By Allen Payton

Antioch has a new laundromat may not sound too exciting. But, Speed Clean Laundry is different, offering a variety of new features not seen in another laundromat in town, before.

Not only are their washing machines and dryers all new and state of the art, they accept payment by credit and debit cards, and even Google Wallet and Apple Pay for the tech-savy individuals among us.

But, even more fantastic is Speed Clean offers pick-up, delivery and drop-off laundry service, as well.

Now, that’s exciting.

Then there’s the fact they have flat screen TV’s inside to keep you entertained, should you need to stay up on the latest news or your favorite talk show and of course, free WiFi to keep up with your social media and web surfing.

“We are here all the time which differentiates us from everyone else,” said owner Paul Spangenberg.

He and his wife Georgia, who, with their 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter, moved to Antioch in 2012, all work in the business.

The family participated in this year’s Antioch July 4th Parade with an entry promoting their new business, which included bubbles blowing out the back of the truck.

“I can’t do this without them,” Paul shared.

They opened the doors in the former Kentucky Fried Chicken location, at 317 East 18^th Street, on Friday, July 24, the same day they obtained their final city approvals.

“I was literally signing off the papers with the inspector to open and we had people walking in to do their laundry,” he said with a laugh.

This is their first laundromat. But, even with the professional look to the place, it’s not a franchise.
“We’ve been praying about this for months,” said Paul. “I’ve been asking God ‘please provide and He is.’”

It was jam packed full on Monday. So, it’s a good thing they have extra parking in their lot, across Noia Avenue.

“It’s been fun meeting our customers,” he shared. “They’re telling me what they like and what they don’t like. So far the customers are pretty happy.”

One of those customers was Candice Ireland.

“I have a love of laundromats,” she stated. “The machines are all brand new and so large, you can do all your laundry in one load. You can swipe your card, no fumbling with quarters.

“And their dryers work,” Ireland added. “I started coming to the laundromat because of the drought.”

That’s another aspect of Speed Clean. They’re eco-friendly.

“We use up to 50-80% less water than the average home machine,” Paul stated.

Speed Clean Laundry is open Open 7 Days A Week from 6 AM – 10 PM with the Last Wash at 9 PM. For more information, stop by, call (925) 529-1121 or visit their website at www.speedcleanlaundry.com.

By Luke Johnson

One of Antioch High School’s greatest and most accomplished legends died from natural causes on June 8. Joe Gambetta coached the golf team to 22 League Championships, a school record, and on top of that won the biggest prize of them all, a State Championship, in 1987.

Born on Nov. 28, 1920, Gambetta grew up on his grandfather’s farm with three siblings in Novatto during the Great Depression. He served in World War II as an Air Force pilot who transported supplies to France and brought wounded soldiers back to England. After the war, he retired with the rank of Major.

Gambetta came to Antioch in 1957 and taught U.S. History and Driver’s Education for 34 years. He coached numerous sports, but focused on golf and football. In 1970, he led the football team to its first victory against arch-rival Pittsburg in 20 years. When he retired from teaching and coaching in 1991, his successor Ron Remington named an annual golf tournament after him, The Joe Gambetta Invitational, which is still played today.

He coached PGA competitor Larry Silveira and Antioch Sports Legend Hall of Famer Scott Olds, who defeated future superstar Phil Mickelson in the 1987 State Tournament. One of the most impressive footnotes of Gambetta’s career is that he took a school from a blue collar town, and beat schools from upper scale cities such as San Ramon, Pleasanton and Danville in a country club sport.

Statistical information provided by Tom Lamothe via the Antioch Sports Legends Historical Museum.

The Drama Factory presents auditions for Shakespearean Death Scenes vol.1 MACBETH

9/1, 9/2 7:00 pm

Nick Rodriguez Community Theatre

213 F Street, Antioch

Ages 12+

No Participation Fee

This is their unique take on one of Shakespeare’s most loved plays. Just the exciting parts and narrated by Mr. Shakespeare himself.

The Drama Factory

The Drama Factory is a 501(c)3 non-profit company and all contributions are tax deductible. For more information visit www.dramafactory.org.

Joni Luanne Spiegel

Resident of Antioch

April 27, 1965 – July 14, 2015

Joni Luanne Spiegel was born on April 27, 1965 in Whittier, California. She is the daughter of Sondra Thomson and the late Rev. Jacob Spiegel. Joni has two brothers Paul and Steve Spiegel. Joni received Christ in April of 1972 and was baptized at Fair Oaks Baptist Church at the age of 15.

Joni attended Ygnacio Valley Christian School and Northgate High School. After high school she attended Beauty College where she received her license and worked as a manicurist. Later in life, Joni attended Los Medanos College where she received her certificate in Child Development. Joni loved children so much as evidenced in her life long career path in childcare from the early age of 17 until her passing.

On February 1, 1986 Joni married Eric Johnson. Of this union three beautiful daughters Alysha Marie, Kayla Rose, and Erica Rachel were born. Together they lived in Concord, California for 11 years. During Joni’s second marriage she lived in Antioch, California where she also worked in retail. Her daughter Kayla gave birth to Jaxon Allen on June 4, 2014. She loved her grandson with all her heart. She was his “Bubby”.

Joni was a fun loving person. She had the biggest heart and accepted everyone she met. She loved arts and crafts, going to the beach, and listening to country music. Joni was so proud of daughter Alysha and her career as a professional make-up artist working for Sephora. Joni enjoyed watching her brothers play football and baseball in high school. She was an avid fan of her daughter Erica playing softball and winning regional state champs. She loved to cheer on her nephews Joseph and Jacob at their baseball games.

Joni passed away at her home in Oakley, California and entered heaven on July 14, 2015 at the age of 50 years old. She is survived by her children Alysha, Kayla, Erica, and her greatly loved grandson Jaxon, Her mother Sondra and step-father Alan Thomson, brother Paul Spiegel, nephew Trenton, her brother Steve Spiegel, sister-in-law Jeni Spiegel, nephews Joseph and Jacob, niece JayLynn, aunts, uncles, and many cousins.

A private family burial was held in July. A celebration of life for Joni was held on Saturday, August 1.

Fairfield, CA – Former Solano County Republican 2nd Vice Chairman Dave Miller, announced, Friday, that he will be running for the position of State Assemblyman to represent the 11th District to replace incumbent Jim Frazier (D – Oakley). Miller has a good knowledge of the district, having lived in Discovery Bay as well as Fairfield for the last five years. His wife, Amy is Director of Advanced Practice Services at NorthBay Hospital in Fairfield.

Miller retired from a 28-year career in social services finance and fraud investigation. In addition to working in New York political circles, Dave was active on the campaigns of former Governor and 2016 presidential candidate George Pataki, for the 12 years he was Governor of New York State.

Since moving to California in 2011, he has started, with the help of his associates, a nationwide premier political consulting and strategy firm, with clients in California, Wisconsin, Tennessee, New York and Nevada. He also served as California Field Coordinator to Governor Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign and Chief of Staff to USAF Col. Rick Tubbs’ congressional campaign in Contra Costa and Solano Counties.

“We are 465 days out, and 465 days from releasing ourselves from the tax and spend policies of Jim Frazier and his associates in Sacramento,” Miller said. “The policies Jim Frazier believes in, like introducing a constitutional amendment to raise property taxes on both homeowners and businesses, overriding Proposition 13, a ballot initiative overwhelmingly passed by California voters, signifies that the time for super majorities in Sacramento must end, and it’s time to return a more compassionate and conservative form of government to the people.”

“Speaking of ballot initiatives, in less than three years in office, Jim Frazier has voted to increase the fees to file such ballot initiatives from a simple $200 and to a staggering $8,000,” he added. “That’s a 3,900% increase, and a sure fire way to limit, if not freeze altogether, public debate and comment on issues pertinent to all Californians.”

“It recently learned that the I-10 bridge on the California/Arizona border had collapsed,” Miller stated. “You’re probably wondering: how does a bridge collapse hundreds of miles away have anything to do with the 11th Assembly District? Because Jim Frazier is Chairman of the Assembly Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. It’s his job to provide legislative oversight of Cal Trans. Last year, Cal Trans inspected the same bridge mentioned earlier, and according to the report, they gave it a 95% safety score.”

“Looking deeper, in the 800+ page report, I discovered there are nearly 400 bridges and overpasses in the 11th Assembly District alone, that had worse safety scores than the I-10 bridge which collapsed,” Miller continued. “Mr. Frazier cited ‘deferred maintenance’ as the cause for the bridge collapse, but if it scored 95% on its last safety inspection, one year ago, and Cal Trans stated in its report, it required no maintenance at all, how could you now claim it required ‘deferred maintenance’?”

“Just knowing that Assemblyman Frazier seems to have forgotten how important bridges and overpasses are key to our very way of life here in the Bay Area, (and all across California) is of great concern to me, not only as a Candidate, but as a Taxpayer as well,” he added. “It’s just proof that he and his Democratic associates in Sacramento are completely happy with the status quo.”

Miller offered his campaign platform

“If elected I will push for big bold reforms in Sacramento that effect you every day. I will:

•Cut my own personal salary and give that back money to hard working high school graduates in our district who excel in Math and Science. My only caveat: that they seek work upon graduation in the State of California I want to help your kids be successful – in California, and keep them here for generations to come. I will dole it out in the form of a scholarship program, to help offset college costs.

•I will propose the first Electronic Legislature in the nation. Should drastically help California see relief in legislature costs, such as per diems, staff payroll, and greatly cripple the influence of special interests prior to a crucial vote.

•Propose the California Sacred Trust Act. This amendment would greatly restore public confidence in how government operates in the future. Let’s remember we are one of the largest states in the “United States of America,” not the “Divided States of America” let’s set the standard.

•Propose sweeping massive regulatory reform, including tangible prison reforms.

•Get serious about our Water Crisis, but not with the current proposals being thrown around today, but with Desalination Plants up and down the coast, with the water storage to protect it.

•Opposition to High Speed Rail. I’ve seen firsthand, grandiose, wide-eyed, government-funded transportation projects that looked great on paper, but crash and burn inside two years’ time. See Rochester Business Journal.com and search “Flawed Business Plan sank Fast Ferry.”

•Improving the Business Climate in California. We were once the world’s 5th largest economy, we’ve dropped to 12th. It all goes back to the Regulations this Government feels the need to lump on your everyday life. The good news is: “we can’t get any worse!” We are 50th in the Nation in Economic Growth, and states to succeed in business.

•Propose a Guest Worker ID program. If it can be done in Kuwait, a country of 8 million people, which has 20 million Saudis working in their nation’s oil fields, it can be done here in California. Use an E-Verify system to sort out the law-abiding illegal immigrants from the ones who feel the need to survive by committing violent crimes, who harm or kill American citizens. Give these law abiding illegals the opportunity for citizenship.

•Phased in Voter ID Program. Program phased in over four-year period. As a social service provider, I’ve seen what not having a photo ID can do for a person, it can keep them from doing simple things we take for granted like cashing a check or getting documents notarized. If, after four years, you haven’t applied, you must get a DMV license to conduct business.

•Study the possibility of a Trimester School System, and its effects on hard working families.

•Implement a two year vehicle registration cycle on all vehicles registered at DMV. Study the effects of how that impacts the work flow at the agency.”

“With the advent of an electronic legislature on the horizon, I, along with all my colleagues, can be in their Assembly and Senate District offices and more responsive to the needs of its citizens more,” Miller said. “As a former social services provider, who used to see as many as 200 clients a day, that is what I look most forward too – working with my constituency, as should every elected official.”

“These are just some of the sweeping changes I plan to make when elected to become your next Assemblyman. I know I can do a better job, because I have nearly 28 years of government service backing me up. I look forward to meeting as many folks as I can in the months ahead, as well as re-engaging with some old friends from East Bay,” he added. “And folks…..that’s how I roll.”

The 11th Assembly District includes Antioch. Frazier was first elected to the position in 2012.

Dear Editor:

Since April, when I first spoke out against Governor Brown’s Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), the Administration has continued to push forward this flawed, fiscally irresponsible proposal, now rebranded as California WaterFix and California EcoRestore. Under any name, this plan further threatens the Delta’s fragile ecosystem and does not deliver one ounce of new water.

This effort does not in any way “fix” the water concerns of the farmers, families and small-business owners in the Delta region. In fact, it threatens to harm their ways of life while undermining efforts to restore the sustainability of the Delta itself. I call on the Governor to stop trying to push the same old plan he proposed more than three decades ago − which voters rejected − and instead focus on California’s more urgent need to improve, modernize and stabilize our State’s water supply.

Two weeks ago, the Department of Water Resources unveiled the “Water Fix” plans’ environmental documents, attempting to fast-track it with a meager 45-day comment period, an insufficient time to examine a plan that aims to alter the Delta forever.

Rest assured, my letter calling for a 180-day comment period hit the Governor’s desk soon after. Through our efforts, I am pleased to announce that the comment period has been extended to October 30, 2015. The public will have time to properly review and voice their concerns about this revamped version of BDCP, which now has been thoroughly gutted of habitat restoration components.

I’ve made it clear to Governor Brown that I stand with the people of the Delta and will not waiver in my opposition to any effort focused on building the twin tunnels and threatening to harm the health of the Delta. When he’s ready to start the real work of using 21st century solutions to manage California’s water system, to produce and conserve more water and to create comprehensive drought and flood-prevention solutions, I am eager to help.

Please join me and voice your opinion about the BDCP/ California Water Fix proposal. Comments must be received electronically at BDCPComments@icfi.com or mailed and postmarked by October 30 to BDCP/WaterFix Comments, P.O. Box 1919, Sacramento, CA 95812.

Assemblymember Jim Frazier

Oakley

Musical retelling of Beatles story through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein features the live music of renowned tribute Abbey Road; Local high school string quartet joins touring show on stage for five songs

WALNUT CREEK, CA – Almost everyone knows that The Beatles are one of the most acclaimed bands in rock and roll history because their music has the hypnotic qualities that made teenage girls scream and artists today and yesterday cite them as one of their influences.

While many of us don’t have the opportunity to see the two surviving Beatles Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr live in concert these days, the closest thing to watching an actual Beatles concert will be In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek on Sunday, September 13 at 2 pm. The show is sponsored in part by the Antioch Herald.

You mean just another tribute band? No, because not all tribute bands are alike.

This one portrays the Beatles—John Lennon (Nathaniel Bott), Paul McCartney (Christopher Overall), George Harrison (Jesse Wilder) and Ringo Starr (Axel Clarke)—as authentically as possible, from their singing to the myriad of guitars used throughout the band’s decade-long career. Listening to songs like “Penny Lane” or “I Want To Hold Your Hand” from this tribute band is almost like listening to the original icons themselves. The cast members are age appropriate for the Beatles, between 22 – 32 years of age. The Las Lomas High School (Walnut Creek) string quartet will join the touring show on stage for five songs.

While the great repertoire of songs bind this musical together, the audience also gets the opportunity to relive the most important moments of The Beatles’ epic legacy, which spans the entire 1960s period. The actors that portray the band members connect with the crowd through their lovable sense of humors and cheeky banter.

As one watches The Beatles progress throughout that decade, the band’s manager Brian Epstein (Murphy Martin) makes his presence known throughout the musical, narrating his side of the story starting from his discovery of the Fab Four at the Cavern Club in Liverpool up until after the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Epstein plays a very important role in this show, not only because he was the man who discovered the group, but he also influenced their personal touch with audiences and, of course, their fashion sense. Who could forget the image of the four dressed up in suits on their arrival at New York’s JFK Airport in 1964?

Sponsored in part by the Antioch Herald, this show is not just about reliving the breakthrough Ed Sullivan Show performance on February 9, 1964 that 78 million people watched on television, or reviving their deafening and packed Shea Stadium concert in 1965, it also touches on the band’s intimate moments in the recording studio. The audience observes the four in the studio as they struggle to reconcile their creative differences after Epstein’s death in 1967, a couple months after the release of Sgt. Pepper.

As for inspiration for the musical, Tom Maher, one of the co-producers alongside Andy Nagle, said that a friend gave him a biography on Epstein, which was the basis of the “In My Life” musical.

“It took a while to get the pacing, but we are happy with the results,” Maher said.

Maher added that he wanted to make the portrayal as accurate as possible, with the band using the exact gear from the box amps to the guitars. Even the costumes they used throughout the performance – from the suits to the ensembles they wore during their Sgt. Pepper’s period – mirror the originals designs.

The show in Walnut Creek is part of a 125 stop tour of the U.S. and Canada. The show has been touring since 2008.

The San Diego Theatre Review called the show “the most original of all Beatles shows” and a “flat out great show!” The Los Angeles Times said “the show delivers,” and the Idaho Statesman said “this is the ticket for you!”

Las Lomas High School (Walnut Creek) students Lile Donoghue, Claire Yu, Sarah Tero and Reilly Terao will join the band for the songs “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday,” “A Day in the Life,” “Hello Goodbye,” and “Hey Jude.” In a special touch, “Yesterday” is played as a scene in which the Paul McCartney character plays the song for the first time for Beatles producer George Martin, with the songwriter explaining that he envisioned a string-quartet accompaniment.

CALENDAR:

In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to The Beatles is the award-winning musical biography of The Beatles through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein and features the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. The show is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades. The multi-media musical comes to the Lesher Center on Sunday, September 13 at 2 pm. The show is appropriate for all ages.

Tickets are $29 – $90 and may be purchased online at www.lesherartscenter.org, by phone at 925-943-7469 or at the theatre box office. The Lesher Center is located at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, CA 94596.