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Vol. 11, No. 34
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Students dressed for success by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer
Students in Antioch schools this week attended their first classes of the new school year, one district officials hope will be more successful than the last. Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Don Gill said that so far, things have gone pretty smoothly for the 18,700-student district. He’s excited about the new administrators and the building projects paid for by Measure C and completed over the summer. And he’s impressed by how students are concentrating on classwork – not coasting. “I’m thankful for positive way in which our teachers, administrators and classified staff welcomed our students,” Gill said. “The students seem to be
very focused on their academic work.” One way the district wants to help keep students’ minds on assignments and tests is by its dress code. Currently, all of Antioch’s middle and elementary students wear uniforms. In last year’s spring semester, the district enacted a dress code at its high schools. According to Antioch’s policy, students must wear school colors; keep backpacks, clothing and jewelry free of any derogatory or gang slogans; take off hats when indoors; and cover up bare midriffs and unnecessarily exposed skin. Christian Carter-Maddox, a junior at Antioch High, said the district’s uniform policy is a good thing. Carter-Maddox see Dressed page 19A
Breaking the huddle
Class acts wow crowds Photo by Justin Lafferty
Antioch High junior Christopher Febus walks to class wearing an Antioch sweatshirt. This is the first full year of the Antioch Unified School District’s dress code, which mandates high school students wear school colors.
by Justin Lafferty Staff Writer
Photo by Justin Lafferty
Trina Coy, an Antioch mom battling breast cancer, stands in front of leftover garage sale items with her son, Brandon, and her daughter, Karina. Coy’s neighbors hosted a five-day long garage sale to help pay for cancer treatments. neighbors have donated either time or money to help her get back to health. “She’s a really strong person and I wanted to be there for
August 26, 2011
Our BVAL Football Preview gives you an insider’s take on the upcoming high school gridiron season. Page 1B
Community supports mom’s cancer fight As Trina Coy’s medical bills piled up, her spirit was wearing down. Coy, 36, was diagnosed in December with cancer for the second time in her life. The Antioch mother of three defeated cervical cancer 10 years ago – and had two more children – but her current fight with breast cancer has lasted a few more rounds. In 2008, Coy felt a lump on her breast, but doctors told her it was a clogged milk duct. Two years later, when a second lump grew, physicians knew right away that it was cancerous. Today, Coy is fighting stage four triple positive breast cancer – one of the most aggressive forms. The cancer has spread to her bones and lymph nodes. Coy’s community has rallied around her, though, as several
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her,” neighbor Erin Larsen said. “I never imagined the outpouring of love and generosity that we’d receive from our neighbors. It was overwhelming and heartfelt.”
The cancer fight has not been made any easier by Kaiser doctors, Coy claims. After she noticed the first lump, she continued to take birth control pills, something she discovered might have sped up the cancer she didn’t know she had. As doctors performed an operation on her in December to remove the cancerous growth, Coy felt she was neglected and ignored by Kaiser doctors. Nurses told her that the hospital was understaffed. Coy also said her medical records contained glaring errors, such as that she was adopted and that her father committed suicide. The fight with Kaiser and with cancer has been stressful for Coy, who has to balance doctor visits with caring for her three children: Kevin, 17; Brandon, 7 and Karina, 4. see Fight page 19A
Shiny vintage vehicles rumbled into town for the Quail Lodge Classic Car Show. Page 7A
Water wizards set their goals
Which high school water polo teams will be plying the sweet waters of success? Check out our preview. Pages 23-24A Calendar ............................ 23B Classifieds .........................27A Entertainment ................. 22B Football Preview ............... 1B Food .................................... 20B Health & Beauty .............. 18B Milestones ........................20A Opinion ..............................18A Sports .................................23A
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A