Monday, January 15, 2024
Vol. 26, No. 2
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Brentwood Council approves Shepherd’s Gate expansion Women and children’s shelter will be able to house more people
By Hemananthani Sivanandam
Staff Writer
Shepherd’s Gate, a women’s shelter on Sycamore Avenue in Brentwood, will soon be able to help more women in need following the 4-0 approval Tuesday night of an expansion to their existing facility. Councilmember Pa’tanisha Pierson recused herself from the discussion to “avoid the appearance of impropriety” due to interacting with Shepherd’s Gate sometimes in her role as an attorney. This expansion was previously approved 4-0 by the Planning Commission in November. The addition to the Shepherd’s Gate property would be another building that
Correspondent
cades of economic decline, neglect, and disinvestment as the city bulldozes its way into the mortgage foreclosure crisis, the Great Recession, COVID-19, and absent corporate landlords have only helped to exacerbate additional economic losses in this area.” Thorpe discussed his disappointment to the media Tuesday morning not only with the corporate landlords that have seemingly abandoned not only the Delta Fair Shopping Center property and several others throughout the city,
Oakley will have the Automated License Plate Reader services for another five years to aid the police with crime such as locating stolen or wanted vehicles throughout the city. At its meeting on Tuesday night, Jan 9, the Oakley City Council unanimously approved a five-year contract extension with Flock Group, which provides the license plate reader services to the police. The contract extension will cost the city about $62,500, or $12,500 yearly, with funding covered in the Police Department’s annual budget. Police Chief Paul Beard said the department has been using plate-reading cameras for many years but brought in Flock as a provider in April 2021. Oakley first entered into a two-year agreement with Flock for five stationary cameras., which went live in November of that year. The implementation of stationary license plate cameras serves as a cost-effective force multiplier for the police department as it aids in directing officers to areas where crimes are taking place and offers crucial investigative leads after incidents, police said. “The usage of ALPR cam-
see Landlords page 19A
see Plate readers page 19A
Milestones......................... 10A Opinion............................... 15A
Pets........................................ 6A Sports.................................. 11A
Artist rending courtesy of city of Brentwood
A rendering of the addition that will allow Shepherd’s Gate to house 15 more women and children in need. would comprise three housing units, a laundry room and pantry. A new parking area with three spaces and a trash enclosure would be constructed outside of the building for its residents. “I think everyone knows who Shepherd’s Gate is in our community,” Shepherd’s Gate CEO Carol Patterson said following the presentation. “We are a long-term Christian
program that provides healing from trauma – homelessness to addiction to domestic violence to trafficking – and several child protective services cases.” Patterson said the additional building would allow Shepherd’s Gate to house 15 more individuals, half of whom would be see Expansion page 19A
Thorpe, Antioch to go after absent corporate landlords to revive economy “ Today this corridor is an iconic symbol
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
of decades of economic decline, neglect, and disinvestment.
As Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe drove into the parking lot at the Delta Fair Shopping Center Tuesday morning for his on-location press conference, he passed by a similar view that many throughout Antioch and East County see when driving through Buchanan Road or Delta Fair Boulevard through the last handful of years – a mostly deserted shopping center that’s been left to rot. Former stores now have boarded up windows with an old
“For Rent” sign in front, while what used to be a FoodMaxx now features a fence surrounding the property. What was once a busy shopping center now serves, mostly, as a homeless encampment with a vast parking lot that has many spots available.
“Thirty-to-forty years ago, this area was one of Antioch’s most popular commercial corridors where many Antioch and eastern Contra Costa County residents shop,” Thorpe said to open his press conference. “Today this corridor is an iconic symbol of de-
Business................................ 9A Calendar............................... 8A
Classifieds.......................... 16A Cop Logs............................. 14A
Food....................................... 7A Health & Beauty..................1B
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Bethel Island landmark turns 70
Flourish: Healthy, Beauty, & Fitness
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Plate readers to stay Oakley approves 5-year contract extension
By Jake Menez
Serving East County
January 12, 2024
925-625-4963 • www.fairviewair.com
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