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  • Antioch school board trustees to receive pay hike

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    ANTIOCH – After decades of a $400 monthly stipend, Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees members voted Wednesday to give themselves a raise of $2,000 a month.

    The move is in accordance with Assembly Bill 1390, which allows for increases between $600 and $4,500 per month, based on the average daily attendance in the prior school year. Previously, the rate was $60 to $1,500 per month.

    Four of the five members of Antioch’s board of trustees voted to increase their pay, which will impact the district’s general fund $96,000 more annually.

    Trustee Mary Rocha, who objected to the pay bump, said she “did not believe that it was the right thing to do at the moment.”

    The district is facing a deficit of about $30 million over the next two years after the expiration of one-time COVID-19 relief funds, increased salary and benefit costs, higher utility costs, and rising special education expenses.

    During a recent budget discussion, the district noted the factors “have created financial strain as the district expanded staffing and programs to support post-pandemic learning recovery.”

    Rocha said the amount of time and money it takes to be a trustee can add up, but that is expected of an elected member.

    “I know $96,000 doesn’t sound much, but it is in the long run,” Rocha told this news organization. “I do face up to the fact that we’re going to have to be hard-nosed when it comes to this budget.”

    The California Education Code authorizes a monthly stipend of $400 for board members in a school district which averages daily attendance for the prior school year of 25,000 or less, but more than 10,000, according to the district.

    “The monthly amount in Education Code section 35120 has been $400 since 1984, and the authorization to increase it by 5% a year took effect January 1, 2002,” the district said. “Many districts, including AUSD, have had the monthly Board member compensation set at $400 for many years, never increasing it despite the statutory authorization to do so.”

    In 2024 to 2025, the district’s average daily attendance was around 13,699.

    Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees President Jag Lathan said the $400 monthly stipend translated to about $2.30 an hour, based on her “calculation.”

    “I am not sure if you all know the scope of work of a school board member, but it is pretty expansive in terms of what we are required to do as an elected body,” said Lathan. “With the increase in stipend, it would make it $11.55 per hour.”

    Lathan said the monthly stipend increase would attract more “qualified board members.”

    “We recognize that in order to increase the number of qualified board members and folks who are a lot of times not wealthy and underrepresented to get into these positions, we need to have a stipend that is closer to what we’re doing, and it’s still not, but we’re grateful for that,” said Lathan.

    Trustee Antonio Hernandez echoed Lathan’s sentiments, adding that the total cost of the increase was “0.05% of the general fund budget.”

    Hernandez shared his own experiences, juggling his time pursuing a medical degree and serving as a board member. He hoped the new compensation would encourage more people to take up the position.

    “It’s especially hard for younger people to want to be in these positions because they’re often sacrificing time and money for themselves,” Hernandez said. “I want school boards to be a place where everyone can feel that they have a voice, that they have a position, that they have an ability to be there.”

    Antioch is not the only school district that has voted to increase monthly compensation for board members.

    In November 2025, the Stockton Unified School District Board of Trustees approved increasing its monthly compensation from $750 to $3,000 monthly.

    In December 2025, the Napa Valley Unified Board of Trustees voted to increase monthly compensation from $536 to $2,000.

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    Hema Sivanandam

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  • Share the Spirit: Hijas del Campo uplifts farmworkers in east Contra Costa County

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    BRENTWOOD – Mayra Jimenez Almaras was 8 when she came to the U.S. from Mexico with her parents and two siblings. At 11, she was working long hours under the scorching sun in the Brentwood fields, picking green beans and packing corn.

    Those days are now behind her as the 21-year-old prepares to graduate from Saint Mary’s College of California in December with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

    As a way to give back to the organization that helped her family, Jimenez Almaras works as a community health worker with Hijas del Campo, which, translated from Spanish, means “daughters of the field.”

    The Contra Costa County-based nonprofit aims to help migrants, seasonal farmworkers, and their families to improve their lives, working conditions, health, and safety. Their work focuses on food security, health care, housing, education, workers’ rights and legal aid.

    Jimenez Almaras was in high school when she first met Marivel Mendoza and Dorina Moraida, co-founders of Hijas del Campo. At the time, they were handing out back-to-school supplies and educational resources.

    “A door opened for me, providing different types of resources, not just education-wise but, in general, so much mentorship and leadership,” said Jimenez Almaras.

    Through the nonprofit, Jimenez Almaras not only received support for her college application but also a laptop.

    That same laptop not only helped Jimenez Almaras, but also her mom, who later used it to complete a community health worker certification program through Hijas del Campo.

    Now, Jimenez Almaras’s mother no longer works in the fields, but instead in an elderly care home.

    Her two siblings have also moved on. Her older brother teaches at an area school, while her younger brother is pursuing a degree at a community college.

    Jimenez Almaras said that while the world sees farmworkers as a vital source of food for their plates, many fail to recognize that farmworkers themselves face food and financial insecurities, as well as chronic diseases.

    She urged local leaders to respect and advocate for the community that provides sustenance.

    “Have that respect, treat everyone equally, and at the end of the day, just be thankful that we’re there every single day, not only thriving for our own families, but thriving for yours as well,” said Jimenez Almaras. “Look out for the people that feed you and don’t bite those hands.”

    Hijas del Campo co-founders Dorina Salgado-Moraida, left, and Marivel Mendoza are photographed in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Hijas del Campo is Contra Costa County-based nonprofit organization that aims to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers, along with their families, to improve their daily lives, working conditions, health and safety. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Hijas del Campo co-founders Dorina Salgado-Moraida, left, and Marivel Mendoza are photographed in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. Hijas del Campo is Contra Costa County-based nonprofit organization that aims to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers, along with their families, to improve their daily lives, working conditions, health and safety. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    Hijas del Campo was founded by a group of women who met in early 2020 after seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted farmworkers.

    Mendoza and Moraida are both first-generation Mexican-American women whose parents toiled in the fields when they first moved to the U.S.

    “My dad didn’t work in the fields too long, but he would always talk to us about how hard that work was and how important it was for us to honor the people who pick our food because it’s a backbreaking job,” said Moraida, the nonprofit’s program director.

    Volunteer Milka Ambrosio sorts and unloads a recent shipment of donated items while at Hijas del Campo in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Volunteer Milka Ambrosio sorts and unloads a recent shipment of donated items while at Hijas del Campo in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

     

    The organization just celebrated its fifth anniversary. Over the years, it has worked with 500 core families — nearly 2,000 people — through outreach activities, giving farmworkers bags of essential, seasonal items, said Mendoza, executive director of Hijas del Campo.

    For example, during the summer, packed bags include intravenous fluids to treat dehydration, masks to reduce the risk of valley fever, and sunscreen to protect workers from the sun. During the winter, there are hand warmers, socks, gloves, and scarves, among other items.

    “When we say we take care of farmworkers in our county, it doesn’t matter where they’re from,” said Mendoza. “We’re going to make sure that we have some kind of touch point with them and connect them to resources where they live, if it’s possible.”

    Volunteers work on sorting donated clothes at Hijas del Campo in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
    Volunteers work on sorting donated clothes at Hijas del Campo in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) 

    The nonprofit has also partnered with Contra Costa Health Services, the California Department of Public Health, and San Joaquin County to inform providers about the rise in valley fever and how to recognize its symptoms among agricultural workers.

    Amid federal political uncertainty, Mendoza and Moraida said the organization is also educating farmworkers on their rights and partnering with immigration law groups, such as the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area.

    Beyond health, education has become a cornerstone of their work. The organization partners with Lenovo, which donates about 20-30 laptops annually to students from farmworker families, and organizes a “Lunch and Learn” program, bringing in professionals who are either immigrants or first-generation college students to share their stories and inspire students.

    In 2023, Hijas del Campo began building four tiny homes to provide transitional housing for farmworkers living in unsafe or substandard conditions. Each of the homes offers wraparound services, including financial literacy, mental health support, and healthcare access.

    Part of the rent paid to the nonprofit is deposited into a savings account and returned after two years, in hopes that the residents will be independent enough to move out and find their own housing.

    “The hope is that in two years, they’ll feel more stable and confident. Having a secure place to live changes a person,” said Moraida.

    Share the Spirit 2025 logo
    ABOUT SHARE THE SPIRIT
    Share the Spirit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operated by the East Bay Times/Bay Area News Group. Since 1989, Share the Spirit has been producing series of stories during the holiday season that highlight the wishes of those in need and invite readers to help fulfill them.

    HOW TO HELP
    Donations to Hijas del Campo will enable the nonprofit to buy and distribute 500 food bags to 378 low-income farmworker families in Contra Costa County for two months, prioritizing access for people who face barriers to traditional food assistance. Goal: $10,000

    HOW TO GIVE
    Donate at sharethespiriteastbay.org/donate or by mail using this form. Donations are tax deductible.

    ONLINE EXTRA
    Read other Share the Spirit stories, view photos and video at sharethespiriteastbay.org.

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    Hema Sivanandam

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  • Brentwood council confirms appointment of next city manager

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    BRENTWOOD – After a nationwide search and careful review of candidates, the Brentwood City Council unanimously approved the appointment of G. Harold Duffey as the next city manager.

    Duffey, who previously served as an assistant city administrator in Oakland, will begin his duties on Nov. 3. On Tuesday, he said he looks forward to working with city staff and councilmembers.

    He stated that integrity and transparency are principles he follows in his role as city manager.

    “If I lose the trust of the council, I’ve lost the council,” Duffey, who has three decades of local government experience, said.

    As city manager, part of his role is to ensure that he and city staff fulfill their obligations and responsibilities by providing councilmembers with relevant information that enables them to make informed decisions.

    “I’ve, of course, have had great projects, the best projects of all available. And the council tweaks it, changes it,” said Duffey. “I say to my staff, OK, the train is leaving. Get on the train. Let’s make sure we get this thing done.”

    Public concerns related to Duffey’s appointment have centered on his background and qualifications, prompting councilmembers to address the matter on Tuesday night.

    Mayor Susannah Meyer said the City Council is not a “rubber stamp” and “does not blindly” approve matters, adding that they spend a lot of time researching issues before every meeting.

    “We are not stupid; we are not blind. People are sending us things that we’ve already seen,” said Meyer, in reference to social media posts about Duffey. “In fact, Mr. Duffey shared these things with us before anyone did. He was transparent with us before anyone told us or showed us.”

    Vice Mayor Pa’tanisha Pierson said residents may question a city manager’s qualifications, but must ensure their information is accurate and not based on assumptions or stereotypes.

    The concerns over Duffey’s appointment revealed “bias,” said Pierson.

    “As a Black woman from Oakland, I’ve spent my life navigating spaces where excellence is simply because it doesn’t fit a certain mode,” said Pierson. “I know what it feels like to have questions and qualifications scrutinized more harshly and contributions minimized way too quickly, and I also recognize a pattern in our city.”

    She said previously, residents have also spoken against “highly qualified Black professionals” in leadership roles.

    “When excellence continues to be met with skepticism only when it comes in Black skin, it’s not a coincidence; it is a bias,” said Pierson. “So, when I hear statements that amount to, ‘I don’t want him because he’s Black,’ I feel a responsibility to call that mess out.”

    Councilmember Faye Maloney said Duffey’s hiring was “the most intricate process” she’s been part of, as it took a lot of time, collaboration, and discussions.

    She also had high praise for Duffey, adding she was impressed with him during the interview process. Maloney apologized to Duffey on behalf of the community.

    “Some people’s comments were very derogatory. I am sorry that you have to go through and experience that,” said Maloney, adding she was appalled by them.

    She hoped residents would give Duffey a chance to prove his skills and help further build Brentwood.

    According to a staff report, the City Council worked with the recruitment firm Peckham & McKenney to search for a city manager following the departure of Tim Ogden in April.

    The recruitment firm screened over four dozen applications, and only six candidates made it to the first round of interviews.

    The City Council then identified Duffey as their pick.

    Duffey’s annual base salary will be $304,515.

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    Hema Sivanandam

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  • Brentwood passes tobacco ordinance banning retailers within 500 feet of schools

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    BRENTWOOD – After numerous discussions and pushback, Brentwood has established an ordinance that prevents tobacco retailers from being within 500 feet of a youth-oriented establishment.

    The Brentwood City Council on Tuesday refined its definition of a youth-oriented establishment as any public or privately owned and operated elementary school, middle school, secondary school, high school, or other institution providing academic instruction for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

    The definition does not include any alternative education facilities, such as daycare or tutoring establishments.

    In May, the city had proposed that the tobacco ordinance also include public libraries, youth centers, and any business establishment likely to be frequented by minors, such as arcades, bowling alleys, or skating rinks, among others, to be defined as youth-oriented establishments.

    It also proposed a 250-foot distance requirement from those establishments.

    However, business owners who sell tobacco-related products expressed concern that the change would reduce revenue or potentially put them out of business.

    At Tuesday’s meeting, some councilmembers felt the initial definition of youth-oriented establishments was too broad and agreed that it needed to be narrowed. Some also said the ordinance was not meant to punish businesses, but stricter rules needed to be established to protect youth.

    Councilmember Jovita Mendoza stated that the school district had come forward requesting assistance.

    “I wish we had an SRO (school resource officer) here because they can tell you the problems we have at our schools right now, the bathroom. My kids have graduated, thank God, because they couldn’t even use the bathroom in the schools because everyone was smoking and vaping and doing things they shouldn’t be doing,” said Mendoza. “Someone said that it’s the parents and the teachers who should be doing things. It was our school that came up and said, ‘Hey, we need help. We can’t do this alone,’ and so that was a catalyst for everything that we’re doing.”

    Vice Mayor Pa’tanisha Pierson said the council took the voices of residents and business owners into consideration.

    “But we are not going to make everyone happy, and so we’ll try our best,” said Pierson. “This is what we do on council.”

    The newly passed ordinance also capped the number of tobacco retailer licenses within the city at 41.

    All tobacco retailers must be registered to obtain a license within 30 days from Oct. 9, when the ordinance is expected to take effect.

    Existing tobacco retailers who do not meet the 500-foot separation requirement will be issued a 12-month “Wind-Down Permit,” which provides businesses some time to sell their tobacco products and stocks, or wind down their tobacco retail operations.

    Interim City Manager Darin Gale said this will give retailers time “to figure things out,” since they are no longer able to sell tobacco-related products.

    However, it is unknown how many businesses will be directly impacted by the ordinance yet, Mayor Susannah Meyer said.

    “We will not know how many businesses are impacted until staff have the chance to redraw the (city’s) map with the new definition and distance,” said Meyer.

    During public comment on Tuesday, Matt Strauch, from Strauch & Company and Strauch Brother Incorporation, who own and operate two ARCO AM/PM stores in Brentwood, said he and his brother have “poured decades of hard work” to develop their businesses.

    Strauch said the company has gone “above and beyond” in terms of tobacco compliance and has trained every staff member to check for identification for customers under 35.

    “We don’t sell flavored vapes, the product kids actually seek out, but this ordinance treats us the same as businesses that haven’t followed the rules. It puts a huge part of our revenue at risk, not because of anything we’ve done wrong, but simply because of where we’re located,” said Strauch.

    He said that other cities have taken a more “compassionate approach” and have allowed license transferability, as well as exempting existing businesses from the distance buffer.

    Ronit Shirwagi, a member of the Courage Youth Health Coalition and a senior at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon, said tobacco products among high schoolers have been extremely prevalent and accessible.

    He said many students take up smoking due to peer pressure and educating students on the dangers of nicotine and tobacco can only do so much.

    “Having the proper policy changes like the one proposed will be the most significant change that will reduce teens’ access to tobacco retailers,” said Shirwagi. “With the right policies in place, students will be protected from the pressures and easy access that fuel this issue and will be one more step closer in creating a smoke-free society.”

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    Hema Sivanandam

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  • Antioch to appoint next city clerk

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    ANTIOCH – In a move that would save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, Antioch will appoint its next city clerk after Melissa Rhodes resigned last month.

    The Antioch City Council unanimously voted on Aug. 12 to appoint a replacement instead of holding a special election, which officials said would be a more cost-effective solution.

    Rhodes, who was elected in November 2024, resigned as city clerk on July 30. In her resignation letter, the former city clerk did not state why she left office.

    According to a staff report, the city clerk position must be filled by the end of September. Because Rhodes had resigned during the first year of her term, an appointment would only be in place until December 2026.

    A special election for a new city clerk would need to take place during the November 2026 election.

    If Antioch had decided to hold a standalone special election prior to November 2026, it would have cost about $800,000 to nearly $1 million, according to the city.

    During public comment, several residents were in favor of holding a special election. Some felt there should be more transparent measures in place should the City Council appoint the next city clerk.

    Councilmember Donald Freitas said he was not in favor of spending money to hold a special election but agreed that the appointment process should be transparent.

    Freitas said the city should advertise the vacancy for potential candidates.

    “We have these candidates who are interested come before us here in this room, or if there’s another facility, and basically allow the council to ask questions, to probe, and to have these individuals state why she or he should be appointed to this position,” said Freitas. “It’s not unlike what all candidates do with regard to our boards and commissions. The difference is this is a critically important constitutional office at the local level.”

    Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker said she supported the appointment process.

    “I’ve seen it be transparent, and I’ve seen it be public,” said Torres-Walker. “When our former District Attorney Mark Peterson needed to go, the Board of Supervisors had the authority to appoint, but they committed to a public process, and that’s how we got our current DA Diana Becton.”

    Torres-Walker also urged the public to participate by attending and voicing their opinions during the appointment process.

    Councilmember Monica Wilson said the city had just gone through its budget cycle, and having a special election would be costly.

    “I don’t think it’s worth almost on the high end, almost a million dollars,” said Wilson.

    Originally Published:

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    Hema Sivanandam

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  • Fire destroys house in Discovery Bay

    Fire destroys house in Discovery Bay

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    A house in Discovery Bay was destroyed in a fire early Thursday morning, according to fire authorities.

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    Nollyanne Delacruz

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