Last Saturday, the smell of barbecue suffusing the air drew a long line of customers through the doors at Antioch’s new BBQ Dunn Right, which opened just three weeks ago. It was 4/20, and hungry customers helped the restaurant sell out of almost everything that day, says co-owner Jennifer Newberry-Dunn. At BBQ Dunn Right, a new barbecue restaurant in Antioch, visitors can select meat plates with up to four meats and two sides. Meat plate options include chicken, ribs, tri-tip, beef brisket or links. (Courtesy Denise Cantrell)  But even without the aid of the cannabis-forward date in fueli ..read more

Alexis Gabe disappeared more than two years ago, prompting a massive search, homicide investigation and outpouring of grief and assistance from her East Bay community that closely followed the controversial whodunit every step of the way. Gabe, a 23-year-old Oakley resident, seemingly vanished after showing up to the Antioch home of her ex-boyfriend, Marshall Curtis Jones III, at around 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2022. Jones, 27, became the prime suspect almost instantly; his suspicious movements, Google searches and a handwritten note deepened those suspicions. Jones would die in a hail of police ..read more

Atmospheric river storms are like punches in a boxing match. A flurry of weak ones are OK. But it’s best to avoid the big knockout blows. That’s exactly what happened in California this winter. Scientists say that from Oct. 1 to April 1, the state actually received more atmospheric rivers, the famous moisture-laden meteorological events that are critical to the water supply, than it did last year — 44 this winter compared to 31 last winter. But the intensity made all the difference. Statewide, California had just 2 strong atmospheric rivers this winter, compared with 7 last year. Many of the b ..read more

The Antioch Unified school board president has called for Superintendent Stephanie Anello’s resignation, after several employees accused her of failing to discipline a supervisor whom they say bullied them. The action comes a day after NBC Bay Area News reporter Candace Nyguen broke a story about employees’ written complaints that Kenneth Turnage II — the district’s director of facilities, maintenance and operations — has intimidated, bullied and harassed employees for more than a year. Kim Atkinson, a district purchasing technician, said that shortly after Turnage became her supervisor in Jan ..read more

Plastic predicament Earth Day is Monday, April 22, and the theme for 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics.” Plastic has many benefits: It’s cheap, versatile, lightweight and durable. It also can provide environmental benefits: It plays a critical role in maintaining food quality and safety and reducing food waste. But at the same time, plastics are having a negative impact on our oceans and wildlife health. The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907. Rapid growth in global plastic production began in the 1950s. Since then, annual production of plastics increased nearly 200-fold to 3 ..read more

A man and woman who died in separate car crashes in Contra Costa County on Sunday have been identified by authorities. Related Articles Crashes and Disasters | 4 killed in crash identified as Livermore couple, 2 children Crashes and Disasters | Two-car crash results in fatality on Highway 4 Crashes and Disasters | Repeat drunk driver gets 15 to life for killing pregnant woman in California crash; baby survived Crashes and Disasters | One dead, two injured following accident In East Bay Crashes and Disasters | Charges filed in Concord crash that killed 9-year-old girl The first fatality ..read more

ANTIOCH — Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington this week acknowledged current staffing is still about a third down from what is authorized, but said they are actively recruiting and some officers are returning from administrative leave. Addington, in comments to the Antioch Police Oversight Commission on Monday, said sworn police staffing is at 77 – not including officers on leave – of 115 budgeted positions. Of those, 39 are patrol officers, including two watch commanders. The number “does change daily,” he said, noting the department is preparing for a lieutenant to retire this ..read more

Four years after the start of the COVID pandemic, the age and race of its victims in California have dramatically shifted: Now, a Bay Area News Group analysis finds, those who are dying from the virus are much older, and more often White than Latino, a notable switch. While COVID deaths in California have plunged across all race and age groups, a comparison of deaths from the first six months of the pandemic to the most recent six months of data compiled by the California Department of Public Health shows 70% of those dying nowadays are 75 or older — up from just over half in early 2020. And w ..read more

Thirty-one Marin County residents lost a total of $33 million in online investment scams last year, according to a new FBI report on internet crimes. The financial damage was higher than the $29 million lost by 156 San Francisco residents in 2023. In the FBI’s San Francisco territory — which includes much of the Bay Area, the North Coast, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County and San Benito County — victims reported nearly $400 million in losses to online investment scams last year. The agency said Santa Clara County had the most losses: $152 million from 446 reported victims. Other loss totals i ..read more

For over a decade, developer Forrest Linebarger has tried to build new multifamily housing on two half-acre parcels in Los Altos Hills. The city has done all it can to stop him. Related Articles Housing | This map reveals where supersized ‘builder’s remedy’ projects could be coming Housing | State green lights Cupertino’s housing plan for more than 4,500 new homes Housing | Developers of two new East Bay housing developments hear that affordability is key Housing | Affordable San Jose homes may rise at Willow Glen restaurant site Housing | Letters: A bad start | Developers’ benefit | Sup ..read more