$22,202 for each candidate funded mainly by self-described unrepentant liberal from the 60’s Lafayette investment consultant and billionaire’s daughter from Atherton

By Allen D. Payton

Incumbent Antioch Councilwomen Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker’s campaigns for re-election have been beneficiaries of major independent expenditures in the amount totaling $21,776 during this year’s elections. According to campaign finance disclosure reports, known as Forms 460 and 497, Oakland-based Lift Up Contra Costa Action, a Project of Tides Advocacy, PAC spent $20,426 for “canvassing” or door-to-door campaigning for each of the two candidates, plus another $1,776 each for “walkcards” which are fliers distributed door-to-door.

That brings the total to $44,404 that the organization has spent in Antioch as of the end of the most recent filing period on October 22, 2022. Lift Up Contra Costa Action paid $40,852 to another Oakland-based organization, ACCE (Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment) Action for the canvassing and BaughmanMerrill in San Francisco was paid $3,552 for printing the walkcards. ACCE’s leaders, members and attorney spoke during council meetings advocating for the city’s rent stabilization ordinance which both councilwomen voted for and have highlighted on their campaign websites. (See related article)

According to Lift Up Contra Costa Action’s website, the organization also supported Diana Becton in her re-election campaign, earlier this year and receives major funding from Sandor Straus. This year, he contributed $66,000 to the organization, while Elizabeth Simons of Atherton contributed $20,000. She also contributed the maximum $4,900 directly to Torres-Walker’s campaign. Another $30,001 was contributed by Progressive Era PAC of San Francisco, $25,000 by the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC, and $5,000 was contributed to Lift Up Contra Costa by Oakland-based Bay Rising Action Committee sponsored by Center for Empowered Politics which also contributed $1,000 directly to Wilson’s campaign (See related article)

According to TransparencyUSA.org, of the almost $700,000 raised by the Progressive Era PAC most of their funds were received by nine individuals, including $250,000 from Eva K. Grove, the wife of former Intel chairman, Andrew Grove and $200,000 from M. Quinn Delaney. According to Influence Watch, Delaney “is a philanthropist, fundraiser, and major donor to left-of-center causes and Democratic politicians. In 2000, Delaney and her husband, real estate mogul Wayne Jordan, Delaney co-founded the Akonadi Foundation, a left-of-center racial justice grantmaking group primarily.” In addition, “Starting in 2018, Delaney was part of a four-person Democratic mega donor group in California that supported prosecutor candidates who committed to increasing leniency in prosecutions, including Chesa Boudin in San Fransisco and George Gascon in Los Angeles.”

Additional funding for the Progressive ERA PAC includes $85,000 from Karen Grove, chair of The Grove Foundation, founded by her father Andrew Grove. Also, according to Influence Watch, “The foundation is primarily a grantmaking organization^[2] and makes millions of dollars in grants annually to many organizations, including funding many of the nation’s most notable left-leaning groups such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and Everytown for Gun Safety. ^[3] The Packard Foundation, a prominent left-leaning foundation, has provided funding to the Grove Foundation.” ^[4] Ms. Grove is also president of the Grove Action Fund which, according to Influence Watch, is the “lobbying and election-advocacy arm” of the foundation which “donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to various left-leaning organizations and fund at least one left-leaning political organization that supports liberal candidates in state races.” ^[2]

Ms. Grove is also a board member for the Groundswell Fund which, according to Influence Watch, is a “’pass through’ grantmaking organization that funds advocacy and direct-services groups working on reproductive issues—especially those that advocate for increased access to abortion for minority groups—and transgender interests.” Finally, according to the Groundswell Fund’s website, Ms. Grove “is a board member and former board chair of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. She is an advisory board member for the California Donor Table, and an active member of Voices for Progress, Way to Win, and the Women Donors Network.”

According to Influence Watch, “Tides Advocacy (formerly The Tsunami Fund, The Advocacy Fund, and the Tides Advocacy Fund) is a left-of-center advocacy organization associated with the Tides Nexus, a collection of center-left pass-through funders and fiscal sponsorship nonprofits grouped around the Tides Foundation. While Tides Advocacy has disavowed any affiliation with the Tides Foundation and Tides Center (the fiscal sponsorship arm of the Tides Nexus), it maintains close connections with the other Tides organizations through its leadership and board of directors. Tides Advocacy received $23.8 million in funding from the Tides Foundation between 2013 and 2018.

“The Tides Advocacy has been described as an organization that ‘washes’ away the paper trail between its grants and the original donor.^[1] Tides Founder Drummond Pike stated, ‘Anonymity is very important to most of the people we work with.’ ^[2]

“Tides Advocacy is the sole 501(c)(4) social welfare organization in the Tides Nexus and focuses on the creation, financing, and consultation of various left-of-center organizations.”

Also, according to Influence Watch, Sandor Straus, of Lafayette, “is a California-based mathematician and financial investment consultant who is a major donor to Democratic Party candidates and affiliated organizations in the United States. ^[1] A former campaigner for the left-wing insurgent 1968 Presidential candidacy of U.S. Sen. Eugene McCarthy (D-MN), Straus is also a major contributor to progressive-left immigration, social policy, and environmental organizations.”

According to the website for The Marine Mammal Center for which he serves as Board Treasurer, Straus “is President of the Firedoll Foundation, a private foundation founded by himself and his wife Faye” which, according to the non-profit’s website was “founded by two unrepentant liberals from the 60’s”.

According to Influence Watch, Elizabeth “Liz” Simons “is the daughter of billionaire retired hedge fund manager and Democratic political donor James Simons and the wife of Mark Heising, the founder of Medley Partners and chair of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Simons has promoted a number of left-of-center education policies. Simons also founded Stretch to Kindergarten, an early childhood education program. Simons is the chair of the Heising-Simons Foundation, an organization she formed with her husband in 2007 that supports a variety of left-of-center environmentalist, education, and social policy causes.”

According to the Heising-Simons Foundation website, Liz Simons currently serves on the boards of The Foundation for a Just Society – which “advances the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people and promotes gender and racial justice,” the left-of-center Smart Justice California, another project of Tides Advocacy, and the Learning Policy Institute. According to Influence Watch, the “Learning Policy Institute (LPI) is an education research and policy advocacy group that focuses on diversity and equity outcomes. It is a proponent of ‘deeper learning,’ an educational approach that rejects traditional methods such as rote memorization of facts in favor of ‘real-world problem-solving skills.’ The emphasis is instead placed on conflict-resolution, ‘self-management,’ and ‘a sense of community responsibility.’ ^[1] During the push to reopen in-person schooling following the COVID-19 pandemic, LPI was a vocal proponent of mask mandates, contact tracing, and vaccination of children aged 12 and older.”

Wilson has served 10 years and Torres-Walker has served two years on the city council. The election is next Tuesday, November 8.

By Darryl Saffold PIO, Antioch Police Department

On Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, at approximately 1:30 AM, Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a large fight in the area of Golden Bear and Via Dora. As this incident was being investigated, it was determined that a female victim sustained a laceration to the side of her face and was transported to a local area hospital for her injuries.

This is still an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. Anonymous tips can be sent via text to 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword ANTIOCH.

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

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.

 

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

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

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.

Antioch resident Tom McNell declines additional comment; the offense of making a false police report of a crime to a peace officer is punishable by up to six months in jail; City’s PIO not at event or witness of incident

By Allen D. Payton

After a Bay Area TV station, on Thursday, identified Antioch resident Tom McNell as the man involved in the altercation with Mayor Lamar Thorpe on Tuesday, McNell said he would not offer any additional information about the incident, at this time. Thorpe has claimed that McNell punched him in the chest. However, during her comments at the end of Tuesday’s council meeting District 1 Antioch Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker – who claims to have helped broken things up between the two men – refuted the mayor’s claim saying Thorpe was only aggressively shoved. She also said McNell attempted to punch him, which he and other witnesses have refuted saying “no punches were thrown”. (See council meeting video and hear Torres-Walker’s comments at the 4:27:09 mark) (See related article)

McNell, who was one of 20 Antioch residents to sign as proponents on the Notice of Recall against Thorpe, claims he was poking fun at the mayor for missing part or all of two previous council meetings saying, “nice to see you coming out of hiding” and that it was Thorpe who approached McNell and got in his face.  McNell says he told Thorpe to get out of his personal space but didn’t. So, McNell put his right hand on the mayor’s chest and pushed the Thorpe back. McNell said, “if I shoved him, it wasn’t very hard.”

“I didn’t punch him,” McNell stated.

City’s PIO Not at Event or Witness to Incident, Confirms and Makes False Claims to Media

The City’s contracted public information officer, Rolando Bonilla was asked, Thursday morning, if he was “the source close to the case” who told NBC Bay Area’s Damian Trujillo the identity of the man who Thorpe has accused, as stated in the TV news report. Bonilla was also asked if so, is that part of his role as the city’s PIO to identify to the media Antioch residents who are merely accused by the mayor, a council member or a city staff member of doing something. He did not respond prior to publication time.

In addition, Bonilla is quoted as saying to KRON-4 News on Tuesday about an hour after the incident that an arrest “appears to be imminent”, yet the Antioch Police Department’s PIO Darryl Saffold shared later Tuesday afternoon that the investigation was still being conducted. Bonilla, acting as the City’s PIO confirmed to the media Thorpe’s claims of being pushed. But a review of photos from the event show Bonilla was not in attendance and therefore not in the parking lot during the time of the incident and couldn’t have been a witness to it.

Bonilla was asked how, while speaking on behalf of the city, he could confirm to the media what Thorpe said about being punched if he wasn’t a witness to the incident. He did not respond.

Up to Six Months in Jail for Filing False Police Report

Now that Thorpe’s claim of being punched by McNell has been refuted by Torres-Walker and other witnesses, Antioch residents are asking if the mayor could face charges of filing a false police report.

California Penal Code 148.5 PC makes it illegal to make a false police report of a crime to a peace officer. False reporting is a crime if the person making the report knows it to be false. The offense is punishable by up to six months in jail.

That Penal Code reads in Section “a) Every person who reports to any peace officer listed in Section 830.1 or 830.2, or subdivision (a) of Section 830.33, the Attorney General, or a deputy attorney general, or a district attorney, or a deputy district attorney that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, knowing the report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

In addition, the penal code reads in Section “b) Every person who reports to any other peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, knowing the report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor if (1) the false information is given while the peace officer is engaged in the performance of his or her duties as a peace officer and (2) the person providing the false information knows or should have known that the person receiving the information is a peace officer.”

Questions for Interim Antioch Police Chief, APD PIO, Contra Costa DA PIO Go Unanswered

Some residents have asked if Thorpe could face charges for filing a false police report. Information and questions about the incident, Thorpe’s claim and Torres-Walker’s comments were sent to Interim Antioch Police Chief Steve Ford, department PIO Darryl Saffold, and Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office PIO Ted Asregadoo, Thursday night asking about that possibility. But no responses were received as of close of business on Friday.

Please check back later for their responses and any other updates to this report.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy administers oath of office ceremony for him and 31 other Postmasters in California during special ceremony

By Kristina Uppal, U.S. Postal Service

ANTIOCH, CA— Ernesto Avila raised his right hand and took the official Oath of Office as the Postmaster of the Antioch, CA Post office on Monday, October 24, 2022, in a special ceremony. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy administered the Oath to Avila alongside 31 other Postmasters throughout California.

Avila, a proud 22-year postal employee started his postal career in Antioch in 2000 as a letter carrier.

“It is a tremendous honor to be appointed the twenty-sixth Postmaster for the city of Antioch.  I have a profound sense of pride for not only being given the opportunity to serve my own community but to do so in the office where I began my career,” said Avila.

As outlined in the USPS Delivering for America plan, the postal service is committed to modernizing and continually adapting to the evolving needs of all customers. As the Postmaster of Antioch, Avila is prepared to meet those needs for his community.

“In my time with the Postal Service, I have been fortunate to have incredible teachers who have helped place me in the position to take on this great responsibility.  It is because of them and the deep roots I have in this community and office that I pledge to work diligently to provide exceptional service to the city of Antioch,” Avila added.

The Antioch Post Office was first opened in 1851, closed in 1852, re-opened in 1855, closed again in 1862, and it has operated continuously since re-opening in 1863. Two post offices currently operate in the city including the main Antioch Post Office on E. Tregallas Road and the Rivertown Post Office on W. 4th Street.

The History of the Postmaster Position

The title, “Postmaster” carries with it both a Noble Heritage and a Vital Responsibility.

Originally, the word Postmaster was referred as the one who provided post horses.  According to the Oxford Dictionary, postmaster means “master of the posts, the officer who has charge or direction of the posts.”

William Penn established Pennsylvania’s first post office in 1683. However, the real beginnings of a postal system in the colonies dates from 1692 when Thomas Neale received a 21-year grant from the British Crown authorizing him to set up post roads in North America.

In 1707, the British Government bought the rights to the North American postal service, and, in 1710, consolidated the postal service into one establishment.  The principal offices of the new British Postal Service were in London, England; Edinburgh Scotland; Dublin, Ireland, and New York.

In 1737, Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster at Philadelphia.  He laid out new post roads, helped expand mail service from Canada to New York and instituted overnight delivery between Philadelphia and New York City, a distance of 90 miles. In 1774, Franklin was dismissed from office because of his efforts on behalf of the patriots.

When the Continental Congress met in May 1775, they named Franklin as postmaster general for the 13 American colonies.

From 1775 until the early 1800s, Postmasters were appointed by the postmaster general.  In 1836, postmasters were appointed by the president, but this of course changed whenever a new party was elected.  It was not until August 1970, with the signing of the Postal Reorganization Act, which took effect in July 1971, that the patronage system was finally removed from the postal service once and for all.  Postmasters began being appointed on merit alone. The act also permitted upward mobility for line employees, allowing them to be promoted to the position of Postmaster.

Along the way, there have been several famous individuals, who have served as postmasters. In 1833, Abraham Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem, IL. Other notable individuals who served as postmaster included abolitionist John Brown, businessman Conrad Hilton, novelist William Faulkner, and humorist Bill Nye, as well as Kevin Costner in the movie The Postman (just kidding).

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.