Re-elected AUSD Trustee Mary Rocha new Trustee Dr. Jaguanana “Jag” Latha will be sworn in, Wednesday night, Dec. 14, 2022.

Re-elected Rocha and newcomer Lathan

Hernandez requests $1,200 to participate in Latino officials’ water policy program

By Allen D. Payton

The winners of the Areas 2 and 5 Antioch School Board races in the November election will be given their oaths of office, tonight, Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. Re-elected Trustee Mary Rocha who will know represent Area 5 and new Trustee Dr. Jaguanana “Jag” Lathan, who ran unopposed in Area 2 will be sworn in at 6:20 p.m. in the District Office Board Room at 510 G Street in Antioch.

That will be followed by a Closed Session at 6:45 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. During the regular meeting the board will choose a new president and vice president for the coming year. The board will also vote to elect one of their members as Liaison to the Contra Costa County School Boards Association.

Hernandez Requests Funds to Attend Latino Officials Water Conference

Among the various items for possible action, at the request of Area 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez, under Item 11.A. the board will consider a one-time increase of $1,200 to his Board Trustee Training Allocation budget. It’s to cover the costs for Hernandez to participate in the WELL UnTapped Fellowship Program, a water policy program for Latino elected officials. Hernandez was selected as part of the 2023 cohort.

According to the organization’s website, latinosforwater.org, “Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL) was founded in 2012 with the goal of strengthening the voice of local Latino leaders, ensuring they have context for and participation in water policy decisions.”

The website also explains, “WELL UnTapped is a selective, six-month program for local elected leaders aimed at helping participants make an impact on California water policy while addressing individual community water challenges.”

As a councilmember in 2019, Mayor Lamar Thorpe attended the WELL UnTapped fellowship academy in Los Angeles. In a Jan.11, 2019 post on is official Facebook page, he posted a video and wrote, “Road trip! Headed to WELL UnTapped in LA for first fellowship academy weekend. Join me! Let’s talk about AGUA! Stopped at Caistaic Lake 1 of 3 terminals branches of the Cal Water Aqueduct, which starts in East County. This is it where Delta water ends up!”

WELL’s 11th Annual Statewide Conference will be held March 31 and April 1, 2023, at the Aritel Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Van Nuys, CA.

When asked about Hernandez’s request Rocha responded, “I am bringing that up. The big funder of WELLS is the Southern California water company that is always after our water. Of the cohort composition, 14 are mayors or city council members, he is only one of three school board members and the only one from the north. I attended two of their workshops when I was an elected council member. WELL paid for it.”

She agreed that it’s appropriate for a council member to participate and attend as water is an issue city councils deal with responding, “Exactly.”

“I will be questioning his request since he is already over his budget of $3,000 a year,” Rocha added.

Rocha is correct as one of the WELL Associate Members who have contributed $10,000 to $25,000 annually to the organization is The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California which is a big supporter of the Delta tunnel (Conveyance project) that will move water from Northern California to the south.

See the complete meeting agenda. The meeting can also be viewed on the District’s YouTube Channel.

A slide from Rivertown building owner Sean McCauley’s presentation showing the four city owned parking lots that he wants the council to focus their initial security efforts on.

By Allen D. Payton

During their meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, the Antioch City Council voted to adopt a resolution to develop a comprehensive Downtown/Rivertown Public Parking Lots Security Plan and authorize the City Manager to issue a Request for Qualifications for a private patrol security service either on and/or near Downtown/Rivertown Area City-Owned public parking lots or other designated downtown areas. District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock included other city owned parking lots in “southeast” in her motion which passed on a 5-0 vote.

At the request of Sean McCauley, who owns several buildings in Rivertown, the owners of two restaurants in the Rivertown Dining District, Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill and Monica’s Riverview who were in attendance, as well as other merchants, the council supported the effort to improve the safety in the city’s historic downtown.

“We’re doing our part with private security in our parking lots,” McCauley said. “Code Enforcement is doing their part.”

He showed a slide with four parking lots along the city’s waterfront that he wanted the initial effort to focus on.

Some members of the public shared concerns about the limits on private security officers and their interaction with the public.

This reporter, as a Rivertown business owner, spoke in favor of the effort and said cities across the country have been doing similar things for decades for their downtowns and focus on two things: ensuring they’re clean and safe. He suggested the private security officers also serve as ombudsmen wearing jackets and shirts with the Rivertown and Rivertown Dining District logos on them, who would provide direction to shoppers handing out maps showing where the various stores and restaurants are located. He also suggested the business and property owners could form a PBID – Property and Business owners Improvement District – and assess themselves, and contract with the city and/or a private security firm.

District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker wanted the council to include efforts to ensure homeless individuals weren’t targeted. Mayor Lamar Thorpe assured her and those in the audience that the council was only issuing a request for proposal and not voting on spending any funds Tuesday night.

Ogorchock pointed out that there are other city-owned parking lots in other parts of the city before including them in her motion.

Following the vote, Antioch Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Daniel Sohn told McCauley and the restaurant owners that he would do whatever he could to support the effort.

Surrounded by family, friends and supporters, District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker was given her oath of office administered by City Clerk Ellie Householder Tuesday night, Dec. 13, 2022. The councilwoman was later appointed the city’s next mayor pro tem. Photos by Allen D. Payton

She, Wilson given oaths of office Tuesday night

By Allen D. Payton

Following the oaths of office for District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker and District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson, during the Antioch City Council meeting Tuesday, December 13, 2022, Torres-Walker was appointed the city’s next mayor pro tem. For now, pending the outcome of the ballot recount in the District 1 election which began Tuesday morning, she will serve in the position for the coming year.

Re-elected District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson takes her oath of office as she’s joined by family, friends and supporters Tuesday night, Dec. 13, 2022.

Even though Wilson had a higher percent of the vote, she has previously served as mayor pro tem and according to city ordinance, she can’t serve in the position again until all other council members have had the opportunity.

“I’m very proud of you,” Mayor Lamar Thorpe said to Torres-Walker.

Then, on a motion by District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock and seconded by outgoing Mayor Pro Tem and District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica the council voted 5-0 to appoint her. The mayor pro tem serves in the place of the mayor when absent from meetings or out of town. Torres-Walker will also serve as the alternate to Thorpe at the monthly Mayor’s Conference.

Bianca Palomera is presented with a Key to the City by Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe and councilmembers (L-R) Monica Wilson, Tamisha Torres-Walker, Lori Ogorchock and then-Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica, as well as Antioch School Board Vice President Antonio Hernandez (rear left). Photos by Allen D. Payton

Attacked by patron of fast food restaurant where she worked resulting in blinding her right eye

By Allen D. Payton

Bianca Palomera is presented with a bouquet of flowers by then-Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica.

During a special ceremony Tuesday night, December 13, 2022, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe and councilmembers presented resident Bianca Palomera with a Key to the City, “In recognition of a courageous, selfless and extraordinary act of heroism”. The 19-year-old employee of The Habit Burger in Antioch was punched in the face multiple times after protecting an individual with an intellectual disability from being bullied by another patron. Palomera lost her right eye because of the incident and the suspect was arrested last week on charges of mayhem and aggravated assault. (See related article)

During the ceremony MC’d by Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore, Robyn “RBYN” Jackson sang the National Anthem followed by a poem by Jose Cordon who was chosen by Thorpe to be the city’s Poet Laureate. That was followed by welcome remarks by Antioch School Board Vice President Antonio Hernandez.

Palomera was then thanked and presented with certificates of recognition by Be Exceptional, State Senator Steve Glazer and Assemblyman Tim Grayson, Supervisor Federal Glover and We Get it Foundation, which serves neurodivergent individuals and their families. Elizabeth Soleyman LaVasse, CEO and Chair was joined by others from the organization and said, “My team and I stand before you today to commend Bianca in her heroic and selfless efforts to defend a vulnerable, neurodivergent youth. Those efforts impacted the community and I speak for us all when I say that there should be more Biancas in this world.”

Palomera is presented with the Hero of the Year Award for 2022 by representatives of We Get It Foundation.

They then presented Palomera with their Hero of the Year Award for 2022.

Antioch Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Daniel Sohn and Chair Ana Walker presented Palomera with flowers and a certificate of recognition. Sohn announced the Chamber Board approved giving $500 to help with her medical bills and the Chamber Foundation agreed to match that as a donation to the charity of Palomera’s choice.

Antioch Chamber of Commerce Chair Ana Walker and Executive Director Daniel Sohn presented Palomera with flowers and a certificate of recognition.

Several Antioch business owners then presented Palomera with a bouquet and a gift card to Macy’s.

Antioch business owners presented, Bianca with a bouquet and gift card.

During his remarks Thorpe explained the issuing of keys to a city is from the days of medieval walled cities and that this was only the second Key to the City he’s presented as mayor. About the young heroine Thorpe said, “Miss Palomera is the light that shined valiantly.”

He was then joined by his fellow council members to present Palomera with the Key to the City mounted on a plaque which reads, “In Recognition of a Courageous, Selfless and Extraordinary Act of Heroism”. Then-Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

Robyn “RBYN” Jackson sings the National Anthem as the Antioch Police Color Guard look on. Antioch Poet Laureate Jose Cordon speaks his poem as Assistant City Manager Rosana Bayon Moore, the event’s MC, listens. Palomera is presented with a certificate by Assemblyman Grayson’s Field Rep. Theresa Anderson.

An at times emotional Palomera was then given the opportunity to speak to those in attendance thanking them and all those “who have reached out” supported her since the incident. She was given two long rounds of applause. Thorpe then recognized her parents and family who were in attendance for the ceremony.

Antioch Police Sgt. Matt Koch (left) and Detective John Cox with Palomera and Mayor Thorpe.

The mayor also thanked and presented certificates of recognition to Antioch Police Sgt. Matt Koch, Detective John Cox and Lt. John Fortner, who was out of town, for their efforts identifying the suspect and solving the crime.

“Antioch has a very high clearance rate for homicides and other violent crimes,” Thorpe pointed out.

A crowd, including city staff leaders, gathered in the City Hall breezeway to witness the Key to the City ceremony.

Without a vote Mayor Thorpe to give Key to the City to fast food worker who was blinded during November attack; Torres-Walker expected to be next mayor pro tem

By Allen D. Payton

During tonight’s Antioch City Council meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, re-elected Councilwomen Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker will be given their oaths of office after the council confirms the election results. The District 1 councilwoman is expected to be appointed the city’s mayor pro tem for the next year. Earlier in the meeting, for the first time, the council will consider hiring three part-time secretaries for the five part-time policy makers, one for the mayor and two for the other four other council members.

Before the meeting, at 6:00 p.m. Mayor Lamar Thorpe will be presenting a Key to the City to Bianca Palomera “In recognition of a courageous, selfless and extraordinary act of heroism”. She is the employee of The Habit Burger restaurant who was hit in the face and blinded in one eye while defending a special needs patron from being bullied by another patron who has since been arrested and charged with mayhem and aggravated assault. (See related article)

However, no council vote was taken to approve the issuing of the Key to the City and neither current Mayor Pro Tem Mike Barbanica nor District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock were aware of Thorpe’s plans as of last Friday.

District 1 Ballot Recount Begins

The actions of the council to confirm the election results and administer the oath of office to Torres-Walker will have no effect on the recount of the ballots in the District 1 race that began, today on behalf of Joy Motts who lost to the councilwoman by just three votes. Should it result in the election being overturned, the incumbent will step down and Motts be sworn in.

Public Comments

Members of the public who wish to speak during general Public Comments or on an agenda item may do so in one of the following ways (#2 pertains to the Zoom Webinar Platform):

1. IN PERSON: Fill out a Speaker Request Form, available near the entrance doors, and place in the Speaker Card Tray near the City Clerk before the City Council Meeting begins.
2. VIRTUAL: To provide oral public comments during the meeting, please click the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://www.antiochca.gov/speakers You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the meeting. When the Mayor announces public comments, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/raise_hand. When calling into the meeting using the Zoom Webinar telephone number, press *9 on your telephone keypad to raise your hand . Please ensure your Zoom client is updated so staff can enable your microphone when it is your turn to speak. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. When you are called to speak, please limit your comments to the time allotted (350 words, up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor). The City cannot guarantee that its network and/or the site will be uninterrupted.
3. WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT: If you wish to provide a written public comment, you may do so in one of the following ways by 3:00 p.m. the day of the City Council Meeting: (1) Fill out an online speaker card, located at https://www.antiochca.gov/speaker_card, Or, (2) cityclerk@ci.antioch.ca.us. Written public comments received by 3:00 p.m. the day of the City Council Meeting will be shared with the City Council before the meeting, entered into the public record, retained on file by the City Clerk s Office, and available to the public upon request. Written public comments will not be read during the City Council Meeting.

The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 200 W. Third Street and can be viewed on Comcast channel 24, AT&T U-verse channel 99, or via live stream on the city’s website.

Initial cost estimate of $38,500 per may be reduced by work on both

Could take 6 to 7 days

Herald publisher makes request on behalf of Motts in Antioch race

By Dawn Kruger, Civic Outreach and Engagement Specialist

The County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department has received two recount requests for races in the November 8, 2022, General Election. One request is for the Antioch District 1 City Council race in which Tamisha Torres-Walker won over Joy Motts by three votes and the second is for the Richmond District 2 City Council race, which ended in a tie between Andrew Butt and Cesar Zepeda. Today, Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for requesting a recount.

In California, any voter may request a recount. For single-county races, a request for recount must be made within five days of the county canvass/certification. No reason is required.

“Our office conducted expanded manual tally audits for these two close races, which were attended by the affected candidates and media representatives. These audits were done above and beyond the state requirements and at the County Elections Division’s cost. Our staff has done an excellent job and I am confident in their work. These requests are within the rules for recounts,” said Debi Cooper, Clerk-Recorder-Registrar. “As per state law, the requestor of the recount must pay the cost for the recount. The cost is determined based on the steps involved in the recount, including the sorting out of the physical paper ballots. Our office is preparing estimated costs for the requestors based on the type of recount that have been requested.”

On Monday night, Allen Payton, Antioch resident and publisher of the Antioch Herald and Contra Costa Herald, submitted a request for a hand recount of the ballots on behalf of candidate Joy Motts who lost to incumbent Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker. The letter was received by the elections staff Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, according to outgoing Richmond Mayor Tom Butt, the father of Andrew Butt who lost yesterday’s tiebreaker, the Butt campaign requested a hand recount of the ballots in that race.

The hand count by elections staff, last Thursday, was done using copies of images of the ballots that had been scanned through the machines. (See related articles here and here)

Once the costs are provided to the requestor, the recount will begin after payment for the first day’s processing is received. The recount must begin within 7 days of the official request. California law states that costs paid by the requestor are to be refunded if the recount changes the outcome of the election in favor of the requestor. The requestor is responsible for all costs of the recount. If the outcome does not change, the requestor may receive a refund if the amount paid was greater than the actual cost of the recount.

If the recount is conducted with the original paper ballots, the recount is expected to take 6-7 days. Conducting parallel recounts for two districts may save some shared costs but will take longer than the process for a single jurisdiction.

According to Tommy Gong, Deputy Clerk-Recorder, the initial estimate is $38,500 for each recount, as staff has to go to the warehouse, use a forklift and retrieve the boxes of ballots. That’s because, according to Helen Nolan, Assistant Registrar of Voters, the ballots are no longer stored by precinct but as they arrive in the Elections office. They will have to pull the 4,500 ballots from the estimated 1.3 million ballot pages submitted in the county during the November election. Each ballot included four pages, she added.

Wong estimated the sorting would take five days and recounting one day. However, he explained that they know how many ballots for each race and the results of the votes on those ballots that are in each box. Gong said the price for each recount could be reduced by sharing in the cost of retrieving and sorting the ballots. He also said he would also be checking with the Secretary of State’s office, today to determine if the recount could be done box by box in the warehouse which could further reduce the costs. Gong said he will know if that’s allowable Wednesday afternoon.

More information on recounts is available on the Secretary of State’s website here. You can also reach out to the Elections Division at 925-335-7800.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Isaac White-Carter. Booking photo by APD

U.S. Marshals assist; suspect arrested last year and earlier this year for battery and threats

By Public Information Officer Ashley Crandell, Support Services Division, Antioch Police Department

Isaac White-Carter caught on surveillance camera at Habit Burger Grill on Nov. 12, 2022.

On November 12, 2022, at approximately 5:25 pm, the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center began receiving calls of an assault that occurred at The Habit Burger Grill located at 2430 Mahogany Way in Antioch. Officers learned an employee was punched in the face multiple times after protecting an individual with an intellectual disability from being bullied. The victim lost her right eye because of the incident.

Our Investigations Bureau worked tirelessly to identify and locate the suspect over the last several weeks. Through that ongoing investigation, Isaac White-Carter, a 20-year-old resident of Hayward, was identified as the assailant. Antioch Police Department Special Operations Unit detectives worked in collaboration with the United States Marshalls Service (USMS) to locate Mr. White-Carter. USMS Agents with the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested White-Carter in Hayward, California, this morning and turned him over to Antioch Police detectives. He has been arrested for the felony charges of mayhem and aggravated assault causing great bodily injury.  Detectives will be presenting their case to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

We want to thank the Contra County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshalls Service, and members of the community who came forward to assist with this investigation.

During a press conference on Monday afternoon, Dec. 5, Detective John Cox shared that the victim will be helped by the Victims of Violent Crimes through the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. He also shared that White-Carter is known to Antioch Police and that he was arrested last year.

According to localcrimenews.com, White-Carter was arrested by Concord Police on August 31, 2021, for 243(A) – battery on a person and 422(A) – threats of violence. He was again arrested on March 14, this year for 243(E)(1) – battery on a spouse, cohabitant or former spouse and
422 – threats of violence.

Surveillance video screenshot of incident at Habit Burger Gril on Nov. 12, 2022.

The members of the Antioch Police Department express their support and gratitude to the victim for helping a community member in need.

If anyone has further information pertaining to the case, please contact Detective John Cox at jcox@antiochca.gov. You can also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword ANTIOCH.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Photo by Daryl Miller.

By Sergeant Rob Green, Antioch Police Traffic Unit

On Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 10:03 AM, the Antioch Police Department responded to a report of a collision at the eastern intersection of James Donlon Blvd. and Silverado Drive. The collision involved two vehicles and one of the vehicles was overturned. One person, a 41-year-old male, was ejected from the overturned vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The driver and passenger of the other involved vehicle received medical attention at a local hospital for complaints of pain.

The Antioch Traffic Unit is in the preliminary stages of the investigation and have not yet determined the cause of the collision. This is an ongoing and active investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact the Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit at (925) 779-6864, or email Officer Blumberg at fblumberg@antiochca.gov.

We offer our deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragic event.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.