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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 11, No. 30
Delta’s murky future debated by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer
A Southern California water official recently touted the proposed peripheral canal as a safety measure against the next big earthquake, but Antioch’s residents and City Council members were wary. The proposed Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) would create a canal from the northern part of the San Joaquin Delta, near Sacramento, and pump water through the Central Valley and ultimately into Southern California. Curt Schmutte, a consultant for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, believes the Delta is unsustainable right now. Schmutte predicted a grim future – such as increased salinity and widespread flooding when the next big earthquake hits – for the
Photo by Justin Lafferty
Roger Lund, left, and Mike Hall, representing the California Striped Bass Association and the Restore the Delta campaign, express their opposition to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Delta if changes aren’t made. “We think it’s important to be prepared, to be prepared
and thinking ahead and not be reactive,” Schmutte said. “We believe, in order to benefit all
of California, that we need to reduce these risks that I just talked about.” Schmutte warned that there’s a 62-percent chance of a quake with a magnitude 6.7 or greater before 2032. Should that happen, he claimed the levees would give way and flood several islands. A peripheral canal would provide an escape valve. However, Antioch officials feel that the BDCP would hurt the Delta. City Council members seemed displeased with Schmutte’s proposal, expressing the belief that Antioch and surrounding communities were the proposal’s secondary concern. Gary Agopian felt that by introducing a new canal, negative impacts on the Delta’s fresh water might be sped up. “Ultimately it may get see Future page 22A
Residents ready to take to the streets by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer
More than 20 neighborhood watch groups throughout Antioch are preparing for this Tuesday’s National Night Out – a series of block parties promoting crime awareness and neighborhood unity. Throughout the city that night, Neighborhood Watch captains will host National Night Out parties, which foster a heightened sense of togetherness and a sharper eye for crime. According to Antioch Crime Prevention Commissioner Hans Ho, 23 groups have registered for National Night Out parties. “The idea is to get the word out so people know what Neighborhood Watch is all about,” Ho said, “and how
people can be successful in safeguarding their neighborhood by participating in the neighborhood watch program.” National Night Out, now in its 28th year, is a crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. Every year, communities in cities throughout the nation participate as a way to form better relationships with their neighbors and share ways to remain vigilant against suspicious activity. More than 37 million people nationwide participated in the event in 2010. “Neighborhood Watch is sending a message to the criminals,” Antioch Police Lt. Robin Kelley said, “letting them know that we’re out here, we’re getting organized and we’re going to see Streets page 22A
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Live long and prosper
From Summerset to summer safety, our Senior Living Section spotlights a vital force in our community. Page 1B
Superstar superstition Columnist Vicki McKenna explores the weird rituals that propel athletes to victory – or so they believe. Page 11A
Courage corraled
Arts .....................................10A Calendar ............................ 19B Classifieds ......................... 13B Cop Logs ............................17A Food .................................... 10B Opinion ..............................16A Senior Living ...................... 1B Sports .................................19A Photo courtesy of Shelley Daley
Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando, as a captain in 2008, hands out sticker badges to kids at a National Night Out party.
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July 29, 2011
A blue-ribbon equestrian has harnessed her love of horses to overcome a traumatic childhood incident. Page 19A
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Mutts’ Day celebrates those lovable dogs and cats of “diverse heritage.”
Riders revered
go to news/press releases The work of Warriors’ Watch Riders was lauded in the U.S. Congress.
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FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Dynamic demo go to multimedia/videos The traditional culture of India was on display at the Oakley Library.