Two pilots, five crew chiefs and other team members participate

“it’s real flying” – Randy Howell, Patriots Jet Team owner and one of two CineJet pilots

By Allen D. Payton

Planes, aerobatic pilots, crew chiefs and other members of the Patriots Jet Team based at the Byron Airport in Contra Costa County helped make the new movie Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, now in theaters. As in the original Top Gun film, the sequel features a variety of jet training and combat scenes in which the team provided their L-39 CineJet™ to film the high-speed, in-air shots.

According to their website, the Patriots Jet Team is the largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the western hemisphere. The team was started in 2002 by founder and owner Randy “Howler” Howell, a Discovery Bay resident, who also helps pilot the special jet. Howell has more than 26,000 hours of flight time and over 30 years of flying experience with United Airlines. He has been an advanced instructor in aerobatics, formation, UPRT (upset prevention and recovery training) as well as a Check Airman and Simulator Instructor in a multitude of aircraft.

The CineJet™ high-speed, cinematography platform was launched in 2017 when the Patriots Jet Team partnered with Helinet.

In a March 2 post on the team’s Facebook page it shows a brief video during filming of the movie from the CineJet™ Facebook page asking, “Recognize the jet?”

In another Facebook post on April 1 it reads, “The Patriots are so excited to finally see Top Gun Maverick come out. The #cinejet was key to many of the aerial scenes, can’t wait to see them on the big screen.”

Then on April 18 the team posted, “Lots of Patriots L-39’s in the latest #topgunmaverick Trailer. https://twitter.com/tomcruise/status/1516039183332216838…”

A June 6 post on their Facebook post reads, “If you haven’t already seen Top Gun: Maverick, you won’t want to miss our Helinet CineJet aerials on the big screen! #TopGun #TopGunMaverick #TGM #CineJet #PatriotsJetTeam” and includes a brief trailer from the movie.

At the Top Gun-themed, Patriots Jet Team Foundation annual fundraiser last September, the Guest of Honor and speaker was American actor, writer and producer Glen Powell, who is co-starring in Top Gun: Maverick. He plays the part of pilot, Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin. The evening’s program also included a special behind the scenes look at the involvement the Patriots Jet Team pilots had in the aerial shooting of the new movie.

Howell Provides Details of His Team, CineJet, Filming and Training Cruise and the Other Actors

According to Howell quite a few members from the team participated in the making of the film, which includes two pilots, Howell and Scott “Intake” Kartvedt, and five crew chiefs to mention a few.

He provided more details about his organization and the filming of the movie.

The team provides three services, “one is flying a six-ship airshow similar to the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds,” he shared. “We also provide upset training, teaching corporate and airline pilots how to recover from an unusual attitude or an upset due to wake turbulence, weather, or mechanical failures, flight controls.”

The third piece of the puzzle, is “the CineJet operation for filming,” he stated. “We partnered up with Helinet, a company in Southern California. They own the Shotover F1 which is a large, gyro-stabilized platform which can hold many different types of cameras for filming.”

“We designed, engineered and mounted it to the front of a highly modified L-39 Albatross jet.”

“This all started when my good friend, Kevin LaRosa, Jr., who I have shot commercials and movies with, in the past, came to me and said, ‘hey, would you be interested on partnering up on putting a big, Shotover F1 system on the front of an L-39?’” Howell explained. “My first question was that’s usually used on helicopters with a maximum speed of 150 knots. We need to go a lot faster if we’re going to start doing aerial filming of Top Gun and the likes.”

LaRosa has worked in the film industry for over 16 years as a stunt pilot and aerial coordinator. He and Howell are the pilots for the CineJet.

“So, we worked with the company Shotover based in New Zealand and they then started doing modifications to the six-axis, gyro-stabilized system that can be controlled, to look straight up, straight down, behind you, right and left,” Howell stated. “We needed to do 350 knots and sustain three G’s for maneuvering with the Super Hornets in the movie. So, they modified the arms, gears, motors and other items within the unit. They would then send it to us, and we’d test it up to the next speed, and the next until we reached 350 knots and 3.5 G’s. They did a lot of studies in the wind tunnel and a lot of engineering prior to this.”

“Once it was ready to go, we started launching every jet that every friend had, corporate jets.  I flew the Mig-17, the Saberliners, as well as multiple L39’s intermixed with the Mig-17 and we created an exciting, one-minute sizzle reel,” Howell continued. “We sent that to Paramount, and they contacted us and said, ‘we like it. We want to talk.’ So, that’s how it all started.”

Work on Top Gun: Maverick

“We were then contracted to work on three different areas for the movie over about a year-and-a-half period,” he shared. “First was filming the Super Hornets in flight and the majority of the tactics that you see in the movie. The second was training all of the actors and actress, Monica (Barbaro) is the only actress who portrayed a pilot in the movie. We flew with every single one of the actors including Tom. He then wanted to get checked out in the airplane because he loved the L-39 so much. I flew with Tom many times getting him up to speed in the airplane.”

“The purpose for training all the actors and Tom was the Super Hornet was going to be pulling up to seven-and-a-half G’s,” Howell explained. “So, we went up in the L-39 which is stressed to eight G’s and we flew over, and over and over again at eight G’s. We flew up to 18,000 feet, we’d get a lot of energy up and we would put it into a spiral and sit at eight G’s for long periods of time. That was to get all of them into a mindset that they could act, which is a lot of energy. Acting, you can’t be putting energy into getting sick and nauseas, throwing up and all of that, and acting. So, we flew a lot with all of them.”

“Then Tom loved the airplane so much, and Tom is an awesome pilot, a really, really good pilot, and a really good formation pilot, as well, which is a whole different skill set from normal aviating” Howell shared. “I trained him, and he took a check ride with the FAA. Now, he’s qualified to fly by himself in the L-39 or with other people.”

He then mentioned a video of Cruise in which he flew TV talk show host James Corden in the L-39.

“The other piece of the puzzle was to paint two of our L-39’s in movie grey, sort of a flat, grey color and then put targets on both sides of the tail, both sides of the nose, top and bottom of each wing,” Howell explained. “Production was not able to get a flying F-14 because they don’t fly anymore, they’re all retired and they couldn’t get a Russian Sukhoi 57, either. We did the flying for that.”

“So, it’s real flying,” he added.

“They blocked off 40 miles of the Feather River for us up near Chico,” Howell continued. “Then one of our pilots, Scott ‘Intake’ Kartvedt a former Hornet and Blue Angel pilot in the Navy and I flew all the two-ship stuff with the two Su-57’s and the F-14 through the Feather River. When we did that, it was about a six-week project, and we flew two to three times every day. We also flew off the coast of Point Mugu for the over water, ocean scenes with the two airplanes along with the CineJet filming us.”

“The first time we flew, we scouted the river in a helicopter,” he explained. “There’s a lot of hairpin turns, reversals, with granite walls, a thousand, two thousand feet high on both sides of you. So, as you come up on these switchbacks, come back the other way, you need to know you’re going to be able to come around there and some of them you can’t, they’re too tight. So, now you’ve got to come up over top of the mountain, roll inverted, pull down the other side of the mountain and roll out. All while being filmed by a helicopter or the CineJet with Shotover systems on them.”

“After we flew the first one in the L-39’s and spending several days scouting the area, taking notes, memorizing exactly which turns you were going to make all the way around, which turns you had to come over the top in,” Howell shared. “And we were down in the dirt, we were down 10 feet off the trees through a lot of that and the first time we landed the two of us were visibly, our hands were shaking. We walked toward each other and hugged, ‘Intake’ backed up and said, ‘I have 153 combat missions under my belt. I’ve never been under such high stress flying, before.’”

“So, it was definitely high-risk, but very calculated in the way we executed with all the scouting ahead of time,” he continued. “We started flying up higher, first. Then we came down as we got more comfortable and then we started filming once we got really comfortable down low.”

Asked how many times they flew the canyon route Howell responded, “many, many, many times.”

“You know to get one second of film, you’re gonna film an hour,” he said with a chuckle.

“Every last, little detail in the Super Hornets, everything, everything is the real deal,” Howell stated. “All the internal cameras they would mount inside one of our L-39’s for proof of concept to show what it would look like to the producers, to the director, and what angles they wanted. Then they could go the Navy and say, ‘we’ve already tested all these cameras in the airplane now, we need to mount them inside your airplane’.”

“That’s the whole story of Top Gun. A year-and-a-half involvement, but we were not filming for a year-and-a-half,” Howell shared. “We might film for six weeks, then have a month or two off. Then we’d go back and film for a month or two months, and then we’d have time off. So, it was just over a period of a year-and-a-half.”

They started filming in 2018 and finished up in 2019.

Filmed Another Movie Set During Korean War

Howell then shared about another movie they filmed, “which is going to be spectacular. It’s based on a true story, during the Korean War era where there’s an African American and a white pilot in flight school. The African American was a sharecropper’s son. He was homeschooled. He only wore shoes on Sunday. The white pilot’s dad was a prominent attorney, he belonged to the country club. The two of them became best friends in flight training.”

“They finished flight training and started flying in combat. They were assigned to F-4U Corsairs, the gullwing Corsair, and they went into battle,” he continued.

“I won’t ruin the rest of the story for you,” Howell stated. “There’s a book out called ‘Devotion’ by Adam Makos. You can order it on Amazon. It’s a really, really good story and it’s a true story. I love true stories. It’s going to be a great movie.”

The aerial scenes were filmed in 2021, January to March in Wenachee and Pasco, Washington and then Savannah, Georgia.

The name of the movie is the same as the book, “Devotion” and will be in theaters Thanksgiving weekend beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23.

“Our good friend, Glen Powell, who starred in Top Gun and others, and who was our speaker at our fundraiser is one of the two stars, he plays the pilot/character ‘Tom Hudner’,” Howell shared.

He also played John Glenn in the movie Hidden Figures, “and he’s starred in other movies, as well,” Howell added.

Q&A

Asked how many members from the team participated in the filming of Top Gun: Maverick he said, “There was probably seven of us at different times. We took different crew chiefs who would maintain the airplanes. We have a big hauler, an 18-wheeler and it carries spare everything for the L-39’s. Then we took Jet 7 and Jet 8 which are both set up with the Shotover wiring. There’s a lot of mods to the airplane before mounting the camera. So, we had both airplanes at every event. We had other airplanes there too for doing other training, as well.”

Asked how many pilots the team has Howell said, “we have six airshow pilots.”

According to the Patriots Jet Team website, “they have logged over 105,000 hours of flight time and performed in more than 1500 air shows.” Most recently, they performed over Venice and Mandeville Islands in the Delta prior to the fireworks show on Sunday evening, July 3.

The Patriots Jet Team Foundation

Lastly, the accomplishment that Randy is most proud of is the Patriots Jet Team Foundation, a separate non-profit 501 (c) (3) corporation which he founded in 2011.

“The Foundation educates and mentors youth in America in aviation/aerospace and STEM career paths. The Foundation has partnered with other STEM based Foundations, as well as public, private, charter and University school programs.” Howell shared. “We cater to nearly 10,000 kids a year with rocket launch competitions, high-altitude balloons, introduction to aviation classes, aerodynamic classes and many more that we do, right here, at our facility as well as in the public schools system.”

Be sure to attend the PJT Foundation Benefit Gala on September 17th. You can register at PJTF.ORG.

To learn more about the Patriots Jet Team visit www.patriotsjetteam.com.

Each class develops theme, pitches Travolta then creates a film for use by Pass It On of The Foundation for a Better Life

By Allen D. Payton

Director, actor and former special education teacher, Joey Travolta held his third of three film camps in Northern California, last week, for students between 18 and 24 years old with an intellectual disability, to create short videos for use by PassItOn.com for their positive message campaign in theaters, as well as on TV and billboards.

Each film will be five to seven minutes long and “every story has to have the theme of kindness or doing something good, and the thought is don’t hesitate to pass it on,” Travolta explained.

According to his Inclusion Films’ website, “over the two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital filmmaking. Stay tuned for future dates & announcements.”

Travolta and a crew from his Inclusion Films, which includes neuro diverse adults from his brick-and-mortar school in Bakersfield, were also in Antioch last year filming a brief documentary entitled “Music Heals” for the biennial Stand Down on the Delta for military veterans planned for last fall. But due to COVID, that event didn’t occur, so the film was shown during the Music Heals Concert at El Campanil Theatre earlier this month. (See related articles here, here and here) 

Travolta and staff are holding the latest camp last week and this week on Mare Island in Vallejo, inside the campus of Touro University of California, following camps with the same theme in Livermore, with partners Futures Explored, in Stockton with the Lodi School District and the first one in Arkansas at the end of April.

The Vallejo camp was supported by the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) and Susan Labrecque, SCOE Senior Director, Kesha Lovett, SCOE Program Manager for Workforce Development and the entire staff from SCOE Workforce Development Department were on hand to assist the students and watch the process.

“All participants are clients of North Bay Regional Center services which is how the camp is funded, along with the Solano County Office of Education to provide youth with skills that transition into the world of work,” Labrecque explained.

The camp was divided into three groups of students and the classes were each led by a separate teacher. On Thursday, July 14, the students presented their film concepts to Travolta, with two of the classmates chosen to make the pitch.

Class 1 Pitch

The first class was led by Roger Welch who’s been teaching at the camps since 2018.

“I’m a family friend and real close with Joey’s sister, Ellen,” he said. “I ran a theater company in Idaho, and she lived in the town and acted in several shows. I got to know the whole family.”

Asked how he connected with the camp Welch said, “when I left that job and was in New York at a dinner with Ellen, Joey, who I’ve known for years, and his wife Wendy, he asked me what I was doing that summer and said, ‘come work for me’ so, I did.”

“I’ve been doing professional theater and film all my life and I’m a teaching artist,” he continued. “I’ve never worked with a neuro diverse population before. But I’ve just worked with them like any other students, using improv as a teaching tool. I’ve found it very challenging but very rewarding.”

“When I’m not doing this, I’m a freelance director for theater all over the country and the director and choreographer of entertainment for the American Queen Voyages,” which is a fleet of river boats on the Mississippi and Columbia Rivers and Great Lakes.

Two students were chosen to pitch the film concept from their class.

“I’ve only rejected one story. So, good luck,” Travolta said to laughter from the students. He later said that was true and it was because the film’s theme was too depressing.

The first pitch was a sci fi film about friendship and involved a spaceship.

Travolta asked how much it was going to cost him.

The students suggested it could become a series.

“Have you cast this, already?” Travolta asked.

“No,” Welch said.

One of the female students then offered to be an actress in the film. Another student, Sean volunteered to be an actor for it, too.

“I don’t have any say in that,” Travolta responded.

“I don’t like it. I love it!” he then said to cheers and applause from the class.

Class 2 Pitch

The second class was taught by actor Barry Pearl, who portrayed the part of Doody in the movie “Grease” in which Joey’s younger brother John had the lead role playing opposite Olivia Newton John.

“It’s an amazing program,” Pearl said. “I’ve been with it for nine years.”

Two students in his class pitched their film ideas to him and Travolta.

“This is my third year of camp but my first pitch,” said student Jaylon. His pitch partner, Daniel said this is his third pitch.

“I hope Joey approves” he said to Barry.

Travolta then entered the room asking the students which way he should go to get to his chair.

“I’m really excited about this pitch. The first one went well,” Travolta said after he was seated.

“The name of our film is called ‘The Kindness of the Heart’ about two students who don’t have enough money for lunch,” Daniel explained.

“Two other students raise money to help,” Jaylon shared.

Travolta asked where the film would take place. They said it will be in a school in the cafeteria and outside.

Travolta then asked a female student he named “Princess Sophia”, her thoughts.

“I think this is good, Joey Travolta,” she said.

“If Princess Sophia says it’s good, then you’re approved,” he stated to cheers from the two who pitched and the other students from the class who were sitting and watching the pitch.

Class 3 Pitch

The third class was facilitated by Jessica Saul, a teacher with Inclusion Films. Her background is in neurodiverse theater with a company based in New York and she’s working to bring them to California.

She lives in LA and works with the camps. It’s been a wonderful experience because it brings together my two passions of performing and teaching.

“I connected with Joey through an organization called RespectAbility and he was looking for another teacher and here we are,” Saul said.

The film crew and class prepared for the pitch and Travolta’s arrival.

When he entered the room to applause from the students, Travolta walked toward them asking “how ya doing?” He then said, “I have a question before we start” then like a big kid, turned around and asked, “does my butt make these pants look big?” to laughter from the class.

“No answer from me,” replied one student.

The two students to give the pitch, Brian and Cassidy, placed leis around Travolta’s neck saying, “Aloha”.

“The title of this film is called ‘The Competition’,” they said.

“I like that,” Travolta responded, “What kind of competition?”

“It’s in Hawaii. It’s a talent competition,” Brian explained. “Elvis needs to win the competition so he can afford to go to the Berklee School of Music.”

Each story from the classes has an antagonist.

“Mark and Charlie plan to sabotage Elvis and steal his guitar,” said Brian.

“You’re scaring me,” Travolta said.

“You’re not giving me the end, now, right? Travolta asked.

“No,” they responded, then continued explaining the storyline.

“I gotta tell you, you guys have me on the edge of my seat. That’s because I have a bad back,” Travolta joked.

The students continued with their pitch.

He then asked, “Are you going to use a green screen?”

Cassidy said, “Brian is going to play Elvis.”

“What are you going to do for Hawaii?” Travolta asked.

Saul pointed to the trees outside saying, “they were inspired by the outside.”

Travolta asked, “who’s going to play Elvis?”

“Thank you very much,” Brian responded giving an elvis impression.

He then asked if Travolta wanted to hear him sing Burnin’ Love.

“I’d like that,” Travolta responded. But before he had Brian start, he asked another student to call “action”.

Brian then sang part of the song to cheers from the class, Travolta and Saul.

Travolta responded by singing, “You’re nothing but a hound dog” to laughter from the students.

“I like this a lot,” he said. “You’re utilizing the area, which is very, very practical.”

“So, I have to approve this,” Travolta stated.

As Saul led the sound of a drumroll with hands on thighs, Travolta turned and asked one of the other students for his opinion of the film idea. The student gave a loud approval.

“OK, guys, you’re approved!” Travolta exclaimed to cheers and high fives from the students.

Brian had to then chase down Travolta, who had left the class, to get the back leis which were needed as props for the film.

See video of Class 3 film pitch and approval: Joey Travolta Vallejo Film Camp Class 3 Pitch 07142022 – YouTube

Inclusion Films Crew

The film crew for the day consisted of staff of Inclusion Films some of whom were previous students in Travolta’s classes.

“I had experience in the music industry,” crew member Mobley said. “So, I stepped up and I’ve been doing sound ever since.”

Crew member Brandon said he’s a student at Inclusion Films in Bakersfield. “I’m part of the upper class,” he added.

“Often times the students get positions in the film industry, including films with John,” Pearl said.

Danny Sarokin, Travolta’s lifelong friend, and NYU film school graduate, was a cameraman at the school.

“I grew up with Joey in New Jersey,” he shared. “We were on the wrestling team. I was a freshman, and he was a senior and he kind of took me under his wing. He’s been mentoring me ever since.”

“In the mid-90’s I co-wrote a children’s film called ‘Everyone Loves Mel’ that starred Ernest Borgnine. Joey directed it and was involved in the producing of it,” said Sarokin.

“I was a camera operator on Carol of the Bells and that was a great experience,” he continued, referring to Inclusion Films’ first full-length movie. “In 2018 Joey brought me back and I’ve been working at the summer camps, as a camera man. We get to mentor the kids, and we get to pass it on.”

Sarokin works for Travolta’s school in Bakersfield, teaching screen writing by Zoom as he lives in L.A. He also filled in as an editing teacher.

“We’ve actually filmed the first script that we wrote in the class just recently,” Sarokin shared. “That one is 30 to 40 minutes long. They cut it down to 25 minutes and show it on cable. It’s called Lost Luggage.”

According to the film’s logline which provides the plot, it’s about two African American sisters who find their grandma’s diary in a hidden suitcase in the basement. Upon reading, they learn about her teen romance with a white classmate in a racially charge environment. The sisters try to reunite with this lost love.

According to a Dec. 10, 2021 report by Lodinews.com it was filmed at McNair High School in Lodi, California last October and was created with Lodi Unified students.

“Now, they’re in preproduction on the second script we wrote in the school,” Sarokin added.

Travolta Shares About the Camps and His Organization

Following the three class pitches, Travolta took some time to answer questions, mostly asked by the Herald’s administrative assistant, DeeAnn Payton, who was also at the camp and saw the pitches of all three classes.

“Now, they actually make their films on site,” he said. “Each class will show the rough cut of their film at the camp this Friday.”

“Some of these films will be on the Pass It On website,” Travolta continued. “Then we have the big, red-carpet screening. The kids dress up in tuxedos, have limousines and they get little Academy Awards.”

That’s being planned for some time, this fall.

“The camps are for the younger ones and the location in Bakersfield is for adults,” Travolta explained. “We do the training year-round and do movies like Carol of the Bells.”

“They learn soft skills like communication,” he added.

Asked how decided to start the film school and camps, Travolta said, “I was a special ed teacher in 1973 before I got into show business. I’ve been doing this since 2006.”

He also hosts workshops for adults in San Jose, San Diego and San Bernardino with partners Options For All and in Livermore, Sacramento and Stockton with Futures Explored, as well.

“We’re getting a lot of work from the state and regional centers and every time we do a job half the crew is made up of students trained at the various workshops,” Travolta said.

They have seven brick-and-mortar studios in California each one 5,000 to 8,000 square feet in size, that operate year-round with professionals teaching.

“They’re all funded through the Regional Centers,” he said.

“Then once the students have honed their skills, they get work with one of the three production companies” – Futures, Options and Inclusion – Travolta shared.

“It’s a gift for us to work with this population and we probably get more out of it than the kids, and they get a lot out of it,” he added. “I wish I was 20 years younger.”

Travolta has lived in San Francisco since last year when he and Wendy moved up from L.A. to help take care of their grandson who is two years old.

This Friday, the students will present the rough cut of their films to Joey.

Host Touro University of California

Asked how Touro University of California’s campus was selected to host the camp, Provost Sarah Sweitzer, PhD said, “Our connection is actually through SCOE who approached us to host this fantastic camp for our young people with disabilities in Solano County. This is our first summer.”

“Our mission is to serve, lead and teach and our function is to serve as an anchor institution in the North Bay counties,” she continued. “It’s at the heart of our mission to create equity in health and education to close the opportunity gaps, especially for our underserved communities.

“We’re a graduate school for healthcare, education and public health – the heart of the pandemic,” Sweitzer stated.

According to their website Touro is America’s largest private institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices with over 19,000 students across 35 schools in four countries and first opened in 1971.

The California campus is a graduate school with about 1,300 students. They’re renovating building number eight and they’re celebrating their 25th anniversary, Sweitzer added.

About Pass It On

According to PassItOn.com, for 21 years, the Pass It On campaign promoting positive values has provided uplifting and encouraging messages. It is a project of The Foundation for a Better Life, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

DeeAnn Payton contributed to this report.

Back Together!

After a two-year hiatus the California State Fair & Food Festival is back July 15-31 at the Cal Expo. It will include exhibits, programs, competitions, thoroughbred horse racing, carnival rides, freestyle motocross shows, concerts and lots of food! We’re excited to be BACK TOGETHER with everyone!

SPECIAL FAIR DAYS

$2 Taste of the Fair – Wednesdays & Thursdays, 11 am – 4 pm – Sample a variety of fair foods with $2 menu specials from your favorite food vendors.

Senior Savings Friday – Discount admission of $10 for seniors 62 & better.

Tuesday Kids Free Day & $2 Rides for All – July 19 & 26 FREE admission for kids 12 and under. Rides cost $2 each for all fair goers.

Military, Veteran & First Responder Appreciation Day – Thursday, July 21 – FREE admission all day for active duty, reserve and veterans from all branches of the military, active first responders.

SMUD Giving Mondays at the Fair – Monday, July 18 & Monday, July 25 – BRING 3 non-perishable, non-expired food items to the Fair Gates before 3 p.m. and receive FREE admission. The collected food items will benefit the Elk Grove Food Bank.

FOOD FESTIVAL

Over thirty food vendors will have a special Food Festival item for you to eat by yourself or share! There’s something delicious for every palate.

From savory – like sweet BBQ pulled pork, to sweet – like the bacon and pecan cinnamon roll and fried of course! – deep fried apple pie anyone?

Come visit all of our award-winning Food Festival Pass participants, see their well-deserved ribbons displayed at their booths and taste their delicious entries!

• Tickets now available!
• Toyota Concert Series on the Golden 1 Stage
• Competitions
• Programs & Exhibits

Main Gate Hours

• Monday – Thursday: 11 am – 10 pm
• Friday – Sunday: 10 am – 10 pm

Carnival Hours

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Opens at 2pm
• Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday: Opens at 11am

Kids Park Hours

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Opens at 1 pm
• Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday: Opens at 11 am

The California State Fair & Food Festival is located at the Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd. in Sacramento. For more information and details on all events, activities and competitions visit http://calexpostatefair.com/event/ca-state-fair/ and for the programs and exhibits visit https://calexpostatefair.com/fair/.

 

Short documentary about the effort by Joey Travolta and crew will be shown

SATURDAY, JULY 9TH at 2PM

ADULTS/YOUTH: $22     SENIORS/VETERANS: $20

Join us for an afternoon of fantastic bands, all to support our veterans!

Organizers Darlyn Phillips and Tony Archimedes shared the following about the concert:

“For many years musicians have been coming to support the Stand Down on the Delta for homeless veterans. They come without pay from 10 AM in the morning to 10 PM at night. We are sure that they love doing the music as a labor of love type of thing, but we felt that the musicians themselves really needed to be recognized.

About a year ago we met Joey Travolta, John’s brother, who is a film director and teaches film producing and acting to under privileged people with autism. We told him about the Stand Down and the musicians and he agreed to do a documentary on it. (See related article)

On July 9, we will be featuring some of the musicians who play at the Stand Downs, as well as showing the short documentary. Three bands will take the stage and play from 2 to 4 PM, alternately. This is sort of a stepping off point that brings awareness about a program we are going to be spearheading called Music Heals.

Please pass the word on and it would be great to see you there!!! Take care and keep the music alive! Our band is The Groove Room.”

ABOUT THE BANDS:

The Illusions came together as young men of this area at the age of 14 or 15 years old. The boys grew up together and played until they were in their late teens when life would take them down a different path. The young men entered the military–one went into the US Army and would later receive orders and serve time as a combat veteran. Joe Martinez saw combat and served his time in Vietnam. Richard Rivas, the group’s band leader and drummer, was drafted into the US Army. Richard Rivas has many interesting stories to tell. Richard leads the group into many R&B Classics and is a huge hit on the dance floor. Tony Archimedes joined the US Marine Corp to protect his country and to serve in Viet Nam, but instead was sent to Pearl Harbor, HI to play in the Marine Band. Each time he requested to go to Vietnam, Tony was told he was needed in the band. His entire unit who were sent to Vietnam were killed. He will always remember his men. Tony plays many instruments and has taught hundreds of young musicians in the Bay area, many of them going on to receive awards and scholarships. Mitch McCarrie served his time in the US Naval Reserves in Alameda on the Flight Line and continues to enjoy playing for his fellow veterans. Mitch plays a mean guitar.

The Groove Room Band specializes in jazz and crossover tunes and Bossa Nova, although they play a variety of genres. The band features Tony Archimedes on keys, and Bay Area bassist Michael Fourie with his unusual and killer electric bass. Originally from Canada, Michael continues to perform for the troops at the Stand Down on the Delta and a variety of other events as well as Bay Area wide in a variety of venues. The trumpet player for the Groove Room, Walter Barr directed for Dizzy Gillespie and many other legends. The drummer, Brett King Cosby, is well-known and has played for many top bands across the country. Darlyn Phillips is the band’s leader and lead singer.

Areas of Santana features guitarist Ray Cepeda. He has recorded with many Bay Area artists and more, and has recently recorded with Chepito Areas. The two travel throughout the U.S. bringing awareness and inspiration to audiences throughout. Chepito, legacy of the Santana Band, is a motivator not only in the energy and vibe of his music but in the passion of his art and love of life. Cepeda is an educator teaching mostly Spanish, electronics and music for the ROP classes in the Eden area of Hayward.

Phillips initiated the documentary which was produced by Joey Travolta. The ‘Music Heals’ documentary, of the Music Heals Program for DVG’s Stand Down on the Delta for Homeless Veterans, features many of the veterans who come to the Stand Downs to play for their fellow veterans. The program was started by Phillips to promote awareness and support for veterans coming back into their musical arenas after injury or trauma and to inspire, to encourage playing, to regain lost skills, or develop new ones.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Patriots Jet Team

Venice Island, are you ready for an airshow this weekend!! We are super excited to perform prior to the Mandeville fireworks show! Thanks to the Venice Island Owners, Inc. we’ll be performing a six-jet aerobatic show July 3rd at 6:30pm. Make sure your radio is tuned in to 95.5FM for the show. #airshow #mandevillefireworks #californiadelta

For more information about the Byron Airport-based Patriots Jet Team visit patriotsjetteam.com.

By Michael Gabrielson, Celebrate Antioch Foundation

This year, Antioch is celebrating 150 years of cityhood! Antioch is Contra Costa’s original city and one of the oldest communities in California. From humble beginnings in 1849 as Smith’s Landing, renaming to Antioch during the July 4, 1851, picnic, to a thriving and bustling city, we are excited to honor our legacy as we mark our Sesquicentennial in 2022. Celebrate Antioch Foundation in partnership with the City of Antioch has planned and been hosting a series of events to pay tribute to our heritage and celebrate our community. Following are the upcoming events for our Sesquicentennial 4th of July Celebration!

July 2nd Concert in The Park 3pm-9pm

Calling out all music enthusiasts. Bring your chairs, blankets and enjoy several bands that will be performing at Williamson Ranch Park that will get you movin’ and groovin’! Blind to Reason 3pm – 4:30pm, Groove Ride 5pm – 6;30pm, and Project 4 Band 7pm – 8:30pm. There will be Food trucks to purchase food or bring your own and make a day of it. This is a free, fun, family friendly event you won’t want to miss!

July 3rd Military Tribute Concert 3pm-9pm

Please join us in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown at our main stage on W. 2nd and E Streets. The U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West will be headlining a day of great music celebrating our military. This event is free to the community, Food Trucks will be there including Cousins Maine Lobster truck. This is a celebration you won’t want to miss and here is our lineup: 3pm – 4:30pm The Illusions, 5pm – 6:30pm The Grove Room Band, and 7pm – 8:30pm Air Force Band of the Golden West

July 4th Antioch’s Sesquicentennial 4th of July Celebration 11am-10pm

This is a Celebration You won’t Want to Miss! Celebrating 150 Years of Cityhood as one of the Oldest Cities in California! Come Help Us Celebrate our 150th! The Celebration starts with a Pancake Breakfast 8am-10am followed by the Sesquicentennial July 4th Community Parade 11am-12:30pm. Then we have a great entertainment lineup of bands performing on two stages throughout the day, two Food Courts as well as a great selection of wonderful food from our Rivertown restaurants, Craft Vendors and a Huge Kids Zone, where for $10 your little ones can play all day. This is a Fun Family Friendly Event where no alcohol or coolers are allowed.

The evening will finish up with The Sacred Fire Dancers Performing at the Main Stage immediately before the 9:30pm Fireworks Show Over the Delta!

Band Line Up

City Stage
1-2:30pm Vocal Ease
3-4:30pm RJay Haas Band
5-6:30pm Orquestra Latin Heat
7-8:30pm The Groove Doctors

Main Stage
1-2:30pm Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
3-4:30pm Foreverland
5-6:30pm Lydia Pence and Cold Blood
7-8:30pm Juan Escovedo All-Stars Band
9-9:20pm Sacred Fire Dancers

For more information about these events, or to donate visit www.celebrateantioch.org If you wish to participate in our parade visit: https://form.jotform.com/eventsatrivertown/antioch4thofJulyparade2022 and to volunteer during our 4th of July Celebration visit: https://form.jotform.com/221380455127148.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Paul Rodriguez will headline

TICKETS: https://www.elcampaniltheatre.com or by calling (925) 757-9500

“This is one we’re really excited about. The Latin Kings of Comedy franchise is a nationwide name and reaches a wide audience .” says Erin Green, the Director of Marketing for El Campanil Theatre.

Headlining this tour is Paul Rodriguez, who starred in the Original Latin Kings of Comedy in 2002. On this tour Paul is joined by a cast of veteran comics including Gilbert Esquivel, Joey Medina from the original Latin Kings of Comedy Tour, Johnny Sanchez from MADtv, and Dennis Gaxiola.

This show is family-friendly and will be sure to have the audience roaring with laughter!

The full listing of El Campanil’s events can be found at www.elcampaniltheatre.com.