By Allen Payton

According the Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen, there are eight candidates for Antioch City Council for the two seats up for election in November. They are in order provided by the City Clerk’s office: local Realtor Lori Ogorchock, Antioch School Board Trustee and Executive Director of the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch Diane Gibson-Gray, Appointed Council Member Tony Tiscareno, community college administrator and Antioch Economic Development Commissioner Lamar Thorpe, general sales manager Steven Bado, commercial sales representative Karl Dietzel, site safety assistant Jeffrey Hall-Cottrell and financial analyst Anthony Segovia.

Candidates who filed Nomination Papers but failed to qualify due to insufficient signatures: Amber Avelino and Sandra McGee.

Residents who pulled Nomination Papers but did not file: Austin Davis, Michael Maguire, Eddie Williams, Catherine Walker, Joseph Duenas and Socorro Vizcaino.

The election is Tuesday, November 4.

The 30th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, the state’s largest volunteer event, will take place on Saturday, September 20th, 2014, from 9 AM to noon. The event is expected to draw more than 70,000 volunteers who will combat marine debris at over 800 locations throughout the state by removing the trash that has accumulated on California’s beaches and inland shorelines over the past year. Get out there, join the effort in Antioch.

Last year, over 100 participants volunteered There are three locations to choose from: Antioch Marina, Prewett Park & Fulton Shipyard. Select your location when you complete your registration (see link below). Last  year over 100 participants came together to clean along the Delta and create awareness of why trash  so damaging to our aquatic and coastal areas.

Coastal Cleanup Day provides  a way for tens of thousands of Californians to remove trash from our environments, but also reinforces that each of us, as consumers of goods and producers of those goods, has a responsibility to reduce, prevent, and clean up marine debris.

Many citizens of Antioch have been committed to local cleanups, such as the monthly Antioch Police Department efforts the first Saturday of each month, Facebook pages Empower Antioch and Cleaning Up Antioch, One House at Time and the annual Keep Antioch Beautiful. The local Coastal Cleanup event in September is one more opportunity to volunteer to improve our community.

For more information, and to register to volunteer, visit www.art4antioch.org/Coastal-Cleanup.asp or email Diane@Art4Antioch.org.  or call Diane Gibson-Gray at (925) 325-9897 or Julie Haas-Wajdowicz at (925) 779-7097.

By Allen Payton

There are two incumbents on the County School Board up for election, this year, who live in Antioch. They both have one challenger each.

Incumbent Cynthia Ruehlig, whose husband Walter used to serve on the Antioch School Board and is running again for it, this year, faces another Antioch resident, educator Jeff Belle for the seat representing Area 5. Incumbent Richard Asadoorian, a retired school administrator, whose wife, Barbara Cowan currently serves on the Antioch School Board, faces Danville businessman Mike Maxwell for the seat that represents Area 4.

So, Antioch will have at least one member of the County School Board who lives in town.

The election is on Tuesday, November 4.

Jack Roddy (in cowboy hat) and Donna Roddy (in brown shirt), and guests dance at the 2012 Roddy Ranch Roundup.

Get yer cowboy boots and hat on, practice yer line dancin’ and prepare to enjoy some good, country BBQ cookin’ and live music by California Cowboys, at the semi-annual Roddy Roundup at the Roddy Ranch on Saturday, September 27.

It’s all for a good cause, the Delta Advocacy Foundation, which helps people in need, right here in Antioch and East County.

Tickets sell out fast for this event that’s only held once, every two years at world champion steer wrestler Jack and Donna Roddy’s covered arena.

Reserve yers for just $60 each by email at delta_advocacy@comcast.net.

Guests enjoy the BBQ steak dinner at the 2012 Roddy Roundup.

By Allen Payton

Antioch School Board Trustees Joy Motts and Gary Hack, both in their first terms in office, face two challengers in the November election.

Former trustee and educator Walter Ruehlig is seeking to return to the board and Debra Vinson, an educator, counselor and clinician who is running for the second time. She ran unsuccessfully for the Antioch School Board in 2012, also.

The major issues, this year are expected to be the district’s finances, as well as the Dozier-Libbey Medical High School independent charter conversion.

The election is Tuesday, November 4.

Aikido is a non-violent form of martial arts.

By Allen Payton

Brandy Lucky is a rarity in martial arts, as a woman sensei (teacher, in Japanese) of her own dojo.

“I really was, 30 years ago, when I started,” she laughed. “I started fresh out of college.”

Lucky is the sensei of a new studio in Antioch, known as Evolve Aikido & Movement Center.

Aikido is a Japanese, non-violent martial art, she explained. There’s no kicking, hitting or punching. It uses the force of the attacker to take them down.

“The founder would say if any of those are included, it’s not Aikido,” she stated.

Lucky first learned about Aikido at a dojo in Stockton, where she developed their juniors program and women’s self-defense program, before starting her own in Santa Rosa.

That dojo still exists, today and was handed over to one of her apprentices.

Her newest location, which just opened at 1211 Auto Center Drive in Antioch, is more than Aikido. Evolve offers instruction in Tai Chi, Jiu Jitsu, self-defense, yoga, dance and tumbling, plus cheer and gymnastics.

“It’s inspired movement, which is different than going to the gym,” Lucky said. “It gives you far better results than just being on the treadmill for 30 minutes.”

Each of the instructors are well-known and high-level in their fields. The dance instructor, for example, has a Masters degree in Dance.

Lucky is a 4^th Degree Black Belt in Aikido and a Brown Belt in Kung Fu, as well.

“I got into this because I realized I could help change people’s lives,” she shared. “That trumped everything – my college degrees, the vision of who I wanted to be.”

“Seeing the results in a student who, after just a few classes, would think of themselves differently, walk and carry themselves differently makes it all worth while,” Lucky added.

The classes are affordable with an introductory price of just $5.00 each and instruction is for all ages.

She is starting an eight-week Beginners Course in Aikido in September and there is limited space. So, be sure to pre-register by calling 207-8656.

If you’re interested in starting on a new path of personal evolution, to feeling safe, healthier and more powerful, call Evolve Aikido & Movement Center, today.

Gregg Wright will headline this year’s event.

From the Delta Blues Festival website

This year’s Delta Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, September 13 and is dedicated to one of our hardest working volunteers, Randy Sampson.

Randy lived and breathed blues music and was greatly responsible for most of the music you have heard on our stage. Randy joined the team on the 6th annual DBF. He almost single handedly raised enough donations in his first year to fund that year’s event.

Throughout the years, he would scout out band possibilities, sponsorship opportunities, and vendor participation, all while promoting the event (even in off season).

Blues should have been Randy’s first, middle, and/or last name. He loved the blues and the joy it brought to people. We wholeheartedly dedicate this year’s 16th annual Delta Blues Festival to the Memory of Randy Sampson. Long Live the Blues!

The artists at the 16th annual event include King of the Rockin’ Blues and Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Gregg Wright. Plus, Sherry Pruitt, Frank Bey & Anthony Paule, Caroompas Room, Curtis Lawson and Teresa & Louis Jones.

The alcohol-free event starts at Noon in Waldie Plaza between First and Second Streets, in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown district, includes live music, as well as food, arts and crafts booths and it’s all free! All ages are welcome. For more information visit www.DeltaBluesFestival.net.

Tuesday & Thursday, September 16 & 18, Antioch Council Chambers

By Allen Payton

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce and the Antioch Herald will co-host two nights of forums for the eight candidates vying for two seats on the Antioch City Council, the four candidates seeking the two seats on the Antioch School Board, the four candidates, two each for the two districts that included Antioch on the County School Board, as well as Measure O, the Antioch business license tax on the November ballot.

“This will provide the voters in Antioch the opportunity to ask questions of and learn more about the candidates and Measure O, to make a more informed decision before they vote,” said Chamber CEO Dr. Sean Wright.

The first two forums will be held on Tuesday, September 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a debate on Measure O from 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., followed by the city council candidates’ forum from 7:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m.

The forums for the two school board races will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, starting with the County School Board candidates at 7:00 p.m, followed by the Antioch School Board candidates at 8:00 p.m.

Both nights will be held at the Antioch City Council Chambers, 3rd and H Streets in downtown Antioch. Be sure to bring your questions and submit them at the beginning of the meeting.

The format will include an opportunity for the candidates to ask each other questions and challenge each the responses from their opponents.