Posted on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 09:36 — by hilarycosta
It seems like so many stories that come out of Antioch are related in one way or another to crime and/or policing. It's often what tends to get the most attention, and what people need to be informed about. But it's a hugely dynamic city with tons going on -- things that often get overlooked by the media.
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If you could pick something, aside from crime, that's important to you and could merit coverage, what would it be? A neighborhood cleanup? A teenager spending his weekends volunteering? Traffic signals that drive you crazy? I'm curious what's important to the average resident here.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2152
Revitalizing the Rivertown district so that we have a "destination" for food and entertainment that is an alternative to going over the hill. The El Campanil and the soon-to-be opened Bases Loaded is a good start, but it can't stop there. As has been said many times, the area has so much potential yet to be tapped. A ferry terminal will be another welcome addition. I just wish it could happen sooner.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 55
Hi Hilary,
Currently, Antioch does have a neighborhood clean up program. It's called The First Saturday Clean up..where people both young and old volunteer for a few hours and pick up trash in a pre-selected area of Antioch....
The fifth Neighborhood Cleanup event will occur on Saturday, September 6th, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Volunteers should report to Almondridge Park located at 3400 Almondridge Dr. near the tennis courts.
One of the things that is I wish for that important to myself, is to be able to have my children to play in a park safely, or even to be able to so something so simple as ride their bikes to 7-11 for a slurpee on a hot summer day, without worrying if their bikes would be stolen as it sat on the sidewalk outside, or even worse, get pocket jacked before even getting there.
 I worry about them missing out on these sort of things that we as kids were able to experience when we were growing up.
I know that the focus on crime and blight has often outweighed the positive stories and issues of our community, but it is so important to most, that we continue to work as a community to improve our schools, parks and neighborhoods, so we can live in a better environment. It's not an easy road traveled, but eventually we will get there.Â
Participation in the Neighborhood Watch Program has increased significantly over the past year. People are getting more involved and looking out for each other. This is a great thing!
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 16
Thanks, Donna, those are really thoughtful comments.
I've heard my editor, who lives in southeast Antioch, talking about her kids during the last year, and it surprised me the degree to which they have to be supervised. On one occasion she remarked about seeing one of their classmates walking home from school on his own, and that it was unsettling because of how unsafe it was. Perhaps spending a few years living in a smaller state has made me naive about the Bay Area, but I was really surprised by all this.
I'd be interested to know if other parents feel the same way -- nostalgic for their own more carefree childhoods, and sad/angry that their kids can't experience that same sort of freedom today.
In addition to the boards, I can be reached at hcosta@bayareanewsgroup.com or 925-779-7166.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2152
I think that goes without saying, but I thought the original subject matter of your thread was looking for topics other than those that are crime related. I thought it was great of you to bring that up.
As important as they are, you can only take so much when it comes to coverage of crime in Antioch. It's kind of depressing when friends who live in other cities only hear about Antioch when it has to do with crime. There are a lot of people who would like to see the good things going on here get equal time. That's not to say crime stories need to be swept under the rug, but more optimistic stories would be welcome.
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13
I sometimes pick up trash when Im at BDM or on a trail if there is a garbage near by. What i would like to see is our street get a new paved road since it is cracking like the fairly new homes around the Golf Course had miles of road resurfaced. Those houses are how old.. 8 years and they get bumped up the list to get miles of new road while some roads in Antioch are cracking and falling apart. Oh, sorry if this is too negative.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3133
Perhaps there was a story about this and I just missed it, but I think people might be interested in knowing what is going on with the "L" street project. Where will it begin and end? What will the improvements look like when it's done? How do people see it impacting the surrounding area? Is this project part of the same HWY 4 project that will have new exits at the L street interchange and abandon the G street exit? What is the timeframe for completion?
I drive by the project often and have heard a little about it, but don't know what the whole scope of the project is. Obviously, this is a big project for the City, and personally, I enjoy seeing things happening on that side of the freeway. I've heard because of the economy some of the projects like the residential housing on some of the old factory sites have been tabled for now, but maybe improving the infrastructure with this project will help bring those projects back? Have they decided to rename L and A street like some people have suggested?
I know a lot of people who reside on the other side of the freeway may not even know this project is taking place, but they might be interested in knowing what is going on there.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Hillary,
In the past month there were two important stories in the press about education in East County. One was about the drop-out rate, and one was about new test scores. Both sets of new stats were alarming.  I assumed the boards would be flooded with discussion about the future of our youth and education. I just combed the message boards and couldn't find one comment from anyone from east county on this issue. I was very surprised because in my opinion this is one the most critical issues we grapple with here and throughout the state. I do not believe I am the only one that feels this way so am curious why there seems to be mass silence on the issue in this venue.
Any thoughts?
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Iris Joshua 1:9
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 139
hello iris,
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like i always say, everything starts and ends at home, here the parents. one has to assume that east county parents accept those scores...?!
the school board has to set strict rules in regards where all the kids live. we're a good step forward in regards to school uniforms/ ids.
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now they schools have to show that they talk about business.....more teacher..better education.
bring in the parents from the drop out kids, question them why and what they have done to stop it.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Thanks for those comments. Â I sure hate to think that east county parents are okay with the stats. Â I think that folks may not really get the significance of the numbers. Â We have got to work hard to educate parents on what it means to be strong and informed education advocates for their children. Â It is so critical to the future success of the students, and to our economic health.
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Iris Joshua 1:9
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 549
Iris, you will probably find that most of the posters on these forums are very involved with either their children's education or their grandchildren's education, which could explain the lack of a forum topic.
My now 9-year old granddaughter would rather read a book than watch TV because my wife started her off when she was only a couple months old and read to her every day. My wife is doing the same thing with our 2-year old granddaughter!!
I've even taught the 9-year old how to use a slide rule!! I told her that when the power goes off and the batteries wear out, only people who know how to use a slide rule 'WILL RULE"!!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3133
In many ways the high drop-out rates and low test scores are just as distressing as the high crime. No doubt, there's a direct correlation between the two. I'm sure if we can get kids to stay in school and set positive goals, it would help lower the crime in the long run.  I suppose a lot of parents just feel it's hard enough to get their own kids to listen and obey them, that they feel they have no chance getting other peoples kids to listen to them. It's a big problem and the impact it will have on society is enormous. I'm sure people will acknowledge it's a problem, but they don't know what they can do about it beyond making sure their own kids don't become one of those dismal statistics.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
I agree Bazooka, but unfortunately, according to the stats, alarming numbers of kids in our high schools are below proficient in math and science. Â That means that most parents of high school kids in this area should already be worried. Â I am definitely paying closer attention to reform efforts by districts here in east county.
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Iris Joshua 1:9
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Sorry, but with  all due respect,( you know I consider you a good friend Arne),  the news today of a fifteen year old killed by a parent, and absent from school since 2007 is exactly why stats are important.  We know that we have a high truancy rate in this town, and we know because of our research that truancy is the number one indicator associated with youth who commit or become victims of violent crime.  Attention to that one stat alone will save lives.
I get your general point, but it is not good enough for us to ignore stats, trends and realities anymore just because we may do a good job with our own children.  This is a huge problem and we are all affected by it in one way or another.  Violence by and against youth is devastating our society and we must take stats seriously because they are the best way we have of gaging and addressing the underlying causes of this phenomenon.  This child flew under the radar.  How many more  youth victims and future youth perpetrators of crime are flying under the radar because we are not doing a better job of using the stats to guide our work.
Iris
Joshua 1:9
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 549
Iris, you are a friend and I just wish there were more adults like you and Keith in our community.
But, I think you got caught by my "subject line" and missed my message.
In a Utopian world, if parents were involved, there wouldn't be any problems and therefore there wouldn't be a need for statistics. Alas, we are not in Oz or Mayberry.
The statistics you mentioned didn't save the life of the 15-year old girl killed by her adopted mother. If she had been out of school since 2007, a big red flag should have gone up by her teachers, the school attendance staff and the school principal.
The Antioch Police Department and REACH have made truancy runs in cooperation with the AUSD. Why wasn't this young girl's name flagged for them?
Unfortunately, people were concentrating on statistics so much that they couldn't see "the tree from the forest". That is what is sad.
People are not statistics - people are individuals and clearly, one-size does not fit all.
The question is: Why didn't the AUSD do anything when this 15-year suddenly stopped going to school? (Of course I am assuming that at some point she was registered to attend an AUSD school; if not, please correct me).
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Yes Arne,
You are correct. Â Both of girl and her twin brother are students in our school district. Â This is exactly the point I am making. Â If we understand that truancy is a huge indicator of whether or not students will commit or become victims of violent crime, and we have a 46.6% truancy rate, shouldn't it follow that we place significant attention to coming up with a process for notifying parents, following up, and notifying CFS and other relevant agencies when a child is seriously truant so that there is proper intervention and accountability?
You and I are not in disagreement.  I simply am saying that we have to DO something with the data.  Here in this city Arne, you the mayor and the rest of the city council have supported Chief Hyde and the YIN initiative.  As a result of this work, we have  gathered significant insight into the kids in our district and have identified some problem areas like the truancy rate and the impact truancy has on violent crime.  Now we have to take it to the next level and help agencies like the school district come up with practices, policy and procedures that will protect our kids. Â
I don't know if we could have saved this young girl, but I am deeply troubled by the "what if." Â What if we'd have looked at the truancy stat years ago and put a system in place like the one I talked about above. Â Would that child have been missing from school for that long without the authorities, CFS and others getting involved before it was too late.
We have to pay attention to the data and then use it to inform systemic change.
We are on the same page. Â Data and thorough analysis of that data is critical, but only if it results in action.
Iris
Joshua 1:9
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 139
what a terrible case.....
is there a father? what about the other immediate family members? nobody noticed anything? how about neighbors and friends? was she doing sports? how about her doctor ?(yearly physical?)
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 50
A lot of the really wonderful things that matter aren't particularly newsworthy in the attention-grabbing, newspaper-selling way that the awful things are. My neighborhood is full of people who do their best every day, and that matters, but it isn't news. The elderly woman who is so determined to keep her yard nice that she's always out there working in spite of having to use a walker, the other lady who is outdoors exercising her carefully cared-for little dog, neighbors who will try hard to get your garbage divided up between their containers if your container is unaccountably missing. . . .there are good things every day. It's the sketchy, violent, scary people who draw our attention. I'm glad to be informed about the bad things, but it's easy for the good things to get buried.
I saw a wonderful book about Antioch at the new Costco warehouse. It had the greatest old photos! That would make a nice story. Someone really took care to document a lot of the older places and people!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 959
I subscribe to a newspaper and also read online news. In the newspaper there are many stories of the good things happening in our communities and many informative articles of recreational matters. If you were to only read on-line news it would seem only the bad things make the news. Especially these message boards. They are a way for people to rant and rave. Try it some time! Post something real nice and see how many comments you get. Controversy and violence sells!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Second Unintentional duplicate :-)
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
Unintentional Duplicate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 185
That is so the truth! Â Even matters that should genuinely concern us get few comments unless there is violence or crime, or race associated with the post.
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Iris Joshua 1:9
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2152
Threads about getting lost downtown, Cupacabras and giant bats seem to have legs. But unless the Times can do something about this spam infestation, it could all be a moot point. They may have to shut down the entire forum and start from scratch with a better way of filtering out this garbage if they have the cash or the inclination to do it. This is getting ridiculous. This morning when I clicked on "Recent Posts" there were 9 pages of solid spam. Theses spammers are like an ant infestation.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3133
The spam is just criminal Stoney, so it should be getting lots of attention.
I guess the best thing we can do is support those outreach programs and the people working in them that are trying to identify those kids who are struggling and get them on the right track.Â