No More Solyndras – and No More McNerneys

The year Jerry McNerney was elected to Congress, he declared that “green energy” would be his “signature issue.”

It turns out his signature was written in disappearing ink.

On the defensive, McNerney is suddenly running away from the issue that defined his candidacy and his entire record in Congress — the advocacy of green energy, its supposedly endless economic potential, and the need for costly government incentives to promote its development. 

Despite his ostensibly dogged commitment to green energy, Jerry McNerney was one of only two California Democrats who voted last week for the No More Solyndras Act in the House of Representatives. The legislation, H.R. 6213, calls for a complete end to clean energy loan guarantees.

McNerney’s vote is more transparent than Solyndra’s discarded solar tubes (which now feature in a Berkeley art installation). It was a flip-flop designed to help McNerney survive an increasingly difficult re-election campaign. This is the same Jerry McNerney who supported loan guarantees for Solyndra, the now-bankrupt recipient of $535 million in US government-backed loans — the same McNerney who pocketed a $2,400 campaign contribution from Solyndra’s lead investor.

In a recent interview, McNerney defended government loan guarantees even in the face of Solyndra’s bankruptcy. “It’s not a good argument to say that the failure of one company is an indication that the whole industry has a problem,” he said. “I think it’s reasonable that renewable resources companies can look to the government for help both in research and in incentives.”

“I think there is a need for loan guarantees,” McNerney said in the interview, designed to promote his book, Clean Energy Nation. 

Seems like McNerney’s true “signature issue” is saving his political career. 

Kevin Spillane, Ricky Gill for Congress campaign

Editor,
I would like to apologize to the citizens of Antioch for the misrepresentation which took place in a political advertisement published in the Antioch Herald last week.

A photograph of Walter Ruehlig who is running for City Council, was published standing alongside Rudy Fernandez and Michael Manalac. The photograph was taken in front of the grotto at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church and the endorsement alongside the photograph gives the impression that Mr. Ruehlig is being endorsed by the Catholic Church, St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish,and the Filipino-American Society. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The photograph and endorsement were done without permission and the publishing of this advertisement was very unfortunate. It is an indication of poor judgment that reflects upon the qualifications of the candidate.

Again, my apologies to all those who were offended by this ad.

Father Robert Rien, Parochial Administrator, St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish

Dear Editor:

It’s time to remember all those “Out of Box” and “Silver Bullets” ideas that didn’t work out last election and really just concentrate on the values and traditions already in the box. We need to consider how effective our district is by:

1. Asking are the programs currently ongoing effective for the students?

2. Are our schools being maintained in a clean and healthy environment for our students?

3. Are the teachers and staff motivated and in turn motivating our students to reach higher goals or are some just riding out the last years before retirement?

4. Is the administration prepared with back-up staff members who at a moment’s notice take the place of an ill or incapacitated key figure to keep the district going?

Answers to these questions will not make everyone happy or comfortable but, our students deserve the best fighting chance in our current economy.

Jack Yeager

Candidate for Antioch’s Board of Education

September 5, 2012

Dear Editor:

The new EB ramp at Loveridge to Route 4 might open today (or soon). I hope to see a reduction in merging congestion at Loveridge EB in the PM rush. If this occurs, I would be inclined to give a thumbs up to the design and construction team to be able to reduce congestion during the construction.

This has happened with the EB on ramp at Somerville – it is now longer and allows a more controlled merge.

If this effort gets noticed, they might even do more to improve the commute.

Lloyd Young

Dear Editor:

This is an open letter to parents of school children in Antioch.

School will begin on August 15 and August 22 or after Labor Day and the summer vacation will come to a semi-official end. Students will experience some difficulty adjusting to school and will have different responses depending on their age. Elementary school students will be happy to begin school because they are in the exploratory stage of their lives and they are excited to go to school and participate and hang out with their friends. Middle school students are at the beginning of their independence and will not be so thrilled to return to school as they will have to be reminded about the rules all over again. High school students will vary on their excitement to return to school based on the type of summer that they had working, hanging out with friends, traveling with friends and relatives, or just hanging around the house enjoying their free time. Of course, for those who will return to school as “seniors”, they will be excited to begin the year as it holds much fun and promise.

Here are some tips to follow to help your child adjust to the school schedule. Approximately 1 week to 3 days before school, parents should begin reminding their students that their schedule at home will change. Establishing a regular family routine will make it easy on the entire family as well as ease the stress on the daily routine of work and school. Here are my recommendations:

Parents should think about what they need at home for their sanity (smile) and be clear about rules and expectations before talking to their children about the back to school routine. Once this is determined, parents can have open discussions at the dinner table regarding the routine and ask their children for their input.

School night rules should be discussed approximately 1.5 weeks before school or a week after school begins, as children will have to accept the idea that they are going to lose some of the freedom that they had during the summer. This means no late night TV watching, the expected schedule for completing homework, and any other household routine that the parent is expecting from the child.

Students should begin going to bed around the time they would have to go to bed on a school night. No more late nights for elementary and middle school students.

High school students should be reminded about school, and given the chance to correct their own bedtime schedule before parents step in and do it. This will give them a chance to embrace their independence in a responsible manner.

Parents should talk to their children about expected behavior in school during the day as it relates to mom or dads availability (or not) due to working full time.

Parents should begin updating all emergency contacts and placing them in an accessible place in the home. Parents should discuss if their child will have a cell phone if the child is in elementary or middle school and should discuss the purpose of the cell phone (.i.e. emergency use only). Safety rules and expectations should also be discussed especially if the child will walk, skate, ride their bike, ride with a friend etc. to school. If the child will walk to school, parents can begin practicing the walk 2

with their child so the expected route will be familiar to the child. I recommend that children not walk to school unless an adult can be with the child. If the parents cannot walk them, perhaps, a grandparent or a retired neighbor, another stay at home parent, etc. could walk them to school.

Once school begin, if there is a routine in place, it can be changed to consider “quality time” in the evening as well as the time parents will set aside to help the student with homework or any school concerns the student might have.

Please remember that these are my recommendations and I recognize that as a family there may already be a regular routine in place. Children adjust better to returning to school when parents explain their expectations and then follow the expectations with consistency. Feel free to contact me about this article at DebraVinsonSchoolBoard2012@comcast.net.

Debra Vinson

Candidate for Antioch School Board Trustee

I am announcing my candidacy for Antioch City Council 2012.

I have been a resident of this diverse Antioch community for over eight years and I truly enjoy living in this City. Antioch has become a stagnant City. We need leadership who has the vision for beneficial growth, thinks outside the box, is transparent and understands the complexities of fiscal responsibility. I bring new ideas, commitment, intensity, integrity, accountability and a strong desire to take on new challenges and find long-term solutions. I will represent all City residents without bias and will involve the community in the decision-making process.

I have a degree in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with over 31 years of management experience working for Governmental Agencies. I have worked with various community groups, City Commissions and Boards, City Council and the Mayor’s Office. I have served on my HOA Board for four years and two years as the President. My wife and I were members of United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods (UCBN) since its inception.

My humble priority is to serve the citizens of the City of Antioch with dedication, integrity, fairness, transparency and full accountability. I encourage you to get to know me better by visiting my website www.noelpinto.com and communicate with me at noel@noelpinto.com. It is my privilege to have this opportunity to serve you.

Noel Pinto

Antioch

Dear Editor,

Former Councilman Allen Payton left a few easy assumptions out of his article. Primarily the relationship of the City Clerk to the public, which was never discussed by the Council while they only looked at eliminating one more position. That roll is of a neutral, trusted fiduciary. The Clerk not only registers people to vote, regardless of party, accepts and files all candidate papers, submits ballot issues to the county elections board, send all public notices, prepare agendas and vital to our system of freedom, provide the public with records and document when requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

Even when public requests for information appears to be nothing more than political harassment, the Clerk is still sworn to preform her duties without the influence of Councilmembers, a strong Mayor or a City Manager. The elected Clerk cannot be fired by a City Manager that has already eliminated every other department head in the City.

What this Council has done in an attempt to eliminate the position has been to reduce the salary of an elected position to a paltry amount and instruct that the Clerk herself is to work only one day a week. What better way to reduce or even eliminate the Clerks relationship with the public.

As to the Councils refusal to rename “L” Street, that has been proposed for many years, and even though I might disagree on the renaming of ‘A’ and 2^nd Streets, you missed the one that would have cost “nothing”. Those of us that have been heavily involved in the History of this community and the republishing of the Diary of Rev. Williams Wiggin Smith, ask that Roger’s Point be restored back to the original name of “Smith’s Point” as it had been the long standing homestead of Smith until his death.

As there is currently no signage, other than “Keep Out”, and the property and area are not currently being developed, no signage would have been required at this time and no real cost associated with changing the name. From our records the property was not identified as Roger’s Point until the Rogers family (local insurance agent) took over in mid century.

Although we felt this was a non issue and we had council support, much to our surprise the Mayor felt he needed to ascertain the feeling of the Roger’s family. All the members of the Roger’s family that ever lived there, including their daughter Virginia Rogers Calessesi, have passed away.

This simple issue has exposed this Councils inability to advocate for issues brought from the public. On another issue one councilmember expressed to me that the council believed they needed to wait for the election to allow new council members to have input on an important issue. This was stated to me last March.

I don’t know about the rest of the public but I don’t vote and elect Councilmembers so they can wait 2 years to give the next group input. I elect people to make decisions now, while they are in office. Those that fail to advocate for issues, weather I agree with them or not, and those that fail to make the decisions they were elected to make, will not have my vote in the future.

Elizabeth Rimbault,

Former Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember

Antioch

Dear Editor:

Sunday’s Contra Costa Times tells us that 400 people thought they were qualified to be city code enforcer but the city only interviewed three of them. And all three of them turned the job down. Why is that? I thought a job with the city was a good deal.

Who wants to come forward and tell us why three qualified people would turn down a job with the city of Antioch?

If council members don’t know perhaps the three applicants will come forth and tell us why they could not accept the job.

Bob Oliver, Antioch