By Don Martin II

Saturday night at Antioch Speedway featured another action packed event that entertained the crowd and concluded at a reasonable time.  When the checkered flag flew on the five Main Events, it was Jeff Decker (A Modifieds), Jim Perry Jr. (Wingless Spec Sprints), Trevor Clymens (B Modifieds), Mark Biscardi (Dwarf Cars) and Melissa Hansen (Hobby Stocks), collecting the victories.

All last season, while he was winning the Late Model championship, Jeff Decker was working on his A Modified.  It’s ready now, and he has begun racing in this division as well.  With a few of the name drivers not at the track tonight, defending champion Scott Busby was hoping he might add to his all time division leading win total.  Unfortunately, he ran into to an obstacle in Decker’s #84 car.  Decker drove a good race and earned the victory, forcing Busby to settle for second.  Trent Wentworth enjoyed one of his best efforts in a while as he won his heat race and finished third in the feature.  The other heat race winner, 2014 champion Carl Berendsen II, was fourth as Norm Boeck rounded out the Top 5.

After back to back third place finishes in Wingless Spec Sprint competition, Jim Perry Jr. decided he had enough of that.  The all time winner in Spec Sprint racing with over 40 feature triumphs, Perry Jr. grabbed the lead and set sail for his first win of the season.  Only one early yellow slowed the pace, and Perry Jr. would leave the pack behind from there.  He was chased across the line by his son, Jimmy Perry III.  The father and son are both past division champions.  After winning his heat race, Roy Fisher collected a respectable third ahead of defending champion Kyle Bakkie and heat winner James East.

Last time the Dwarf Cars were in action, Bay Area Dwarf Car competitor Mark Biscardi paid the track a visit and brought home the victory.  He liked it so much that he returned and impressed with another feature win.  Biscardi’s win came ahead of title contender Kevin Miraglio, who is still searching for his first win.  This second place finish was Miraglio’s third Top 3 finish of the season.  Miraglio was also a heat race winner.  Tim Reeder enjoyed his best career finish in third, while heat race winner Chuck Weir was fourth.  Teammates Mike Corsaro and Charlie Correia were fifth and sixth, respectively.  Corsaro came into the night as the point leader ahead of Miraglio.

The Hobby Stocks produced a solid 15 car field, and point leader Guy Ahlwardt was a heat winner along with Danny Jones and two time division champion Melissa Myers.  The Main Event was a fast paced, non stop affair that saw Myers grab the lead.  Once she had it, she would not relinquish it as she became the fifth different feature winner in five races.  Ahlwardt gave a it a good effort before settling for second.  After rolling his daughter’s car in his season debut last time out, past Street Stock champion Rob Waldrop was just happy to keep his car on four wheels.  He did better than that as he grabbed the final podium position in third.

Trevor Clyemens is on a roll in B Modifieds and will creep back up the point leader if this continues.  The second generation leadfoot collected his second straight Main Event victory.  If not for missing a race, Clymens might very well be leading the standings now.  Clymens had to work for this one after starting back in the fifth row.  He steadily worked his way to the front to battle with Brian Pearce for the lead as they hit lapped traffic down the stretch.  Clymens would use traffic to get the win.  Pearce wasn’t as lucky as contact with one of the slower cars sent him into the front wall.  Meanwhile, rookie Shane DeVolder would grab his second runner up finish of the season.  DeVolder came into the night second in points and will gain a little on incoming point leader Al Johnson, who missed the top five this time.  Heat winner Lloyd Cline grabbed a season best third ahead of K.C. Keller and double division racer Danny Jones.  Paul Mulder was the other heat race winner.

Racing continues next Saturday night at Antioch Speedway with a six division program that features Winged 360 Sprint Cars, A Modifieds, Limited Late Models, B Modifieds, Dwarf Cars and California Hardtops.  For further information, check out the official website at www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results, Saturday Night May 14

A Modified

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Carl Berendsen II, Trent Wentworth.

Main Event (20 Laps)-Jeff Decker, Scott Busby, Trent Wentworth, Carl Berendsen II, Norm Boeck.

Wingless Spec Sprints

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Ray Fisher, James East.

Main Event (20 Laps)-Jim Perry Jr., Jimmy Perry III, Fisher, Kyle Bakkie, James East.

Hobby Stocks

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Guy Ahlwardt, Danny Jones, Melissa Myers.

Main Event (20 Laps)-Myers, Ahlwardt, Rob Waldrop.

B Modifieds

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Paul Mulder, Lloyd Cline.

Main Event (20 Laps)-Trevor Clymens, Shane DeVolder, Cline, K.C. Keller, Danny Jones.

Dwarf Car

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Chuck Weir, Kevin Miraglio.

Main Event (20 Laps)-Mark Biscardi, Miraglio, Tim Reeder, Weir, Mike Corsaro, Charlie Correia.

By Acting Sergeant Shawn Morin, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Sunday, May 15, 2016 at approximately 1:42 PM, Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to the report of gun shots heard in the 1700 block of Magnolia Way in Antioch. Upon arrival, Officers learned a male victim was shot and had been transported to an area hospital by family members. The victim was located at an area hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

Officers at the scene of the shooting were able to develop information on the shooter and located him in a nearby apartment on Spanos Street. The suspect, David Hall was arrested without incident and a firearm suspected to be used in the shooting was recovered. Hall was booked in Martinez Detention Facility on a charge of attempted homicide along with related weapons charges.

By Allen Payton

Following a few speeches and ribbon cutting, attended by Antioch community leaders and members of the Chamber of Commerce, owner Harley Allen and his son General Manager Dennis DeLano officially opened their new Delta Fresh Foods on Thursday morning, May 12.

“I want to welcome Harley and Delta Fresh Foods,” said Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock on behalf of the City Council. “Thank you for hiring locally. Welcome to Antioch.”

Jack Monroe of the Antioch Chamber offered his welcome.

“On behalf of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce, we’d like to welcome Harley and Delta Fresh Foods to the community,” he said. “Having worked in the grocery business for 35 years, I can tell you the displays are awesome, the selection is wonderful.”

“You have a wonderful store and we wish you many years of success,” Monroe added.

Harley DeLano offered his thoughts.

“We’re very happy to be here in Antioch,” he said. “We are a different kind of store. We find out what the people want and get it for them at a price that is value and make a few bucks in the meantime.”

“We hired about 45 people from the area about 40 from Antioch,” DeLano added.

Residents, who were waiting with their shopping carts for the ribbon cutting ceremony to conclude, filed into the store to begin shopping.

The store, located at 4036 Lone Tree Way at Golf Course Road, in the former Fresh and Easy location, is open 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., daily. They offer organic and natural produce and food, a hot bakery, high-end craft beers, a full selection of wine, breakfast and lunch items to eat in or take out, plus smiling cashiers to serve you.

By Dave Roberts

County Supervisor Federal Glover did not show up for a recent District 5 candidates’ forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and televised on Contra Costa TV. His absence proved to be a metaphor for the most common refrain among the other four candidates: Glover’s lack of leadership in his district on a variety of issues, including warnings of “horrendous” gridlock when the Concord Naval Weapons Station property is developed.

Glover has served on the Board of Supervisors for 16 years and is seeking a fifth term. He has missed numerous governmental meetings in recent years due to health problems, including a heart and kidney transplant last year. He did not respond by press time to an attempt to learn why he was not in attendance at the forum. (Please check back for an update, should he provide a response.)

None of the other candidates mentioned Glover by name. But they all criticized the lack of leadership in his district, which snakes along the northern county waterfront from Antioch to Hercules.

“The reason why I’m running for public office is because there is a lack of leadership,” Hercules Mayor Dan Romero. “We have an absent supervisor right now. He tends to stay in two different areas, Pittsburg and Bay Point. And, unfortunately, there’s several other cities inside there. The number one [thing] I keep on hearing is that the supervisor never shows up. You go to Crockett, Rodeo, Port Costa, and it’s the same thing that keeps on coming up.”

Department of Homeland Security analyst Conrad Dandridge cited the district’s lack of leadership three times when asked why he decided to run for office. “Some areas of this district have not seen their member of the board ever – that includes me,” he said. “I promise if elected that I will meet with you the residents at least once a month in every region of our district from Pinole to Antioch to Clyde to Port Costa.”

Martinez Vice-Mayor Anamarie Avila Farias and former Martinez Mayor Mike Menesini also criticized the district’s leadership vacuum. “I will bring leadership that has been absent,” said Farias. Menesini said, “What I’m seeing is a real problem with leadership.”

One of Menesini’s top concerns is lack of county input into the planned development of the Concord Naval Weapons Station property at Highway 4 and Willow Pass Road.

“We do have a huge problem that is about to unfold with respect to the Highway 4 corridor, which goes from Hercules out to Antioch,” said Menesini. “The city of Concord is proposing to build a city on top of Willow Pass Road: 12,000 homes, 6 million square feet of commercial space – and not one provision for how transportation is going to be mitigated.

“The fact is, if you live in Antioch, Pittsburg and anywhere along the Highway 4 corridor, you are going to be severely impacted by this development. And the county has sat on its hands. It has not offered one bit of mitigation advice to the city of Concord.”

Romero agreed. “Transportation gridlock in the Concord area is absolutely going to be horrendous as the Concord Naval Weapons Station comes on board,” he said. “I feel that the Concord Naval Weapons Station is a failed project right now because of all of the influx on the city council in Concord. I think that the board should be taking a leadership step and being a part of that process.

“We have to represent all. That means there should be some sort of statement coming from the supervisors’ office about what’s going to happen. Absolutely traffic is going to be horrendous once that project gets going. We have 15 to 20 years before the project starts, but that leadership starts today.”

Farias advocated moving jobs to where the homes are.

“I think [the solution] is passing good policy to create livable communities,” she said. “Live and work in your communities. We have become a community of commuters, which has contributed to a lot of our freeway congestion. I think if we would have had a lot better regional planning within our communities in addition to really creating the job centers. We burden a system that is inadequately funded.

“So I would bring leadership to bring policy that creates more livable communities to reduce that impact on freeway congestion. And also seek increased funding for transportation needs that are in the spirit of sustainability and livable communities.”

Dandridge said the focus should be on transportation improvements.

“Gridlock is already here,” he said. “I live two minutes from probably the worst freeway interchange in the county or northern California: 680 and Highway 4. In 1988 the voters of Contra Costa County passed Measure C, increasing our sales tax, to fix that. That project is well overdue. And it just got pushed off the table again. And not one member of the board said, ‘Whoa, this has to be fixed.’

“But gridlock is more than just improving freeways. It’s improving public transportation systems. Our public transportation system in this county is non-existent. We can’t move people from west to east. Better planning needs to be accomplished. But most importantly, we need to accomplish those things that the voters have already approved doing. And that at the top of my list would be the Highway 4 interchange.”

The candidates were mostly in agreement on other issues discussed at the forum. They:

• Oppose the proposed twin tunnels project transferring water from north of the Delta to southern California.
• Oppose moving the urban limit line to allow more development on agricultural and open space lands.
• Support providing more affordable housing.
• Agree that the county has addressed its pension funding issue for now, but more compensation adjustments may be needed down the road.
• Agree that the county supervisor’s job requires more than 40 hours a week.

The entire candidates’ forum can be viewed on Contra Costa TV. CCTV is available to subscribers of AT&T U-verse on Channel 99. Comcast subscribers can watch CCTV on Channel 27. Following is the schedule for the remainder of May: Sundays – 9:00 AM; Mondays – 8:00 PM; Wednesdays – 12:00 PM; Fridays – 3:00 PM.

The election is June 7th. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, then the top two face off in the General Election in November.

By Allen Payton

In the race for Contra Costa County Supervisor in District 5, the incumbent, Federal Glover has an overwhelming lead in campaign funding in his bid for a fifth term. Reports were due on Thursday, April 28 covering the period of January 1 through April 23, 2016 and only three of the five candidates submitted one.

He reported raising $26,894 during the period, but started with a beginning cash balance of $37,372.32 in his campaign account. Glover carried over $23,616.51 from his 2012 re-election campaign account and didn’t start raising funds for his 2016 re-election campaign until 2014, for a total of $5,025 for that year. Then, last year he raised another $13,055 for a total of $45,469 raised for this year’s re-election effort,

Glover also has an Officeholder Account which had $68,918.40 in the bank at the beginning of the year. However, he stated today, Thursday, May 12, 2016, that (correcting the record from previous misinformation provided to this reporter) those funds can not be spent on his re-election campaign.

“I wish I had that money for my campaign,” Glover said with a laugh.

The other two who submitted reports were Martinez Vice Mayor AnaMarie Avila Farias, who was in a distant second, having raised $7,000 and Hercules Mayor Dan Romero, who reported raising $5,655.

Neither former Martinez Mayor Mike Menesini nor Martinez resident Conrad Dandridge submitted financial reports.

A supervisor candidate’s campaign committee is required to file a Form 460 financial report to the County Clerk’s Office, if they have raised or spent $2,000 or more in an election. However, the filing and ballot statement fees are not counted against that amount.

“It just got turned in. There was a mix up,” Dandridge said. “I turned it into the state.”

“I have just started raising money after the 23^rd but, I turned one in anyhow for transparency,” he added. “I hadn’t raised $2,000 but I am at that threshold, now. I got donations, last week.

Asked if he was a serious candidate since he hadn’t raised at least $2,000 by April 23rd, Dandridge responded, “I am a serious candidate.”

“My learning curve, based on my first, and only race, when I first ran in 2006, I learned some serious lessons that I am applying, now,” Dandridge continued. “Last time I was a self-funded candidate. Had the option to do that, now but don’t plan to do that this time. We have a Go-Fund me page. Folks wanted to fund me early on, but I told them to wait. But, the funds are coming in.”

Glover’s largest contribution during the reporting period was $5,000 from I.B.E.W. Local Union No. 302 PAC. Glover spent a total of $41,915.74 from both accounts, with almost half of that, $20,245.67 paid to Rossi Communications, for his campaign consultant Mary Jo Rossi. He ended the period with $25,388.35 in the bank.

Avila Farias’s largest contribution was $5,000 from the Professional Firefighters in the county. She showed no expenses, although she has large campaign signs up in the District.

When asked why the expense was not reported, Avila Farias replied “We hadn’t been invoiced for them, yet.”

She also stated she had received another $5,000 contribution from the Deputy Sheriffs Association, since the reporting period ended.

Romero’s largest contributions were $1,675 received from Republic Services, one of the garbage companies in the county, and $1,500 from Sonnikson Stordahl Construction in Martinez.

Menesini did not respond to efforts to contact him for this story.

Please see the reports, below. Additional reports for Glover have been added for the periods he raised funds for his 2016 re-election campaign committee. All of his reports prior to that period can be seen on the County Elections Office website.

Glover campaign Fin Rpt 010116-042316

Glover campaign Fin Rpt 0701-123115

Glover campaign Fin Rpt 0701-123114

Avila Farias 010116-042316

Romero Fin Rpt 0101-042316

Tonight, Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm at St. Ignatius of Antioch 3351 Contra Loma Blvd in Antioch, a coalition of Contra Costa county community-based organizations, faith leaders and residents will hold a Candidate Forum with candidates running for Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor District 3 and 5. Candidates will be asked questions on how they plan to make and impact on racial justice, the criminal justice system, affordable housing, education, health care, job creation, poverty and inequality, and the environment specifically for East Contra Costa County. This historical 2016 Board of supervisor race presents an opportunity for community leaders to know the candidates. In the past, candidates running in these Districts have ran unopposed.

Thursday’s Town Hall is an organized community response to organizing efforts where residents have been advocating at the county level for justice reinvestment where more county funds would and could be reallocated to support service for community and not for mass incarceration practices.

The Outcome of Town Hall

During Thursday night’s meeting, more than 100 county residents will ask several questions to the candidates to know where they stand on important issues such as racial justice, the criminal justice system, affordable housing, education, health care, job creation, poverty and inequality, and the environment.

About CCISCO

CCISCO is a member of the PICO National Network and PICO California. The organization believes that all faith communities are called to seek justice and peace for all people. CCISCO answers this call by empowering people to transform their communities. CCISCO is a unique community organization in the region that is successfully building bridges across boundaries of faith, race, geography, generation and economic class. We believe in building unity through diversity. Since 1996, CCISCO has been an organizing voice for justice and equity in Contra Costa County. The organization is a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, interfaith federation of 25 congregations and youth institutions representing over 35,000 families. CCISCO provides leadership training through our member institutions that help channel their power and ability to effect change in their local communities and put their faith into action.

About Contra Costa County Racial Justice Coalition (CCCRJC)

CCCRJC is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to eliminating racial inequalities in Contra Costa. We are people who live and work here. We know from current research and our own experience that racism is very much a part of the problem. Systemic bias against people of color is a reality we see every day, and we will not stand for more of the same.

From the APD Facebook page – Please come join us this Thursday, May 12 from 5-9 pm at the Antioch Chili’s Grill & Bar, located in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center at 5809 Lone Tree Way, when members of the police department once again participate in Tip-a-Cop and work as celebrity waiters to raise money for Special Olympics of Northern California.

Click on this link, print the coupon, bring it with you, and enjoy some great food while raising money for an amazing cause. Hope to see you there!

“Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Last year Governor Jerry Brown mandated a emergency water cutback in urban areas, although we all know that it’s agriculture that’s using the majority of water in this state.  Ironically,  many California homeowners and businesses do not have water meters and are charged a flat monthly rate. (It’s estimated that unmetered communities use 39% more water than metered communities.)  Although a 1992 state law requires all new homes have a water meter, a state law passed in 2004 merely requires homes built before that date be retrofitted by 2025, nine years away.

This year the emphasis from public agencies is to have residents replace their lawns with water-wise landscaping.  Let me caution those who have been told they can receive rebates to do so.  I took at look at the Contra Costa Water District website.  At first glance your eyes are drawn to the CCWD Lawn to Garden Rebate Program which states “The rebate is $1.00 per sq. ft. with a maximum of $1,000 per single family residence and up to $20,000 for commercial, homeowner associations, industrial and institutional properties.”  What you might not notice folks is the paragraph entitled Potential Federal Tax on Rebates.  That’s right folks, the CCWD will issue a IRS 1099 tax form which you will have to disclose as income when you file your tax forms next year.

CCWD directors also cut a back door deal with the state, agreeing to drop objections to Gov. Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels proposal if the state provides enough upstream water to mitigate an expected increase in salinity if the project proceeds.   Time to replace those directors as well as asking any candidate for local or state office where they stand on this vital issue.

Fortunately,  Contra Costa and San Joaquin County Counties and several environmental organizations filed suit in San Joaqiuin County Superior Court to stop the Metropolitan Water District from purchasing five Delta island tracts which would aid Gov. Brown’s proposed twin tunnels plan, dubbed “Delta Peripheral Canal plan revisited”  a former failed plan to ship our water south.

Additionally, Senate Bill 1713 introduced by Assembly Member Susan  Eggman (D-Stockton), Principal coauthor Senator Wolk and coauthored by Assembly members Baker, Bonilla, Cooley, Cooper, Frazier, McCarty and Olsen would prohibit the construction of a peripheral canal unless authorized by an initiative voted on by the voters of California on or after January 1, 2017 for any infrastructure project that conveys water directly from a diversion point in the Sacramento River to pumping facilities of the State Water Project at the federal Central Valley Project south of the Delta. The bill also requires the Legislative Analyst’s Office to complete a economic feasibility analysis prior to a vote.

NOTE:  In May 2015, the Antioch City Council mandated that residents reduce water consumption by 28%, not water outdoor plants more than three days a week,  not water between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.  or wash driveways, sidewalks or other hard surfaces with hoses that don’t have a shut-off  nozzle, etc.  Restaurants were told not to serve water unless requested by the customer  and residents advised to report violators who would be fined $100 per day for the first violation, and up to $500 a day for continuing violations.  The ordinance has not as yet been redacted.

Council is holding a public hearing on May 24 to raise numerous rates, one of which is water usage.  Is that due to reduced water revenues from water restrictions or transfer of water funds into the General Fund?