Antioch Press_4.03.09

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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ward Winning News al A pa

Vol. 9, No. 14

Including Nearby Communities

www.thepress.net

City Council Cookin’ for seniors declares water-supply emergency

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April 3, 2009

THIS WEEK

Wildflower Challenge

by Dave Roberts Staff Writer The City Council last week declared a water shortage emergency in Antioch, which might lead to tenfold increases in water rates this summer for residents with a lot of landscaping they want to keep green or swimming pools they need to fill. Antioch residents currently enjoy some of the lowest water rates in the county. They are charged $1.80 per 748 gallons of water, averaging about $35 per residence per month. Those who use around 300 to 400 gallons of water per day probably would not need to pay a higher rate, according to Phil Harrington, Antioch director of capital improvements/water rights. But penalties would kick in for heavier water users if the drought emergency plan is imple-

Photo by Martha Goralka

he Rotary Club of the Delta/Antioch cooked dinner for the recent Bedford Center fundraiser at the Antioch Senior Center, a nonprofit senior day care facility. The Rotary Club was assisted by the Los Medanos Community College main campus Rotoract Club and Boy Scout Troop 450. Rotary sponsored the formation of both the Rotoract Club and the Scout Troop. The Rotary Club of the Delta is celebrating 20 years of service to the East County community. The food and barbecue were donated by Allied Waste Services.

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mented next month. Those using 400 to 500 gallons of water per day might pay four times the current rate. And those using more than 500 gallons/day could be paying 10 times as much for their water, possibly totaling hundreds of dollars

per month, depending on their usage. The extra money would not stay in Antioch, however. It would go to the Contra Costa Water

Staff Writer Undocumented immigrants living in Contra Costa County took a health-care hit this week when the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to cut $6 million in primary care services from the county’s Basic Health Care Program. The decision will eliminate non-emergency services for nearly 6,000 illegal residents, the largest percentage coming from East County. “Supervisor Glover made a vote that he didn’t want to make,” said Ed Diokno, public policy analyst for Glover’s office. “But he feels he has to support it because he believes you can’t spend money the county doesn’t have (for the Basic Health Care Program).” County Health Services Director William Walker, who presented the proposal to the Board of Supervisors, said the decision was difficult: “It’s the hardest thing

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Photo by Rick Lemyre

Emergency departments such as Kaiser Permanente in Antioch, above, might soon see an influx of patients due to the Board of Supervisors’ recent cuts to the county’s Basic Health Care Plan. I’ve ever had to propose in my 34 years in the county, the reduction of access to patients.” In an effort to educate the public about the provisions of the proposed cuts, the Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organizations (CCISCO) held a series of town-hall meetings last

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month to help families who will be affected better understand their options. Families with young children, as well as adult children, attended the events and voiced their concerns. “We held these town-hall meetings to help people understand what is going to happen,” said

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These joints are jumpin’ A veteran photographer is focusing on recovery after swapping cartilage for plastic in two knees.

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see Water page 21A

Health-care cuts to impact East County by Ruth Roberts

Prizes await blossom buffs who can identify the flamboyant flora of our local parks.

Nancy Marquez, youth organizer for CCISCO. “What we are saying is that it’s a really bad policy. These people cannot afford these cuts. It’s a really horrible situation.” Under the new provisions of the plan, pregnant women and children will still be eligible for primary care and can receive treatment for other conditions as well, including communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and the flu. Paid for out of the county’s general fund, the Basic Health Care Program is designed to provide medical services to low-income uninsured residents. Those who qualify must be seen at either the county’s free medical center in Martinez or at one of its health centers located throughout Contra Costa. The termination in services to undocumented residents needing medical care means they will be forced to seek treatment at local see Health care page 21A

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Wolverines make tracks

At the Deer Valley Invitational, the home squad monopolized the team trophies.

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INSIDE Business .............................6A Calendar ..........................23B Classifieds ........................17B Entertainment ................14B Food .................................12B Health & Beauty .............11B Milestones ......................... 9B Opinion ...........................16A Outdoors ........................... 8B Sports ................................. 1B WebExtras! ....................... 1B

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