Speaker: Tim Forrester

Associate Superintendent Business and Operations, Antioch Unified School District

Join us for our Coffee with the Chamber networking and educational event featuring AUSD Associate Superintendent of Business and Operations – Tim Forerster.

Tim will be discussing Measure J, a $59.5 million dollar school bond which will allow the district to rebuild Antioch High School as well as cover the success of Measure C improvements and financing.

Details

Date: Tuesday May 8, 2012

Time: 8:30am – 10am

Location: Antioch Chamber Offices

101 H Street, Suite 4, Antioch

Brought to you by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce

Dear Editor:

As I was reading the opinion column by Lou Davis (The Way I See It, May, 2012), I had to check the date on the paper to see if this was some kind of April Fools’ joke.  Perhaps before writing such an “opinion”, Mr Davis would like to read and maybe, reread his column before it goes to press.  Yes, Mr Davis, I will agree with you that there are racial divides in this country that I have never seen since the days of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s.  But since when are women in this country considered a different race than men?  You make no mention of any fact about race in this country and instead begin a diatribe against womens’ rights.  On this, the 40th anniversary of Title IX, women must still fight for even the most basic of rights in the workplace.  The last time I checked the figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce, women were still only making a portion of what men were making for doing the same job.  Where is the equality?

In the same paragraph, you mention the “Occupy Wall Street” movement.  To be honest, I don’t agree with the way that they go about things.  Where is the message that we can stand behind to fight this and to find a solution?  And, I don’t agree with the violence that seems to be a part of every rally.  However, they are trying to send a message and to be honest, if I were in there shoes, I would be afraid to be a spokesman for any cause, let alone fighting big business, in this country.  If you are of a certain age, you remember the last ones to stand for a cause that was out of the mainstream and what happened to them.  Martin.  Bobby.  Jack.

Your fixation on demeaning women is deplorable. You make them out to be second class citizens.  Women must fight daily to preserve their rights that are being taken away by a government of old, Caucasian men.  I don’t care what political party they are affiliated with.  Since when does anyone have the right to tell another how to live their life.   As a man of color Mr. Davis, you should understand it better than most of us could ever.

 When it comes to health care, I will always stand up for the working man.  The tone of your article sounds much like the newspapers of the early part of the 20th century.  Perhaps you don’t remember child labor.  Working 6 or 7 day weeks.  No benefits.  That is what the working men and women of this country stood for against repressive business owners and won the freedoms that we take for granted today.  You worry about religious institutions being mandated to cover contraception costs.  OK Mr. Davis, who will pay for the unwanted children? The possible risk to women who can’t afford health care when they are pregnant.  And again, what right does any man have in saying what I may do with my body.  When are the people of this country, who are losing their jobs to overseas competitors, going to stand up and say “Enough is Enough’?

Your rhetoric reminds me of a history class that I took many years ago.  The stand against women or any minority.  The belief in a Supreme Being that will lead us through and will fight our battles as long as we let our leaders tell us what to think.  Allowing any business or government to run over the working men and women and tell them they should be happy with what they are given.  You Mr. Davis, of all people, should be at the front of the line to not think as you are, but to see what is really happening.  You see, the place that I am talking about is not the United States of the 21st century.  It was Germany of the 1930’s.

Keith C. Walters, Antioch

So that’s why we see all those purple ribbons around town! Promotion for annual Relay for Life.

On April 29^th through May 6^th 2012, the towns of Antioch/Pittsburg/Brentwood will be awash in purple, thanks to efforts by volunteers from the American Cancer Society’s annual “Relay For Life,” a community campout against cancer. Throughout California, towns, schools, and businesses will “paint our town purple” to celebrate cancer survivorship and bring attention to the yearly events, which will be held on Saturday, June 23^rd at 10:00 am to Sunday, June 24^th at 10:00 am at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, CA and Saturday, June 16^th at 9:00 am to Sunday, June 17^th at 9:00 am at Liberty High School in Brentwood, CA.

“We’re using the power of purple to bring good news to cancer survivors and mobilize the community,” said Michele of Antioch. “Paint Own Town Purple Day is a time to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, and to have some fun with the color purple to bring attention to the American Cancer Society’s many programs and services in our community.”

The American Cancer Society invites everyone to join the fun, simply by logging onto the Web site www.paintourtownpurple.org to find ideas on how to “Paint Our Town Purple” at a school, town, college or workplace. The Web site encourages participants to spread hope in their community. Whether you are a home-owner, a restaurateur, or a retail business operator/owner, there are plenty of ideas for painting our towns purple from April 29^th through May 6^th 2012.

• Decorate your home or store windows with a purple display.

• Hold a Main Street contest for the Best Purple Window Display.

• Display a purple yard sign in your front yard.

• Decorate your front entrance, your fence, or your door with purple balloons.

• Paint your porch light purple or insert a purple bulb.

• Tie purple ribbons around trees in your neighborhood.

• Wear purple clothing.

• Turn your town landmarks purple.

• Decorate the exterior of your City Hall purple.

For information about how to form a team or become involved in Relay For Life is available by contacting Event Antioch/Pittsburg Chair Judy Dawson: judy_dawson@att.net, 925-787-9021 or Event Antioch/Pittsburg Co-Chair Michele Littlefield: mmm5864@comcast.net, 925-813-5274 or Event Brentwood Chair Lynn Gursky: rflbrentwood@gmail.com, 925-634-4913 or Event Brentwood Co-Chair Ron Yarolimek: ronyar@gmail.com 925-550-1182 or visit www.relayforlife.org 1-800-227-2345.

Left to Right: Lana Skidmore, Bill Dietz, Rita Hamlin, Holly Ciaramitaro, Jen Peabody, Terry D'Emidio & Jen Miller (hand on head)

What:    Vagabond Players Present “Stepping Out”

Where:  El Campanil Theatre

602 W Second St
Antioch

When:   Friday May 4, 2012       8:00 pm

Saturday May 5, 2012   8:00 pm

Sunday May 6, 2012     2:00 pm

Cost:    Adults: $ 15   Seniors: $12   Children: $ 10

Tickets: (925) 757-9500

Online:   www.elcampaniltheatre.com

The Vagabond Players shuffle step back to El Campanil Theatre as they bring the rollicking tap dancing comedy Stepping Out  this coming weekend. Seven women and one man, each with his or her own “baggage,” assemble once a week for a tap class.  Led by Mavis, the eternally patient instructor, and accompanied by acerbic Mrs Fraser, the pianist, the students range from hopeless to barely competent, strive to master the basics of dance.  When they’re presented with an invitation to perform for a charity benefit, this motley but loveable crew attempts to overcome their inhibitions, awkwardness and overabundance of two left feet.

Directed by Sharon Redman, Stepping Out, is a good natured comedy by Richard Harris, which was later made into a movie starring Liza Minelli.

Cast includes Jennifer Miller as Mavis, the ex-chorus girl turned teacher; Norma Lent, the pianist; and Sheilah Morrison, Jennifer Peabody, Holly Ciaramitaro, Lana Skidmore, Rita Hamlin, Corinne Kelly, Bill Dietz and Terry D’Emidio, as the students.

Sure to entertain and keep your toes tapping!.

The late Victor Reyes, with regulars Farrell and Marty Holderman and Bill Baker enjoy a beer at Schooner's.

Yes believe it, or not, April 29th marked Schooner’s 11th year of brewing, on site, it’s award winning beers. For those that have yet to visit us, we are a family-owned and locally-operated restaurant and on site brewery. When you do come to visit, look behind the bar and you can check out our stainless steel brewing system. Those aren’t washing machines back there, folks.

Our Master Brewer, Craig Cauwels actually uses those huge vats to produce our tasty, micro-brewed beers. We have five house favorites: an American Cream Ale, Pale Ale, Irish Red, a delicious Stout and an India Pale Ale that was rated number one, over 50 other brewery’s at the IPA Festival at the Bistro in Hayward.

We also offer rotating seasonal specials as well. Check out our website for the latest brews. Once you tried our brews, you may consider joining our Mug Club, where you can enjoy our beers in a 25oz Mug at discount prices. Ask for details.

Be sure to say hello to our friendly kitchen staff as you can watch them prepare each meal in Antioch’s first exhibition kitchen. We offer a variety of burgers, sandwiches, wraps and pasta dishes, Pizzas from our wood burning pizza oven, fresh Salads, house made soups and a kid’s menu.

Whether its menu specials, a popular Hoppy Hour or holiday events, we’re always brewing up something at Schooner’s Grille & Brewery. Don’t forget, Mother’s Day just around the corner, now is the time to make your reservation. Located at 4250 Lone Tree Way in front of the AMC theatre.

By Dolly Ogawa-Amsk

The Antioch Unified School District and the Bond Issue C Oversight Committee held a joint Special Meeting at Antioch High School for a tour of the facilities so that board members, interested public and the Committee could see the improvements achieved by the funds from initiative C, which passed four years ago. It was important to show what improvements are still needed to bring the facility up to the current modern standards because of the proposed Bond Issue J on the June ballot.

Antioch High School was built in 1954 and has really needed improvements and repairs to help the students, and faculty as they move the high school programs toward current standards. The newest improvements will improve the link learning that connects students to career pathways. The architectural and engineering department has changed what was almost a print warehouse into a positive learning space. The old industrial building has new life and the plastics shop and the warehouse are history. The improved art department features a ceramic studio and working space that is attractive and practical. The old electronics lab with its outdated equipment is gone. Some of the equipment was so old that it could only be salvaged for the metal.

Problems still remain. The swimming pool built in the 50’s is not suitable for meets or any competitions. It was the community pool for years where citizens learned to swim. It is still used by the school for basic swimming and diving but it is not suitable for any competition. The North Coast Section and CIF (California Inter-Scholastic Federation) will not allow competitions, because the pool is measured in yards, and meets are now measured in meters. Also it is only 3’ deep at the shallow end which makes it impossible for water polo. It is not being used right now because it is being repaired for leaks. The pool needs to be replaced so that Antioch can host other teams.

There is a similar problem with the track and field teams. Once around the track is 440 yards. The standard is 400 meters. The other problem is that it is a dirt track and the standard high school tracks are rubberized. This is because the old dirt track can cause athletes shin splints. Until Antioch has the correct dimensions and a rubberized track, they don’t meet the spesifications, so they can’t host teams and events.

“It’s time for people to step up and support…” Principal Louie Rocha said, “Time to make an investment for our children.” Rocha is an alumnus of Antioch High School, and so are his children. He believes that there are many alumni living in Antioch who will support the move forward to the 21^st Century by supporting Measure J in June.

Never before in my lifetime, nor have I ever seen it written about in history books of our country that our nation has faced such a unity crises as it does today.  This is in spite of President Obama’s vow to bring us all together as proud “Americans,” without tags of division like, “conservatives”, “liberals”, or race and gender types.

Here are a few examples of on-going people separations:

Racial divides are created by those who see everyone who is not like they are, as someone to be scorned.  Then surely, you’ve heard of the so-called “War on Women”, a condition coined by liberals – without a real cause for doing so.  This war was clearly just one more aspect of the Democratic re-election machine, along with “Occupy Wall Street”, and other movements, like attacks on the rich, who’d rather not be forced to divide their earning with many who seeemingly refuse to work.

The latest version of re-election gimmicks include something called the “mommy wars” which has already backfired.  This female gender trick was preceded by the contraception clashes, which left-wing media called the Republicans war against women.

Then, its quite easy to see the on-going war on religion.  For this condition, I simply cannot find an adequate description these people who stoop to the depths of placing themselves in that lowly category — really!  Thanks goodness for a good and caring God, there is such thing as forgiveness.

Meanwhile, the President has cooled his approach to demanding that religious institutions accept the mandate to purchase health insurance, and to cover contraception costs.

This is likely to pick up steam again, based on the Supreme Court’s ruling in June on the constitutionality of “Obamacare”.  This flared up when the President openly created another warfront, publicly daring the High Court to rule against his signature legislation.

So, for the time being being, the nation will have to wait until the dust settles in 2013 to get a better idea of what our future might have in store for us.

The Antioch Police Department is excited to announce the 34^th installment of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program. This is a collaborative community effort which involves active participation from United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods (UCBN), community volunteers, and the Antioch Police Department Crime Prevention Commission; Neighborhood Watch Program, Target Volunteers, Volunteers in Police Service, community volunteers and the Public Works Department.

Collectively, “We”, everyone who works and lives in the City Antioch, can make a difference and improve the quality of life. It’s our community and it’s our chance to make a difference.

The City of Antioch Neighborhood Cleanup program is not just for residential neighborhoods. It is a program that will change venues on a monthly basis and it will include business and commercial areas as well. Neighborhoods that are free of trash and refuse are inviting, and a clean community instills a sense of community pride.

The 34^th Neighborhood Cleanup event will occur on Saturday May 5^th, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Volunteers should report to the parking lot in front of Kimball Elementary located at 1310 August Way. Volunteers will receive instructions and the equipment necessary to accomplish the goal. The targeted area is within walking distance. Excluding inclement weather, future Neighborhood Cleanup events will be scheduled for the first Saturday of every month and the locations will be announced in advance.

If you have a suggestion for a future cleanup area, please inform the assigned Volunteer in Police Services (VIP) or you can call (925) 779- 6878. If there is no answer please feel free to leave a message regarding your suggested cleanup area.

Remember, cleaning up your neighborhood can make life better for your family, your neighbors and your community!