Family members of teen who died from gunshot at Deer Valley High following Jan. 31 basketball game speak, blame lack of security, police; school site security staff, principal respond; board members call for president to resign position

By Allen Payton

Accusations were lodged by members of the public against the board, district officials and the school principal of not caring, a lack of security and police at Deer Valley High School the night of the shooting that resulted in the death of 16-year-old student, Jonathan Parker, as well as calls for the resignation of the board president during an emotional, special meeting of the Antioch School Board, Wednesday night. (See the video of the meeting,  here).

The sparsely attended meeting was held in Antioch High School’s Beede Auditorium, which has a capacity of 1,500 seats, in response to the tragic incident that occurred on Friday, Jan. 31 following a basketball game between Antioch High and Deer Valley High Schools.

The one item on the meeting’s agenda was listed as Comprehensive School Safety Plans. But, what started out as a presentation of the measures currently underway for school site safety in the district, at one continuation high school and two middle schools, ended with emotional calls for the resignation of Diane Gibson-Gray from her position as board president by two other school board trustees and just flat out resignation by members of the public, complaints by Parker’s family members, and a school site safety staff member at Deer Valley High refuting claims of a lack of safety on the campus, that night.

School Site Safety Presentation Comprehensive School Safety Final Presentation 2.18.20

The presentation by school and district staff included discussion of restorative practice, building community relationships among students, teachers and staff, trauma informed training, the CARE Team and Wellness Room at Park Middle School and the Sandy Hook Promise, which “empowers students to end social isolation” of other students. Part of that will be the use of a new “Say Something” anonymous reporting system app, which will be introduced during the Say Something Week in March, according to Scott Bergerhouse, the district’s Director of Student Support Services. Students and staff will download the app to their phones so they can anonymously report something they see on social media.

“Within two minutes Sandy Hook folks will assess the situation and contact the local police department,” he explained.

Students will be encouraged to share what they know “with a trusted adult.”

Bergerhouse also mentioned that Superintendent Stephanie Anello and Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks, who was in attendance during the meeting and spoke with residents after, “are working on grants for police presence at sporting events.”

He also stated that Measure T, the bond measure on the March 3 ballot, “will increase safety” at the schools in that part of the district if it passes.

Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services, Christine Ibarra shared the comments of Deer Valley High students during a meeting she had with them.

“Students said ‘we don’t want more safety. We want more relationship and community. More building each other up instead of tearing down,’” Ibarra said.

Deer Valley High Incident More Important

But, two school board members and members of the public weren’t interested in all of that. They wanted to discuss the shooting at Deer Valley High, why and how it happened and what can be done to prevent it from occurring, again in the future.

In spite of requests by Trustee Ellie Householder to not focus on the Deer Valley High incident, but have the meeting be a more, broad discussion of school site safety, she and Trustee Cystal Sawyer-White attacked Gibson-Gray and staff, in what appeared to be efforts to pander to those in the audience.

At the regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, Householder said about holding the special meeting, “first would be just to review what our safety protocols at our schools and from a district wide perspective, board policy, board bylaws. Just overview of what our safety plan is”

“And then second point I would like to make is I really do like the idea of this kind of, because it’s not going to be a town hall because it’s going to be an official board meeting, right, but that kind of spirit and that idea to, you know we have, you know maybe three items,” she continued. “That’s reviewing the site policy, the district policy, and our policies and then having there be a, you know obviously, public comment, and then that could be a time where the public can come and tell us, you know, how they feel and what direction they think we should go in, and then from there we can, you know, kind of make, have there be an item for further discussion at a next board meeting.”

Yet, at the special meeting Householder said, “Quite frankly, I’m appalled we had to fight to have this agendized, tonight. This is a reflection on the board president. Board President Gibson-Gray failed to act. I’ll be asking for her resignation, tonight.”

Applause from the audience drowned out the rest of her comments which were about Gibson-Gray resigning as board president, not as a trustee.

“I’m concerned we’re not addressing Deer Valley High School,” Sawyer-White said. “Where’s the principal? The parents and family are here.”

“I would have appreciated a presentation on Deer Valley’s site safety,” she said later in the meeting. “The next steps would be to address that, tomorrow.”

Public Commments

Jerome Householder was the first to speak during public comments, referring to the board meeting on Feb. 12 he mentioned, “the eye rolling, the condescending behavior of the board members at last week’s meeting.”

“Where is the safety? Where is the security guard?” he asked.

The second speaker, Laneasha Lee, a mother of a student in the district and an employee at Deer Valley High said, “you guys got to do something and do something, now. You got to do your job because you’re killing our babies. Go get us some police officers during those games.”

Mary Lynn Peck then said, “there’s not safety in our schools. My daughter who teaches (at an AUSD school)…is frightened.”

“I am very dismayed,” she added, also calling for Gibson-Gray’s resignation.

One of Jonathan Parker’s aunts, Margarita Gurule was upset with the school district officials.

“He fought for 15 hours. None of you showed up to the hospital,” she said. “Why haven’t any of you called my sister? This was Jonathan’s first game he went to.”

Antioch resident, business owner and former president of the NAACP East County Branch, Joseph Adebayo spoke as a parent.

“I told my niece I could no longer pick her up because the guy that actually fired the shot was so close to my car,” he stated. “As we were driving out of Deer Valley…the cop car was driving in. It was too late. I told my niece I would no longer allow her to go to games unless there are police before and after the game.”

Another of Parker’s aunts, Aurora Solorio, asked “where was security? It took my nephew’s life. It allowed the kids to jump him and then kill him.”

“We have not yet heard from Deer Valley’s principal,” she continued. “This is not OK. You have resources out here in the audience willing to do whatever they can.”

Another family member said, “we haven’t heard from the principal. Is it because my nephew is a minority? You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Courtney Campbell Reich, a parent of a Deer Valley High graduate said, “we wanted to hear something, we heard nothing. Six days later the PTSA Board President asked for a meeting.”

She then thanked Anello, Householder and Chief Brooks “for responding to our email.”

“We need more police, better lighting and cameras that work,” she continued, then mentioned an “assault of a school volunteer” speaking of herself, “a football game brawl and now murder.”

Emily Woodhall, a counselor at Deer Valley High said, “I’m here to fight for the needs of my students because they are grieving the loss of their friend, their innocence, their loss of safety. At Deer Valley High School there are no mental health counselors.”

Willie Mims, representing the East County Branch of the NAACP, said “you have to show compassion to this family. I think you let these people down. I didn’t hear anything about the incident.”

“You had over $1 million in site safety,” he continued. “Where was your site safety? You’re spending money in the wrong direction.”

Dave Neal, a 32-year teacher in the district said, “I have a passion for our community. That’s why I’m not retiring. We do not have a comprehensive plan for the district. We need to come together. Let’s sit down together and have a conversation.”

He then invited the board to “community circles” that were to be held the next day at the high school.

Ayesha Hall said, “I told you if you don’t address this issue, this issue will come knocking at your door. I don’t think you can relate to what they’re going through” referring to Parker’s family. “Then we’re having the meeting tonight and you’re not even talking about Deer Valley. We need resolution, right now.”

Site Safety Staff Member Responds

Bob Scudero then refuted some of the comments that there was no safety at the school on the night of the shooting.

“I’m security site safety at Deer Valley High School,” he said. “Our school and our staff are hurting. We talked to John John 10 minutes before the game was over.”

Scudero said “I wanted to set the record straight…we had four security people at the school…we had staff, we had administrators, we had people..staff members from both schools” at the school, that night.

“I’m not making any excuse. There was no excuse for such a waste of such a beautiful human life as John John. And I’m not here to defend our system,” he continued. “But, I want you to know, I want the public to know as large as that school is, and as many people from both schools that were there, there was no possible way that us could have covered the whole lot, the whole property. I believe there should have been police there. That is something that needs to be taken up with the Antioch Police Department. The police were called that night before the incident. I know that for a fact.”

He continued to speak past his three-minute time limit, with the microphone turned off, but Gibson-Gray allowed it.

Scudero spoke of how he corralled a group of students and parents into a room on the campus and told them to stay there, keep the door locked and to not “unlock this door for anyone. I have a key.”

“I ended up with 30 people and I put them in lock down,” he stated.

“I can’t imagine what you feel,” Scudero shared with the family. “But I know my loss with John John and it’s tearing me up.”

Principal Oyebade Speaks

Deer Valley High School Bukky Oyebade then spoke, directing her comments to the family.

“You’re in my heart and my prayers,” she said. “I take full responsibility. We doubled the amount of security that night. There was security, that night.”

“I apologize for his loss,” Oyebade stated. “I talked to John John every day.”

Following the meeting she told the Herald she had reached out to the family, refuting the accusations by Parker’s family members, and that she wasn’t told not to speak to them, as had been rumored.

Board Members Respond & Argue Among Themselves

“I agree with Trustee Ellie Householder and I call for your resignation, Board President Gibson-Gray,” said Sawyer-White.

Trustee Gary Hack then shared his thoughts, saying “You say we’re wrong, we’re cold hearted, we don’t care. I disagree. I’ve gone to the memorial in the parking lot and prayed. It’s a very emotional situation.”

Trustee Mary Rocha was next to share her thoughts, explaining a lack of officers on the Antioch police force as part of the reason for no police at the game, that night.

“I’m a mother, like you are,” she said. “I’ve lost a son, too. We have all thought about the police and there are police at some events. We have a heck of a lot more police, now. If you want to help us, put the pressure on.”

Rocha then read the policy of the Bay Valley Athletic League, for which her son, Antioch High Principal Louie Rocha, Jr. is President of the Board of Managers, that even visiting teams bring their administration to the games.

“With all due respect, Board Trustee Rocha, it’s not all about the police,” Sawyer-White responded. “We have a LCAP fund of $1.155 million and that’s us, the board to allocate appropriately. If we hired teachers of color and counselors…there would be more of an opportunity for the students to relate to their teachers and their administrators. I’ve been addressing that for three-and-a-half years. I’m not seeing how we’re moving forward as a board, as the staff that we hire to address the students of color.”

“We should have had blueprints up here of where the incident occurred, where are the cameras, are we installing more cameras,” she continued. “These are basic steps.”

“No excuses. I’m sorry and we have to do better,” added Householder. “That’s it. It’s really that simple.”

“This is an ongoing investigation and Superintendent Anello is working closely with the police,” said Gibson-Gray. “We want to find out who murdered Jonathan just as much as you do. And if any of the kids out there, adults, anybody hears anything, I beg you to share it with the police. Because someone is out there who needs to be caught.”

“This has not happened before,” she continued. “As someone who has to run this meeting, I have to be composed. Have I cried tears for your son, nephew, cousin at home? Yes, I have.”

But she was shouted down by members of the audience.

“Please let me speak. OK. Fine, I’m not going to speak. To the family I give you my condolences. And I am so sorry there is nothing I can do to bring him back,” Gibson-Gray concluded, then calling for a motion to adjourn the meeting, as members of the audience continued to shout.

She then asked if there was anything else could be said.

“Is there anything we can add to this meeting, because it is an on-going investigation with the police,” Gibson-Gray stated.

“I have nothing,” said Anello.

Then Gibson-Gray returned to the motion to adjourn and even it passed on a split vote with Householder and Sawyer-White voting against.

SATURDAY, 2/22/20 UPDATE – Letter from Principal Oyebade:

In a letter to parents posted on Facebook on Friday, Feb. 21, Principal Ovebade wrote the following about additional safety measures at the campus:

Dear Wolverine Families,

I am contacting you to inform you of additional safety measures that were recently received from our district. Going forward, we will now have two additional site safety team members and two more site administrators. This will assist with supervision of student activities around our campus. We have reviewed camera placement and are looking to increase the number of cameras throughout our campus. Furthermore, beginning next month, the district is launching the Say Something app for the community to be able to anonymously report information that can be routed to school personnel, law enforcement, etc. Finally, our district is in discussions with the police department on how to retain school resource officers for daily presence on campus and supervision of games. Please encourage your student to wear their id at all times. This simple action will assist us with positively identifying our students.

Thank you for your continued patience with us as we work to enhance security on the DV campus.

Bukky Oyebade Ed. D.

DVHS Principal

Dear Editor:

With pride, A Cup of Jo Bruno (ACoJB) presents a bittersweet blend of warmth and sacred space while providing an opportunity for delta life to be recognized for the unique attributes to downtown Antioch. While currently homeless, ACoJB is building a community with the folks who know the rituals of delta living. As seasons change, the early morning routines will be met with fresh coffee, baked goods and special guest appearances from local advocates and funders of upcoming development in the area. Before the normal business hours of downtown Antioch, there is a unique opportunity to strengthen what has since been lost; community. Community builds family, and downtown Antioch has lost family along the way because we have forgotten our community. We seem to have forgotten a lot.

Antioch is a shadow of what it once was. It’s at the dark side of the moon. The tides keep rising and falling and the fish are still biting, but downtown Antioch is the hidden gem that seems to be looked over. Surrounding cities, and even mid/up-town Antioch are being developed where folks are spending their money in the newly acquired space. However, from Highway 4 to the Delta waters and A Street to Auto Center Drive, not so much. I could even throw in the Antioch Mall to this region of Downtown Antioch. What’s really going on folks? Maybe we don’t want new people here. Maybe we don’t want the oldtown feel to change. Maybe we don’t trust outsiders. Maybe we are just too scared to open our arms to something that will change the unique beauty of our culture. As a matter of fact, it very well could be because we are still fighting amongst ourselves and blaming others for our inability to accept our unique culture for what it is. But, regardless of the reasons or opinions of others, we need to develop downtown Antioch.

There are layers here. There are dark corners, shady ledges, and some low-down places along these delta lines. The homelessness. The drugs. The death along the tracks. The hidden secrets of women and the most dangerous of situations. The missing girls and boys. Drug and human trafficking. The beauty of small-town business and their owners. The unseen truths of trade and barter. The respect and honor held between strangers as they share a joint and enjoy the colors of our delta sunrise and sunset. There are those who smell of the waters from coming back from a fishing trip and others who are still sleepy-eyed, going out for their first attempt at fishing that day. The piers have lines dropped every day. You’ll find, in some hidden corners, an attempt to take a life, save a life and even birth a life in the marshlands of the delta.

We are all shades of ghetto and rock and roll. We love low riders with miniature tires and hydraulic jumps. Don’t get us started with the sideshows and loud music. Or the spray paint tagging you’ll find along the train tracks. The trains themselves are constant with their horns, too. Road hogs, Harley’s, and crotch rockets can be found in parking lots all along the water line. There’s the industrial side of things where the dust is kicked up from outside forklift use. The semi-trucks are constantly in and out of our driveways. The grease is on our knuckles, mud on our boots, and weed in our pockets. In a blink of an eye, we’ve seen two dispensaries show up. Thank you! But we won’t ever forget the backwoods dank. Bottom line, we don’t do much, but we do it all together. We watch out for each other. We keep our distance when we need to. We are as dysfunctional as any other community family and it’s about time we show the Bay Area what we’re about.

The laughter, the tears, the anger and pain. The love, the compassion, the secrets and rewards. The humor, the slang, the language and cultures. We are a breed of river rats with foul mouths and a don’t-give-a-darn attitude. We’ll jump from pleasant to ratchet in a split second then buy you a drink. We are the misfits, the rejects and troublemakers. We don’t listen well, but we know how to talk. We break rules, create new ones, and we’ll change them regularly depending on the situation at hand. Those who live, work, and play along the entire delta are a special culture of folks. Within that delta line is the small corridor of downtown Antioch. We are like none other.

Many are ignorant and blind to the street life, however. Folks are consistent with their failure to shut their mouths and open their hearts. Or their wallets. The privileged don’t recognize the pain of the poor but the poor is rising in community. Watch out, y’all. Soon, you’ll see community gardens providing fresh food for our local schools. How about innovated solutions for our homeless? A place for our youth to kick it? Or what about a comfortable atmosphere to explore some of that deep-rooted delta trauma we’ve experienced? We’ll have workshops and trainings available to help with mental health wellness. We need it because, the truth is, those of us with roots along the delta know it’s a constant struggle. The old family roots come with new beginnings because things are changing so rapidly. Folks want to heal their ancestral pain. The development of oldtown Antioch is inevitable, and it’s intriguing to see who’ll succeed in bringing us new business. Where will the community decide to spend their money when the new developments come? Will these new developments try to kick us out?

If you pay close attention to the community of delta life, you’ll find a breed of folks who’ll love you deeper than anything you ever experienced. We watch out for one another and if someone’s in trouble, we tend to rally together and help. We are dirty but clean when we need to be. Sometimes we fight. Folks will pull a gun, shoot out your tires, talk shit all day long, but come to hug each other after smoking a blunt. And seriously, be careful. You leave your car running while you run inside to get something, it might get taken and later found along the backroads with no tires. We have that red, sippy cup lifestyle with straws and drinks on ice. You’ll find us taking shots, talking shit and playing pool. We’ll throw some dice, flirt with the visitors and maybe even hook up with a stranger. We love to eat. We’ll cook for you anytime. We know how to get something when we need it. You’ll find survivors out here.

And, one thing is for sure, what you won’t find out here, along the delta, is judgment. Sure, we may not like you but we ain’t gone judge you. Sure, we may ask you to leave our establishment, but you’ll never be judged. Most likely, you’ll become a story we tell the locals. Or maybe you’ll fit right in and become a local. The thing is, down here, you could be a person of color or transgender and come across someone who is uneducated who uses a derogatory word. It might make you mad. Or even piss you off. But it isn’t because we’re disrespectful, it’s just, truth is, we’re a breed of folks who don’t care. It’s not that we don’t care about you and your overall wellbeing, because we do want you to succeed in life. Truly. But what it comes down to is that we don’t care what you do or who you do it with or how you’re doing it. Just don’t interfere too much with our lives. It’s no joke down here, at the delta water line. You’ll find culture alright, just make sure you’re ready for it because we’ll never change. Or leave. Don’t come down here getting your feelings hurt. We don’t want your Starbucks. We don’t want your corporations. We don’t need any more liquor stores or mini markets. We have enough hair solons, tattoo shops, and thrift stores. Let’s calm down a bit with all the churches, huh. I don’t really want to get started on the massage industry either, but please stop. And seriously, the solution for restrooms at the marina are ridiculous. We can do better than outhouses and cement buildings that resemble a prison cell. Antioch, we can do better.

The new developments will be challenged by the locals if it doesn’t already fit into our culture. Some folks have tried, and they’re no longer in business. Sorry, not sorry? Folks from other parts of the Bay come into Antioch, thinking they can add to it by creating something new. Not quite. Stop trying. It doesn’t work. Learn the culture and community before you build here. Learn the voice of the delta before you start telling us to change our ways. Learn the pain of our homeless before you tell us to leave. This is our home, too. Take our word, trust us. Listen to us. We know. We’ve been doing this for many generations, and there is a new vision coming. Work with us.

We ask that you learn something before you come into our hood and try to rebuild us. City representatives and the old money still in this town need to learn from us, too. Y’all think you know what we want? Come talk to us and I bet you don’t. I’ll throw my money on any bar to bet that you have no idea what we want down here. Or what our interests are. Or how we see our own community being developed. Honestly, in some situations, we’re still arguing amongst ourselves. The bottom line is that it’s time y’all start throwing your money where it’s needed. Come talk us. We have answers. We have innovated ideas and solutions for the millions of dollars you’re confused about spending for your community’s needs. The land that is owned by the city needs to be used for proper structures, programs, and development. We’re such a unique culture down here, don’t try to change us.

This piece is solely the voice and opinion of Jo Bruno, a Pittsburg native who has called Antioch home since 2002. She spent many hours along the tracks as a young adult, working in the deep industrial side of delta life. Jo’s lived experience and education allows her the authority on Peer Support in Contra Costa County. Currently a Peer Action League Member for California Association of Mental Health Peer-Run Organizations (CAMHPRO), she is advising on how to build policy so Peer Specialists can finally be recognized in the state. California is one of only a few states that don’t recognize their Peer Specialists, so Jo is advocating for more Peer Programs in east Contra Costa County. Jo Bruno is also working with Contra Costa County Behavioral Health Department, Mental Health Services Act, and advising multiple committees and organizations (i.e. 211, Health Leads (BALI) and more). Together, throughout the Bay Area, they are working on changing the stigma of homelessness and mental health while encouraging advocacy and self-expression to change public policy in Contra Costa County. Jo is a significant bridge between millions of state and federally funded dollars and East Contra Costa County. The system is flawed, and she believes we can make forward movement without disrespecting the already strong community in downtown Antioch. Starting in the early morning hours of Spring 2020, ACoJB will be open for discussion and solutions regarding the topics of how we can develop our city together.

Tony’s Beer Garden is established by a long-time entrepreneur in the restaurant and bar business. The opinions, discussions and projects are in no way associated with Tony, but the Beer Garden’s outside environment will hold space for discussion and event planning. It’s where we will fundraise, have open forums, and concert events to bring awareness to our unique culture. At this establishment, we will begin providing Peer Programs that Jo is establishing with an up and coming peer community, The Delta Peers. The Delta Peers is a collaboration of Peer Specialists throughout Contra Costa County who have lived experience within the mental health systems. We are peers who have lived experience with many platforms and systems. We are trained professionals who can bridge resources to the community needs. Tony’s Beer Garden is located at 809 W. Second Street in Antioch

Jo Bruno

Antioch

www.acojb.com #CupOfJoBruno – a long time self-publication platform for mental health wellness and healing trauma

Starting March 2nd through March 31, 2020, Tri Delta Transit will begin to accept applications for free bus passes for youth 19 years old and younger and attends a K-12 school in Antioch, Bay Point, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley, and Pittsburg. Eligible students will receive a bus pass good for 20 rides on Tri Delta Transit. You can request passes for up to three students.

1. What is School Pool?

School Pool is a program that encourages students in grades 6-12 to use public transit instead of a car to get to and from school. The Spring 2020 East Contra Costa County School Pool program offers complimentary introductory Tri Delta Transit bus passes for up to three (3) students per household.

2. Eligibility Requirements:

If your child is 19 years of age or younger and attends a K-12 school in the following communities, you are eligible to apply: Antioch, Bay Point, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Oakley, and Pittsburg.

A parent or guardian must complete the application, pledge that their student will ride the bus to and from school instead of being driven by the parent/guardian, and agree to complete a follow-up survey to assess the effectiveness of the School Pool Program.

3. Program Rules:

Complimentary bus passes are available for up to three (3) students per household, while supplies last. Each eligible student will receive a bus pass good for 20 rides on Tri Delta Transit. Bus passes will be mailed to the home address provided on the application within 1-2 weeks of approval. Lost, stolen or damaged bus passes will not be replaced. Falsifying information on the application will disqualify you from School Pool and all other 511Contra Costa programs. School Pool and 511 Contra Costa reserve the right to make changes to program eligibility requirements and program rules at any time without prior notification.

Application period: March 2-31, 2020

For questions about the Spring 2020 East County School Pool program, contact 925-969-0841 Ext. 1004 or info@schoolpool.org.

School Pool is brought to you by 511 Contra Costa and is funded by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority.

Antioch High School Principal Louie Rocha sent out the following message to parents of students about a possible gun incident on campus, Wednesday morning:

“Good Morning. This is Louie Rocha, Principal of Antioch High School with an important safety announcement. Earlier this morning, two students were involved in an altercation. During the altercation, a student dropped then retrieved what appeared to be a weapon. Both students fled the campus and APD is currently investigating. All students have returned to class and school has resumed its normal schedule. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.”

A call has been made to the Antioch Police Media Line for more details. Check back here, later for any updates to this report.

Monday, 2/24/20 UPDATE:

By Lieutenant John Fortner, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, at approximately 9:30 AM, Antioch police officers were called to the Antioch High School campus regarding a physical altercation between two juveniles. During the fight, one of the juveniles brandished a firearm. As the fight continued, the firearm was discharged and fell to the ground. One of the juveniles picked up the firearm and fled on-foot away from the campus. The other involved juvenile also fled off campus. As officers converged on the area, the juvenile who fled with the firearm was located and safely detained. The firearm used in the incident was not located. It was determined that no one was injured as a result of the firearm discharge.

During the investigation, all the involved parties were identified. The juvenile that fled with the firearm was booked into the juvenile hall in Martinez. Today, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, the other involved juvenile (who originally brandished the firearm) was safely taken into custody in the City of Brentwood and will be booked in the juvenile hall.

Currently, the investigation is still ongoing. The Antioch Police Department would like to thank the AUSD staff that contributed to a quick response and assisted with the investigation of this incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441, or Detective Torres at (925) 779-6925. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

There are two candidates challenging six-term incumbent Congressman Jerry McNerney, retired U.S. Marshal and L.A. police officer Antonio “Tony” Amador who is running for his third time and newcomer, financial advisor and decorated combat Army veteran William Martinek. I’ve compared the two to decide who to support and vote for. Both are good men and have already served our nation. Both want to serve our country, again as a member of Congress. Both offer a serious contrast to McNerney.

Martinek is from Brentwood and jumped into the race early, showing a sincere interest in serving the people of our district. Amador, from Lodi in the San Joaquin County part of the district, only entered the race after he met Martinek and thinks he would be the better Republican candidate. They have similar views on the issues: national security and defense, transportation, jobs and economic development, and working to solve the problems of illegal immigration and homelessness. So, the main differences are age and life experience, but also commitment to run a serious campaign.

Amador is in his 70’s, married, a father, grandfather and great grandfather, and has a long history of public service, which is great, and I applaud him for that. Martinek is a much younger, married father who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan defending our national interests, which I also applaud. He wants to take his energy to Washington, D.C. to work for us.

They both believe they can do better for our district than McNerney who is now in his 12th year in the House of Representatives.

But, the final, major difference I had to look at is which of the two Republicans will run a more serious campaign to replace the incumbent. In his first run for Congress, in 2014, Amador only raised and spent about $60,000, yet came within 5 percent of McNerney. Had he run a more aggressive campaign and raised more money to get his message out to the voters, Amador might have won. But, then in 2016, again waiting until the last minute, while the San Joaquin County Republican Party Chairman, he jumped in the race against Kathryn Nance, who had been campaigning for several months. Amador came in second in the primary, beating Nance by 2.6% of the vote, and making it into the general election. But, this time – during the presidential election year – he lost to McNerney by almost 15%.

If the Republicans hope to take the most winnable Congressional district in the entire nine-county Bay Area, plus San Joaquin County, it’s going to take a candidate who will be aggressive and raise the necessary funds, like Ricky Gill did in 2012, who raised and spent almost $3 million. But the candidate needs more life experience than Gill had, having just graduated from law school.

Martinek is that candidate. He’s serious about serving our nation and has already done so in the Army, and he wants to make things better for his family and ours, in both Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties. And he’s willing to do put in the hard work to campaign aggressively, and raise the needed funds to get his message to the voters so they can become familiar with him by the November election.

Please join me in voting for Republican William Martinek for Congress in the 9th Congressional District. To learn more about him read the Herald article, here and visit his website at www.williammartinekforcongress.com.

Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor

By Luke Johnson 

Lucky number seven is the charm.

After six-straight losing seasons, the boys’ soccer team at Antioch High School reached the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

The Panthers (13-8-1) have a fierce offensive attack with four players finishing in the top eight for goals scored in the Bay Valley Athletic League.

At the top of the list is senior striker Ian Scheringer, who scored 21 goals in 17 matches — far more than anyone else in the league.

However, head coach Conrad Diaz said senior goalkeeper Melvin Morales is the real MVP. Morales is averaging 0.917 goals allowed per game this season.

Diaz said the Panthers are only getting better with the roster full of youth. There are three freshmen currently on the varsity team — one of whom Diaz gave extremely high praise.

“I think he can be the Najee Harris of soccer,” Diaz said.

Freshman midfielder Alvaro Picon only played 11 matches, but made his presence known with eight goals and 11 assists. Picon is also part of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program — which recruits the highest caliber players around the country to train them to potentially play for the U.S. men’s national team.

The Antioch boys’ soccer program reached the peak of its success a decade ago by winning back-to-back league championships in 2009 and 2010 respectively — the only two BVAL Championships in school history. Shortly thereafter, the Panthers finished seasons with goal differentials of 17-48 (2015) and 25-89 (2016). This season Antioch has a goal differential of 50-20, so far.

The Panthers faced Division I opponents in the Bay Valley Athletic League but, will compete in the Division II bracket of the North Coast Section Playoffs. Diaz said this gives his team an advantage, because his players are battle tested.

Antioch will play at Vallejo High School (17-4-4) in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday evening. Vallejo has a goal differential of 88-29 this season.

“They scored 88 goals, but they beat a team 18-0, and they’re playing Division IV and V teams,” Diaz said.

The furthest Antioch has gone in the NCS Playoffs was the semifinal round in 1995. For Diaz, this his return to the NCS Playoffs after a 45-year hiatus. He last competed in the NCS Playoffs as a player with Mission High School (San Francisco) in 1975.

Millions of Americans could be rejected at airport security without a delay in REAL ID implementation date

Sacramento – Earlier today, Assemblymembers Jim Frazier (D-Fairfield) and Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), Chair and Vice-Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, introduced AJR 28, a resolution asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to delay REAL ID implementation for domestic air travel by at least three years.

“Over 7 million Californians have a REAL ID and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) estimates that 16 million Californians will need one by October 1st of this year,” said Assemblymember Frazier.  “That means more than twice as many people need to come into a DMV field office between now and October, than in the entire previous two years combined.”

AJR 28 calls for DHS to delay REAL ID requirements for traveling on a domestic flight by at least three years, allowing for a five-year cycle for most Californians to come into the DMV when their IDs expire.

“The DMV has failed on the implementation of REAL ID,” said Assemblyman Vince Fong. “We have already seen very clearly the many problems plaguing the DMV, which have caused undue frustration to the public visiting the department.  In order to prevent bigger customer service issues, we need to give California more time for implementation in order to reduce confusion for Californians and to prevent future travel problems at our airports.”

REAL ID is not just a California problem. The American Travel Association estimates that 72% of Americans do not have a REAL ID, and that 57% of Americans are unaware they need one to fly inside the US.  The American Travel Association estimates that 78,500 Americans will get rejected by airport security on the first day of REAL ID implementation and that the U.S. economy will lose out on nearly $300 million of travel related economic spending in the first week.”

Assemblymember Frazier represents the 11th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Antioch, Bethel Island, Birds Landing, Brentwood, Byron, Collinsville, Discovery Bay, Fairfield, Isleton, Knightsen, Locke, Oakley, Pittsburg (partial), Rio Vista, Suisun City, Travis AFB, Vacaville and Walnut Grove.

Take financial wellness into your own hands by bringing sensitive documents to shred at our free community event.

Be Proactive and Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

WHAT:          Travis Credit Union Foundation, with a grant from Contra Costa Census 2020, invites residents of the county to a free community wellness event. Residents are welcome to bring their documents for shredding, enjoy refreshments and also learn about the importance of the Census 2020.

WHERE:       Travis Credit Union’s Antioch/Slatten Ranch branch

5819 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531

WHEN:          Saturday, March 7, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

WHY:             Travis Credit Union Foundation is dedicated to empowering communities to build financial wellness and supports programs designed to reduce financial stress and keep communities safe from financial fraud. Shredding sensitive personal documents is the first step to protecting yourself from identity theft. Also, an accurate population count means the right amount of funding for school, health and housing programs that benefit everyone, which reduces financial stressors. Join the fun – gain knowledge, safely dispose of documents, and meet your community!