Contra Costa Health (CCH) announced Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for continued support of its Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program.

The program will promote safety among pedestrians and bicyclists and emphasize the drivers’ responsibility to look out for people using roads and paths. The grant program runs through September 2025.

Local data show an increase of nearly 30% in fatal crashes involving pedestrians over the past decade in Contra Costa County, and that pedestrians and bicyclists are 2.4 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a traffic crash compared to drivers. The OTS grant funds multiple efforts to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“The safety of people walking and biking on our roads is a top priority for our office,” OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. “Everyone moves, and not always by car. It’s important that we invest in efforts to protect people walking, biking and rolling that helps establish a strong traffic safety culture where everyone on California roads can travel to and from places safely.”

Grant funds will support various activities focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety:
• Support for local jurisdictions to include public health principals in road safety plans and address the community conditions that create unsafe environments for non-motorized road users.
• Promote the CCH traffic safety campaign, “Slow Roads Save Lives.”
• Community bicycle and walk “audits” of streets with high rates of pedestrian or bicyclist fatalities and serious injury crashes.
• Bicycle training courses that teach youth skills to help them stay safe on the road.
• Community events that promote bicyclist and pedestrian visibility and the importance of sharing the road, slowing down, and staying alert to bicyclists and pedestrians while driving.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Coordinated with multiple agencies

By Antioch Police Department

On the night of December 24, 2024, Dispatcher Autumn Turnage received a 911 call from a man whose boat had sunk near Sherman Island, leaving him stranded in the water and fearing for his life. Over the course of an intense and emotional hour-long call, Turnage demonstrated exceptional skill, composure, and compassion in ensuring the man’s survival.

Despite challenges with communication lines, Turnage remained determined, coordinating between multiple agencies, including the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol, Sacramento County, Solano County, and the Coast Guard. With the support of her partner, Dispatcher Taylor Hubbard, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, Turnage provided critical information such as GPS coordinates and location pings from the Rapid Deploy system to aid the Coast Guard in their search efforts.

Throughout the call, Turnage acted as a lifeline for the man, offering constant reassurance during moments of despair and panic. She chose to stay on the line even after transferring him to the Coast Guard, encouraging him to hold on and reminding him he wasn’t alone. At 12:02 AM on Christmas morning, the Coast Guard successfully rescued the man and brought him to safety.

Hubbard’s behind-the-scenes efforts were equally vital, as she managed radio communications, fielded additional calls, and even calmed the man’s panicked friend, ensuring no further risks were taken.

Their dedication, professionalism, and teamwork saved a life and brought hope to a family this holiday season. Antioch is proud to have these extraordinary dispatchers as part of our police department. Please join us in celebrating their heroic efforts!

By City of Antioch Recreation Department

Bundle up and join us for a chilling adventure at Coyote Hills Winter Whirlwind Camp! Glide into action-packed fun with winter sports and unleash your creativity with cozy arts & craft projects. Enjoy everything from creating winter sculptures to campfire stories and hot cocoa with friends new and old! Don’t miss out on this whirlwind-of-a-week!

For boys and girls ages at least 5 years but less than 12 years 11 months.

Register here: Activity detail | City of Antioch Online Recreation Services.

New Course, New Friends, Same Great Event!

In partnership with Rotary Club of the Delta

By Kiwanis of the Delta-Antioch

We are very excited to bring back the Kiwanis Holiday Run & Walk for Health and Health Fair. This year will be the 48th running of this event. We have partnered with Rotary Club of the Delta to make sure we provide a high-quality event. We have worked to provide a better course, and lots of medals. We also hope our school’s challenge will be bigger than ever.

Races on a new course at Contra Loma Regional Park will include a 3-Mile Run/Walk, Kids Dash with Santa and the 1-Mile Run.

There will be a medal to the top five runners in every age category, as well as cash prizes and trophies to our top three high school, middle school and elementary schools.

Bib Pick Up will be on Friday, December 13th, at Fleet Feet Brentwood, 6061 Lone Tree Way Suite H, Brentwood, from 5:00-7:00 PM. AUSD students can pick up their bib at school.

Register today at https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Antioch/KiwanisHolidayRun. On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

The park is located at 1200 Frederickson Lane in Antioch.

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

On November 02, 2024, at approximately 7:56 PM, Antioch Police officers responded to reports of a solo go-cart collision on N. Lake Drive. Upon arrival, officers found the 54-year-old male (unknown resident) driver of the go-cart on the ground, suffering from major injuries and unresponsive. Officers on scene immediately provided medical assistance to the driver until paramedics arrived. The driver was thereafter transported to an area hospital where he is currently being treated.

Traffic Accident Investigators took over the investigation. This collision investigation is in the preliminary stages and the names of the parties involved are not being released at this time.

Based on preliminary information at the scene, it was determined the go-cart driver was traveling eastbound on N. Lake Drive at a high rate of speed and collided with a parked vehicle after veering off the roadway.

According to a resident who chose to remain anonymous a neighbor said, “I thought someone had died. There was blood everywhere.”

“APD towed a go-cart, I was told,” the resident continued. “Someone always driving around Lake Alhambra in a go-cart.  Those don’t belong on the street!!!”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or Traffic Collision Investigator Sergeant Green at 925-779-6864, email rgreen@antiochca.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Time: 4:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Nick Rodriguez Community Center at 213 F Street in Rivertown

Join the City of Antioch Recreation Department for the third annual Día de Los Muertos Celebration happening Saturday, November 2nd at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center. Take part in displaying your own personal altar while enjoying live dance and musical performances, youth crafts, food options from local markets & businesses, face painting, a Catrina contest, and much more!

Día de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is an annual Central American holiday from November 1st through November 2nd that welcomes the celebration of the lives of deceased relatives. Traditionally, families come together to create offerings as a way to honor loved ones who have passed on and encourage them to visit from the land of the beyond to join in on the celebration.

Altars built by individual community members, local businesses and community organizations will be on display at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center will remain on open display Oct. 31st through November 2nd for public viewing.

Thank you to our sponsors Cielo Market, UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Holy Cross Cemetery & Funeral Services, the Law Office of Leandro H. Duran and KPB Immigration Law Firm.

Details can be found at https://www.antiochca.gov/dia-de-los-muertos.

Kick off your family Halloween festivities at the 5th Annual Fall-O-Ween celebration at the Antioch Water Park! The event will last from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.

This year, you can expect all of the Fall-O-Ween fun to be in collaboration with Youth Service Network’s Truck-O-Treat! Enjoy trunk or treating outside of the park, before entering the park to play games, join costume and pumpkin carving contests, get your face painted and so much more! There’s no better way to start spook season than this!

You will find a DJ, games, inflatable activities, pumpkin carving, costume contests, pumpkin patch, swimming in our Lap Pool, face painting, and so much more!

Our concessions will be offering seasonal specials you won’t want to miss!

Get your tickets today and Pre-sale tickets now for just $5, regularly $8! For tickets visit https://antiochwaterpark.runparker.com/fall-o-ween

The Antioch Water Park is located at 4701 Lone Tree Way inside Prewett Family Park.

Free Mine Tours!

During the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve Open House on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26 and 27, free mine tours will be held for both the Coal Mine Experience and the Hazel Atlas Sand Mine! We will also have Victorian Era games to play and a nature table outside the mines, plus staff at the Rose Hill Cemetery to chat with.

Tour Details:

All tours will be first come, first served.

The earliest you can sign up for tours is 10am.

First tours will begin at 10:30am.

Last tours will begin at 3:00pm.

All tours will last 30 minutes.

Tours are only available to ages 7+.

No animals allowed on tours with the exception of service animals.

How to Sign-Up for Free Tours:

Coal Mine Experience- Register at the table outside of the Greathouse Visitor Center.

Hazel Atlas Sand Mine- Register at the table outside of the Hazel Atlas Mine.

*Sign-ups are done in person, there will be no reservations over the phone.

Other Helpful Info:

It can take a good 10-15 minutes to walk to either mine from the parking lot.

It can also take 10-15 minutes to walk from mine to mine – don’t sign up for one mine tour directly after the other.

The Hazel Atlas Sand Mine has train tracks going throughout the tour making it less accessible than the Coal Mine Experience, which is flat the whole way.

The Greathouse Visitor Center will be open from 10am-4pm.

Check the weather and dress accordingly. Even if it’s hot outside, it’s still cold in the mines!

The Mines are located at the south end of Somersville Road in Antioch.

For more info about the park and mine tours, please visit: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve | East Bay Parks (ebparks.org).