KC Keller #38 is the 2017 IMCA Sport Modified champion and third on the all-time win list for the division. Photo by Katrina Kniss

By Don Martin II, DCRR Racing Media

Antioch, CA…After the successful Easter weekend event, racing returns to Antioch Speedway this Saturday night. The IMCA Sport Modifieds are back in action along with the Wingless Spec Sprints, Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks and Delta Dwarf Cars. It figures to be an action-packed show from start to finish.

After three events, two-time reigning IMCA Sport Modified champion Fred Ryland is tied for the lead with rising young star Andrew Pearce. The duo are just four points ahead of another young gun, Jacob Mallet Jr. 11 points back is Tyler Browne and 12 back is KC Keller. The championship battle is just getting started. Some of these drivers headed to Merced for the big money race two weeks ago. Ryland pocketed $2,000 for his second place finish that night.

Keller has proven to be a formidable competitor at Antioch since joining the action in 2015. It took him a couple of seasons before winning the 2017 championship. He seems to always be in the mix for a win, and his victory at the most recent race was his 13th at Antioch, keeping him third on the division’s all-time win list behind Ryland and Trevor Clymens. After notching third place seasons in the championship battle for the last two years, it could be that this will be his year to take it up a notch and win it all again.

Just as he was in Street Stocks and IMCA Modifieds, Tony Bernard #50 is one of the top drivers in Wingless Spec Sprints. Photo by Katrina Kniss

The Wingless Spec Sprints got off to a bumpy start for their season opener last week, which was won by newcomer Zack Neeley. Neeley was behind the wheel of the John Hendrickson owned entry. Hendrickson himself has competed at Antioch in Street Stocks, IMCA Modifieds and was one of the first drivers to get on board with Spec Sprint racing. Neeley was only making his second start in that car, and he had to hold off Jacob Williams for the win.

Running back in third was Tony Bernard. Bernard hails from Santa Rosa, but he likes coming out and racing against the competitive field at Antioch Speedway. Last season, Tony used consistency to finish third in the standings and only missed second by six points. At his home track in Petaluma, Tony proved to be quite a competitive Street Stock racer in the late 1980s and early 1990s before moving up to the IMCA Modifieds. He’d been away for a few years, but he’s proven that he still knows the fast way around the racetrack.

Early season favorite Bob Newberry had people proclaiming him the driver to beat in his quest for an unprecedented third division championship. Unfortunately, he started off with some motor issues last week. Bob decided to go out and take a green flag for the points. Somehow, he was still making some passes, but he ended up heading for the pits after being involved in a tangle with another driver.

Likewise, two-time champion Dan Gonderman seemed to get battered a little bit, but he still managed a fifth place feature finish. Division original Rick Panfili wasn’t as lucky as Gonderman. He suffered motor issues in his heat race and loaded up early.

Some people are proclaiming 2022 to be the year of the ladies in the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks. Women at the front of the pack are nothing new in this class as Denise McCown and her daughter Megan Ponciano are both champions. Melissa Myers has also claimed the championship glory. As for McCown and Ponciano, the third generation of the family, Aiden Ponciano, is doing quite well. He could be a threat to win this week.

Taylor DeCarlo #17 tops the rookies in the Hobby Stock division and is the third generation of her family to race at Antioch Speedway. Photo by Katrina Kniss

With three wins to her credit, Misty Welborn sits atop the standings by just six points ahead of Michaela Taylor and 12 in front of the tied Taylor DeCarlo and Jess Paladino. Reigning champion Larry McKinzie Jr didn’t finish the most recent race and fell back to fifth, 14 points out of lead.

Taylor has looked fast lately and ended up finishing a career best second at the most recent show. Some people are predicting that she could get her first win very soon. However, fellow female leadfoot Taylor DeCarlo is turning some heads after another Top 5 finish last time out.

She is the third generation of her family to go racing. Her father, Terry DeCarlo, Jr., races a Modified with his brother Nick DeCarlo and father Terry DeCarlo, Sr. There could come a time very soon when all three generations of the family run a race together. Prior to getting into the Hobby Stocks, Taylor got valuable seat time in Outlaw Karts and Micro Sprints.

Devan Kammermann #18d has all podium finishes this year as he ranks second in the Delta Dwarf Car standings. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Danny Wagner finally met his match in the Delta Dwarf Cars last week. NorCal star Michael “Spanky” Grenert ended the two-race win streak for the two-time champion. Wagner still holds a 16-point lead over Devan Kammermann. 26 points back is Jack Haverty. He leads Chance Russell by 16 points in the battle for third, while David Rosa is 22 points behind him. Wagner’s team includes Kammermann, Haverty and sixth ranked Ellie Russo, who got her first win last season.

Kammermann has a knack for picking up podium finishes, and he has three of them this year. He had a second place finish at the opener. In reality, most of the drivers who take the green flag in this class have a legitimate shot at winning, and Kammermann may be the closest to being the next winner.

Wagner brings an extensive amount of experience with him, but he’s also imparting his knowledge to a newer group of races. Those drivers are getting better with each start.

The racing action is sure to be entertaining from start to finish this Saturday night. The grandstands will open at 4:00 pm with the first race firing off at 6:00 pm.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $15 for military, senior (60 and over) and children (under 11) with children five and under free.

The CoCo Farms Antioch Speedway racing calendar has some great events lined up from now through the end of November. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Interfaith Ukrainian Peace Concert sponsored by the Ukrainian-American Coordinating Council, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and the Interfaith Peace Project.  The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday May 7th the Seventh Day Adventist Church at 2200 Country Hills Drive in Antioch.

The event is free with good will donations accepted. All proceeds go to refugee assistance.

There will be Ukrainian singers and dancers, an organist, professional trumpeter, Jewish Cantor, Filipino choral group, etc.

For more information contact Walter Ruehlig at (925) 864-0314.

Working on proposition for November ballot; would save $1,000 per year on average

Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer.

The only law protecting seniors and other property owner dollars against inflation and real estate is Proposition 13. The most your real estate taxes can be raised is 2% a year under Prop 13.

Presently Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer and several other assessors throughout the California are working to increase the homeowner’s exemption from $7,000 a year to $100,000 a year minimum. This would give every homeowner almost a $1,000 a year reduction in their property taxes.

Prior to Prop 13 passing in 1978 the homeowner’s exemption was 25% of the assessed value. That also is an alternative to the $100,000 homeowner’s exemption being proposed. Please stay tuned for a proposition that addresses this on our upcoming November 2022 ballot.

“We’re working with the Jarvis Gann group,” Kramer said. “If there was ever a time to help homeowners this is the time with inflation, increased values, and increases in interest rates.”

“The state should have indexed the exemption in 1978 but they were greedy and did not,” he added.

As this proposition develops, he will keep the public informed, Kramer shared.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Services in Reno Saturday

Scott Birmingham

Tuesday, April, 1965 – Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Scott Birmingham, 56, of Reno, passed away at home in his sleep on March 2, 2022.

Scott was blessed to be a double transplant recipient (kidney & liver) from March 22, 2013. His family will be forever grateful for the grace & kindness of another family in their time of sorrow to extend Scott’s life for another 9 years. Those years weren’t wasted – and he lived them to the fullest of his abilities, even when he had to go back on dialysis just a year after transplantation.

He was preceded in death by his mother Marianne Montano Birmingham. He is survived by his wife of 9 years Lisa; his children Kyle, 15, and Kendra, 23; his father Gordon; his sister Brenda; his brother Patrick; his aunt Jeannie; 2 nieces Jennifer & Emma; 2 nephews Ian & Caleb; and 2 grand nephews Mason & Benjamin.

Scott was born on April 13, 1965 to Gordon & Marianne Birmingham in San Diego, CA where his dad was stationed while serving in the US Marines. After Scott graduated from Antioch High School in 1983, he went on to study & graduate with a degree in Broadcast Communications at Diablo Valley College.

He had many many friends, colleagues and former co-workers who adored him. His sense of humor and good nature were well known. Special mention should be given to his care team at DaVita Sierra Rose ~ they were like family and they cared deeply for him. He was never just another patient to them – and they shared a special bond.

After graduating, he started his first job at KTVN in Calif as a Video Editor & Photographer, beginning what would be a 20+ year career in Broadcasting. After relocating to Reno, he went on to work at KRNV from 2008 – 2021, where he enjoyed editing video for the morning news shows and eventually created a film review segment called “4 Your Review”, of which he hosted and was most proud. He was also an active & voting member of the Las Vegas Film Critics Society as well as the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Scott was an award-winning short film maker as well as an award-winning Podcast host. He had deep roots in Reno’s film community and would often host, judge, moderate, and participate in everything film and movies. He spent several years as the President & Board Member of the Reno Film Festival and gave of his time to put on workshops and seminars to high school & UNR students the art of film making. To say movies were his passion is an understatement. He lived & breathed it every day of his life. He could – and did – talk about it for hours.

Scott became an Ambassador for Donate Life America and spoke to groups about the need, importance and logistics of becoming a donor – raising awareness. While he still had his mobility, he would participate in fundraising, go to the Reno Aces games to recruit & sign up new donors, and do the Fun/Run walks. April is National Donate Life month. The family encourages you to explore becoming an Organ Donor at www.organdonor.gov. As of this writing, there are 106,399 Americans waiting for a transplant. Please give the gift of life.

Services will be held at Walton’s Sierra Chapel (875 W. 2nd St) on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 2pm.

Donations or cards can be sent directly to The Birmingham Family at 2377 Red Maple Ct., Reno NV 89523.

To plant a memorial tree in honor of Scott Birmingham, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Service Details

Saturday, April 23rd, 2022  2:00 pm

Walton Sierra Chapel, 875 West 2nd Street, Reno, NV

Kaiser Permanente Advance Alert Monitor. Source: doctorsatkaisertpmg.com

By The Joint Commission, National Quality Forum for KP Nor Cal’s Advance Alert Monitor program for predicting risk, saving lives among hospitalized patients

By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

OAKLAND, Calif., April 19, 2022 – Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s life-saving Advance Alert Monitor (AAM) program – an early detection system that helps care teams predict when hospitalized patients are at risk for clinical deterioration – has been recognized by The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF).

The program has been honored with the 2021 John M. Eisenberg Award for Local Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. The prestigious national award recognizes those initiatives that improve patient safety and overall quality of care.

AAM uses a predictive algorithm developed by physician researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research that scans almost 100 elements from patient health records hourly at 21 hospitals in Northern California, giving clinicians a 12-hour lead time prior to clinical deterioration, permitting early detection and intervention.

“Advance Alert Monitor is another example of how our physicians and staff maximize our extensive clinical and operational expertise, our technologically advanced systems, and our integrated care delivery model to provide exceptional care to our patients,” says Richard Isaacs, MD, FACS, who is the CEO and Executive Director of The Permanente Medical Group. “By combining the groundbreaking use of predictive analytics with clinical workflows, we’ve created a Northern California virtual center that is saving lives by helping us identify patients in medical-surgical and transitional care units who may need expedited care.”

The output of the algorithm is monitored remotely by clinical staff who virtually observe all Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals, and who immediately contact the patient’s local care team in the event of an alert, enabling physicians and nurses to provide critical and potentially life-saving treatment more quickly.

A recent analysis of the program by the physician researchers who developed it, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found the system was responsible for preventing on average 520 deaths per year over a 3-and-a-half-year study period. It also showed a lower incidence of ICU admissions and shorter hospital stays.

“This award is a testament to the ongoing work of Kaiser Permanente Northern California to provide our clinical care teams cutting edge technology that enables them to predict and prevent serious complications before they happen,” said Carrie Owen Plietz, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our staff is intervening early and swiftly, providing the appropriate medical attention to keep patients safe with improved outcomes.”

Last year, Kaiser Permanente Northern California was recognized by the International Hospital Foundation with the Autsco Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety for the AAM program, which is in place at all 21 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals, with nurses handling more than 16,000 alerts a year.

How it works

KP Monitor screen. Source: spotlight.kaiserpermanente.org

AAM predicts the probability that hospitalized patients are likely to decline, require transfer to the intensive care unit or emergency resuscitation, and benefit from interventions. Early warnings could be helpful for patients at risk of deterioration where intervention may improve outcomes.

To do this, AAM analyzes electronic hospital patient data to identify those at risk of deteriorating and alerts a specialized team of Virtual Quality Nurse Consultants who determine if on-site intervention is needed. The virtual nurses contact the Rapid Response Team of nurses, which performs an assessment, and then works with the supportive-care team and the patient and/or family to develop a patient-centered treatment plan.

“Analytics tools allow us to use complex patient data to improve our care in real-time,” said Vincent Liu, MD, MS, a research scientist with the Division of Research, whose advanced analytics group developed the algorithm that underpins AAM. “They support clinicians’ practice by finding signals hidden within the electronic health record,” added Liu, whose advanced analytics group developed the algorithm with leadership from retired DOR investigator Gabriel Escobar, MD.

Nurses confirm AAM’s value

Vincent Emeziem, an ICU nurse at Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center, is part of the Advance Alert Monitor team at the hospital. He said he’s seen firsthand how the program saves lives, including a recent case where a hospitalized patient was declining rapidly and because of early intervention was rushed into surgery for a life-threatening aneurism.

“This program has been very useful, and a lot of patients have benefited,” said Emeziem, a Kaiser Permanente nurse for 18 years. “These patients are getting the care they need very fast.”

The success of the Advance Alert Monitor program is attributed to the integration of care, collaboration between the clinical care teams, and the early intervention provided to patients, said Dr. Vanessa Martinez, DNP, MHA, RN, director of Virtual Nursing Care at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “This advance technology and the expertise of our clinical care teams is allowing us to help those patients who are at most risk for severe complications and provide the necessary treatment to improve patient outcomes,” she said.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve almost 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. http://about.kaiserpermanente.org