By Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC

     Much of our health care system has been based on the germ theory which simply speaking says that germs cause disease and we should kill all the germs. While certainly there are times when this may be true, as a system of health care and as a general rule it has been ineffective.

     Our attempt to wipe out “bugs” has created an assault on our immune systems, placed many of our bodies out of balance and, according to The Telegraph, leads to 10,000 deaths per year through the creation of super bugs who have adapted to this assault. The Interference Theory of Dis-ease takes a much different approach and if you incorporate this philosophy into your lifestyle you will be more likely to enjoy a long, active healthy quality of life from birth to 100 years and beyond.

     The first basic premise of the Interference Theory is that your body has within it an Innate Intelligence which has been with you from the moment of conception, and holds the blueprint for you to live an active healthy life. This Innate Intelligence is the vitalistic energy that distinguishes a living being from a corpse.

     The second component of this theory is that the expression of this intelligence can be interfered with and become wholly or partially blocked. When this happens, dis-ease, or lack of ease, results causing dis-harmony, weakness, and imbalance within the body that in turn, if left uncorrected, will lead to disease.

     The third component of this theory includes adjustments that are designed to remove the interference so that your Innate Intelligence can cause spontaneous healing and give your body the best opportunity to function at its highest level for a lifetime.

     There are two types of interference that lead to dis-ease. The first type is lifestyle interference and the second type is nerve interference. While these interferences can interact with each other, and exacerbate the other, they must be removed independently in order for your body to express its innate potential.

Nerve interference results most often from injuries to the spine which interferes with the communication between your brain and your body and also the other direction from your body to your brain.

     This communication pathway is necessary for your body to express health and vitality. For example, your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, leg muscles and every other cell tissue and organ require healthy nerve supply without interference for these individual parts to function properly and interact with each other in a healthy way. If your spine is injured during the birth process, childhood falls, accidents or from stress, this causes pressure in your nervous system, interference, which creates dis-ease.

     Too many people wait for a crisis and treat the symptoms of dis-ease through drugs and surgery rather than removing the interference to create ease. The side effects from this can be devastating especially if this is done over time. Removing the interference provides a healthier long term solution so that your body can express its true health potential over the course of your lifetime.

     Lifestyle interference includes the choices that you make regarding food, thoughts, and your environment. Lifestyle interference is caused by eating unhealthy foods, such as white sugar, white flour, starches, processed foods and foods that are filled with manmade chemicals that cause interference to your body’s natural state of ease.

     Stress, excessive sitting, smoking, negative thoughts and lack of exercise are other sources of lifestyle interference that, as a part of your lifestyle, can decrease both the quantity and quality of your years. If you want to live an active healthy quality of life, avoid sickness, and express your full potential for yourself and your family then it is important that you remove the interference from your life and keep it out of your life for the rest of your life.

     Our office is committed to helping you and your loved ones achieve this goal so that you can enjoy a healthy 2011 as well as a sensational century.

This isn’t a new idea. In fact, back in February 1993, former Police Chief Dave Lewis announced what he ironically called a Service Enhancement Program. The announcement informed residents that 1) the State of California was in a financial crisis “with no end in sight” resulting in a reduction of its financial obligations to counties and cities. 2) calls for service were continuing to increase at the rate of approximately 7% annually, while staffing had not increased over the past 3 years, resulting in too much volume for existing staffing levels. 

Chief Lewis went on to state that “Out of 16 cities our size in California, we have the fourth highest crime rate and a population that grows by 25,000 a year: Despite that, we haven’t been able to hire any additional officers for the past three years and don’t expect to be able to hire more for another two or three years.”   
 
His solution was to create a Community Oriented Policing Program, allowing officers to get back into the community and become a resource for handling problems more effectively. Additionally, the new program would reduce the need for officer response to calls that were no-lead or low priority in nature by documenting the call for service by creating a report via phone/computer, or by mail. 

One has to ask why Antioch appears to be suffering more than some neighboring cities. Fiscal mismanagement? While it’s true that the city is suffering from an overall economic downturn, the writing was on the wall a few years back and trimming the budget and negotiating contracts with all employee groups requiring they pay a share of retirement cost should have been initiated then.

Best of San Francisco Stand Up Comedy Competition

Friday, January 21, 2011

8:00 p.m.

El Campanil Theatre

In Historic Downtown Rivertown, Antioch

HEADLINING THIS NIGHT IS …

AUGGIE SMITH

WINNER OF THE 2010 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL
STANDUP COMEDY COMPETITION
and
WINNER OF THE 2010 SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL
STANDUP COMEDY COMPETITION

To enter, simply submit a letter to the editor or subscribe to our website (if you haven’t already) by Wednesday, January 19, 2011. Then email your name and phone number(s) to info@antiochherald.com, and we’ll contact you if you’re the winner and get you the tickets. We’ll also announce the winner on our website.

Have fun! If you don’t win, you can still go to the show by clicking on the El Campanil Theatre ad on our Home Page and purchase tickets on their website.

Allen Payton, Publisher

The following was released by the Antioch Police Department on Friday, January 14:

Community involvement and support is at the heart of our Community Policing efforts. With community interaction Antioch residents can and do help us fight crime.

We would like to share a success story from today which epitomizes the spirit of community policing.  This story is just one of many examples which demonstrate just how hard our citizens and the men and women of the Antioch Police Department are working to make Antioch a safer community.

The officers and dispatchers assigned to work today will handle many calls for police assistance before their work day is over. Some days are busier than others. For example, just yesterday, during their 12 hour work shift, the same group of officers and dispatchers handled 214 calls for police assistance.

Today started off like any other day and at approximately 10:27 a.m. an attentive neighbor from the south east area of Antioch called 911 to report two male suspects had just broken into his neighbor’s home. The caller provided crucial descriptive information and described the actions of the suspects. At one point in time, 9 officers and 3 dispatchers worked on this call. As a result of a caring and attentive neighbor and the hard work of the officers and dispatchers, two suspects were apprehended for a residential burglary.  At the peak of this crime, which involved the apprehension of the suspects, all of the police department’s resources were utilized.  Officers were able to apprehend the suspects within 15-20 minutes of receiving the call from the neighbor. Some of the officers who were involved in this case will have many more hours of work to do on this case.

At approximately 11:17 a.m., at the opposite end of Antioch, another caring and attentive neighbor reported two male suspects going from home to home knocking on doors. The caller stayed on the phone with dispatch and also gave descriptive and detailed information about the suspects; even to the point of witnessing the suspects enter a home. At one point in time, 7 officers and 3 dispatchers worked on this call and we even enlisted the assistance of an air plane from the CHP to aid in the search for the suspects. Again the vigilance of the reporting citizens and police personnel resulted in the arrest of a burglary suspect. Although one suspect evaded arrest, there is no doubt our follow-up investigation will lead to his identity and ultimate arrest.

These cases are classic examples of the community and the Police Department working together to fight and solve crime. The men and women of the Police Department work very hard day and night while serving the citizens of Antioch and continually strive to fulfill their mission, which is to partner   with the community to promote the quality of life in Antioch by proactively reducing crime with integrity and commitment to excellence.

As a result of the economic crisis we have lost valuable personnel and resources and may lose more. We need the public’s help more than we ever have and we strongly urge our citizens to get involved and become part of our Community Policing Team.

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Judge John Kennedy gives Mark Peterson the oath of office as Contra Costa's new DA.

Says Public Safety Is Number One Priority of Local Government, Pledges to Fight for Funding

By Allen Payton, Publisher

After a hard-fought, vitriolic campaign, underdog candidate Mark Peterson, a 25-year deputy district attorney, 15-year Concord councilman and three-time mayor, won by an 18% margin in November and was sworn in as Contra Costa County’s new District Attorney, yesterday to an overflow room filled with deputy district attorneys, judges, law enforcement personnel, elected officials including Congressman John Garamendi as well as many supporters.

After speeches by one of his court-room opponents in the Public Defender’s office, David Headley, former council colleague and now State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, former Concord Mayor and Retired General Dan Helix, Sr., as well as Appeals Court Judge Mark Simons, the 52-year-old Peterson was given the oath of office by Contra Costa Superior Court Judge John Kennedy and then had his turn at the podium.

He gave a gracious speech, speaking to those in the DA’s office who supported him, as well as those who didn’t, as well as in the Public Defender’s office and on the bench, and thanked the Concord Police Officers Association and Contra Costa Firefighters who supported him in his campaign. Peterson also recognized, his opponents Dan O’Malley and Elle Fallahat, who were given a round of applause.

“We were never enemies. We were political opponents,” Peterson said. “We were colleagues then. We are colleagues, today.”

Peterson also introduced and thanked his wife Penny, daughters, one of whom did led the Pledge of Allegiance, and one who sang the National Anthem, and parents (it was his mother’s 81^st birthday), who he credited for teaching him the value of hard work, which he applied during his campaign and it paid off.

“My parents are great heroes to me. They were missionaries in a small town in Alaska …where I was fortunate enough to grow up,” he stated.

Peterson then asked and answered the question, “how did I get here?”

He also thanked the Seeno and Garaventa families, who supported his campaigns, financially.

He quoted President George Washington, who said, “The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.”

He acknowledged the seven new Deputy DA’s he had the privilege of swearing in, earlier in the day.

He mentioned lists of individuals in both the DA’s and Public Defender’s offices, as well as judges he appeared before, and the court staff who have had an impact on him and his career.

“Each one of those is a part of who I am, today,” he said. “Each one of those cases has helped influence who I am today.”

“And I know the criminal justice system is not a perfect system,” Peterson added. “But it’s an inherently a very, very good system and the system works because everyone in this room who’s a part of it does such a great job. And of course we have a Court of Appeals here to tell us when we’re wrong. (To laughter). And hopefully we don’t do it too often.”

He then recognized the DA’s office, including the 85 Deputy DA’s, the 25 investigative staff and the over 40 support staff and had them stand, which they did to applause.

“We have an excellent staff,” Peterson acknowledged. “I know during these last couple of years that we’ve had some bad publicity and we’ve had challenges in our office and there’s things we want to improve and want to work on and make better. But we have an excellent office. We do a very good job protecting this community.”

“The people in our office are committed to public safety and committed to keeping our community safe,” he added.

“So each one of you has contributed to who I am. Each one of you has shaped the perspective I bring to the District Attorney’s office. So in a very really sense each one of you will be helping me in lead that office.”

“So when I screw up it’s your fault,” Peterson joked. “ Not really. I hope that doesn’t happen. I really do mean that each one of you is part of me leading this office.”

He mentioned his service on the Concord City Council and the successes in reducing crime by over 40% and adding 29 police officers to the department.

“I’m very proud of that relationship. I think I learned a great deal from it and it was a privilege to serve in that capacity,” Peterson shared. “Although I was mayor and you might think I got a little prideful, I take the job seriously, but I don’t take my job too seriously.”

He then read some responses and one letter he framed which he received after he proposed fast food restaurants post calories next to a list of food items on the wall, so people can know.

A note from his staff said, a man had called to voice his opinion and said “he’d rather see the I.Q. of those running for office posted on election night, so he would know if he’s voting for a moron or not.”

Peterson said, “I got a big kick out of that so I framed it and it hang in my office. So I will take my job seriously, but I hopefully won’t take myself too seriously.”

He then touched on budget concerns the county and his department currently face.

“I know these are tough economic times. I pledge to work with the county to look for ways to save money,” Peterson exclaimed.

“But I want to remind everyone that the number one priority in local government is public safety. I pledge to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors,” he stated. “The Board has a difficult task ahead of them. I will fight for funding. I have a responsibility, a duty to represent every citizen, every voter in every city and every unincorporated area of this county.”

“I promise to speak professionally, but forcefully for those citizens and voters,” Peterson said. “Our office is understaffed and underfunded. I believe we must look for structural changes to the county budget.”

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 A new era is upon the East County branch of the NAACP. On Saturday the officers and members of the executive committee will take the oath of office  for the 2011-12 operating years. The ceremony begins at 1 p.m. in the large conference room in 301 W. 10th Street, Antioch.

Hernandez: 113 employees making $100,000+, pension spiking to $300,000

City Manager denies pension spiking taking place

By Dave Roberts

Tuesday night, in the first Antioch City Council meeting after what may have been the bloodiest December in city history, residents blasted the council for allowing the police force to decline, including the possible layoff of six officers, while crime escalates in the city.

Former Councilman Ralph Hernandez asked city officials to join in an investigation of how the city got to the point of having to potentially lay off police officers or face the possibility of bankruptcy. He places the blame on excessive salaries and benefits for city employees.

“One of the things that we found, of which the public should be aware, of why we are in such financial dire straits: in 2009 there were 113 employees that made over $100,000 in pay,” said Hernandez. “We had a couple of employees that were set to retire. And because of the questionable contracts that the City Council had approved, you had one employee that made $298,000, which is almost twice his yearly salary. Another employee, a police lieutenant, made $225,000. He spiked his retirement. Of the 113 who made over $100,000 in pay, 93 of those were officers of our (police) department. We are not blaming the officers. It is the decision makers that allowed it to happen.”

Hernandez suggested there could have been tradeoffs between council members and union officials: generous compensation packages in exchange for electoral support. “We are going to ask several bodies to conduct a thorough and complete investigation as to what happened,” he said. “It is not the citizens’ fault for the financial mess that we are in. It’s not the employees’ fault, although the employees have benefited greatly. It’s the ultimate decision makers and some of the staff that have allowed this to happen.

“So, we need answers. It’s a lot like Bell, California. The decision makers allowed that to happen. People were spiking their retirement pays and other things. We ask you to join us. The population of Antioch deserves those answers. We are not picking on employees. They have made a tremendous amount of money. That is one of the reasons why we are in the problem that we are. Ultimately, what we want to know is this: How much total is the City of Antioch paying out total toward retirement? That includes the city’s share and the employees’ share. That will probably give you some answers.”

The council members did not respond to Hernandez’s comments. City Manager Jim Jakel, via e-mail, denied that pension spiking has taken place in Antioch: “I spoke to Ralph at the meeting.  No pension spiking occurred. The two employees (both with I think 25 years or more and senior positions) he mentioned retired and had payments of accrued benefits and leave under existing contracts – most of it is non PERS (Public Employees Retirement System), which means it has no impact on pension. No one who has worked for Antioch has ever had a pension of $296,000 a year, nor is it likely any time in the next several decades if ever.

“I know little about Bell, but have heard his (city manager) pay was $800,000 and a similar size pension. My pay in 2009 was $218,000 and likely will be less on my 2010 W-2. My pay is below the mid-point for City Managers in Contra Costa. I haven’t got an official pension estimate, but with total public service today of about 22 years between Martinez and Antioch, I think my pension would be more like $125,000 – but that is just a ballpark number.”

Jakel could not confirm Hernandez’s finding of 113 city employees (out of 275 currently) earning $100,000 or more in 2009. But he said that five of the top 15 earners in recent years have retired.

Jakel declined to respond to Hernandez’s call for an investigation, saying via e-mail, “The Council will be getting an update on the budget on Feb. 8 as previously scheduled. No mystery as why to we are running out of money. Revenues have dropped from $47 million to slightly more than $34 million in a 4-year period. So we have by attrition or layoffs reduced staff by more that 30% and used the fund balance to maintain operations at very basic levels.

“The retirement data is all on our website in the CAFR, but in short, PERS payment for retirement from that document is $4,928,575 for fiscal year 2010. Unfunded liability as calculated by PERS totals about $40,500,000.”

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But divert tax dollars from schools, police, fire

Governor Jerry Brown has announced his intention to abolish redevelopment agencies statewide which divert about $6 billion annually (12% of property taxes statewide) from public services such as schools, police and fire protection. Details will be forthcoming.

The goal of redevelopment law, approved by voters in 1952, was to eliminate blight, promote economic development and provide affordable housing. The way it works is that, when a property is designated as a redevelopment area, a base year property tax is established and from then on tax increments, which normally would have gone to cities, counties and vital public services (school districts taking the biggest hit), are diverted, going instead to payment of long term bonds issued by the agencies to finance projects.

The City of Antioch’s Development Agency (ADA) was formed in June 1974 for the purpose of renovating designated areas within the City limits.

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