Be Cool By The Pool this hot Labor Day weekend and say good-bye to summer at the Antioch Water Park.  Hours are 11:00am to 6:00pm Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  All five slides are operating and each pool provides a unique swimming experience.  You can swim laps and exercise, play with your toddlers and young children, stand and splash while the kids ride the slides, and challenge the floating lily pads in the sport pool.

Need a place for a last minute Birthday party or family get-together?  Let the friendly staff at Antioch Water Park help you this weekend.  For more information please contact the Water Park 776-3070 or visit their page on the City’s website.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

A mistake was made in the phone number for Appointed Antioch School Board Trustee Fernando Navarro in the September issue of the Antioch Herald, which arrived in mailboxes, this week. The correct phone number for his campaign is (925) 727-6357.

I apologize for not having the correct the number in his ad, which he provided us before we went to print.

By Tom Lamothe, Coordinator, Antioch Sports Legends

As in the past decade, the Antioch Historical Sports Legends Museum’s Hall of Fame class is amazingly full of talented athletes, a spectacular team, an exceptional coach and a community leader dedicated to bettering our city through sports.

The 10th Anniversary, 2016 Hall of Fame Gala induction class is no exception. They will be honored at the annual Gala on Saturday, October 8th.

This Hall of Fame class has many accomplishments to be honored. We begin with Antioch High’s legendary Golf Coach Joe Gambetta, who’s unparalleled coaching success enjoyed at least 15 league championships in 31 years of coaching.

Then, Bob Beswick, a community leader dedicated to improving our city by helping start, Antioch Little League, our Sutter Delta hospital, the Antioch Community Investment Fund and more. Also being honored will be the 1979 Track & Field Team, believed by Hall of Fame Coach Mike Hurd, as the greatest Antioch High Track & Field Team of all time.

As in so many previous Hall of Fame classes the Antioch Sports Legends is inducting a professional athlete and this year it’s, former NFL Chicago Bear, two-time BYU All-American and Antioch High linemen class of 1990’s, Evan Pilgrim. Also representing the NFL is AHS class of 1972’s Rich Hall. Besides having a high school football career as one of Northern Cal’s best linemen and championship years at University of Arizona, Rich is now in his 13 year as an NFL Umpire. Rounding off the football inductees will be Antioch High’s 1950’s, All-Northern California defensive tackle, 6′ 185 pound Ray Salazar.

The 2016 Class will also be remembered as the night of the Wolverine, as two Deer Valley High athletes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, high school All-American Volleyball player and Cal Bear Pac 10 honorable mention, Gabrielle Abernathy and  2000 North Coast “Player of the Year” by Sports Focus, and St Mary’s soccer player, Niles Almarinez.

Many like to think Antioch’s a football town. Just don’t tell the 13 AA and above Antioch natives who played baseball in the bigs or chased the dream. Continuing Antioch’s baseball legacy are three outstanding ball players; 1992 All-California Interscholastic Federation softball pitcher Stephanie Andrews; three-time All-BVAL and AHS class of 1990’s, UC San Diego’s catcher, Al Del Favero and wrapping it up with Steve Ochoa who put on the burners after AHS and was first team- Junior College All-State in ’84, first-team All Pacific Coast Athletic Association at San Jose State and Philadelphia Philly’s free agent pick.

A wrestler will also be honored. Bill Dupree, of Antioch High’s Class of 1979, was the two-time North Coast Section wrestling medalist, and who as a freshman at Park qualified for North Coast, placing fourth.

Larry Lentz II, the 1995 volleyball “All North Coast Section MVP” and “AHS Male Athlete of the Year,” will be honored with the high flying pole vaulter, Mitch Mikula of the AHS Class of 1984, who jumped 15’ 6” at the 1984 California Interscholastic State meet and set the school record that still stands, today.

In the Hall of Fame’s special category of their own, are the All- Around Athletes, those amazing female athletes that varsity lettered in at least two sports at high levels, and male athletes in three. This year’s Female All-Around is, AHS 1994 “Athlete of the Year” Christine Brockett. Whether it was basketball, track or volleyball, Brockett rocked it.  A two-time, first team All-BVAL and team MVP in basketball, Brockett also held the long jump and triple jump records as the team MVP in Track and was 1993’s “Most Outstanding Defensive Player” in volleyball during her junior year.

The Male All-Around honoree is AHS Class of 1981 Doug Snyder, the two-time All- DVAL and team MVP outfielder in baseball and first team All- DVAL and honorable mention All East-Bay in football. While at LMC he received the 1983 All-State honors, and was the Major League Baseball 37th round draft choice by the Astros.

The Alumni Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, October 7, at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. Call Alumni Chair Steve Parks 925-550-3819 for details. 10:00 AM start followed by Alumni and new Inductees social from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

The Gala is October 8 from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, also at the Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center. For Gala dinner tickets at $65.00, mail your check payable to Antioch Sports Legends to Joanne Bilbo by mail at 234 Flagstone Drive Antioch, CA 94509 by September 19. Tickets will be mailed to you. You can also pay online at www.antiochsportslegends.com by the September 19th deadline. A convenience fee will apply. Or call Antioch Sports Legends Coordinator Tom Lamothe at 925-639-2536 by October 1.

Don’t wait this event has sold out for nine years.

The Antioch Sports Legends Museum is inside the Antioch Historical Society Museum at 1500 West 4th Street in Antioch. It’s open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

By Sergeant Tom Fuhrmann, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On February 14, 2016 Antioch Officers were dispatched to the Economy Inn at 520 E. 18th Street for a 16 year old girl that had been drugged and sexually assaulted. When Officers arrived they contacted an 18 year old girl from Brentwood and a 16 year old girl from Antioch in the parking lot and quickly learned the 16 year old had likely been sexually assaulted in one of the rooms.

Officers contacted a male in the room, 43 year old Cori Murphy of Antioch and two women, 27 year old Rose Ann Pennell of Bay Point and 23 year old Sarah Denzer of Antioch. The 16 and 18 year old victims described running into Pennell on February 13 and that she was a family acquaintance of one of the girls. Pennell invited them to her hotel room to hang out. When they got to the hotel, Denzer and Murphy were there, but the girls did not know them.

The girls were given alcohol and other open bottles of soda that they drank from and drugs, as well. The 16 year went unconscious at some point that afternoon. The 18 year old was dropped off that evening at another area business in an altered state of mind for her father to pick her up. It is not believed she was assaulted.

On February 14, when the 18 year old woke up at home she realized her 16 year old friend had been left behind at the hotel and she was concerned. She had her father take her to the hotel, where she found the 16 year old groggy and partially unclothed. The 16 year old victim had some recollection of being sexually assaulted and raped throughout the night by both Pennell and Murphy. Pennell, Murphy and Denzer all denied anything sexual happened.

Pennell and Murphy were both arrested without incident and booked into County Jail. There was no evidence linking Denzer to the sexual assault at the time and she was released.

On February 16, 2016 the case was presented to the Office of the District Attorney, but charges were not filed as much forensic evidence examination still need to be conducted to corroborate the victim’s statement.

On July 19, while examining additional evidence on this case an additional victim was identified. The additional victim is a 14 year old girl from Antioch and was drugged, sexually assaulted and raped at the same location on February 8, 2016. In this case Denzer was implicated as well as Murphy and Pennell.

Investigators had a warrant issued for Denzer and she was located and arrested on August 19, 2016. On August 23, the entire case involving both sexual assault victims was presented to the Office of the District Attorney along with DNA and other forensic evidence. The D.A.’s office filed 18 felony charges against Murphy, Pennell and Denzer. With Denzer still in custody the D.A. issued arrest warrants for Murphy and Pennell.

On August 24, Murphy approached an Antioch Police Officer seeking civil advice on how to get property back that rightfully belonged to him. During this encounter the Officer learned of the outstanding warrant for Murphy and took him into custody without incident. Before transporting Murphy from his arrest location Officers checked his purple Plymouth Voyager van and located a 32 year old Martinez woman in the back of his van. She was incoherent and was partially disrobed. She was taken to the hospital for an exam and this incident is currently being further in

vestigated.

On Saturday, August 27, Pennell was taken into custody on the warrant in Washington state. Antioch Investigators responded to Washington, where they interviewed her and transported her back and booked her into the Contra Costa County Jail. Murphy, Pennell and Denzer are being held in the Contra Costa County Jail and their bail is $4,000,000 each.

The case is still being investigated by the Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau. No further information will be released at this time.

If there are any unknown additional victims of Murphy, Pennell and Denzer, we ask that they reach out to our Investigator.  Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Perkinson with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6932. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Sergeant William Dee, Antioch Police Patrol Division

On Thursday, September 1, 2016, at 6:02 pm, Antioch Police were called to the area of Lone Tree Way at James Donlon Blvd regarding an injury accident. According to the reporting party at least one male victim was partially ejected but still inside his vehicle.

Upon arrival, we learned a male subject in a Honda Accord had been driving east on James Donlon Blvd approaching the intersection of Lone Tree Way. According to witnesses, the male appeared to be having a seizure and lost control of his vehicle. He crossed the median and collided with a light pole shearing it from its base. His vehicle continued east in the westbound lanes and collided with another vehicle head on.

Inside that vehicle were a 39-year-old female and her 5-year-old daughter. The adult female suffered minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital for complaint of pain. The male did not appear to be wearing his seatbelt and was thrown into the passenger side windshield. He was partially ejected causing severe injuries.

Several bystanders helped to pull him from the vehicle and remained with him until medical units arrived. The male was taken to John Muir Medical Center via ambulance where he remains in critical but stable condition.

Any further information will be provided by the Investigations Bureau at (925) 779-6939. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Sergeant Rick Smith, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Wednesday night, August 31, 2016 at 11:45 p.m., Antioch Officers responded to a residence in the area of Green Hills Circle after several area residents reported hearing gunshots. Upon arrival, a 35 year old male resident was contacted and several spent casings were located in front of his house. The resident reported that he saw a subject tampering with vehicles in his driveway. The resident armed himself with a handgun and attempted to confront the subject. The subject in the driveway produced a handgun, as well and both exchanged several rounds in the driveway at each other. The subject fled and was not located.

The resident and other occupants of the house were not injured, but the resident himself was arrested after it was discovered he was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Narcotics evidence was also located at the residence.

As Officers were investigating the shooting on Green Hills Circle, unknown occupants in a vehicle dropped off a 21 year old female gunshot victim in the area of Patricia Drive. Arriving officers called for emergency medical and she was transported to an area hospital and is listed in stable condition. It’s not confirmed at this time if both incidents are connected.

No further information will be released at this time.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Antioch Police at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Allen Payton

While attending Antioch High School, Anthony C. Ferrante took a film course at Los Medanos College. The movie director, who gained fame with his four Sharknado films, has been back in Antioch, over the past two weeks, filming a TV thriller entitled Forgotten Evil.

“My very first film I shot at the El Campanil Theatre but the lights went out,” Ferrante said in an interview this week. “I shot a whole other horror film in the basement and at the Riverview Lodge.”

“I filmed a lot of different things in Antioch,” he added.

Besides his course at LMC, Ferrante earned his liberal arts degree in film studies from San Francisco State. He also used to be the entertainment critic for Antioch’s former Ledger-Dispatch newspaper, for years.

He shared how the idea of returning to his hometown came about.

“I actually had been trying to find something I could do in Antioch for awhile,” Ferranted stated. “We shot for a day in San Francisco for Sharknado 4. Then after I said ‘Let’s drive back through Antioch on our way back to L.A.’”

“I forgot how cool downtown was,” he offered.

That was earlier this year. Then he was asked to direct his latest film.

“When this project happened, they asked me where I wanted to shoot. I said ‘why don’t we look at Antioch,’” Ferrante said. “I got to revisit the place I did my first short films.”

“I wrote the script four weeks ago, and I kept thinking about Antioch and it was perfect,” he continued.

So, he and his crew arrived a few weeks ago and began recruiting family, friends and other local residents to be extras in the film

“We shot a few days at the high school. We changed the script to fit where we were shooting,” Ferrante explained. “We decided to call Antioch, Antioch in the script. But we’re also shooting in a coastal city.”

They also shot at the site of his first film, El Campanil  Theatre.

“One of our producers back in L.A. said they were stunned at how good the theater looked,” he stated. “It’s such a beautiful downtown. Film companies are always looking for places that are easy to do it without a lot of hassle.”

Ferrante said he is “hoping by setting the movie in downtown that other movies will be made here.”

“It still has a small town feel and attitude,” he added.

Ferrante offered his appreciation and thoughts about Antioch.

“Everything you’re trying to do to revitalize it, like the concerts,” he offered. “It looks like you’re looking at a town out of time. It’s just gorgeous.”

He wanted people to know “how supportive and how positive that everyone has been.”

“It’s been really cool,” Ferrante stated. “A lot of friends have been coming out and hanging out. Every time we’ve turned around there’s been generosity.”

He was grateful for the support of the Antioch Police, the Chief, the Antioch High School, the principal, Louie Rocha.

“We also used Martin Gonsalves’ law offices,” he explained. “Rick Carraher of the El Campanil has been amazing. City hall has been great getting us the permits and allowing us to shoot here. Lynn [Kutsal, owner] of Nature’s Bounty has been catering for us and making great food. The carrot cake with cream cheese on top has been the best thing ever. The enchilada chicken salad everyone just loved.”

“This all kind of worked out,” Ferrante continued. “We used the locals for extras. We’ve been low maintenance for the most part.”

On Monday, August 22nd they filmed inside and outside of the El Campanil Theatre, including in the basement in one of the “creepy rooms” in the front of the building, as described by a member of the film crew. That was also when they needed the most extras, to play members of the audience inside the auditorium. About 100 residents were there. A few were asked to remain for the shooting of the outside scenes. The extras were paid $10 per hour for their participation.

They also shot some of the footage at the Antioch Police Facility and the marina, this week.

Today and Friday will be their last days of filming, in Antioch.

“Then we’re done and start working on editing,” Ferrante said.

The main actors of Forgotten Evil include Masiela Lusha, who was also in Sharknado 4, but gained her fame as the daughter of George Lopez in the comedian’s TV series.

Ferrante shared more about his movie making.

“I started the [Forgotten Evil] script in mid-June,” he explained. “The company came to me with a bunch of thrillers. I picked out the one I was most interested in and gave it some treatment.”

“Sharknado 4 we started in February and delivered it to the network in July,” Ferranted shared. “It was a very short time period for making a movie.”

Asked about when we can see Antioch in his new movie, he replied “I have to have it finished by the end of the year. It probably will air early next year.”

The movie will be sold, once it’s finished. Ferrante isn’t sure yet to which company that will be nor on which channel it will air. But, he hopes to let Antioch residents see it, first.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to do some kind of screening or something,” Ferrante added. “Possibly at the El Campanil Theatre. That’s where we’d love to have it.”

Ferrante is married. They have one daughter and live in Los Angeles. One of his sisters still lives in Antioch and the other lives in Napa.

So, expect to see him back in town, not only for the screening, but hopefully more movie making in the future.