Cooper, Ryan, Hannagan other winners

By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media 

Antioch, CA…May 13…Jeffrey Hudson of Keno, Oregon picked up the win in the 25 lap Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the annual Larry Damitz Memorial race, paying tribute to the man who raced for over 60 years and was a champion at 87 years old. Hudson collected $1,000 for his effort along with a championship belt.

Hudson drew the pole for the Main Event and charged into the lead at the start ahead of Antioch’s Buddy Kniss. Following a Lap 2 yellow flag, Richard Brace Jr of Grass Valley took up pursuit of Hudson.  The third yellow of the race flew on Lap 11 for Peter Coberly of Atwater in Turn 4. As Hudson continued to lead Brace, Chris Smith of Coalinga settled into third. 

On the 13th lap, Smith slipped past Brace on the front stretch to take second. Recent Placerville winner Travis White of Fallon, Nevada put the moves on Brace for third on the 16th circuit. Hudson drove a flawless race as he lapped slower cars down the stretch and picked up the win ahead of Smith, White, Brace and 2021 series champion Justin Crockett of Arroyo Grande.

Brian Cooper of Yuba City scored the victory in the 25 lap West Coast Hobby Stock Main Event. Cooper, who is a past IMCA Sport Modified State champion, organized this series with Jerry Bartlett of Yuba City. Drivers from Hobby Stock divisions throughout the state gathered at Antioch with a field of 48 cars in competition.

As Cooper started back in the third row, Galt’s Clarence Holbrook III bolted into the early lead ahead of Bobby Motts Jr of San Pablo. An inside pass on the back stretch on the third lap moved Cooper into second. A yellow flag waved on Lap 4, and Cooper turned up the pressure on Holbrook on the restart. As they worked their way down the front stretch on Lap 6, Cooper moved to the inside and made the pass for the lead. Les Friend of Galt began challenging Holbrook for the second position, and a tangle involving Phillip Shelby and Cameron Swank brought out a Lap 13 yellow flag.

As Cooper led the way, Friend slipped past Holbrook for second. Holbrook came back strong to reclaim second on Lap 15, but Holbrook used a Turn 4 pass on Lap 18 to regain the runner-up spot. A yellow flag waved moments later, and Cooper continued to lead Friend on the restart. 19th starter Casey Gingrich of Orland moved into third late, and Cooper scored the satisfying win ahead of Friend, Gingrich, Ty Carlson of Stockton and Rob Gallaher of San Jose.

Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley won the 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event. This was his first career victory. Ryan competed in the Central California Clash Series the week prior and ended up second in the standings.

With a pole position start, Dylan Connolly set the early pace ahead of Jonathan Hagio of Prunedale. A yellow flag waved for a four-car crash in Turn 4. Connolly continued to lead the restart with Tommy Fraser of Antioch and Ryan moving into second and third. Connolly was doing an impressive job of leading the way in his pursuit of a first time win, and he maintained the point through two more yellow flags.

On a Lap 16 restart, Ryan started challenging Fraser for second before slipping past him on Lap 17. Ryan turned up the heat on Connolly before finding his opening on the back stretch on Lap 17 to gain command. Ryan went on to victory from there ahead of Connolly, Fraser, Brentwood’s Trevor Clymens and Kenny Shrader of Pacheco.

Joe Hannagan drove the Doug Braudrick owned Junkyard Dog Hardtop to the victory in their 12 lap Main Event. Front row starter Ronnie Ruiz of West Sacramento took the early lead ahead a Brad Coelho of Oakley. Hanngan motored into second on Lap 2. Bob Slaney spun in Turn 4 for a Lap 3 yellow flag. Hannagan took the lead from Ruiz on the restart. A low pass in Turn 4 on Lap 7 gained Coelho second from Ruiz. However, Ruiz kept it close. A back stretch pass on Lap 11 regained Ruiz second, but Hannagan built a comfortable advantage by then on his way to victory. Coelho settled for third ahead of Joe Shenefield of Modesto and Dave Reed of West Sacramento.

Patricia Robles of Rio Vista won the 10 lap Mother’s Day Minivan race, beating a field of four competitors.

Antioch Speedway will be open during the Contra Costa County Fair for two nights of racing. On Friday night, the Wingless Spec Sprints are back in action along with the IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Stock Cars. Saturday night sees the return of the exciting Figure 8 along with the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks and IMCA Sport Modifieds. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Antioch Speedway Race Results

Tri State Pro Stocks

FT Travis White 15.674. Heat Winners (8 laps)-Richard Brace Jr, Mike Learn, Jeffrey Hudson. Main Event (25 laps)-Jeffrey Hudson, Chris Smith, Travis White, Richard Brace Jr, Justin Crockett, Ryan Smith, Mike Learn, Paul Miller, Donny Richardson, Brent Lawrence.

West Coast Hobby Stocks 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Larry McKinzie Jr, Devin Koranda, Anthony Vigna, Colten Haney, Rob Gallaher, Bobby Motts Jr. B Main 1 (12 laps)-Les Friend, Philip Shelby, Grayson Baca. B Main 2 (12 laps)-Steven Johnson, Nick Johnson, Joe Gallaher. Main Event (25 laps)-Brian Cooper, Les Friend, Casey Gingrich, Ty Carlson, Rob Gallaher, Joe Gallaher, Clarence Holbrook III, Grayson Baca, Lance Hurst, Anthony Vigna.

IMCA Sport Modifieds 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Jonathan Hagio, Chuck Golden, Chester Kniss. Main Event (20 laps)-Jason Ryan Jr, Dylan Connolly, Tommy Fraser, Trevor Clymens, Kenny Shrader, Mark Garner, Chester Kniss, Joseph Pato, Matt Pitts, Chuck Golden.

Hardtops

Heat Winner (8 laps)-Joel Hannagan. Main Event (12 laps)-Joel Hannagan, Ronnie Ruiz, Brad Coelho, Joe Shenefield, Dave Reed, Don Slaney, Ken Clifford DNS.

Loneliness and isolation contribute to health risks including insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even a shorter life span.

Finding and nourishing friendship is the remedy.

By Lynn Mundell, Senior Manager, Writers and Copywriters, Kaiser Permanente

In early May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, released an advisory addressing the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” affecting the country and laying out a plan for advancing social connection.

While the news may have surprised some, Jessica Johnson, a licensed clinical social worker at the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, has seen the topic of loneliness arising more frequently in her practice.

Loneliness and isolation contribute to a range of health risks.

“Patients at our clinic are complaining of anxiety or depression, but not realizing how their basic social isolation is playing a huge part in that.”

Missing friendships

According to Johnson, the 2020 pandemic that started with shelter-in-place disrupted friendships. Over the ensuing years, people moved away, changed jobs or retired, began virtual classes and workdays, or withdrew from their social lives due to health concerns.

“As a result, people haven’t always had opportunities to build friendships or even maintain some of the friendships they already had,” she said.

Johnson said this shift has resulted in a lack of companionship for people of all ages, from new college students isolated in dorm rooms, to those working from home.

“Statistically we’ve seen that many of us really have our strongest friendships from our school days or through the workplace,” she said. “But when the pandemic hit, we lost that structure and connection.”

“Johnson added that seniors are also struggling to transition to a more virtual world, due to inexperience with technology.

“Most senior are not working anymore, and they often don’t have access to the virtual world that the rest of us do. Isolation and loneliness for them is tenfold.”

Making friendships

While it would be natural to blame the pandemic for the shift in friendships, the share of people saying they have no close friends at all went from 3 percent in 1990, to 12 percent in 2021, according to the World Economic Forum.

It may be difficult to pinpoint all of the reasons behind the decades-long decline, and instead more constructive to coach people in friendship-making. Johnson has a number of practical ideas.

• Reach out

Haven’t heard from a friend in a while? Pick up the phone and say hello. Schedule regular calls with loved ones. If everyone is comfortable, schedule a trip to catch up in person. “Who in your life offers you comfort, validation, or recognition?” Johnson asked. “Those are the people to seek out.”

• Take the lead

Invite a new or old friend to lunch. Organize a neighborhood block party, book group, or crafting circle. “We’re all hungry for some more social interaction,” Johnson said. “It’s OK to be the one who initiates it, because more than likely the person you’re asking is also really in need of a friend.”

• Get out there

Friendships can be founded on shared interests. Take a class or volunteer in your community. After you make a new friend, initiate a coffee date. Johnson said if you have social anxiety, ask questions. “People love to talk about themselves.”

• Ask for help

“Sometimes the people in your life can’t give you direction or don’t know the answers,” Johnson said. If you’re lonely and having difficulty connecting with others, she recommends support and therapy groups — another place where she has seen friendships grow.

Johnson said friendships matter, for what they do for us and for how they make us feel.

“Friends give us access to others, to resources, and to opportunities from work to dating,” she said. “We are hardwired to feel, be seen and heard, and to be valued. A good majority of our most important relationships are with our friends.”

Introduces 2023 Student Delegates

The Antioch-Chichibu Sister City Organization is excited to announce that we are back! After a short hiatus due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic, we are up and running again!

The Antioch/Chichibu Sister City Organization is a volunteer, non-profit organization comprised of interested citizens in both cities.

We are hosting a fun filled day at Chichibu Park on May 20th from 10am-3pm. Our activities will include a park clean up, fun kids’ games, snacks for sale, voting on our new organization logo, as well as local vendors and a community garage sale. We are still accepting vendors and garage sellers. We look forward to meeting and sharing information about our organization with many community members on Saturday!

The purpose of the organization is to give citizens of Antioch and Chichibu the opportunity to experience each other’s country and culture. The benefits of our program include the making of many friends between the two cities. We alternate years with Chichibu to send delegations to each other’s city for a roughly two-week home-stay. We last hosted our friends from Chichibu in 2018! This being an odd year, it is our turn to send a delegation to Chichibu. Our visit is scheduled for July 13th to the 23rd.

We have elected a new board: President Antwon Webster, Vice President Jessica Davis, Treasurer Jim Davis, Secretary Grace Mangaoang, Public Relations Abe Rodriguez, Board Member Cheryll Newberry, Board Member Margaret Skupa.

Our student delegates are: Noah Engle-Senior Antioch High, CoraRose Adams-Junior Antioch High, Albert Wong-Junior Antioch High, Abigail Monfil-Sophomore Antioch High, Madilyn Davis-Sophomore Antioch High, Haylee Wong-Sophomore Clayton Valley Charter High, Zion Engle-Sophomore Prospects High, Hillary Tam-Freshman Dozier Libby High, Alexander Ferguson-8th Grade Antioch Charter Academy

Our adult delegates are Antwon Webster, Jessica Davis, Cheryll Newberry, Grace Mangaoang, Abe Rodriguez and Tom Stinson.

Robert Sedlar of Grand View Financial LLC which operated in the counties of Contra Costa, San Diego, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Placer, Solano, Mendocino, San Francisco, El Dorado, and Sacramento. 

OAKLAND —  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday, May 12 the former president of a purported mortgage “investment” company, Robert Sedlar, has been convicted of 100 felony counts for operating a mortgage fraud scheme throughout California. The scheme resulted in a combined loss of over $7 million. The victims, including people who were elderly and in financial distress, sought mortgage relief services from Grand View Financial LLC in the counties of Contra Costa, San Diego, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Placer, Solano, Mendocino, San Francisco, El Dorado, and Sacramento. The operators of Grand View Financial—Steven Rogers, Robert Sedlar, and Audrey Gan—were previously indicted by a grand jury in the Sacramento Superior Court for conspiracy, grand theft, elder abuse, filing false or forged documents in a public office, and engaging in a prohibited act as a foreclosure consultant. Steve Rogers and Audrey Gan entered guilty pleas before trial, and Robert Sedlar, president of the company, proceeded to trial in March 2023 on all counts. Today, Robert Sedlar was found guilty of Conspiracy as well as multiple counts of Filing a False Document, Grand Theft, Elder Abuse, and Prohibited Acts by a Foreclosure Consultant. He will be sentenced on July 21, 2023.

“Let this be a strong warning to anyone seeking to steal people’s hard-earned money: We will find you, and we will hold you accountable,” said AG Bonta. “Individuals who prey on vulnerable communities to enrich themselves will be held accountable by the California Department of Justice. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who disregard the rule of law.”

Between 2015 and 2019, the defendants conspired to steal money and homes from distressed homeowners using a company called Grand View Financial LLC. The company advertised assistance to desperate homeowners facing foreclosure. The defendants promised consumers that if they transferred title of their house to Grandview Financial and paid money, the company would eliminate the mortgage lien and deed the home back to the homeowner, clear of any liens. During this time, the defendants filed false court documents, false documents with the county recorders offices, and false bankruptcies that stalled the foreclosures but did nothing to eliminate the liens, all while collecting funds from the victims. Every single victim lost their home as a result.  

The indictment and arrests are the result of a joint investigation by the California Department of Justice, Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section and White Collar Investigation Team; the United States Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; the United States Office of Inspector General, Federal Housing Finance Agency; the United States Trustee Program; the United States Marshals Service; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office. 

A copy of the charges can be found here.

Will pay almost $8 million for selling expired over-the-counter drugs and baby formula.

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Unit has settled a civil law enforcement action against CVS Pharmacy for selling expired over-the-counter drugs and baby formula.

The settlement is part of a multi-county enforcement action initiated by Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Fresno, Marin, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Shasta, Solano, and Yolo Counties District Attorneys’ Offices. Locally, Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney prosecuted the case against CVS Pharmacy, Inc., Longs Drug Stores California, L.L.C., and Garfield Beach CVS, L.L.C., (“CVS”).

CVS Pharmacy owns and runs pharmacies and retail stores throughout California – with 31 stores in Contra Costa County. These stores offer a variety of products such as over-the-counter drugs, food, infant formula, and baby food.

California law prohibits retailers from selling or offering for sale any over-the-counter drug that has expired. Also, food retailers in California are prohibited from selling or offering for sale any infant formula or baby food that has passed its “use by” date, as mandated by the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The civil complaint — which was filed in Santa Cruz County Superior Court on May 9th — alleged that CVS Pharmacy has been selling expired over-the-counter drug products, as well as infant formula and baby food past their “use by” date for the past four years.

After being informed of the violation, CVS Pharmacy cooperated with authorities and acted by conducting internal checks for expired over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, and baby food that were past the “use by” date at all their retail locations in California. CVS Pharmacy also invested time and resources to retrain store personnel to verify the expiration dates of food and drug products.

It’s important to note that the investigation did not uncover any evidence that the sale of expired or past the “use by” date products resulted in harm to consumers.

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said, “This enforcement action underscores how our work helps to protect consumers from unlawful business practices. The residents of Contra Costa County must have confidence that the products they purchase are safe and not beyond their expiration dates. This settlement shows that CVS Pharmacy understands the seriousness of the violations and has taken steps to remedy the problem.”

CVS Pharmacy agreed to abide by a court order that prohibits any further violations of California law regarding the sale or offer for sale of expired over-the-counter drugs or infant formula and baby food past their “use by” date. The agreement was made without admitting or denying any wrongdoing. As part of the judgment, CVS will pay $6,500,000 in civil penalties and investigative costs, as well as an additional $1,000,000 in restitution. The restitution amount will be contributed to various charitable organizations that serve California residents throughout the state. Locally, CVS Pharmacy will pay the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office $475,000 in civil penalties, and $19,000 to reimburse the office for prosecution costs.

To be held at Genesis Church, 1800 Woodland Drive, Antioch. For more information visit ANTIOCH YOUTH SPEAK! Pizza w/ the Chief | Facebook.

By Lt. Michael Mellone, Antioch Police Department Support Services Bureau

On Monday, May 15, 2023, at 10:23 pm, the Antioch Police Department Communications Center received 9-1-1 calls reporting a vehicle collision at 4198 Lone Tree Way. Officers arrived and located a vehicle with three occupants that had collided with a tree. The occupants, two males and one female, had major injuries and were subsequently pronounced deceased by emergency medical personnel.

The APD Traffic Unit responded to the scene and assumed control of the investigation. Preliminary information revealed the victim vehicle was traveling eastbound on Lone Tree Way at a high rate of speed. The victim vehicle struck another vehicle, causing it to lose control, leave the roadway, and collide with a tree. The occupant of the other vehicle was uninjured. Identification of the victims is being withheld pending notification to the next of kin.

This investigation remains on-going, and we ask anyone who witnessed the collision or with information pertaining to the incident to contact Officer Egan at jegan@antiochca.gov or (925) 204-1587. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword ANTIOCH.

See the 4-page insert inside the April issue of the Antioch Herald print edition and learn more at Contra Costa County Fair 2023 (contracostafair.com).