Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla announced that her campaign for State Senate has earned the support of Assemblyman Jim Frazier, who represents the 11th Assembly District. That includes portions of Contra Costa, Solano, and Sacramento counties – including the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and portions of Pittsburg, all of which are part of the 7th State Senate District.

“I’m incredibly honored to have the support of my colleague Assemblymember Jim Frazier,” Bonilla said. “Jim’s leadership in Sacramento has been key to improving our state’s transportation system, protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta, and supporting worker safety. His endorsement provides my campaign with a crucial boost of support.”

Frazier’s support adds to the growing momentum of support for Bonilla. Since announcing her campaign for State Senate, she has already quickly earned the support of the following:

Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs Association, United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230, Concord Police Association, Livermore Police Officer’s Association, Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, Antioch Mayor Wade Harper and Councilmembers Monica Wilson and Tony Tiscareno, Concord Mayor Tim Grayson and Councilmembers Dan Helix and Laura Hoffmeister, Concord Treasurer Thomas Wentling, Danville Mayor Robert Storer and Councilmember Newell Arnerich, Pittsburg Mayor Sal Evola and Councilmembers Pete Longmire, Ben Johnson and Nancy Parent.

To learn more about Bonilla’s campaign, please visit www.susanbonilla.com.

Board splits on electing new leaders

By John Crowder

The December 10 meeting of the Antioch Unified School Board began with the newly elected board members, Walter Ruehlig and Debra Vinson, reenacting their swearing-in ceremony for the public. Superintendent Dr. Don Gill administered the oath of office to Ruehlig, while Contra Costa County District III Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho did the honors for Vinson.

Ruehlig had previously been sworn in by Smith, at an earlier meeting, that afternoon. Vinson was sworn in by State Senator Mark DeSaulnier at his office on Monday, December 8.

At the earlier ceremony, Allen Payton was the only member of the public in attendance, and offered his congratulations to both of the new trustees.

Two members of the public addressed the board following the re-enactment ceremony. Willie Mims, of the NAACP East County Branch, told the board that he would be watching them, and that he wanted to see money, coming to the school district under the Local Control Funding Formula, “go to the right place.”

Antioch Mayor Wade Harper thanked outgoing board members Gary Hack and Joy Motts for their service, and welcomed Ruehlig and Vinson to the board. He pledged his support for the school board, and suggested they arrange for a joint meeting of the school board and the Antioch City Council sometime during the upcoming year.

Following a brief reception, the first order of business was the reorganization of the board. Diane Gibson-Gray nominated Smith for the position of board President, and her motion was seconded by Ruehlig. She was confirmed on a 3-0-2 vote, with board members Gibson-Gray, Ruehlig and Smith voting yes, and board members Barbara Cowan and Vinson abstaining.

Gibson-Gray was elected to the position of board Vice President on a 3-1-1 vote, with Gibson-Gray, Ruehlig and Smith voting yes, Cowan voting no, and Vinson abstaining.

Before that vote, Vinson attempted to nominate Cowan as Vice President, to which Cowan responded she wouldn’t mind because she hadn’t yet served as either president or vice president. But, there was already a motion on the floor and Vinson’s motion could not be considered, until the vote on Gibson-Gray was taken.

Vinson explained her votes to abstain.

“Part of what happened was I did feel too new, and the nomination for President happened so fast,” Vinson said. “But, also that it should have been on a rotation basis and that Barbara was in line and should have been the Vice President, having been on the board for two years.”

As the board moved on to regular business, it quickly became apparent that there was a very different mindset with respect to the review and approval of expenditures than that held by the prior board. Over the last few months, Smith, and often Gibson-Gray, had been in the minority when it came to reviewing district expenses. Expense items were routinely passed with little questioning of district staff, as the board members voting in the majority stated they “trusted” administrative staff to make wise spending decisions.

At the December 10 meeting, board members questioned the financial impact of several items, including a property transfer, a contract extension for an agreement with Tobinworld III (a provider of special education services), a contract for milk and dairy products, several change-orders related to the improvements being made to the stadium, track, and field at Antioch High School, and travel expenses incurred by board members.

New board member Vinson was the first to express concerns about finances, looking for assurances that a proposed property transfer would not result in any costs for the district. She would go on to ask questions about every item pulled from the consent calendar. Further, it was Vinson who pulled every change order from the consent calendar, emphasizing that change orders equated to higher costs. On this point, she was strongly supported by Smith, who said that, with every change order, “we lose money for classrooms.”

Ruehlig was responsible for pulling the consent calendar items involving the Tobinworld and milk delivery contracts, which, together, were valued at almost $2 million for the next year alone. He called for a board discussion of the Tobinworld agreement, with information to be provided regarding their competitors, between now and June, when a new contract for these services will need to be finalized. Gibson-Gray and Vinson, concurring with Ruehlig’s concerns about the process used in negotiating service contracts, also said they wanted assurances of proper oversight of such providers.

Ruehlig also questioned the bid process being used for the purchase of goods, as the milk contract, he noted, appeared to be backdated ten days. He told staff that more advance notice for such contracts would be required by the board going forward. He also said that more information needed to be provided to the board prior to bringing contracts to them for approval, calling the information they had been provided with, “sparse.”

Not even the filling of administrative positions recently vacated by staff leaving the district or requests for board member travel to conferences were immune from scrutiny. Smith called for a review of the administrative staff structure and job descriptions at a future meeting. Gibson-Gray questioned the need for board members traveling to conferences.

Two other items addressed were AUSD communications with parents, and the Pathways program.

Julie Young, a regular attendee at AUSD board meetings, raised concerns about an automated call she said that she and other parents had recently received from AUSD. According to Young, the calls referenced an “information packet” that was supposed to be available at her child’s school related to a “parent training” meeting. But, she said, when she called the school, they didn’t know anything about it. Then, just prior to coming to the school board meeting, she said she had received another call canceling the meeting.

Young also raised a concern with the Pathways program. She told the board that, once an 8th grader selects one of the Pathways, they are being locked into it. She said that children in 8th grade cannot be expected to definitively know what career they want to pursue at that age, and should have the ability to change their minds.

Smith and Ruehlig both concurred with Young regarding the Pathways program. Although Stephanie Anello, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services, said during the discussion that it was not the intent of the district to, “lock kids in” to a pathway, Smith said she had spoken with several parents who told her that their children were being pressured not to change their original choice. Cowan raised another concern, that some students are forced to leave the Pathways in order to obtain a full range of elective classes. At the end of the discussion, Anello vowed to investigate the matter.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for January 21 in the School Services Building, located at 510 G Street. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.

 

By John Crowder

During the December 9 meeting of the Antioch City Council, Lori Ogorchock and Tony Tiscareno, the two candidates who received the most votes in the November 4 election, were given the oath of office as Antioch City Council Members. Because she received the most votes in the election, Ogorchock became Mayor Pro Tem.

Tiscareno was sworn in first by Mayor Wade Harper, and Ogorchock was then sworn in by Contra Costa County District III Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho.

Both Tiscareno and Ogorchock addressed the audience, comprised in large part of their supporters, following the brief ceremony.

Tiscareno began by saying, “I can finally say elected Council Member Tiscareno.” Having previously been appointed to the position, he expressed appreciation to the council for allowing him to serve for the last two years. Noting he had to run a hard campaign, he also said the campaign among the candidates was, “clean and ethical,” although, “there were some things in the press.” He thanked his wife and family, and the supporters who worked on his campaign. “My primary focus is public safety,” he said. He also expressed thankfulness that the city council does not get involved in infighting. He concluded by saying, “I’m looking forward to representing all of you.”

Ogorchock said, “Thank you to the citizens of Antioch for electing me to the city council…I’m here to represent you, and to improve this city, for all our benefit.” She introduced her family, and thanked them and her campaign workers for their support. “As you know, my top priority is community safety,” she said. She spoke about redirecting funds from the budget to increase the number of police officers and code enforcement officers. She also spoke about bringing well-paying jobs and businesses to Antioch, and about downtown redevelopment. She said that the residents of Antioch had spoken, “and I have listened.”

Several others addressed the newly appointed council members, and the council as a whole, during the meeting.

Supervisor Piepho prior to administering the oath to Ogorchock, congratulated her and offered advice. She told her, “It’s okay to disagree, but it’s not okay to be disagreeable.”

Diane Gibson-Gray who came in third in the city council race, but retains her seat on the Antioch School Board, said, “As a candidate in the last election, it was a pleasure to work with both of you.” She said that both Ogorchock and Tiscareno were, “upstanding and ethical.”

While each of the sitting council members, Monica Wilson and Mary Rocha, both congratulated Tiscareno and Ogorchock, Mayor Harper had extensive remarks. Speaking of the two new council members Harper said, “They both ran on campaigns of making our city safer.” He said that reducing crime and increasing public safety was the top priority for each of them during their campaigns, and was also the top priority of the entire city council.

Harper also said that the new council members had already begun to work, and that he hoped the new council would be able to attend a team building workshop together.

“My advice to this council is, let’s continue to have a listening ear to what the community is saying, and continue to be out there in the community talking to people,” he added. “Always put the city first, not our personal philosophies or political ideas. Always be prepared to make decisions by studying the material, by getting out there into the community, talking to people, getting to talk to staff, asking questions of staff, so that when we come forward, we’re ready to make those decisions.”

He also said that it was important to make sure the people in the city understood the reasoning behind their decisions. Harper then thanked the residents of the city for getting “two measures passed to improve our city.” He thanked the city manager for his leadership, the police chief and all department heads, and the city staff, at every level, for all their work. He expressed satisfaction with being able to put all city workers back on a full workweek. His concluding comment, was a request of the city council to, “always put this city first.”

Members of the public also spoke offering their advice to the newly elected council members.

Former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Allen Payton congratulated both Ogorchock and Tiscareno and then paraphrased two Bible verses from the book of Proverbs. Referencing Proverbs 18:17, he said, “One person seems right, until another comes forward and questions him,” and admonished the council members to hear all sides of an issue before coming to a decision. He also referenced Proverbs 12:16b, saying, “It profits a person to overlook an insult.” Payton said it was necessary, as an elected official, to, have “an open mind, soft heart and thick skin.” Payton concluded his remarks by telling the council that it was important to remember that this is the people’s government, and “our money you’re spending” and that, though they were in leadership, it was servant leadership. “Together we can make a difference,” he said. “God bless you.”

Willie Mims, representing the NAACP East County Branch, congratulated both new members on their election. He asked them to remember that they were elected to serve the total community, “Keep the total community…in back of your mind,” he said.

During the proceedings, Mayor Harper also paid tribute to former Council Member Gary Agopian. He said, “If he was healthy, he would have run in this election, and probably would have beat both of you.” Tiscareno responded, “Not probably, but likely.” Harper continued, noting that Agopian did not give up, saying, “He served until his dying breath, and we appreciate all he did.”

With the conclusion of all business listed on the agenda, the meeting of the was adjourned to a reception in the back of the chambers, and to the next regular meeting, December 16, 2014, at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are held in the council chambers at City Hall or can be viewed online via live stream at www.ci.antioch.ca.us.

According to a post on the Antioch Police Department’s Facebook page on Wednesday, December 10, 2014, “around 8:30 am, Antioch police detectives conducted undercover surveillance in the area of Lone Tree Way and Deer Valley Road. At this time a group of teenagers was observed possibly engaged in illegal gambling.

When detectives attempted contact, the group scattered and five male juveniles were ultimately detained and arrested. All five were found to be current Deer Valley High School students.

One was arrested for possession of a loaded firearm, one was arrested for possession of marijuana and probation violation, two were arrested for gambling, and the last was arrested for loitering.

Operations such as this are part of our continuing effort to increase the safety in and around Deer Valley High School and Deer Valley Plaza.”

By Lt. Aguinaga, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 12:40 p.m. a 53-year-old male was home alone, in the 4000 block of Via Dora Drive, working in his home office. His wife, who had just left the home, was notified of a motion alert on her phone from their home alarm system. This alarm was for the back of the house, downstairs from the home office. She called her husband who armed himself and went to check on the motion alert. The homeowner found two people inside his home, going through his belongings. He confronted the two subjects at gunpoint, and fearing for his life, fired several rounds from his firearm.

The two subjects fled from his house, still carrying some of his property. A few minutes later the subjects showed up at a local hospital, one of them suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. At the time of this writing it appears this suspect’s injuries are not life threatening.

Those arrested are:

1) 21 year old male; Vallejo and SF resident with a felony criminal history.

2) 19 year old female; Vallejo and SF resident.

The homeowner (victim) was not injured, although he is obviously quite shaken up by the incident. He is fully cooperative with the police investigation.

This information is preliminary as the investigation is still unfolding. No further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Investigations Bureau with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6926. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Allen Payton

During a brief ceremony at the Antioch School Services Building on Wednesday afternoon, Walter Ruehlig was given his oath of office as a new Board Trustee. Following that, Debra Vinson, who was given her oath of office by State Senator Mark DeSaulnier on Monday, signed and submitted an affidavit confirming her oath and then took her seat on the dais with the rest of the board.

Because the two 0ut-going board members, former Board President Joy Motts and former Vice President Gary Hack, stepped down, last Friday, Board Trustee Claire Smith was given the responsibility to act as President at the meeting, until the reorganization of the board later in the evening. She said that was because she was the longest-serving board member.

No members of the public attended the meeting. But, a re-enactment ceremony was held later in the evening, before the regular board meeting, so the public could attend and watch.

Please check back later for a more complete article.

 

By Allen Payton

The winners in the November election for the Antioch School Board, Walter Ruehlig and Debra Vinson, will take their seats in a late afternoon oath of office ceremony on Wednesday, December 10, 2014. It will be held at 4:45 p.m. so they can participate in a Work Study Session at 5:15 p.m. and a brief closed session meeting at 6:15 p.m., before the regular meeting at 7 p.m.

However, at 6:30 p.m., they’ll do it again, as a re-enactment for the public who can’t attend the 4:45 p.m. real ceremony, followed by a brief reception before the regular board meeting begins.

According to Nancy Belleci, Superintendent Don Gill’s Senior Executive Assistant, who responded on his behalf in an email, on Tuesday, “The same format has been used for December meetings…[for]…almost eight years.”

Both ceremonies and the regular meeting, will be held in the School Services Building, at 510 G Street in downtown Antioch. But, you must attend in person to watch them, because unlike the Antioch City Council meetings, the school board meetings are neither televised nor live streamed online, yet.

For a copy of the complete meeting agenda, please click here.

By John Crowder

The Antioch Corps of the Salvation Army has an urgent need for volunteers to participate as Bell Ringers for their annual Red Kettle Campaign.

Lieutenant Connie Hall, Commander of the Antioch Corps, explained the need at the weekly meeting of the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch at their weekly, 7:00 a.m. meeting at Denny’s Restaurant on Tuesday, December 9. “People are very generous,” she said, “but we are experiencing an acute shortage of volunteer Bell Ringers.” With only two weeks to go for the campaign, she said, “without more volunteers to man the red kettles, we’ll be several thousand dollars behind on this important fund-raiser. That would mean having to cut programs, something I never want to say.”

Following the meeting, Hall provided Herald staff with a tour of the Salvation Army facility, located at 620 East Tregallas Road, and spoke about the Red Kettle Campaign and the work that the Salvation Army does for the local community.

Hall said that the vast majority of the Salvation Army’s support is derived from donor contributions received in the local community. They look to local volunteers, who work two-hour shifts manning the kettles in front of local stores that have allowed them to set up the donation kettles beside the store entrances. Hall said that, with a 100% volunteer campaign, the group could raise as much as $100,000 in contributions over a Christmas season, with $0.86 of every dollar going “directly to support the Salvation Army’s various community programs throughout the year.”

During the tour, Hall led us through the rooms where the myriad of community support programs are administered. They included a food storage area for their food bank, meeting areas for support groups, and a small classroom providing after-school care for local school children. She said they also funded summer camp opportunities for children, PG&E assistance for those encountering a financial emergency, and programs designed to help members of the community find employment. “We’re not just giving a handout, we’re giving a hand up,” she said.

John Sullivan, Immediate Past President of the Delta-Antioch Kiwanis, was one of several of the members of the local service organization who volunteered to help with the Salvation Army campaign. At 10:00 a.m. on the same day Hall spoke, he was out in front of Hobby Lobby, standing beside a red kettle and ringing the bell that so many recognize at this time of year. During his two hour shift, about half of those leaving the store made donations. Many young children placed donations in the kettle as their mothers’ looked on, approvingly. Each was greeted with a heartfelt, “Thank you, Merry Christmas,” by Sullivan, and most responded by thanking him for his work.

Asked about his volunteer effort, Sullivan said, “I’m retired, and my whole purpose now is to give back to the community. I think it’s kind of fun to ring the bell, and see people, and to see their generosity.”

People interested in volunteering should call Salvation Army Lieutenant Purnell Hall, Connie’s husband, at 925-778-0808, extension 12. Information about the Salvation Army can be found on the web at www.thesalvationarmy.org.

The Red Kettles and Bell Ringers began in the Bay Area almost 125 years ago

The red kettle has been an American icon for nearly 125 years. From Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, the ubiquitous buckets can be found outside thousands of storefronts in small towns and big cities across the country. They can even be found on your TV, appearing in dozens of movies.

Red kettles raise millions for Salvation Army programs that provide food, shelter, rehabilitation, disaster relief, and much more for people and families in crisis. Last Christmas season, nationwide, kettles raised almost $136 million.

Indeed, red kettles are a Christmas force. But have you ever wondered who started the red kettle tradition, where, and why?

Wonder no more. Below is a short history of the Salvation Army red kettle, one of the most timeless and successful Christmas fundraising tools of all time.

Origins

In December of 1891, Captain Joseph McFee of The Salvation Army in San Francisco, Calif., was stumped. He wanted to provide a Christmas dinner for 1,000 poor people, but had no way to pay for it.

Then, an idea. He thought back to when he was as a sailor in Liverpool, England, where on the docks of the city’s waterfront he remembered seeing a large pot into which charitable donations could be thrown.

The next day, McFee secured permission to place a brass urn at the Oakland ferry landing. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” Soon, he had all the money he needed to fund the Christmas dinner.

Two years later, McFee’s fundraising idea had expanded to 30 kettle locations on the West Coast. He’d grown the program with help from two young Salvation Army officers named William A. McIntyre and N.J. Lewis.

Soon after Christmas 1895, McIntyre and Lewis were transferred to the East Coast. They took with them the idea of a Christmas kettle.

Kettle explosion

McIntyre was stationed in Boston. During the 1897 Christmas season, he, his wife and sister set up three kettles in the heart of the city. Their effort, combined with others on the West Coast and elsewhere, resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the poor, nationwide.

Red kettles spread to the Big Apple, where the New York World newspaper hailed them as “the newest and most novel device for collecting money.” The newspaper also observed, “There is a man in charge to see that contributions are not stolen.”

In 1901, kettle donations in New York City funded a massive sit-down Christmas dinner at Madison Square Garden. The meal became a tradition for many years.

The rest, as they say, is history. Captain McFee’s idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but across the world. Although red kettles are not found in all of the 126 countries The Salvation Army serves in, they can still be found in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile, and many European countries.

Join the movement

You can be part of the red kettle tradition by signing up to bell ring.

Thousands of hours of ringing are available at hundreds of kettle locations across the country. Bell ringers raise an average of $30 per hour. In just two hours of ringing, you’ll raise enough money to provide a week’s worth of groceries for a family of four.