Antioch District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson (left) and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker have signed the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge.

Tout their efforts but accomplished little to nothing, resulting in pipeline owner suing city; pledge symbolic as gas and oil companies rarely if ever contribute to Antioch candidates

By Allen D. Payton

According to the NoFossilFuelMoney.org website, both incumbent Antioch Councilwomen Monica Wilson in District 4 and Tamisha Torres-Walker in District 1 signed the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge, this year. None of their challengers signed the pledge which is mainly symbolic as rarely if ever do oil or gas companies contribute to Antioch City Council candidates.

The pledge reads, “I pledge not to take contributions over $200 from oil, gas, and coal industry executives, lobbyists, and PACs and instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.”

On the website it explains, “Taking the pledge means that a politician and their campaign will adopt a policy to not knowingly accept any contributions over $200 from the PACs, lobbyists, or SEC-named executives of fossil fuel companies — companies whose primary business is the extraction, processing, distribution, or sale of oil, gas, or coal.”

As part of her efforts against oil and gas, earlier this year, Wilson was able to convince a majority of councilmembers to approve a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the city, which she and Torres-Walker both tout as an accomplishment on their re-election campaign websites.

Bob Nunn is the only owner of oil and gas drilling rights inside Antioch, and whose company is drilling for oil just outside the city limits along Deer Valley Road. Yet, when Wilson, following the lead of the Brentwood City Council, was pushing for a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in Antioch, neither she nor city staff contacted or informed Nunn of the item being on the council agenda each time it was discussed and ultimately voted on. However, the vote did little to nothing as the moratorium doesn’t prevent Nunn from exercising his rights to drill in Antioch. Plus, he said there were no plans, anyway as previous efforts proved to be dry holes.

In addition, last year the councilwomen were joined by Mayor Lamar Thorpe in voting against the renewal of the franchise agreement for the low-pressure, natural gas pipeline that runs through the city. Torres-Walker flip flopped in her voting after supporting renewal of the agreement just a month prior. (See related article)

As a result, the pipeline owner, California Resources Production Corporation sued the city. CA RESOURCES PRODUCTION VS ANTIOCH | Court Records – UniCourt

Incumbent Monica Wilson (left) is facing challengers (L-R) Lori Ogorchock, Sandra White and Shawn Pickett in this year’s Antioch City Council District 4 election.

Also spent over half her funds outside city; Pickett in distant fundraising fourth; mistakes found in Wilson’s, White’s reports

By Allen D. Payton

As of the end of the most recent campaign finance reporting period on October 22, 2022, incumbent District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson, who formed her committee and begun fundraising in 2021, led the pack of four candidates having raised over $29,400 for her re-election campaign, followed by District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock with a little over $24,500 and Sandra White with $20,400 of which $18,600 were loans from herself. Newcomer Shawn Pickett’s latest campaign finance report, known as a Form 460 shows he had raised about $4,400 including $1,500 in loans from himself. Candidates are only required to report details of contributions and expenditures of $100 or more.

Wilson Backed by Unions, Developers, Garbage Company, Radical Leftists

Wilson received most of her campaign funds and so far, has spent over half of them outside the city. Her Form 460 reports show the incumbent had raised $27,348.36 this year and $4,475 last year for a total of $31,823.36 and had spent $27,007.32 on her re-election campaign. Wilson’s largest contributions includes the maximum amount of $4,900 from Pleasanton-based Contra Costa United Working Families Political Action Committee. Her latest Form 460 shows the contribution reported twice which her treasurer, Jordan Eldridge said was a mistake and he would correct it. See her reports, here: MWilson 2020 460 0101-063021   MWilson 2022 460 0101-063022   MWilson 2022 460 0701-092422   MWilson 2022 460 0701-123121   MWilson 2022 460 0925-102222

Another oversight in Wilson’s reports is a $2,500 contribution from Republic Services of Pacheco, the garbage company that services Antioch, which was not included. According to a company representative the check was mailed on February 28, 2022 and received by the campaign sometime in March. The contribution should have been included in the report dated Jan. 1 – June 30, 2022. That increases Wilson’s contributions to $29,423.36 through Oct. 22, 2022.

She also received $4,500 from the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 104, $2,500 from State Treasurer Fiona Ma’s re-election campaign committee, $2,250 from Plumbing Industry Consumer Protection Fund, United Association, Local 159, $2,000 from I.B.E.W. (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) 302 Community Candidates PAC, $1,500 from Irvine-based Richland Investments, developers of the 1,100-home The Ranch project in the Sand Creek area for which Wilson voted in favor; $1,000 from DeNova Homes, developer of the Aviano community in the Sand Creek area which she also voted for, $1,000 from the re-election campaign committee Contra Costa Community College Board Ward 3 Trustee and Martinez resident, Rebecca Barret, $1,000 from political campaign consultant Melody Howe Weintraub of Pleasant Hill, another $1,000 from Olivia Sears of San Francisco, $700 from Lucia Albers of Brentwood, listed as Project Manager of Albers Ranch and is land developer of The Olive Grove senior housing community in the Sand Creek area;$600 from D.A. Diana Becton, $500 each from the Laborers International Union of North American Local 342, UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) Western States Council Candidates PAC, then-Suisun Mayor and now-State Assemblywoman Lori Wilson and Ahmos Netanel of Pacfic Palisades, Chief Executive Officer with the California Massage Therapy Council; and $400 from Sunflower Alliance of Richmond which is opposed to oil and gas drilling in the county.

Wilson also received $1,000 from Oakland-based Bay Rising Action Committee sponsored by Center for Empowered Politics. According to their website, “Bay Rising Action is a grassroots political network that champions strong leaders representing our racial, economic, and environmental justice movements and builds the political power of working-class, immigrant, Black, Latinx, and Asian communities.” According to the Center for Empowered Politics website, “In 2017, Chinese Progressive Association Action Fund and San Francisco Rising Action Fund merged to form the Center for Empowered Politics.” According to Influence Watch, “The Chinese Progressive Association is a left-wing community organizing group focusing on the Chinese-American communities that grew out of radical-left and pro-People’s Republic of China cadres. ^[7] CPA has faced accusations of aligning with the People’s Republic of China government and has received favorable coverage from the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated news outlet China Daily.” ^[8] [9]

Of her individual contributions, Wilson received $18,008.42 from outside of Antioch, including from Brentwood, Pittsburg, Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Hercules, San Pablo, Richmond, Rio Vista, Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, Tiburon, Healdsburg, Los Altos, San Jose, Mountain View, Belmont, Pomona, Inglewood and from as far away as St. Paul, Minnesota and Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Only $2,090.16 was from Antioch residents including $600 from David McCully who is listed as retired, $300 from homeless advocate Nichole Gardner and $250 from Mayor Lamar Thorpe who has endorsed Wilson’s re-election bid.

Of the campaign funds Wilson spent, almost 75% was outside the city including $10,700 with Belleci Signs and Apparel in Pittsburg, $6,975.96 at Copyworld, Inc. in Berkeley, $864 for signs with My Campaign Store in Louisville, Kentucky, $769.27 with Honey Bucket Portable Restrooms of Pittsburg, $535 with Message Framer in Richmond for designing her literature, $500 with Tacos El Rulis in Brentwood and $500 with Eldridge Political Partners in San Jose, which provided services as her campaign treasurer. Wilson did spend some campaign funds in Antioch including $1,562.50 for a fundraiser at Monica’s Riverview, $420 with Photography by Tish, $283.62 with FastSigns, $225 with Destiny Iwouma for DJ services and $205.93 at Target and Office Depot, plus she contributed $250 to Thorpe’s Stop the Karen Recall committee. She spent an additional $800 with Agape Design but provided no address for the business.

Wilson’s reports show she had $7,951.62 cash on hand available for spending during the final two weeks of the campaign. But that amount should be $9,451.62 with the additional $2,500 contribution from Republic Services not yet reported.

Ogorchock Backed by Developers, Police Officers, Garbage Company

Ogorchock’s Form 460 reports show she had raised $10,325, this year, but had an ending cash balance from her previous campaign committee of $14,201.52 for a total of $24,526.52 available to spend and had spent $16,524.61 in her campaign. See her reports, here: L Ogorchock ACC 2020 460 0101-063021   L Ogorchock ACC 2020 460 0701-123121   L Ogorchock ACC 2022 460 0101-063022   L Ogorchock ACC 2022 460 0701-092422   L Ogorchock ACC 2022 460 0925-102222

Her largest contributions included $2,500 from the Antioch Police Officers Association, $2,500 from Republic Services of Pacheco; $2,000 from GBN Partners of Danville, land developers of the Promenade new home projects in the Sand Creek area; $1,000 from Munni Food Inc IHOP of Fairfield, $1,000 from Antioch resident Laura Garrow, $500 from Antioch business owner Michael Gabrielson, $500 from Lucia Albers of Brentwood, land developer of The Olive Grove senior housing community in the Sand Creek area; and another $500 from the California Apartment Association.

She received $3,050 from Antioch residents and $450 from individuals from outside the city.

Ogorchock’s largest expenditures include $7,375 with Antioch-based Del Rey Advertising (owned by this reporter) for Highway 4 digital billboard, cable TV and livestream advertising, $4,995 with Pacific Printing in San Jose for literature, $838.71 with the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center for a fundraiser, $600 on advertising with EastCountyToday.net, $400 with Cedric Cheng Design in Concord, $333.84 with The Print Club in Antioch for more literature, $283.62 with Fast Signs of Antioch and $264.48 with Trident Consulting in Brentwood for website work.

Ogorchock had $2,346.03 left on hand to spend for the remainder of her campaign.

White Loans Her Campaign Over $18,600

According to her Form 460 financial reports, in her second bid for city council in District 4, Sandra White had raised $1,753.48 and loaned her campaign $18,634.41 for a total of $20,387.89 available to spend and had spent $9,159.34. That left her $11,280.55 remaining on hand to spend during the final weeks of the campaign. However, those last two figures are incorrect, as a $1,500 payment to Mesa Outdoor of Danville for Highway 4 digital billboard advertising on Oct.16th is not listed on her latest Form 460. See her reports, here: Sandra G White ACC D4 2022 460 0701-092422 amended   Sandra G White ACC D4 2022 460 0925-102222 amended

Of her reportable contributions of $100 or more $1,703.48 came from within Antioch with her largest individual contribution of $1,200 from Phillip Lubina, a pharmacist in Antioch.

White’s largest expense was with Mail Stream in Concord for $3,786.65 on a mailer, $1,690.62 with Fast Signs of Antioch, then $1,500 with Mesa Outdoor of Danville, $772.91 with Katysites of Katy, Texas for her campaign website, $725 paid to her treasurer and Antioch resident, Lindsey Amezcua, $313.97 at Staples in Pleasant Hill, $289.27 with Office Depot in Antioch, $253.74 with Siclics Screen Printing and Embroidery in Antioch and $195 with Black Jewel Images, Inc. of Antioch.

Pickett Raises Least Amount

Shawn Pickett had raised $2,926.25 and loaned his campaign $1,507.64 for a total of $4,433.89 available to spend and had spent $2,274.25 leaving him with $2,159.64 remaining to spend on his campaign. See his reports, here: Pickett 4 Council 460 0701-092422   Pickett 4 Council 460 0925-102222

Pickett’s largest contributions were $1,000 from Sandra Brown of Hayward who is listed as retired, and another $1,000 from self-employed computer tech Tim Mayor of Fresno, followed by $500 from Fairfield resident and teacher, Tessa Threets, and $200 from within Antioch, including $100 each from a relative and another resident.

Pickett wins the prize for receiving the contribution from furthest away with $200 from former Antioch resident Kathleen Gunther now of Leesberg, Virginia, who is listed as retired.

Like Wilson, most of his funds were spent outside of Antioch with $1,756 on campaign signs, banner and fliers at Leftside Printing in Richmond which Pickett said is owned by a friend.

The election is next Tuesday, November 8th.

Killed Antioch grandmother, blinded Concord nurse

By CHP-Contra Costa

On Friday October 21, 2022, Mark Navone was sentenced in Contra Costa County Superior Court to a 22-year prison sentence after being found guilty of numerous charges relating to throwing objects at vehicles.

Navone, 38-years-old was arrested after a California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigation identified him as the suspect in multiple incidents of vehicles being struck by thrown objects, such as rocks and bricks, on Hwy 4, near Hwy 242. Navone’s malicious actions resulted in the death of a 63-year-old grandmother from Antioch as well as the blinding of a 37-year-old delivery nurse from Concord. Navone was arrested on April 2, 2021, by Contra Costa Area CHP officers on a wide range of felony charges.

We would like to thank Contra Costa Area CHP investigators, CHP Golden Gate Division Investigative Services Unit Detectives, the Concord Police Department, the Antioch Police Department, and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for their incredible work in building this case. We would also like to thank the public for the valuable information they provided that enabled us to put this case together and ultimately hold Navone responsible for his actions.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

Dominique King is challenging Trustee Mary Rocha for Antioch School Board Area 5 in this year’s elections. Sources: King campaign, Rocha campaign

King backed by Garamendi, Becton, Thorpe, Wilson, Torres-Walker, Hernandez

Rocha backed by Torlakson, DeSaulnier, McNerney, district teacher, employee and other unions, APOA

By Allen D. Payton

In the only race for the Antioch School Board in this year’s elections, incumbent Trustee Mary Rocha is facing challenger Dominique King for the Area 5 seat. Rocha has served on both the Antioch School Board and Antioch City Council, including one term as mayor, for 36 out of the past 51 years, while this is King’s first run for public office in Antioch.

King’s Background

Dominique and Kenneth King with their daughters. Source: King campaign

A member of the Antioch Parks and Recreation Commission, according to her campaign website, King was homeless and dropped out of high school at age 15 but “graduated from Job Corps at 16 and immediately went to work”. She is married to Kenneth, a deputy sheriff, and they have three children including two attending Antioch Middle School where she serves on the site council. According to her LinkedIn profile, the Kings  are business owners having started Lean In With The Kings in 2019 in which their “mission is to educate couples and families on how to foster healthy relationships”. She used to own 2Spoons, LLC which was started in 2014 and since 2016 King has been a consultant with Arbonne, a natural health supplements and skin care products company. Since last October she has worked  as a columnist for the Concord Clayton Pioneer newspaper and as of April, is also as a freelance columnist for the online PR Now Magazine. In addition, King earned an Associate’s degree in International Business from Los Medanos College.

King’s Issues

King says she will “fight to make sure: (1) children have safe, supported learning environments and access to high-quality education; (2) teachers and staff have the tools to meet the growing demands of our diverse community; (3) families feel connected to our neighborhood schools; (4) we embrace technical training and education, not just college preparation; and (5) we build appropriate support systems for all at-risk youth.”

She is quoted saying, “As a community, we have the opportunity to change the narrative and conditions of our schools. Antioch Public Schools should be the first choice for families.”

King’s Endorsements

King touts the backing of Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Councilwomen Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker, AUSD Area 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez, Congressman John Garamendi, District Attorney Diana Becton, Contra Costa College Board Ward 4 Trustee Andy Li, Antioch Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Marie Arce, Contra Costa Water District Board Member Patt Young and the East Bay Women’s Political Alliance. She’s also endorsed by the Democratic Party of California and Contra Costa and the Contra Costa Young Democrats – interjecting partisan politics into a local, non-partisan race – and Our Revolution East Bay, the local chapter of self-avowed democratic socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sander’s Our Revolution. In addition, King was given the label of Gun Sense Candidate 2022 by Moms Demand Action.

Questions for King Go Unanswered

King was asked about her background, including “Where did you grow up and experience homelessness? When were you appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission? Is this your first run for public office? If not, what else have you run for previously, and where?”

She was also asked, “As part of your platform that ‘children have safe, supported learning environments’ do you support having police serve as School Resource Officers (SRO’s) at Antioch’s middle and high school campuses? As part of your platform that, ‘we embrace technical training and education, not just college preparation’ and as a business owner, yourself, do you also support teaching entrepreneurship in the high schools? What specifically do you propose for improving math and English test scores, mainly for Black and Hispanic students in the district?”

Regarding her endorsements, King was asked, “why have you chosen to interject partisan politics into a race for what is supposed to be non-partisan office? Also, in light of the recent settlement of the sexual harassment lawsuit against Mayor Thorpe, why do you still tout his endorsement and the endorsement by Patt Young who claims his two former female employees were not credible? What message do you think that sends to the female students in the district’s schools and the women who work for AUSD? Regarding your endorsement by Our Revolution East Bay, which is part of self-avowed democratic socialist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ national organization, do you consider yourself a socialist? If so, what does that mean to you?”

Regarding concerns expressed by some Antioch residents King was asked if she supports the teaching of Critical Race Theory and/or the 1619 Project version of U.S. history in Antioch schools, and does she have any plans or made any commitments to make a change in the position of superintendent.

Finally, King was asked if she supports charter schools and school choice in general to bring competition to public education, which in the private sector results in improved products and services.

After multiple attempts to reach King by phone call, email and text for this article she did not respond.

See a video by King about herself, her family and campaign on her Facebook page.

Rocha’s Background & Accomplishments

AUSD Trustee Mary Rocha with her son, then-Antioch High Principal Louie Rocha during this year’s graduation ceremony. Herald file photo.

Rocha’s campaign touts her experience as one reason to re-elect her. Having first started out as a volunteer in the Antioch school district in the 1970’s she was first elected to the Antioch School Board in 1971. Through her efforts the Special Education Department expanded from 100 to 1,200 students. Governor Jerry Brown appointed Rocha to the Special Education Commission and served for four years. She was the founding member of the Mexican American School Board Association and the National Hispanic School Board Association serving as president for both.

Rocha was elected to the Antioch City Council in 1984 being the first elected Latina in Contra Costa County. She served as a council member for eight years and was elected Mayor of Antioch in 1996 and served for years during which Rocha was elected by the Contra Costa County Mayors Conference of as the chairperson. In 2000, She was the top Primary Election candidate in the race for District 5 Supervisor but lost to Federal Glover in the General.

Rocha was elected to the city council, again in 2012 and served one term. Rocha was then elected, again to the school board in 2018.

She has over 30 years’ experience as a community organizer and activist concerning family and children’s issues in East County. Mary was the founder of Brighter Beginnings and coordinator of the Antioch First 5 Center facility providing services to families with children 0-5 years of age.

In her biography on the school district’s website Rocha writes, “While education is my platform – it is also my passion. I’m driven by my admiration for students and their families. I’ve raised three children in Antioch. They all attended Antioch Unified District schools. And now, my grandchildren are following in their successful footsteps. I want the same for your children.”

Rocha’s Honors

Rocha was a recipient of the “Maya Citizen of the Year”, the Los Medanos College Cesar Chavez Award and the League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC) “Eagle Award” for her hard work with the Latino community. She was recognized as one of the “Women of the Year” by the CCC Commission for Women.

In recognition of her over 30 years of services as an advocate for low-cost day care, the “Mary H. Rocha Child Development Center” was dedicated in honor. The center houses 150 children with state funds run by the YWCA.

Rocha was recently selected to be honored in a book entitled, “Mujeres de Conciencia” (Women of Conscience) about 68 Latinas who have successfully impacted the wellbeing of California Latinos.

Rocha’s Issues

In a video posted on her campaign Facebook page Rocha said, “I continue to be committed to parent engagement, your involvement, safety for our children and teachers, and social and emotional health, and academic support for our children.”

She voted in 2020 for the six School Resource Officers to work at the district’s middle and high schools, before the current council majority voted to rescind the acceptance of the federal grant. Rocha still wants them.

Rocha voted against the Rocketship charter school and the middle and high school charter schools that considered opening in Antioch and shows another video on her campaign Facebook page by a teacher and union member touting her opposition to “corporate charters”.

In yet another video Rocha claims Rocketship is costing the district $35 million because “our administration has to oversee the policies and their budget”. Besides the budget her other top issues are campus safety and parental involvement.

Rocha’s Endorsements

Rocha says she has the endorsements of former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Congressmen Mark DeSaulnier and Jerry McNerney, Antioch Teachers AEA, Antioch School Employees CSEA, Antioch Principals and Administrators AMA, Contra Costa Central Labor Council, Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council, SEIU Local 2015 and the Antioch Police Officers Association.

Rocha Responds to Questions

Rocha was asked for her main accomplishments as a school board member. She responded, “First of all I was elected in 2018 and in my four years we dealt as a Board with the COVID virus making sure we provided enough computers for distant learning and helping staff gear up to a different way of teaching.  My key priorities were to ensure the health and safety of our students and employees, provide social, emotional counseling and academic intervention services with the goal of improved student outcomes for all students while maintaining a fiscally responsible school district budget. I was able to support the replacements of vice principals and increase counselors.”

Rocha was also what will she specifically do to improve the math and English test scores, of mainly Black and Hispanic students in the district. She responded, “The District’s 2021-22 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) aligns resources to meet students’ needs which spells out, retain teaching staff, and attract staff in math, science and special education; expand programs for wellness and reading intervention. Their goals are put together with parents’ involvement to reduce the achievement gap for high needs students and ensure all students are accessing learning at the highest levels. The Board reviews their outcome.”

Asked if she supports teaching entrepreneurship in AUSD high schools “Yes. We have 20 academies in our district that include Career Technical Business Education. In media, they learn as a business, web-based and mobile applications, games, films and other integrated media,” Rocha shared. “Business Tech Academy curriculum is focused on a business theme that integrates standard based classes and career technical education classes.”

Finally, Rocha was asked what other plans she has for her next term if re-elected. She responded, “The extra money that we have received from the state will sunset with in the next three years I want to be there to continue to fund those programs that have made a difference for our students. I would also like to hire Reading Specialists in the middle schools. My hope is to establish community schools linking resources so the whole family can be addressed and support family engagement.”

“I have valuable knowledge and experience in developing fiscally responsible budgets for the Antioch Unified School District and City of Antioch as an elected official. I am committed to keeping students and families at the forefront of all decisions. I invite you to join me in working together for improved outcomes for all students,” Rocha added.

For more information about Dominique King and her campaign visit www.dominiquelking.com and for or more information about Mary Rocha and her campaign visit www.facebook.com/MaryRocha4Antioch. The election is November 8th.