Newark Man to be Honored as ‘Hometown Hero’

A local resident will be honored for his countless contributions to the community at a special ceremony in Oakland tonight.

Longtime police volunteer Tim Jones is one of Comcast and the Bay Area News Group’s “Hometown Heroes.”

The annual ceremony, now in its fifth year, recognizes Bay Area residents who have made a positive impact in their communities.

Jones is among 27 selected for the honor this year.

A Newark resident since 1968, Jones donates his time and money to help out the community. He volunteers with the Newark Police Department where he leads programs, such as graffiti abatement. He also volunteers with the Neighborhood Watch program, shares safety and prevention tips with the community, and manages the Ready Active Volunteers Engaged in Newark (R.A.V.E.N.) citizen patrol program.

Through R.A.V.E.N., Jones acts as an extra set of eyes on the streets, checks on vacationers’ homes and even interviews witnesses of minor crimes.

“Everything I’m doing is about making Newark a cooler place to be,” Jones said in a statement.

The Hometown Heroes ceremony will be held tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Rotunda at 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Oakland. Community leaders, including Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, various City Council members and representatives from Comcast will in attendance.

Learn more about Comcast and the Bay Area News Group’s Hometown Heroes program at http://www.insidebayarea.com/hometownheroes.