YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 18, No. 18
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Program sends sober message Antioch High School (AHS) recently hosted the vital Every 15 Minutes, April 26 and 27, with community and student participation to send a message about the dangers behind the wheel. The program, which includes a simulated crash, challenged students to think about drinking and driving, personal safety and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved. There were 40 students participating in the event. About 900 juniors and seniors saw the presentation, which included car crash victims and a variety of actual first-responders, including the Antioch Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Fire, paramedics and EMTs and even the county coroner. National statistics show there is a fatality every 15 minutes due to driving under the influence; thus, the name of the national program. And it was timed to take place before prom and graduation. The two-day event start-
Cop Rock 2018 Concert
Photo courtesy of Antioch High School
The national program Every 15 Minutes came to Antioch High School recently, bringing with it a sobering message of responsibility and consequence. ed with “the crash” April 26, at the Contra Costa County fairgrounds. The student participants who played the “living dead” stayed the night in Beede Auditorium with no contact with
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
Goodwill has appealed a Brentwood Planning Commission decision denying the design of a proposed store near Balfour Road and Armstrong Way. The commission officially denied the design in April mainly over concerns that increased traffic would have a negative effect on surrounding neighborhoods. The appeal will be considered by the Brentwood City Council during a future meeting. “We were surprised and disappointed (by the planning commission’s decision),” said Jim Caponigro, president and CEO at Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay. “The process of the planning commis-
anyone outside the area. They were later reunited with their families April 27, during an assembly held in the school auditorium. During this emotionally
sion is to approve a facility if it’s zoned for that use, which we are. We went through everything the commission has asked us for.” Project plans called for Goodwill to build a 25,000-square-foot building that incorporates a retail store, a donation processing area and a job-training facility on the undeveloped 3.61-acre lot south of Balfour Road, between Armstrong Way and the Union Pacific railroad right of way. The proposed store is for retail use, which is permitted in the area, but the commission is concerned about traffic flow to and from the location. “I don’t see it working harmoniously in the neighborhood,” said Planning Commission Chairperson John Fink, who likened the project to trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. The commission sent the project
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Roddy Ranch Sold To EBRPD
East Bay Regional Park District has purchased Roddy Ranch Golf Course property. Page 5A
charged “memorial,” AHS graduate Marcella Gomez shared her experience as a survivor of a major crash, which took the lives of her parents when she was just 9 years old.
Goodwill plans to appeal design denial
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May 4, 2018
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design back to city staff and Goodwill officials in February to address the concerns, but the commission still felt uncomfortable about the design after three revised traffic plans were explored in April. The apparent best of the three alternatives that were all shot down by the commission included: pushing the majority of the traffic to a new three-way intersection to be built in place of a possibly problematic roundabout, eliminating the impact on residential streets; and allowing patrons who live within the adjacent neighborhoods to turn left at the main driveway and go home using the shortest route. “We have been talking about traffic since the first meeting that we had,” said see Goodwill page 26A
Host Families
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International Education Student Exchange is looking for volunteer host families.
Police Activities League benefit concert coming to The Streets of Brentwood. Page 10A
A Perfect Season
The Heritage boys’ golf team completes its regular season undefeated. Page 1B Calendar.............................27A Classifieds..........................21A Cop Logs.............................25A Entertainment..................10A Food.....................................11A Health & Beauty................. 6A Milestones.........................16A Opinion...............................20A Pets........................................ 6B Sports.................................... 1B
Patients First
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John Muir Health’s Medical Centers receive an ‘A’ for patient safety.