By Allen Payton, Publisher

According to a tweet on the L.A. Dodgers official Twitter site, on Monday, 1995 Antioch High School graduate Aaron Miles has signed with the Dodgers to a “minor league deal.”

Miles, who has played in the minors and majors for 15 years, was second baseman for the 2006 World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals.

Following is the Dodgers’ tweet found at http://twitter.com/#!/Dodgers

Miles is one of four Antioch residents who became professional baseball players, including Butch Rounsaville, Jeff Pico and Alex Sanchez. However, Miles has played the most time in the majors, with a total of eight years, so far.

He’ll attend the Dodgers’ Spring Training in Arizona, later this month.  Read more at  http://atmlb.com/eJub4A

BOBBY G, JIMI, BO, ADRIAN, DONNIE and JEFFREY

Surf and Classic Rock Band includes Former Members of The Beach Boys

Formed in 1965, the now legendary California band, PAPA DOO RUN RUN, quickly discovered their forté – they could sound just like the Beach Boys! That sound caught the attention of surf music icons, Jan & Dean, and from 1976-80 PDRR toured North America as opening act and back-up band with the celebrated duo. In 1981, PDRR graduated from J&D to the Beach Boys, and performed and recorded with members of that band throughout the …next two decades. The group also had an unprecedented 15-year run as the “Celebrity House Band” at Disneyland from 1975-90! In the mid 80’s Papa Doo became the kings of corporate entertainment, performing at up to 150 corporate events a year, worldwide! Their fun packed show is still a favorite of dozens of Fortune 500 companies.

PDRR’s first major record release, “Be True To Your School” (RCA, 1975), made the Billboard Hot 100 nationally and reached No. 1 in California.

Here’s how they describe themselves…”Not exactly a ‘tribute band’. We’ve got 10 albums out, three gold records, and a Grammy nomination. Plus we’ve all played with the Beach Boys. One of our guys was in the BBs for 10 years and another for 20. We don’t try to act or dress like the BBs, we just do their songs. We’re known for sounding like the them, but BBs songs are only about one-third of what we do. We also sound like Frankie Valli, the Beatles, Doobies, Creedence, and other classic rock acts. More like a tribute to the 60’s.”

Tickets – Adults: $ 28    Seniors (62 and Older): $ 25   Youth (17 & Under): $ 15   Gold Circle (1st 3 rows): $ 35

For more information visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com or click on their ad on our Home Page or call (925) 757-9500

Nine-time Grammy nominee and three-time Grammy winner Little Joe & La Familia is one of the most popular Tex-Mex bands around today. Joe Hernandez has been entertaining for more than 35 years, and has been described as the “King of The Brown Sound.” He also helped pioneer “Tejano” music, a mix of traditional “norteno” music and country, blues and rock styles.

See and hear them Saturday night, February 12, 2011 at the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. The concert starts at 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices are as follows: Adults: $ 35    Seniors (62 and Older): $ 30  Youth (under 18): $ 20

For more information visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com or click on their ad at the top of our Home Page, or call (925) 757-9500.

How arrogant are California legislators in dealing with the deficit?

Back in late 2009 legislators were just beginning to get an inkling of the fact that voters were becoming informed in regard to the huge public pension debt and the influence special interests from labor unions to corporations were having on legislators seeking reelection. In response, legislative pay and benefits were cut by 18%, as were car allowances and per diem stipends for living expenses.

Additionally, the Senate required aides making annual salaries of $50,000 or more to take one unpaid day off per month – a program that was cancelled last July. ( The Assembly did not impose staff salary cuts or furlough days.)

I now hear some politicians saying the recession is over and the economy is on the rebound. I haven’t seen facts that support that belief, nor am I sure that voters out there seeking a job or trying to figure out how to pay this month’s household bills believe it.

That’s why I consider it a slap in the face that our legislators in Sacramento have just decided to approve higher pay for some aides. Yes, folks, Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (aka “Smart Growth” Steinberg), who committed to cutting 10% of the Senate’s operating budget this year (about $10 million), and Assembly Speaker John Perez, whose policy was “no raises,” have just approved higher pay for 136 Senate and 95 Assembly aides, using the justification that the increases reflect “job promotions or other extraordinary situations” and that overall personnel costs and spending have dropped.

Perhaps if another Field Poll were to be conducted, state legislators might find that their 80% disapproval rating last year (the lowest rating since the poll began checking it in 1983) will sink to another low. Can Governor Jerry Brown get the two-thirds approval vote from legislators he needs to put on the ballot the same tax and fee increases that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unsuccessfully put before voters two years ago? He thinks so.

On February 9 just before 10 a.m.  Antioch police received a call of a man chasing another person down the street in the 2000 block of Cambridge Drive while firing a gun.

While en route officers learned that a victim had been confronted by two people who had just forced their way into his residence. He retrieved his handgun and chased them out of his residence. He continued to chase one of them down the street while the other returned to the victim’s residence and stole the victim’s vehicle. The thief then drove past the victim, slowed and allowed his partner to get in. They both fled the neighborhood.

While chasing the subject, the victim fired one round into the ground, attempting to scare the person into stopping and giving up. No one was injured and the only loss was the victim’s vehicle.

Antioch High Graduate will Sign Autographs for Fans

Meet 2006 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Champion, 2nd Baseman and 1995 Antioch High School graduate Aaron Miles, who will be here to talk, answer questions and autograph photos, this Saturday, February 12, at 1:00 p.m.

The event will take place at the Antioch Historical Society Museum, 1500 W. 4th St., Antioch.

For more information on the Antioch Sports Legends Foundation or Miles, visit www.antiochsportslegends.com/aaron-miles. To see a video on his Major League Baseball career, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l26LpCS9J3E&feature=related

On August 22, 2010, a carjacking occurred on Vender Court in Antioch. Cedric Mccroey, 21; Corey Mccroey, 19; and Alfonzo Beasley, 21, were identified as being responsible, according to police. Cedric Mccroey and Alfonzo Beasley were also identified as being responsible for a robbery that occurred in the same area two weeks prior.

Corey Mccroey and Alfonzo Beasley were apprehended by Antioch Police in Antioch several weeks after the carjacking. Cedric Mccroey was never located and evaded Antioch Police investigators for approximately six months.

On February 8, 2011, Cedric Mccroey was located on Magnolia Way in Antioch and was apprehended by APD personnel, including APD SWAT. The house he was associated with on Magnolia Way was searched, and approximately one-half ounce of rock cocaine was located along with paraphernalia associated with sales.

Cedric Mccroey, Corey Mccroey, and Alfonzo Beasley are validated “Towerside” gang members from San Francisco and were all named in a recent city of San Francisco gang injunction, according to police. They have been indicted by a Contra Costa County Grand Jury for the crimes of carjacking, robbery, and participation in a street gang.

Cedric Mccroey also had an outstanding felony warrant issued by San Francisco County for possession of an assault rifle. Alfonzo Beasley is the prime suspect in the Antioch homicide involving the shooting death of Luis Straiten. The homicide occurred in the parking lot of Deer Valley Plaza on March 16, 2007. Alfonzo Beasley has been questioned about his involvement in the homicide after being arrested for the carjacking and robbery. The homicide investigation is ongoing at this time.

Alfonzo Beasley and Corey Mccroey remain in custody on respective bails of $350,000 and $385,000.

Anyone with information regarding these suspects or information on the murder of Luis Straiten should contact Antioch Police Detective Bittner at (925) 779-6939.