Wishing you and your family a happy Easter! Goo
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Vol. 17, No. 15
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Bringing a community together
ews
The Press
April 14, 2017
Improve Your Home, Garden
by Aly Brown Staff Writer
Somersville Towne Center Mall was once the hub of Antioch, until the harsh economic downturn changed things. Now, a new management company is calling for its revitalization with a communitycentric focus. The mall was auctioned off in 2014 and picked up by its current owners, Time Equities, Inc. Julie Neward, general manager, has been with the onsite management team since October 2015, when she still had to split her time between the mall and her work in Napa, as the former management company, Madison Marquette, did not have her onboard full time. However, last year brought a shift in management companies, and now under Urban Retail Properties, she is able to
From solar power to patio furniture, East County meets all your home, garden needs. Page 1B
Photo courtesy of Shannon Skinner
From left, Ray Waters, Shannon Skinner, Derrick Reams, Gene Richards, Shawn Rijabi, Linda Mathias and Julie Neward make up the team members at the Antioch Somersville Towne Center Mall. The group has been working to revive the mall and make it the hub of the community once again. commit her entire workload to the mall. “I’m really thankful to be here 100 percent and really invest in the community,” she said.
Along with Neward, her fellow team members tasked with managing the mall on a day-to-day basis have thrown themselves into reviving its ap-
pearance, safety and community outreach. Neward reached out to City of Antioch officials and see Community page 30A
County close to making energy decision by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is expected to choose a community choice aggregation (CCA) program to offer county residents at its meeting in early May. Under CCA programs, local governments join together to provide energy to their residents. The energy is generated primarily from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and bioenergy. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) would continue to deliver power, billing customers as normal, with only the energy source varying. Under state law, customers are automatically enrolled in CCAs, but can opt out and
“ This is a big decision, and I think both entities want to do what is best for our communities.
stay with their original energy provider. The county is expected to join one of two existing local CCA programs – either Marin Clean Energy (MCE) or East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), based in Alameda County. A county consultant recently gave presentations on each agency, but the board opted to wait until May 2 to finalize its decision. “This is a big decision, and I think both entities want to do
what is best for our communities,” said District IV Supervisor Karen Mitchoff. The results of a county technical study that explored the differences between CCA programs and the current service provided by PG&E found that going with either CCA option would likely result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, increased local renewable energy development, expanded job creation and rates that are comparable to or lower than
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District IV Supervisor Karen Mitchoff
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“Alice In Wonderland”
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what PG&E could provide, according to Mark Fulmer of MRW Associates, which conducted the technical study. “The county has a good resource for local renewables, including in the northern local waterfront area, where there are definitely parcels that are quite appropriate for renewable development,” he said. Joining MCE is an attractive option, because it’s a wellestablished organization, already serves some Contra Costa cities and could hook customers up quicker, Fulmer said. The agency launched in 2010 and serves Marin and Napa counties and the cities of Benicia, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Walnut Creek and Lafayette. see Energy page 30A
Earth Day
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Assembly District 11 marks 47th anniversary of Earth Day with area clean-up efforts.
The Ballet Company of East County performs annual “Alice in Wonderland” ballet. Page 10A
Cheering For Competition
Liberty, Freedom and Heritage cheer squads and dance team excel at nationals. Page 21A Calendar.............................31A Classifieds..........................25A Cop Logs.............................29A Entertainment..................11A Food.....................................10A Health & Beauty...............19A Milestones.........................12A Opinion...............................20A Pets........................................ 9A Sports..................................21A
Fishery Closed
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Council announces third year of continued closure for sardine fishery.