She will begin her new position at the Park District on Monday, March 15 just four days after her 45th birthday.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

“I will be hiring an outside, independent investigator to conduct the investigation.” – Antioch Police Chief T Brooks

Antioch Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker in a Facebook Live video she posted on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. Screenshot of video now on YouTube.

By Allen Payton

On Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 two boys were stopped by Antioch Police for riding a quad and dirt bike on city streets. The quad was seen by this reporter pulled over in the 1900 block of A Street, facing south in the right, northbound lane. Their mother is new Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker who represents District 1.

She posted a nine-minute, tearful, profanity-laced Live video on one of her Facebook pages, later that day, calling the Antioch Police “motherf—-rs” and “a—holes”, and complaining they chased down her sons, side swiped them, bumped the quad and pulled out their tazers, but didn’t use them. Tores-Walker said she told the police officers “you don’t know who I am” but claims she said that because she doesn’t care that she’s a council member.

“I don’t care. I don’t care. Like, when I say ‘you don’t know who I am’ you better believe that I’m saying I don’t give a f—- about being a city council member. That’s what I’m saying,” she said in the video. “So, when I say ‘you don’t know who I am’ I’m not trying to say ‘I’m a city council member.’ What I’m trying to say is I don’t give a f— about being a city council member. That’s what I’m trying to say, that you don’t know me about my kids.”

“I fixing to get off of this Live, right now,” Torres-Walker continued with a chuckle. “I’m so mad, right now. I’m not scared enough to back down from this sh–. My son is all f—ed up, right now, because he didn’t know what y’all was going to do and this is a child. So, yes, I will be filing a complaint.”

“This sh– is just out of line,” she concluded.

The video has since been removed from her Facebook page. But EastCountyToday.net was able to capture and post it on YouTube. The video can be viewed, here. (Warning: video contains graphic language)

In the video, Torres-Walker mentions her two sons who were “out here having fun” including one who is 13 years old. The age of her other son was not shared. Efforts to reach her for more details and to answer questions were unsuccessful prior to publication time, including if they live on or near A Street and if she’s aware it’s illegal to ride dirt bikes and quads on city streets.

Chief Brooks Responds

In response to questions about the incident and what the Antioch Police Department had to say about it and will do, Chief T Brooks offered the following, official response: “I am aware of the video and the incident in question. I take these allegations very seriously and have initiated an investigation into the matter. In order to ensure a fair, impartial, and objective process is completed, I will be hiring an outside, independent investigator to conduct the investigation.”

In addition, an APD sergeant said he expected a press release about the incident to be issued, soon.

Councilmembers Asked About Possible Censure

Finally, immediately prior to publication, Mayor Lamar Thorpe, Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and Council Members Lori Ogorchock and Mike Barbanica were asked if any of them will consider censuring Walker for her comments, as Antioch residents have been asking on social media. That’s especially in light of Wilson’s successful effort to not merely censure former Planning Commission Chair Kenny Turnage, but her, Thorpe’s and Ogorchock’s votes to remove him for his controversial comments about COVID-19 on Facebook, earlier this year.

Please check back later for updates to this report.

ANTIOCH – As a major event facility, The Contra Costa Event Park has been weighing all of its options, as we monitor the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. There is no higher priority than the safety of our Fairgrounds family, patrons, vendors, promoters and sponsors at the Contra Costa Event Park. It is with heavy heart and great regret due to this ongoing situation the Contra Costa Event Park Board of Directors met last night and unanimously voted to cancel the 2021 Contra Costa County Fair scheduled for May 13 – 16.

We understand that this decision has both financial and emotional impact on all of our Fair partners. After thoughtful consideration, we do not feel it would be a responsible decision to continue with the planning of the 2021 Contra Costa County Fair, when it could potential be canceled at the last minute.

The Contra Costa County Fair has been an annual event for over 80 years, and has operated uninterrupted, with the exception of a few years during World War II. The Fair is a large part of our communities’ history and tradition, and the decision to cancel the 2021 Fair did not come lightly.

We thank the community and all of our partners for your continued support during these challenging times.

We look forward to seeing you all safe and healthy for the 2022 Contra Costa County Fair May 12 – 15.

Photos by EBRPD.

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District

Effective 6:00 p.m. Sunday, December 6, 2020, all campgrounds, outdoor museums (visitor centers), and children’s playgrounds at East Bay Regional Park District locations will be closed until further notice as mandated by the six Bay Area county regional health officers’ order announced yesterday.

Facility Closures Include:

• Ardenwood Historic Farm
• Regional Parks Botanic Garden
• Regional Park visitor centers remain closed, including Black Diamond, Big Break, Coyote Hills, Crab Cove, Sunol and Tilden

Campgrounds Closures Include:

• Del Valle Regional Park (Livermore)
• Anthony Chabot Regional Park (Oakland)
• Robert Sibley Regional Preserve Backpack Campground (Oakland)

Future camp reservations through made through January 4 will be cancelled, including for the Sibley backpack camp, and customers will receive full refunds.

Outdoor activity is encouraged by health officials during the new Regional Stay Home Order. The Park District reminds visitors that spending time in nature is important for mental and physical health and wellbeing. To keep yourselves and Park District staff safe when visiting regional parks and trails, please wear masks when within six feet of others and recreate responsibly. Please keep parks safe for everyone by following all COVID-19 safety requirements.

The California sector closures and restrictions on activity under the State’s Regional Stay Home Order are described here.

Registration: https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/CA/Antioch/AntiochHolidayRun