To the editor:

Ready for this? St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, which has been hit three, yes count ’em, three times, for copper, twice within a week, had another attempted ripoff the other night. Luckily, the thief was frightened off by one of the volunteer parishioners who give up their warm beds to patrol the church grounds nightly.

You must have read how for the second time BART was vandalized, with the thieves going out on the tracks themselves. Here in Antioch, this week Marsh Elementary School got hit for the second time. And the beat goes on and on. If you’ve got copper faucets or copper pennies laying around the house, you better have a guard dog. These people are crazed!

On another note, my neighbor was monitoring their outside video cameras the other afternoon when they saw five male youth approach a neighboring house of folks vacationing in Europe. The suspects then proceeded to kick the door down.

My neighbor called the police, but no patrol car was available because of a fight somewhere in Antioch. Eight minutes later the thieves started leaving the house and my neighbor called the police again.

This time they sent out five cars and were apparently able to catch at least two of the suspects, who were running through back yards and climbing fences, including my mother in law’s around the corner from me. In fact, one of the suspects was filmed taking out a change of clothes from his backpack but didn’t change his flaming red socks. The foolishness of youth!

My best advice: get an alarm (which the broken-into folks didn’t have; try to get a house sitter if you are gone; have a dog; iron gate your door; start a Neighborhood Watch. The police are doing their best, but with a force down well over 30 uniformed cops, the ruling maxim is that God helps those who help themselves.

Walter Ruehlig
Antioch

To the editor:

As expected, Don Freitas is going to run for mayor next election. And he should. He controlled the city council meetings very well. But that’s no reason to re-elect him. Since he left office two years ago, he has not made any appearances at council meetings, never any input on anything.

The same can be said of Arne Simonsen. Never shows at council meetings and little input in the newspaper. But I could vote for Arne if he would make a commitment to run as a full-time mayor and eliminate the position of city manager.

Arne is the only council person to ask questions. I always thought him to be the smartest of them all. He has the time to be full-time mayor and we need him.

Bob Oliver
Antioch

To the editor:

There should be an article about this problem. Honest. Neighbors celebrating the fact the house is getting some much needed love and attention may not know that the company hired to do the cleanuout isn’t always a reliable company.

Antioch is a victim of not so honest people doing foreclosure cleanouts that then illegally dump all the trash on the back roads in Antioch (instead of hauling the trash to the dump and paying like they are supposed to).

The lastest one I had to deal with came from a house on West 6th Street that was then dumped near a water source on McElheney Road. It took 5 people over 3 hours to clean up.

Impossible to track down who did it with the limited resources at hand. When I do get an address, and I usually do, they are, of course, bank-owned. But someone associated with the foreclosed home hired somebody to clean it out and the cleanout crew decided to keep all the money and illegally dump it instead.

I do not have the resources nor does the City to follow up every time this happens I do have pictures of what was recently dumped on McElheney Road by what we believe was one of these trash cleanout companies. Yet another side of foreclosures, unfortunately.

Neighbors need to take notice. If you see a trash cleanup at a foreclosed house, get the license plate number or take a picture or ask for a business card.

R.C. Ferris

To the editor:

Bittersweet, yes, but given the state of affairs, progress. St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church tallied its receipts from the Fall Festival, raffle and gala dinner and exceeded expectations with a net profit of $32,000.

The sad news is that normally that money would have gone towards the ‘Complete the Vision Campaign’ to build an educational center. Due to three copper thefts in a matter of months that stripped air conditioners and perimeter wires, some $26,000 of it is earmarked for a perimeter fence, which is hoped to go in by the end of the year.

The projected fence installation follows in the steps of the Dhyanyoga Center across the street which was also repeatedly vandalized, as was a number of other churches and schools around the city.

In the meantime. a contingent of men, and one brave woman parishioner, are doing three hour shifts through the night watching the church. New security cameras and increased city police patrols add to the security effort. In addition, the church has volunteers patrolling the parking lot during services because of past car break-ins. Anybody with any tips on either variety of thief, please contact the Antioch police.

The church, incidentally, is just shy of a million dollars in pledges, a third of its goal. Parochial Administrator Robert Rien has been tirelessly pursuing foundations and under the leadership of Finance Committee Chair Ron France, the church is pulling out all the stops with recyclable collection, loose change jugs, fish fries, crab feeds, restaurant incentive nights, gourmet coffee and tri-tip sandwich sales and just about any fund-raising enterprise that is legal and wholesome.

The church welcomes ideas if you have any. Seems thieves may come and go, but men and women of good faith and resilience are a constant at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church.

Walter Ruehlig

To the editor:

No mistaking me and Thanksgiving sentiments; I thoroughly admire the holiday’s essence. I find it, though, a telling remark on the vagaries of life that we need a day to remind us to be thankful.

I guess that forgetfulness is due to nature seeking the path of least resistance. As rivers run down, not up, hill, so to moan, to complain, to whine is the more beaten path of the human condition. The less traveled attitude of gratitude seems the direction we need pointers on.

Growing up, my older step sister, who as a child fled the Soviet occupiers of East Germany, oft posed this provocative reminder of relativity. How many of us, she asked, would willingly put all their troubles in a brown paper bag and throw them up in the air with all our neighbors’ bags, randomly collecting what rained down? Our lot is, in truth, often better than what we credit it to be.

I offer, then, my own life ledger:

How generously I note how serious life can be; how stingily I see the ironies, remembering, after all, that since nobody gets out of this Big Tent alive, we may as well just enjoy the show. Grin and bear it.

How generously I disparage our national political strife and intrinsically messy democracy; how stingily I trumpet that we’re not rioting in the streets, blowing each other up, or displaying our bloodied former leaders in refrigerated market stalls.

How generously I wake up decrying an assortment of age-related aches and pains; how stingily I praise the simple miracle of rising vertically and ambulating.

How generously I bemoan diminished reading sight; how stingily I exult not being blind, deaf or mute.

How generously I curse being a working stiff; how stingily I sing the blessings of having a job to report to; a loving family to feed; and a son at college eager to make something of himself.

How generously I sigh over lost home value; how stingily I admit that my abode would be a veritable mansion in Japan or Europe; it’s blessedly not foreclosed; and, unlike 40% of the world’s population, I enjoy indoor plumbing. All of this, no less, nestling in a region without snow storms or humidity stifling misery indexes.

How generously I lament Antioch’s hunger for downtown development matching Brentwood’s and Pittsburg’s; how stingily I toast the Highway 4 expansion, beckoning eBART and ferry, new marina ramp, and A and L Street remakes.

How generously I focus on blight; how stingily I acknowledge that we sit on the Delta, boasting gorgeous parks, a handsome community center and golf course event center, career-themed schools and an hour or so proximity in any direction to world class cities and stunningly gorgeous recreational areas.

How generously I dwell on crime; how stingily I note that America’s crime rate is the lowest since 1968 and that Antioch went down last year 16 percent in violent crime and on all indices except burglary.

Surely, brothers and sisters, we all have our untold presents. Is the arithmetic too hard to take a few of the 86,400 seconds in a day gifted us to count our blessings? Thanksgiving, after all, is not just the last Thursday in November. It is a state of mind.

In the grand scheme of things, Meister Eckhart seemed to have had it right: “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”

Walter Ruehlig
Antioch

We’ll have to wait a century for a repeat of the 11-11-11 phenomena. Come to think of it, that might have been a bit fanciful, Saying ‘we’ that is. In my case I’d certainly have the last laugh on social security. For now, though, we can all boast that we experienced a “repunit palindriome.” How’s that for a mouthful? ‘Repunit’ means a number such as 11, 111, 1111 that contains only the digit “1”.

The number mania got me so curious that I looked closely at my odometer and saw that in 102 miles I would hit 111,111 miles. I hung a note on the visor to remind me to try and show my grandson the milestone, or if I’m on a commute, at least to honk and act crazy. Life is short. Why not recycle the teenage years?

True to to form, Las Vegas had their own way of celebrating 11-11-11 as 200 couples got married at the Little White Chapel. Here’s hoping that some of them have a repunit anniversary!

Antioch may have no wedding chapels but it was not to be outdone. It added its own exclamation to the calendar extravaganza by starting its fourth annual Veterans Day parade at 11 a.m. We had, then, an 11-11-11-11 happening. Best yet, though we had our drizzles, rain or sleet wasn’t going to dampen this affair.

One citizen shared with me the thought of the day; “Lord knows, our men and women in uniform put up with far worse conditions than suffering some measly raindrops. It is the least we can do to honor them.” I say amen to that sentiment.

Honor we did. There was a healthy crowd packing historic Second Street. State Sen. Mark Desaulnier attended as did Antioch Mayor Jim Davis, and Council Members Gary Agopian and Wade Harper and Antioch School Board President Diane Gibson Gray, Vice President Claire Smith and Trustee Walter Ruehlig.

There were four bands, motorcycle groups; representation from all armed forces branches; a dazzling array of civic marching units, all given an introduction by emcee and Asst. Superintendent of Antioch Schools Tim Forrester; Boy and Girl Scouts galore; an overhead helicopter; the splendid East County Military families float; a heartfelt poem by the Mayor’s wife, Sue Davis. Thanks go to Sue and her husband, Jim, and to those who served with them on the organizational committee.

Seems that it was more than the 11-11-11-11 fascination that brought people to the Parade on a damp day. You could tell from the cheers that this event has really captured the heart of Antioch. Plain and simple – they love their veterans.

Walter Ruehlig

Sometimes it takes showing off your prized possession to make you appreciate it even more. Antioch got that prideful boost in the arm at the Antioch Community Center this past week as on back-to-back nights it hosted a Town Hall meeting put on by newly redistricted County Supervisor Mary Piepho and then the rotating monthly Mayor’s Conference.

The newly minted Prewett Park facility received raves by consecutive large crowds on November 2nd and 3rd. The attendees were uniformly impressed with the signature blue drop entrance art work, the earth-toned building nestled into the hills and the fact that the facility even boasts a burrowing owl habitat.

If they needed any further proof of the viability of the Center, it was provided by an informal tour. The gym was abuzz with practicing cheerleading squads and the library was packed. Nothing staged; just a typical night at a hopping place.

At the Supervisor’s Town Hall meeting some 125 people heard from Ms. Piepho and representatives from the Planning and Building Department, Housing Authority, Highway Bypass Authority, Veterans Services, Probation, East County Transit Authority and Sheriff’s Office.

The Mayor’s Conference featured Sheriff David Livingstone talking on the realignment caused by state release of certain categories of inmates, known as non-non-nons. Due to some current 300 extra beds in our County system at least for the time being we were told by the Sheriff that nobody will be running loose. We will, in fact, be able to house these transfers.

A presentation was also made on the County Flood and Control District and Channel Safety Awareness Program. This program was prompted by the recent tragic boating deaths of two teens. Upcoming Board and Commission vacancies were announced; the League of California Cities gave an update; and the Mayors had an opportunity to share news.

The Antioch City Hall event organizers also didn’t overlook the amenities. A Deer Valley High Jazz ensemble, led by Band Director Larry Widnener, greeted incoming guests and the Divine Voices, led by Vocal Director Michelle Stark, sang the National Anthem. Dinner, for those wishing to stay after the business meeting, was catered by Lone Tree Golf and Event Center. The meal received praise for transcending the typically bland fare offered at these conferences.

The next Mayors Conference will be held in Brentwood December 1st with a holiday fruit and nut theme.

Walter Ruehlig
President, Antioch Mello Roos Board

To the editor:

I’m writing to express my thanks and gratitude to the community and organizations that came out in support for our “Hometown Hero” Wounded in Action Ssgt. Daniel Fye. The Fye family from Antioch would also like to express their gratitude, the love and support for their son, his wife and 4 children.

Ssgt. Fye has a long road in recovery and rehabilitation. He has been fitted with his prosthesis and is working hard at the Intrepid for Wounded Warriors in Texas with his wife and children. His Mother, father, sister and brother continue to go help out when they can. Thank you also to the newspapers and reporters for taking the interest in the Fye family, helping get the word out for support.

Thank you: VFW Post – 6435 Antioch, VFW Post 202 Brentwood, ALR – Post 161 Antioch, Lions Club – Antioch. The Winners Circle Western Wear – Sue & Fred Pederson, HUGO’s Bar, Roddy Ranch Golf Course, DJ Luna, Strumming for Vets. Vendors: Stella & Dot, AVON, & Michelle’s Photography. The Golden Hills Community Church, Orale Restaurant, Trader Joe’s, Melo’s Pizza, Road Kill Roy & cooking team, Mark Sanchez’s Ink’d up Tattoos, Markstein Beverage Co. & Raley’s. Donations of desserts and side dishes (too many to name). Mayor James & Susan Davis, Councilmember Gary & Robin Agopian, Representative Iris Obrigon, for Assemblymember Joan Bucahnan.

Thank you to all the many volunteers from East County Military Families & East County Veterans. Please continue to pray and support this family, Janis hopes that they will not forget the sacrifice that her son has made and all the other Troops fighting for our freedoms. Thank you, Antioch, there is greatness among us. Seek out the good and continue serving those who serve.

Respectfully,
Josie Monaghan
Founder ~ Director
East County Military Families & Friends