The highly acclaimed Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bell Ringers, under the direction of Steven Meyer, will return to St. Ignatius Church on Friday evening, December 16th for a glorious evening of music for Advent and Christmas. This is the third and culminating concert of the year in the annual Friends of Music series.

Plan to join us for this candlelight performance of the great musical works composed for boy’s voices and bells. Don Pearson, Musical Director at St. Ignatius and organist extraordinaire, will perform on the magnificent Rodgers Trillium Masterpiece Pipe/Digital organ.

Last year, over 400 attended this stirring concert. A free will offering will be accepted to defray costs of the concert and the reception that follows. For more information, or to be put on a mailing list for future events call Walter Ruehlig at (925) 756-7628 or e-mail walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan was justifiably criticized for vacillating about whether or not to evict protesters at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

I find the Antioch City Council equally negligent for once again not standing up to the neighboring city of Pittsburg, where the Seeno construction family, which operates under various names e.g. Discovery Builders, A.D. Seeno Construction, and West Coast Home Builders, rules the roost and city leaders jump to obey. (The Albert D. Seeno Construction Co. and Discovery Builders offices on Port Chicago Highway were raided last year by the FBI, IRS and Secret Service.)

Why was the Antioch City Council mute while West Coast Home Builders spearheaded a ballot measure to get voter approval to place 194 acres of the former petroleum tank farm west of Somersville and Buchanan roads, currently within Antioch’s limit line and within the Antioch School District, inside their urban limit line where they could develop at a much higher density. (Although Measure I passed, only 5,455 of Pittsburg’s more than 63,000 residents turned out to vote.)

Regrettably, Council’s lack of aggressive action, is similar to what happened when Antioch let Pittsburg annex the Baker property north of Highway 4 which became Century Plaza and Delta Gateway.

What can the City of Antioch do now? Trust LAFCO to make the right decision this time around? I think not. County Supervisor Federal Glower is currently a member of the LAFCO commission as he was back when Roddy Ranch was seeking annexation into the City of Antioch. Although that annexation was approved on a 5-2 vote, he and Gayle Ulkema voted against.

Antioch Chamber and the Antioch School District is co-hosting a FREE work study session to discuss the Linked Learning Pathway initiative and involvement of local businesses and community members on Tuesday November 15, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This is a Free Event and Lunch is Provided.

Staff from the District will provide an overview and answer questions regarding the Linked Learning Initiative. We will also participate in an activity that will gather and identify expectations that we have for our students in Antioch. The Linked Learning initiative refers to this expectation as pathway outcomes or a “graduate profile.”

This exciting event will provide a focused opportunity to discuss and develop a set of outcomes for our students in Antioch. This process will provide valuable input into the Districts efforts.

We still have about 8 spots available before we close registration – so if you are interested in attending and having your business represented, please RSVP as registration is first come, first serve.

Event Location will be provided to registered attendees only.

Antioch Chamber of Commerce
antiochchamberchair@gmail.com
925-757-1800

We’ll have to wait a century for a repeat of the 11-11-11 phenomena. Come to think of it, that might have been a bit fanciful, Saying ‘we’ that is. In my case I’d certainly have the last laugh on social security. For now, though, we can all boast that we experienced a “repunit palindriome.” How’s that for a mouthful? ‘Repunit’ means a number such as 11, 111, 1111 that contains only the digit “1”.

The number mania got me so curious that I looked closely at my odometer and saw that in 102 miles I would hit 111,111 miles. I hung a note on the visor to remind me to try and show my grandson the milestone, or if I’m on a commute, at least to honk and act crazy. Life is short. Why not recycle the teenage years?

True to to form, Las Vegas had their own way of celebrating 11-11-11 as 200 couples got married at the Little White Chapel. Here’s hoping that some of them have a repunit anniversary!

Antioch may have no wedding chapels but it was not to be outdone. It added its own exclamation to the calendar extravaganza by starting its fourth annual Veterans Day parade at 11 a.m. We had, then, an 11-11-11-11 happening. Best yet, though we had our drizzles, rain or sleet wasn’t going to dampen this affair.

One citizen shared with me the thought of the day; “Lord knows, our men and women in uniform put up with far worse conditions than suffering some measly raindrops. It is the least we can do to honor them.” I say amen to that sentiment.

Honor we did. There was a healthy crowd packing historic Second Street. State Sen. Mark Desaulnier attended as did Antioch Mayor Jim Davis, and Council Members Gary Agopian and Wade Harper and Antioch School Board President Diane Gibson Gray, Vice President Claire Smith and Trustee Walter Ruehlig.

There were four bands, motorcycle groups; representation from all armed forces branches; a dazzling array of civic marching units, all given an introduction by emcee and Asst. Superintendent of Antioch Schools Tim Forrester; Boy and Girl Scouts galore; an overhead helicopter; the splendid East County Military families float; a heartfelt poem by the Mayor’s wife, Sue Davis. Thanks go to Sue and her husband, Jim, and to those who served with them on the organizational committee.

Seems that it was more than the 11-11-11-11 fascination that brought people to the Parade on a damp day. You could tell from the cheers that this event has really captured the heart of Antioch. Plain and simple – they love their veterans.

Walter Ruehlig

Many of us could use a “second opinion” when we search through our holiday decorations in storage. What should we use this year? What would look nice together? How can we make our displays more modern?

Cindy Lin, a longtime Bay area home stager, is ready to respond to your questions – and for free – Dec. 3 and 4 at Empire Shopping Center, 5875 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, 1-4 p.m. each day at the Kirkland’s décor store. Kirkland’s is a new home décor store there, and it’s the first of its kind in the Bay area. Lin is the special guest designer for the store’s grand opening that weekend.

Lin will answer general questions décor questions about a room in need of assistance. Her advice is one-on-one, for 10 to 15 minutes per person.

It’s basically, “playing up the strengths and beauty of your home,” Lin said of how holiday staging (and any home staging) works. Lin’s own Bay area staging business is called Staged4More (at Staged4More.com).

And while Lin mainly stages houses to sell throughout the Bay area (adding the right amount of furnishings to a home to appeal to multiple types of home buyers), redesigning homes to make better use of owners’ own space for family and friends is a passion, especially at this time of year.

There’s no better way to start thinking about redesign than with all of our treasured holiday décor. Lin’s general tips for staging also apply to holiday, so here are a few ideas that can help with that red-white-and green decor:

· Color is essential – but not too much. “We need colors to make the space looks interesting but not so much color it overwhelms,” Lin said.

· Display and furniture have to be balanced. Too much, and you have the “overcrowded furniture showroom” effect, Lin said.

· Staging, whether it’s holiday displays or to sell a home, does not have to be costly.

At this free event, Cindy asks that people bring a few digital photos of the boxes for holiday display, photos of the areas where the displays will go, or general photos and questions for a key room in your house.

Come and see Santa arrive on the Polar Express at Sand Creek Crossing Shopping Center! Face painter, balloonist, Frosty’s magic show, holiday crafts and train rides will entertain families at Sand Creek Crossing. Bring your camera and take pictures with Santa!

WHEN: Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 from Noon to 3:00pm

WHERE: Sand Creek Crossing is located at CA-4 Bypass and Sand Creek Rd. in Brentwood, CA.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.sandcreekcrossing.com or www.facebook.com/sandcreekcrossing