I am Walter Ruehlig’s toughest critic. Whatever arguments there are for or against his campaign and candidacy for Antioch City Council; I vouch my husband will bring to the Council one undeniable and most important character trait. Walter Ruehlig cannot be bought nor bullied.

The German origin of the Ruehlig last name means calm or steady.  However, adversity has toughened the spirit underneath the gentle facade. His mother, Marie, died of cancer at age ten.  At age fourteen, Richard, an older brother, was institutionalized for mental illness.  Walter worked his way through college and graduated Cum Laude from the State University of New York in Albany. One of his first jobs was teaching English-As-A-Second-Language for the Peace Corps in Sultandag, a village in Turkey which had neither running water nor electricity.

It is no surprise then that Walter was undaunted when he joined the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) Board of Trustees in 2004 while the District was on the fiscal watch list with a 9 million dollar deficit and a 703 Academic Performance Index (API) score.  Today, the District has a 34 million ending fund balance, has climbed to a 742 API score with eight schools hovering or above the vaunted 800 mark and has become a state trailblazer in link learning with five career academies.

Walter will not be deterred by the challenges of crime, blight and economic lethargy.  This gutsy, transplanted New Yorker will help build the city that we envision and stand unfazed by allures or threats from special interest groups that carry a price tag for their loyalty.  For Antioch, the best is yet to come.

Cynthia Ruehlig

Antioch

The new book, the Diary of William Wiggin Smith, one of the two brothers who founded Antioch, in 1849, is on sale at the Antioch Historical Society.

Historial Society member Elizabeth Rimbault donated her time, labor and materials to completely retype and print the Diary of William Wiggin Smith, as a gift to the museum. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States, Post # 6435, Antioch, provided a grant of $1,400 to pay for the printing of the book and Staples of Antioch provided excellent discounts allowing for twice as many books to be ordered than projected.

Several of the books will be donated to the Antioch schools libraries through the partnership of the VFW and the Historical Society. The grant enabled the Society to “Shop Antioch” and support the local economy. The balance of the books will be sold at the museum only and will support museum operations.

The new W.W. Smith Diary, with photos is available for $35.00 to Society members and $40.00 to non-members. There is a limited supply available of only 100 books. The original diary was first transcribed by Smith’s son, Charles W. Smith in 1941. The only copy available had become difficult to read and fragile. The new publishing is an exact copy of the original adding photos and interesting documents at the rear.

“Staples has done a beautiful job for us and the Veterans have made the entire project possible,” Rimbault stated. “The community, the schools and the museum all benefit from this republishing of the Diary. I’m very excited, it’s like a new grandchild.”

Antioch Historical Society Museum is located at 1500 W. Fourth Street, Antioch and is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For more information call (925) 757-1326 or email antiochhistoricalsociety@comcast.net

#1. Los Vaqueros Fun Day — Three Activities on One Saturday, October 13, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

You can spend the whole day or just a few hours having fun and learning about nature in the Los Vaqueros Watershed. All activities are based at the John Muir Interpretive Center, where you will also find picnic facilities and a trail that leads you to the top of the dam.     

• Fall Bird Hike 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

• Arachnophobia Spider Program 10 a.m. to Noon

• All About the Incredible Edible Acorn 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The programs are free, however there is a $4 per car parking fee. To reach the center, drive to 100 Walnut Blvd, Byron, then drive about a mile more to the Los Vaqueros Dam. For more information, call (925) 688-8010 on weekdays or (925) 240-2440 on weekends. A full schedule of all interpretive center programs can be found at www.ccwater.com/losvaqueros/.  To reach the interpretive center from the Highway 4 bypass, drive south on Walnut Boulevard about three miles to the point where the road ends at the base of the dam.  If you use GPS, drive to 100 Walnut Boulevard, Byron, and continue another two miles to the end of the road.  The interpretive center phone number is (925) 240-2440 (Saturdays and Sundays).

#2. The Los Vaqueros Marina is reopening on Monday, October 15,  after being closed for about a year.  It has been moved to higher ground to accommodate the new, larger size of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir. Besides being moved, the marina facilities have been refreshed and expanded.  A nice shaded and landscaped picnic area is now located adjacent to the building, and a small event room in the building is available for the public for get-togethers.  Boat rentals, boat docks and fishing piers, including a pier that is wheelchair friendly, are available at the marina,  just like before the building was moved. The reservoir has been recently stocked. The marina is nestled between Brentwood and Livermore on Los Vaqueros Road, off of Vasco Road.  For GPS, use 9990 Los Vaqueros Road, Byron.   The marina phone number is (925) 371-2628 (7 days a week).

#3. The annual TarantulaRun is happening Saturday, October 20, at the Kellogg Creek Picnic Area in the Los Vaqueros Watershed.  (100 Walnut Blvd. Byron).  Races are 5k, 10k, and a hilly half-marathon. The picnic area opens at 6:30, and races start at 8 a.m.  There is also a free kids 1k.  Registration is $25. Runners can register at www.active.com until October 18.  After that, they can still register at the event before the races begin. More information can be found at www.ccwater.com. Phone number for info about the race is (925) 688-8175.

Antioch resident Jessica Caylyn was chosen to sing the National Anthem before the sell-out crowd at the Oakland A’s American League Division Series game against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night, October 11, 2012.

Here’s what she had to say about the experience: “I’ve sang the Anthem at several games, races, etc., but I was a little nervous because my voice was more tired then usual. Also, I could feel the energy level of the crowd and it was much bigger then regular season games. I didn’t meet any of the players this time around, that’s okay though I got my fair share of eye candy. Ha! It’s not only an honor but very exciting to sing our nation’s most well respected song, for so many people. I think artists tend to forget what the song actually represents, in that moment it’s not all about shining as a vocalist. It’s about delivering the song in a classy manner. I just hope the crowd felt that I did it justice!”

For more information about Jessica, visit www.JessicaCaylyn.com.

From 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13 (no early dropoffs) Somersville Town Center (Fairview Drive side)

Surprise gift for the first 100 donors

Special Electronics Collection Fundraiser to benefit East County Military Veterans, Families and Friends

Computer monitors, computers (laptop, desktop, servers), cameras, cell phones, copy & fax machines, cords and wiring, scanners, DVD/VCR/CD players, keyboards, mouse, printer & toner cartridges and TVs (big & small screen) are acceptable.

For more information on East County Military Veterans, Families and Friends visit www.eastcountyveterans.org.

The Garage Sale and Roundup are a joint effort by the City of Antioch & Allied Waste Services to protect the environment and conserve resources through reuse.

Drew Harrison
In The Spirit of Lennon
Friday, October 12  8:00 pm – TONIGHT!

Drew Harrison, the renowned “Lennon” vocalist of the San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere Beatles tribute band, The Sun Kings, performs a very special show celebrating the life and music of John Lennon.

In the Spirit of Lennon is Drew’s tribute to John Lennon, and interpretation of his music. He goes beyond just sounding like him, but captures the intensity that Lennon brought to the Beatles music as well as his own. This intimate and emotional performance has been seen and heard nationwide, in South America and in Europe. Most recently, Drew was invited to perform In the Spirit of Lennon at the Latin American Beatles Fest in Buenos Aires and in Louisville, KY where he performed at Abbey Road on the River, both solo as well as with The Sun Kings.

El Campanil Theatre
Trivia Night Fundraiser
Saturday, October 13

Trivia Night is a casual competition among teams of 10 players. (Smaller groups will be considered subject to availability.) We are limiting the number of tables to 30.  The most successful teams are usually the ones with a broad range of ages in their group.  This is a fun evening for Clubs, Businesses, Co-Workers, Friends and Families.  There are 10 categories.  Each category has 10 questions.  To kick off our first annual Trivia Night we thought it fitting to have all questions related to ENTERTAINMENT. Scores are tallied after each round so that teams can see where they stand. At the end of the evening, each member of the winning team is awarded a winner’s gift bag with merchandise & gift cards.

It will be a festive night.  Each table can be as creative as they want with their own menu, table decorations and dinnerware.

The Diamonds
50’s Rock & Roll
Sat. October 20 8:00 pm

Classic Rock & Roll with today’s attitude! In 1957 THE DIAMONDS released an instant million selling hit called Little Darlin’. The song continues to sell worldwide and has been dubbed “the National Anthem of Rock and Roll”. To date it has sold approximately 20 million copies. The Diamonds’ many accomplishments over the years include: 33 appearances on American Bandstand, Doo-Wop Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, 16 hit records, 3 certified Gold Records, Soundtrack of “American Graffiti”, Soundtrack of “Happy Days”.

Through the years since the release of Little Darlin’, THE DIAMONDS have learned one important lesson-the durability of this classic rock and roll music is as much about the future as it is about the past. As a result, THE DIAMONDS continue to expand their audience to this day, performing in a variety of venues and settings worldwide. These performances include – with Symphony Orchestras, in Performing Arts Theatres and major concert halls, on cruise ships, in casinos, at county and state fairs, on tours of England, Ireland, Brazil, Chile, Korea, and Japan, for benefit concerts, corporate conventions and at nightclubs. “We’ve been pleased to find a growing audience among all age groups. They love songs they can understand, remember and actually sing the words to – today, tomorrow, or even 20 years from now.”

International Film Showcase Presents
Noodle

Fri. October 26  7:30 pm and Sun. October 28 2:00 pm

At thirty-seven, Miri is a twice-widowed, El Al flight attendant. Her well-regulated existence is suddenly turned upside down by an abandoned Chinese boy whose migrant-worker mother has been summarily deported from Israel. The film is a touching comic-drama in which two human beings — as different from each other as Tel Aviv is from Beijing — accompany each other on a remarkable journey, one that takes them both back to a meaningful life.

Israel 2007
Directed by: Ayelet Menahemi
Run Time: 90 minutes
Language: Hebrew & Mandarin
Subtitles: English

Royal Society
Jazz Orchestra
Sat. October 27  8:00 pm
Don Neely, vocalist Carla Normand, and the ten-piece Royal Society Jazz Orchestra of San Francisco are renowned for authentically performing the exciting sound of Big Band Swing, Hot Syncopated 1920s Jazz, 1930s & 1940s Swing, Blues, Dixieland, Vintage Jazz, and Traditional Jazz. They perform for parties, concerts, weddings, vintage weddings, jazz festivals, and special events with three ensembles: Don Neely’s Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Sextet, and Quartet. They do it all, from romantic background music to the hottest dance band rhythms and jazz – and everything in between.
Innovators such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Bix Biederbecke, and Louis Armstrong are among the RSJO’s inspirations. They have an unmistakably authentic sound, yet, you will discover upon seeing them live and hearing their recordings, that the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra has a colorful style of its own.

Dancers love the infectious rhythms of the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra. Popular dance steps include Swing, Fox Trot, Lindy Hop, Waltz, Tango, Charleston, Rumba, Samba. They play songs by George Gershwin, Fats Waller, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Walter Donaldson, Harold Arlen, and Johnny Mercer. Also in their colorful repertoire are songs from Tin Pan Alley, Vaudeville, the Cotton Club, and Art Deco-era cinema and Broadway.

For tickets or more information visit www.ElCampanilTheatre.com

Publisher’s Note: We apologize for the delay in posting this article. We thought it had been posted last month. But, due to our main computer’s hard drive going down, it wasn’t. However it was published in the October print edition of the Herald.

By James Ott

The City of Antioch has updated its budget projections through 2014-15 and has included six new hires in the police services division among its estimates.

At their meeting on Tuesday, September 25, the City Council approved hiring five new Community Service Officers, (CSO’s), as a result of the federal COPS grant, and a Human Resources Director for the police department.

The CSO’s – which the council eliminated all of the positions two years ago – do administrative tasks in the department, freeing up sworn officers who can spend more time on the street.

The Antioch Police Department is also in the process of filling the 13 other vacant officer positions that were approved and funded by the city. According to Police Chief Allan Cantando they are currently in the process of background checking 13 potential candidates.

“This is the direction we need to be heading to improve safety in Antioch, “ said Councilman Gary Agopian.

The impact of the five new positions to the budget estimates by city Finance Director Dawn Merchant is expected to be roughly $405,955 by the 2014-15 fiscal year. Police services as a whole though shows projected increases of $2,611,840 from fiscal year 2012-13 to fiscal year 2013-14 and $1,482,233 between 2013-14 and 2014-15 for a total three year increase of $4,094,073.

This is the only projected major increase in the budget according to a city staff report. That’s because the Council has made hiring police its major focus. The estimates, particularly from fiscal year 2014-15 are listed as early preliminary estimates.

Despite those estimates coming somewhat early the city is expecting to be operating in a deficit of over $2 million in 2012-13, $5.4 million in 2013-14 and $6.3 million. The projections for fiscal year 2014-15 however, assume little to no revenue increases.

Publisher’s Note: We apologize for the delay in posting this article. We thought it had been posted last month. But, due to our main computer’s hard drive going down, it wasn’t. However it was published in the October print edition of the Herald.

By James Ott

The City of Antioch currently has 13 vacant police officer positions that they hope to fill in the next three to six months. That will leave 22 positions.

According to Finance Director Dawn Merchant, in a report at the September 11, 2012 meeting, there are currently eight vacancies that the city has funded and with the five COPS grant positions that are open that’s a total of 13 vacancies the city needs to fill.

The COPS grant awarded the city $1.5 million in moneys to hire five new officers.

It requires a $750,000 match by the Antioch over the life of the grant.

The grant will only fund 67.7 percent of an officer’s cost because it only covers the officer’s base salary, PERS retirement cost, workers compensation, Medicare and a cafeteria plan. The city will have to fund the remaining 32.3 percent of the officers cost.

An entry level officer costs about $126,529 a year by the city’s estimate. So Antioch will have to pay roughly $40,869 per hire. That amount though, does not include other likely expenses such as any overtime pay or things like educational incentives or senior officer pay.

According to a staff report the price tag of those entry level officers could be a little higher. When some of those likely additional costs are included those same hires are more likely to run $130,945 to $138,814 per year.

So the city’s estimated one-year cost for the five COPS funded officers would be $654,770 to $694,070 of which $428,300 will be covered by the grant money. The city will then have to pay $226,470 to $265,770 per year to cover the five new hires.

Those estimates however, do not include any overtime pay and it assumes the new hires will be entry level, or “Step A,” officers with a base salary of $76,778 a year. An officer hired at “Step C” for example, would have a base salary of $87,000 per year and the city would have to fund the difference.

Also, “Step A” base salaries are set to increase by 3 percent in March of next year to about $78,968.

Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando said that he was looking to potentially hire former U.S. service men and woman to fill the remaining vacant positions.

Cantando said that about 95 people applied for the beginning of the hiring process. Of those, 45 passed the oral boards and 28 are on the eligibility list and several of those are former military.

The Police Chief said that his hiring “wish list” would have Community Service Officers, (CSO’s), at the top but that he also needs help with clerical, dispatch and evidence positions.

As a result of those needs, Chief Cantando said he is looking to hire six CSO’s and potentially put two in evidence, three or four in the jail and perhaps one to provide for code enforcement if needed.

Despite the upcoming new hires, Antioch may be back to square one next year if Cantando’s attrition forecast is accurate.

During questioning by the city council, Cantando said that he expects to lose two managers and 7 officers this upcoming year not counting any losses from job hazards or officers moving on to a different city.Councilman Brian Kalinowski said that hiring more officers is the best way to fight crime, referencing the July police report that showed arrest rates were down some 20 percent.

“At the end of the day it’s about taking those that break the law off to jail,” he said.

Also at the Meeting:

At the beginning of the meeting and on the eleven-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Father Robert of Saint Ignatius Parish blessed the city and remembered those that were lost in the 9/11 attacks and in the war on terror. 2,976 people from 93 nations lost their lives on that day in 2001.

While Father Robert paused to remember those lost and the horror that accompanied that day eleven years ago, his prayer was a prayer for peace, forgiveness and healing.

“Today we pause once again to remember that moment of horror and to remember those that were left scarred by those terrible events… Our prayer today is that we will have the ability to forgive those who caused so much trauma and that we find release in that forgiveness… May we move from suffering to hope, from brokenness to wholeness, from anxiety to courage.”

The Council voted in three applicants to fill the remaining vacant terms on the Board of Administrative Appeals. Those residents are Deborah Simpson, Andrew Schleder and Mike Schneider. The Board hears appeals from residents on matters such as code enforcement.